Much has been made this week of an election call. If you believe the media, Liberals reacted by forming a coherent and fierce battle group around the leader. Then fired inwards.
True enough, some, a few, of my caucus colleagues just love to talk about how they fear going to the voters. I should know the refrain by heart, since I’ve heard it from a half-dozen of them for an entire year. Lately the Lib Pacifist Movement has even become a little organized, and found a champion in a former leadership contender. Miraculously, his words in our inner-most sessions have ended up on the front page of the next day’s daily.
Well, for us poor farm boys from Halton, this is all a little hard to understand. Seems to us you’re in politics for reasons of principle and passion, not just for partisanship. You know why you’re here. If you believe Stephen Harper is screwing up Canada, then you fight the guy. You take up arms for overtaxed middle class minivan moms, for laid-off auto workers, for aboriginals, for the suffering environment, for income trust investors, for those in poverty and those who thought by electing this guy they’d get a leader who would keep his promises.
You fight for those who believed his pledge of 125,000 new child care spaces a year. That he would honour the Atlantic Accord. That he’d treat First Nations with respect. That he cared about the environment. That he’d never tax income trusts. That he’d bring a new spirit of openness and accountability to Ottawa. That he’d treat everyone with equality. That voters mattered, and he’d bring them change.
Two years later, if any of this matters to you, you’re as disappointed as I.
If, however, you wanted a leader who puts decisiveness above compromise and consensus; who wishes Canada to be an international military force; who talks tough on crime; who fires dissenters, even from his own caucus; who chooses oil sands over climate change; who recognizes Quebeckers as “a nation”; who disparages the free media; and expects the taxpayers to foot the bill for a portrait gallery of himself in Parliament and a make-up artist, well, he’s your guy.
Sadly, the bully prime minister has spooked some of the people I work with. The constant badgering, insults, boasts, derring-do, and testo-drenched tactics which Conservatives engage in has taken a toll. Maybe they are fearful for their seats, jobs and pensions. Perhaps they’re just comfortable in the less controlled atmosphere of the opposition lobby. Could be they, like some of the Lib war horses, find it easier to paw the dirt and snort disapproval than actually run a race.
Whatever. Don’t matter. Because there’s only one finger on the trigger, and that belongs to Stephane Dion.
He knows why he’s here. So, duck.
214 comments ↓
Stephools finger can’t be on the trigger,because the Lieberals banned handguns…didn’t they?Oh my mistake.That was the plan of your last savior ‘Mr.Dithers’ just before he imploded.Boob Rae doesn’t want an election because he knows most Lieberals, including the socialist ones like himself,will go down in flames.The only winner will be Iggy the supporter of our Christian Crusaders.He will rise from the ashes to win the next leadership.Bye bye Stephool.Try not to take to much taxpayers money with you when you leave.
It’s not that simple or b & w. Either accept a minority Con next election and then a minority Lib after that when you’ve had a leadership convention. Nothing wrong with Dion, he’s a wonderful guy, he’s just not going to be the next PM and that’s a fact.
Canadians need more than confidence and enthusiasm this time around. They need truth and spoken by someone not from Quebec.
Altho if an election is called, we’ll do anything to avoid Stevie, just not happy with our current choices. Hold your nose and vote.
Some ducks quack and some ducks croak … Dion may be quacking now but soon he will croak..!!
What we may be witnessing is the demise of the current leader of the Liberal party, all instigated from without and within the Liberal party.
Harper, Layton, Duceppe, Ignatieff, Rae … all would like nothing more than having Dion depart the political scene .. and spare us his continued failure as he constantly reminds us that “I am underestimated!”
It’s true .. Dion is underestimated and he will never be overestimated because he has risen beyond his level of incompetence. I’m sure Dion is an excellent teacher of children and academic marvel, but a politician he is NOT.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ….. duck ..!!!
posted by Garth Turner on 02.14.08 @ 10:28 pm
Lately the Lib Pacifist Movement has even become a little organized, and found a champion in a former leadership contender. Miraculously, his words in our inner-most sessions have ended up on the front page of the next day’s daily.
…………………………………
Now who could that be, Garth … are you leaving it up to us to guess who that could be?? Perhaps you are only telling those who subscribed to your “Insider Report” .. and of course told them in strictest confidence.
I certainly don’t want to be the one spreading rumours or gossip about SpongeBob BarePants, but that’s the only name that pops into my mind. Of course I can’t see you being a big fan of now Liberal, ex-NDP premier of Ontario. He does seem to get a lot of press and inordinate amount of free CBC TV air time. Maybe I should bite my tongue and just hush up ….
Dion is the leader and it is time that he leads us into an election. I fear that as time goes on, things are going to get worse for him. Harper coined the “Dion is not a leader” slogan and the media bray it dutifully, day in and day out, hoping that most of us can not think for ourselves and swallow it whole. Now, the Judases in the Liberal caucus are coming to the forefront. Dion has to have faith in us little guys, his supporters. The people who believe in him. The people who can think for ourselves, who don’t need M Duffy, Bob Fife and CTV to think for us. The people
who see in Dion a good and honest man. A
man who proved with The Clarity Act, just how much he cared for Canada. A very intelligent man. A man who is
willing to listen, willing to compromise and a man who is a leader. And for all of the sheeple who say otherwise, think about this. Why would you waste millions of dollars on someone if you did not view them as a threat? Harper and his ilk know that Stephane Dion is superior. In his intellect, in his vision for Canada and in his capacity to be Prime Minister. Harper and his gang of mental midgets cannot compete on the same level. Watch Question Period and see just how badly they perform. They, being
empty vessels have to resort to
hurling insults, telling lies and seeing how many zingers, they can rack up. That don’t impress me much.
Garth, let’s get your hogs on the road because we, the “informed electorate” are ready to rumble.
True enough, some, a few, of my caucus colleagues just love to talk about how they fear going to the voters. I should know the refrain by heart, since I’ve heard it from a half-dozen of them for an entire year. Lately the Lib Pacifist Movement has even become a little organized, and found a champion in a former leadership contender. Miraculously, his words in our inner-most sessions have ended up on the front page of the next day’s daily.
****************
Garth, I have a pretty good idea who is the cause of all that talk & I’m sure their are a few more that will think the same. If I were Mr. Dion, I would send him packing real quick. He is a handicap to the Liberals.
Regards – Irene
It’s Money For Nothing time!
If anyone is interested, this link provides a lot of great freeware products — meaning, Micromicro can’t charge for something which makes PCs work better.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm
Jimmy Flaherty: The Forrest Gump of Finance Ministers
Canada is “just a box of chocolates” to Flaherty and his foreign investor fans.
Exhibit One:
All Canadians took a hit. The Canada Pension Plan has lost $300 million on its income trust portfolio since the Oct. 31, 2006 attack by Flaherty. This on top of $35 billion lost in total, not counting lost opportunity costs, after Deceivin’ Stephen’s promise to protect them was broken.
Exhibit Two:
Some $65 billion, or roughly 26% of all income trusts, have been bought out, mostly by foreigners. The new owners will divert income trust unit distributions into interest payments on offshore loans to buy up Canada. Before the spring, such interest payments bore a 15% withholding tax. Not anymore, thanks to Flaherty.
Exhibit Three:
Flaherty’s actions sparked an unprecedented foreign melee, so the CONS announced they may refuse takeovers for “national security” reasons.
Then Flaherty struck again, saying he would grandfather foreigners who have made recent takeovers (he didn’t bother to extend the same courtesy to income trust owners), but then made it much worse by saying nothing would be done until next year. Within hours, two more foreign buyouts were announced and a queue is forming.
Jimmy Flaherty: The Forrest Gump of Finance Ministers Indeed!
Huh. That is one discouraging post. I almost wanted to believe the media didn’t actually have a clue what was going on in the Lib caucus.
How stupid was I.
Maybe the Liberal brand is screwed, if you guys don’t even support the leader you elected, then theres no hope for an election or a coherent message if an election did find it’s way.
I may not like in any manner the con way, but at least they are solidly (blindly) behind their leader.
You guys depress me.
Dear Garth,
Yes!!! Now is the time for all good men to…
Sincerely,
MB
To show YOUR non-partisan GRATITUDE to our troops, veterans and thier families please sign the petition located at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/mem0rial/petition.html it is the first step in re-dedicating a DEMOLISHED War Memorial.
Thanks from the families for signing the petiton go out to the following people from this site:
Kenneth L Cranney,
Joe Petrin,
Herb Weber,
wendy perry,
Lana Faessler,
Paul Balfour,
Margaret Haylow,
P Chandler,
Kathy Murphy,
Peggy Konings,
Ruby Donoso,
Dory Cann,
Richard Hensen, and
Garth Turner MP
ALSO, please request in an email to all of the political party leaders of Canada that THEY TOO sign the petition as a demonstration of THEIR PERSONAL non-partisan THANKS to those who offer, and have given, their lives, limbs and sanity for us.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/mem0rial/petition.html
The email addresses of ALL of Canada’s political party leaders are as follows:
fousoigourd@hotmail.com, contact@westernblockparty.com, leader@pcparty.org, info@peoplespoliticalpower.ca, Layton.J@parl.gc.ca, Office@cpcml.ca, Dion.S@parl.gc.ca, info@marijuanaparty.ca, info@libertarian.ca, bwardlaw@fpnpoc.ca, pm@pm.gc.ca, info@cpc-pcc.ca, info@canadianactionparty.ca, Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca, NationalOffice@chp.ca, liz@animalalliance.ca, info@nlfirst.ca, coordinator@worklessparty.org, leader@greenparty.ca
Mr Rae should keep his comments about an election private. Airing them in public hurts the party and looks like he is grandstang himself. Mr. Ignatieff is doing the same. These people are not showing loyalty to the party but to themselves.
Who funded Harper’s CWB Vendetta?
SAVE MY CWB EDITORIAL
February 13, 2008
“Follow the money” Brian Mulroney’s former chief of staff Norman Spector advised the Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. He suggested the committee’s most important work was to find where and to whom Karlheinz Schreiber distributed around $10 million in so-called commissions.
In December Schreiber told the same committee, “So forget the pasta thing. That came much later.” At the time, many thought he was just talking about a machine. However, Mr. Schreiber went on to testify that he and Mulroney discussed what to do about pasta in 1994, and he then went on to say “it started somehow in 1996 or 1997.” Perhaps it was entirely coincidental, but less than a year later Steven Harper’s National Citizens Coalition had generous funds to attack the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB).
For Mr. Harper it seems it was all about the pasta. He justified his attacks on the CWB with help from a couple of small groups, by claiming the CWB was preventing investors from opening pasta plants. For those who understand food processing, and the overbuilt pasta industry, these proposals were about as credible as a kindergarten class announcing they could build a working nuclear reactor if only Federal regulations were removed. However they did serve as a convenient stick for Harper to use on the CWB.
Indeed, Harper became infamous for attacking the CWB using lavish electronic and print advertising. In spite of repeated demands from farmers, Mr. Harper is not interested in transparency and accountability when it applies to divulging the source of this anti-CWB funding.
Urban Canadians have only recently become aware of Prime Minister Harper’s methods of sabotaging important Canadian institutions like the Nuclear Safety Commission. However farmers have been subjected to Harper’s obsession with the CWB and pasta for years.
Mr. Szabo, the chair of the Ethics Committee, said they are looking for more documentation from Mr. Mulroney about his consulting business and reports of business he conducted for Mr. Schreiber. When will Mr. Harper explain his long and expensive fixation with the Canadian Wheat Board and pasta?
Although the Commons Committee has unearthed some information, many knowlegeable people have stated it does not have the structure and resources suited for the task. A full public inquiry with all the resources and power to subpoena documents and witnesses is required. Only then will Canadians be able to follow the Schreiber-Mulroney money trail and learn if it includes the pasta thing that Mr. Harper was so obsessed with when he was spending big dollars on CWB attack ads.
And as most of us see it…. the Libs want to change the leader; so what better way to do this, is to have an earlier election. Let the Libs lose, and they can then replace Stephane Dion.
So yeah – please do have the courage to go to an early election.
Mr Harper is trying so hard to look so sweet and cuddily in question period and on Duffy …Fife and fatboy are trying to make it look as though Dion is going to be the cause of the election…..can people really fall for this bull.
Garth,
As much as many of us want to see the painful dictatorship of PMSH put to a end, it makes no sense to try and topple him when the cards are stacked against you. I’m not saying that an election today, or in two months from now would result in a virtually identical PMSH minority government, but according to the polls it seems that way.
Mr. Dion is going to get one shot, and only one shot at defeating the conservative propaganda machine. If you fail, then turmoil will take over the Liberal party, and that will be the worst possible outcome for all of us.
The focus right now for the Liberal party in my mind should be educating the public on the scams and deceit PMSH and his goons are pulling off. Garth, your doing your part and more with this blog. Perhaps you should encourage others within your party to do the same. Get the Liberal party thinking grassroots word of mouth advertising, which is what the internet is all about these days. Look at the attention the Will-I-Am YouTube video for Barack Obama is getting and see if there is some out-of-the-box thinking that can be done at Liberal HQ to generate the same attention.
The common Canadian (as demonstrated here by many of the Con-hacks) doesn’t understand the political games the PMSH is playing (blaming the senate for stalling for instance). Explain these things in every day language in a medium that reaches more Canadians. Once you garner momentum though education, the time will be right for an election call.
Most Canadians do not watch the news, interviews with politicians or keep up on the topics of the day until the election is called. By the time the election gets here, most of the outrages commited but the Conservatives will be yesterday’s news and have little effect on the voting public. You need to get people’s attention and really educate them in a language people will understand and grasp on how PMSH is hurting Canada, and just as importantly, how the Liberals would propose to do it differently.
Aside from yourself Garth, there is no other MP that I can think of that communicates to Canadians as regularly and honestly (that doesn’t necessarily mean I agree with you all the time!) as you do. Why aren’t others following your lead?
By Catherine on 02.15.08 4:50 am
That’s one outcome of an election, and the Libs have the depth to find a replacement, if one is necessary.
But, two other outcomes would lead to the demise of Harper, outright defeat or another CPC minority. He has promised the CPC nothing less than a majority.
I predict another minority, not sure which party. The electorate don’t trust Harper and are unsure of Dion. Either way, Harper will not have kept the promise to his party. He will be gone. But who is there in the CPC to replace him?
Fife and fatboy are trying to make it look as though Dion is going to be the cause of the election…..can people really fall for this bull.
By greatgranny on 02.15.08 5:56 am
Fatboy? Wow. Mr. Duffy may be heavy, but he is one of the most respected political commentators in this country. Believe me, if Garth or any MP got a call from Duffy to be on his show, they’d be there in a heart beat. Mr. Duffy has as many Liberals on his show as he does CPC, he also always includes the NDP, and Ms. May on occasion and they all get to say their piece. Mr. Dion has been a frequent guest on Duffy’s show.
Why do so many people on this blog simply insult?
**********
Garth thank you for confirming what I’ve said in other posts regarding the leaker(s).
I look most forward to Mr. Dion bringing the government down as he has already decided to, on a budget unseen.
It will be really good for the country for the CPC to get their majority, so we don’t have to keep heading to the polls every couple of years.
Aim………..ready……….fire!
Leasa
Duck. Yup, I’m voting Green.
Tired of waiting for the do nothing, sit on your hands, get up and walk out Liberals! You and others Garth have clearly demonstrated since the Fall that, as a group, you were all afraid to force an election. It wasn’t the Canadians that got screwed, that you now list off, that you guys were interested in helping. You didn’t! You’re late to the dance and many of your partners have found a new guy to dance with I’m Sad to say.
It is said that events like marriage, new jobs, moving, etc. are some of the big stressors of life. At least in this instance, there is some upside for Harper. He is quite familiar by now with both his previous job and the layout of Stornaway.
Garth and company, is it ok to post peoples full names as above?
By Joe T. on 02.15.08 7:33 am
Thank you for your comments. You have cleared up all the confusion in my mind about whether or not an election should be called. Harper is a superb manipulator and we must not fall or play in his traps. It seems to me if you were to stop responding to all the goading and concentrated on producing facts (how about a daily summary with pros and cons of what is happening in Parliament) a clearer picture of Harper would evolve. It is interesting to note that no one ever talks about a Conservative MP other then Harper and his mouthpieces. I would be very interested in having some idea as to how Lunn was able to go against Revenue Canada with allowing shareholder s to evade their capital gains and how he was able to get all that money for a seniors centre.
Maybe I should bite my tongue and just hush up ….
By Harry S on 02.14.08 11:37 pm
Absolutely! Please oh please listen to this personality and forsake all others!
The one who is contradicting Dion in public is a fool – we will remember how he’s trying to divide the party if there’s another leadership race – and I don’t mean Igantieff – he’s never put Dion down or contradicted his decisions in public – in fact, when Duffy (why is this man a reporter?) tried to coerce Ignatieff about the Afghan resolution by saying Ignatieff wrote it, Iggy corrected him and said it was a team effort. Also, the media is trying to make things worse – for example, Roy Cullen DID NOT say he would go against Dion re the Afghan issue – the media lied on that one.
We know which one was the sore loser, pouted and was nasty to the other leadership candidates that supported Dion and he has white hair. To me, if you can’t be trusted to support your party now – you can’t be later.
There are other leaders’ positions on the line here if there an election. If Harper gets another minority or loses, if Layton doesn’t get more seats (he better watch his back with Mulcair) – there will be new leadership races in the other parties as well.
Those idiots…
”Despite her request for particulars of any misconduct or failure to meet performance standards, no such particulars were ever provided,”
Whereas the civil servants are supposed to act in a non-partisan manner at all times even when they’re treated like shit
Therefore our government of the day can shove deadlines up their ass.
Let the games begin.
I just have a question for you Libs..do you HONESTLY think that Dion is capable of any kind of leadership?
Sammy ON – you don’t know who would be a good leader when the moment comes.
Harper has failed. He’s given up all his so-called principles, he’s lied, he’s interfered with public employees, he’s made a never-ending number of patronage appointments, he’s let shady contract issue to go on, he’s cost many seniors their pensions.
