In yesterday’s Speech from the Throne, Conservatives tried to compensate for years of neglecting Canadian consumers by proposing limited initiatives with halfhearted support.
“For seven long years Conservatives have refused to act while consumers were being gouged day in and day out,” said Official Opposition Consumer Affairs Critic Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury). “Copying a few NDP policies may give the illusion Conservatives are ready to defend consumers, but in fact they've been blocking our pro-consumer initiatives for years.”
Since coming to power, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have voted against cracking down on unfair practices of credit card companies, they twice voted against an Air Passenger’s Bill of Rights and they increased taxes and user fees on Canadians by $330 million per year in their last budget.
“Conservatives took NDP proposals like tackling cell phone bills, reining in bank fees and eliminating ‘pay-to-pay’ because they’re practical ideas that work,” said Thibeault. “But they’re taking no action on credit cards rates, gas prices or protecting airline passengers. Canadians know only New Democrats can be trusted to give them the fair break they deserve.”
