In Their Own Words: Conservative Platform Includes $53 Billion in Cuts – Including $14 Billion in Hidden Cuts

October 18, 2019

It’s now been a week since Andrew Scheer tried to slip his cuts plan by Canadians, hoping they wouldn’t notice. But no one fell for it. Every day, Canadians are asking what Andrew Scheer’s cut plans means for their communities. Here is what some of them are saying:

Quotations are included in their original language

“Trudeau and the Liberals have accomplished important things since 2015. And they offer the best program for continuing in that positive direction over the next four years.” – Toronto Star Editorial Board, October 16, 2019

« Andrew Scheer ne semble pas particulièrement fier de son cadre financier. Il l’a rendu public quelques heures après le dernier débat des chefs, juste avant un long week-end où l’annonce serait forcément noyée. Qu’y retrouve-t-on, au juste ? Une feuille de route qui ressemble à celle de son prédécesseur, Stephen Harper. » – François Cardinal, La Presse, 18 octobre 2019

« [La plan d’Andrew Scheer] l’oblige évidemment à multiplier les compressions pour espérer atteindre l’équilibre budgétaire en cinq ans. Des compressions dans les infrastructures, la sécurité nationale et l’environnement, entre autres, qui s’annoncent… plus importantes que celles imposées par M. Harper. Ce qui risque d’avoir un effet concret réel, notamment en matière d’investissements en transports en commun. » – François Cardinal, La Presse, 18 octobre 2019

“[T]he government made a fundamental choice at the beginning of its mandate to make sure the wealth is more evenly shared. It cut taxes on the middle class, raised them on the wealthy and directed a lot more support to families with the new Canada Child Benefit. All that made a huge difference in the lives of many people, especially those on low incomes. The child benefit, in particular, is a key reason why more than 800,000 people, including some 300,000 children, have escaped poverty over the past few years. This is no small thing; it simply wouldn’t have happened if the Conservatives had remained in power and put austerity ahead of people.” – Toronto Star Editorial Board, October 16, 2019

“On housing Andrew Scheer would move us backwards and make housing less affordable. On transit Andrew Scheer’s $18B cut to infrastructure would kill SkyTrain to UBC. On opioids Andrew Scheer would drag us back into court while more people die.” – Kennedy Stewart (Mayor of Vancouver), Statement, October 16, 2019

“There are shortcomings in [the Conservative] platform that are of concern to me.” – John Tory (Mayor of Toronto), Toronto Star, October 17, 2019

“[Andrew Scheer’s proposed] postponement of infrastructure investments is something that is not in the best interests of Toronto or cities across the country” and [Conservatives haven’t] “said as much about housing” [as other parties]. – John Tory (Mayor of Toronto), Toronto Star, October 17, 2019

“[Conservatives] would slash $18 billion from infrastructure spending, killing or delaying badly needed projects across the country. They would cut deeply in spending on government operations, a promise reminiscent of Doug Ford’s pledge to cut “fat.” We know how that’s turning out in Ontario. Under Scheer, the Conservatives would lurch to the right in foreign affairs. And, crucially, they would throw the government into reverse when it comes to effective action on climate change.” – Toronto Star Editorial Board, October 16, 2019

“Liberal management of the economy has led to near record low unemployment, strong job creation and needed infrastructure investment. The Conservative claim to superiority is largely around promised tax cuts, but the truth is that tax cuts alone have not in the past generated comparable economic strength and sustained prosperity.” – Hamilton Spectator Editorial Board, October 16, 2019

“The Liberals also chose to spread wealth more evenly. Taxes on the middle class were reduced and the Canada Child Benefit was introduced. Thanks to the CCB, 800,000 people, including 300,000 children, have been lifted out of poverty. This would not have happened under an austerity-driven Conservative government.” – Hamilton Spectator Editorial Board, October 16, 2019

“The Conservatives would kill the carbon tax, tax big polluters and encourage green innovation. That, as numerous scientists have pointed out, isn’t even a plan. Under Scheer’s Conservatives, Canada would move backwards, which would be shirking our responsibility to future generations.” – Hamilton Spectator Editorial Board, October 16, 2019

« Contrairement à ce qu’il affirmait cette semaine, l’engagement du chef conservateur Andrew Scheer à financer ses promesses en réduisant les investissements prévus dans les infrastructures menace la construction d’un tramway à Québec, en plus de certains projets prévus à Montréal. » – Claude Villeneuve, Journal de Montréal, 18 octobre, 2019

« Si on réduit les investissements totaux en infrastructures, nécessairement, Montréal aura moins. À la ville, on évalue que c’est une somme de 1,6 milliard qui est en jeu, ce qui compromettrait la réalisation de projets de 4 milliards financés conjointement avec Québec. » – Claude Villeneuve, Journal de Montréal, 18 octobre, 2019