Stephen Harper doesn’t give a damn about the economy. For
all of his speechifying about economic growth, he doesn’t care that people have
good, secure and well-paying jobs.
In March 2008, Harper toured Caterpillar’s Electro-Motive
plant in London and gave the corporation $5 million in tax breaks. All in the
name of job creation and the economy.
But now Caterpillar is pulling the plug on at least 450 jobs
at that very plant. Thousands of people in London will be affected. And the
Harper government won’t lift a finger.
Because frankly,
Scarlett, our Prime Minister and his crony Conservatives don’t give a damn.
He can say he does. But do you
believe him?
And there he is, in the photo above, waving and riding his own
runaway train as if to say “See ya, suckers!”
Is it wrong that this image makes me mad? It’s remarkably
poignant, and our Dear Leader must be pissed that his mug is so closely linked
to this massacre of the working class.
Okay, okay, that sounds pretty far left, I know, but really? Does anyone else feel like a
great injustice is taking place in London---and across the country? Caterpillar
made $1.55
billion in profits last quarter, an increase of 58 percent!
But here in Canada, Caterpillar has taken our money,
goodwill and trust, and in return leaves one of our communities devastated. Why?
Lower wages in Indiana, and of course, higher profits.
Meanwhile, Stephen Harper croons about jobs and the economy.
It’s his lullaby to Canadians. But people can’t sleep forever.
If you’re wide awake, read progressive media favorite Murray
Dobbin’s latest broadside, “Bow Down
Canadians, Corporations Are King.”
Also in this issue, X-Ray favourite Shawn Whitney takes on the CAW for its
role in rolling over to Caterpillar. And Colin White brings us back to the Watering Hole, where those plucky
beavers take a stand against CatCorp.
Plus the usual odds and sods. I hope you enjoy this latest,
slimmed down version of X-Ray. As always, please let us know what you think.
Cheers,
David Julian Wightman
Publisher slash editor
davidjwightman [at] xraymagazine [dot] ca
Cover photo: Frank Gunn/Canadian Press