On a day when Canadians learned the Harper government is $1 billion over budget on the Afghanistan war, the finance minister moved to kill a break for middle-class families, because it would cost, he says, $900 million.
Just as I forecast he would (I know this guy), and exactly at the moment predicted, Jim Flaherty stood after QP and tabled a ways and means motion which contains a clause repealing the shiny new law enhancing RESPs. This means that once the bill – which the House of Commons passed last week – clears the Senate and becomes law, it will be gutted.
After he did so, Mr. Flaherty walked calmly out into the marble-floored foyer of the House, told reporters this would cause an election, and smiled like he’d just done the smartest thing of his career. In actual fact, he was condemning to death a tax measure which has caught the imagination of the country, given hope to indebted students and finally caused millions of tax-weary parents to pay attention to federal politics.
As the minister chortled over his brilliant political instincts, designed to embarrass Liberals – with families and children being just collateral damage – the talking started again. We met immediately behind the gold curtains in the House. We carried the conversation on into the lobby, then into private offices, then into an intense caucus meeting Tuesday night.
The RESP bill sponsor, Dan McTeague, briefed colleagues on the Senate (its expected to give the RESP provisions rapid passage), and on the groundswell of support he’s received. We debated the technical aspects of Flaherty’s highly unusual motion, its legality, Parliamentary precedents and likely scenarios. Technically, the minister’s motion is not enabling legislation, but merely signals the government’s intent to bring such a bill forward. That means a final vote is likely to take place in April.
The key question, as you might imagine, is political.
As I wrote here last time, the option is to give Stephen Harper the election he wants and has again tried to engineer, or wait for Monday’s by-elections, and a moment of Stephane Dion’s choosing. If the end goal is the defeat of the Conservatives – not just in the House, but in a general election – then when should the last gasp come?
The Liberal leadership has already given an answer. The trigger won’t be pulled this week.
As you might imagine, I spent a long time Tuesday making my views known. I will do so again in national caucus Wednesday morning. I will not give up. My constituents will be best served with this new tax break in place, as they will with a restoration of income trusts, a more ethical government, a climate change strategy that works, a Parliament that actually represents the people, a jobs creation and investment strategy and an end to Stephen Harper.
There’s one change from last night I can report to you with certainty: we’re 24 hours closer.
210 comments ↓
The Liberals will get my vote when the time is right!
posted by Garth Turner on 03.11.08 @ 9:41 pm
The key question, as you might imagine, is political.
As I wrote here last time, the option is to give Stephen Harper the election he wants and has again tried to engineer, or wait for Monday’s by-elections, and a moment of Stephane Dion’s choosing. If the end goal is the defeat of the Conservatives – not just in the House, but in a general election – then when should the last gasp come?
The Liberal leadership has already given an answer. The trigger won’t be pulled this week.
As you might imagine, I spent a long time Tuesday making my views known. I will do so again in national caucus Wednesday morning. I will not give up. My constituents will be best served with this new tax break in place, as they will with a restoration of income trusts, a more ethical government, a climate change strategy that works, a Parliament that actually represents the people, a jobs creation and investment strategy and an end to Stephen Harper.
There’s one change from last night I can report to you with certainty: we’re 24 hours closer.
………………………………………………………………………….
Garth .. the more you blog the more you flog the dog…!!!
Dion’s political cowardice and strategy of desperation only reinforces his non-leadership.
As for this concocted RESP crap that you claim Canadians are demanding, it’s just that .. crap.
The fact be known, your Liberals are too scared to go into a general election because they know they will get mauled.
Why don’t you just stop your charade and just say your Liberals are preparing for an October 2009 election.
By then your Liberals will have a new leader and a party going under much-needed renewal.
I suggest you blog something about the architecture of the Parliament building. Please.
Yup 24 hours closer to Dion and the Libersls to shirk their responsibility to Canadians, sit on their butts if they even show up to vote and once again let down Canadians who would love to support this RESP initiative, the IT initiative, the …… well,
You can’t keep hiding behind the excuse that you won’t give Harper what he wants, an election, and therefore support, abstain or not show up so these bozos can remain in office.
“we’re 24 hours closer”
That should establish your reputation as a prophet, Garth. Perfect call, 24 hours closer to October 09!
(I’m not picking on you, just those cowardly lions in the “Liberal” Party. Friendly amendment: change the picture of Dion and Rae before folks get to work on captions. I was tempted to contribute a few myself.)
Globe & Mail – “Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act indicate the mission has cost Canadian taxpayers at least $7.5 billion since 2001 – double what was budgeted.”
But we don’t have 900m for the RESP plan and the Liberals will vote against Flaherty’s ways and means motion that kills the RESP tax deductibility…but not in sufficient numbers to kill the RESP killing plan. NICE Garth.
Do you plan to show up and vote Thursday. McCallum says some Liberals are growing increasingly uncomfortable propping up the Cons.
Parliamentary Decorum
On March 9, the “Sunday Edition” featured a piece entitled “Rowdy House” that dealt with the lack of decorum in the House of Commons. Lawrence Martin, columnist for the Globe and Mail, and Heather McIvor, Professor of Political Science at the University of Windsor, were interviewed to get their opinions on what is at the root of all the rancour. They identified two main factors as contributors.
The first is with respect to the Speaker of the House, Peter Milliken. Apparently the man knows his stuff and loves his job. Too much. In a role wherein the Speaker is selected by his peers, a conflict of interest is the result. Anger your peers, and risk losing the job you love as a consequence. There are mechanisms within the legislation to keep order by threatening to — and carrying out if necessary — censure and removal of any Member who gets out of hand and crosses the line. That is, if only it were enforced… There is also a requirement for a member of Government to answer the question posed to him or her by the Opposition; it’s a violation of the Standing Orders of the House to do otherwise (on that front, one need only think of the myriad of non-responses given by Peter Van Loan in answer to clear questions asked by Garth to get a feel for how effectively this requirement is being enforced). Whether the Government likes it or not, it is the role of the Opposition to keep it on the straight and narrow and to make corrections otherwise, even if that entails making the Government uncomfortable about the things that it is being asked. Unfortunately, the Speaker has not been driving that requirement home.
The second factor occurs when a Party Leader disrespects the House, its rules, its traditions and its members, since the Leader sets the tone by which members of that Leader’s respective Caucus behave. And herein we have one sterling example, our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The guests join an ever-expanding chorus of media personnel and Parliamentary observers who are not at all unequivocal at identifying Harper as the primary seed for the shoddy behaviour that has taken root in Parliament. Underlings like Van Loan and Baird epitomize its transference into Caucus. But let the guests tell you in their own words:
http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/media/rowdy_house_se080309.ram
– OR –
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/sundayedition_20080310_4967.mp3 [Starts at 53:10]
Sunday during “Question Period” the Conservative thanked the Liberal critic for supporting the Conservatives.
Nice to be appreciated eh Garth?
I think the RESP bill is something worth causing an election over.
As a university student I see the financial stress students are under on a daily basis. A bill that will encourage parents to save for their children’s education is a much needed step in the right direction. Not only is it beneficial for the individuals, but it will be beneficial for the economy. With fewer students coming out of post-secondary education with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, a greater number will be debt free and thus able to contribute more significantly to the economy (e.g. buying houses, cars, etc).
I opposed the idea of pulling the plug on this government over the previous issues, but I think this is something that will win the votes of Canadians during an election. Nearly everyone I have talked to (not just university students) thinks this is a fantastic idea. However, I do believe that if the Liberals allow this bill to die at the hands of the Conservatives, they will lose the supporters they have gained from it, and likely then some.
Fists pumping in the air, Garth Turner predicts election for 15th time in 2 years.
Yawn…
Two interest articles suggesting when and why the Libs may bring the government down:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=368314
and
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080311/resp_bil
It seems the Libs would bring in the RESP bill in an altered form.
Today, it came out that the Conservative government was $1billion over budget on Afghanistan spending for the month.
They have deliberately used the whole surplus to pay down the debt, cut the GST for political gain–votes–and tried strategically to buy votes in various provinces. This, they knew, would prevent any new social, environmental and educational spending. This would help weaken any federal government and the people of this land.
Small government, inefficient provincial silos, each standing alone in the wild world economy, in the wild winds of climate change and the suffering of people who can look to no-one and no government for help–this is the result ing morass into which our once-proud, beautiful country is being thrown.
This Conservative government is weakening our democracy in their effort to mold the country into a harsher society which will favour only their narrow view of Canada.
A Toronto Star reporter, on Mike Duffy last week, said it well when she said it wasn’t Dion’s fault the Libs. weren’t binging down the government. It was because the party hadn’t been doing the work. Is this true? Fix it!
I don’t think it’s time for an election Just yet there’s Not enough PCers Pissed Off. I see that Mark Warner Is It ?? has now joined the Liberal party Now If we could Only Land Bill Casey if Not I hope He goes Green.The Progressive Conservatives are the Ones that will Leave Harper and He can have the Damn BLUE Grits they just screw up the Progressives.The CONS can Bray all they like about Dion Not being a Leader and How Harper is a Leader ctions speak louder than words.Dion has Welcomed Garth into the Liberal Party and he has chose Garth as an Advisor that shows me Leadership. Harper Kicked Garth out because like Cadman Garth couldn’t be bought and he’s Not a “YES Man” something Harper can’t abide.I don’t give a Damn whether the Politican is on the Left or the Right just as long as they’re PROGRESSIVE. I don’t agree with some people all the Time ,but that doesn’t mean I can’t Respect thier opinion.The CPC have lost good people ,but I don’t care for Now The Libeals will be a More Progressive Party and Dion was Smart enough to Use Garth’s Talents instead of Stiffling Them like Harper Tried. I don’t care what the HArperCON Halton trolls Spout I’m Damn Proud to have Garth as My MP and there’s alot of Jealous people with Useless CON MPs wishing he was thiers.Too bad more Progressive Conservative MPs don’t have the Balls of Garth,Bill & Mark ,but I guess we’re Lucky to Find 3 among that Bunch. I think there’s one Hell of A Big “Closet” hiding a FEW “Purty mouth Boys in the CPC Gaurded By One F**kin’ Big Mouth.
Hey! When did Canada go on the 24 hour clock?
Garth,
First, in light of the events in New York, let me define “cheap screw.”
A cheap screw is not some pleasure that costs less than $5500 per hour. The expression derives from manufacturing where it means “a minor component that is inexpensive now but unreliable and will cause a major expense in the future.”
Jim Flaherty is a cheap screw. He says that the cost of his TSFA is only $50 million. But TFSA annual costs are additive, and in year 5, the modest $50 million will grow to over $250. Over 20 years, the cost will grow exponentially. Thanks to a calculation by Joe Calgary (gosh there are a lot of smart people in Calgary), a well-to-do couple can turn $210,000 of TFSA capital into $1 million of tax-free savings in 21 years; $790,000 of untaxed income. We can’t afford that, so it’s another Tory promise that has been made to be broken.
The problem is that everyone is eligible for the TFSA. With RESP, the savings are targeted for young adults in post-secondary education.
In either case, there is the problem that the wealthy taxpayers will gain more than the middle or lower income taxpayers. Careful: don’t beggar everybody just so the rich will not get something extra.
If the Liberals refuse to support their own bill, then they’re playing with the people of Canada, the same way the Conservatives are playing with the people of Canada. Both parties had better stop treating us like pawns.
If there is an election called I shudder to see what parliament will look like, as it will be a far worse minority government than any party will ever have seen before.
Bob’s looking old and time is running out for his kick at the can. It’s a wonder Mr. Dion didn’t have his foot on his head.
Garth, no one is going to lament the military being over budget even is it is a billion. After thirteen years of being gutted and neglected, I think people understood it would take a lot to get them up to speed. We can’t ask those to risk their lives without the proper equipment and support, can we?
No…I didn’t think so.
Leasa
Garth:
The Liberal leadership has already given an answer. The trigger won’t be pulled this week.
Garth, at this point my support for all things Liberal hangs by a thread. If this quote means the Liberals intend to abstain from voting or absent themselves in such numbers that Flaherty’s bill passes you will have forfeited all claims of principle and integrity. This isn’t simply strategy trumping principle; this is conceding that principle counts for nothing and strategy counts for everything. You will be the same sleazy, contemptible political hypocrites that the Tories are. And I shudder to think how those Tories will capitalize on this when eventually there is an election.
If you are so convinced an election should be further delayed then why not amend Flaherty’s bill by adding a clause to the effect that it will not be treated as a confidence motion? Assuming the amendment passes, then the motion itself can be defeated without cost. If the amendment fails then the election can be blamed on the NDP and/or the Bloc as the case may be.
I’m not recommending this action; I prefer you defeat the government now and get it over with. But it would be a real travesty to have McTeague’s bill annulled for the dubious strategic advantage of delaying an election.
Regards
EhBC
While most of us on this blog want the Harpo gang out asap, maybe we should trust that the Liberals know what they are doing. They know how much money they have, they know how well they can handle an election at this time and Stephane will lead his fellow Liberals into an election when the majority of the Liberals feel the time is right. THe last thing I want is a Harpo majority. I know I got a good feeling when I heard Stephane was a student of karate. He can lead!!!! I think politics is like a chess game at the moment. If Harper gets too bad, the Liberals will move. Meanwhile they are playing their cards close to their chest. I think the Harpo’s are making a mistake in voting down the RESP and it will turn out to be a tactical error given the other crap from them at this time. THe stench from the Cadman affair is pretty bad along with all the other crap.
Harper Rules
Turner Drools!!!!!!!
You guys are such chickens.
The talk amoung people in my part of the country tells me the more our party props up the conservatives, the worse we will do next election. We MUST MUST MUST bring them down on the RESP bill.
Q: “If the end goal is the defeat of the Conservatives – not just in the House, but in a general election – then when should the last gasp come?”
A)… Not soon enough.
Garth, do you really believe your own bullshit? I think you do. The RESP plan is nothing more than a grandiose income splitting scheme that would allow the wealthy to sock away $5,000 per year per child, obtain a tax refund for nearly half the contribution and then have the entire amount taxed in the kid’s hands when the kid started his post secondary education. A great deal for those who could afford to take advantage of it, but nothing to do with education.
Do you really think things are going to get more favorable for the Libs?
