A constructive suggestion

It's understandable that the federal NDP looks to be laying low to at least some extent in the wake of the just-completed election. But with most of the other parties making moves to get back in the news, it may be time for the New Democrats to do the same. And with that in mind, here's what I'd suggest to frame the debate for the fall.

One of the few areas of apparent agreement in dealing with the economic downturn is a need for additional infrastructure spending in the short term to mitigate against job losses elsewhere. Which is a problem under the Cons for two reasons: first, because they've been ponderously slow in putting announced funding into place, and second, because they've focused their spending for political gain rather than economic development.

In order to ensure that infrastructure investments can be put in place both quickly and effectively, it would seem to make sense to suggest instead that a streamlined, all-party or non-partisan mechanism be put in place to facilitate the approval of new infrastructure spending - with a twin focus on alleviating the current downturn, and building projects with long-term economic benefits.

If the suggestion were accepted, it would seem to offer a far more direct means than currently exists to put infrastructure money where it's needed most. And if that happens through multi-party agreement or a non-partisan approval process, then there should be far less need for concern about whether the money is being well spent. (Not to mention little danger of political blowback for anybody involved.)

Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if the Cons refused to allow anybody else any say in how money is spent. But that side of the equation would at least see some significant political potential. After all, Harper could be painted as valuing his party's power to dole out pork over immediate and multipartisan action to boost the economy, leaving him vulnerable on both economic management and ethics (with a concurrent boost to the NDP on both issues).

In effect, the two possibilities in putting forward a fast-tracked infrastructure program would be either be to cement a reputation of working effectively with the other parties to respond to Canadians' largest concern, or to force Harper to wear continued economic difficulties even more than he would otherwise. And it's hard to think of a better way for a rising NDP to announce its presence as Parliament gets back to work.