Stephen Harper, Serial Abuser of Power: The Evidence

A great story written By David Beers and Tyee Staff and Contributors,  and posted in TheTyee.ca

An omnibus of sins, topping 50. Tell us ones we've missed, we'll add to the PM's rap sheet.

Happy Anniversary and Birthday

To all those celebrating birthdays, and Anniversaries have a wonderful day. My daughters partner is/ had a Birthday yesterday August 9th in Australia and today we celebrate his birthday in Canada.  

Adam, Best wishes and enjoy the day. 

My best friend and his wife were married 46 years ago in 1969 and my hope is that they will enjoy the day in the company of their new family and new grandchildren. 

My wife and I also celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary today so to my wife: Have a great day, and I am not sure why you put up with me all these years, but thank you for the years. Without you I don't know where I would be!

Defending public workers from attacks

WORDS THAT WORK: DEFENDING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

1. Emphasize the services, not the pay. We can’t begin a conversation with the public about the reasons public employees should be paid better, or deserve good pensions, until people feel good about the services we’re providing to them. Talk about what people enjoy thanks to public employees (e.g. cleaner air, smarter children, healthier seniors, safer communities).

2. What does your job mean for people, exactly? It’s easy to get lost in the details of your job description. But you’re more persuasive when you talk about what your job means for people in their day-to-day lives. What real-life problems are you solving for people?

3. Tap into Canadian values. Talk about how the services you provide support core Canadian values such as equity, opportunity, compassion, dignity, security etc.

4. Tell powerful stories about helping someone. When we evoke a shared experience, a deeply felt value, or describe suffering we can all relate to, then we’re connecting on a deeper level. 5. Emphasize the risky nature of the job. The riskier the job, the higher it is in public esteem.

Specific talking points:

You hear that Public Servants are Overpaid

You state that Public employees provide the quality services that create a better life for everyone –cleaner air, healthier seniors, smarter children, safer communities, dynamic cities, saferroads).

You hear that a Public Servant described as a Bureaucrat

You can refer to the thousands of dedicated employees who make sure the roads are passable in the winter, who help the young runaway find a safe place to sleep.

You hear someone say that Public Servants do not Sacrifice and have it easy

You can remind them that We need the specialized skills and valuable experience of public employees to make sure we all get good services and value for the long term. Public employees do important work every day – tackling disadvantage, extending opportunity, building stronger communities, dealing with emergencies, improving everyone’s quality of life.

Someone complains that there are too many Public Servants

You can remind them that these employees who do difficult jobs that keep us safe – like Deputy Sheriffs who escort prisoners, maintain court security and serve court orders.

Someone makes fun of the workers by saying they have such Soft government jobs

You remind them that Public Servants perform the hazardous job of inspecting bridges, dams, sewers and other public infrastructure. People who perform the risky job of guarding prisoners and fighting forest fires. People who perform the crucial job of protecting children in disadvantaged situations.

Source: NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES, 15 AURIGA DRIVE | NEPEAN, ON

Fighting for tax fairness

WORDS THAT WORK:  FIGHTING FOR TAX FAIRNESS

There is, in Canada a growing disconnect between taxes and services. The idea is to use words to get people to understand that government does not do anything for you. This idea is wrong, so we need to use words to gain back the argument, so people can understand that government works for us. Here are some General rules to use if you are in a position to influence a persons thinking.

1. Don’t say “wasteful government spending.” It undermines our message about taxes. When people hear or read about wasteful spending they immediately think: “I can’t trust the same government that wasted a billion dollars to use new tax dollars for rebuilding public services.”

2. Do Link taxes to specific services that are a priority for the public. People do not mind paying more taxes if it’s linked to specific priorities and services that are popular with the public.

3. Do Associate taxes with specific public employees. Frontline workers – all of you – are the message about taxes. Tell them what you do for a living. This makes taxes tangible for people.

4. Do Not Brand tax-cutters as irresponsible, they are misguided.

5. Do Remind people about the moral dimension of taxes – we all have a moral obligation to contribute to building a country that is fair, responsible, equal and full of opportunity.

Do Remind them that tax-cutters / tax evaders are people who may want to skip out on their responsibility to help build a better country or better yet say that these people have forgotten their responsibility.

Specific talking points

You hear some complain about… High taxes  

You can say: Taxes are what we pay to be Canadian – to have a high quality of life and an opportunity to reach our full potential.

You hear someone say Tax cuts benefit all of us

You can say that tax cuts are about wealthy people and corporations trying to skip out on their responsibility to help build a country that provides every family with dignity, security and opportunity.

You hear someone talk about the unfair tax burden

You can remind them that our parents invested in the future through their taxes.  Our parents invested their tax money in public highways, hospitals, schools, parks and libraries. Today, we’re all reaping the benefits from these investments. We must also be responsible and continue investing in our future.

You hear a person complain about the latest tax grab

You can remind them that public services like health care and education are important to all of us and they are a good value. If we need to pay a little more for these services, then we should – or we will just end up paying more for them in the private sector.

A person argues that tax cuts In the last decade taxes went down.

You can remind them that tax cuts in the last decade were for the wealthiest and the tax burden actually went up for working families.

Tax cuts for corporations and corporate executives are why governments are now talking about cuts to public services.

Corporate executives do not want to pay for the public services your family relies on because they have enough money to afford whatever they want in the private marketplace.

Source: NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES, 15 AURIGA DRIVE | NEPEAN, ON K2E 1B7 | 613-228-9800

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