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PM trying to rewrite Canadian history, but has it all wrong, writes

Dear Editor; Stephen Harper was recently quoted as saying, “We are Conservatives because we love this country. We founded this federation. We created it. We’re proud of our country’s past. And we believe in its future, “ The idea that those holding his beliefs founded and created Canada needs to be challenged.

Dear Editor;

Stephen Harper was recently quoted as saying, “We are Conservatives because we love this country. We founded this federation. We created it. We’re proud of our country’s past. And we believe in its future, “

The idea that those holding his beliefs founded and created Canada needs to be challenged.

Had the Fathers of Confederation held these views there would have been no empowerment of the Senate and House of Commons to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of Canada as a whole; no power to disallow or reserve provincial legislation; no primacy of central over provincial law in shared jurisdictions; nor the power to declare a work within a province to be for the general advantage of Canada.

Stephen Harper is trying to rewrite history. For years he has been putting forward without evasion or equivocation a vision that is anti-pathetical to the Constitution the Fathers of Confederation created.

He proposes that spending by the Government of Canada be limited, disallowance and declaratory powers be foresworn, jurisdictions presently shared become wholly provincial, that the Senate be elected to represent the provinces, and that Supreme Court and Bank of Canada appointments be made by provincial Legislatures.

The Canada that was brought into being in 1867 was the antithesis of what Stephen Harper would have our nation become: a federation of autonomous provinces sharing a common economic space, with the Government of Canada coordinating important areas of economic regulations and representing Canada in international trader negotiations, defense and foreign affairs for them.

Saying those holding his beliefs founded and created Canada is false. It runs counter to fact and is belied by his package of 20 measures to modernize and decentralize Canada.

Yours truly,

Joe Hueglin

Niagara Falls, Ont.