And, Harper has embarrassed Canada on the International stage. We have a Nobel Prize winner and Harper spent time kissing up to the CanWest execs instead of doing his duty as a PM in congratulating the guy. Harper may not agree with the man on climate change BUT he is a NOBEL prize winner. Bush and Gore, for example, are not friends and do not agree on climate change – but even lame brain Bush knows how to be a statesman and be proud of an American that won a Nobel prize.
I find Harper embarrassing.
Maybe I should bite my tongue and just hush up ….
By Harry S on 02.14.08 11:37 pm
Now that would be a refreshing step in the right direction!
Now I know what the S stands for Same Sh**T different day.
Harper and his band of Clowns are truly just as inept and corrupt as the picture you paint DAILY of the Liberals with your racist one issue rhetoric.
So ya SS please take your own advice for once.
I find Harper embarrassing. – SLG
And I find Dion a coward.
I just can’t wait until the NDP and Conservative election ads start showing Dion walking out on a vote in the House.
Fired regulator suing government
GLORIA GALLOWAY
Globe and Mail Update
February 15, 2008 at 7:58 AM EST
OTTAWA — The woman who was fired as head of Canada’s nuclear regulator is taking the government to court.
Linda Keen will ask a judge to find that her dismissal by Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn in January was ”invalid or unlawful.”
Ms. Keen was terminated as the head of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission after she refused to sanction the reopening of a reactor in Chalk River, Ont., where required safety upgrades had not been performed by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080215.wkeen0215/BNStory/National/home
Good for her. Too bad the cons can’t be forced to pay her out of their own war chest.
He is quite familiar by now with both his previous job and the layout of Stornaway.
By Dube on 02.15.08 7:45 am
Should the CPC not get reelected with a majority, I don’t think Mr. Harper’s moving van would be making a stop at Stornaway after leaving 24 Sussex.
If S.Dion’s finger is on the trigger we should all be safe, the gun is pointed at his own head.
Dear Everyone,
There will be no clearer evidence of PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP than if Stephane Dion decides to go to pull the plug on the tinkering, micromanaging, I’m the only guy in the country whose opinion is worth considering, purely political Stephen Harper.
None.
Level 5 leaders like Stephane Dion lead by considering all voices and then making the final decision, and taking responsibility for it, come what may.
We have seen Stephane Dion’s leadership all along with the abstentions that have brought Team Liberal to this point where Canada NEEDS STRONG LEADERSHIP and NOT POLITICAL GAEMSMANSHIP which Stephen Harper is the genius with a thousand helpers.
The people of Canada will be hurting in the coming months and years and it is no time to be abandoning us like Stephen Harper is doing for purely political reasons.
At this moment Stephen Harper is preparing his post-election speech as to why the party should keep him on as their leader.
Don’t fall for it Conservatives.
Harper’s goal is to let somebody else be seen as responsible for the pain Canadians will endure because of his vote-buying tactics that didn’t work so he can eventually win his coveted majority.
Stephen Harper cares ONLY about Stephen Harper.
Stephane Dion cares only about Canadians and building a great and united Canada, and he is EAGER to risk his political life to provide strong leadership together with a strong team in order to steer Canada through the rough waters ahead.
Stephen Harper is simply cutting bait.
So I guess the question is, What kind of leader do you want?
Please advise.
Sincerely,
Mark Brown
Let the federal political leaders know how you feel:
fousoigourd@hotmail.com, contact@westernblockparty.com, leader@pcparty.org, info@peoplespoliticalpower.ca, Layton.J@parl.gc.ca, Office@cpcml.ca, Dion.S@parl.gc.ca, info@marijuanaparty.ca, info@libertarian.ca, bwardlaw@fpnpoc.ca, pm@pm.gc.ca, info@cpc-pcc.ca, info@canadianactionparty.ca, Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca, NationalOffice@chp.ca, liz@animalalliance.ca, info@nlfirst.ca, coordinator@worklessparty.org, leader@greenparty.ca
By Sammy on 02.15.08 8:39 am
What part of “Yes” don’t you understand?
Windfall surpluses would go to infrastructure, Dion says
STEVEN CHASE
Globe and Mail Update
February 15, 2008 at 9:26 AM EST
OTTAWA — A Liberal government would spend any windfall surpluses beyond $3-billion on fixing Canada’s failing infrastructure, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion promised Friday.
Mr. Dion’s windfalls-for-potholes pledge is a direct attack on the Conservative government’s refusal to fork out more cash to fix what Canadian mayors have described as an infrastructure crisis.
”Canada is facing an aging population. We will not pass onto our children crumbling bridges, leaky water pipes and insufficient public transit,” the Liberal leader told a Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting in Ottawa.
He said the first $3-billion of any surplus would be used to pay down the national debt.
Last fall, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty rejected pleas for more federal infrastructure cash, saying that the Tories had already doled out a multiyear package worth $33-billion and that Ottawa was ”not in the pothole business.”
If the Liberals were in government now, Mr. Dion’s pledge would mean Ottawa would dole out as much as $7-billion to new infrastructure spending after the books had closed this current fiscal year. A planning surplus of more than $10-billion has already been projected for the year ended March 31, 2008, all of which the Tories have pledged to paying down the debt instead.
The new Liberal promise also stands in sharp contrast to the Harper government’s rejection of further federal stimulus for Canada’s softening economy.
A multibillion infrastructure program this year of the kind that Mr. Dion is proposing would likely jump-start economic growth in Canada at a time when the strengthened loonie is killing manufacturing jobs in Ontario and Quebec.
Tapping this year’s expected surplus gives the Liberals a sorely needed source of funds for election pledges. They have been hard-pressed to find room in Ottawa’s fiscal framework for spending proposals. That’s because the Harper Conservatives nearly emptied the coffers last fall to unveil $14.7-billion in new annual tax relief.
Mr. Dion said his windfalls-for-potholes proposal would not disrupt the goal of reducing Canada’s federal debt so it only amounts to 25 per cent of economic output by 2012.
”In fact, it may accelerate it by generating economic growth,” the Liberal Leader said.
Think of how many direct and indirect jobs could be created.
Good morning, of course there is two sides to the coin. Freedom of speach is fine until someone tells you to shut up, and it is known fact that there is no such thing in the Book of Steve Harper, published and edited by himself. There are of course pitfalls allowing free flowing debate as mentioned here by Garth. I have chosen and encouraged my children to speak their mind and I more than proud of their accomplishments. It is always better to face the truth rather than run from it, of course the truth in politics can be deadly, but not never in caucus meetings. Please give your head a shake, how in the hell do you think Steve Harper got his job, his inside dealings with Peter MacKay stabbling a fellow western PCin the back was done behind closed doors and seceret meetings… Such is life, all the election promises knowing they would never be fullfilled were planned, and as we speak they have a new bunch at the ready with attack adds never before seen of in a Canadian Election. Right or wrong Liberals by nature stand on the fireing line and do not shy away from the press, this new CPC has chosen to even go there even to extent of shutting down all outside communication with swift and sure sensure to point of dismissals. As Garth mentioned and he is correct if that is your bag, please fee free to join the team of goverment by dictatorship Steve Harper Style.
One last point, who is the Deputy Leader of the CPC? even Dubya has a vice president.
Mike Duffy USED to be respected.Now he has been relegated to all the other paid Cons who uses the airways to push the Con brand and debase any other party or policy.
Don Newman has maintained his high standard of non-partisanship reporting and interviews.
Duffy sold us out when CTV became the new MSM promoter of Harper and the Reformers policies. What’s in it for Duffy???
Whatever Garth. Rae and Iggy are in control so don’t let the HOC doors hit you guys in the ass when you walk out before the next confidence motion…or the next one…or the next one…or the next one…
And I find Dion a coward.
I just can’t wait until the NDP and Conservative election ads start showing Dion walking out on a vote in the House.
By Lex Luthor on 02.15.08 9:04 am
And sometimes it takes more courage to walk away. The motion had all the credability of a school yard bully, probably because one introduced it.
The cowards are Duceppe and Layton for not doing the same. They are like the bystanders who want to see the bully and his victim go at it!
Leadership: the ability to have a vision and to get people to follow you without coercion.
Harper has vision, but all CPC MP’s must follow him. He can’t lead without coercion. Under this style, it may appear that there is no discention, only because the decenters fear retribution and remain quiet. That’s not leadeship.
Dion has vision. Lets all MP’s speak, draws concensus and then they will support him because they want to. No coercion. Under this style discenters are heard. This is true leadership.
Well, we can stop worrying about the U.S. and us being the BIGGEST EXPORTER to them, because China topples Canada from U.S. trade throne
Canada has lost its place as the world’s No.1 exporter to the United States, with China triumphantly taking the crown in 2007.
While China’s monthly exports to the U.S. have outperformed Canada’s on numerous occasions in the past couple of years, 2007 was the first year the annual figures switched places, cementing China as the biggest goods and services provider to the world’s largest economy.
Canada’s exports to the U.S. rose 3.5% to US$313.1-billion last year. However, this was far outpaced by an 11.7% increase in Chinese exports valued at US$321.5-billion, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis figures showed on Thursday.
So, considering, as some in Vancouver (aka Hongcouver) would say ‘We already have half of Chin’s population here.” Why can;t we do better? COuld be simply that we are a too darn greedy. We are greedy to our own people first, and to our external customers second.
We have too many way overpaid CEO’s raking the profits into their personal pockets, rather than distributing those profits back into the company to update equipment, train personnel, and grow a long term stable economy. Everyone of them wants to take it NOW. Well, Enjoy, because you got it, and that is the end of it. Hasta la vista, Baby!
Then as to Garth’s topic on the election, I think today’s Star editorial cartoon sums up what most of us are really thinking?
But wait! Seems David Wilkins, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada says that Harper (or whoever at the time) that the Canadian PM more powerful than a president, U.S. envoy says.
“In your form of government, particularly in a majority government, your prime minister has much more power concentrated in that one position than our president ever thought about having,” the ambassador said.
Canada’s system has an executive and legislative branch effectively controlled by one person.
Can you imagine, Wilkins asked, what it would be like for the U.S. president to be able to appoint cabinet members, senators and judges without lengthy confirmation hearings?
“It would change the dynamics (of Washington, D.C.) overnight,” he said.
He is quite correct, as anyone knowledgeable of the two system could tell you. So, this also raises the question of ‘Are we more at risk of having a Dictator than the U.S.?’ Answer: YES! The only real checks and balances against majority governments is their own ethical and moral fortitude. Good luck on that one Canadians. With a minority (whichever party) we do have checks and balances. Unfortunately we have the Spearatist BLOC who are keep dates for either party. Keep Parliament a minority and preserve our future. Neither party has shown themselves to be so magnaminus as to deserve unquestioned power. Who knows, mayeb one day we will wake up and be shocked to find them actually working together for our benefit, instead of campaigning for more power.
Old farts like me know you don’t give more power or authority to someone who has poorly handle what they have already been given.
Now wehy? because we have serious problems that need resolution, and when we find both major parties spending all their time campaigning and pissing into each other’s faces, the important matters go undealt with. Such as the total failure by the Harper government to act on the environmental issues. They HAVE’NT GOTTEN IT DONE!’ While Baird may have a BIG MOUTH, the thing that matters is having a bigbrain, and there is a definitive gap between those two sizes.
Environmentalists’ report to call for Ottawa to act on oil sands
Alberta’s oil sands are the most destructive project on Earth, causing environmental damage well beyond provincial borders, a new report says.
From acid rain falling in Saskatchewan to toxic pollution spewing from Ontario oil refineries, a report to be released this morning by Toronto-based Environmental Defence calls on Ottawa to act where Alberta will not.
The environmentalists will be joined by two Alberta native leaders, who will describe first hand how oil sands pollution is affecting fish and water on their traditional lands.
Titled Canada’s Toxic Tar Sands, the detailed report argues oil sands projects are violating existing Canadian laws such as the Fisheries Act.
“Few Canadians know that Canada is home to one of the world’s largest dams and it is built to hold toxic waste from just one Tar Sands operation,” Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence, writes in the report’s introduction. “No matter where you live in Canada, your desire to tackle global warming is being held hostage by the Tar Sands.”
and like an ostrich the
Government buries climate science: NDP critic
The suppression of a study that shows Great Lakes pollution may be a threat to the health of more than nine million people is typical of the secrecy that surrounds Canadian government environmental science, an NDP environment critic charges.
Nathan Cullen yesterday demanded in the House of Commons to know why the government has kept a recent health study on Great Lakes pollution secret.
He said the report shows that Great Lakes pollution is “spinning out of control.”
Environment Minister John Baird responded to the question by accusing the NDP of not voting for funds to clean up the Great Lakes.
len said in an interview that the government’s policy is “either to bury the research or muzzle the people involved” when it doesn’t agree with scientific reports on the environment.
…
The report was prepared by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and was commissioned by the Canadian-American International Joint Commission on management of the Great Lakes.
Cullen charged that the Canadian government as a member of the IJC approved the cover-up.
The report was leaked recently to the Centre for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C., and can be found on their website at http://www.publicintegrity.org.
“Everything is classified material now,” Cullen said.
“The environment has become a real hot zone for the government.”
Sorry, but WTF is with this blubber brained arse? No matter what the issue is, he, and the CRAP blames someone else. Not one damn time have they admitted to failure. So, when the election comes, and they are GONE, they will still be blaming everyone else, but themselves. That is the sign of immature and sick minds, and they have no right to be running anything. Maybe they can do a group session on Dr. Phil after we throw them out? Open and honest my sweet arse!
There is my take on today’s important realities.
Enjoy the sunshine. We got buried with snow again last night.
James,I was asking a serious question,because of all the media reports I hear and read about the division in the party,the conflicting opinions of Lib.mp’s..’do we go or do we not.’Your somewhat smart-ass response shows me more of the arrogance that I’ve come to expect.I rarely come here,and when I do,I quickly leave due to the vitriol(usually posted by Libs.)It was a pure,simple question,as I really wonder if the grassroots support is truly there.Even watching the Lib.pundits on tv,they seem less confident,and I fear for what PMSH would do to Dion in a debate on the campaign trail.It was a non-partisan question,as I am wondering who to support if an election is called.Your somewhat ‘smart’ response wasn’t called for.
Harper Tories water down impartial budget post, insiders say
STEVEN CHASE
From Friday’s Globe and Mail
February 15, 2008 at 5:17 AM EST
OTTAWA — As the Harper government puts the finishing touches on an office that’s supposed to scrutinize Ottawa’s budgeting, opposition critics and a source familiar with the process say what’s emerging is a watered-down version of the fearless watchdog promised by Tories.
In the last election the Conservatives pledged to create an independent fiscal referee to deliver “truth in budgeting,” with free rein to issue estimates of Ottawa’s finances. The promise followed years of heated debate over Liberal governments running windfall surpluses that materialized only after it was too late to spend them on anything but debt repayment.
“Governments cannot be held to account if Parliament does not know the accurate state of public finances,” the Tory election platform said.
To this end, sources say, a search committee has confidentially recommended to the Harper government that it hire former Finance Department official Kevin Page for the post. While former colleagues say Mr. Page is a strong economist and “no pushover,” concerns remain about how much manoeuvring the job, as designed, would afford him.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080215.wbudget15/BNStory/National/home
Am I missing something here. Is this just another layer of Govt. which will interpret the Dept. of Finance’s figures? And based on the cons’ penchant for firing/forcing out anyone who disagrees with them, that this office wouldn’t be under the control of the cons.
Garth ???
I thought Dion needed to see the budget before he decides to go for an election.
Just another load of bull shit Garth ???
How stupid you were to say Dion doesn’t lie.
It is obvious that it is Dion that wants an election, not Harper.
It looks like you liberals cannot handle strong governing.
Well, what would you expect.
By Catherine on 02.15.08 4:50 am
And as most of us see it…. the Libs want to change the leader; so what better way to do this, is to have an earlier election. Let the Libs lose, and they can then replace Stephane Dion.
So yeah – please do have the courage to go to an early election.
………………………………………………
$350,000,000 … that’s what it is going to cost the Canadian taxpayer to have an early election just to satisfy the Liberals need to get rid of their failed leader Dion.
If the Liberal party were decent and considerate of the Canadian taxpayer, they would just convince Dion to abdicate and save all that money that would be wasted on another futile election.
Surely the Liberal party can find another leader by October 2009, and earn the gratitude of the Canadian taxpayer by sparing us the pain of another election where the Conservatives will most likely win a majority government.
If I were a Liberal candidate or MP, I would be embarrassed if not fearful, going door-to-door trying to explain why another unwanted election was forced on Canadians all because the Liberal party wanted to get rid of their failed leader Dion.
If the Liberals are intent on committing political hara kiri why can’t they just do it in private rather than in full public view trying to sell to us another Liberal prime minister from Quebec..??!!
I say let’s go and pull the trigger and call the election and let the people choose who is the best leader. The longer we wait , the worse off we will be.
CON SEPTIC TANK FULLY LOADED
Time to pump out the CRAP.
Who funded Harper’s CWB Vendetta?
By Geminesse on 02.15.08 4:38 am
Cargill.
I just can’t wait until the NDP and Conservative election ads start showing Dion walking out on a vote in the House.
By Lex Luthor on 02.15.08 9:04 am
Of course you missed the Republicans in the USA walking out on a vote the very next day. http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-14-voa58.cfm Your PMO talking points never mentioned that? So are you capable of doing your own research on issues? Try google.com and the whole world will open to you and you no longer will be narrowly focused by the PMO.
An election will be called when the time is right, no matter how Harper tries to manipulates everyone. Fall sounds like a good time. The economy should have dived real good by then.
By Bill-Muskoka on 02.15.08 9:41 am
So, considering, as some in Vancouver (aka Hongcouver) would say ‘We already have half of Chin’s population here.” Why can;t we do better? COuld be simply that we are a too darn greedy. We are greedy to our own people first, and to our external customers second.
……………………………….
It appears to me that Billy-Muskrat has slagged an identifiable racial group residing in Canada as full and respectable Canadians.
Perhaps Billy-M should be reported to the B.C. Human Rights Commission for his racist reference to Vancouver.
