Canadians must not grow complacent following several years of economic successes and should rely on a Conservative government to lead them through an uncertain future, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.
"In a time of uncertainty, what Canadians need most is strong, steady, certain leadership that's on their side," he said during an election-style speech in Ottawa.
The speech to more than 1,000 Conservative party members marked the second anniversary of the Harper minority government. It was meant to rally the Conservative troops ahead of a possible election.
Harper told the crowd of Conservatives to be prepared for a federal election that could come at any time before late 2009.
Much of Harper's speech was focused on the recent economic trouble in Canada and the United States.
Harper said his government had succeeded in lowering unemployment, cutting taxes and reducing nearly $37 billion in federal debt.
He warned the cheering Conservative crowd that a Liberal government would destroy the economy by spending money it didn't have.
"Their reckless spending would, in one budget, push the country back into deficit, adding to the federal debt and putting upward pressure on interest rates," he said.
CTV Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife said the speech was a "typical campaign speech," and that Harper would likely run a campaign based on strong, steady leadership.
"He's going to make himself the leader, and he's going to try to contrast himself with Liberal Leader Stephane Dion," Fife told Â鶹´«Ã½net.
Afghanistan mission
Harper also addressed the Afghanistan mission, saying Canadians should be proud of the soldiers, diplomats and aid workers who were leading the country's reconstruction.
He also said the Manley report on Afghanistan - delivered the government earlier this week -- was strong, balanced and realistic, and recommended everyone read it.
The report was completed at Harper's request as a roadmap on how to proceed in the Afghanistan mission.
It called for Harper to press NATO for 1,000 additional troops to join Canadian soldiers and to secure helicopter support in southern Afghanistan.
The panel, led by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley, said Canada should not stay past its current deadline of February, 2009, if those conditions are not met.
Harper, however, did not indicate whether he would follow its recommendations.
"On a matter of national and global security like this, we will never make a decision based on polls, we will make our decision based on what is right for this country," he told the rally.
Harper's speech, made ahead of Monday's return to Parliament, also trumpeted Conservative successes in:
- reducing taxes, specifically dropping the GST to five per cent
- instituting a universal child care plan worth $1,200 per child to parents
- paying down the national debt by nearly $37 billion
- working to make Canada safer by installing stronger punishments for criminals
- uniting Canada and ending the threat of Quebec separation.
He also stressed his government's attempts to ensure independence by protecting sovereignty in Arctic and rebuilding the Canadian Armed Forces.
Harper did not address the fate of Afghan detainees -- the focus of debate Friday after the Prime Minister's Office backed away from claims it wasn't aware the military had stopped transferring prisoners to Afghan authorities.
Liberals' list of Conservative failures
The detainee controversy was included on a list of failures by the Conservative government, released by the Liberal party on Friday.
"The Conservatives have few concrete accomplishments that they can point to over the last two years, but when you look at mismanagement they have racked up quite a record," Dion said in a press release.
The list also included the recent firing of the head of Canada's nuclear safety commission, failing to provide significant tax relief and the government's continuing campaign of "sabotaging the world's efforts to combat climate change."
