Today the Liberals decided that it was better to have a reinvigorated Bloc then a Conservative Government. The Liberals have chosen a chance at power over the good of the country. How Liberal of them.
They did this by attempting to remind voters of the Conservative position on the Iraq war way back in 2003.
The plagiarism was only the distraction, the way to grab media headlines. The real reason for this release was part of the Liberal's attempt to link Bush and Harper.
They have done this with this plagiarism, attack ads, and now a new website. Not to mention many hours of pundits on the speaking tours.
We principled Conservatives know this is absolute crap, Paul Martin (former Liberal PM), David Pratt (former Liberal Defence Minister, and Michael Ignatieff (deputy Liberal Leader) all professed support for the Iraq war at one time or the other. The media is not doing a good job reminding voters of this.
I find this disgusting, not just from a partisan point of view either. These attacks, the attempted linking of Harper and Bush will be most effective in Quebec. And where will the Conservative vote go in Quebec? To the Bloc.
That's right, the Liberal Party would rather have a strengthened Bloc then a strong federalist party with seats all across Canada at the head of a government. The Liberal party has put their interests ahead of the countries. Anything to try and return to power. How very Liberal of them.
We're better off with Harper.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Attack of the Liberals
This is hardly surprising, the new Liberal attack ad is trying to connect Bush and Harper. This is the same strategy that the Liberals have used for several elections. What is scary is that it always works.
I hope it fails this time, I really do.
In other Liberal attacks, what is (now) old news is the plagiarism charge leveled by the dishonourable Bob Rae. What a sad state of affairs. The staffer responsible has now resigned, but, my theory is that it was never about the actual plagiarism.
The plagiarism was simply the burning drink going down the throat rotting the gut out of the Conservative campaign, the media attention grabber. Really, the Liberals are more interested in the bitter aftertaste they are hoping to plant by stealth.
This bitter aftertaste is the linking of Harper to Bush and the "coalition of the willing", and the bringing up of old wounds over Iraq. I think this was the real goal of this whole episode.
Link this attack with the new Liberal attack ad and it all comes together. Bereft of any actual policies that Canadians can buy into, the Liberals simply resort to their old pathetic smears. Using the leader of our greatest ally and largest trading partner to smear a good and honest man, a politician that puts country before the polls, something the Liberals will never do.
The Liberals are pathetic, down in the polls, their chance at power slipping through their slimy green fingers they return to their old stomping grounds, smearing Harper with Bush.
We're better off with Harper.
I hope it fails this time, I really do.
In other Liberal attacks, what is (now) old news is the plagiarism charge leveled by the dishonourable Bob Rae. What a sad state of affairs. The staffer responsible has now resigned, but, my theory is that it was never about the actual plagiarism.
The plagiarism was simply the burning drink going down the throat rotting the gut out of the Conservative campaign, the media attention grabber. Really, the Liberals are more interested in the bitter aftertaste they are hoping to plant by stealth.
This bitter aftertaste is the linking of Harper to Bush and the "coalition of the willing", and the bringing up of old wounds over Iraq. I think this was the real goal of this whole episode.
Link this attack with the new Liberal attack ad and it all comes together. Bereft of any actual policies that Canadians can buy into, the Liberals simply resort to their old pathetic smears. Using the leader of our greatest ally and largest trading partner to smear a good and honest man, a politician that puts country before the polls, something the Liberals will never do.
The Liberals are pathetic, down in the polls, their chance at power slipping through their slimy green fingers they return to their old stomping grounds, smearing Harper with Bush.
We're better off with Harper.
Greenpeace and Sierra Club advocate voting Bloc
“If you look at the record of the four other political parties – the NDP, the Greens, the Liberals and the Bloc [Québécois] – they're all substantially better than the positions of the Conservatives,” said Stephen Hazell, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada.
Good job Greenpeace and Sierra Club, let's vote for the Bloc so they can destroy the country.
Of course both Greenpeace and Sierra Club have strong ties to other left wing parties that would benefit from this advocacy.
In 2004, Mr. Cox was the campaign director for the NDP in Jack Layton's first campaign as party leader. Shortly after that election, Mr. Cox took up a new position with Greenpeace.
Mr. Hazell took over as executive director of Sierra Club after the position was vacated by Elizabeth May, who entered politics to become leader of the Green Party.
And then there is the issue of third party election law. It would seem like both Greenpeace and Sierra Club are in violation of third party election laws.
Neither Greenpeace nor Sierra Club are registered third parties. Since Sierra Club and Greenpeace are opposing a registered party should they not have to be registered?
I also wonder if they have resolutions permitting them to intervene in the election? According to Elections Canada, corporations must have explicit permission from their governing bodies prior to intervening in the election campaign. Sierra Club has a governing body, it is less clear about Greenpeace.
If the third party is a trade union, corporation or other entity with a governing body, the application for registration must include a copy of the resolution passed by its governing body authorizing it to incur election advertising expenses.
A third party is defined by the Elections Act as such:
"the transmission to the public by any means during an election period of an advertising message that promotes or opposes a registered party or the election of a candidate, including one that takes a position on an issue with which a registered party or candidate is associated."
Now technically, a news conference doesn't count as third party advertising -- to me, this seems like a big loophole -- but both Greenpeace and Sierra Club have their campaigns on their websites, their don't vote Conservative campaigns. Now, I am not a lawyer but this seems like it is in contravention of the Election Act. It is on commercial websites.
Anybody out there have any insight into these issues around third party election laws?
We're better off with Harper.
Good job Greenpeace and Sierra Club, let's vote for the Bloc so they can destroy the country.
Of course both Greenpeace and Sierra Club have strong ties to other left wing parties that would benefit from this advocacy.
In 2004, Mr. Cox was the campaign director for the NDP in Jack Layton's first campaign as party leader. Shortly after that election, Mr. Cox took up a new position with Greenpeace.
Mr. Hazell took over as executive director of Sierra Club after the position was vacated by Elizabeth May, who entered politics to become leader of the Green Party.
And then there is the issue of third party election law. It would seem like both Greenpeace and Sierra Club are in violation of third party election laws.
Neither Greenpeace nor Sierra Club are registered third parties. Since Sierra Club and Greenpeace are opposing a registered party should they not have to be registered?
I also wonder if they have resolutions permitting them to intervene in the election? According to Elections Canada, corporations must have explicit permission from their governing bodies prior to intervening in the election campaign. Sierra Club has a governing body, it is less clear about Greenpeace.
If the third party is a trade union, corporation or other entity with a governing body, the application for registration must include a copy of the resolution passed by its governing body authorizing it to incur election advertising expenses.
A third party is defined by the Elections Act as such:
"the transmission to the public by any means during an election period of an advertising message that promotes or opposes a registered party or the election of a candidate, including one that takes a position on an issue with which a registered party or candidate is associated."
Now technically, a news conference doesn't count as third party advertising -- to me, this seems like a big loophole -- but both Greenpeace and Sierra Club have their campaigns on their websites, their don't vote Conservative campaigns. Now, I am not a lawyer but this seems like it is in contravention of the Election Act. It is on commercial websites.
Anybody out there have any insight into these issues around third party election laws?
We're better off with Harper.
The Liberals go long, very long
All the way back to 2003 for their latest attack on Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Bob Rae, one of the leading contenders to replace Dion when the Liberals lose launched this attack on Harper today:
Rae released transcripts and videos of both speeches and suggested they serve as evidence that a vote for the Conservatives is akin to voting for a "Republican-Conservative" government.
Rae, the Liberal foreign affairs critic, also said the revelation raises questions about whether Harper's foreign policy views can be trusted.
"How does a leader in Canada's Parliament, on such a crucial issue, end up giving almost the exact same speech as any another country's leader, let alone a leader who was a key member of George W. Bush's Coalition of the Willing?" Rae said in a statement.
Are you kidding me? So the Liberals have added another plank to their attacks, anti-Americanism. Trying to tie Harper to the coalition of the willing. The coalition of the willing that included most of the western English speaking world.
Is the Liberal Party really that desperate to not implode that this is what they come up with? The Liberal Party has sunk to a new low.
Since I am sure Stephane Dion didn't want to get his hands dirty with this muckraking, I still have to wonder why Michael Ignatieff didn't deliver this speech?
Oh yeah, Michael Ignatieff supported the invasion of Iraq.
The discovery that Hussein didn't have weapons after all surprises me, but it doesn't change my view of the essential issue. I never thought the key question was what weapons he actually possessed but rather what intentions he had. Having been to Halabja in 1992, and having talked to survivors of the chemical attack that killed 5,000 Iraqi Kurds in March 1988, I believed that while there could be doubt about Hussein's capabilities, there could be none about the malignancy of his intentions. True, there are a lot of malignant intentions loose in our world, but Hussein had actually used chemical weapons. Looking to the future, once sanctions collapsed, inspectors had been bamboozled and oil revenues began to pick up, he was certain, sooner or later, to match intentions with capabilities.
...
I still do not believe that American or British leaders misrepresented Hussein's intentions or lied about the weapons they believed he possessed. In his new memoirs, Hans Blix makes it clear that he and his fellow U.N. inspectors thought Hussein was hiding something, and every intelligence service they consulted thought so too.
But that is different, Michael Ignatieff is a Liberal. Or something.
Michael Ignatieff supported the Iraq invasion, he kept supporting the Iraq invasion for years afterward. He only stopped supporting the Iraq invasion when it became an impediment for his quest for the Liberal leadership.
Michael Ignatieff stopped living by his principles when he started his quest of the Liberal leadership. How very Liberal of him.
We're better off with Harper.
Bob Rae, one of the leading contenders to replace Dion when the Liberals lose launched this attack on Harper today:
Rae released transcripts and videos of both speeches and suggested they serve as evidence that a vote for the Conservatives is akin to voting for a "Republican-Conservative" government.
Rae, the Liberal foreign affairs critic, also said the revelation raises questions about whether Harper's foreign policy views can be trusted.
"How does a leader in Canada's Parliament, on such a crucial issue, end up giving almost the exact same speech as any another country's leader, let alone a leader who was a key member of George W. Bush's Coalition of the Willing?" Rae said in a statement.
Are you kidding me? So the Liberals have added another plank to their attacks, anti-Americanism. Trying to tie Harper to the coalition of the willing. The coalition of the willing that included most of the western English speaking world.
Is the Liberal Party really that desperate to not implode that this is what they come up with? The Liberal Party has sunk to a new low.
Since I am sure Stephane Dion didn't want to get his hands dirty with this muckraking, I still have to wonder why Michael Ignatieff didn't deliver this speech?
Oh yeah, Michael Ignatieff supported the invasion of Iraq.
The discovery that Hussein didn't have weapons after all surprises me, but it doesn't change my view of the essential issue. I never thought the key question was what weapons he actually possessed but rather what intentions he had. Having been to Halabja in 1992, and having talked to survivors of the chemical attack that killed 5,000 Iraqi Kurds in March 1988, I believed that while there could be doubt about Hussein's capabilities, there could be none about the malignancy of his intentions. True, there are a lot of malignant intentions loose in our world, but Hussein had actually used chemical weapons. Looking to the future, once sanctions collapsed, inspectors had been bamboozled and oil revenues began to pick up, he was certain, sooner or later, to match intentions with capabilities.
...
I still do not believe that American or British leaders misrepresented Hussein's intentions or lied about the weapons they believed he possessed. In his new memoirs, Hans Blix makes it clear that he and his fellow U.N. inspectors thought Hussein was hiding something, and every intelligence service they consulted thought so too.
But that is different, Michael Ignatieff is a Liberal. Or something.
Michael Ignatieff supported the Iraq invasion, he kept supporting the Iraq invasion for years afterward. He only stopped supporting the Iraq invasion when it became an impediment for his quest for the Liberal leadership.
Michael Ignatieff stopped living by his principles when he started his quest of the Liberal leadership. How very Liberal of him.
We're better off with Harper.
Another "prominent" Liberal claims Canada is in deficit, lies about income tax
Garth Turner, a self-proclaimed communications expert claims on his blog that Canada is in deficit.
... spend more than Liberals, to reduce a surplus to a deficit,...
Garth Turner. Is. Dead. Wrong.
Repeat after me:
Canada is not in deficit.
Canada is not in deficit.
Canada is not in deficit.
Let's talk about this "massive" spending increases. As I have already talked about here, you can see that most of the increased spending is in transfers to the provinces and territories. The finance department is now projecting about a 3 billion dollar surplus, a slight increase from the 2.3 billion originally forecast.
If you don't believe, what about what the Globe and Mail said?
Substantial increases in transfers to the provinces have meant that provincial budgets are now far healthier, and federal-provincial bickering has dropped to a dull roar.
Garth, are you against increased transfers to the province to improve health care and education? Would you prefer that the Government of Canada keeps those billions to spend in March Madness and instead force the provinces and territories to raise it from increased taxes?
Jim Stanford, economist for the Canadian Auto Workers conceded that "Our schools and our hospitals are in better shape than they would have been otherwise,".
The lowered corporate tax cuts (that the NDP wants to take away) have helped Canada's corporations remain competitive.
The last round of tax cuts, announced last November, were particularly well timed to help stimulate a flagging economy.
Garth goes onto to lay out another whopper out when he claims that "Income taxes have not come down a dime since Harper came to power. In fact, he raised them in his first budget.".
You sir, are deliberately lying.
This government has lowered the income tax paid to the government for all Canadians, in the 2007 fall fiscal update income tax reductions have occurred or were scheduled:
Lowering personal income taxes for all taxpayers, which, together with the GST reduction, provides almost $20 billion in tax relief to individuals over the next two years. It will do this through:
So Garth, can we expect an apology from you regarding your misleading and outright lies contained in your blog post?