Of course the remainder of his rambling, neurotic posting reflects on his fragile state of mind, having now been exposed for the troll that he is ….!!!!
Everyone including the media is just attacking Dion because his people talk, unlike the nearly-all-white-all-male other side of the House. I would dedicate a news conference purely on promising a completely open (to the media, for example) government, including the departments. Garth, for once there are so many things the current govt has done that we can criticize. Let’s bring the govt down sooner rather than later and let’s fight on the real issues.
Has Dion mounted his election steed and is charging ahead hoping that most Liberal MPs will follow him as their brave leader .. leading the charge …!!
http://bp3.blogger.com/_v-ofUOhfAt0/RqasFCp7rRI/AAAAAAAAApk/OubXs4rO43w/s1600-h/jul1907c.jpg
sorry about that…
rolling surplus
about time
now tear a page out of Layton’s book and make sure the first dollars out the door are dedicated to the planning phases of project management so the cash that follows doesn’t get hung up waiting for blueprints and tender document drafts.
Are we more at risk of having a Dictator than the U.S.?’ Answer: YES! The only real checks and balances against majority governments is their own ethical and moral fortitude. Good luck on that one By Bill-Muskoka on 02.15.08 9:41 am
Bill
Thankfully we have a Senate which would limit a dictators power, assuming that it is purely political and not militarily achieved.
______________________
I am more confused now with reading this blog about an election. I cannot see any concensus but I see arguments on either side. Some on each side are good. It seems to me that a decision MUST be made one way or the other. If Dion wants an election then he shouls create the situation where he can vote no confidence. The caucus must be with him.
Garth
If you compare I`d say it shows why the LPC and the CPC are polling the same.
You really need a plan and with the right plan not a bs one it is possible to get a majority.
You were wise not to have a showdown like the following on the economy.
btw as I mentioned it would be a coup if the Libs brought in some investment before things get a lot worse. Even $500M would swing enough votes.
———————————-
From your thread;
If, however, you wanted a leader who puts
Conservative; decisiveness above compromise and consensus
Liberal; Tossed record number of bi-partisan committee reports in trash
Conservative; who wishes Canada to be an international military force
Liberal; From Liberal leadership race during northern campaign.
” We must increase out military to protect the north from invasion by America”
Conservative; who talks tough on crime; who fires dissenters, even from his own caucus
Liberal; Get to the root cause, didn`t get it done. National treasury burglary of $40M was a good thing.
Conservatives; who chooses oil sands over climate change
Liberal; Kyoto Carbon trading scam
Conservative; who recognizes Quebeckers as “a nation”
Liberal; who recognizes Quebec as a crime mecca
Conservative; who disparages the free media
Liberal; promised to end media corruption,,, adscam
Conservative; expects the taxpayers to foot the bill for a portrait gallery of himself in Parliament and a make-up artist, well, he’s your guy.
Liberal; golf balls
The markets don’t seem to be considering this news alarming, but if your beak is underwater and your tailfeathers are flapping in the breeze, you just may want to keep one eye out for The Undertoad.
Withrawals Frozen
I don’t want to be a Chicken Little but,
87% of auction-rate security auctions failed on Thursday. that compares to 2% on Feb 7.
Bernanke is reportedly mounting his horse. (a dreadful image)
Why is Dalton McGuinty playing a $587 million crap shoot (and doesn’t even know it)?
Of hula-hoops and leveraged buyout loans
http://caiti-online.blogspot.com/2008/02/of-hula-hoops-and-leveraged-buyout.html
I don’t know enough about politics to have any idea how a party member could or should be disciplined for showing utter disrespect for his leader in public.
Such a member needs to be reminded he’s in a different party now & he isn’t the leader. If being a star is so important to him, then why doesn’t he leave the party & run as an independent?
OTTAWA — A Liberal government would spend any windfall surpluses beyond $3-billion on fixing Canada’s failing infrastructure, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion promised Friday.
Are you kidding me??? Recently, for one example of many, the city of Toronto it has been discovered has a huge problem of civil servants spending money on shopping trips to Tiffany’s, vacations and expense accounts that only rival the rich and famous. Yet, Dion wants to give them MORE? Out of federal coffers? Why do Liberal regimes constantly step over Provincial & Municipal jurisdictions? So, Dion is going to do ALL this and institutionalized day care and not pay down our national debt.
Or is this another Liberal Red Book promise to garner votes? You know, the ones they have no intention of keeping?
How can they get so much irresponsibility and incompetence in such a small package?
Leasa
Don’t pull the trigger too fast.
Savour the incompetence and the failed policies as they come home to roost.
Winds of change are blowing – will become a hurricane soon. Keep on the heat – illuminate their hypocricy through the actual results.
The reek will get worse. Each and every CONs minister has optic/legal encumbrances which are getting more and more visible.
Keep your powder dry – wai, wait, wait.
An election is coming soon but let their incompetence stew for a complete implosion.
1600 tulip bubble.
1929 stock market bubble.
1987 irrational exuberance bubble.
2001 tech bubble.
2007 sub prime bubble.
2008 neocon bubble.
P.S. I normally don’t write such harsh comments but I find you to be quite self-indulgent and too much of a self-promoter for my liking. I guess you have a chance at being an M.P. Not as a Conservative though, since they kicked you out.
I just have a question for you Libs..do you HONESTLY think that Dion is capable of any kind of leadership?
By Sammy on 02.15.08 8:39 am
Yes Sammy. No doubt about it. Mr. Dion is a man of honor. One who cares greatly for our children’s education, the walking poor, the health of our citizens, the average Canadian, the environment & least of all, keeping Canada a sovereign nation. A country Strong & Free. The one we used to be proud of. The opposite it true of Harper & his zombie like blind followers.
In your 9:47 Am post, you asked: who should I vote for. If you believe Mr. Dion’s visions of Canadians are like mine & the average Canadian, then making up your mind who to vote for should be an easy choice to make.
Ask yourself this simple questions. Who do I trust to lead my country. A man who cares about a United Canada or a man that is hell bent on destroying it. Sounds like a simple choice to me.
Have a great day
Cheers
Michael R.
A general comment about your blogs. I find them to be absolute trash. Canada’s Digital Democracy Leader? That made me laugh. Thanks for that.
Feb 15, 11:29 AM
Michael Ro. |
You pretend to be for middleclass Canadians, but its just the horse you ride to get media play and to suss out business opps.
Congrats!
Feb 15, 11:32 AM
Michael Ra. |
Stop deleting comments you fart. It’s supposed to be a blog.
Feb 15, 11:33 AM
You call yourself a Digital Democracy Leader, yet you delete posts that you don’t like?
Nice job.
You just posted the same trash four times in seven minutes. You are welcome here if you have a contribution to make. Otherwise, buzz off. — Garth
BMO deputy chief economist Doug Porter said the December numbers show the trade surplus for all of the fourth quarter (October to December) was $9.2 billion.
“It’s not ideal,” Porter said. “This suggests that the current account deficit, including services and investment income, may have dipped into the red in the quarter.”
Trade surplus falls to nine-year low
TWO short years into Harper’s small conservative government and already surplus financing is showing signs of Flaherty’s mismanagement wiping it off the charts! Which wrecking ball would Harper use to the Canadian economy if a majority government? Isn’t it time the adults were given the responsibility again of guiding the economy back onto a surer footing? Big deal…so far the only promises is to spend not quite as much on polling! They have squandered billions since being in office. And aren’t they for the next federal budget proposing to use taxpayer’s money to buy votes in a selected province in order to become a majority? No wonder Harper is pushing so many confidence motions down the gullet of parliament. He’s worried what the next quarter reveals.
Mr. Bean’s self-interest
By Michael Harris . The Ottawa Sun – February 15, 2008
In a week of high-profile weasling, there is someone with less credibility than Roger Clemens: Stephane Dion.
Between abstaining, delaying, flip-flopping, walking out and now deserting, it is time for Mr. Bean to take a walk in the slush and end the misery.
The party’s gross abdication of its much-stated commitment to end Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan in February 2009 is utterly shameless.
Mr. Bean is now Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s finger-puppet.
More ….
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Columnists/Harris_Michael/2008/02/15/4848014.html
Wanted:Climate Leaders
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/greenpeace-projects-message-on
Fired regulator suing government
GLORIA GALLOWAY
Globe and Mail Update
February 15, 2008 at 7:58 AM EST
OTTAWA — The woman who was fired as head of Canada’s nuclear regulator is taking the government to court.
Linda Keen will ask a judge to find that her dismissal by Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn in January was ”invalid or unlawful.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080215.wkeen0215/BNStory/National/home
If the Liberals are intent on committing political hara kiri why can’t they just do it in private rather than in full public view trying to sell to us another Liberal prime minister from Quebec..??!!
By Harry S on 02.15.08 10:06 am
What exactly is wrong with Prime Ministers from Quebec?
reading about another co-conspirator on the Independent Panel – the falsified document submitted by Manley to the Parliament of Canada – why is this report even allowed to be used??
Derek H. Burney
Well that didn’t take long. After campaigning on a slogan of “Vote for change” and railing against Liberal corruption, it took the new Harper government less than 24 hours to signal it will be business as usual in Ottawa. I’m referring to the press release announcing the selection of Derek H. Burney as the man who will lead the team helping the Conservatives make the transition between governments.
So who is Derek H. Burney? I’m glad you asked. Derek H. Burney served as ambassador to the US during the Mulroney government and is a Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Trade Policy and Law. He is currently the Director of Quebecor World and Shell Canada Ltd. Oh, and more to the point, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE Inc. from October 1999 until August 2004 and is an influential executive member of both the CCCE and the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada.
Now why are those last two parts important? Again, I’m glad you asked. You see, CAE’s former CEO, Derek H. Burney, along with other lobbyists for the afformentioned CCCE and Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, are amongst a small but elite group of Canadians who are the driving political force behind getting Canada to sign onto George W. Bush’s Ballistic Missile Defence program. And on top of that, CAE is the recipient of subcontract work from Boeing on the BMD program.
Now considering Stephen Harper signalled his intent to reopen the issue of Canada’s participation in the BMD program, is it a sign of government accountablility when his first act as PM is to hire a man who has an interest in seeing Canada sign on to that very program and will most likely be lobbying him about it in the future?
By Harry S on 02.15.08 10:06 am
Easy my dear man, Steve Harper has been the only one who really has been engineering an election, where have you been my dear lad? This man made non confidence votes out of going to the heads. I will remind you for the unpteenth time he has been selling fixed election dates since his Reform days. Uniting the right never made him a PC, it just gave him the job. His hidden agenda remains at the foremost of his politically dirty mind, (Running Canada in the image of neo conservative Washington). In any rate latest polls (for what they are worth) has 58% of us thinking there indeed will be an election this year. Remember it’s Harper that must ask the GG after failing to compromize not Dion….dat’s the rules. So what will be, will be, me like others get to tap away on keyboards that never really reach the 90% of the voting public who quite frankly don’t give a dam. Why because life is just to stressfull for far to many people. Just wait for the “Senior Boomers” to take front stage centre in a couple of years then things will change.
Ah yes, principled politicians. I remember when I believed that as well. I remember a principled man who once said:
I think there’s a pretty simple point of democratic principle here,” Turner said. “Guys like me who spend a long time pounding the pavement and knocking on doors getting elected think that’s a pretty important thing that somebody should do when you want to represent a party or a government. “If you want to be a Liberal, be elected as a Liberal,” Turner said. “All those things have honour, but the honour is bestowed by the people, not by the individual”.
Ah, once upon a time, Eh Garth?
And speaking of principles, let’s lament those of a leader who would remove a duly elected MP from caucus, strip the local association of its ability to nominate a candidate and quash the most basic of democratic tenets. The MP’s crime? Speaking for constituents first and the party second. BTW, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. — Garth
CTV had an on line vote today as to how people would vote in an election, and 77% said the same as before. An election won’t accomplish anything except waste taxpayer dollars
Hey Garth,
You know, if there are going to be people leaking private speeches made during caucus, then maybe instead of having these speech filtered through these namby-pambies, we should get the full text of the speech so that we can gain an objective understanding of the position of those former leadership candidates.
At least we the public can gain an understanding of the debate and become participants to it, without having everyone tell us how “the knives are out”. What do you have to fear if honest debate is presented, as well as the path to the resulting resolution? It shows that the LPC is manned by humans who are willing to work together to reach a consensus position.
BTW…don’t these guys who leaked this information realize that this stuff is always going to be spun in the “LPC fractured” meme by the media no matter how mundane the comments may actually have been? These guys (Quebec wing perhaps? Seems familiar…good way to try to drive a wedge between Rae and Dion) really need to get their asses kicked.
It is pretty frustrating to hear this shite sometimes…
Austin
By Leasa on 02.15.08 11:26 am
OTTAWA — A Liberal government would spend any windfall surpluses beyond $3-billion on fixing Canada’s failing infrastructure, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion promised Friday.
Are you kidding me??? Recently, for one example of many, the city of Toronto it has been discovered has a huge problem of civil servants spending money on shopping trips to Tiffany’s, vacations and expense accounts that only rival the rich and famous. Yet, Dion wants to give them MORE? Out of federal coffers? Why do Liberal regimes constantly step over Provincial & Municipal jurisdictions? So, Dion is going to do ALL this and institutionalized day care and not pay down our national debt.
Or is this another Liberal Red Book promise to garner votes? You know, the ones they have no intention of keeping?
How can they get so much irresponsibility and incompetence in such a small package?
…………………………………………………………………
Leasa … the big cities represent Liberal stronghold, and Toronto is their main bastion in Canada. Dion will promise anything for cities and those Canadians will dutifully vote Liberal .. even if the Liberal leader was Bin Laden.
What Dion’s crass politics reveals is how naive and gullible Canadians are take by the Liberals, and in large measure they are correct. Canadians are so stupified by socialistic handouts, even the Harper Conservatives must cater to that addiction. Canadians must be slowly weaned off their dependence on the nanny state, and they want the federal government to shelter them form global competition.
Liberals have callously promised much to Canadians and never kept their promises (like NO GST), and Canadians still returned to their warm and fuzzy Liberal womb. Canadians are a stupid bunch, and that is so politically obvious.
Canadians are so lazy and complacent, they don’t even want to vote. Is Canada a real country ??
Enough of this liberal nonsense playing the ‘waiting game’!
The Liberal Party either has to ‘play now’ or disband.
Any party who truly cares about Canada, Canadians & Canada’s role on the international scene, should be ready, willing & able to ‘go to the ropes’ for Canada, at any time!
There are no ‘safety suits’ in the closet of time.
If Libeals aren’t ready, then they never will be and the longer they dicker, the stronger they make their opposition look.
By keith phibbs on 02.15.08 11:52 am
I wonder how long it will take before the General in Councel notices her lawyers went straight to court.
What exactly is wrong with Prime Ministers from Quebec?
By Stephen Smith on 02.15.08 11:56 am
Apparently, Harry (the Queen of B) S finds it acceptable to discriminate based on origin (isn’t that the definition of racism, something that is verboten according to the Constitution?). I, for one, vote based on ideas, ability and platform. If I wanted to vote based on origin, or if I wanted to vote purely based on how much someone believes that Man walked with dinosaurs, or if I wanted to vote for someone in favour of invading Iraq and Iran, I’d move south. I’ll say to Harry S what I say to anglophone-only residents of Gatineau who just moved from Ottawa for cheaper houses: if you don’t like it here, you’re free to leave.
Canadians must be slowly weaned off their dependence on the nanny state, and they want the federal government to shelter them form global competition.
By Harry S on 02.15.08 12:10 pm
Harry,
Your brush is wide today.
First there are the Buzz Hargroves of this world. And to those I would agree with you. Everything is everyoneelse fault. (Sounds a bit like the CPC!)
Then there are those that want a level playing field. This is the role of government. Unfortunately we have a government that sells out our industry. The softwood lumber deal, paying the US. for the privilege, only to have our industry undermined by a rising dollar and a continued lobby in the US saying we still have unfair advantages.
A government that likes an overvalued dollar, because it makes it less expensive in CDN$ to pay off our debt, while putting our industry at a disadvantage. (Before anyone starts that our indusrty is unproductive, I’ll agree. Industry would fall into category one. But this governments policies don’t help.) What we need a fair valued dollar, 85c, is a figure I hear. A value that gives neither advantage or disadvantage.
As for Canada being a country? Ask Harper. I think you’ll find he wants it to be the 51st State.
Canadians are a stupid bunch, and that is so politically obvious.
Canadians are so lazy and complacent, they don’t even want to vote. Is Canada a real country ??
By Harry S on 02.15.08 12:10 pm
Why is that Harry? Is it because 75 percent of the country will not follow your leader? You and your party are really, really scary. I just hope that you are a very small minority within it.
If not , we are all in alot of trouble.
I bet you belong to stormfront and follow fromme dont you Harry?
Ontario economy a growing concern: Flaherty
TAVIA GRANT
Globe and Mail Update
February 15, 2008 at 11:13 AM EST
The Canadian economy still has “solid” fundamentals, despite recent reports that show a dive in exports and manufacturing activity, the federal Finance Minister said Friday.
While Canada should weather the deepening U.S. slowdown, Jim Flaherty said he’s increasingly concerned about Ontario, the country’s largest economy. And he urged the provincial government to curb spending and cut taxes to spur economic activity.
“My most significant worry is with respect to my home province,” he said at a Toronto press conference. “There’s a danger Ontario’s economy will slow down more dramatically than elsewhere in Canada.”
http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080215.wflaherty0215/BNStory/robNews/home
just can’t wait until the NDP and Conservative election ads start showing Dion walking out on a vote in the House.
By Lex Luthor on 02.15.08 9:04 am
And I cant wait for the ads showing Harper as the flip-flopping, deceiving , slave to the polls weak leader that he is. Between the scandals , inappropriate firings , and criminal investigations going on I am surprised the cons would have time for an election.
It seems to me that both the Conservatives and Liberals are dithering on whether they want an election or not. To believe anything else is following media spin. Polls are inconsistent because they are so sensitive to the questions asked. There are winning conditions for neither party because they have nothing to offer except more of the same.