We are probably seeing the Tories at their weakest point with all the negative press, even then the Libs can’t seem to gain any ground. Just pull the plug, fight the election, dump Dion and then get back to actually opposing the governemnt. You guys are losing credibility everyday.
The Tories abstained on one vote. At the time Harper said that the budget really wasn’t that bad, certainly not bad enough to bring the government down over. The Libs have taken that excuse and make a total embarrassment of themselves sitting down during votes, leaving the Commons, not voting for their own ammendement, etc. It’s getting pathetic listening to how Harper is destroying the economy, the environment, minority rights, yadda yadda yadda ….. but Canadians don’t want an election right now.
If the Libs had shown some backbone one of the other opposition parties would cave in, god forbid the government might have to even broker a deal to get their legislation through. This policy of Abstention has given Harper free reign to pass whatever he wants knowing that you guys will turn the other cheek.
I’m not a Liberal voter 90% of the time but I do believe in a strong opposition. This Parliment is totally disfunctional right now, every single thing coming out of MP’s mouths (from every party) is a bunch of partisan garbage. Do your jobs or quit complaining.
The Liberals will get my vote when the time is right!
By Chris on 03.11.08 10:08 pm
I’m with you, Chris!! The Liberals will get my vote, too, when the time is right!
I also agree with Sabrina that “the RESP bill is worth causing an election over.”
I have a couple of questions, Garth, regarding the timing. First question, – if the final vote on this issue comes sometime in April, would that be the appropriate time to bring down the Harper government, while still saving the RESP motion which Parliament has already passed? If the motion to be voted on this Thursday is more of a Notice of Motion, it seems to me that it is not the end of the issue. Am I mistaken?
Second question – I understand that Mr. McTeague has challenged the legality of the Finance Minister’s Ways and Means motion, since it attaches an amendment to scuttle a piece of legislation which Parliament has already passed. What is that status of this challenge? Does the Speaker have to rule on it?
Thanks very much, Garth. Keep up the good work!!! Soon, we will have a Liberal government.
I couldn’t agree more with Sabrina. This is the issue that will soar the Liberals to power. Maybe even a slight majority.
Flim Flam and Hapless can smirk all they want but their days are numbered.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Call the election so that I can donate to the Liberal party to win back the Canada that has turned to CRAP.
Harry S and all the other CONs polluting this country with their Hobbesian obsession of making the average Canadian life nasty, brutish and short I have this to say:
G
A
L
E
T
H
OG
“Those 7 letters, are the 7 Seats of the One and everlasting GOD. His 7 secret Angels proceding from every letter and Cross so formed: referred in substance to the FATHER: in forme, to the SONNE: and Inwardly to the HOLI GHOSTE. Loke uppon it: it is one of the Names which thou hast before. every letter conteyning an Angel of brightnes: comprehending the 7 inward powres of God: known to none, but him self: a sufficient BOND to urge all Creatures to life or Death, or any thing els conteyned in this world. Yt banisheth the wicked, expelleth evyll spirits: qualifieth the Waters, strenghteneth the Just, exalteth the righteous, and destroyeth the wicked. He is ONE in SEVEN; He is twise THREE. He is Seven in the Whole. He is Almighty. His Name is everlasting. His Truth can not fayle. His Glory is incomprehensible. Blessed be his name. Blessed be thow, (our GOD) for ever.”
..by the way Garth, right on! Yeah!
Hu wants China to increase its military capabilities — maybe they know something the West doesn’t.
http://tinyurl.com/yoq24u
Further to the link I posted a day or two ago re: an economist predicted that the US $100 bill won’t be worth toilet paper in a couple of years.
In Europe, most of the countries joined one organization — the EU, and then had one currency, the Euro. I understand the UK still maintains the pound.
Out of interest, if N.America becomes one organization, or country — CANAMEX, with one currency, the Amero, dumps all dollars and pesos, what becomes of the $1 trillion US debt that China holds?
Would Canamex tell China, “tough shit, we don’t deal in dollars anymore, so we don’t owe you anything?”
One could always say, “Well, it’s only paper money”, but one should also consider that China has already made contingency plans for this scenario.
Soon, maybe, tomorrow, no maybe….it’s getting tiresome.
Garth,
If the Neo-cons can waste $7.5 BILLION on a war that can not be won to look good for GWB then a few millions for our future is a bargain that you MUST support for US and our children.
Mine are grown and gone but I would still gladly pay a little more in tax to keep this initiative alive.
You see Harry, I don’t live or die in GREED like you.
Oh, And I just took out a membership in the Liberal Party of Canada.
To-day, it came out that the Conservative government was $1 billion over budget on Afghanistan spending for the month.
by Pat G .03.11.08 10:54 pm
This should have read for the year.
Heard Mr. Flaherty on CPAC tonight, saying the McTeague RESP bill would put the government “back into Liberal deficit”.
He is, of course, referring to the manufactured deficit the Cons put together by clipping portions of newsclips together in which Mr. Dion was stating various figures which had to do with things completely irrelevant from the costing of the Liberal platform. Garth posted the video that showed what the Cons used as ‘figures from the Liberal platform’ and then the video of what Dion had actually said and the context in which it was said. The Cons were blatantly and shamelessly lying.
How stupid they think we are! How insulting to the intelligence of most Canadians! How disgusted I am!
Garth,
Your book looks interesting. Only problem is, I can’t find anywhere to purchase it. Can anyone help?
It is on the truck to Chapters at this moment. Tonight (Wednesday) I am launching the thing at a reception in the Parliament Buildings. — Garth
For God’s sake, what a blunder. How could the Liberals not have known that they would be required to either go to the polls over a bill like this or let it die, and look spineless, again.
Garth, you must be pulling your hair out over this. Is it really an improvement over being an independent?
The Liberal leadership has already given an answer. The trigger won’t be pulled this week.
——————————-
No problem. Patience is a virtue.No sense getting suckered in by these Cons. Might as well wait to pull the pin and be sure of a Harper slaughter. The day to day crap from the Cons of being cowardly about not calling an election doesn,t mean beans to ordinary voters. Just gives time to gather more lies and deceits. It,s free thanks to Harper and i,m very appreciative of the gifts that keep on giving. Thank you the Conservative Party. For once you have not disappointed me. You,re getting done.
Finance Minister should set financial policy. If you do not like it, force an election
English is a funny language, eh? Closer and closer, same word, two different meanings. Something to ponder. Getting Biblical: let he who has discernment hear. Keep on keepin’ on, MP Turner.
It’s been said yet again that the Libs won’t bring this government down, even over the RESP bill.
As Don Newman said today : “you’ve made so many beds, and can only sleep in so many of them”. The one thing he didn’t state is that the Libs are starting to look like prostitutes.
To hell with the bi-elections. It’s time to take control of our country back from Alberta.
Let the by-elections occur.
Vote down the bill in April.
Goodbye Harry S forever!!!!!!!!!
Dr Mike–former life-long Conservative.
Imagine what the wasted 1 Billion $ from gun registery could have done for the RESP? eh?
Or Liberal recorded the annual multi-billion $ surpluses could have done for the RESP? Yet, the Liberals, just couldn’t bring themselves around during their majority governments.
Go for it Garth and gang – bring down the government on Thursday. I dare you!
Oh is this before or after the Afghanistan vote?
Imagine what the wasted 1 Billion $ from gun registery could have done for the RESP? eh?
By Catherine on 03.12.08 4:26 am
Hey Catherine,
Maybe the governemnet could sell one of four of the new Boeing C-17 Globemonsters jets at nearly a billion dollars a plane to pay for the RESP. Should it be guns or kids?
How about standing for what you believe in instead of waiting for the polls to say you will win. You can try to justify your (by your I mean the liberal party) actions all you want, all I see is “if we cause an election we’ll lose”. I haven’t read every comment in the last month so I figure this quote has been thrown out there hundreds of times already: “All that evil needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing”
The point of the election is to win. Even I get that. — Garth
If the Liberals refuse to support their own bill, then they’re playing with the people of Canada, the same way the Conservatives are playing with the people of Canada. Both parties had better stop treating us like pawns.
If there is an election called I shudder to see what parliament will look like, as it will be a far worse minority government than any party will ever have seen before.
By Andrea Timmons on 03.11.08 11:03 pm
I don’t see why they should not treat us as pawns, we go to the polls and vote for one of the two same old parties and expect a different result. We are the dolts, not the politicians. They are riding the gravy train with our blessing. They behave in the House as little children and we reward them by voting them back in. One day, the electorate might wake up! But I doubt it. There are those that will vote Con or Lib even if they were all convicted felons…they only see party…which makes sense since the party dictates how the MP votes. The Parliament of Canada is pretty pathetic…and we are to blame!
”That means a final vote is likely to take place in April.
My constituents will be best served with this new tax break in place, as they will with a restoration of income trusts, a more ethical government, a climate change strategy that works, a Parliament that actually represents the people, a jobs creation and investment strategy and an end to Stephen Harper.”
Elvira awaits, as a spectral presence, in respect for NEEDFUL THINGS.
The point of the election is to win. Even I get that. — Garth
NO, The point of an election is to give Canadians the opportunity to exercise their democratic right! If that means you win, you win. If you sit, abstain, don’t show up…you DO NOT deserve to win. (That is not to say the CONS deserve to win)
Vanished will be a chance to improve family cash flow and receive the first meaningful tax break since this government came to office.
Again, Mr. Turner, you want to improve family tax flow for some families at the expense of other families.
This meaningful tax break for some will result in a meaningless tax increase for many more.
Add this to income trusts, income splitting, to all of the other irresponsible schemes you have been promoting, all of them based on a smoke and mirrors false economy that robs Peter to pay Paul. And of course all of the greedy Pauls out there are heaping praise on you. Imagine what our tax levels could be if all such schemes were done away with, (including RRSPs). Then families would have the capacity to save, to invest in the real economy, an economy based on a return from the marketplace, not based on special interest tax breaks. Really, it is tragic your energies cannot be expended on positive proposals.
By dj on 03.12.08 7:36 am
Straight out of PlayDough’s Dialogues.
Imagine what the wasted 1 Billion $ from gun registery could have done for the RESP? eh?
By Catherine on 03.12.08 4:26 am
Hey Catherine,
So why do we still have a gun registry?
Maybe because it has reduced gun crime!
Garth, no one is going to lament the military being over budget even is it is a billion. After thirteen years of being gutted and neglected, I think people understood it would take a lot to get them up to speed. We can’t ask those to risk their lives without the proper equipment and support, can we?
No…I didn’t think so.
Leasa
By Leasa on 03.11.08 11:04 pm
Funny in my neck of the woods Base Borden is asking for bungee cords, assorted hygenie products and other items in letters posted at the Zellers in Alliston. I suppose the government didn’t buy the LAV’s with the bungee cord option package.
Really if these weren’t real letters pleading for things that cost a couple of bucks it would be funny. I walked across to the Crappy Tire and bought two tubes of bungee cords. That was tough. Good to see all that over budget money is being spent wisely. BTW the LAV’s we use are not the ones the American’s use, theirs have thicker armour, we get the cut rate model. Stand up for Canada!!!
THE VOICE OF STEPHEN HARPER…
“I told them not to press” … Quick-Fix at a drycleaning establishment?
http://www.thestar.com/fpLarge/video/308220
By Jim in Vancouver on 03.11.08 11:42 pm
Exactly Jim! It has nothing to do with education. For example; a corporation can transfer ‘wages’ to personal, the personal account can start this ‘tax free’ account. You would do this in a ‘high income’ year for the corp. Then, when the corp has a lower income year, the ‘personal account’ gets pulled (taxable if not used for ed.?) and the crop pays out less ‘wages’. Nice.
Once again: the Opposition parties cannot run the country’s finances. They have no accountability to the state of the country’s fiscal balance.
The LP should stop throwing all the wrenches into the system, it’s not good for the country. Too bad they don’t have anything positive to say about this government they support.
Leasa
The point of the election is to win. Even I get that. — Garth
Gosh, and I thought it was to elect people to represent their constituants regardless of which party the support.
Which is why the Harpocrite’s don’t stand a chance as their vote is controlled by the PM.
More fool me!
Patronage in its finest.
Patrone got CRTC call from top MacKay aide
By STEPHEN MAHER Ottawa Bureau
Wed. Mar 12 – 4:46 AM
OTTAWA — The first Marc Patrone heard about his appointment to the CRTC was when he received a phone call from Peter MacKay’s chief of staff, John MacDonell, Mr. Patrone testified in front of a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
The testimony is significant because it indicates that Mr. MacKay, the political minister for Nova Scotia, was likely responsible for choosing Mr. Patrone.
Mr. Patrone was until recently a reporter for CTV Halifax. Last month, Heritage Minister Josee Verner appointed him a full-time CRTC commissioner, a job that pays $126,200 to $148,500 a year.
Government watchdog groups and opposition MPs criticized his appointment as suspect because although he has worked in broadcasting for 27 years as a technician and reporter, he doesn’t have the management experience that other board members have. Also, he served for a month in 2005 as the nominated Conservative candidate for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour but dropped out of the race and returned to work at CTV when the election was delayed.
Opposition MPs suggest he got the CRTC job as a thank you for almost running for the Tories.
“I was given a call by Mr. MacDonell,” Mr. Patrone testified in front of the heritage committee. “It was a call asking if I had any interest if there was an opening. He wanted to know if there was any interest on my part in putting my name forward, and if there was, that I should be in touch with the department that oversaw the CRTC, Canadian Heritage.”
Mr. MacKay’s office has previously declined comment on whether it was involved in the decision to appoint Mr. Patrone, although Tory sources had previously indicated to The Chronicle Herald that Mr. MacKay had pushed for Mr. Patrone’s selection.
http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1043266.html
300 million for an election that will result in a minority government of one stripe or another is not worth it right now. Keep your powder dry, make good use of your new 3 or 4 MPs next week, and pull the plug when you have a better chance of gaining a majority.
Holy crap!The way Garth states it,you would think the lieberals were producing the actual holy grail.In reality,we have several different ways to save money that the government has already provided.One more plan that only helps those that have a fair amount of extra money is useless.Bigger grants and access to money for lower income students would go much farther in helping students through school.This is just another tax and spend blindly lieberal scam that as usual,has no teeth and will come back to bite Stephool once again.Start planning your escape plan yet again Stephool,as we all know you will run away again when PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER flexes his muscles.
