Re: Responding constructively to firefighters, Letters (Aug. 1)
Mr. Goodale - who sat as a member of the Chretien and Martin Liberal governments for 13 years, including a time controlling the nation’s purse strings as Minister of Finance - has decided that now is the time to feign interest in our nation’s firefighters, now that he’s safely removed from the governing benches with no prospect of returning any time soon.
If Mr. Goodale believed that a costly new program such as the one he now proposes was a responsible public policy, he had the power and the authority to implement it when he sat at the cabinet table. Perhaps 13 years in power wasn’t quite enough time for him to get around to this idea. Or perhaps this is just a cynical political ploy, using firefighters as pawns.
The Conservative government values and appreciates the sacrifice and the service of firefighters. It is why we implemented a $3,000 per year volunteer firefighter tax credit – a policy which Goodale and his Liberal colleagues actually voted against!
While the Liberals may choose to play cheap political games and make empty promises, we are delivering real results for our firefighters.
Mark Strahl,
Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP