Stand with open and honest leadership

August 23, 2013

Canadians continue to respond to Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada’s message of openness and transparency. It’s the type of leadership that they have been waiting for. This week, rather than duck and dodge like other politicians, our Leader gave straight answers to tough questions.

As he began his current tour of Quebec, our Leader stood up for minority rights in Quebec, leading the Globe and Mail to ask, “where are the other federal leaders?”  Then, as our Leader gave direct answers to direct questions on marijuana, our opponents wasted no time shifting to their usual playbook of attack politics.

Stephen Harper and the Conservatives continue to argue for a war on drugs that has resulted in more than 475,000 Canadians being arrested on marijuana-related charges in the past seven years alone. And while gangsters and thugs get rich dealing marijuana, prohibition has cost Canadian taxpayers more than an estimated $500 million since 2006.

The NDP have devolved on this issue – actually moving backwards. Former NDP Leader Jack Layton called for the creation of a “legal environment” and legislation that would allow for the safe, legal purchasing of marijuana. Thomas Mulcair once said that marijuana was similar to alcohol and it should be a matter of personal choice. Now, Mulcair and the NDP are arguing for the continued prohibition of marijuana and attacking those who advocate its legalization.

Liberal priorities remain building a stronger middle class so that we can build a stronger economy for all Canadians, and raising the bar on openness and transparency to restore confidence in our democracy.  However, we will always stand and defend the full range of our policies against irresponsible attacks from our opponents.

The good news is that Canadians are with us and we have confidence in Canadians. They want open and honest leadership and they want evidence-based policies. If you support this approach, please share this petition with friends and family and ask for their support.

Dominic Leblanc

Liberal House Leader