Editor:
John Weston's mea culpa critique of his own Conservative government, on the eve of the June 2 Blackmark Budget actions, for failing to do a better sales job on Bill C-38, the omnibus budget bill, is both condescending and patronizing (Coast Reporter June 15, "Weston responds to C-38 protests").
It makes the B.C. Liberals' damage control apology for failing to have convinced us poor, hapless citizens of their superior vision to implement the HST without having first raised that red flag during the election look honest by comparison.
Harper Inc.'s discourse begins and ends with the premise that their vision and understanding of what Canadians want and need is superior to what the vast majority of Canadians believe is in the best interests of Canada.
If only we were intelligent enough to understand the clarity of their vision, all would be well.
Canadians actually do understand that the vast majority of the red flag issues contained in the omnibus budget bill are egregious in their own right and damaging to our national fabric. We are genuinely appalled that the majority of those red flags were either not raised during the election at all, like the age eligibility increase for OAS to 67 or the gutting of environmental protections, or were, like the F35 Fighter's $25B-plus price tag, deliberately understated to conceal the Conservatives' true intents.
Weston casually admits he had no chance to study the issues contained in the budget prior to its tabling, yet he slavishly defends Harper Inc.'s rush to judgment through limiting debate and forcing closure.
He effectively admits he doesn't understand the legislation he voted for, often with two thumbs up, and then claims he is "most sensitive" to the issues "our constituents most care about." How would he know? He didn't ask us!
Jef Keighley
Halfmoon Bay