D’oh! outsmarted yourselves again. The veritable Wil-e Coyotes of Canadian politics.
if it were not so sad, it would be laughable.
Garth, I loved your colleagues spin on Green Eggs and Ham yesterday…brilliant!
May I suggest as you await your hour that the Liberal caucus take a vow of silence in the House. No heckling, dead silence. It can be the turning point in a show of respect to the citizens that are fatigued by the kindergarten antics and a sign to the government that their day is over..call it mourning if you will.
Ask your questions, speak in debate but otherwise take a vow of silence. See what happens, you may even enjoy it! Leave the place on a high note for election campaigning.
Good luck on the book launch today!
Leasa – again you get your facts screwed up and use the CPC talking points. The fact is that the military decreases started with Mulroney – he has his famous “white papers” with a promise to build it up – he didn’t get it done. When the Liberals took over we were on the threshold of losing our credit rating around the world because of our debts – no money, honey, to build up the military. And, Bill Graham had already started the build up of the military.
Don’t believe me? Just check it out before you go on your misinformation rhetoric. You assume people don’t know this.
Wow, what a photo on the blog today.”et tu,Brute!”
Garth: Interesting article in Toronto Star today by Chantel Hebert “Trickey for Dion to fit RESPS into agenda” gather from the article no thought went into supporting Dan McTeague’s bill.Another example of Liberal fumbling/stumbling.Jack Layton looks more and more like the Official Opposition.To bad it is snowing now and Easter is coming in a few weeks and then it will be to slushy outside in April and Mother’s Day is coming in May.All such obstacles for the Liberals in deciding when to pull the plug.As Mr Dion himself has said “it isn’t easy to make decisions”
OK, so Dion drools and Harper rules. Now go read Aaron Wherry’s summary of “The Commons” yesterday to see just how Harper “rules”:
http://forums.macleans.ca/advansis/?mod=for&act=dis&eid=62
Garth, no one is going to lament the military being over budget even is it is a billion. After thirteen years of being gutted and neglected, I think people understood it would take a lot to get them up to speed. We can’t ask those to risk their lives without the proper equipment and support, can we?
No…I didn’t think so.
Leasa
By Leasa on 03.11.08 11:04 pm
That isnt the point Leasa. The fact they are putting our debt-fee country at least ONE BILLION dollars in the hole after being in office for only two years.That is something Canadians understand , the bottom-line.
It is sad that Harper is trying to gut and bankrupt our country like his friend BUSH has done to the US.
Now lets see what the headlines are today.
Gomery: Canada on road to ‘one-man government’
Sponsorship inquiry boss worried about concentration of power in PMO
Kathryn May, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The judge who headed the sponsorship inquiry that helped usher the Conservatives into power says Canada is heading to “one-man government” unless radical steps are taken to rebalance power concentrated in the hands of the prime minister.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c6b79c86-c2f5-433a-b152-4d3d41afb568
Afghan mission $1B over budget
Email story
Print
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Report typo or correction
More Afghanistan coverage Download the Manley report (.pdf) CP Video: Harper accepts report Read DFAIT torture reports (censored, PDF) CP Video: The detainee issue Afghan casualties map Profiles of fallen soldiers Military deaths in Afghanistan (.PDF) Photo gallery: Canadians in battle Military alone won’t win: Manley
A surge of soldiers and equipment next year in Afghanistan should be used only as “tools” for the express purpose of boosting peace and reconstruction efforts, former Liberal foreign minister John Manley says.Conservatives attempt to explain report of overrun for 2007-08
Mar 12, 2008 04:30 AM
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA–The Conservative government is scrambling to explain a report that the Afghanistan mission will run $1 billion over budget this fiscal year.
The government did not deny yesterday the budget blowout for 2007-08 as reported in Montreal’s La Presse. It simply warned the $1 billion was based on estimates that cannot be confirmed until after the fiscal year ends March 31.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/339588
INDUCEMENT ALLEGATIONS
Tories fail to offer blanket denials over Cadman affair
GLORIA GALLOWAY
March 12, 2008
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080312.CADMAN12/TPStory/TPNational/Politics/
FEDERAL POLITICS
Envoy faces calls to resign in NAFTA leak probe
Wilson’s concession shifts focus away from PM’s top aide
CAMPBELL CLARK
March 12, 2008
OTTAWA — Michael Wilson should step down as Canada’s ambassador to Washington while the leaks that damaged Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign are investigated, opposition parties said yesterday, as scrutiny moved from one of Stephen Harper’s top aides to one of his high-profile political appointees.
Mr. Wilson has now publicly acknowledged that he spoke to the CTV reporter who first reported the leaks before the story aired, but refused to discuss what was said.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080312.NAFTA12/TPStory/TPNational/Politics/
hahaha.
The Cons are just so evil. Just pull the plug Garth. You mean you can’t convince your caucus colleagues with your clear, concise, sharp-witted arguments that now is the time? Or, maybe Dion knows that at the very best, the Libs will end up no better than where they are now.
Wouldn’t it be nice for Canada to have a real Official Opposition – instead of this sad, blatantlly self-interested group of hapless saps?
Thanks be for Elliot Spitzer, otherwise the news would be too boring to even read with this jerkoff government in Canada!
My grandson’s kindergarten class has more decorum than the HoC!
Gomery: Canada on road to ‘one-man government’
“I think they owe the fact they are in office to the work of the commission. That wasn’t the objective, but it was the consequence and I think they are ungrateful to treat me that way,” he said.
“I find it extraordinary that the government commissions a commission of inquiry to conduct a study and then, when recommendations are made, they don’t even tell you they received them … My feelings are hurt, if you must know, all that effort, thought and good intentions.”
Mr. Gomery said the government ignored his recommendations because the reforms of its signature Federal Accountability Act were largely promised during the election campaign, long before he delivered his final report on Feb. 1, 2006. The act was drafted “in anticipation of my report” not “in response to it,” he said.
“I have a sense that my report was disregarded. They decided what to do as a response to the sponsorship inquiry and my report was tucked away and paid no attention to at all,” he said.
He said he never received an acknowledgement, a letter or heard “boo from anyone” about his report. His only contact with the government was a meeting with then-Treasury Board president John Baird, who seemed more concerned whether the judge would cause a fuss or “trouble” for the government over its proposed legislation.
One of his recommendations called on the government to table a report in Parliament on how it dealt with each of the recommendations. Mr. Gomery said he respectfully held his tongue, but after two years without a response he thinks it’s “fair ball” to speak his mind at committee.
So much for Harper and all his bullshit promises. What a pathetic joke of a goobernment, but I am NOT laughing!
The by-election wins are worth waiting for…
as is a little spring weather after our ghastly winter (who wants to trudge through the slush looking for votes).
So keep yer powder dry … most folks ain’t paying much attention (unlike the readers/commentators here) to the MP votes – but they have heard of
Cadscam
Naftagate
Chalk river
and they will certainly know who killed the RESP deal.
May is a real good time for an election!
Liberals will get my vote next time.
I got my “4th” flyer yesterday from my local CPC MP – 4TH in 2 weeks. This one is a big one in colour blue/white and lots of photo-ops and again “a questionnaire” – in other words the CPC are polling on taxpayer money.
The last question is always “is______ doing a good job.
4 in 2 weeks – I feel a push here.
GARTH TURNER RULES!
AVOID HARPER’S STOOLS!
IT For Income Trusts
Remember, Remember
The 1st Of November
The Conservative’s Income Trust Treason And Plot
I Know Of No Reason
Why The Income Trust Treason
Should Ever Be Forgot
From the HofC yesterday (excellent and funny):
I am PM
PM I am;
I do not like green eggs and ham,
I won’t answer questions about Cadman;
I will not answer them in this House,
On this I’m quiet as a mouse;
I will not answer in Yellowknife,
I won’t answer questions from Bob Fife;
I will not answer in Vancouver,
Duck and hide, that’s my manoeuvre;
On that tape you’ll hear me say,
Things I can’t discuss today;
I will not answer here or there,
I will not answer anywhere!
Why won’t the press just let me be,
I will not answer can’t you see.
Please, please do not pester,
For the truth holds disaster.
I know the rule is not to lie,
But when your starn’s in a sling, I say let her ride!
Baird’s limited vocabulary:
Adjective of the Day. Actual phrases used by Environment Minister John Baird in discussing climate change and the government’s approach to it. “Real results… real plan… real plan… real plan… real problem… real ideas… real plans… real results.”
And, we have to vote buyer for Del Mastro:
Heckle of the Day. “Choo! Choo!” Aimed at Conservative Dean del Mastro, whose riding was blessed with funding for a high-speed train in this month’s federal budget.
I am PM
PM I am;
I do not like green eggs and ham,
I won’t answer questions about Cadman;
I will not answer them in this House,
On this I’m quiet as a mouse;
I will not answer in Yellowknife,
I won’t answer questions from Bob Fife;
I will not answer in Vancouver,
Duck and hide, that’s my manoeuvre;
On that tape you’ll hear me say,
Things I can’t discuss today;
I will not answer here or there,
I will not answer anywhere!
Why won’t the press just let me be,
I will not answer can’t you see.
Please, please do not pester,
For the truth holds disaster.
I know the rule is not to lie,
But when your starn’s in a sling, I say let her ride!
courtesy of Todd Russell, Lib MP
By Leasa on 03.12.08 7:49 am
Don’t think this is the usual Leasa, too many spelling and grammer mistakes.
By Leasa on 03.12.08 7:49 am
Don’t think this is the usual Leasa, too many spelling and grammar mistakes.
OK, so Dion drools and Harper rules. Now go read Aaron Wherry’s summary of “The Commons” yesterday to see just how Harper “rules”:
http://forums.macleans.ca/advansis/?mod=for&act=dis&eid=62
By Herb on 03.12.08 8:35 am
à
Here is another great article that was in MacLeans by John Geddes.
Sleaze, lies ,and corruption seem to be words associated with the cons and Harper alot.
The sleaze factor
With the Cadman affair still unresolved, can the Liberals make Tory ethics an issue?
JOHN GEDDES | March 6, 2008
http://www.macleans.ca/canada/national/article.jsp?content=20080306_67003_67003
The tone in the HOC and the smears, the lies, the obstruction, the inappropriate campaigning, was set and firmly established when Harper came on the scene after having been elected leader of the CPC.
Schoolyard bullies shouting and screaming at the so-called “not a leader” who presents himself as an astute politician who does not need drive by smear, innuendo, lies, barbarism , to get ahead.
They are being cheered on by an equally boorish section of Canadian society, a posse of yes-men (and women) who will do and say anything to make their Liberal opponents crawl in the shell.
Stop wasting your breath, Dion stands comfortably wherever he is and whatever he does.
No he won’t win over the entire country. That is called democracy. Dion is ready for an election but only when he deems the time to be right.
So screaming and insulting about abstentions and walking out of votes has nothing to do with a lack of LEADERSHIP. It has everything to do with out manoeuvring the Conservative Harper Temporary Minority (tired) Government. The CPC has nothing new to offer, never had and never will. So bullies, keep up the good work. You are becoming less and less relevant. And you are becoming less and less liked.
Hi Garth
The time has come to bring the bully dictator down and get rid of his little pal Flaherty.They are taking our Canada down and it is time for you Liberals to stand up and defeat them before we are in a hole we can not get out of. There is enough people on the Liberal side to have you form a majority government.What is wrong with Dion? 2 milion income trust people,the war in Afganstan over budget by 1 billion,the RESP , the accords, the enviroment,the lies and the deceit how much more does Dion need.I am sure you must be frustrated but hang in there and get an election under way the results will suprize all of you.
Don from Hanover.
Garth,would it be possible for the Liberals to put forth an amendment on Dim Jims provision of killing the RESP bill? Use the reform parties tricks in order to defeat them?
By Irene on 03.11.08 9:25 pm
Irene, haven’t you heard? Dion is doing everything he can to NOT defeat them.
So why do we still have a gun registry?
Maybe because it has reduced gun crime!
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 7:47 am
Absolutely James. Since the gun registry was started there have been 3 murders committed by registered long guns. In fact murders are down slightly but unfortunately attempted murder is way up. Good thing the registry didn`t come with shooting lessons but then most gun crimes are done by people with unregistered hand guns anyway.
btw did the missing tens of millions ever show up from this huge slush fund that was distributed by provincial AG`s.? Perhaps Mr. Toews would know, he was the Manitoba AG at the time.
My brother in law, who is politically willfully deaf and blind, told me today that he’s emailing his MP (Mario Silva) today to ask him to vote against the budget solely on what he’s learned about the McTeague’s RESP bill this week.
We’re talking about a guy who normally thinks Question Period is a gameshow for nerds and he comes to me wanting to know how to email his MP. This issue is big. It’s big enough for an election.
To James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the ever absent Minister of Public Works:
Give it up. Don’t jeopardize your credibility any further. The people you are so desperately protecting will not protect you. They will drop you like a hot potato.
What did you expect, Garth? The Liberals refuse to have an election, so the Conservatives continue to push you around. How long are you going to abstain on every motion? The RESP bill was the first time the opposition MPs managed to get something done, and you’re going to let it die because a bunch of bully Conservative MPs threaten to beat you up after QP.
Don’t give the bullies what they want when they want it. They will become more desperate as their futile attempts are thwarted thereby increasing their own foolishness in the eyes of the electorate. We don’t know the time or the trigger but we know that the Liberals have more education, wisdom and experience on their side. Harper wants to destroy the opposition but he is going about it in a very curious way. Making himself vulnerable to ridicule and disgrace, while turning the electorate against him. Typical bully behaviour. It may not be easy to let this pass but it is wise.
I’m still waiting for PMSH to sue the Cadman family after all we all know that he loves to sue people and Elections Canada BTW when are we going to hear the results of that little shceme know to all as the IN and OUT scandal. I was sad to hear that the RESP wasn’t going to kick start an election but will defer to Mr Dion’s wisdom. Good Luck on Monday to all the liberal who are running in byelections.
If Harper and his financial wizards can go over budget on military spending by 1 Billions dollars in one year, I shudder to think what other Departments are also secretly over budget.
Hey Catherine: How many kids would that billion put through college?
