Editor:
Thanks to Brent Richter for an insightful column (Coast Reporter, Aug. 6). Our failure to recognize the current policies of the 'New Conservative' government as simply an extension of the policies put in place by the George W. Bush neo ideology will bring dire results. There have been numerous examples of the Harper crowd simply ignoring the wishes of Canadians, and pressing ahead with their own agenda, in fact taking to court, and losing, in the instances of harm reduction/safe injection sites, same sex unions, legal access to abortion, just to name a few. These alone should indicate how out of step these 'republicans' are with the wishes of the majority of Canadians. When our health care system, education, social services, etc are in such financial straits, to suggest that we spend tens of billions of tax dollars on building new prisons is insane. Primarily targeting drug offenders, as has been done in the U.S., will lead to a glut of folks being jailed for simple possession. This has been exposed on the world stage as complete failure. In fact creating, and sustaining the problem it's supposed to be addressing. That we are allowing this to occur is shameful. The erosion of our rights, as in the U.S., just a step away unless we exercise our right to vote these guys out. They teeter on as the smallest minority government in our history, yet stand to do the most damage to Canadian culture, and freedoms ever seen.
John Paulin
Gibsons
