The Liberals released their platform last week, the NDP released their platform today and with 6 days until the election and advanced polls already closed, there is no platform from PC Team Lord on the horizon.
In fact, if you check out the platform page on the PC site. Under the heading "platform" there is nothing and under the heading "backgrounders" there is one document on energy.
This is all they have on paper after over a month of campaigning and with only six days to go?
Come on Mr. Lord, how are we supposed to be "Getting Results Together" if you can't even get a platform together?
UPDATE: It seems that Bernard Lord is releasing his platfrom today. This is very interesting. First, I note that Shawn Graham has not updated his blog and poof, it is updated. Then, I note that Bernard Lord has not released his platform and POOF he is releasing it the very next day. Either these are amazing coincidence or perhaps I have become the most powerful man in New Brunswick politics!
Also, for your viewing pleasure and because one should "take a picture, it lasts longer", below is a screenshot of Lord's platform page as it was when I wrote this post (and as it was right not at 10:44 on Wednesday, Sept 13) before the platform was released...
Posts
22 comments:
Tories have a platform only the Emperor can see it. You know what I mean. Emperor Bernie without clothes.
Actually - that reminds me. Lord did wave his platform around in the debate last Thursday.
Was it just a prop with blank pages or is he hiding something by not releasing it?
He is known to hide things. Orimulsion!!!
Don't worry.......i'm sure it will be out by Sunday midnight.......lol
See! Who says he does not have platform:).
lord has platforms just look at his feet
I'm not surprised Lord does not have an election platform. In the whole election campaign so far, he had has had nothing to blog about! (Official Premier's Blog)
At least Shawn has blogged about his platform. (Official Shawn Blog)
Im a liberal but I like ndps platform the best, too bad they never organized earlier. Why is shawn so hard to like, there is nothing to dislike but you know it seems he is lacking something. public insurance, aug 15 holiday seem like good ideas. Insurance companies seem to be monopolies anyways. government is controlled by lawyers and crooks...enough is enough
Good things come to those who wait people.
In exactly 2 hours from now you will be able to see the best political and economic platform of any of the New Brunswick parties here. Enjoy nbpolitico.
Yes scott, as you were posting this I was updating my post to reflect that fact and I will of course give the Tory platform the same review I gave the Liberals.
This is just a bit of good fun, no need to be so serious!
However, I maintain it is poor strategic planning to put a platform out 5 days before the election. Campaign offices likely will not get it until tomorrow at the latest and for those swing voters looking for something to push them over, the lack of a platform could have been decisive.
Well, powerful in that you handed your newly adopted party of the day, the liberals, a defeat...well your doing a great job. Keep up the good work.
Yes that is what Bernard Lord has been saying, "Good things come to those who wait.." May be if we wait another 40-50 years then may be. On the other hand NB may not even exist the way things have been going on in last 7 years.
Well, powerful in that you handed your newly adopted party of the day, the liberals, a defeat...well your doing a great job. Keep up the good work.
I can't say I really follow what you are saying? If my new found political power (obviously a joke) is being used to cause the Liberals to be defeated, could you let me know how?
anon 11:04- At least he didn't say that it wouldn't be until 2025 until things get moving aorund here like "Shawney Come Lately" mused about.
I want a leader that will address some of the problems that we have right now.
And there is no question that leader is Bernard Lord.
Yet, if you want a leader who will pay lip service to all our challenges and concerns, then Shawn "I was a practice gym teacher for a few months" Graham is your "former educator"....I mean your man. :)
There's a strategic advantage to releasing your platform last. it gives the Libs less time to attack the platform and less time for the media to poke holes in it.
I was a little surprised when Lord went on the attack Sunday night, and wondered if he now thought he was running behind. The poll released this week makes that make more sense, espcially given the sound methodology.
What is even more surprising, though, is the extent of the humourlessness and anger displayed by partisan PCers online this week. The change is Scott's mood is downright startling.
And the tactics! I mean, really, this business about Graham's teaching experiece: it's almost laughable. The man is not yet 40: we know he's light on experience, like every NB premier since the 1960s. But geez, I think the guy has been in the working world, and in politics, a lot longer than Bernard Lord was when we elected him. (I saw "we" because I voted for him. Not this time.)
It looks to this non-partisan voter like the PCs feel the election slipping away from them, and are getting desperate.
Perhaps Bernard was hoping to steal Shawn's copy at the debate so he could put his cover on it. ;-)
On the serious side I am concerned about the party in power not having a platform this late in the game. They had the most time to prepare. I am worried that they did not want anything in writing if they won because the state of the Province's finances are such that there is no money for what they could promise. We know that 8000 jobs have left in the last two months, exports are said to be down, and people are leaving the Province in waves.
I am not sure how the Conservatives can release their platform now in an effective way as the party has fallen into the politics of desperation. You got Brent Taylor's conspiracy-theory-like allegations on his blog and Conservative partisans getting really nasty and personal. Nobody seems to be in the mood to talk issues anymore. It is a shame as by the sound of it undecided voters want to compare their choices.
The PC platform is online, and looks like they've already abandonned the 5 in 5 plan. Now the 5 areas are not platform key areas, they're "visions", and they don't appear to tie into any bigger vision or plan of any kind. Then we get 20 things, like cut gas tax 30%. Funny, they increased that excise tax themselves, so while 30% might seem like lots they put it there in the first place. And number 11 is a $500 fitness and culture tax credit. Well thank the heavens I can get a tax credit to go to a gym. I didn't want that lousy health care system improved, give me my sweats and I'll take care of this hernia myself!There's nothing in there for a working family. And # 20 is an 8% income tax cut? Sorry Lord, no dice. That is a badly veiled reference to something that has already happened and is section #16 of the Income Tax Act about indexing. Maybe they tought 20 was a nice round number and no one would notice?
Looks like this one was kept in the barn this long because there's no focus or real actionable plan, no real vision like "be self-sufficient in 20 years." Instead, its a snoozer with a bunch of little things. What did Lord hold up last week? a blank book? I expected more from something they held up until 5 days before the election, I assumed they were beefing it up to counter Liberal platform plans. I was wrong, because there's no beef here just a real lack of vision. For a Government that had seven years to plan for things, this is truely uninteresting.
The message from Lord on the PC website has this -
"I am confident about New Brunswick’s future. We have achieved great success as a province and we can achieve more together as we pursue our 5 in 5 plan – a vision that outlines five ambitious goals to be realized over five years. Our ongoing commitment is to provide quality education, better health and senior care, more jobs, lower taxes, affordable energy, a cleaner environment and balanced budgets."
Where's the plan? Their much-touted 5 in 5 looks alotlike their failed Prosperity Plan - something they abandonned when they realized it was all just empty.
The Liberal platform has so much more information, background and actual statistics and partners, I predict New Brunswickers who have been undecided will vote for a Liberal Government when they get a look at this PC nonsense.
At least he didn't say that it wouldn't be until 2025 until things get moving aorund here like "Shawney Come Lately" mused about.
I want a leader that will address some of the problems that we have right now.
And there is no question that leader is Bernard Lord.
Ummm scott - Shawn Graham is looking to make New Brunswick a "have province" by 2025. In order to do that, we will have to have tremendous economic growth every year from here until then. Perpetual progress.
Shawn Graham wants to take 19 years to make New Brunswick a have province. Yes that is a way down the road, but it is better than Bernard Lord who is content to stay on equilization for eternity.
"..I want a leader that will address some of the problems that we have right now". Scott, those are the problems created by Mr. Lord whether it is Orimulsion fiasco, high gas tax, botched gas regulation, screwed up health care, they are the problems brought on by Lord Government. If that is his leadership and vision then NBers must be spared of it. It is scary to face another four years of disaster under Mr. Lord.
Bernard Lord does think that he can fool all the people all the time. His supporters are saying that platform was released late so that media may not be able to point out holes in it and public may not get a chance to absorb it and to see through it. What does that tell you?
Fellas, since it's obvious you're all Liberal bandwagoners who are so ashamed that you refuse to post under a name, anyway forget that, why don't you take a look or better yet read any book by your hero Donald Savoie on economic development in New Brunswick. What you would find he would say before criticizing the Lord administration after 2002 would be that the Chretien administration (read his governing from the centre) and the Martin administration were busy making things difficult for a man who could very easily take over the reigns in Ottawa without missing a beat. What insued was typical Liberal politics where only friends of Liberal MPs were rewarded with lavish contracts while the rest of us on the street and the PC provincial government were forced to fend for ourselves with little help from our federal counterparts. (no investment in the Saint John port, Harbour clean up both Halifax and SJ, zero investment in university sudents (John Herron worked on that as a PC member the most in Opposition), No investment in military bases, no investment in innovation, no investment in childcare which they promised (just ask the NDP), no investment or strategy in attracting immigrants to NB, no large investment in environmentally friendlt technology or industries, no training investment for the jobless and the capper, Chretien had the balls to pull the rug out from underneath the EI claimants with an unfair reform.) So if you want to blame anybody here, let's not look at a government who is held hostage by voters every election by begging for overinvestment in healthcare, let's look at the top in Ottawa.
Like I said, even Donald Savoie would tell you that you need the feds to increase spending in our region in order to attract viable business. (i.e. the auto industry and the high tech industry in Ontario during the 2006 election.) It's a bloody shame for all NB that this is the way.
Let's hope Harper can continue to maintain his love affair with this region that he has displayed for the last 4 months. Methinks if Graham gets in, he will soon be a target or a scapegoat for economist in our region for his lack of presence in Ottawa on the economic file.
just me;)
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