« Retirees worry whether they'll be able to pay their medical bills | Main | Are you in denial when it comes to your relationship with money? »

April 14, 2021

Which party leader is most fit to run Canada's economy?

The last two nights have been compelling TV for Canadians, if your definition of compelling TV means watching the nation’s PM squirm with a “How long do I have to let these creeps scream at me for buying fighter jets before I can squash them like bugs?” look on his face. In two different languages, no less.

985299_canadian_flag Indeed, Wednesday’s French language debate marked the end of two nights of bilingual bickering, but are we any better off because of them? Does anyone feel clearer about any of the candidates’ platforms, other than the notion Stephen Harper insists on standing like he’s strangling a wide-bodied Verne Troyer as he speaks?

From a money standpoint, there’s plenty of nitty-gritty facing this election. So, going forward, which candidate do you think is most fit to run Canada’s economy?

While the four leaders made a point at the debates to highlight just how strong Canada’s economic rebound has been, they don’t all agree on the future of our country’s fiscal outlook.

A breakdown of the four parties and a key point to each of their economic platforms, as featured in the Globe and Mail:

Conservatives – Keep taxes flat on families and consumers, while imposing no tax hikes to businesses that create jobs for Canadians.
Liberals – Reverse the much-maligned, Conservative-led corporate tax cuts, saving $5.2 billion.
NDP – Give employers a $4,500 tax credit for every new job they create for Canadians.
Bloc Québécois – Eliminate the two-week employment insurance waiting period; increase the benefit rate from 55 per cent of wages earned to 60 per cent.

Jobs, of course, are the main focus when talking economic outlook, as is the candidates’ propensity to characterize every Canadian family as “ordinary” and “hard-working.”

But which of the above promises strike you as a) most important, and b) most likely to be kept, enforced and executed?

Which of the four party candidates – Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe – do you think is most fit to run Canada’s economy?

By Jason Buckland, MSN Money

*Follow Jason on Twitter here.

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

advertisement

Gordon PowersGordon Powers

A long-time fund company executive, Gordon Powers now heads up the Affinity Group, a financial services consulting firm. Gordon was a personal finance columnist for the Globe & Mail for many years, has taught retirement planning...

Jason BucklandJason Buckland

The modern-day MC Hammer of money, Jason can often be seen spending cash that isn’t his with the efficiency of a Wilt Chamberlain first date. After cutting his teeth as a reporter for the Toronto Sun, he joined the MSN Money team with...