June 23, 2004 - The Conservative Party platform is a bizarre mix of inconsistent promises, subtle agreement with Liberal policies, and Made-Outside-of-Canada ideas.

The language and the proposals have a technocratic tone. The platform made me feel like I was reading a technical manual for my computer or a recipe for cobbler, rather than a blueprint for Canada.

The fix to the lack of democracy is appointing an ethics commissioner that reports to Parliament instead of the Prime Minister and "examine other democratic reforms." The fix to the tensions of the Canadian federation is to "clarify federal and provincial roles" and take care of the federal government`s "core responsibilities", which are not defined in the platform.

The fix for the lack of democracy is to elect senators to office. But what about the rest of the senators, who can outvote them?

To fix Canada-United States relations, the Conservatives will make Canada's ambassador a member of cabinet. So what? Would the Conservative government have ignored him or her if they had only been the ambassador to the United States? I doubt it.

To fix relations with the provinces, a Conservative government would "encourage the Council (of provinces) to share information and best practices". But sharing information falls short of action in favour of a better federation.

The platform promises more free votes for "ordinary parliamentarians", but leaves open who is ordinary and who is not. If representative democracy is to gain any credibility, backbenchers and cabinet ministers should be accountable to their constituencies and not their parties.

Strangely, the Conservatives` appear to have only one idea: cut taxes. Their other idea is to support Liberal Party policies.

The platform's overall support for Liberal policies stands out. The Conservatives supported the Liberals' law to reduce corporate and union funding of political parties.

The Conservatives supported the Liberal idea of paying the national debt and reducing interest payments.

The Conservatives support the Health Accord agreed to by then-Prime Minister Jean Chretien and the provinces last year.

The Conservatives support the Liberals' creation of a Canada Public Health Agency and a Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.

The Conservatives agree with the Liberals that a rules-based trading system like NAFTA and the WTO will promote free and fair trade.

The only detectable difference between the two parties on these issues is that the Conservatives will 'do policy' better than the Liberals. Call it 'extreme Liberalism', if you must.

Mind you, the Conservatives' do have their own ideas. Unfortunately, these ideas contradict their ideals or make no sense.

The Conservatives call for a Canadian NAFTA between the provinces. But they leave out how the federal government is going to make do this without "invading" provincial jurisdiction as they accuse the Liberals.

The Conservatives call for an end to the GST on gas prices, but they don't advocate for its removal as a regressive tax that punishes poor people who spend all of their money every month, while richer people sock the money away in RSPs. I thought this party liked tax cuts.

The Conservatives propose that in relations with the United States, that "the Canadian government must learn to disagree without being disagreeable." In other words, be polite. What kind of foreign policy with a superpower is that?

The Conservatives describe the world as composed of "rival trading blocs" so we should strengthen relations with the United States. Then it advocates "expanding trade and investment throughout North and South America, enhancing Canada's Asia-Pacific presence, and supporting trade, aid, and development in Africa." Is the Conservative vision Fortress North America or internationalist?

Then there are the idiotic statements:

• Claiming the Liberal spending is "out-of-control" when they can't point to a deficit.
• Putting 14-year olds into adult court for violent or repeat offenses.
• Using a "Predator"-style pilotless airplane to patrol our coastlines.
• Claiming global terrorism and nuclear rogue states are "new" threats.
• Proposing a registry of convicted criminals who have been prohibited to own firearms to replace the gun registry.
• Pitting immigrants against unions over their professional qualifications and right to practice in Canada.
• Proposing the privatization of education on Native reserves.
• Proposing the registration of people's political affiliation on their income tax forms.
• Proposing tax cuts will help Canadians deal with the real problem of stagnant wages and rising prices.
• Deporting 30,000 refugees with deportation orders will make Canada safer.

Reading the Conservative Party platform is disappointing because it has no ideas worth considering. The ideas it doesn't steal from the Liberals, divide Canadians or provide more reasons for federal-provincial antagonism.

A vote for the Conservatives looks a lot like a vote for the Liberals' idiot brother.