What a bunch of mis-managers– a billion in deficit after a year—
Where exactly is that billion accounted for?
A sign of springtime for the LPC: Canwest has started to soften its uncritical support of all things CPC and Harper Government. I’ve noticed a subtle change of tone on CTV, but really have seen it in the “Ottawa Citizen” in the last week.
To-day, for instance, there is a major article on Judge Gomery’s criticism of Government inaction on his Report recommendations: “Gomery: Canada on road to ‘one-man government’.”
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c6b79c86-c2f5-433a-b152-4d3d41afb568&k=64809
Remarkably, this article appears one day before Gomery testifies at the House Operations Committee, so there was no need to write it at all. Furthermore, it is given a large spread on Page 1, with a stern picture of Gomery. Not very long ago, something like this would have been buried on page 4 or 5.
The MSM are beginning to hedge their bets.
Wait for Gomery to attack Harpers inaction. Wait for the RCMP to find wrong-doing re: Finley, Flanagan affair. Wait for the NAFTA-gate inquiry to find the PMO leaked damaging documents to embarrass Obama. Wait for the obvious inaction by Baird to tackle Climate Change to be broadcast far and wide. Wait for Jim to kill the family-friendly, student-friendly, education-friendly new RESP plan.
Wait for Elections Canada to win their case against the in-and-out money scheme by the Cons.
So many negatives for Steve and Company.
How can we possibly cover them all???
Harper has so many strikes against him that waiting for him to amass a few more will be worth the wait.
Desperate and irresponsible … that’s Dion and the Liberal party too, which is now in the hands of a man who has abdicated leadership and is descending into ridicule and contempt.
The Liberal party must put a stop to such stupidity, and rid themselves of their disasterous leadership blunder asap.
The Liberals are not fit to govern in their present state of crass, outright incompetence .. and it would be suicidal to offer Dion as Canada’s next prime minister.
DION MUST GO .. TOUTE SUITE ..!!!!!
Finance the Liberal RESP by shutting down the CBC and save $2 Billion in subsidies to what is a Liberal goebbelian propaganda organ.
Btw .. the CBC ony has a 5.8% audience share according to a CRTC study, and if you allocate the subsidy to this small segment, each CBC user is subsidized by approx. $1000 annually .. !!!!
HEY JIM in VAN
You’re absolutely correct. The gov’t collects a lot of tax from me every year and I would much rather get a lousy hundred bucks every month instead of a meaningfull savings plan for the kids education. God forbid that we do what ever we can to get ours kids an education. Wouldn’t you rather put that money towards educating our youth instead of giving it to SH? Feels like he would be terrified if the voters were educated. Can you imagine how good Flaherty would be if he had a meaningfull education.
This is too easy pushing your CRAP buttons.
Or Liberal recorded the annual multi-billion $ surpluses could have done for the RESP? Yet, the Liberals, just couldn’t bring themselves around during their majority governments.
By Catherine on 03.12.08 4:26 am
More of the same mantra of blaming the Liberals for not doing something the Cons, who are now the government, aren’t doing, aka. blaming someoneelse for for your own inaction.
Just like blaming the Libs for 13 years of inaction because Ms. Ambrose and them Mr. Baird have been inactive and ineffective in dealing with the environment! But I digress.
Before the Libs, the only way to save for a kids education was through an in-trust account or one of those hignly restrictive, high admin fee, high penalty to get off, scholarship trust plans. Don’t even start with whole life insurance plans with their cash values to fund education.
The CESG was unheard of.
So the Libs brought in the RESP, which is far from perfect. And while it gives the 20% CESG, the money is in effect double taxed, after tax dollars for the contributions and then withdrawals taxed either in the hands of the child if used for education (albeit low to zero), or in the hands of the contributors if rolled into an RRSP when money taken from the RRSP. And of course if the money is taken out altogether, tax as income put 20% penalty after CESG paid back. Certainly not perfect.
Could the Liberals have improved the program yes.
But last time I looked, we don’t have a Liberal Goverenment, we have a CPC one, and it is from this government that we would like some action.
Mr. Flaherty has put forth his FTSA. What people who are supporting Mr. McTeague’s bill are saying is that the FTSA is ok, but special consideration still must be given for saving for our kids education rather than for those who have maxed out their RRSP’s.
Assuming the budget passes and the TFSA becomes reality, those saving for their kids future can either chose the existing RESP, with its double taxation but increased CESG; or the new TFSA where the contributions are made with after tax dollars, withdrawals are tax free but no CESG.
If education is so important for our country’ future, the Finance Minister needs to put some money forward.
As suggested previously, maybe he needs to make the RESP into a TFSA with the CESG. The CESG would be repayable, plus 20% of growth if the money is not used for education.
Either that, or the government should be defeated and the new Liberal government put forward and pass their RESP proposal which elimates the double taxation of these plans.
“Easter is not a good time to call an election.”…Bbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrhahahaha
News on the Afghanistan vote has been scarce. They’re oh so proud, but not so loud. We wouldn’t want to wake up the people and have to listen to their bleats.
Most people are sheep. A few are wolves, they are the predators and sociopaths that prey on the sheeple. Those that call for “sacrifice”. The guard dogs are getting discouraged and old.
Our children are brought up on an entertainment of violence, bloodshed and killing associated with the consumption of ever inflating, pricy candy and popcorn. They become consumers of instant gratification and massive destruction. What category will they occupy as they grow into adulthood?
Where’s the one or two Dudley Dorights who will change our future and put us back on course? Oh sheize, they’ve just dragged one of them away. Oh well, it was folly to believe in the righteousness of one man.
Can we instead count on our Parliament to do the right thing? To start us into a new direction? To drop the paranoia and hysteria of the current Bushitis. To lead the world on a course for peace. Wouldn’t that be a better role to play “on the world stage”?
Easter is a good time to remember The Commandments. When they ask you to stand up and vote for further bloodshed and occupation……Refuse!
Instead, bow your head in repect for those that suffered and kneel.
Here’s a model for Harper to follow…IMMEDIATELY!
Embattled Spitzer announces his resignation
Do the RIGHT THING Steve, RESIGN!
Garth,
This new RESP bill is the best idea I heard coming from a political party in years! This will definitely help many Canadian families and their children. Please thank Mr. McTeague for me. I support this bill and LPC will definitely get my vote in the next election. If the government is serious about investing in family, if the government is serious about investing in our children, then give us this new RESP bill. I would take this new RESP bill than a GST cut any day, without hestitation.
I can’t believe some trolls on your blog actually are trying to attack RRSP and RESP. RRSP special tax treatment in my opinion, is the best tax shelter left for most Canadians. In most cases, only the lowest-income Canadians may not benefit from RRSP tax deferral program. This just show the worst kind of financial ignorance and I hope most Canadians are smarter than these trolls.
Please keep up the good work. And thank you again.
Grace
Hi Garth, For persons wanting to get signed copies of your book, will you be able to sign copies at your next town hall meeting?
Manley says Canada is a wealthy country which should help the disadvantaged – can we then at least see our way to removing the asbestos insulation from the married quarters that the families of our troops occupy? It’s in situations like this that our true hypocrisy is evident.
Wouldn’t it be nice for Canada to have a real Official Opposition
By Oscar on 03.12.08 8:54 am
The entire plan of the `government in waiting` is to make government look worse than they are. Quite the forward looking plan for Canada.
I have a three point plan for free post secondary education that will cover all low income children as well as medical schools with no additional cost to the tax payers. Lawyers of course pay triple tuition, lol, not really, just double.
Do think the Libs might want to buy it from me?
I don`t have a link but read the new report `Generation ME` when it comes up.
Basically the younger wired generation that discounts MSM are not affiliating themselves with political parties and few even have intentions of voting.
Economic conditions will force the change required.
no justice, no investment
v
Either that, or the government should be defeated and the new Liberal government put forward and pass their RESP proposal which elimates the double taxation of these plans.
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 12:20 pm
…………………………………
The truth be known, most Canadians don’t give a fig about some obscure Liberal RESP .. but if your Liberals want to defeat the government on that issue and go to Canadians saying they must decide on a taxed or non-taxed RESP … well be my guest ..!!!
The welfare of university students seems somewhat of a weak reason to plunge the country into a general election costing the taxpayer some $350 Million … but you Liberals go ahead and pound on doors telling the average Canadian voter that the beleaguered university student and his family need a Liberal government to help them get through school debt free .. courtesy of the Canadian taxpayer … LOL
Is this all the Liberal party stands for now .. future university students from rich families ..??!!!
If you think about it, the current batch of university students would prefer the Conservative TFSA savings plan after they graduate and get their first job. It’s only the class of 2025 that might get some benefit from the Liberal RESP … LOL …!!!
by Leasa:
“It’s a wonder Mr. Dion didn’t have his foot on his head.”
Shows you how flexible Dion can be.
But that’s much better than having your foot in your mouth, i.e. Flaherty and Canada’s economy that is as strong and stable as the Canadian shield. Remember that one?
Mind you, foot-in-mouth disease was probably the reason why Flaherty needed to have his shoes re-soled for budget day.
This RESP bill can be resubmitted. It would be nice to implement it now, but it’ll wait. It has the support of most of the house and the country loves it. This country is going to need all the smart people it can get in the future. Let’s make sure that they get the help they need to enable them to solve the problems the Cons are allowing to build up. This unseemly haste to get to the ballot box must be an attempt to keep something else from emerging into the light of day.
And if the soldiers weren’t properly equipped for this mission, they never should have been sent into the fray in the first place. It amounts to criminal negligence.
Meanwhile, let’s just wait and see what else the Harpos have swept under the carpet, shall we?
Leasa – again you get your facts screwed up and use the CPC talking points. The fact is that the military decreases started with Mulroney – he has his famous “white papers” with a promise to build it up – he didn’t get it done. When the Liberals took over we were on the threshold of losing our credit rating around the world because of our debts – no money, honey, to build up the military. And, Bill Graham had already started the build up of the military.
Don’t believe me? Just check it out before you go on your misinformation rhetoric. You assume people don’t know this.
By slg on 03.12.08 8:23 am
There is another way to look at this issue. I see from the viewpoint of different priorities.
I don’t believe the PC government nor the Liberals under Chretien were as militaristic as the new Conservatives. The militarism began to enter the Liberal agenda under Paul Martin and Graham when they adopted a combat mission for Canada in Afghanistan.
One of the stated policies of the new Conservative Party is to build up a viable Canadian Defence Industry because, to quote from the policy document, “The Conservative Party believes that a viable Canadian Defnece Industry contributes to our national security and our industrial productivity.”
Be careful not to get drawn into supporting neo-conservative militarism unless you really want to. The prosecution of the combat mission in Afghanistan has taken priority over our national defence because it is draining the resources from “defence” spending into spending on offensive action.
You could argue that the military policy of the current government and its immediate predecessor have undermined national defence and not strengthened it.
Does Harry S not understand that Dion is not the Prime Minister?
I think Mr. S has fallen into the trap of believing the Liberals are governing, and the ConFormers are still in opposition.
Mr. S, stop comparing the performance of the Leader of the Opposition with the Prime Minister. Canada’s Parliamentary structure confers massive powers to one and not the other.
Once you do that, you will realize what a horrid performance Mini W has been putting on these past 2 years.
“(its expected to give the RESP provisions rapid passage),”
too bad you and your friends didn’t exert the same pressure on the senate with regards to the crime bill and senate reform.
Mr. Garth TurnerMP,
A very Minor point.
We need an election soon, but
could we wait until the snow melts
so the election signs can be put into the ground, if that make any sence in the big picture?
Sick,tired and fed up of all this sound and fury,emanating from Liberal ranks, significant of nothing .
Simply there is no perfect storm of circumstances that guarantees a majority for either side .
If you are waiting to reach 50% in the polls,well, forget it .
You have enough dirt on the con-bots to decimate the party in an election .
Side by side comparisons of the two tax vehicles is mmore than adequate proof .
We know the con-bots deliberately destroyed the governments ability to produce surpluses .
Just read Tom Flanagans insane diatribe with concerns to this .The man is a loose howitzer bent on rebuilding Canada in Republican US’s image .
Enough already .
I am tired of having my adrenaline gland spiking at the thought of the demise if the con-bots .
Grow a set and use them .
Good Morning all,
I see the vultures are out in mass this morning lead by Dizzy Leasa & Sneaky Catherine. Have your day zombies because your pickings are getting slimmer every day. Spring election late May. Can’t wait too put my X on that ballot.
I received another grey paper on Friday & I’m sure to get one this week as well. BTW Leasa dear, do you mind telling your boss that he’s wasting my hard earned dollars printing that crap & I would appreciate it if he would cut it out right now. It’s causing littering & I’m getting tired of picking it off the street already. Hard on my bum knee.
I have to agree with Garth on this one. An election will be called when the party feels it can easily win & not jump the gun sooner than that. Harper is doing everything possible in trying to instigate an election so let’s not accommodate him. Soon people! Timing my friends is crucial. Let the Cons bury themselves a little deeper & when the time is ripe, the voters will get we can rid of them once & for all. BTW, their doing a good job burying themselves right now as we speak.
There is obviously a reason why Harper is so desperate for an election now before all his conniving is brought out in the open, so let’s be patient & the Liberals decide when that time is. Too hell with what Harper’s paid MEDIA reports. Too hell with the trolls he sends to Garths blog. To hell with Harper. Dion is a hundred more times the man Harper thinks he is & Canadaians will find that out soon enough. Liberals have a plan so let’s let them work that plan out. They know a heck of a lot more than we do so let’s quit pushing. I can’t image what would happen if an election were called right now & the Dictator won again. Lets put that $350 million to good use when the timing is right.
Congratulations on your book release Garth. I know it will be successful.
Regar
Another controversy in the making?
There will be a public inquiry into the Afghan detainee issue–the head of the Military investigation says he was denied access to documents that would have answered questions.
He says he has no alternative but to launch an official inquiry and subpoena the necessary documents from the DOD.
Wait for it Steve—another inquiry into whether the government deliberately misinformed the house on whether it knew that detainees would be tortured.
Wait … Wait … Wait … Wait … Wait … Wait …
By Judy on 03.12.08 12:01 pm
until October 2009.
