Pre-Election Speech of the Leaders of Canadian Democratic and Conservative Parties - Term Paper Example

?Your Full Your Teacher’s November 18, Left, Right and In Between Five parties contested for seats in the 41st Canadian general election held on the 2nd of May, 2011. Of these, two parties, the Conservative Party and the New Democratic Party, came out as front runners, with the Conservative Party forming a majority, and the New Democratic Party forming the Official Opposition for the first time. The speeches that the party leaders, Stephen Harper and Jack Layton respectively, made throughout the campaign held quite a few clues as to what their policies will be in the future in case their party forms the majority. However, after going through the favourite campaign speeches of the party leaders themselves, it is clear to see that whereas both Layton and Harper claim to be representative of progress, or a way forward, and while both parties purport to have similarly unifying agendas when it comes to the Canadian public, where Layton is concerned more than his conservative counterpart when it comes to the wishes of his vote bank and the desires of the Canadian public when it comes to certain issues, he is mostly talking in general terms, on the other hand Harper lays out a clear plan as to what his party intends to do when it comes into power. It is important for political parties to explain just what they intend to do once they come into power and how they will go about achieving it, as well as mention what they have done in the past, this instils confidence in the voters that they are ready to run the country, as well as shows the commitment of the political party to the voters. The fact that a political party is not only committed to gaining power, but is sincere about working for the people should be made apparent to the voters as much as possible. When the leader of a political party simply talks in general and vague terms, the voters may feel disappointed because they do not find any solution to the problems that they face and they do not feel that their issues are being taken seriously. On the other hand, when it is shown to them just how serious the political party is, by illustrating not only past performance, but also insistence on mentioning the party platform again and again, it shows the voters that the said political party and its leader are seriously considering the solutions to the problems the citizens face, be they economical or social. When it comes to explaining the steps that would be taken by the political party when it gets elected, it is easy to incorporate the message in campaign speeches. Interestingly enough, both leaders also agree that there is a need to bring Canadians closer and to build bridges between people. However, again, Layton is vague about how his party would accomplish it, even though he states his party is “ready for this change”, Harper is clear that it is high taxes, high spending, high unemployment, and high mortgages that creates resentment and divisiveness in the public. Interestingly, here Harper does not rely on any evidence to back his claims up. But on the other hand, he does lay out, and in quite a lot of detail too, how his party would achieve a more cohesive Canada – by keeping the taxes low and by creating more jobs. It is noteworthy that when a political party has not only planned a policy, but has also been running it with success, the voters have more confidence in it. Harper lays out the means through which the jobs will be created. The latter mentions the Economic Action Plan that his previous government has implemented and which resulted in job creation before and, thus, proven its worth. It is ingenious of Harper to use the success of his Economic Action Plan as a bid for reelection, because the people have seen the fruits the plan has borne, and, thereby, would be more amenable to his stance than that of others who have not laid out any concrete plans. It is also a good strategy to mention all the pamphlets and other written material available that will keep the voters more informed as well. Harper, in his speech talks about a five step program through which his party intends on bringing about betterment in the lives of the Canadians and making Canada a strong economy. He does not stop there; his party platform “Here for Canada” is a detailed analysis of just how they will go about achieving what they claim they will. Voters not only can, but are also encouraged to, go through the party platform and make an informed decision when it comes to exercising their right to vote. Not only does the New Democratic Party leader not mention any details about his party vision, he does not mention any pamphlet or any booklet that his party has that may help the voters inform themselves as to their vision and the steps they need to take to attain their objectives. Just having a platform is not enough, the voters need to be told about what the party is planning so that they feel confident that once elected the party will run the government responsibly and by implementing policies which they support. It is best if party leaders incorporate this in their speeches as well. Layton failed to do so which does not necessarily mean that his party does not have any planned platforms, or that it is ill prepared to be elected to power, however, since he fails to make much more than vague statements and does not refer to the commitment of his political parties to solve the voters’ problems in concrete terms, his claims and promises seem hollow and insincere. Harper’s speech, being more direct and explicit as to the party plans and policies, makes the voters feel that they are in safe and capable hands. The clear win of the Conservative Party clearly shows that this direct approach won the hearts of the voters. It is clear that not only is a detailed and precise party platform helpful in smooth transition of governmental power, but it is also an excellent way of keeping the voter informed, telling them what the party has achieved so far, and making them feel confident and assured, thereby ensuring votes for the party. Works Cited Layton, Jack. Prime Minister Campaign Trail. N.p. Montreal, Quebec. 23 April 20011. Keynote Address. Harper, Stephen. Prime Minister Campaign Trail. N.p. Mississauga, Ontario. 8 April 3011. Keynote Address. Read More