Liberals do have a positive legacy and of the two parties that have run this country for the last 150 years the Liberals have brought in the most in progressive change, albeit frequently at the behest of pressure from our NDP (or predecessor, the CCF) friends.
Between 1921 and 1948, they introduced several measures that led to the creation of Canada's social safety net. Bowing to popular pressure, they introduced the mother's allowance, a monthly payment to all mothers with young children. They also reluctantly introduced old age pensions when J. S. Woodsworth required it in exchange for his Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party's support of King's minority government.
Later, Lester B. Pearson introduced universal health care, the Canada Pension Plan, Canada Student Loans, and the Canada Assistance Plan (which provided funding for provincial welfare programs).
During the 2011 election the Liberal party's policies include:
· Introduction of a family care plan for Canadians supporting ill family members
· Pension plan reform
· Additional investment in higher education
· Deficit reduction and spending restraint
· Maintain corporate tax rates at 2010 levels
· Restoration of the long-form census
· Quadruple renewable energy production, including wind, solar and biomass energy sources
· Introduce a national food policy to support Canadian farmers
Food for thought.
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