Don’t believe me? Just check it out before you go on your misinformation rhetoric. You assume people don’t know this.By slg on 03.12.08 8:23 am
Thanks, SLG, for the reminder of what REALLY happened. Some people on this blog are full of bait, but lacking in facts.
I am concerned about the lack of a healthy surplus in case of an emergency or if something comes up that no one thought of…sort of like what happens in the ordinary Canadian’s life, as someone else on this blog mentioned. To not have a good buffer is just reckless. To not be able to fund this RESP that most people see as a good idea, is sad.
IMF sees risk of credit crisis worsening
The prestidigitizer flow of $200 Billion
yesterday wasn’t enough to solve the “credit crisis”. The International Monetary Fund today thinks Central Bankers should “use public funds” to bail out the banks. And whose money have they been using?
It isn’t enough that gasoline and food are rising every day, that natural gas rose 33% last year and that people are being evicted from their jobs, pensions and homes. Now they are turning them upside down to support a world “credit crisis” caused by their overwhelming greed and vice.
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 1:04 pm
Political science students should be charged double tuition as well as law majors. They can get it back when the rape and pilage the commoners when they reach their desired field of work.
“Well, it’s only paper money”
By Charles Oxley on 03.12.08 12:53 am
Yes it`s only paper but ABC Paper is more than money, it`s the smoldering flame under the Cdn economy.
Check out Chartwell. Invested in the states at a below par dollar last year and this year ABCP is out of the bag.
Should I give a futuristic look at this company? Naa, why take the entertainment out of traders lives.
CSH-UN.TO
Or Liberal recorded the annual multi-billion $ surpluses could have done for the RESP? Yet, the Liberals, just couldn’t bring themselves around during their majority governments.
By Catherine on 03.12.08 4:26 am
The Liberals kept spending on the military but on a lesser scale because there was no Afghan mission. Road transport was being renewed, 4 new(used?) Subs bought at a better bargain price than Harper’s 100 Dutch tanks.
The military received pay increases and yes there were a lot more items that the Liberals could have spent money on to the detriment of other necessary programs.
That is the Conservative way: If it looks social, smells social, helpful to women, education , native Canadians etc etc ………kill it !!!!
Is it not refreshing that the Liberals are able to see the shortcomings of their tax laws ? That is because they are a dynamic party , always ready to come up with new ideas and always ready to improve laws.
They have yet to copy an idea from the Conservatives whilst the Conservatives constantly copy Liberal ideas.
And you say the CPC is a good an viable party ?????? Come on !!!!!!
Harry S must be terrified of Dion because HS is a con troll and wants Dion gone too badly. I think he dost protest too much.
Prime Minister Stephane Dion sounds great to me and he would bring my Canada back.
could we wait until the snow melts
By Greg W., Oakville on 03.12.08 1:16 pm
I don’t think you want to. I think the Cons support will be gone before the snow melts.
By Geminesse on 03.12.08 10:16 am
Nah G, she was just being lazy and didn’t properly edit her speaking points, of which here are the most common:
- The RESP tax break is a tax break for the rich
- The RESP is fiscally irresponsible
- The RESP tax break can be exploited
Best regards,
-R
House of Parliament Question Period as currently exercised is a juvenile, trivial pursuit unworthy of this country.
Political science students should be charged double tuition as well as law majors.
By Marc on 03.12.08 1:48 pm
I agree and there is no passing grade until retirement. Every time they screw up or break the law they have to go back and take the whole course again, at of course added tuition fees.
I am watching the wounded Cons live in the House on Parlvu. We need to ‘bring ‘em down’ asap.
I am concerned about the lack of a healthy surplus in case of an emergency or if something comes up that no one thought of…sort of like what happens in the ordinary Canadian’s life, as someone else on this blog mentioned. To not have a good buffer is just reckless. To not be able to fund this RESP that most people see as a good idea, is sad.
By Lana on 03.12.08 1:40 pm
…………………………………
FYI … Government surplus = government over-taxation.
Typical of all Liberals, you prefer to overtax Canadians so you can send money to your friend in China, buying Billion$$$ of useless Kyoto Carbon Credits.
Then Minister and now leader of the opposition, has allocated Billion$$$ of Canadian taxpayer’s money to buy useless Kyoto Carbon Credits for his friends in China.
Liberals don’t give a shit about the Canadian taxpayer, and that was demonstrated in their 13 years of corrupt government, in which Dion was a high minister.
You desperate Liberals are heading for a big fall after any next election, when Canadians get a good look at doofus Dion and compare him to prime ministerial Stephen Harper.
Canadians do not want another Liberal prime minister from Quebec .. and that goes double for Quebecers who despise Dion as shown in poll after poll after poll …!!!
No wonder Liberals are avoiding another election .. they know they are heading for oblivion.
Having failed Canadians for 13 years on the environment, Liberals yesterday were again polluting the atmosphere with their hypocritical criticism of the Conservative Government’s tough new regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course, by now Canadians know the Liberal environmental record – including that of former Environment Minister Stéphane Dion – is one of big talk followed by total failure.
While Liberals were avoiding tough decisions and wasting taxpayer dollars on feel-good, do-nothing publicity campaigns, Canadian emissions skyrocketed to 32% above our Kyoto commitments and air quality sank to next-to-last in the OECD.
Stéphane Dion’s record of inaction is so bad that even his own deputy leader has criticized him saying “Stéphane, we didn’t get it done.”
Instead of apologizing for the harm their inaction inflicted on the environment, the Dion Liberals have chosen to attack the Government’s actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — the very actions that the Liberals themselves were never bold enough to take.
Yet, even while they intensified their whining and sniping from the sidelines, Stéphane Dion was still building on his appalling record of inaction.
On Monday night the NDP introduced a motion that mirrored Mr. Dion’s criticism of the Conservative Government’s environmental plans. If Stéphane Dion truly had the courage of his convictions this would have been his opportunity vote down the government over the environment. Of course, by doing so, Mr. Dion would have risked triggering the very election that he that he is clearly terrified of facing.
Therefore, not surprisingly, the Dion Liberals once again sat on their hands and let the NDP motion fail. In doing so Mr. Dion chose to support the Conservative Government’s greenhouse gas reduction plans.
In government Stéphane Dion refused to take action. In opposition Stéphane Dion is frightened to take a stand. No wonder more Canadians are concluding that Stéphane Dion is not a leader and he’s not worth the risk.
Good point regarding yard signs and the snow. Here it is so deep you would need snow shoes to place a sign, and then it would be 8 feet high atop the mountains in everyone’s yard.
Let’s save the $300 million. HARPER RESIGN! Let the Liberal’s form the new government, and get on with running this great country. Call the GG today!
What it is, what it are!
Federal Liberals mull next move in RESP standoff
By Harry S
FYI … Government surplus = government over-taxation.
That is one way of looking at it, but it seems to me that that way involves a selfish and narrow perspective that believes we cannot work together for anything greater than ourselves. This is, I think, the conservative perspective.
I always liked the Liberal surpluses because it allowed some buffer room for emergencies and enabled some worthwhile community projects.
Typical of all Liberals, you prefer to overtax Canadians so you can send money to your friend in China, buying Billion$$$ of useless Kyoto Carbon Credits.
That’s right Harry, all Liberals want to overtax Canadians and send the proceeds to our friends (unless you really did mean friend in which case I have to ask who that is) in China. That’s simply a ridiculous assertion.
You desperate Liberals are heading for a big fall after any next election, when Canadians get a good look at doofus Dion and compare him to prime ministerial Stephen Harper.
First, you really can’t say you ‘know’ how the election will turn out … or maybe you got a tip from Harper’s makeup person, hehe. Second, I disagree with your perception of the leaders. In my mind Dion is smart and principled, whereas Harper’s a bully thug who would have been written off as just another Canadian political loser had he not eeked out a victory in ‘06. I hope that when Canadians compare them they see it how I do … but that remains to be seen.
Canadians do not want another Liberal prime minister from Quebec .. and that goes double for Quebecers who despise Dion as shown in poll after poll after poll …!!!
I would hope Canadians want a Prime Minister who is going to do the best job regardless of where they are from. I can’t speak for the people of Quebec but I would be hard pressed to level such broad generalization about them. As for the polls … they are simply snapshots and cannot be relied on for much more than a moment in time, especially once the writ is dropped. That said, if you think the recent polling favors the CRAPers I would say you are mistaken.
No wonder Liberals are avoiding another election .. they know they are heading for oblivion.
I love the Con outrage over not getting an election they so desperately want. I wonder if Harper is regretting enacting the fixed date bill. Judging by recent events it doesn’t look like things are going to get any better for them any time soon. I trust Dion to pick the best time and issue(s) to face an election over.
Not much here, tomorrow votes will turn another page. Monday’s election will start a new round of attacks. I wonder if any of the Harper women are geared up to attack Martha..H-F. not Martha Steward as Don Newman slipped in calling her. Hey even the best of us do miss our words now and then.
Harry you are getting downright annoying with your continued Conservative party line trolling here.
News Flash. Dion and the Liberals are not going to do Stephen Harper’s dirty work for him. They are not going to hand him the election that he and you and all the other Conservative trolls on this site so desperately want, an election that they can say is the Liberals fault because they brought them down.
Suck it up buddy. You will get your election after the byelections, maybe sometime in late spring or fall. Or whenever the Liberals decide is right time for them, not the right time for the Conservative party Sure it’s annoying to you and other staunch Conservative supporters, but I agree with the tactics that the Liberal party is following.
So why do we still have a gun registry?
Maybe because it has reduced gun crime!
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 7:47 am
Sorry, but it has NOT.
Not ONE SINGLE criminal HAS REGISTERED
his guns.
If anything it has made the majority of us MORE vulnerable as the purps are importing powerful automatic weapons that have ALWAYS been outlaw in Canada. Anyone who is thinking such a thing is delusional.
It is an expensive placebo designed to make city women “feal” that it will make them safer and so vote for someone.
I am truly sorry that it was a Liberal initiative but it was. And it IS a multi billion dollar boondogle.
Sorry Garth. It was before your time as a Liberal so you can NOT be blamed.
Alan rock is the jerk responsible.
Martha..H-F.
By David Bakody on 03.12.08 3:18 pm
I heard there was some political interference and she might not run.
Could be just a rumor, does she know these people?
CSH-UN.TO
By Harry S on 03.12.08 2:36 pm
Earth to Harry….not everyone who has an opinion different from yours is a Liberal. I am not undecided, because I will vote ABC.
By Markus D. on 03.12.08 3:16 pm
You tell him, Markus! Everyone else has pretty much given up, but he deserves to be challenged once in awhile.
Military orders public hearings into Afghan detainees
http://tinyurl.com/yptlud
WOW, this is huge. Is the chairman of the military police complaints commission a Taliban lover now, too?
Can’t wait to see the conservative speaking points on this one. Leasa, Catherine have you received yours, yet?
-R
An election which will likely leave the Conservatives in a minority position again will accomplish nothing.What then? Will the Liberals call for an election again? Wouldn’t dare for many years. They need to be careful that a minority does not happen and they can not guarantee that now.
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 11:16 am
So why hasn’t Harper forefilled his promise to do away with it?
You can complain all you want about $1Billion wasted, and it not preventing crime. But if Harper let it continue, there is a paradox! And the Paradox is Harper.
Fish or cut bait. Either stop whining about lost Billions, or cancel the registry!
By Harry S on 03.12.08 1:08 pm
Prime example of the brain drain!
Those students won’t give a rat’s posterior about TFSA’s when they get their first job. They’ll be too busy paying of the student debt they’ve got!
Can’t wait to see the conservative speaking points on this one. Leasa, Catherine have you received yours, yet?
-R
By Rob Wiebe on 03.12.08 3:41 pm
Love it. ROFLAO Keep up the good work Ron:)
Garth: Two “legal” points for you to consider.
1. The RESP bill passed the lower house and the Senate is now seized with the matter. Regardless of anything the CPC may now do, the matter is now in the Senate’s hands. The lower house (as far as this bill is concerned) is now functus officio (meaning their role is completed) until the bill is passed in the senate. As such, the lower house does not have the authority to deal with this bill at this time. Flaherty’s motion, even if it passes has no legal effect.
Therefore, there is no need to vote on the bill b/c it is a meaningless piece of paper with no legal effect what ever. In fact, all the opposition parties should simply abstain from the vote b/c the motion is ultravires, unenforceable in law and quite probably a contempt against parliament.
2. Flaherty’s (Harper’s) actions appear to be a contempt of parliament. As such, it may be actionable in the courts. SUE THEM!
It is an expensive placebo designed to make city women “feal” that it will make them safer and so vote for someone.
By A.R.Wainwright on 03.12.08 3:28 pm
That`s what it was sold as, to gain the womens vote, but in fact it was a huge slush fund. Money was distributed to various groups through provincial AG`s. The group I belong to found several web sites funded through the gun registry promoting hate against men in general and fathers in particular, all with bases in the pink ladies party.
During the original investigation it was thought the primary purpose was to garner the womens vote but after all the evidence was it became very clear the justice industry funded these groups to create an air of reason why we have two million fatherless children. Tax dollars distributed by the justice industry with the sole purpose of hiding their immoral, unconstitutional and most often illegal use of sole custody for profit.
You should hope you never come face to face with this beast, it`s even uglier and a lot more dangerous in real life.
Either stop whining about lost Billions, or cancel the registry!
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 4:15 pm
Harper can`t cancel the gun registry without permission of the ruling court party, the CBA
Adjective of the Day. Actual phrases used by Environment Minister John Baird in discussing climate change and the government’s approach to it. “Real results… real plan… real plan… real plan… real problem… real ideas… real plans… real results.”
And, we have to vote buyer for Del Mastro:
Heckle of the Day. “Choo! Choo!” Aimed at Conservative Dean del Mastro, whose riding was blessed with funding for a high-speed train in this month’s federal budget.
By slg on 03.12.08 9:38 am
SLG – I think you forgot the word ‘tough’. I believe he used it 11 times. I think that’s an adjective for a bully. I recall watching Birdy Baird and couldn’t help laughing at how many times he used the word. Funny, when he’s on the offensive how his face screws up – he truly looks like one of those big, bullies.
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 4:19 pm
Those students won’t give a rat’s posterior about TFSA’s when they get their first job. They’ll be too busy paying of the student debt they’ve got!
………………………………….