There is no “governing” going on but loads of empty rhetoric, spin, and downright fabrication. The government is throwing out feelers for the Fox News of Canada (ATV and CanWest) to throw out for reaction. It is using taxpayer’s money to buy surveys to get public response to those feelers.
It is all about achieving absolute power, not about public service. The few who might be in the Ottawa bubble that originally went there for reasons of public service get caught up in the frenzy focusing on issues that have no real relevance to the every day lives of most Canadians.
If anyone thought that Stephen Harper and his “new” Conservatives would be any different from the Liberals must be shaking their heads (unless there was nothing in there in the first place).
Would an election do anything to change the Ottawa culture?
Virtually nothing because we are being offered nothing but more of the same. One by one the MPs and political staffers are looking more and more like a bunch of clowns and fools with nothing to offer but a bit of entertainment once in a while during question period.
And I find Dion a coward.
I just can’t wait until the NDP and Conservative election ads start showing Dion walking out on a vote in the House.
By Lex Luthor on 02.15.08 9:04 am
That would be followed by a video of Harpo’s famous speech about not taxing INCOME TRUSTS I would presume…there are allot on YOU TUBE feel free to watch him lie over and over again….
By keith phibbs on 02.15.08 12:52 pm
More like they are really, really annoying…Like a bunch of brats who seriously needed the Board of Education applied to the Seat of Knowledge, long ago!
So far, other than the IT scandal, They have not accomplished anything of truly significant harm, and will soon be unable to even try to.
We don’t need polls to tell us how things are seen at the Death Star, we only need to measure the volune of CRAP Troll comments here at Garth’s. Their panties runneth over me thinks! LOL
It is now a set game match, and Dion is waiting (knowingly in my opinion) for the proper moment to drop the hammer. Harper, being the complete power pervert he is, will bluster, but if he goes to the GG, he cuts his own little weenie off.
First time we have born witness to a Mohel doing it to himself, eh? The one thing you never want to hear a Mohel say s is ‘Oops!’
What they don;t realize, mostly because they drink only Blue Kool-Aide and read only those PMSH approved writings, is that Dion is already in charge and calling the shots.
This Canadian is quite relaxed about the entire matter and already trust Stephane Dion to lead us the proper direction at the proper time.
Real leadership is not about Bullying and power. It is about exercising wisdom and courage, of which patience and fortitude are key elements.
Garth,
Please tell us if he IP addy of certain trolls (you know the ones) are even in Canada, or the US? Also if they originate from a CPC facility.
The Religious Right is a vast network of Funnymentalists supporting globalism and against democracy. It is time to expose them. Thanks!
Contrary to some postings here, it is important to understand that investing in infrastructure will improve Canada’s long term competitiveness. How do you think China got to be where it is today? By investing in infrastructure 20 years ago. This is NOT a ‘vote getting’ scheme. This is good economic policy in both the short term, and more importantly, for the long term success of our nation. What is the TransCanada Highway? Infrastructure. What is the TransCanada Pipeline? Infrastructure. What is the Jame Bay Power Plant? Infrastructure. What are the bridges we all drive on every day? Infrastructure. What are our airports and rail-lines? Infrastructure. Ever thought how our country would function without these things? Well…if we don’t invest in keeping them running and in good repair…we’ll go back 100 years. Oh yeah…I guess that what you neoCons want.
And I cant wait for the ads showing Harper as the flip-flopping, deceiving , slave to the polls weak leader that he is. Between the scandals , inappropriate firings , and criminal investigations going on I am surprised the cons would have time for an election.
By keith phibbs on 02.15.08 1:09 pm
Hi Keith, You mean all those things that currently they can’t say outside the protection of the HoCs? LOL The lawyers would love it!
*****************
……strip the local association of its ability to nominate a candidate and quash the most basic of democratic tenets. ~ Garth
You mean, kinda like Mr. Dion does? Hey, how is that mess in Saskatchewan coming along?
Leasa
‘happy (-$2+ billion) family day on Monday.’
By C. B. Innes on 02.15.08 1:14 pm
I think
this cartoon says it ALL!, and the viewer’s response is about mine as well for now!
77% said the same as before. An election won’t accomplish anything except waste taxpayer dollars
By Elizabeth on 02.15.08 12:07 pm
Hey the Stanley Cup is coming up in a few months, but why waste all the money in promoting and playing the series why not just poll hockey fans and use those results to determine the winner. According to your poll logic -why waste money on the game?
Cons unite and demand to be let out of the Harper playpen. Garth this seems to be becoming a daycare for ConTROLL freaks?
Oh boo hoo on income trusts.The change makes excellent tax fairness and strengthens our economy over time.Ask any economist.As forthose who lost money,most that were smart and held on like investment experts tell you,still did well,and continue to do so.Check the stats.Those that panicked should not be investing in the first place.
I remember as a kid, I would go to the Science Centre in Toronto and play a computer game where you had to put out a forest fire. The idea was that you had to keep hitting the sucker with water bombers as fast as you could, or the thing would turn into an out of control disaster. Right now, the CONs have a bunch of fires to put out all over the place and they are scrambling to put the damned things out. Now is a time to attack these fools.
Would an election do anything to change the Ottawa culture?
By C. B. Innes on 02.15.08 1:14 pm
Well you old anarchist, whos been whispering in your ear, posting on this blog. Was it those impartial warning about the economy from last summer?
The last election got us 1 month worths of work out of 24 which, compared to the last 10 elections, is about average.
Eliminating our elected federal government certainly has the advantage of positive change compared to the results of the last ten elections.
It`s doable, it`s positive and it`s sound in principle and practice.
It is time to expose them. Thanks!
By Bill-Muskoka on 02.15.08 1:24 pm
If you hadn`t exposed yourself 25 years ago you wouldn`t have had to flee the US and hide up here. btw, the creditors that were suing you in 82, oh never mind, you`ll find out soon enough.
Oh boo hoo on income trusts.The change makes excellent tax fairness and strengthens our economy over time.Ask any economist.As forthose who lost money,most that were smart and held on like investment experts tell you,still did well,and continue to do so.Check the stats.Those that panicked should not be investing in the first place.
Interesting comment, but there is enough evidence to the contrary. The CONS certainly made a fine presentation..well if you don’t include 18 PAGES OF BLACKOUT MATERIAL THAT IS… By the way you certainly didn’t deny HARPO’S lies and I appreciate that, but then again it is pretty hard to deny when it is on video isn’t it…Yes a few million income trust owners were very impressed with that decision…I am sure they will bite the bullet and vote CONservative, and telling everyone that all is fine.. believing that Herr Harpo was just FIBBING a little and that only 35 BILLION dollars was wiped out on those fist few months… and if you would have checked the Canada Pension Fund site you would see that 300 million of YOUR money was lost on trusts that the plan held….so you got screwed and not even kissed…. Ralph Klein said it best on BNN regarding Harpo, all a politician has is his word….hmmmm
Canadians are so lazy and complacent, they don’t even want to vote. Is Canada a real country ??
By Harry S on 02.15.08 12:10 pm
Oh Harry! There are other nations that might take you… Sudan, Kenya, Iraq, to name but a few. I would bet that many contributors to this blog wouls raise enough for a one way ticket
Dear Reid, have a look at the XTR, the Capped Index Income Trust ETF. You will see a high of 16 and a low of 12.27 as a result of the New Governments broken promise. Currently the Index is at 12.98.
Now, this is a composite index of the Income Trusts. Any trusts that went down so low that they went bankrupt or were taken over by the likes of the Canada Pension Fund because they were such a bargain, don’t show up in the index.
So, show me your stats that cause you to conclude that they did so well.
Secondly, investing is not from a two year rear-view mirror. Just call up that chart and you will see the damage done.
Oh boo hoo on income trusts.The change makes excellent tax fairness and strengthens our economy over time.Ask any economist.As forthose who lost money,most that were smart and held on like investment experts tell you,still did well,and continue to do so.Check the stats.Those that panicked should not be investing in the first place.
By reid on 02.15.08 1:51 pm
Reid, where did you buy your brains anyway? The way you speak tells me that you are still in grade school or a high school dropout. The only economist you seem to want to listen to is Harper. Never mind what the REAL economists have to say. Seems one of the few real accomplished since being the PM is his ability to brain wash his followers.
And Reid, a good portion of those investors in the IT are seniors who invested all their lives to get where they are & who trusted Stephen Harper when he promised that he would not touch IT’s.
Grow up will you Reid
Cheers
What’s in it for Duffy???
imo a Senate seat…er maybe two!
Shell imports gasoline for….drumroll… Western Canada.
As for infrastructure, I would be happy just to see the potholes filled and the street lines repainted, and for my mother’s power to stay on in Calgary.(If we’re not going to do it in a boom, then when?)
There was talk on Mike Duffy Live yesterday about some Liberal Members of Parliament being read to push Monsieur Dion over the edge. What if this happens before he puts “the finger on the trigger”? He might then pull the trigger on himself. He is in an extremely precarious and vulnerable position right now for which there are no really good options.
Monsieur Dion should have called the election months ago before it came to this. Now, he has waited too long already. There is too much water under the bridge to turn the clock back, or to do that part of history over.
On the Afghanistan issue, where he should be appearing like a statesman rising above partisan politics, Monsieur Dion has lately been intransigent and dogmatic, when he needs to be a consensus builder, and appeqar to be one who can be more diplomatic and less political.
The untenability of his position is clearly illustrated by the high risks involved in setting a definite date to withdrawal without setting any benchmarks, priorities, objectives or goals before withdrawal.
If the goals are unachievable, then let’s get out now. That would make the NDP position more tenable. If the goals of the Afghanistan mission are achievable, however, then do not base the withdrawal to an arbitrary date, but rather on the accomplishing of attainable goals.
What if the Allies in WWII had decided to quit if they hadn’t achieved victory by 1944? What if the Allies had established such a policy in 1942?
Furthermore, the unsettling (for Monsieur Dion) question has to be asked, “Will changing the mission to one of reconstruction and training alter casualty rates?”
Here is a bit of information that Monsieur Dion needs to consider. It is that NO Canadian soldiers died in open combat in 2007, and only four did in 2006. All the rest were killed and injured by snipers, booby traps, suicide bombers and accidents.
Will such deaths cease if the mission shifts to reconstruction? Not likely. The Taliban want us out to re-esstablish a theocratic dictatorship of fundamentalist clerics and subjugation of women and children to chauvinistic men.
Putting down our guns and helping to build a free and modern Afghanistan makes us no less their enemies, and leaves our soldiers even more vulnerable (contradicting Monsieur Dion’s flawed logic).
Furthermore, by setting a firm deadline two years in advance, we would only encourage the enemy to fight on, hoping to run out the clock.
While a national consensus would be desirable, the choice we have is to either do the job right, or else get out altogether, but the half-baked position of Monsieur Dion is untenable, and will not fly if an election is called.
One has a sense that something big and explosive is about to happen within the Liberal Party of Canada. It might all be for the good, so that Canadians have have a clear choice, but not a party whose members are sending out too many mixed messages. That is not a choice at all.
Will Monsieur Dion finally pull the plug by giving his MPs an ultimatum, or will he pull the trigger on himself by waiting until the renegades and turncoats among his members push him over the edge?
Which will it be?
Wait for it. You’ll be impressed. — Garth
Oh yeah…I guess that what you neoCons want.
By TS on 02.15.08 1:39 pm
So it seems, their viewpoint is out of sight-out of mind, until it falls down and kills people.
I see that McGuinty has finally taken the Toronto bulls by the horns and is doiing what needs to be done to create a GTA wide transit system. Premier backs TTC takeover
McGuinty, whose government has a 12-year, $17.5 billion transit expansion plan for the GTA, said yesterday the province would like to eventually integrate the TTC into the fledgling Metrolinx regional authority, and could do so without additional funding.
“It’s just a matter of … us making the linkages on our own once we have the transit systems in place,” the premier told reporters.
The dream of Metrolinx, formerly known as the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority, is a system of efficient transit across the region that would let commuters travel effortlessly across municipal boundaries without the hassle of separate fare and route systems.
Gee, Toronto and its burbs are only about 100 years behind in doing that.
The Harris goobernment was too busy cutting essential services to think about the needs of the present or the future.
No wonder we find the same mental midgets in Ottawa now!
Edmonton, Vancouver, Chicago, San Francisco, New York City, (Nor sure about Montreal?), have had vast systems for a long time.
Via Rail, that model of a Crown Corporation, cannot even provide rail service into Ottawa with baggage handling capabilities from Toronto ot Montreal. Talk about a city that has tonnes of baggage? I cannot think of one more in need. LOL
Some century we may even have a High Speed Rail from Union Station to Pearson Airport? What a nivel idea, eh?
Oh, I forgot, the TTC is GOD and they keep saying ‘HANDS OFF OUR TURF!’ all the while Mayor Miller battles for money to fund his little clich at the Centre of The Universe.
Seems they have a serious snow and garbage problem currently as well. Will we send in the Army again?
Here we are hoping to someday have commuter flights to Pearson from the Muskoka. We are not holding our breath because McGuinty thinks we are not Northern Ontario?
We at least have one train each direction to Toronto, or Moosenee! (Like anyone in their firggin’ right mind is heading to Moosenee this time of year?). We can also drive, or take the bus to barrie and connect to the GO Train, which, also has a wonderful schedule that affords no transportation other than early morning or evening.
That should be the next Great Canadian Project. High Speed Rail that truly serves the people’s needs, not just the Crown Corporation’s CEO’s profit sheets. Want to reduce GHG emissions? Get a transportation system that actuall provides real service.
Stop long distance trucking, and make them put the freight on the rails. Especially, livestock as was shown on the news the other night. What a travesty. Pig transported from Alberta to Hawaii, and many die enroute, or become so diseased they have to be killed and thrown out. Why? because the Alberta pig farmers don’t want to have process the meat there and ship it like normal people do.
The SPCA is after them on this atrocity, as well they should be.
If you hadn`t exposed yourself 25 years ago you wouldn`t have had to flee the US and hide up here. btw, the creditors that were suing you in 82, oh never mind, you`ll find out soon enough.
By got rope? on 02.15.08 2:08 pm
I certainly hope you do not manage anything because you can’t even do the math. I was not here in ’82.
As to your opinion, go kiss your Bud Harry, or are you him in your other mind?. Don’t you have a protest to attend to disband the Senate and the SCoC or something?
BTW, speaking of creditors, are you up to date on your Child Support? They just busted some guy that hit a deer up here last week on an outstanding warrant.
Man, Harry s. is the gift of idiocy that keeps on giving.
Please, never dan this fool and tool!
Zorph.
By dj on 02.15.08 2:44 pm
Probably TWO seeing how big an ASS he is!
They just busted some guy that hit a deer up here last week on an outstanding warrant.
By Bill-Muskoka on 02.15.08 3:07 pm
Exactly Bill, it`s what I`ve been saying. Of the numerous murders here there hasn`t been one arrest but if they went after them for the heinous crime of arrears the`d all be in jail.
Hopefully soon they`ll get the idea and manage to arrest the mediocre murders along with the most despicable criminals in our society, the dead broke dad.
Re: the Keen application
“Despite her request for particulars of any misconduct or failure to meet performance standards, no such particulars were ever provided,”
am I reading this right?
Could this mean anything else besides they blew off her request for a written statement?
Canada Labour Code 241 (1)
Honest. If anybody has any insight as to why they’d sit back a watch her get reinstated on a (stack of) technicality(s) I’m all ears. I’m a sucker for brainteasers and this one has me stumped, which generally isn’t very good for me.
Soooooo Garth, You have been warning about the gloomy days ahead of us on an economic front and lambasting the CPC for ‘irresponsible’ spending, telling us for months that the deficit was all but ‘blown’. How do you feel about your leader promising billions for the cities?
If Jim was so inept as you have claimed many times, why are we still seeing an upcoming surplus of $10 billion?
The federal Liberals would spend the bulk of Canada’s budget surplus on the country’s crumbling infrastructure if elected, Leader Stéphane Dion promised on Friday.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, seen Thursday in the House of Commons, said the Liberals would direct surplus money toward infrastructure.
(Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)
In an election campaign-style speech in Ottawa, Dion said if the Liberals were in power, they would spend the first $3 billion of the surplus on paying off Canada’s debt and all the rest on bridges, public transit, waste management and other infrastructure.
The infrastructure money could end up being worth billions of dollars, Dion said, noting that this year alone, the total estimated surplus is $10 billion.
~really Garth…your honest take on this would be appreciated. Also, why is it the Liberals feel that they need to overstep provincial and municipal bounds all the time?
Leasa~waiting with great expectations.
The billions will come from surpluses above a $3 billion annual debt repayment. — Garth
And speaking of principles, let’s lament those of a leader who would remove a duly elected MP from caucus, strip the local association of its ability to nominate a candidate and quash the most basic of democratic tenets. The MP’s crime? Speaking for constituents first and the party second. BTW, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. — Garth
By Real Canuck on 02.15.08 12:04 pm
Well Garth, then you must be furious with your own leader, Stephane Dion. He forced the Liberal Association in Nova Scotia not to run any Liberal candidates.
I hear they agreed without a challenge. — Garth
Solid as the Cdn Shield.
For those that understand the relationship between investment and productivity this is no surprise.
For those that don`t. In 2002, the same year investors started leaving Canada was when we saw accelerated job losses. This became a crisis 3 years ago when investment turned to an outflow.
Nothing to it Garth, bring in investment and the Liberals are in for a majority, otherwise, well it`s still a long way to the bottom.
——————
December manufacturing slump revives talk of Canadian recession
Fri Feb 15, 1:52 PM
http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/15022008/2/biz-finance-december-manufacturing-slump-revives-talk-canadian-recession.html
Carmichael said he now expects that Canada’s economy contracted by as much as 0.5 per cent in December and will retreat by as much as one per cent in the first three months of this year, double his previous contraction forecast and far gloomier than the Bank of Canada’s forecast 0.6 per cent gain for the first quarter.
