Federal Huron-Bruce NDP candidate takes aim at Liberal-Conservative war of words

Huron-Bruce federal New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Gerard Creces is urging residents to look beyond the glitz and glamour heading into the pre-election period.
 

With the Conservative attack ad machine in full force, and the Liberals answering back, the national airwaves are becoming saturated with fear and distorted facts. It's a strategy that will only stand to create more disillusioned and disinterested voters – particularly young voters.
 

A long-time journalist in Huron County, Creces said no matter how parties paint themselves or their opponents, it's their records that need to be scrutinized.
 

“Informed voters pose the biggest threat to Canada's old-time parties,” he said. “Documented fraud, corruption and cover-ups undermine our confidence and our economy. The NDP tells a far different story than either the reds or the blues want to focus on – a story based on facts.”
 

Taxpayer-funded ads for Canada's 150th celebrations in 2017 are a classic example of the Conservative government using tax dollars to campaign with, Creces said, and tax-dollar advertisements touting the country's pristine natural environment gloss over Canada's new reputation as a major global polluter.
 

“The NDP wants to cut the rhetoric and stop this denial of climate change for the sake of multinational corporations,” Creces said. “We will own up to Canada's international obligations to reduce greenhouse emissions and do what previous governments refused to do.”
 

All that money wasted on ads could be helping Canadians, Creces said. In Huron-Bruce, rural poverty disproportionately affects young families and seniors, and the NDP is the only party promising meaningful solutions for both – creating $15-per-day child care and lowering the retirement age back to 65. It's that focus on people, rather than attacks, that is appealing to people wanting change in Ottawa.
 

As Canada heads into another recession, Creces said, it's also important to look past the gloss and the grit and consider how much money Teams Harper (Conservative) and Trudeau (Liberal) are spending on distraction and denial.
 

“I've spoken to many Liberals and Conservatives in this riding who don't like seeing their party donations used for attacks,” he said. “Canada's Confederation parties have been having this argument for 148 years. It's time we had a change."