Correct James … and EVERYONE graduating from university for the next say 12 years will not gain any benefit from the Liberal RESP … They will be saddled with student debt and still pay higher taxes so that the future university students will be near debt free …!!!!
Perhaps your Liberals will FORGIVE all the student debt currently on the books .. some $13 Billion if I heard correctly in passing on tv. So should we send $13 Billion to China for useless Kyoto Carbon Credits for friends of the Liberals … or should your Liberals relieve all students of all debt ..??!!!
When you think of it, the Liberal RESP is quite useless for those parents who must send children to university next year and for many years to come.
Perhaps your Liberal’s RESP is just a crock of crap … ya think ..??!!!
Once again: the Opposition parties cannot run the country’s finances. They have no accountability to the state of the country’s fiscal balance.
Leasa – you really make me laugh. Most economists have stated that your darling Flim Flam has put the Canada’s finances in peril leaving next to no room should something unexpected occur. But, of course, that’s the con strategy so they can gut social programs to the benefit of big oil and big business. I hope you’ll not complain about agriculture, as you are like those in the US who supported the Repugs tho it was against their own self interest financially. But, of course, evangelism & attacking Iraq were more important.
Harry S
You don’t want a PM from Quebec ???
Well, we’ve tried one from Alberta for a couple of years and he failed. And he is still failing.
Dion is giving Harper enough rope to hang himself and all those unpleasant sheep behind him.
Harry, I can read your distress. You are not a happy camper, are you ??
The garbage you spout on a regular basis could not come from the PMO, they are not that stupid.
EVERYONE graduating from university for the next say 12 years will not gain any benefit
Harry S on 03.12.08 4:44 pm
First point on my revenue neutral three point plan is free post secondary for all low income family children starting this summer.
Perhaps Harry as the Liberals have no interest the Conservatives might be.
Judging by the amount of work/cost of the budget speech the work I`ve done is worth millions but I`ll settle for cost plus.
I am PM
PM I am;
I do not like green eggs and ham,
I won’t answer questions about Cadman;
I will not answer them in this House,
On this I’m quiet as a mouse;
I will not answer in Yellowknife,
I won’t answer questions from Bob Fife;
I will not answer in Vancouver,
Duck and hide, that’s my manoeuvre;
On that tape you’ll hear me say,
Things I can’t discuss today;
I will not answer here or there,
I will not answer anywhere!
Why won’t the press just let me be,
I will not answer can’t you see.
Please, please do not pester,
For the truth holds disaster.
I know the rule is not to lie,
But when your starn’s in a sling, I say let her ride!
courtesy of Todd Russell, Lib MP
By TS on 03.12.08 9:46 am
How right Todd is TS. Thanks for posting. Got quite a laugh out of it.
You should hope you never come face to face with this beast, it`s even uglier and a lot more dangerous in real life.
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 4:33 pm
Rope – You must really hate women. I thought you were outta here. You’re like the Everyready Bunny – you just keep on ticking & ticking & ticking. But, the commercial is so old that nobody pays attention to it.
Did I mention I will be voting for the Liberals and Mr. Dion when the government this government is defeated?
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
Is PMSH in the house tonight for the vote? I missed seein him on cpac TV.
He ducked the vote on capital punishment and came in for later financial votes. — Garth
I predict … if the Liberal MPs don’t show up tomorrow to defeat the government on the amended Budget … our MP Garth will dump the Liberal party, proclaiming them a bunch of political wimps.
Garth: “I’ve tried the Conservatives and I’ve tried the Liberals .. and both are an abomination to Canada .. and I will not try the NDP either .. maybe the Greens ..!!!!”
That will be the gist of Garth’s message to his Halton constituents who deserve better.
Good point regarding yard signs and the snow. Here it is so deep you would need snow shoes to place a sign, and then it would be 8 feet high atop the mountains in everyone’s yard.
Let’s save the $300 million. HARPER RESIGN! Let the Liberal’s form the new government, and get on with running this great country. Call the GG today!
By Bill-Muskoka on 03.12.08 2:55 pm
Bill – my BIL in Laval, PQ sent us pics Sunday. Can only see the roof of their house as they’ve had to pile the snow from their driveway & walkway onto the front lawn. DH sent him a pic of our front & back lawn the same day – not a flurry to be seen
Feel for you guys tho. Its actually snowing here now – guess we’re going to get a couple of cms. Looking very pretty, but think everyone is sick of the white stuff and hoping all the spring bulbs will soon emerge & bloom. I do enjoy the heather that’s blooming now, but it usually blooms in Feb.
Hi AToryNoMore on 03.12.08 1:57 pm
Are you being sarcastic?
I hope we never see Steven H. and his gang again!
Mr Garth TurnerMP, I now see that PMSH is in the house, on CPAC TV.
I am concerned about the lack of a healthy surplus in case of an emergency or if something comes up that no one thought of…sort of like what happens in the ordinary Canadian’s life, as someone else on this blog mentioned. To not have a good buffer is just reckless. To not be able to fund this RESP that most people see as a good idea, is sad.
By Lana on 03.12.08 1:40 pm
Lana – it was all part of the con plan so there would be nothing left if the Libs took power. Plus, it’ll just be a good excuse to cut more social programs for those that need them the most.
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
‘He ducked the vote on capital punishment and came in for later financial votes. — Garth’
I guess that’s his stile to not show Canadians his true colors, or answere question in QP on the Cadman(SP?) file,
to name just one topic.
I hope Dion picks a good time ’soon’ to kick this CONS out for good!
Wouldn’t it be nice for Canada to have a real Official Opposition – instead of this sad, blatantlly self-interested group of hapless saps?
By Oscar on 03.12.08 8:54 am
Wouldn’t it be nice Oscar to have a govt. that actually cares about the lower and middle class Cdns instead of their oil buddies and those in the White House.
DION MUST GO .. TOUTE SUITE ..!!!!!
By Harry S on 03.12.08 12:04 pm
There may be a reasonable explanation for Harry’s continuous and unusual behavior.
Harry is actually a shortened version of Harriet, a female name. Harry is madly in love with Dion, wants to scoop him into her enormous arms and whisk him off to Viagra Falls, Ont.!
This is an excellent example of what I posted to Greg at the end of Garth’s previous report — the Klingons and Borg cross-bred, and out popped CRAP!
It also could explain why Harriet constantly posts such drivel here . . . she cannot bear to be without Dion, so take two Aspirin and call Garth in your next lifetime.
It will be alright Harriet, really, it will!
——————————————————————————————————————
GARTH TURNER RULES!
AVOID HARPER’S STOOLS!
By Robert Gibbs on 03.12.08 9:23 am
Well put, Robert.
If Cdns. choose to swing back to the centre, vote Dion in then possibly the Libs. will end up moving Canada away from dubya’s tyrants.
Right now that’s where we’re headed — a brutal police state, where the very few try to control the masses through violence and other means.
Witness Stalin, Franco, Ceaucescu, Hitler, etc. — all did the same thing, and yet all ended up with one thing in common — dead.
Harper can`t cancel the gun registry without permission of the ruling court party, the CBA
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 4:35 pm
Who are the CBA?
But in anycase, cancelling the registry was one of Harper’s election promises. Surely he would have known he need the CBA’s permission.
Good grief – there goes Catherine again (watch it she’ll call me slug again). The reason the Liberals didn’t have the RESP when they were government is that Dan McTeague came up with the idea just over a year ago….duh.
I would like to see the Liberals and Greens merge – for now anyway. Give the Greens a chance in the House without risking giving Harper a majority. Wouldn’t the NDP poop their pants.
Perhaps your Liberal’s RESP is just a crock of crap … ya think ..??!!!
By Harry S on 03.12.08 4:44 pm
Nope, I think its a good idea for future students.
You do have a point about current students not benefiting. But when has any change of this nature ever been retroactive… never.
So the Libs. RESP program helps going forward, especially as the current RESP is double taxed.
Also we need to look at low income families who can’t afford RESP’s. Making them Tax deductable will help some, but not all.
So we need some form of grant system which the parents put on their taxes such that low income earners pay no tax on it, but middle and higher income earners do(so they don’t cheat!)
What do ya think?
Middle class in UK hit with further tax increases, the highest in the western world.
It really isn’t surprising to see that a good-size number of people are just plain giving up — gas prices are at least five pounds a gallon now, world-wide food shortages = higher food prices, higher taxes, mortgages going up, etc.; there isn’t that much incentive to own anything major now, simply rent.
http://tinyurl.com/32eadd
Rope – You must really hate women.
By kpn on 03.12.08 5:18 pm
You must be very insecure if you think I meant women. The beast is the justice industry. Women that are sold a false bill of goods about `children don`t need fathers` are as much a victim of the insatiable greed that youth crime creates than the children or the fathers.
Society is now paying the price as the sole custody capital of the world, Vancouver BC, hit crime rates 4 times higher than NYC while reported crime is now down to 1 in 7
How long are you going to allow the justice industry hide behind the feminists cloak while using sole custody immorally, unconstitutionally and usually illegally for profit?
The results are in as Vancouver clearly shows. The future of Cdn society has already caused international investors to lose confidence in Canada.
It`s time to create a future of hope for these children. Now either work with me to take the children out of the middle or quit reading my commercials for children.
The Conservative budgets and tax cuts have pushed the country closer to a deficit position with little room for any contingencies. So having said that, the Liberals introduce a 1 billion dollar tax cut. Sensible fiscal policy???
Report shows that dubya (and family’s) investments in The Carlisle Group aren’t doing particularly well.
Could a good reason for him to step up the war talk with Iran.
http://tinyurl.com/27mu5l
Parliamentary Decorum
On March 9, the “Sunday Edition” featured a piece entitled “Rowdy House” that dealt with the lack of decorum in the House of Commons. Lawrence Martin, columnist for the Globe and Mail, and Heather McIvor, Professor of Political Science at the University of Windsor, were interviewed to get their opinions on what is at the root of all the rancour. They identified two main factors as contributors.
The first is with respect to the Speaker of the House, Peter Milliken. Apparently the man knows his stuff and loves his job. Too much. In a role wherein the Speaker is selected by his peers, a conflict of interest is the result. Anger your peers, and risk losing the job you love as a consequence. There are mechanisms within the legislation to keep order by threatening to — and carrying out if necessary — censure and removal of any Member who gets out of hand and crosses the line. That is, if only it were enforced… There is also a requirement for a member of Government to answer the question posed to him or her by the Opposition; it’s a violation of the Standing Orders of the House to do otherwise (on that front, one need only think of the myriad of non-responses given by Peter Van Loan in answer to clear questions asked by Garth to get a feel for how effectively this requirement is being enforced). Whether the Government likes it or not, it is the role of the Opposition to keep it on the straight and narrow and to make corrections otherwise, even if that entails making the Government uncomfortable about the things that it is being asked. Unfortunately, the Speaker has not been driving that requirement home.
The second factor occurs when a Party Leader disrespects the House, its rules, its traditions and its members, since the Leader sets the tone by which members of that Leader’s respective Caucus behave. And herein we have one sterling example, our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The guests join an ever-expanding chorus of media personnel and Parliamentary observers who are not at all unequivocal at identifying Harper as the primary seed for the shoddy behaviour that has taken root in Parliament. Underlings like Van Loan and Baird epitomize its transference into Caucus. But let the guests tell you in their own words:
“I think he’s part of the problem, and there are many, many occasions when Mr. Harper, the Prime Minister, can behave appropriately — again I’m trying to be tactful here because any time I say anything like I’m about to say my computer bursts into flames with all the nasty messages in my inbox from Conservatives, I’m sure Lawrence has similar experiences, so I’m not passing judgment on Mr. Harper as a person, I’m sure he’s a lovely friend, husband and father — but there are occasions when he stands up in the House of Commons or elsewhere, and behaves in a nasty fashion. I mean I think about accusing the Liberals of caring more about the Taliban than about Canadian Forces, I think about the accusation that, I think it was Navdeep Bains, the Liberal MP of Sikh extraction, was opposing the extension of some draconian provisions in the Anti-Terrorism Act to protect a family member. I mean this is just absolutely inappropriate. And I think if a Prime Minister behaves with contempt, not just you know a little disrespect, but contempt for the institution itself and for every other Member in it, then I for one can’t really blame other people in the House for picking up on that.”
What about moving on a libel suit against the Leader of the Opposition?:
“I think that’s ludicrous. I don’t understand why anybody would feel that necessary. I mean look, the whole purpose of Parliament is to thwart the power of the Crown. You go back to the 16th, and the 17th, 18th centuries, that’s exactly what Parliament is there for. To the extent that Parliament is frustrating the Prime Minister, it’s doing its job. And if anybody who wants to become Prime Minister firmly believes that he or she is the smartest person in the room, people like that don’t tend to suffer checks gladly. But honest to heaven, a libel suit?”
“Ya, this is you know, this Prime Minister, and you’re right, the Prime Minister is the guy who sets the tone in the Commons and if he sets a civil tone, the behaviour in the Commons will be more civil. We recall that he came to power promising this new era of transparency, and yet he is as bad if not worse than Prime Minister Chretien, who could stonewall very well himself in the Commons some days, in his approach to answering questions. It’s all low road type of politics. We’re hearing in United States about Barak Obama and the new politics versus the old, well this is really, really old up here.”
http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/media/rowdy_house_se080309.ram
– OR –
http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/sundayedition_20080310_4967.mp3 [Starts at 53:10]
By Dube on 03.11.08 10:33 pm
Dube – Just listed to that interview and sent off a note to Milliken. IIRC, it mentioned a petition that somebody by the name of Bashkoff or Boshkoff had started but I’ve done a google search and can’t find anything. If you can help me, I’d really appreciate it. I sent Milliken an email in the spring. The response (via email) was that he likes to send out a written letter. I responded (via email) that if it was a stand form letter not to botter. Well, of course, I rec’d a standard form letter via Cda Post, that didn’t answer my questions. It was an expensive addition to my compost heap.
But, I’d like to get a petition going to light a fire under this do nothing S of the H.
Garth. I think this would be an interesting thread as I didn`t notice one on International Womens Day.
Rope – You must really hate women.
By kpn on 03.12.08 5:18 pm
kpn
I don`t hate women as I have no reason to. It`s a two sided affair usually over a considerable duration of time that causing tension which might be taken to hate by some participants.
