TORONTO - Stephane Dion wrapped himself in Liberal red as Canadian markets edged into the black Wednesday to drive home the point that Liberal times are good economic times.
Two former finance ministers appeared onstage to introduce their leader and hail him as a worthy successor to the party's history of fiscal responsibility.
Dion embraced the opportunity to laud the accomplishments of Paul Martin and Ralph Goodale.
It was under Martin's stewardship that Jean Chretien's government slew the massive deficits left by Conservative Brian Mulroney.
Goodale extended the Liberal string of budget surpluses to more than a dozen straight before the Tories won the 2006 election.
"I am extremely proud to have been introduced to you by the best minister of finance in Canada's history," Dion told business leaders after Martin introduced him.
"I learned so much from him."
Dion hearkened back to when Chretien's Liberals came to power in 1993: "Our economy was anemic, the deficit was $42 billion and we restored the strength of the economy."
Dion quickly turned to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, taking him to task for waiting until a week before the election to release his party platform.
He also slammed Harper for responding to deep fears about the world economic crisis by suggesting Canadians take advantage of the stock market meltdown by buying bargain stocks.
Dion said it shows Harper is out of touch and has flunked the most important test of leadership: failing to understand the fears people have for their jobs and savings.
The Toronto Stock Exchange has lost a third of its value since June. It made a modest gain Wednesday after a week of carnage.
Dion spoke to the same Toronto business audience to whom Harper unveiled the Conservative election platform Tuesday.
Calling it "too little, too late," Dion said the Tory platform has no plan to help Canada's economy beyond meagre relief for the manufacturing and forestry sectors.
"Stephen Harper has no plan. That just isn't good enough. We have to act now. Doing nothing is not an option."
By contrast, he said, the Liberals have a solid strategy to protect people's savings, pensions, homes and jobs.
Harper, he said, "suffers from the same fatal flaw as other right-wing politicians. he talks about shrinking government then he spends and spends building nothing with no coherent plan.
"History shows us that in tough economic times, it is progressive governments that put economies back on track. Clinton after Reagan and Bush. Blair after Thatcher and Major. Chretien and Martin after Mulroney. And, of course, McGuinty after Harris.
Speaking in French, Dion appealed directly to Quebec voters, citing the role of Quebec and Quebecers in reversing economic downturns of the past.
"We, the Quebecers, we can do great things," he said. "Let's stop voting for the Bloc.
"Let's work with all Canadians; let's succeed together. . . . It's too big, what we are facing, but we are a great people up for a great challenge."