So Stephane Dion wants to spend any surplus over 3 Billion on “infrastructure”.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080215/dion_infrastructure_080215/20080215?hub=Canada
“Stephane Dion announced Friday that a Liberal government would invest any unanticipated surplus exceeding a $3-billion contingency fund in roads, bridges, sewers and other infrastructure. Municipalities would get nothing should there be no surplus cash above the $3-billion threshold. ”
some announcement, eh?
And it would be easy to get 0$ from surplus, as Stephane Dion wants to spends Billions on child care, Billions buying Kyoto credits, and other pet projects.
Or is Stephane Dion going to raise our taxes?
No, Rope, I am not an anarchist. What I am saying is that we have such poor “leadership” in Ottawa that our federal government is failing us. There is no one there able to capture the general mood of the country and address national concerns.
And speaking of principles, let’s lament those of a leader who would remove a duly elected MP from caucus, strip the local association of its ability to nominate a candidate and quash the most basic of democratic tenets. The MP’s crime? Speaking for constituents first and the party second. BTW, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. — Garth
And thats why Garth has my undying support. Which master does the MP first and foremost serve in a truly functional democracy? The people who elected him!!! Look around, folks… the majority of MP’s otherwise are not much more than “yes” men/women to a leader or a brand. Be thankful, Halton, your riding truly has one of the good ones.
By Leasa on 02.15.08 11:26 am
Oh God… Leasa’s calling infrastructure workers civil servants who shop at Tiffany’s now. (chuckles)
By Harry S on 02.15.08 12:10 pm
“Canadians are a stupid bunch, and that is so politically obvious. Canadians are so lazy and complacent, they don’t even want to vote. Is Canada a real country ??” – Harry
Harry’s just another western separatist New Con nutter who reeks of belittling others to build himself up, this time, Canada. He reminds me of a speech Harper gave to americans in 97′ that roughly said the same thing. Harry, if you don’t like this country, just leave but please take your beloved Republican governor wannabe Harper with you. And Harry… you can kiss both sides of my ass.
Maybe I should bite my tongue and just hush up ….
By Harry S on 02.14.08 11:37 pm
YYYYYEEESSSS!
There must be some kinda kind god upstairs somewhere, as only She would tell Harry to shut the **** up!
By Rob on 02.15.08 12:00 pm
How does the general public ever get to know all these facts? I think we need a website to offer all this type of information to those who want to read it. The positive stuff, will be well bragged about. I am sure the neocons would put up a similar one on Dion. At least the public would know and could make a more informed decision with their voting.
I would love to have that National Post article talking about Harper then and Harper now that was published a few days ago on a web site where I could send people. I sent the link out to everyone on my mailing list.
I prefer the Adscam Liberals to the Dictatorial Harper and his Steppford “wives” and the Americanization and militarization of Canada.
I’ve got this
‘Some observers believe, by default, that the absence of “for cause” in this section means the president’s position is an “at pleasure” appointment, and the government can demote the president to a member of the tribunal in the same way that it can fire or shuffle deputy ministers.’
but that doesn’t make any sense because the federal court judges’ tenure during good behaviour clause doesn’t say anything about “for cause” but the clerks’ clause does.
does that mean clerks can’t be fired without cause but judges can?
Garth, Dion may have his finger on the trigger but he can’t pull it by himself. He can pull it all he wants but the reality is that Dion needs Layton and Duceppe to help him to pull it.
For all you Liberals out there who have been trashing Harper the fact is that means Dion “must get into bed” with Duceppe a separatist to defeat the Democratically Federal government. It just goes to show you that sometimes idiotic comments come back to bite you in the ass. This is one such case.
What’s in it for Duffy???
imo a Senate seat…er maybe two!
By dj on 02.15.08 2:44 pm
You too funny. Duffs fav politician is Scott Brison. If Duff no longer likes the Libs it might be because he didn`t make any money off the Goodale leak like the rest of Scotts friends.
The billions will come from surpluses above a $3 billion annual debt repayment. — Garth
ROFL, Garth you are such a spinner. The fact is that there will not be surpluses over 3 billion if Dion implements his national Child care program along with his billions for municipal infrastructure program plus all the other goodies he has been promising. The only way he could do it is increase taxes, roll back the 2% GST cuts.
So Garth is Dion going to increase taxes and roll back the 2% GST cuts?
The greatest surpluses on record occured during the last Lib government, with PMSH inheriting boodles of cash. That’s now gone, since he spent it. This is no conservative government. — Garth
If Jim was so inept as you have claimed many times, why are we still seeing an upcoming surplus of $10 billion?
- Leasa
Try to keep in mind that the $11.2 billion dollar surplus estimated in the fall by Flarehty is at $6.8 billion with 4 months of numbers left to come in. That estimate the New Cons love to throw around will likely come in 5 billion short or more. As for Dion’s plan, municipalities aren’t bitching.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/02/15/dion-infrastructure.html
A David Suzuki rant! (and a good one)
http://www.therealnews.com/web/index.php?thisdataswitch=0&thisid=200&thisview=item
Harpers wonderful input on the environment.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Story.html?id=127714
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=123276
One more flashback to Harper’s Commonwealth climate change stance in November. Austrialia’s John Howard has since been defeated and Harper stands alone on not wanting binding targets for climate change… just like GW Bush.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=118534
And then there’s Bali.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/quirks-blog/
And why is the M & A of MDA by a weapons U.S. defense contractor so important?
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/quirks-blog/2007/12/the_new_space_race.html
Too bad the M & A, of MDA by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) -which calls itself “An Advanced Weapons and Space Systems Company” with hundreds of millions of Canadian fed dollars poured into MDA, comes as a blessing on the deal by the “New” Cons before the ink was dry.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/quirks-blog/2008/01/mda_deal_we_keep_the_flag_they.html
How long will it take to repay our debt if we only use 3 billion per year in surplus for it? Does the 3 billion even pay the interest on our debt per year? I like how the Conservatives have been allocating large chunks for debt repayment. Isn’t one of the gas taxes supposed to be used for infastructure or does that just go into general revenue?
By Bill-Muskoka on 02.15.08 1:24 pm
Garth,
Please tell us if he IP addy of certain trolls (you know the ones) are even in Canada, or the US? Also if they originate from a CPC facility.
The Religious Right is a vast network of Funnymentalists supporting globalism and against democracy. It is time to expose them. Thanks!
…………………………………………………
McCarthyism imported from the US of A is attempting to crush Canadian democracy on MP Garth’s Canadian forum.
It’s curious that Billy-M wants our MP Garth to go on a witch-hunt …. but hides his own identity like a coward … while spewing his US Marine ‘sempre fi’ rubbish trying to gain some kind of credibility here on our fine forum.
Fess up Billy-M … ID yourself … put up or shut up ..!!
“Wait for it. You’ll be impressed.” — Garth
I realize that you cannot divulge more at this particular time without breaking caucus confidentiality and secrecy.
We digital democracy geeks would like to be able to say that we heard it first right here on Garth’s blog.
Everything happens here first. — Garth
By Leasa on 02.15.08 3:45 pm
Hi Leasa, I believe it IS the federal government’s responsibility to distribute money for infrastructure improvement and development and Mr. Dion’s plan seems to be a responsible one that looks at paying down debt as the first priority.
I believe that neglecting our infrastructure threatens national security, the economy, public health and safety and our way of life. I would think that security-minded conservatives would be applauding efforts at making Canada more secure for Canadians.
Also, Garth’s not the only who thinks Mr. Flaherty is inept. Mr. Harper thinks so, too. In fact, Mr. Harper said this when asked if a big surplus is a sign of good fiscal planning.
“Uhh, I think, actually, it’s a sign of not good fiscal planning … but when surpluses appear out of thin air, I think that’s a sign of bad fiscal management, or even worse, of dishonest fiscal management.”
You can see Mr. Harper’s statement on video (Keith Boag reports for CBC-TV, 1 minute 10 secs):
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/09/27/surplus.html
Oh, and Mr. Flaherty made this promise, on the same video:
“We’re not gonna come back to the Canadian people, and with Uhhh 8 billion and 10 billion and 12 billion dollars in overtaxation at the end of a given year. We’ve had years and years of this kind of overtaxation by the previous government, it’s about time it comes to an end.”
See Mr. Flaherty’s statement, at 1 min 30 secs.
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/09/27/surplus.html
Enjoy,
-R
Responsibilities like Chalk River too much to bear for government? Just sell it off. Its Harpers way. (just make sure its a U.S. buyer *wink wink*)
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=238128
What if the Allies in WWII had decided to quit if they hadn’t achieved victory by 1944? What if the Allies had established such a policy in 1942?
If the rabbit did not stop at the house in woods he would have won the race, you silly ode fool……..
WW II stands for World War Two. NATO in Afghanistan is hmmm 95% of countries in NATO staying home let alone showing up for the race….get it…and oh yea there is all those drugs being shipped to North America…..follow the money, not the neo con BS.
Don’t pull the trigger too fast. Savour the incompetence and the failed policies as they come home to roost. Winds of change are blowing – will become a hurricane soon. . . .
By Rob on 02.15.08 11:30 am
Point noted. CRAP have already proven beyond any doubt at all that they are grossly incompetent to govern.
As the US’s, the UK’s and Canada’s economies slide their way down this roller coaster, the more apathetic voters will become, as they will be too busy trying to pay their own debts off, while trying to stay afloat at the same time.
There are two trains of thought re: the election — first is Spring, second (as a poster stated) is Fall, when CRAP will be leaning heavily on its’ side; the economy (at least East and Central parts) is likely to be leaning that way as well. The West will probably hold out
for a few more years, but there will be a general downturn, countrywide.
I have no doubt that Dion knows what he is doing, and lets others’ talk all they want; when he figures the time is right and pulls the plug, then — if there are enough voters who want to participate — the voters will follow suit and kiss CRAP au revoir — forever.
BTW, I answered my own question I asked yesterday (why do members of our Forces choose not to seek help), by thinking back a few months.
There was a picture on rawstory.com which was visually quite graphic (had a warning with it), taken in Af’stan.
There was a pic of a dead Afghan man, still had a turban on and lying on rubble; his eyes were still open, his head and neck were still attached, and there was no blood.
The rest of his body had been blown to smithereens, so rest of the pic was of the mountains. This is what dubya, harper, phoney tony blair, etc., have taken the forces into.
Some leaders.
A little off topic but I need to say this. You know I used to admire and respect Mike Duffy for years for his Honest, non partisan reporting, but the man has become such a Conservative troll hack himself this past year it is getting downright sickening watching his show. Mike you ought to be ashamed of yourself, I know I sure as Hell am.
Randy
McCarthyism imported from the US of A is attempting to crush Canadian democracy on MP Garth’s Canadian forum.
It’s curious that Billy-M wants our MP Garth to go on a witch-hunt …. but hides his own identity like a coward … while spewing his US Marine ’sempre fi’ rubbish trying to gain some kind of credibility here on our fine forum.
Fess up Billy-M … ID yourself … put up or shut up ..!!
By Harry S on 02.15.08 5:03 pm
Oh the ironic hypocrisy of Harry S. LOL, Harry who bravely sits in his basement anonamously commenting, defaming people and politicians while demanding others to stand in the while he hides his sorry, worthly ass.
LOL, Harry S., the gift of stupidity that keeps on giving.
By Hairry **S on 02.15.08 5:03 pm
After reading the last post by Hairy I figured out what or who he is.
Evidence:
1: He bragged that he makes enough to pay a 6 figure tax bill.
2: He can spin ANYTHING.
3 He has NO brain and drinks Neo-con cool-aid.
Therefore logic says that he is an advertising exec. (Probably on the public purse) and owns the firm. (Harper government contract)
Or is Stephane Dion going to raise our taxes?
By Catherine on 02.15.08 4:01 pm
At last a policy issue to debate:
Lib Plan: – Gas tax rebate to municipalities made permanent – great!
$3 billion contingency fund if unused goes on debt – good idea.
All the rest of the surplus goes to infrastructure. – The idea is sound, but all of it? Maybe the next 3 billion to infrastructure, anything above 50/50 split. (You can change the 3 billion up or down.)
The Con. plan – all surplus goes to debt. Gas tax rebate ends.
End result, no debt but crumbling infrastructure.
The Liberal approach, with a bit of tweaking, seems the more balanced approach. The Con approach, black and white as usual.
An old saying, slightly modified:
“If you can’t beat ‘em, sue ‘em!”
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp?epi-content=GENERIC&newsId=20080214005906&ndmHsc=v2*A1202994000000*B1203042984000*DgroupByDate*J1*N1000837&newsLang=en&beanID=202776713&viewID=news_view
Well Garth, then you must be furious with your own leader, Stephane Dion. He forced the Liberal Association in Nova Scotia not to run any Liberal candidates.
I hear they agreed without a challenge. — Garth
By Catherine on 02.15.08 3:45 pm
so screw the Liberal supporters in the riding, eh? Great show of Liberal democracy!
The greatest surpluses on record occured during the last Lib government, with PMSH inheriting boodles of cash. That’s now gone, since he spent it. This is no conservative government. — Garth
By Van on 02.15.08 4:48 pm
And now Garth is supporting a Liberal leader who wants to bring in big $ programs AND leave the debt to our children and their children. I guess, if you’re a politician – you make your own fantasy worlds.
How long will it take to repay our debt if we only use 3 billion per year in surplus for it? Does the 3 billion even pay the interest on our debt per year? I like how the Conservatives have been allocating large chunks for debt repayment. Isn’t one of the gas taxes supposed to be used for infastructure or does that just go into general revenue?
By Marc on 02.15.08 5:02 pm
The 3 Billion DOES NOT pay the interest on the debt.
A David Suzuki rant! (and a good one)
http://www.therealnews.com/web/index.php?thisdataswitch=0&thisid=200&thisview=item
By brain on 02.15.08 5:00 pm
Not only is he passionate about the science he has devoted his life to, he articulates very well.
Do you hear the fury and the angst in his voice? Do you hear his conviction?
When did we last hear these things from a political leader?
And the best his detractors, the finest minds of the CPC can come up with is, he drives around in a Bus and chooses not to speak to some junior reporter. Yes, deniers of climate change and the poisoning of Mother Earth, you make truly convincing arguments.
I have some updates on technology moving forward in the area of non petroleum driven vehicles and how our National Government is moving to block ZENN Car and other LSV’s from being utilized in Canada, but I’m too tired now to gather it together. Will do so soon.
Teaser; A car that runs on air.
Thanks Brain for the link.
By brain on 02.15.08 5:00 pm
Catherine (& others who share the same worry):
Nothing raises taxes faster than fighting a war – and any government that tries to fight a war without raising the taxes to pay for it is doomed.
Does anyone remember that well-meaning idiot LBJ?
Between Afghanistan and reduced revenues due to recession in our industrial sector – this government is going to find itself so far behind the 8 ball – if anyone remembers what Ontario’s finances looked like after the Harris years – Ottawa’s are going to be worse by an order of magnitude – funny how its the same folks involved in both fiascos.
By Rob Wiebe on 02.15.08 5:37 pm
Reality speaks to the fact that all the surpluses in this country, poorly applied towards preventative costs, i.e., infrastructure, are in reality, poor management.
The very concept that money in the kitty is money ahead is negated by the reality that a gross failure to expend those same moneies on required maintenance of our basic infrastructure is a formula for destruction. The MP’s seems far more concered with frills like hockey rinks, memorials, and such that tease the emotions of a few, than managing the overall necesssary infrastructure that the masses rely on. Just as the local politicans want to waste money on asthetic imagery that serves only a very few, and mostly themselves, i.e, Nathan Phillips Square at $40 MILLION in Toronto.
They are, IMHO, Pissants only looking at the next election, and not our national future, or local futures.
I would fire them all to be honest, and mandate that the PMO be occupied by competent and certified experienced professionals in the various portfolios, not who contributed the mosty to the party’s coffers and prestige.
But then I am a realist with an understanding of reality, not a politician with a shallow lust for power.
There are two ways of understanding the meaning of the word ‘CONFESS’; the first is in the first report — lies and more lies from the WH.
The second is MPFC Spanish Inquisition sketch — as dubya is a proven pathological liar, I choose MPFC!
http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/US_Iran_must_confess_to_nuclear_arm_02152008.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CSe38dzJYkY
What IS in the satellite that the US is so scared of?
If it falls on land whole, then it will break into a million pieces, but if it is blown up, those same million pieces will still be around.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3372001.ece
A little off topic but I need to say this. You know I used to admire and respect Mike Duffy for years for his Honest, non partisan reporting, but the man has become such a Conservative troll hack himself this past year it is getting downright sickening watching his show. Mike you ought to be ashamed of yourself, I know I sure as Hell am.
Randy
By Randy on 02.15.08 5:53 pm
Duffy has always been biased towards the governing party so anyone who supports the current administration is less likely to notice his bias. He probably sees this as a means of attracting “leaks” and it seems to work well.
What is new about him is the way he demeans others. I can’t imagine why anyone other than government representatives would agree to allow him the opportunity to act in such an obnoxious manner to them. There are a few, such as the new NDP MP from Montreal, who can deal with his snide comments and distortions. I do not understand why he is so popular.
One former fan suggested to me that when he had his heart surgery maybe they removed it!!!!
TS,
“Contrary to some postings here, it is important to understand that investing in infrastructure will improve Canada’s long term competitiveness. How do you think China got to be where it is today?”
No. It was capitalist reforms by Deng Xiaoping that improved China’s competitiveness. You know, capitalism – the opposite of socialism.
Gee, Leasa: I would rather have a P.M.promising $$$$$ to all Canadian cities than the current P.M. who has a penchant for only promising $$$$ to Quebec cities( in exchange for Bloc support).
Such an unprincipled man, that Mr Harper.
McCarthyism imported from the US of A is attempting to crush Canadian democracy on MP Garth’s Canadian forum.
It’s curious that Billy-M wants our MP Garth to go on a witch-hunt …. but hides his own identity like a coward … while spewing his US Marine ’sempre fi’ rubbish trying to gain some kind of credibility here on our fine forum.
Fess up Billy-M … ID yourself … put up or shut up ..!!
