Mr. Goodale thinks you're wrong about Mr. Trudeau, Mr. Hayes

SooToday.com received the following letter from Ralph Goodale, deputy leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, in response to an article published on January 5

In the article, Sault MP Bryan Hayes is quoted: "As far as I'm concerned, Justin Trudeau is not capable of leading Canada."

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Dear Editor:
 
I write in response to an article quoting Bryan Hayes, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, published on January 5, 2014.
 
Mr. Hayes’ negative comments are precisely the sort that Canadians are rejecting. 

Weary of personal abuse, scandal and spin, people across the country are searching for a constructive, fresh alternative.
 
Mr. Hayes claims Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is unwilling to discuss big issues. 

But in fact the exact opposite is true. 

He has delivered well-received public policy speeches at meetings of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Vancouver, at the Petroleum Club in Calgary, at Le Mood in Montreal, and at the Swami Narayan Temple in Toronto. 

More globally, he recently participated in a major policy conference at the Center for American Progress in Washington.

Mr. Trudeau is offering a bold vision for Canada – one that pulls people together around ambitions we can all share, rather than driving wedges of division and fear. 

His priority is clear. 

We must bolster the strength and prosperity of middle-class Canadians, who haven’t had a decent raise in 30 years.

Achieving that goal will require sustained economic growth. 

Sadly, Mr. Harper's record in this regard is the worst of any Prime Minister since R.B. Bennett in the 1930s.

And his only discernible plan for the future is more austerity which runs the risk of actually making middle-class prosperity more difficult.

Mr. Trudeau, on the other hand, wants Canada to build a competitive advantage around a highly skilled, creative and innovative workforce. 

While 50 percent of Canadians today have successfully acquired some level of post-secondary education, we need to lift that success rate to at least 70 percent, because the jobs of the future will demand it.

With respect to energy policy, Mr. Trudeau is calling for a smart marriage between successful economic development and intelligent environmental protection.  Canadians want and need both. 

Review processes must be fair, transparent, and science-based. 

If we had had more credible environmental policy in this country – including effective oversight, tougher penalties, and a price on carbon pollution – the Keystone XL pipeline would already have been approved.

On democratic reform, the Liberal Party has made a commitment to go beyond what any other party is doing.

We led the way by proactively and publicly disclosing MP expenses.

Moreover, Mr. Trudeau is calling for common, quarterly and more detailed online expense reports easily accessible to Canadians, as well as working with the Auditor General to ensure greater public confidence in all Parliamentary spending.

Mr. Hayes says Canadians need Stephen Harper, now and for the “foreseeable future.” 

I respectfully disagree. 

Canadians are increasingly thirsty for change – change that’s in touch with middle-class aspirations, change they can embrace with genuine enthusiasm. 

Liberals, under Mr. Trudeau, will continue working hard to earn Canadians’ trust and deliver that real change.

Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P. (Wascana)
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

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