The election has begun, and the politicians are busy formulating policy in order to get my vote. Stephen Harper’s first promise is to re-establish the renovation tax credit if and when we can afford it. Sounds good, on an individual basis, but is it really a good idea?
The overall effect of encouraging people to renovate their homes en masse is a landfill inundated with fridges that still work, stoves that still work, sinks that still work, bathtubs that still work, flooring that is a little out of style, kitchen cabinets that are the wrong colour etc. etc. and then manufacturing, at great expense to the environment, a bunch of new stuff. It is hard to see how you could come up with a worse idea for the health of the Earth. It certainly clears up what Stephen Harper’s “Regressive Conservatives” view as a priority. It’s the stupid economy. Oh wait, did I get that backwards? Call me stupid, but I don’t really think so.
His second promise is far more troubling. According to Harper there are places on Earth where no Canadian should be allowed to travel without permission from Big Brother. I don’t currently have any plans to travel to Syria or Iraq, but I do believe that as a citizen of the so-called Free World, I have the right to travel wherever I want, and don’t think we should allow a right wing Christian fundamentalist to take away that right.
Rod Retzlaff
Glade