By Harry S on 02.15.08 5:03 pm
I suggest you re-read what you posted, you seem to be knocking the very thing you are doing?
The Con. plan – all surplus goes to debt. Gas tax rebate ends.
End result, no debt but crumbling infrastructure.
The Liberal approach, with a bit of tweaking, seems the more balanced approach. The Con approach, black and white as usual.
By James- Chatham on 02.15.08 6:12 pm
Oh come on Jamies, Harperiod has given billions and billions back to Canadians and businesses, we now have the money to fix these problems ourselves. Surely you can’t believe that with all that money in our pockets Canadians will not think twice about fixing the water mains on their own streets, and taking a weekend file potholes one the 401.
I know Harry can’t wait to start picking up the litter on his street and fixing that bridge over the Thames River.
Garth,
As for Dion’s plan for the first $3 billion in surplus, he noted that the money would first be tucked away as a contingency fund, to be used in times of economic hardship or during disasters, such as ice storms or floods. At the end of the fiscal year, if the $3 billion hadn’t been used, it would go toward debt reduction.
from
Any bets that during election years there would be more ‘disasters’ and ‘economic hardship’ where the Liberals would use the money to bribe the electorate? Sounds more like a slush fund than a plan. A plan is more than just chucking money at a problem.
Charles Oxley,
The corpse you describe in your 5:51 PM is why people exposed to that kind of experience need help, but it does not indicate why people don’t seek the help they need.
Every war is awful, and every soldier who participates – and every civilian who is involved as collateral damage – experiences the fragility of life and the obscenity of death. And everyone knows that it could have been him and that he might be next. Then add the pressure to perform under conditions of physical and emotional stress, not to mention personal danger, and eventually the limit of the individual capacity to absorb and recover from stress is reached. Every human being has a personal limit. When that limit is reached, autonomous defence mechanisms set in, and the individual ceases to function in a useful manner. It took us into the Second World War and beyond to catch on to what now is known as PTSD.
Soldiers know when they are building up to their limit. All military culture is based on being tough, on yourself and others. Now comes the point where a soldier thinks that he isn’t tough enough, and will be found out to be not tough enough, and we add fear of failure and/or disgrace to the mix of stressors. And then comes the fact that diagnosis and treatment are career–limiting factors. Perhaps the worst part of stress disorder is that there is no cure, no return to a lower level of stress and previous level of performance. Treatment is palliative, it eases the suffering of the individual and the suffering he may inflict on others, but he will never again be able to approach the level at which his system shut down the last time. If not released on medical grounds, he faces retention as a walking wounded, and no dedicated soldier will face that as long as it is avoidable, i.e., as long as he isn’t found out.
The answer, of course is not to go to war, which may not be workable at times. So you select the wars you send your troops to very carefully. But then I have been told that subway drivers in Toronto have more incidents of stress disorder than members of the CF. It seems that there is roughly one suicide by subway a week, encountering a “jumper” when driving a subway is a very stressful experience, and those drives who haven’t had it, know that their number is bound to come up.
As Socrates is supposed to have said, “There is no cure for this disease called life …” Soldiers risk being wounded in mind as well as body on our behalf, and we have to learn that personal and mental casualties deserve as much care, respect and gratitude as physical ones.
By Charles Oxley on 02.15.08 6:27 pm
Charles
You can go here and make a much small web address http://www.tinyurl.com
I really appreciate the tiny url people
who provide this service
By Greg on 02.15.08 7:04 pm
Cheers!
By Bonnie L on 02.15.08 8:05 pm
Thanks for the link — it’s bookmarked now!
GGF….I agree that ‘capitalist reforms’ also contributed to China’s economic revival, but they were a relatively small component. Without spending Billions on infrastructure China would not have the power supply nor the transportation infrastructure to get its products to market. A relative lack of infrastructure is one of the things that has been holding India from growing even more rapidly than it has to this point.
By Herb on 02.15.08 8:01 pm
Appreciate your response.
In the ’70s when I lived in Toronto, a friend was going through marital difficulties, which couples do.
A month or so later, I learned she had taken this suicide route — because she was being beaten up by her husband. None of her friends had the slightest inkling that any of this was happening. She never sought help from anyone.
One day, she snapped and jumped in front of a subway. She was a nice lady, good to be with. Tough job being a subway driver.
The best things the Federal Government could do is reverse the ill-advised GST cuts and bump the GST back up to 7%…and harmonize it with all of the provinces. This would give Canadian companies some advantage to make investments in new technology.
By reversing the GST cuts the Feds would then have the funding to cut personal income tax rates and put more ‘take home’ cash in the hands of low income and average income Canadians. If folks don’t have any discretionary dollars to spend the GST cuts do nothing for them…put more cash in their hands from an income tax cut and you have fueled part of the consumer engine to help drive the economy and lessen the impact of the pending recession. Yes folks…recession…latest musings from the banks have the economy in Canada CONTRACTING by 0.5% in December…and more contraction forecast for the first quarter of 2008.
The benefits of an income tax cut far outweight the potential impact of the GST cuts…not my opinion…but that of 28 out of 30 learned economists in Canada. And, they’re ‘real’ economists who are paid as such…unlike Harper.
Good to see you Lieberals kissing David Suzuki’s ass.For a guy who isn’t a specialist in climate change,takes money from oil companies..don’t throw a hissy fit Lieberals,it is true,and drives a huge diesel spewing bus around the country telling us to recycle,you sure pick buffoons to defend(no need to mention your leader),but now you’re crying about the state of Chalk River,when your own uncle Jean choked off funding to Pinawa in Manitoba and drove some of the greatest scientific minds down south where they could find work in their field in a non hostile environment.Or as usual,did you all forget that part?
CTV had an on line vote today as to how people would vote in an election, and 77% said the same as before. An election won’t accomplish anything except waste taxpayer dollars
By Elizabeth on 02.15.08 12:07 pm
Why not take a half a second out of your day and check out those who post on the C(on)TV forums. You will never find a more conservative group than on those boards. Liberal bashing head to toe.
You get a REAL polling company to do some real leg work on such a question, it MIGHT have some credence. Even then, big big things happen during elections, swing voters are parties aim, and they will change from day to day.
Quoting a poll on CTV is like quoting comments from the con site itself and stating it as fact. You will not find a more con swaying company than CTV.
In response to Garth’s warning to “Duck”,
I wish all the Grits best of luck.
And to Harry S
and the other con pests
I just wish you all off would buzz.
Regards
EhBC
By SJ on 02.15.08 9:27 pm
Have figure out why CTV is so pro Harper? Think….remember, Reform and think again…. are you ready ladies and gentlemen….
Reformer Steve Harper said one the first things he would do is scrap CBC, and then CBC sports goes to CTV along with Hockey Night in Canada, couple this with an elected Senator called Mike and the rest is easy pickings.
Not sure what you all think about public Televison but it has been stated by many educated people that: When a country looses it’s public radio and TV to corporate interests and goverment it looses it’s soul. I for one never want to find out… think our CBC has provided the base for thousands of young Canadians to ehance their acting and professional skills and continues to do so to-day. I miss Peter Gzowski to this day. as he talked to Canadians from coast to coast to coast, while he engaged our political minded without predijust in positive thoughts.
I agree with those who said that when the Liberals were in power, Mike Duffy certainly appeared to be pro-Liberal, but now that he has had his heart operation, perhaps he has developed a soft heart but a hard head.
Regardless, I think that people like him because he does have a sense of justice, and cutting to the chase of political hokus pokus.
It was refreshing to see how he eviserated the Senator the other day who was defending the indefensible, and who would try to justify this expensive trip to the Arctic at the coldest time of the year, chartering a plane for $135,000.00 in the process.
Let Senators go on these trips if they want, but NOT at taxpayers expense. There is no justification for how the Senate operates today, and they must be given the choice of either changing or being abolished.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ….. duck ..!!!
By Harry S on 02.14.08 11:26 pm
My, My all the Socon sysophants, or is it supplicants, or toadys or lackeys ar out in force earning their minimum wage on this topic.
Just one question; What is it about Stephane Dion that scares the living sh** out of you?
Go change your shorts, your starting to smell!
By Elizabeth on 02.15.08 12:07 pm
With respect, I admire your attempt to support your desire that there not be a federal election.
However,the online polling done in the manner evidenced on the ctv site is among the most statistically irrelevant measures. Called Convenience Sampling, it is very very low in both reliability and validity.
1.Sample is not randomly selected
2.Sample size (167) is a very small in proportion to who it is said to represent, in this case a population of 33 million.Out of 167, only 66 percent of respondents did not want an election. Thats only 110 people in a population of 33 000 000.
3. Results are even less valid due to many confounding variables;
Access to internet, computer literacy, access to site, and language comprehension, no controls on how many votes can be given per individual who actually meet the criterium to get onto the site…
4.Often people that respond to this kind of polling are the ones that have strong feelings in one direction.
The simple nature of the poll disqualifies it’s findings.
Stats can be a valuable tool,when collected with integrity, and scientific process. Interpretation of these stats, regardless of collection method should always occur with the critical mind engaged. Any other use is simply dangerous.
Good luck in your future statistical endeavours.
Cheers,
Cheryl
Dion promises to spend billions on infrastructure
Updated Fri. Feb. 15 2008 5:55 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion is promising to spend billions of dollars on bridges, roads, sewers and other capital projects if his party is elected to office.
With a possible federal election looming, Dion said a Liberal government would use any unexpected funds from a budget surplus exceeding $3 billion to create infrastructure projects across Canada.
So Garth, just how many places are left for you to puke and no one will see you?
“The 3 Billion DOES NOT pay the interest on the debt.”
Ok everyone stop paying your credit cards, stop paying your water bill, stop paying your car loan, stop paying for your house, because 3 billion does not pay the interest on the debt so Canada should pay nothing.
I’m so smart, SMRT
By reid on 02.15.08 9:26 pm
See what I mean?
Bus Bus Bus Bus.
Fuss Fuss Fuss Fuss.
Another highly analytical post by Reid the Roach.
What IS in the satellite that the US is so scared of?
By Charles Oxley on 02.15.08 7:21 pm
Simple…Advanced techonology including optics, sensors, microprocessors, telemetry, and software.
Years ago I worked on the KH-11 optical systems. Believe me, they were VERY advanced. Tyhe u.s. will spend billions for such toys while their people are dying of disease and malnutrition. They have to keep the military/industrial complex going because it’s their last arena of techonological superiority. everything else has been sent overseas to be manufactured but those precious items. There is a world market for political puppets to sell that information to, or gain political advantage by sharing it. The very same reason people steal data from corporations. Information is worth millions.
They can’t have the Japanese making such products and, like the old bumpoer sticker says “Counterfeiting is illegal. The government doesn’t like competition!”
Oh, and not to mention possible data storage that can be recovered showing just how advanced their Spy in The Sky truly is. An old saying in photogrammetry is “The moment a picture is taken it is obsolete!” Real time data is very exotic to those in the intel business.
Remember, this is not an OLD satellite, but a brand new one that failed to actuate after launch.
By C. B. Innes on 02.15.08 7:21 pm
Duffy done went and got himself Americanized! Yessiree Bob! He has those visions of being Canada’s Rush Limburgher. Dem thar boys at Fox and CNN be makin’ da bigun’s fer sure!
By Herb on 02.15.08 8:01 pm
The true costs of war reside in those who lived through it!
You will not find a more con swaying company than CTV.
By SJ on 02.15.08 9:27 pm
AMEN to that!
A veryintersting editorial in the Almaguin News yesterday poses the question as to why, the CBC’s ‘The National’ seldom has Peter Mansbridge on lately? Why is he reporting from California?
The real question is this ‘With all the Canadian news, why do they focus on the American Election and news?’ That is THE question we should all be asking.
Could it be the recent Harper appointee as Head of the CBC attempting to divert our focus away from Canada and towards becoming the 51st State?
For a guy who isn’t a specialist
By reid on 02.15.08 9:26 pm
And your credentials might be…WHAT?
The benefits of an income tax cut far outweight the potential impact of the GST cuts…not my opinion…but that of 28 out of 30 learned economists in Canada. And, they’re ‘real’ economists who are paid as such…unlike Harper.
By TS on 02.15.08 9:23 pm
But. but, they are not Caesar Disgustus, The All-Seeing, All Knowing Emperor of Canada! What could they possibly know beyond his Great Oracle knowledge as whispered to him in private by John Baird (which, of course, is precisely what Baird was told to say back to Caesar Disgustus lest there be a moment of mental anguish and discord)?
Quoting a poll on CTV is like quoting comments from the con site itself and stating it as fact. You will not find a more con swaying company than CTV.
By SJ on 02.15.08 9:27 pm
Just try as I did to put up a pro Dion message.
They only post 1 in 12
Well, whaddya know?!
I’d bet one month’s pay — US$12 billion on an illegal war — on Mussharraf winning (surprise, surprise!) on Tuesday.
It could make me a wealthy man. On the other hand, if Musharraf loses, then I’ll pass the buck to Dumbo Jumbo Jimbo!
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/27758.html
Canada’s secret war in Iraq
Richard Sanders
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and how hard it is to undo that work again! – Mark Twain
On March 25, 2003, during the “shock and awe” bombardment of Iraq, then US Ambassador Paul Cellucci admitted that “… ironically, Canadian naval vessels, aircraft and personnel… will supply more support to this war in Iraq indirectly… than most of those 46 countries that are fully supporting our efforts there.”
Cellucci merely scratched the surface of Canada’s initial “support” for the Iraq War, but he had let the cat out of the bag. As then Secretary of State Colin Powell had explained a week earlier, “We now have a coalition of the willing… who have publicly said they could be included in such a listing…. And there are 15 other nations, who, for one reason or another, do not wish to be publicly named but will be supporting the coalition.”
Canada was, and still is, the leading member of this secret group, which we could perhaps call CW-HUSH, the “Coalition of the Willing to Help but Unwilling to be Seen Helping.” The plan worked. Most Canadians still proudly believe that their government refused to join the Iraq War. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here are some of the ways in which we joined the fray:
Escorting the US Navy: Thirteen hundred Canadian troops aboard Canada’s multibillion dollar warships escorted the US fleet through the Persian Gulf, putting them safely in place to bomb Iraq.
Leading the coalition Navy: Canadian Rear Admiral Roger Girouard was in charge of the war coalition’s fleet.
Providing war planners: At least two dozen Canadian war planners working at US Central Command in Florida were transferred to the Persian Gulf in early 2003 to help oversee the war’s complicated logistics.
Commanding the war: In 2004, Canadian Brigadier General Walt Natynczyk commanded 10 brigades totalling 35,000 troops. He was Second-in-Command of the entire Iraq War for that year. When Governor General Clarkson gave Natynczyk the Meritorious Service Cross, her office extolled his “pivotal role in the development of numerous plans and operations [which] resulted in a tremendous contribution… to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and… brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada.”
Helping coordinate the war: Canadian military personnel working aboard American E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System warplanes helped direct the electronic war by providing surveillance, command, control and communications services to US war fighters.
Providing airspace and refuelling: Countless US troop and equipment transport aircraft have flown over Canada, to and from the Iraq War, and many refuelled in Gander, Newfoundland.
Providing air transport: At least three Canadian CC-130 military transport planes were listed by US military to supply coalition forces during the Iraq War.
Freeing up US troops: Canada’s major role in Afghan war has freed up thousands of US troops for deployment to Iraq.
Providing ground troops: At least 35 Canadian soldiers were directly under US command, in an “exchange” capacity on the ground, participating in the invasion of Iraq.
Testing weapons and drones: Two types of cruise missiles (AGM-86 and -129) and the “Global Hawk” (RQ-4A) surveillance drone, used in Iraq, were tested over Canada.
Depleted uranium (DU) weapons: Canada is the world’s top exporter of uranium. Our government pretends that Canada’s uranium is sold for “peaceful” purposes only, but absolutely nothing is done to stop the US from using DU in their weapons. America’s A-10 Wart Hog warplanes have fired DU munitions in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq, while each cruise missile contains three kgs of DU ballast. Providing RADARSAT data: Eagle Vision, a US Air Force mobile ground station, which controls Canada’s RADARSAT-1 satellite and downlinks its data, was used from the start of the Iraq War.
Diplomatic support: Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien supported the “right” of the US to invade Iraq, although Kofi Annan said it was an illegal occupation. Chrétien criticized Canadian citizens who questioned the war, saying they provided comfort to Saddam Hussein.
Training Iraqi police: Canada has spent millions sending RCMP officers to Jordan to train tens of thousands of cadets for Iraq’s paramilitary police force.
Training Iraqi troops: High-level Canadian military personnel joined the “NATO Training Mission in Iraq” to “train the trainers” of Iraqi Security Forces who are on the leading edge of the US occupation. A Canadian colonel, under NATO command, was chief of staff at the Baghdad-based training mission. Canada was the leading donor to this centre, providing an initial $810 thousand.
Funding Iraq’s interior ministry: Canada provides advisors and financial support to this ministry, which has been caught running torture centres. Thousands of its officers have been withdrawn for corruption, and it has been accused of working with death squads that executed a thousand people per month in Baghdad alone in the summer of 2006.
Military exports: At least 100 Canadian companies sold parts and/or services for major weapons systems used in the Iraq War. Quebec’s SNC-TEC sold millions of bullets to the US military forces occupying Iraq. General Dynamics Canada, in London Ontario, sold hundreds of armoured vehicles to the US and Australia. Between October 2003 and November 2005, these troop transport vehicles logged over six million miles in Iraq. Winnipeg’s Bristol Aerospace sells cluster-bomb dispensing warheads used by US aircraft in Iraq.
Canada Pension Plan investments: Canadians are forced to invest their pension money in hundreds of military industries, including most of the world’s top 20 weapons producers, which are the leading prime contractors for virtually all the major weapons systems used in Iraq.