In proof I offer my congratulations Cdn women. Over half of university enrollment are female and 60% of law students are female. Furthermore there are more women in the work force than any other G7 nation.
I`m am a little distressed of stories about women being held back but as far as I know there are 0 gender discrimination cases before the courts. Either that or MSM needs a wakeup call because this is an important issue to all Cdns and we can`t take stronger action unless we know the facts.
Wake up MSM
Political science students should be charged double tuition as well as law majors.
By Marc on 03.12.08 1:48 pm
Ah Marc – another science denier are ye. Surprised your comment on law majors as Harper seems to be coveting their asses.
As I wrote here last time, the option is to give Stephen Harper the election he wants and has again tried to engineer, or wait for Monday’s by-elections, and a moment of Stephane Dion’s choosing. If the end goal is the defeat of the Conservatives – not just in the House, but in a general election – then when should the last gasp come?
Garth – I’m a turtle, not a hare.
Hey, G, it says at CTV you said there is a growing level of testosterone in your party.
What kind of sexist remark IS THAT?
Gas went up to a buck twenty two.9 here a this p.m.
I like the RESP plan but….
income splitting and childcare should have come first for all governments.
It’s time for change. The war in Afghanistan is unwinnable no matter how long it is to be extended. Throwing peoples’ lives & spending our money on the pretense we’re winning the war on terrorism & helping the people of Afghanistan is a total crock! The Liberals should have the guts to say ‘no more war after the date parliament decided Canada’s committment
should come to an end in 2009!
The money being wasted on the Afghanistan Mission could help to save our planet, which in the long term is a much more logical & humanitarian project. Forget about the war on terrorism & focus on fighting the war on pollution! Yet, I’m not hearing that from Mr. Green Scarf, Stephane Dion.
I’m sure he’s a very intelligent, ethical & sweet guy, but as a leader he sucks!
If Paul Martin was called “Mr. Dithers”, then Stephand Dion should be called “Captain Dithers”!
How can Mr. Dion claim to support the ‘War in Afghanistan’, which is unwinnable, yet not support an election to take over the government of Canada & clean up the ‘opague mess’ that is now Harper’s not only broken but totally destroyed ‘transparent government’? He’s behaving like a hypocrite. He’s willing to let Canadian men & women die in Afghanistan for nothing but not leader enough to fight for his own country. It’s a very sad time for many liberals, I know, cause I’m one! I want Stephane Dion to stand up & fight for us & get his rear into gear & off the fence, NOW!
This Conservative stuff is getting juicy. Is Harper guilty or not guilty of lying about Cadman, Income Trust, etc?
Wow, I think a few investigations would be a good thing as it may force some honest answers.
The Liberals are doing the right thing by not calling an election. Let’s get these by elections out of the way. Harper seems to pile things in stacks of urgency and then wants to play his ‘bully act’ which seems to be ‘I dare you’.
Well, I think the Libs are doing the right thing by not falling for the dangling carrot and being hooked into an election until we get some honest answers from the cons.
Please, we’re ready the brown envelope full of cash! Come on down.
Do you think the Cadman family are lying about their beloved one? Hmmm, Harper thinks so.
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 3:30 pm
The way things are going in the wonderful world of politics (ha ha) you never from one minute to the next what is going to happen. Oh how I long for the good ode days when they all just seemed to just do their daily thing and no one really gave a dam until election time, even then it was never that exciting. To-day it is back biting, name calling, and scandal’s. All this while the mainstays of the roots of country such as: Health, Education and Social Justice is never spoken with any amount of seriousness debate on how to improve.
Who are the CBA?
Surely he would have known he need the CBA’s permission
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 6:16 pm
Canadian Bar Association
They control pretty much every aspect of our lives including what the PM can and cannot do.
lol, have you not noticed. Why do you think politicians, anyone in authority or associated with authority is above the law. CB has noticed, why havn`t you?
If he didn`t know he needed permission he sure knows now.
Pardon my off topic words, but many will remember when I wrote that America (GWB) better think twice about Iran. Well he has now fired Admiral Faloon (41 yrs service) for speaking out and saying it would be a bad move.
Next I mentioned Afghanistan is disaster, to-night on CBC it was hinted our troops man have to find a way out in a hurry should things turn bad……so forget the 1,000 troops and equipment, others countries know this..(British and Russians) ..so you figure it out.
MUST SEE
TAR SANDS, THE SELLING OF ALBERTA
Thursday March 13, 2008 at 9pm on CBC-TV
repeating Sunday March 16 at 8pm ET on CBC Newsworld
Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta captures the intersecting storylines of a remarkable cast of characters eager to cash in on the oil boom in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Washington lobbyists, Newfie pipefitters, Chinese investors and Norwegian industrialists descend on tar-soaked “Fort McMoney”, a modern-day Eldorado, where rents are sky rocketing and cocaine abuse is four times the provincial average. Up for grabs – a stake in a $100 billion energy bonanza and Canada’s economic sovereignty.
pipe fitting
Fitting a pipe at Fort McMurray.
See more photos of the tar sands.
This hour-length documentary, commissioned by the CBC, tracks the growth of the world’s largest reserve of ‘unconventional’ oil. This Florida-sized “environmental sacrifice zone” has become Canada’s contribution to U.S. energy security in the post-9/11 world. Yet, for many, the tar sands are a global warming disaster.
As Fort McMurray bursts at the seams, children from Thunder Bay to Cape Breton are made tar-sands orphans by their migrant-worker parents. Canada’s petrodollar breaks the back of the manufacturing economy in the East. Cancer rates skyrocket downstream of Fort McMurray while Rocky Mountain glaciers melt and disappear. And all the while, Alberta crude goes south to U.S. markets while Eastern Canada pays ever more for insecure Middle East oil.
In an isolated region of the north, Canada’s future is being carved out of the forest at a breakneck pace. Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta questions how much Canada is willing to sacrifice for a stake in this century’s greatest energy bonanza.
KPN – the man you want on the civility of the house is Ken Boshcoff, MP for Thunder Bay – Atikokan. When you meet him you will find that he is a real gentleman – a rare breed nowadays.
Hello KPN,
Not sure if this is the fellow in question, but you might want to start here:
Ken Boshcoff, Liberal MP, Thunder Bay–Rainy River, Ontario
But judging by this Lawrence Martin article, I’m guessing he’s the one:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/GIS.Servlets.HTMLTemplate?current_row=9&tf=tgam/search/tgam/SearchFullStory.html&cf=tgam/search/tgam/SearchFullStory.cfg&configFileLoc=tgam/config&encoded_keywords=lawrence+martin&option=&start_row=9&start_row_offset
By Harry S on 03.12.08 2:36 pm
Surely you understand the concept of having a surplus, or reserves, as a buffer–whether it is for a household, a business, or a government.
Perhaps there should be a law that any government, whether Conservative or Liberal, has to always have a minimum surplus at all times. What that surplus (I prefer the word “reserves” is, I have no idea. Perhaps the Liberal surplus was a bit high, but I would rather have it too high than too low.
I work in a non-profit, and we have a policy to always have some reserves on hand.
I would like to know more about the E.I. money (surplus?) that this government is playing around with, but it is over my head. Would someone (not Harry) explain it to me? (not Leasa either).
David Bakody on 03.12.08 7:59 pm
JFK and a local event started my interest in international politics and the economy but my earliest interest in Cdn politics came from the fuddle duddle finger and then the ongoing scams that seem to be in competition to out do the last.
If it was wine and cheese before that I guess I missed the good times.
Reckless, mean-spirited, partisan without limit
France Russell
Updated: March 12, 2008 at 02:00 AM CDT
Competent. Transparent. Accountable. Clean. Stephen Harper’s Conservatives want these adjectives automatically to spring to mind whenever you think of them.
Then along comes “NAFTAGate,” the Chuck Cadman affair, capital punishment and censorship.
Suddenly, new adjectives suggest themselves: Incompetent. Closed. Untrustworthy. Soiled.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/columnists/top3/story/4141136p-4732354c.html
They forgot liar , scandals ,and bribe.Those words are now part of the Tory brandname now as well.
Canadian Bar Association
They control pretty much every aspect of our lives including what the PM can and cannot do.
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 8:00 pm
Yep…. Nero was off his rocker too.
I don`t hate women as I have no reason to. It`s a two sided affair usually over a considerable duration of time that causing tension which might be taken to hate by some participants.
In proof I offer my congratulations Cdn women. Over half of university enrollment are female and 60% of law students are female. Furthermore there are more women in the work force than any other G7 nation.
I`m am a little distressed of stories about women being held back but as far as I know there are 0 gender discrimination cases before the courts. Either that or MSM needs a wakeup call because this is an important issue to all Cdns and we can`t take stronger action unless we know the facts.
Wake up MSM
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 7:01 pm
Rope – Sorry but you come across that way to me atleast. Now that Stevie has abanded the Court Challenges Program, its less likely that there will be any discrimination challenges.
‘m a woman and have been one of those women who were paid less than their male equivalent since day 1 of my working life (males have to support families was the excuse given – Eatons), worked long hours to create a union for secretaries (now Foreign Affairs) within the Fed Govt & was thwarted at every turn. (I and my compatriats were moved to a dept. where we were not allowed to promote or take part in any union activities). Well, after a 2 year battle we finally succeeded. Our dear Foreign Svc. officers with all their perks and shady under-the-table deals were unionized. I could tell you lots of stories about some of those ex-Foreign Service people who have been in the news as I worked for many of them. A couple I respect, but most of them I would spit on. I worked 26 yrs with the Prov. Govt. and I know about the Peter Principle – only they created ‘Special Project’ positions for them until they could retire with big pensions. I’m so glad I’m retired now. I’ll still fight for the Canada that I want and its not Stevie’s vision by any means. Off chemo now – my poor bod can’t take any more – and hope I’ll have the physical energy to help out when the writ comes down.
Sorry for the rant – but IMHO, even tho the Libs did bad in 13 years in power, the Cons have proven to be far worse in just 2+ years. So much for their accountability and transparency platform.
I think Rick Mercer has it right in his blog for this week. I hope Harper sues Dion and Stevie has to pay his own legal bills. Could the whole thing hinge on what the meaning of “life insurance policy” is? There certainly is little doubt of a financial “bribe”.
http://www.rickmercer.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/11/A-Banner-Week
Well what a great week in Ottawa, hey. And by “great” I mean “filled with scandal.” There was a new one every day, most of them involving the Prime Minister. Jack Layton was on Lou Dobbs for God sakes! You don’t see that every day.
But if I had to pick my favourite scandal it would have to be the Cadman affair. Did the Conservative party offer Chuck Cadman, a Member of Parliament who was dying, a million-dollar life insurance policy in exchange for his vote? Because that’s what his widow says. But you don’t have to take her word for it – Stephen Harper is on a tape saying yes, financial considerations were offered to a dying man. Well, if you buy the adage that where there’s smoke there’s fire, there’s so much smoke coming out of this sucker, you can see it on Google Maps.
And so what’s the Prime Minister say now? Forget my voice on the tape, the only thing we offered Chuck Cadman was a chance to join the Conservative Party. Stephen, no offense, but that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Could you imagine if you were on your deathbed and a couple of Tories came over to your house to try to buy you off, and they offered you a membership in the Conservative Party? Because, apparently, a lot of people on their deathbed think, “I wish I spent more time with the Tories.”
And so what’s Harper’s reaction once the opposition started asking questions? He’s suing. He’s suing the leader of the opposition. Never before in the history of Canadian democracy has a Prime Minister sued the leader of the opposition. But that’s what Harper’s doing. Suddenly he’s like that guy on TV from upstate New York who will sue anyone anytime for anything. His coffee’s too hot – he will sue. Ask him a question outside of Question Period – he will sue. A lawsuit by the way that’s gonna cost taxpayers millions and millions of dollars. Our money being spent to ensure the Prime Minister won’t answer any questions that should be answered.
Yes, it’s been a crazy week and it could also be a tipping point. Because Stephen Harper has always had one ace in the hole: his reputation as a straight shooter. Well you can wave that goodbye; because when it comes to preserving reputations, Conrad Black had a better week.
Not ONE SINGLE criminal HAS REGISTERED
his guns.
By A.R.Wainwright on 03.12.08 3:28 pm
Wasn’t one of the guns used to kill 4 Mounties registered? Isn’t that why the owner of said gun is being charged with assisting the guy that actually killed the Mounties.
Define criminal? Its not just the drug pushing bums on the streets. But of course they are the “squeeky wheel” that gets all the attention.
As I said, stop complaining about wasted Billions. If the registry is so bad, why is this government contradicting itself by leaving it in place, and no doubt, continuing to fund it?
From CTV — CRAP are expected to survive two confidence votes this week.
http://tinyurl.com/38my7e
By A.R.Wainwright on 03.12.08 3:28 pm
Great entry, the money spent is a total waste, we are no more safe than before the registry. It is nothing more than tracking duck hunters and target shooters, in order to tackle crime we must use what laws are already in place to jail gun offenders for serious time. If this gun registry is allowed to exist it will only continue to play into the hands of black marketing from the US inventory and the back ally machine shop. Gun ownership should be controlled and it can be done thru point of sale, and education. My observation is that the majority of younger people are losing interest in guns any way.
“Well, it’s only paper money”
By Charles Oxley on 03.12.08 12:53 am
Yes it`s only paper but ABC Paper is more than money, it`s the smoldering flame under the Cdn economy.
Check out Chartwell. Invested in the states at a below par dollar last year and this year ABCP is out of the bag.
Should I give a futuristic look at this company? Naa, why take the entertainment out of traders lives.
CSH-UN.TO
By Nero Fiddles on 03.12.08 1:48 pm
——————————–
Seniors housing, so will not qualify as a REIT under the government’s legislation. We’ll become a business trust with a 4-year tax holiday. Operations seem to continually be a difficulty for the sector.
Another victim of the fraud from taxing income trusts with thanks from P.M. Harper and his hencheman Flaherty.
TAR SANDS THE SELLING OF ALBERTA
Just another propaganda production by the CBC supported by the very jealous eastern Liberal/NDP gang. Alberta desperately needs to separate and rid itself of the “sky is falling” socialists. It can’t come soon enough!!
