It's (already) a disaster, not a buying opportunity, Mr. Harper.

A lot of people have already commented but here is my take on Stephen Harper's statement to reporters yesterday (Oct. 7, 2008), "I think there are probably some great buying opportunities emerging on the stock market as a consequence of all this panic" and the statement on the Conservative Party website related to the belated release of their election platform, "The Liberals and the NDP are both a vote for financial disaster" (their emphasis).

Look, it's already a financial disaster (I won't quote somebody else. I'll back that statement up with my past years of experience working in the financial markets). If the Conservatives really believe a vote for the Liberals is going to turn this situation into one, they don't understand what's going on. Maybe they don't want to, or can't. Hey, C's! It's already a disaster guys.

Note how the Conservatives are lumping the Liberals and NDP together so that they can criticize the Liberal Party on economic management. From the Financial Post, Stephen Harper said, "The Opposition proposes raise taxes. In particular, and look at the stock market today -- where the big hits are on energy and commodity prices. And the Opposition proposes carbon taxes. The Opposition proposes to raise taxes on companies in the energy business and other commodity businesses." They have to add in the NDP's plan to cancel planned business tax cuts. They can't simply criticize the Green Shift any more, especially with the publication of the open letter from 230 economists supporting a carbon tax as the best way to fight global warming.

Look, nobody is blaming the financial disaster on the government. This is an international problem, but it is a disaster. Hey, C's! It's already a disaster guys.

The questions Canadians should be asking themselves as they head to the polls on October 14th are, "Who is going to acknowledge the economic crisis as more than a buying opportunity on the stock market? Who has economic management experience? Who will, given that a recession is a near certainty, also look out for the vulnerable members of our society?". That would not be the Conservative Party.