So the next time a proud fellow citizen tells you that Canada didn’t join the Iraq War, remind them of Mark Twain’s famous quip: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
Until the truth is told about WARS, GM Food, Global Warming, The Great Lakes Causing Cancer, the Corruption within the entire system of government, (and on and on) I am either Witholding Taxes, OR Spoiling Every Ballot in Every Election, at least until I get out of living in the great lakes region.
http://commonground.ca/iss/199/cg199_iraq.shtml
http://www.publicintegrity.org/GreatLakes/index.htm
CTV had an on line vote today as to how people would vote in an election, and 77% said the same as before. An election won’t accomplish anything except waste taxpayer dollars
By Elizabeth on 02.15.08 12:07 pm
The Liberals only need around 7% in play.
“Any bets that during election years there would be more ‘disasters’ and ‘economic hardship’ where the Liberals would use the money to bribe the electorate? Sounds more like a slush fund than a plan. A plan is more than just chucking money at a problem.”
By GGF on 02.15.08 7:49 pm
Dear GGF,
It sounds like your trust of leaders of Canada has been damaged irreprably by the leadership of Dion’s forefathers… Harper, Chretien, Mulroney.
But it’s nice to know that you think that Dion will soon be leading Canada.
Thanks for that GGF.
Sincerely,
MB
Nothing raises taxes faster than fighting a war – and any government that tries to fight a war without raising the taxes to pay for it is doomed.
Does anyone remember that well-meaning idiot LBJ?
Between Afghanistan and reduced revenues due to recession in our industrial sector – this government is going to find itself so far behind the 8 ball – if anyone remembers what Ontario’s finances looked like after the Harris years – Ottawa’s are going to be worse by an order of magnitude – funny how its the same folks involved in both fiascos.
By William Laidlaw on 02.15.08 7:05 pm
Well, can you explain why Canadians paid a higher percentage of their earnings to taxes in the 1980′s? Canada had balanced budgets in the sixties and a beginning in the 1970′s. Canada wasn’t involved in any wars in the 80′s.
Gee, Leasa: I would rather have a P.M.promising $$$$$ to all Canadian cities than the current P.M. who has a penchant for only promising $$$$ to Quebec cities( in exchange for Bloc support).
Such an unprincipled man, that Mr Harper.
By Judy on 02.15.08 7:35 pm
And that is why you voted for the Liberals in 1993 – “I WILL SCRAP THE GST!”. OK that explains everything about you.
I guess, if you’re a politician – you make your own fantasy worlds.
By Catherine on 02.15.08 7:00 pm
AS do you and your leader Mr Harper, and his design Team-Flim Flam,Baird,Lunn, friar Duff and all the rest of his fantasy all stars. But as usual they got it wrong they are taking from the poor and giving it to the rich. Trying to spend their way to a majority -NOW that is a fantasy.
Bring on the election!I want MY Canada back
but hides his own identity like a coward … while spewing his US Marine ’sempre fi’ rubbish trying to gain some kind of credibility here on our fine forum.
Fess up Billy-M … ID yourself … put up or shut up ..!!
By Harry S on 02.15.08 5:03 pm
And S is your last name?
Id yourself .Put up or shut up.
Catherine, the only reason there was ever any surplus was because of years with liberal leadership. Your guys have spent the cupboard bare.
Dont you feel silly saying all that?
Quoting a poll on CTV is like quoting comments from the con site itself and stating it as fact. You will not find a more con swaying company than CTV.
By SJ on 02.15.08 9:27 pm
That is because they change them all the time. Always the first posts are pro liberal. Then magically they disappear to be replaced by con garbage and hate.
Very disturbing – I hear that Ed Stelmach, Alberta has appointed Katherine Harris, a staunch US Republican who was the Sec. of State for Florida (during the questionable election results Bush-Gore) as his Chief Elections Officer.
Now, how imbedded is the US Republican party in the Harper Western Conservatives? Why an American right-wing wingnut as Chief Elections Officer – no Canadians can do the job?
Is Alberta controlled by the Republicans?
This is disturbing to say the least.
Aaron Wherry shows in a “The Commons” blog entry why consideration of the Afghan mission is perhaps unnecessarily complex: “Behold, transparency” at
http://forums.macleans.ca/advansis/?mod=for&act=dis&eid=62
Probe role of RCMP in last vote
Feb 16, 2008 04:30 AM
James Travers
Ottawa
Canada is too cold, rich and stable to be easily mistaken for a banana republic. But from time to time – and this is one of them – this capital’s willingness to turn a blind eye to bad behaviour explains any confusion.
Sometime too soon this country will plunge into the next federal election without knowing if the RCMP tilted the outcome of the last. That’s as inexplicable as it is unacceptable.
Hale and hearty democracies don’t stand around twiddling their collective thumbs when there’s reason to fear that the police or, for that matter, the military are meddling in the political process. Still, that’s precisely what’s happening in the run-up to a campaign that may come as early as spring and certainly no later than fall 2009.
Canadians still don’t have a clue what happened in the heat of the last campaign. They don’t know why the RCMP, playing fast and loose with procedures, detoured so far out of its way to make sure voters knew Liberal finance minister Ralph Goodale was being investigated for rumoured leaks of his income trust decision.
As it turns out, the probe was a teapot tempest. A single finance department official was charged with breach of trust after an exhaustive 14-month investigation.
It’s a pity, even a national shame, that equal time and energy haven’t been applied to explaining the RCMP’s curious actions. More than two years later, the motivation for the pivotal December 2005 intervention remains a mystery.
What is known, or at least what informs conventional wisdom here, is that it was the election’s tipping point. Before the RCMP repeatedly flashed its investigation to the NDP, Liberals held a lead and Paul Martin was on course for a second minority mandate. But that changed when now defrocked commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli dumped customary discretion by reporting to MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis that the RCMP was on the case. Surprise, surprise, she rushed to the microphone about as quickly as voters reached the conclusion that Liberals and their ethics were beyond the pale.
It’s appalling but hardly shocking that the worst can reasonably be thought of the storied horsemen. The force’s dabbling in politics dates back at least as far as its `70s barn burning and burglary. Worse, as the McDonald Royal Commission found and Canadians are periodically reminded, top Mounties have a nasty habit of hiding law-breaking from the force’s elected masters and from those it vows to serve. This week alone, a Commons committee recommended that deputy commissioner Barbara George be found in contempt for her suspect pension-scandal testimony, and the federal privacy commissioner revealed the force is wrongly and secretly hoarding thousands of personal files.
Election conspiracy theories are thriving in that fertile ground. Two are most frequently heard. One is that the RCMP preferred the Conservative law-and-order platform, did what it could to help and was quickly rewarded with a budget boost. The other is that the force, drawn into Liberal internal bickering, paid back old Jean Chrétien debts by speeding Martin’s defeat.
Whatever the truth, it’s remarkable that Bill Elliott, labouring under the twin burdens of being the first civilian commissioner and old Tory ties, has yet to clear the air. Instead, it’s heavy with the spoiled odours of banana republics.
Before the next election, Canadians have a right to know if the RCMP was more than a spectator in the last. Nothing less will do.
http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/304195
Your morning laugh
The Commons: Behold, transparency
The clearer things become, the harder it is to look
Aaron Wherry | Feb 15, 2008 | 12:38 pm EST
The Scene. In the interests of clarity, let us be clear.
“We need,” explained the leader of the opposition, shortly after the Speaker opened Thursday’s QP, “clear answers to clear questions.”
“The leader of the opposition clearly stated,” responded the Prime Minister, “that he wanted to extend the mission.”
“Mr. Speaker,” suggested the Liberal deputy, “the Prime Minister is not giving a clear answer to a clear question. He has to understand the rationale for a clear deadline is to set clear targets for our Afghan allies. Unless those clear targets are set, we could be there forever.”
“I think the deputy leader of the Liberal Party has put the situation very well,” the Prime Minister concluded. “We need to establish clear targets … We need to set clear timelines.”
Clearly.
Ever since John Manley let slip that he and his panel of vaguely prominent Canadians believed the current government had failed to properly explain the country’s work in Afghanistan, transparency has been something of a popular notion in Ottawa. Not that the notion of honesty in governance was previously under-discussed in these parts. But now—what with Manley, a man all seem to admire, if none wish to claim, having brought it up—there is an obvious desperation to be seen and heard actually saying the words “clear” and “transparent.” As if saying so, and saying so often, might somehow make it so.
….
“In the hands of a journalist, unrelated pieces of information can be turned into an excellent story,” he explained. “The same is true for sensitive information, which may not in of themselves be sensitive, but formed together may create the comprehensive picture of significant use to our adversaries.”
In this way, you see, journalists are like the Taliban and journalism is akin to terrorism. And whoever crafted these talking points surely deserves a Pulitzer.
The rest was admittedly a bit of a blur. Perhaps intentionally so.
Having politely explained how unwitting journalists might be turned into secret agents for al-Qaeda, Atkinson identified no less than Facebook, YouTube and Wikipedia as insidious tools of the enemy. “The Internet,” he said, “is a fertile environment for exploitation.”
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20080215_123847_7208
I know Harry can’t wait to start picking up the litter on his street and fixing that bridge over the Thames River.
By Zorpheous on 02.15.08 7:48 pm
Or blowing his huge tax reduction on Timmies!
Garth,
The pundits on CBC this morning thought Dion started the week off well and then ruined it by confusing issues, back peddling, and just acting like an angry argumentative jerk. Throwing shit and so on. They said if Dion cant do better than this then he will likely get “flattened” during an election.
By reid on 02.15.08 9:26 pm
Hi Reid, it’s all about the CC market…Suzuki, Gore, Kyoto…scam, scam, scam. Here’s a nice little article regarding the ‘real’ Suzuki:
Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Vancouver Province
David Suzuki wants politicians thrown in jail if they don’t act as quickly as he believes they should to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
During a speech in Montreal he said: “We can no longer tolerate what’s going on in Ottawa and Edmonton.”
What’s going on is Alberta’s government is trying to bring in emission reductions without simultaneously destroying Alberta’s oil and gas industry, which, in turn, is fuelling Canada’s robust economy, not to mention the plane that flew Suzuki to Montreal to give his speech at McGill University this week.
For a guy who hates oil and gas so much, he sure uses a lot of it. His carbon footprint is so big it’s likely rivalling Al Gore’s, which is surely an inconvenient truth for these men who like to preach to others but don’t walk their own talk.
Remember how Suzuki and six staff travelled across the country to foster awareness about global warming on a “rock-star style bus” big enough to comfortably seat 54 people, when a van would have sufficed? In other words, when faced with choosing the environment over his own comfort, Suzuki chose the latter, as his less-than-perfectly-insulated enormous glass home in Vancouver would attest.
Anyway, this is exactly what Suzuki told his rapturous crowd of 600 doomsday believers: “What I would challenge you to do is to put a lot of effort into trying to see whether there’s a legal way of throwing our so-called leaders into jail because what they’re doing is a criminal act.” Suzuki was first quoted in the McGill Daily on Monday and his comments were subsequently picked up by the National Post, at which point the story went nuclear (a form of energy Suzuki also opposes, rightly in my view).
Suzuki’s spokespeople are now saying Canadians are not to take the renowned broadcaster at his word, even though he said virtually the exact same thing at the University of Toronto during a speech in January. Should practised public speakers delivering a prepared speech on more than one occasion not be taken literally? It’s absurd of Suzuki to now claim he didn’t mean what he said. Repeatedly. In a prepared speech. On the record. For publication. Speaking of travelling to Toronto and Montreal, have Suzuki and his ilk never heard of video conferencing?
“You have lived your entire lives in a completely unsustainable period,” Suzuki told the crowd. “You all think growth and (climate) change is normal. It’s not.”
Are we supposed to take him at his word on that? I hope not, because if there’s one constant about climate, it’s change.
“It’s an intergenerational crime in the face of all the knowledge and science from over 20 years,” added Suzuki, during his speech in the heated university.
Notice how he didn’t say 25 or 30 years ago. Know why? Because 25 years ago, this prophet of perdition was predicting that Earth was doomed to plunge into another ice age! Cooling was a catastrophe and now warming is a catastrophe. He should make up his mind.
Apparently, scientists back then, including Suzuki, were desperately frightened that Earth could cool by another degree or two, food production would be slashed and people would starve.
The 3 Billion DOES NOT pay the interest on the debt.
By Catherine on 02.15.08 7:01 pm
This comment shows you don’t have a clue on how the country’s finances work.
Our require debt payments are budgetted for and just like a mortgage, includes interest and principal. What we are talking about is what governments do with surpluses, the money left over after all the required debt payments have been made and all the government spending programs have been funded.
If a government ever took us back to the situation we were in before JC and PM took over, that being we were almost in a position of defaulting on the required debt payments and the IMF were knocking on the door, I think Canadians would be calling for their heads.
The Con approach, pay off the debt. While our debt will become zero faster, the question remains what state will the country be left in?
The Lib. approach seems balanced. Accelerate the debt pay down and do a little spending.
Of course, surpluses can also be seen as overtaxation. And certain government programs as overspending.
But when it comes to infrastructure, giving every person a few dollars reduction in taxes won’t fix the problems of crumbling bridges, water mains, roads etc. unless of course, you suggest we put up “donation” boxes for people to throw in their loose change after they’ve spent their refunds!
And while Flaherty may have a point about McGuinty’s spending habits in Ontari, he needs to remove the plank from his own eye first.
Catherine, the only reason there was ever any surplus was because of years with liberal leadership. Your guys have spent the cupboard bare.
Dont you feel silly saying all that?
By keith phibbs on 02.16.08 6:36 am
Keith, I don’t know how you are, but, here are some facts (something you libbers try to hide).
Fact Number One: the deficit was 45 Billion. (now keep this in mind, if you can)
Canada had surpluses due to:
- the Conservative GST was a cash cow! The GST replaced the old manufacturing tax, which brought in about 15 Billion. After the GST was implemented it brought in about 30 Billion!
- the Liberal government REDUCED the transfer payments by 25 Billion!
- the Liberal government doubled our CPP contributions!
- the Liberal government nearly doubled our EI contributions! And lowered EI payments!
- the Liberal goverment kept the Conservative NAFTA agreement! Which, of course created an 80 Billion$ trade surplus for Canada.
What exactly was the Liberal vision – keep the Conservative plans in place, raise the federal coffers from our extra contributions, and mismanage our tax contributions. And Stephane Dion was in the Liberal Cabinet during this time. Do you still trust him and the Liberals?
By TS on 02.15.08 9:23 pm
Taking it out of the left pocket to put it in the right pocket isn’t a cure for anything except maintaining civil servants who work in the taxation structure. GST affects virtually everything you buy PLUS NECESSARY SERVICES and even with rebates, still greatly affects taxpayers across the spectrum.
There is way too much governmental thinking prevailing in this country and that is why you have taxes like GST. Income tax was to pay for WW2. GST to replace the manufacturers tax. Both were supposed to be gone. Surprise Surprise!
When Chretien gets to see St.Peter, he will likely say, “Wa’ll, dat wuzn’t my idea, dat wuz da Mulroney guy, E is da fibber, not ME!
Just look at an individual tax return. Is it not representative of what Government based thinking produces? How many average folks actually do their own these days? It has created an industry in itself, with companies hiring part timers who get a basic training and often miss many of the available exemptions and credits which end up costing the individual considerable money. But they want to be paid just the same. Sounds like a government worker in training.
To get serious about the Country’s finances and future, we must look for ways to ease tax burdens significantly, not continue with the idea that it is the DEVINE RIGHT of Government to squeeze the last cent out of us.(for our own good) Get serious about cost cutting and expense reviews. Start looking at salaries and benefits for civil servants. They should be cut significantly. Not so long ago civil servants made significantly less than private enterprise counterparts. This was offset by job security and good benefits. It is reversed now. They make more, have even better benefits, are not held accountable for fubars and get to retire at 52 yrs old. Once again, they have become the purveyors of Monarchs, and are rewarded Royally.
While the waste and excesses mount, we the people only hear of extreme cases as most goes under the radar. Then there’s the top down system of patronage rewards that so much of the public purse goes to fund. Occasionally these things are so blatant, so mismanaged that someone gets caught. Then there is knee jerk reaction and business as usual the very next day.
Next I would aim at the electoral system. Firstly, we don’t need more bodies cluttering up the House of Commons. Redesign electoral districts to represent changing populations and party support, but not one new body. Pay them more, and demand more. Change how we select those who get to run for office and take control out of the hands of billionaires and their minions.
Get out of Afghanistan and save billions. Lower the tendering limit. (It doesn’t take a lot of effort to administer a tender)
Give the Auditor General teeth and make it a firing offense to be complicit in anyway with gross misappropriation of funds either through intent or negligence. Maybe more. They sure as hell will hound your ass forever for money they say you owe.
Scrap the GST.
Throw out the Lords. Take back the Loo.
Catherine:
You will see the much vaunted tax reductions removed in the foreseeable future as the combination of war expenditure and economic downturn guts the federal treasury.
History is replete with governments that have bankrupted themselves while chasing the dragon – the present administration in Canada is adding another entry to the list.
If they are so smart, why are they being so dumb?
By Greg on 02.16.08 9:22 am
Greg, you have some great ideas in there, in my opinion. I especially like the idea of ensuring no additional MPs but at the same time ensuring provinces get fair “rep by pop” (i.e. Ontario). It means more constituents per riding, and a larger geographical area to service, but I wonder if that is even a factor, now that we have the internet. Each MP could have their own website. For those that don’t have the internet, or have literacy or English/French language issues, there are the community channels on tv, and local radio. There is also access to the internet at local libraries.
I wish some MP would suggest this in parliament. I sure would not want to have MORE separatist MPs in particular, and more MPs in general.
Garth, is this an idea worth pursuing or are Greg and I missing something?
Do you still trust him and the Liberals?
By Catherine on 02.16.08 8:56 am
And your answer to this question is Stephan Harper and his band of Clowns. After all the corruption and mismanagement that is going on NOW by them-is that your VISION for Canada?
Last night I posted a comment regarding CBC’s ‘The National’. I erred in attributing it to the Almaguin News, it was the Almaguin Forester, and here it is What’s National About The National?
A good point and real news is still what we expect from ‘news’ sources. Perhaps we ‘Hicks’ understand news better than the Citiots, eh? It is relevant to OUR lives, and no we really do not care about Britney’s delusional bi-polar problems here where winter can kill you pretty easy.