Hello KPN,
Not sure if this is the fellow in question, but you might want to start here:
Ken Boshcoff, Liberal MP, Thunder Bay–Rainy River, Ontario
But judging by this Lawrence Martin article, I’m guessing he’s the one:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/GIS.Servlets.HTMLTemplate?current_row=9&tf=tgam/search/tgam/SearchFullStory.html&cf=tgam/search/tgam/SearchFullStory.cfg&configFileLoc=tgam/config&encoded_keywords=lawrence+martin&option=&start_row=9&start_row_offset
By Dube on 03.12.08 8:53 pm
Thanks Dube – I’ll look into this tomorrow. Did I say I sent off another email to Milliken this eve talking about this program? I know, it’ll be to no avail – another standard email response followed by another letter for my compost heap. Adds to the carbon input.
Thanks also William Laidlaw for your response.
Eh God, can’t believe my typos.
Have things to do tomorrow but will try and see what I can do re Milliken petition. Hopefully my DH, who is technically savvy (sorry used GWB’s description of Queen E) can point me in the right direction.
Nite all from a winter wonderland.
Here you go Lana, long read and you can do more research from there.
http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2008/02/27/the-new-employment-insurance-fund/
I like the RESP plan but….
income splitting and childcare should have come first for all governments.
By Sara Landriault
Well, well, well, Sara likes the RESP plan, income splitting, childcare , in fact any government program or plan, as long as someone else is picking up the tab. She’s Garth’s kind of gal. And what she has in common with the rest of Garth’s demographic is an aversion to taking financial responsibility for their lives. You’ve accomplished a rare feat, Mr. Turner: making Harper and flim flam Flaherty look good.
Yep…. Nero was off his rocker too.
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 9:23 pm
Yep…. Nero was off his rocker too.
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 9:23 pm
Who created 2 million fatherless children contradicting every study on children on the planet? How much profit have they made and why are there 50% more lawyers in the sole custody capital of Canada, BC than doctors?
Who told Parliament they had to dismiss the democratic rights of the majority and it`s right there on the wall in white and white?
Who ruled fathers have no rights?
Who ruled child porn has merit?
Who says PAS is junk science?
Who funded the hate groups?
I could go on for a very long time but the answer certainly isn`t the PM or Parliament.
Obviously you`ve never come face to face with the beast and can`t see the droppings in front of your face. Do you really think our elected federal government is rated as one of the most corrupt governments in the free world?
Have you wondered why when we have raw resources at the back door of our factories while the worlds best customer is at the front giving us an advantage that we should be profitable at $1.10 US but can`t get a dime of investment.
I`ve I`m off my rocker and you`re not please leave me where I am. I couldn`t handle the insanity of your world.
CSH-UN.TO
Seniors housing, so will not qualify as a REIT under the government’s legislation. We’ll become a business trust with a 4-year tax holiday. Operations seem to continually be a difficulty for the sector.
Another victim of the fraud from taxing income trusts
By don bool on 03.12.08 9:43 pm
Peel back the layers and you won`t be so disappointed. It won`t go to an international takeover, most of the investment is international already.
The scheme looks an awful lot like a pyramid scheme and judged by some of the investors it looks like they got caught in a lot more than a lost promise of REIT.
It`ll be interesting to see how many Cdn companies have poor investments tied up in ABCP
Garth
Why not tell Flaherty that he can use all of that new tax revenue from the double taxation of income trusts to finance the RESP deduction?
TAR SANDS THE SELLING OF ALBERTA
Just another propaganda production by the CBC supported by the very jealous eastern Liberal/NDP gang. Alberta desperately needs to separate and rid itself of the “sky is falling” socialists. It can’t come soon enough!!
By MJH on 03.12.08 9:43 pm
**************************************
Facts:
Calgary population: 3.29 mil (2006) Heritage (oil fund) $14.3 Billion
Norway population: 4.6 mil (2005) Pension (oil fund) $376 Billion (2007)
Alaska population: 670,000 (2006) Permanent Fund (oil fund) $37.8 Billion http://www.apfc.org/
You’ve sold all the furniture(oil)in a yard sale (Big Oil Corp) and the house is now on fire (environment).
“So there is still the opportunity for Alberta to follow Norway’s lead and fulfill that bumper-sticker pledge from the early 1980s: Lord, give us another big boom and we promise not to throw it away this time”.
Sources:
Stupid to the Last Drop: How Alberta Is Bringing Environmental Armageddon to Canada (And Doesn’t Seem to Care)
William Marsden
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20071008_110103_110103&source=srch
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/realitycheck/sheppard/20060324.html
MJH…Our doors always open when you run out of money, clean air, water, food and oil. Oh and BTW with Baird’s new bill I hear BigOil is crying for more subsidizes to capture the carbon..but hey you guys are used to pissing the wealth away!
Wasn’t one of the guns used to kill 4 Mounties registered? Isn’t that why the owner of said gun is being charged with assisting the guy that actually killed the Mounties.
By James- Chatham on 03.12.08 9:30 pm
I hope this example isn`t what you based your assumption the gun registry saved lives on.
On the flip side the hate pages the gun registry sponsored gave the courts an excuse to separate the children from a parent. In all likelihood this caused a few parents to go crazy leading to an increase in deaths.
None of this matters as it wasn`t about saving lives, it`s a slush fund, where did 19`s of millions more go???? Where`s the public inquiry? I guess Harper couldn`t get permission from the CBA to investigate the CBA
Come to think of it the RESP(McTeague’s) is the right thing at the right moment.
30+ Canadians, those who vote for the CPC will welcome it since many of them have children or grandchildren who plan to go to University.
Now that we have millions of Baby Boomers retiring they cannot wait to help their children and grandchildren even if only with a few hundred dollars per year. They won’t worry about the taxes unless they are real cheapskates.
Who knows, Uncles and Aunts will want to pitch in with a helping hand.
Even if Parents can squeeze $ 1000 or $ 2000 per year their children will be helped.
I think it is a great idea. Dan and The Hon Stephane Dion should be proud of this initiative. I am sure that secretly Harper is very disappointed with Flaherty who was not smart enough to come up with a winner like the RESP.
But killing it is going a bit too far !!!!!
kpn on 03.12.08 9:24 pm
no worries. I don`t mind clarifying or just stating my position. I know there are still some problems with equality.
Many years ago I invited every womens I could find to join our group to at least follow along, wow, I was attacked from both sides but we`ve worked our way through most of it.
I`m sure they have been more than a few times that exploding the myths made me look bias. Fact is and I`m too busy trying to get the children out of the middle.
By Henry on 03.12.08 7:41 am
Ya just imagine another Liberal government. Money for Infrastructure, (CONS canceled the GST gas tax being used) Kelowna Accord, (Strahl refused to rebuild a school for first nations that was destroyed by fire) Early Childhood development (Harper replace with beer & popcorn money)real programs to fight greenhouse gases (Harper canceled all the Liberal Kyoto programs that really would have made a difference and replaced them with nothing)and so much more.
TAR SANDS THE SELLING OF ALBERTA
Just another propaganda production by the CBC supported by the very jealous eastern Liberal/NDP gang. Alberta desperately needs to separate and rid itself of the “sky is falling” socialists. It can’t come soon enough!!
By MJH on 03.12.08 9:43 pm
Whats the matter MJH? Does the truth hurt? Do you really think CBC is spewing propaganda just because the truth doesn’t mesh within your narrow mind? I guess I should remind you that you’ll have to get passed a lot of Albertans who see things differently than you rednecks do. Put that through a referendum & see how far you’ll get. There are plenty of Albertans that consider themselves a part of Canada & wish to remain Canadian so don’t start with threats again. If you really want to separate, leave already. True Albertans really don’t need the likes of your bunch. Adious
Henry even with the RESP plan my parents could not have saved to send me to school. I could have gone to school with OSAP but instead I became a full time mother. No one is paying me to do this, yet I am paying others for them to parent. Also we’re paying more taxes than them, so how is that fair? In this case someone else who picks up the tab is ME…. so yah I like the RESP I just don’t think it is the right time yet. Kids need to be fed first then education. Do you know what it is like to go to school hungry? I do…
By Sara Landriault on 03.13.08 8:51 am
Yep, I too, walked five miles to school, uphill both ways, every day.
True Albertans really don’t need the likes of your bunch. Adious
By Irene on 03.13.08 1:49 am
You`re a little off track on a couple of points Irene.
First it`s not Canada that`s the problem, it`s our elected federal government.
Second, legally we don`t need a referendum, only a little of intent from the Premiers.
Third, Not just CBC but all the Cdn media is bought and paid for by government which is why, case in point the very serious story that teen drug use in the US is down while ours is way up isn`t covered.
After 40 years of little or no work with hundreds of millions being mis-spend or outright stolen the federal government is an obvious failure. The future of Canada as a whole looks so bad international investors left years ago. It`s not Cdns, it`s the government that`s at fault.
Central Canada has been steering the hip through all of this so if it comes to manning the life boats or going down with the ship a lot of westerners will be on the boats.
We`ve extended our concerns for many years finally coming up with the motto `reform or else`. To date we`ve not been supported in our efforts to make Canada the country it could be but instead we get the same squabbles. We`ve even gone so far as to suggest an alternate form of federal governance that while some have concerns about anything would be better than what we`ve had for decades. The choice is reform or else and it`s currently your choice.
Economic conditions will soon make the choice for all of us and I can guarantee the west will be in the lifeboats. If you wait till the 2009 election date it`ll be all over but if that`s your choice fine, you know what ours is.
If I may suggest your easterners should start thinking about what you`re going to do and what a change of ad agencies will do.
Now that you have a better understanding of where the majority of westerners stand take your mind off us and look out over the bows, and decide what you`re going to do, because the rocks are just a short way ahead.
Yep, I too, walked five miles to school, uphill both ways, every day.
By Johnny on 03.13.08 10:30 am
I live in a house so small my dog has to wag its tail up and down.
Closer to October 2009!!
Closer to October 2009!!
Ken on 03.13.08 12:19 pm
Harpers secret agenda will be in play by then.
It costs $300M for an election. By the summer of 2009 Canada will be so broke we won`t be able to afford one so Parliament will pass an Act to extend the date by 2 years.
Although that`s tongue in cheek the credit card shoe is falling and regardless of the size of the parachute it`ll still hit with a mighty thud.
Cdn comedy, slender thread of truth wrapped in the absurd.
Henry even with the RESP plan my parents could not have saved to send me to school. By Sara Landriault
Yes, precisely my point. This was partly due to the fact that their taxes were too high because they had to subsidize RRSPs, capital gains preferential treatment, investment income preferential treatment, the income trust, income splitting programs of the day, all of those schemes the McTeagues and Turners of the day wanted to implement, schemes that rob Peter of his hard earned dollar in order to pay Paul. And instead of rectifying the problem, you and Garth just want to add yet more of the same. There are lots of jobs out there. Get one.
“Fife said Harper feels his reputation, integrity, and the honour of his family is at stake, and he is seeking a court-ordered apology and compensation from the Liberal party.”
Garth, can you pls. devote a post to this? I want to know who is paying, how long it will take etc. If taxpayers are paying, is there a way we can REFUSE?
Based on Gomery saying the Cons are not even supporting DEMOCRACY.
As for Harper and his family’s reputation, they already have one, why should WE pay for another? What about Cadman’s widow/children’s reputation, isn’t that much much more important?
And instead of rectifying the problem, you and Garth just want to add yet more of the same. There are lots of jobs out there. Get one. Henry…
Kiss my ass I have a job raising the next generation!
Henry if your all in for less tax then why not go for income splitting. FACT is single income families pay more tax than double income families! Fair is fair unless you live in Canada and we have people like Henry voting.
Garth, where was the testosterone I was looking forward to today? I was disappointed the cons didn’t fall over the RESP thing today.
And as for Henry, the real reason the conservatives don’t want the RESP to pass is simply because the only thing Harper has to be scared of is an educated electorate. Conservatives would rather people just “get a job” without the education, which usually means, “work for low wages for someone else, shut up and don’t ask questions”.
Strahl refused to rebuild a school for first nations that was destroyed by fire)
By Emilie on 03.12.08 11:56 pm
Actually Em, it was built on a contaminated land site and had to be shut down. Eight years ago, the federal government promised to build a new school. However, they do not want just a simple school, they are demanding a $30 million building. We give FN $14 billion a year. Do you not think it is time that they started accounting for this money and that we actually get the power to MAKE them spend some of it on the people of FN?
I do. Leasa
Garth you have been predicting the down fall of the Government for two years. I will give my congratulations now because one of these times you will be right unless Dion decides that the voters do not want an election until Oct 2009 or the polls still show the Liberals stuck at around 29% as they have been for the most part for the last two years.
I’ve been a Liberal for only one year. But with you, facts lose relevance. — Garth
Kiss my ass I have a job raising the next generation!By Sara Landriault on 03.13.08 7:06 pm
Good one, Sara!
Do you know what it is like to go to school hungry? I do…By Sara Landriault on 03.13.08 8:51 am
Too many children go to school hungry, or go to school with fast-food lunches, and come home to an empty house because there isn’t a stay-at-home parent. While I know lots of people have to have two incomes, like my parents did, my daughter and her husband made sacrifices so she could stay home. They are also saving for their children’s university education. Both teenagers work part-time, help save for their tuition, get great grades, and are well-rounded. I think that has a lot to do with having a stay-at-home parent.
The family was looking forward to the RESP to help them out. Hopefully, it will come back, once the Conservatives have “left the building”.
I’ve been a Liberal for only one year. But with you, facts lose relevance. — Garth
It sure feels like two years. So I was out by a year. Big deal. I guess I am learning from you about exaggerating.
Boy those Liberals sure are principled.
By Reid on 03.14.08 10:36 am
Yep, Reid, much more so than your cons who’ve gutted the surplus to just $2B so that any govt. – ie. the Libs, when they next get into power, have they’re hands tied. And, all because your cons have been shut out of govt. for so many year and now are seething with hatred of the Libs. You just have to look at Baird’s and Van Loon’s twisted faces. They are like children who are having a tantrum. I know, because I had them as an adolescent and my Mother would take a wet facecloth and rub it on my face to settle me down. Worked for me. Obviously their Mom’s weren’t as smart and they’re still suffering from tantrums.