Harper and the CPC are constantly talking up their economic pedigree. But the truth doesn't match their rhetoric.
Here is a boiled-down Canadian Press piece. I've edited it since while the CP tried to expand on the numbers, but I view this as a statement of fact. Especially given how much the CPC like to delude themselves about the economy.
OTTAWA - "Prime Minister Harper has the worst record of any prime minister on economic growth since R. B. Bennett in the depths of the ...Great Depression." — Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau,
Friday, May 15, 2015.
Here is a boiled-down Canadian Press piece. I've edited it since while the CP tried to expand on the numbers, but I view this as a statement of fact. Especially given how much the CPC like to delude themselves about the economy.
OTTAWA - "Prime Minister Harper has the worst record of any prime minister on economic growth since R. B. Bennett in the depths of the ...Great Depression." — Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau,
Friday, May 15, 2015.
___
Though Justin Trudeau said it as recently as last week, the Liberals have been claiming since at least 2013 that Canada's economic growth under the Harper-led Conservative government has been the worst since the 1930s.
Among those who use it often is Liberal MP — and former federal finance minister — Ralph Goodale.
In an April speech, Goodale added some detail, noting that "since the Harper government came to power, Canada has had an average annual economic growth rate of only about 1.75 per cent — that's the worst growth record of any prime minister since R. B. Bennett in the 1930s."
How accurate is the Liberal claim?
THE FACTS
A nation's economic growth is usually measured by way of gross domestic product, the total value of all the goods produced and services provided in a country during a single year.
To determine the average economic growth under each Canadian prime minister, The Canadian Press used GDP data provided by Statistics Canada.
John Turner, Joe Clark and Kim Campbell were excluded because they served as prime minister for less than a year.
For years in which there was a change of government, GDP for that year was added to the tally for both governments.
Here are the results:
R. B. Bennett, 1930-1935. Average economic growth rate: -2.34 per cent.
William Lyon MacKenzie King, 1935-1948: 6.24 per cent.
Louis St. Laurent, 1948-1957: 5.20 per cent.
John Diefenbaker, 1957-1963: 3.78 per cent.
Lester Pearson, 1963-1968: 5.43 per cent.
Pierre Trudeau, 1968-1979: 4.28 per cent.
Pierre Trudeau, 1980-1984: 2.16 per cent.
Brian Mulroney, 1984-1993: 2.51 per cent.
Jean Chretien, 1993-2003: 3.32 per cent
Paul Martin, 2003-2006: 2.71 per cent.
Stephen Harper, 2006-present: 1.77 per cent.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
Simple math indicates that yes, under the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper, Canada's economic growth rate has been the worst since the Great Depression. But economists warn against using that math to make a political judgment.
The Canadian Press
Administrators comment:
Harpers saving grace compared to 1930's is the fact that we have social programs such as CPP, EI and welfare otherwise there would be complete caos and long bread lines.
Let us not forget the unprecedented demands being made on our food banks and the phenomonen of crowd funding as well as the many new foundations which have taken up the lack of federal funding of the needy. All these things hide Harpers real economic failures
Though Justin Trudeau said it as recently as last week, the Liberals have been claiming since at least 2013 that Canada's economic growth under the Harper-led Conservative government has been the worst since the 1930s.
Among those who use it often is Liberal MP — and former federal finance minister — Ralph Goodale.
In an April speech, Goodale added some detail, noting that "since the Harper government came to power, Canada has had an average annual economic growth rate of only about 1.75 per cent — that's the worst growth record of any prime minister since R. B. Bennett in the 1930s."
How accurate is the Liberal claim?
THE FACTS
A nation's economic growth is usually measured by way of gross domestic product, the total value of all the goods produced and services provided in a country during a single year.
To determine the average economic growth under each Canadian prime minister, The Canadian Press used GDP data provided by Statistics Canada.
John Turner, Joe Clark and Kim Campbell were excluded because they served as prime minister for less than a year.
For years in which there was a change of government, GDP for that year was added to the tally for both governments.
Here are the results:
R. B. Bennett, 1930-1935. Average economic growth rate: -2.34 per cent.
William Lyon MacKenzie King, 1935-1948: 6.24 per cent.
Louis St. Laurent, 1948-1957: 5.20 per cent.
John Diefenbaker, 1957-1963: 3.78 per cent.
Lester Pearson, 1963-1968: 5.43 per cent.
Pierre Trudeau, 1968-1979: 4.28 per cent.
Pierre Trudeau, 1980-1984: 2.16 per cent.
Brian Mulroney, 1984-1993: 2.51 per cent.
Jean Chretien, 1993-2003: 3.32 per cent
Paul Martin, 2003-2006: 2.71 per cent.
Stephen Harper, 2006-present: 1.77 per cent.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
Simple math indicates that yes, under the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper, Canada's economic growth rate has been the worst since the Great Depression. But economists warn against using that math to make a political judgment.
The Canadian Press
Administrators comment:
Harpers saving grace compared to 1930's is the fact that we have social programs such as CPP, EI and welfare otherwise there would be complete caos and long bread lines.
Let us not forget the unprecedented demands being made on our food banks and the phenomonen of crowd funding as well as the many new foundations which have taken up the lack of federal funding of the needy. All these things hide Harpers real economic failures
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