Also, the Almaguin News Editiorial asks the very serious question regarding CEO’s Making the ludicrous sound sane
Have you ever wondered how people get the title of CEO?
Perhaps we should look no further for a defining characteristic than the statement this week from North Simcoe LHIN CEO Jean Trimnell.
…
Sometime ago the province ended the special line funding that kept doctors at the BFDHC after 5 p.m. and the days that fall between Friday and Monday. Somehow the Huntsville Hospital, which administered the BFDHC, found the cash to keep the doctors there. Then the MAHC board kept it open, again digging for cash they didn’t have. And now the LHIN is applying pressure to end that funding. In the face of its $2 million deficit the MAHC says it is now going to do that before some boogeyman comes in and hacks local healthcare pell-mell in the name of the bottom-line.
It’s really not that complicated: funding was cut, hospital board made up funding, hospital board now being told to cut it or else.
And when after-hours service ends at the BFDHC it’s all the doctors’ fault.
“Imagine going into work and the boss gathers all your coworkers around and announces that he’s not laying-off the lot of you – he’s just not going to pay you anymore. Then the next day, when you’re at home going through the want ads, the same boss calls you up and says you’re fired for being late.”
You can see how these CEOs make the big bucks.
Thanks to Mike Harris and Dalton McSquinty, Greg Sobora for our Healthcare mess which seems due solely to outrageous salaries for ‘administrators’.
And on the much lighter side of life, and certainly related to CEO’s and ludicrous acts, we have an article I am sure Leasa will appreciate. I know I did.
Shiitake mushroom cultivation a promising cottage industry
Remember, the politician’s Creed, especially Harper’s. “Keep them in the dark and feed them BS!”
And last, but not least LOL!
Okay, now I am sure you remember the Jamaican Bobsled Team who came to Canada, Calgary, Alberta to be precise, to compete in the Olympics, and the movie ‘Cool Runnings’ which told their story?
Well, They’rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre back! This time we have the Jamaican Dog Sled Team. LOL
Kearney goes to the dogs
See the Huskies? See the Huskies run? Run, Huskies RUN!
Now, isn’t that much better than all the CRAP CRAP, and the MSM thinks is important and it is news about us, real Canadians living real life, in OUR country. Not some foreign mess that we, personally, will never change.
Have a wonderful day. We are under another Winter Storm Watch here. Oh JOY!
By Big L Man on 02.15.08 10:02 pm
My, My all the Socon sysophants, or is it supplicants, or toadys or lackeys ar out in force earning their minimum wage on this topic.
Just one question; What is it about Stephane Dion that scares the living sh** out of you?
Go change your shorts, your starting to smell!
………………………………..
Hey yo’ Big L Man …. ah hear that Dion will be endorsed by Obama, Hillary, Gore, Moore, Celine and Oprah … come the next election … !!!
It will be amusing to read the G & M, Toronto Star, Winnipeg Free Press, LaPresse, a few other Lib rags … and their endorsement of 15% Dion as the best, super-duper prime minister that Canada can hope for … LOL
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/large.php?Lang=1&accessnumber=M999.81.118
- the Liberal government doubled our CPP contributions!
By Catherine on 02.16.08 8:56 am
———–
Catherine how is it you put the raising of CPP contributions into the surplus pool. Someone correct me if I am wrong but the Government cannot touch those premiums, or the money in the CPP plan to use for general revenues. They raised the premiums to insure that the fund will be there for future generations to come. God help Canadians if they every did get their dirty fingers on that fund to stick into the general reveunu pool.
By Catherine on 02.16.08 8:56 am
Everything you said the Liberals did, they did, no argument.
But remember that $45 Billion debt we had, the one you said not to forget.
When Cretien and Martin came in, you conveniently forget that we couldn’t even make the payments!
Maybe Mulroney was right with the GST, but it was a case of taxation shock. As you say suddenly the manfacturing tax of $15billion became $30billion in GST overnight. Voters didn’t like that. Or he could have cut spending.
Its laughable that when Paul Martin di exactly that, cut spending, the likes of Manning, Day and Harper were calling for deeper cuts.
Its hysterical that the Parliamentary Secretary for Transportation and Infrastructureon CBC’s the House, blames the Liberals for cutting spending that’s left an infrastructure deficit. What would that deficit have been if Paul Martin had followed Manning, Day and Harper’s advice?
And the Parliamentary Secretary, using his memorex moment, said that the Libs were poor fiscal managers. Trudeau maybe, Mulroney and Harper don’t seem to be any better, Cretien and Martin not.
Its time this government stops blaming everyoneelse for the problems. They’ve had two years to start to fix some of these issues, and have had plenty of revenues to do so. That is what they must be judged on, how well they’ve done in trying to fix the infrastructure deficit and other non-fiscal deficits since they came into office.
Problem is they’ve spent all their time electioneering and not doing the job!
Time to pull the plug!
Infrastructure
A couple of months ago someone posted an article here that caught my eye for three reasons: subject, location and source. The subject was infrastructure and a mayor’s request that the then proposed 1% GST cut instead be directed to it, the location was Calgary, and the source I believe was the Sun newspaper, not exactly a bastion of left-wing dogma. I tried to locate the posting, [probably one of Keith Phibbs who I applaud for his ability to scour the news sources and provide a superior "clipping service" here on a regular basis], but it was more effort than I’m willing to invest. Much as posters like Harry S like to paint the infrastructure concern as largely a Toronto-centric one, the reality is otherwise. While I didn’t locate the aforementioned posting, I did find examples like this:
http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=182924&x=articles&s=comment
And this:
http://www.onecentnow.ca/newsrelease_bcmc_may307.html
And this:
I do see problems with Dion’s proposal to fund such programs. While rationally a 1% increase of GST back to 6% with the extra point dedicated solely to cities and infrastructure would be the best solution because that 1 point would largely go unnoticed in the day-to-day expenditures of the populace and would guarantee a more consistent figure for planning purposes, realistically from a political perspective it won’t fly. I also would like to see what that limit of 3 billion dollars for deficit does to the overall amortization of the country’s debt – is it a good figure, should the threshold be higher? Should fuel tax be raised a penny instead or in concert with that 3 billion? Nevertheless, what I see happening from the current government is a restriction by the ideology of “not being in the pothole business”, of rigidly not wanting to cross perceived jurisdictional bounds, and of therefore being hamstrung by artificial barriers. Much like Federal Transfer payments are made to the provinces to level disparity nationally, I see nothing wrong in also nationally levelling the disparity across both wealthy and not-so-wealthy cities in a similar manner.
Canada is largely urban so this such an obvious place for the Federal government to play a prominent role. Before rural folk like Leasa raise an objection, I would point out that there’s a lot of infrastructure that lies between Leasa’s farm and her European source for product, and the grain farmer’s field and the port’s of Vancouver and Thunder Bay.
Finally, this morning “The House” had as it’s first interviewee Conservative MP Brian Jennings, Parliamentry Secretary to Minister Of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, to discuss complaints from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities concerning our country`s crumbling infrastructure. I found it an amusing exercise in double-speak, much like Jim Flaherty, who left Ontario with a $5 billion dollar debt after proclaiming balanced budgets, chastising the Provincial Liberals yesterday for poor fiscal management. Just because one speaks a lie with much repetition in hopes of implanting the Pavlovian thought in the listener’s ear, doesn’t mean that they’re buying it: it simply doesn’t jive with observation. In this case, Jennings had to reach back to Trudeau to support his argument. Brian, I have news for you, there’s been a lot of ground covered since Trudeau was last in power 24 years ago.
http://cbc.ca/thehouse/media/2008021502e07213.ram
By Molly on 02.16.08 12:40 am
BOOM! So much for that lie staying hidden! Good for you for posting the TRUTH!
I can vouch that CF ships were there, because my son was there in Qatar for ‘Operation Iraqi Freedumb’ with the USAF and he got some good hospitality from the CF Navy, as in Molson Canadian. LOL
So Garth, just how many places are left for you to puke and no one will see you?
By John G on 02.15.08 10:46 pm
Let’s start with your lap JG! It worked for G.H.W. Bush in Japan very nicely!
Oh Catherine – get your head around falsehoods – why CPP payments higher – because when the Liberals took over the CPP was in “crisis” – yup, that’s right. Oh, by the way, the usual CPC secrets – when Chretien talked about the GST – he was not aware that Canada was on the verge of losing it’s international credit rating. Yup, that’s right.
Just like Flaherty hiding debts in Ontario – he even reduced taxes on borrowed money – yup, that’s right.
You haven’t figured out that Flaherty has kissed the blarney stone more than once?
Silly girl.
By Leasa on 02.16.08 8:23 am
Spoken like a true neo-con and global warming denier.
Maybe it’s time to come onto Garth again. He, too, is onto you.
Leasa the Hyper Partisan Queen rides again!
More than remember, I’ve still got the sweatshirt from the fundraiser held at Oreste’s Greek Restaurant, a favourite dining and watering hole of mine at the time (mouthwatering rack-of-lamb, flaming zambookas, baklava … yum!). Calgary loved the underdog, and Oreste’s came to rescue, delivering help and hangovers.
Its time this government stops blaming everyoneelse for the problems. They’ve had two years to start to fix some of these issues, and have had plenty of revenues to do so. That is what they must be judged on, how well they’ve done in trying to fix the infrastructure deficit and other non-fiscal deficits since they came into office.
Problem is they’ve spent all their time electioneering and not doing the job!
Time to pull the plug!
By James- Chatham
—————-
No James I think the Liberals should prop up Hapless Harper for a few more months and let him keep digging his own grave. See following link for interesting story.
http://tinyurl.com/yqfjs2
Is Alberta controlled by the Republicans?
This is disturbing to say the least.
By slg on 02.16.08 7:14 am
More like the RNC is controlled by Exxon-Mobil, and thus, Bush, Harper, and Stelmach are too. Follow the money.
BTW, Harris was the one who ruled on the ‘chad’ issue in Florida and gave the Electoral College votes to Dubya. I expect the same tricks here.
How the Hell did she even get into Canada to work? Does she have a Work Permit? Who issued it?
She is not allowed to work here unless there is a hideden provision in NAFTA, which I do not recall there being. She is illegally employed, and also subject to federal arrest in the U.S. because she, as an American citizen, and politico, is working for a foreign government. If she is not, then the U.S. is dirtectly interferring with our electoral process, and that will be the RNC (Republican National Committee).
Another Harper scandal to chew on!
Make her and Stemach follow the LAW. I know it is absurd to expect the CPC to do such a silly thing, but somewhere there must be a bureaucrat with a SPINE?
DION IS A DEAD DUCK LEADER..!!!
A supplement to Randy’s post:
CPP Ceiling:
2003 = $1801.80
2004 = $1831.50 (+ 30.70)
2005 = $1861.20 (+ 29.70)
-------------------------
2006 = $1910.10 (+ 48.90)
2007 = $1989.90 (+ 79.80)
2008 = $2049.30 (+ 59.40)
Catherine, do you notice a trend there?
Garth, is this an idea worth pursuing or are Greg and I missing something?
By Lana on 02.16.08 10:05 am
We are not missing anything Lana, its just not part of the old boys game plan. It would scuttle their barge quick as a lick.
Their game plan is to keep convincing you why you need more involvement and organization via gov. thus an ever increasing revenue pot.
Remember, profit is the ultimate motivation and end game.
Also, tinkering with a system that hires people based on a University certificate and promotes them based on years on the job or how many seminars they have under their belt as opposed to ability, knowledge and commitment is doomed to be grossly inefficient and insufficient.
My concepts represent Revolution in effect, as it would remove those who have held power for so long.
Anything else in the end is just gum beating. You might as well join the old dogs woofing on the porch.
By Bill, Where were you when the <Liberals were appointing all their political hacks to posts. Do you honestly think that Dion if he becomes PM and that is a big if would act any different then all his predecessors? They all say they won’t by they all end up doing it. That is part of the Canadian political game and is called pay back.
After all the corruption and mismanagement that is going on NOW by them-is that your VISION for Canada?
By Calberta on 02.16.08 10:19 am
Cal, provide actual proof for your assertions – and some rhetoric. Thank you.
By Randy on 02.16.08 10:36 am
Randy, the CPP contributions were raised in 1990′s – CPP didn’t start in 2002!
By Dube on 02.16.08 11:57
Again CPP didn’t start in 2002!
when Chretien talked about the GST – he was not aware that Canada was on the verge of losing it’s international credit rating. Yup, that’s right.
By slg on 02.16.08 11:08 am
Of course, Chretien and Martin, who were in parliament before 1993, and who have international connections didn’t have a clue about the 43 Billion deficit and its impact on the international financial world. Not!
Silly slug.
Do you honestly think that Dion if he becomes PM and that is a big if would act any different then all his predecessors? They all say they won’t by they all end up doing it. That is part of the Canadian political game and is called pay back.
By Van on 02.16.08 2:06 pm
Gee, Van, why don’t you tell us whereas you work for Harper and the CPC? Surely you have first hand knowledge about such issues?
I seem to recall some BS about ‘Open and accountable government’, you know one that follows the laws and rules that define how our government must work (not an option under the law Van), but haven’t seen any indications of it from Harper since day one.
In fact, I have seen just the opposite consistently. How do you explain such a dichotomy?
By Randy on 02.16.08 10:36 am
Randy, the CPP contributions were raised in 1990’s – CPP didn’t start in 2002!
By Dube on 02.16.08 11:57
Again CPP didn’t start in 2002!
By Catherine on 02.16.08 3:42 pm
——————-
Your point is what Catherine? As I said CPP plan contributions do not go into General Revenues. The Government of Canada has no legal right or access to that money. You are trying to make it sound like it CPP contributions are a tax on Canadian citizens that go into General revenue funds. That is not true and you are BS’ing about it Catherine.
SLg was just pointing out that the reason for the increase in CPP contributions was to make sure that it remain viable for the future generations to come. At the time of the raise in premiums it was indeed in a crises.
Dube’s chart starting in 2003 is just a sample of how well it has done in those years he quoted.
Catherine don’t make insults. I know when CPP started. I paid into it for 40 years before Retiring.
Guess I’m missing something here because I don’t know where the 2002 date came from or what it is that I am to have perceived as its significance. In the figures I listed, I merely chose the 3 years under Conservative government and 3 years immediately prior to compare them, to show that things have not changed under the two governments – CPP is still increasing each year – and if anything, the incremental year-over-year increase is in fact growing.
Now had I just turned 14 in 2002 and got my first after-school job, I might naively think that 2002 somehow marks a landmark in the annals of Canada Pension, but I can assure you, I’ve been contributing for more than a wee bit longer than that.
By Catherine on 02.16.08 3:42 pm
I have a feeling that even if I took you to the graveyard where all the Reform Alliance skeletons are buried -you would still see a PC Party where none exists. Form does not equal substance in this tragic political (hopefully)one act play? So we will save it for the election?
n’est pas?
By Dube on 02.16.08 6:28 pm
Why post something that is irrelevant, except maybe for you changing the channel. Surely, you know that the CPP had doubled with Jean Chretien/Paul Martin’s regime?
No, no channel changing here. Thought you would extrapolate from the fact that CPP contributions continue to increase under the Conservatives — for that matter at an increment in those 3 years that is double that of the previous 3 as illustrated by the trend — and would come to realize what Randy stated in By Randy on 02.16.08 10:36 am (ie. “They raised the premiums to insure that the fund will be there for future generations to come.”). It is tacitly accepted by your Conservative government as correct and prudent, as demonstrated by their actions. If inceasing payments in the manner done was such a terrible thing, then why are the Conservatives not halving it now? Instead, they continue to follow the lead of Chretien and Martin: increase CPP annually by a small amount, decrease taxes slightly more, so that overall year-over-year net effect is either no change or a small decrease. What I extract from that is a recognition of “Best Practices” as handed down from predecessors that are competent managers (and flies in the face of Flaherty’s and Jennings’ recent pronouncements).
The good news, as Randy stated originally and again in By Randy on 02.16.08 5:09 pm:
“As I said CPP plan contributions do not go into General Revenues. The Government of Canada has no legal right or access to that money. You are trying to make it sound like it CPP contributions are a tax on Canadian citizens that go into General revenue funds. That is not true and you are BS’ing about it Catherine. “,
is that more of our taxes are going into an inaccessible cache.
Hope that clarifies things for you. Now, it’s Family Day, a good opportunity to wax some skiis and embrace the outdoors. Enjoy!
I seem to recall some BS about ‘Open and accountable government’, you know one that follows the laws and rules that define how our government must work (not an option under the law Van), but haven’t seen any indications of it from Harper since day one. By Bill Muskoda
Bill,Care to give some examples where you feel Harper didn’t follow the law
In fact, I have seen just the opposite consistently. How do you explain such a dichotomy?
So far you have provided no data to support your claim so comments means nothing. So Bill, Again why don’t you fill your boots and support your claims with facts for a change?
<i?Bill,Care to give some examples where you feel Harper didn’t follow the law
By Van on 02.18.08 6:24 pm
No, they have been posted repeatedly, but you, and the other CON Trolls never acknowledge anything. Just like in QP. You are all hopeless as sentient lifeforms IMO! I have better things to do with my time than play your childish games! Bye Van!
MB,
It isn’t Harper planning on creating a slush fund, it is Dion. He’s putting it in the official party platform for the next election. The Liberals are good at slush funds. Squirreling away money in trusts and ignoring the Auditor General’s criticism of them.
Catherine, the only reason there was ever any surplus was because of years with liberal leadership. Your guys have spent the cupboard bare.
Dont you feel silly saying all that?
Keith,
You should feel silly for lumping the debt on Mulroney. Prior to Trudeau, we had only had $20 billion in debt from the two world wars and the Great Depression. When Trudeau left office, the debt had ballooned to ten times that and it was growing by an annual rate of almost 25 percent! Mulroney cut the growth of annual program spending from 13.8 percent to 3.7 percent and implemented the GST to pay for Trudeau. Because of Trudeau’s spending, interest rates rose in the 1980s and compounded the debt to about what it is today.
So explain to me how the Conservatives were responsible?