Average Joe popular guy for federal politicians

YorkRegion.com
January 23, 2014
By Sean Pearce

The nation’s economy remains a front-and-centre topic in the federal discourse, but it suddenly seems average Joe Canadian is a popular guy.

Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair kicked off a cross-country tour this week to meet Canadians and discuss their financial health and what the government ought to be doing to make their lives more affordable.

Many are struggling with ever-increasing monthly bills and ballooning debtloads, he said, adding the government should be doing everything it can to help Canadians on those sorts of issues.

“New Democrats already forced the government’s hand on pay-to-pay fees — now they need to keep their word — but there is more we can achieve,” he said. “So we’re going to talk to Canadians about how we can end the rip-offs at ATM machines, at the gas pump and how we can ensure more Canadians have access to a low-interest credit card.”

Pay-to-pay refers to the practice whereby some companies charge customers a fee to receive a paper bill. The Throne Speech in October included a pledge on the part of the government to outlaw such charges, but legislation to do so has yet to materialize.

And while the speech contained no promises of action on ATM charges or a low-interest credit card, Mr. Mulcair said he intends to pressure the government to make them happen.

Banks are “creatures of statute” he said, so such measures would not be difficult to mandate.

Speaking to the York Region Media Group from Sault Ste. Marie, the first stop on the tour, Mr. Mulcair said he was most troubled by the plight of many young people he’s spoken to who have graduated from a post-secondary institution saddled with tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt only to find there are few decent employment opportunities available.

As such, many are relying on high-interest credit cards to get by, he said, and the accumulated debt is putting the goal of home ownership well beyond their reach.

In addition to the plight of young people, Mr. Mulcair vowed that his party would focus on having the government play a more meaningful role on the social housing file.

“Kids are growing up in homes with mould and mildew, while (Conservative Industry Minister) James Moore says he has no responsibility to take care of his neighbour’s children,” he said. “Sadly, that’s the Conservative mindset.”

If the Conservatives aren’t up to the task, an NDP government will move to make life more affordable for Canadians, Mr. Mulcair said, expressing his frustration that many pundits have cast the Liberals as the alternative to the government currently in power.

“They say that Canadians can choose between a red door and a blue door, but what we’re saying is that’s not the case,” he said.

At the same time, the Liberal Party of Canada is making a play toward the middle class of its own.

A section on the federal Liberal website states they are standing up for Canadians while the Conservatives ignore them.

“The cost of gas, groceries and bills keeps going up,” it says. “Family incomes aren’t keeping pace. And more and more Canadians are under stress just trying to make ends meet.”

Certainly, the Liberals and NDP have long touted their focus on “the little guy”, University of Toronto political science professor Nelson Wiseman said, but for the Conservatives, despite their having a populist streak, the shift toward a more consumer-friendly agenda is new.

For the longest time, the Conservatives espoused the view that fostering competition was the best means of lowering prices for consumers, but now it appears they’re quite willing to consider regulation as seen with the ongoing wireless spectrum auction that has them running advertisements targeting Canadian wireless carriers, he said.

Part of that is likely the recognition that some of their larger economic policies, while significant, don’t necessarily resonate with the average voter, he added.

“Signing a trade agreement with South Korea and Europe is all well and good, but it doesn’t really mean all that much to people,” Mr. Wiseman said.

In general, consumer issues are things all politicians will hear about frequently and are subjects most voters are eager to talk about, Mr. Wiseman said. People like to vent about their Internet and cellphone services, so taking aim at those sorts of issues is a way to campaign on the cheap, he said, as passing legislation to regulate them doesn’t really cost much.

The government has long been concerned about the struggles faced by everyday Canadians, Conservative Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown said, explaining it’s one of the reasons it has implemented numerous tax reductions, including the two cents off the GST, and introduced income tax credits for children’s activities, such as sports and art classes, as a means of lessening the burden on the average person.

Another example of the federal government trying to help is the wireless spectrum auction, which aims to reduce cellphone rates, a bone of contention for Canadians for years, by allowing more competition into the marketplace, she said.

“Every day, we’re trying to put more money back into the Canadian taxpayer’s pocket,” Ms Brown said, adding her office receives numerous calls from people struggling to get by. “But not everything is a federal issue; we get many people calling our office and telling us what they’re paying for hydro every month.

“I’d call on every level of government to look at what they can do as well.”

Going forward, the government intends to work toward implementing the measures outlined in the Throne Speech, while also working to grow the still-fragile economy in the hopes of providing more and better opportunities for all, Ms Brown said.