Questions For The Leaders During This Election

 September 10, 2008

Attention: Investigative Reporters

What follows are the questions I and many Canadians would like to see asked and answered by the leaders of our political parties. It would be very helpful if you could do a little background story on these issues. Canadians are making very important decisions in this election and it would be most helpful if you could feature all sides of these issues before we vote.

While these are not the issues the parties have embraced for their campaigns, they do seem to be on the minds of the electorate. Personally speaking, I feel like an employer looking for a home restoration crew, but the only applicants applying for the job, are trying to sell me a new house instead! Can you help?

These are pressing issues for me:  

Questions for the Leaders:

Military

Even though Mr. Harper is saying we will end our commitment in 2011, does the PM actually have that authority, or do they have to ask permission from the U.S.?

When our military signed an agreement to allow U.S. troops on Canadian soil, did Parliament give consent to this?

Foreign Ownership

Of the foreign investment in Canada in the last 10 years, what percentage have been new businesses and new jobs, as oppose to takeovers of existing companies and markets?

Governance/Democracy

When the North American Union is made public, will all our decisions be made for us via our parliamentary system in Ottawa? Is there a plan to mark the exact date of the North American Union, as they did with the European Union and will there be a referendum on it? Will our next election be held in conjunction with the U.S. election?

Accountability

Parties have been talking about accountability for several elections; however there does not seem to be a process for Canadians to enforce it between elections. Do any of the leaders/parties plan to change the election act so that instead of it being illegal for candidates to make promises in writing to the people, they would in fact, be required to make their promises to the people, under penalty of being recalled and fined? Refer to EC Sect 550

Is there any recourse to the voter that is currently in place to hold candidates to their election promises for this campaign?

Finances/Economy

Is it a risk to use the Bank of Canada to fund our nation's social programs and infrastructure instead of borrowing from the private banks and paying them unnecessary interest?"

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing answers to these critical questions.

Yours truly

Catherine Whelan Costen