I've been looking at Canada's Action Plan, which according to the website "attempts to limit the number of Canadians and their families who will have to go through the experience of job loss." There is a multitude of projects funded by the plan, but what strikes me about them is that they are all relatively short term -- fixing something, replacing something, partially funding a building, creating a pathway through a park, etc. They are mostly "shovel ready" projects which would probably have been undertaken anyhow but probably not as rapidly as federal assistance enables.
The program ends next year. I suppose the expectation is that the Canadian economy will be humming again by then. But what if it isn't? More Action Plans? How would that interact with the government's stated intent to bring the deficit down (well, almost) in about five years? Watched Mark Kelley's "Connect" program last night. It was from Smiths Falls, a community of a few thousand people that was hit hard by the loss of some major employers during the past few years, most notably the Hershey chocolate factory. It's mood now lies somewhere between hope and despair, and probably closer to the latter. Would a short-term Action Plan program make much difference? A little maybe for some local people for a few months, but not really at all in the longer run. There are many communities like Smiths Falls across Canada, perhaps not as badly hurt, but nevertheless hurting. Again, is there any real point to trying to make them feel good by investing a few thousand dollars in short term projects? You can get information about specific projects by clicking on icons on the Action Plan map. On most of the information boxes that bounce up, there is a picture of a smiling and generous looking Stephen Harper. So perhaps the Action Plan is doing somebody some good after all. Dismally yours, Ed
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