CHAMPIONS OF THE PEOPLE

Harper blasts Martin over aide’s remarks (Michael den Tandt, Globe and Mail, December 12th, 2005)

Stephen Harper's Conservatives made hay again today with remarks by Scott Reid, Paul Martin's communications adviser, about parents, beer and popcorn.

Mr. Reid apologized Sunday after suggesting that parents would spend a promised Tory $1,200 daycare tax credit on "beer and popcorn."

Mr. Harper dismissed the apology, saying Mr. Reid had expressed regret for his choice of words, but not the sentiment.

"I feel a sense of sadness when I hear these comments," Mr. Harper said. "We value parents. We think parents are the most critical part of raising kids."

The Conservatives have seized on Mr. Reid's comments as being emblematic of Liberal arrogance and unwillingness to trust individual Canadians to make wise spending choices.

The Liberals are trying to replace parents with the hand of government, Mr. Harper said, whereas Conservatives believe in giving tax dollars back to parents and trusting them to decide how to spend it.

"So many Liberal programs are targeted at large organizations," Mr. Harper said. "We want ordinary families to understand the benefits to them."

The Conservatives rolled out a child-care plan last week that would give parents of preschool children an annual $1,200 per child to spend as they see fit.

Mr. Reid tried to explain on CBC News: Sunday the difference between that approach — which he broke down to $25 a week —and the Liberal plan to establish a national child-care system.

"Working families need care," he said. "They need care that is regulated, safe and secure and that's what we're building here. Don't give people $25 a week to blow on beer and popcorn. Give them child-care spaces that work."

Their real worry isn’t beer and popcorn, it’s that people might spend it on private healthcare.