New Democrats need to attack Tories on economic record, Pawley says
Left-leaning federal parties like the New Democrats should take a page out of Howard Pawley’s book and mount a much stronger attack against the Harper government’s economic policies, says the former premier of Manitoba and professor emeritus at the University of Windsor.~
“They should go after them on the growing gap between the top one percent of the population in this country and the middle class and focus on the increasing levels of poverty,” said Pawley, who will read from his new memoir at a campus reception next Tuesday, the day after the federal election. “That’s the biggest economic issue we’re facing here.”
When Pawley’s team was campaigning prior to its 1981 victory, he said, many advisors warned them against taking on then-premier Sterling Lyon’s Tories on their economic record and rather focus on more social issues.
“We disagreed,” said Pawley. “We told them that we were going to fight them on economic issues. We accused them of reckless financial management.”
It was a strategy that paid off and one he suggested federal NDP leader Jack Layton should employ.
“I think the left fails to do that today,” he said.
Pawley left politics after his party’s defeat in 1988 and he took a position teaching political science and law at the university, a job he expected to last only for a year.
“The university has been very good to me,” said the 76-year-old Pawley. “I found that I loved teaching and I especially love interacting with the young people. Some people are addicted to drugs or alcohol. I’m addicted to teaching.”
Pawley will read from his book on May 3 at 7 p.m. in the Katzman Lounge at Vanier Hall. Guest speakers will include Gary Parent, former president of the Windsor and District Labour Council and Robert Krause, retired head of the university’s political science department.
The event is open to the public and will include a book signing and light refreshments. For more information, contact Cheryl Miki at miki@cc.umanitoba.ca.
