Our evaluation of the parties will be ongoing during the course of the 2015 election, and this page will be updated as new information and – hopefully – policy changes come to light.
Conservatives: F
The Conservatives have stayed quiet during the election, but they appointed the executives at Canada Post that initiated the cuts and cheered on their agenda. After calling the election, they opted to extend the CEO's $500,000 salary for five years. That's a $2.5 million contract that will have to be dealt with if any future government wants to make changes at the top.
New Democrats: A
The NDP has clearly and publicly committed to reversing the cuts to door to door delivery, and supports innovations like postal banking.
Liberals: C
The Liberals have allowed themselves to be portrayed as opposing the cuts, but their official position is to call for a moratorium on new cuts to services, and then review the decision. Which is to say, they are promising very little concrete action. Even this should be taken with a grain of salt. The Liberals have a history of campaigning on popular promises and then implementing deep austerity-style cuts while breaking their promises outright. Because of its history, the party carries a greater burden of proof.
Green Party: A
The Green Party has said they will reverse the cuts, and called for innovation including postal banking as a possibility.
Bloc Quebecois: B+
The Bloc has called for a stop to the cuts and called Postal delivery an "essential service". However, candidates have said they would study the situation in lieu of promising a reversal to the cuts that have taken place.
Our rationale
At Friends of Public Services, we think it's great to "study the situation" and get expert recommendations. However, that does not change the fact that the Conservative-mandated cuts to door to door have been reckless, rushed, and ruthless. There is no reason not to reverse the cuts and then "study the situation". Hence, in our view, promising to restore door to door is the right policy, and there is no reason to waver.
Strategic voting?
In some ridings, it may make sense to vote for a different party for the purposes of getting the Conservatives out. To find out more about your riding, visit VoteTogether.ca and AnyoneButHarper.ca.
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Now that the Liberals have pulled out of Victoria and Cowichan-Malahat the Island looks very promising.
Jo-Anne Roberts was always leading in Victoria – with the Liberal out she should walk. (mulcair has “bas blood” with everyone) Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi will gain from the Liberal retreat in Cowichan- Malahat. Our race in Nanaimo – Ladysmith is close but Paul is still gaining. The NDP are losing ground by trying to claim “we’re the only ones who will stop Harper” I think we’ll win it.
That’s at least 4 on the Island. It is unfathomable to me that the Greens wouldn’t win some of the North shore ridings – I could see easily 8 Greens elected in addition to Elizabeth – plus 3 from the East.
Brian
If a youthful NGO solicited money to tell you how to vote to beat Harper – Used 2011 figures to identify what they are calling “swing” ridings- many of which did not exist in 2011 AND despite the fact that in 2011 there were 60 ridings with close CPC/Liberal races and only 26 with close CPC/NDP races – this organization consistently announced that there is “Overwhelming support” for “Voting together” for the NDP to beat the CPC in the ridings they have chosen as “swing” ridings
(Most of which are ridings where the NDP is trying desperately to beat Greens or Liberals) Would you find their recommendations a tad suspect ?Too bad – Leadnow did some good social awareness projects before they decided to raise money by shilling the NDP in this election. If you think they are truly “expert” and on the up & up – Well
“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts”…………..
Vote strategically for Green candidates in BC