Windsor bailout no pre-vote ploy, Harper says.

Of course it is wise always to translate into the real meaning the rhetoric of political leaders. Translated this means the opposite of what it says. What Harper really said is: This bailout is a pre-vote ploy. Harper thinks that the Canadian populace will be trusting enough not to see through this transparent ploy. He makes the same assumption about his ploy of consulting with the opposition leaders before calling the election. Harper is as phoney as a four dollar bill.
The fact that Harper violates his own policy as the article notes is neither here nor there. People are supposed to be glad he is finally giving them some help. Of course the help is welcome but the aid such as it is will probably be kept in place by whoever else might form the government.


Windsor bailout no pre-vote ploy, Harper says TheStar.com - Canada - Windsor bailout no pre-vote ploy, Harper says
Pledges $80 million to restart Ford Essex engine plant that closed
September 04, 2008 bruce campion-smithOttawa bureau chief
WINDSOR–Stephen Harper says his $80 million rescue package to help reopen a closed auto plant isn't pre-election pork, but left little doubt a campaign is coming.
After meeting with the three opposition leaders in recent days – and hearing all declare there was no common political ground for a fall agenda – Harper said yesterday that his mind was made up on calling an election.
"I have to say I was a little bit surprised in the case of (Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion). He provided no assurance of any kind about this Parliament continuing very long," Harper said.
"I would say that after meeting those leaders I've made my decision and I'll let the country know that decision in the next few days."
That makes it almost a certainty that Harper will seek the Governor General's consent to dissolve Parliament.
With economic woes – and Ontario's ailing manufacturing sector – likely to be front and centre in the campaign, Harper made a quick visit to Windsor, hit hard by auto sector job losses, to unveil the investment and defend the Tories' economic record.
In an event that had all the trappings of a campaign stop, Harper pledged federal cash crucial to restarting the Ford Essex engine plant, shook hands with union workers and touted his record over the Liberals' "risky" economic plan.
He conceded that Canada's auto sector, hit by plant closings, is facing a "critical" crossroads but said the challenges are not "insurmountable."
And he said the Tory record of tax cuts, balanced budgets and targeted investments will ensure the Canadian economy is in "pretty good shape" when the American economy recovers.
"Our goal is to keep the Canadian economy growing at a time of considerable slowness in the world economy and particularly in the American economy," Harper said.
"I think it's a crazy time for the country to take risks," he said, as he criticized the Liberals' carbon tax.
"That would be a pretty risky way to proceed with the running of this economy in my judgment but we'll have more time to talk about that, I suspect, in the not-too-distant future," he said.
Liberal MP and finance critic John McCallum said Harper's auto aid was too little, too late.
He said the Conservative government has since last year been ignoring calls for help from car makers on the grounds that the Tories don't believe in "Band-aid" solutions.
"Just at the last minute, after these people have suffered layoffs for months and just days before an election, he slaps on this Band-aid," he said.
But Harper rebuffed questions about the announcement being motivated by a looming election.
"This is not money that is being thrown around on the eve of an election. This is money that has been approved," he said.
Also yesterday, Quebec and Ottawa signed a $4 billion deal for infrastructure projects, including highway upgrades and renovations to sports and cultural institutions, The Canadian Press reports.
Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said during the announcement in Quebec City that the deal with Quebec has nothing to do with an impending election call.
In Windsor, the Ford Essex engine plant was idled last November, putting 900 employees out of work. But under the so-called "Renaissance Project" confirmed yesterday, the plant will be retooled as a flexible engine assembly plant, producing up to 215,000 engines a year and employing 501 people. As well, the federal government will help create a research and development centre that will help put Canada on the map in the development of fuel-efficient engine technologies.
Ford is investing $600 million to retool the plant for the new engine line. The provincial Liberal government has already pledged $17 million toward that effort.
The promise of federal funding for the project marks a surprise turnaround for Harper's Conservatives, who had rejected any financial assistance out of hand just months ago.
Indeed, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty condemned Queen's Park for its high business taxes and corporate handouts and made clear that the plant should not expect help from Ottawa.
But with an imminent election call – and calls mounting for Ottawa to do more to boost the province's flagging manufacturing sector – the Conservatives changed course and delivered on the aid package, in the form of a repayable contribution.
But Harper defended yesterday's investment, saying the government's focus is on long-term economic development.
"The last thing I want to be doing is standing around a year from now and saying that we put some taxpayers' money on the table into some plant that some company's cutting jobs in," he said.