We're better off with Harper.
... spend more than Liberals, to reduce a surplus to a deficit,...
Garth Turner. Is. Dead. Wrong.
Repeat after me:
Canada is not in deficit.
Canada is not in deficit.
Canada is not in deficit.
Let's talk about this "massive" spending increases. As I have already talked about here, you can see that most of the increased spending is in transfers to the provinces and territories. The finance department is now projecting about a 3 billion dollar surplus, a slight increase from the 2.3 billion originally forecast.
If you don't believe, what about what the Globe and Mail said?
Substantial increases in transfers to the provinces have meant that provincial budgets are now far healthier, and federal-provincial bickering has dropped to a dull roar.
Garth, are you against increased transfers to the province to improve health care and education? Would you prefer that the Government of Canada keeps those billions to spend in March Madness and instead force the provinces and territories to raise it from increased taxes?
Jim Stanford, economist for the Canadian Auto Workers conceded that "Our schools and our hospitals are in better shape than they would have been otherwise,".
The lowered corporate tax cuts (that the NDP wants to take away) have helped Canada's corporations remain competitive.
The last round of tax cuts, announced last November, were particularly well timed to help stimulate a flagging economy.
Garth goes onto to lay out another whopper out when he claims that "Income taxes have not come down a dime since Harper came to power. In fact, he raised them in his first budget.".
You sir, are deliberately lying.
This government has lowered the income tax paid to the government for all Canadians, in the 2007 fall fiscal update income tax reductions have occurred or were scheduled:
- An increase in the basic personal amount exemption to $9,600 from $8,929, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007;
- Two years later, on Jan. 1, 2009, the basic personal amount exemption will be increased to $10,100;
- The lowest personal income tax rate moves to 15 per cent from 15.5 per cent, effective Jan. 1 2007, undoing a change made in the first Conservative budget.
Lowering personal income taxes for all taxpayers, which, together with the GST reduction, provides almost $20 billion in tax relief to individuals over the next two years. It will do this through:
- A new Canada Employment Credit—a tax credit on employment income up to $500 effective July 1, 2006. The credit amount will double to $1,000, effective January 1, 2007.
- Increases in the basic personal amount—the amount all Canadians can earn without paying federal income tax—so that it grows each year and remains above currently legislated levels for 2005, 2006 and 2007.
So Garth, can we expect an apology from you regarding your misleading and outright lies contained in your blog post?
We're better off with Harper.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Latest Nano's Numbers: Dion's not a leader
By now everyone has seen the latest Nano's numbers. Instead of talking about the voter's intentions I decided to talk about the leadership numbers, and more specifically, Dion's dismal leadership numbers.
You can define leadership as the art of influencing human behaviour, as we can see by the voting intention poll results, Dion fails this miserably. The leadership numbers for Dion show that the electorate consider Dion to be a weak leader.
So the question remains, why are the Liberal's still sitting at 26%? The answer to that is simple, FUD. The good old fear, uncertianity, and doubt being cast about by the Liberals and other left wing parties to sow the seed of fear against voting for Stephen Harper.
We say that just today! The whole abortion debacle that played out on the airwaves today. The sole point of this was to remind voters that Harper "is scary". Tie in the disgusting remarks by Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi. In August, Stephane Dion joined the fun as well.
Plain and simple, the Conservatives Government will
not introduce a bill, nor support a private members bill on abortion.
I say again:
Plain and simple, the Conservatives Government will not introduce a bill, nor support a private members bill on abortion.
Stephane Dion likes to talk about getting back to policy, yet who is leading the smear charge now? Stephane Dion and the charge of the smear brigade.
We're better off with Harper.
- Stephen Harper 110 (+18)
- Jack Layton 54 (+4)
- Stephane Dion 35 (-18)
- Elizabeth May 17 (+6)
- Gilles Duceppe 16 (-1)
- The most trustworthy leader
- The most competent leader
- The leader with the best vision for Canada’s future
You can define leadership as the art of influencing human behaviour, as we can see by the voting intention poll results, Dion fails this miserably. The leadership numbers for Dion show that the electorate consider Dion to be a weak leader.
So the question remains, why are the Liberal's still sitting at 26%? The answer to that is simple, FUD. The good old fear, uncertianity, and doubt being cast about by the Liberals and other left wing parties to sow the seed of fear against voting for Stephen Harper.
We say that just today! The whole abortion debacle that played out on the airwaves today. The sole point of this was to remind voters that Harper "is scary". Tie in the disgusting remarks by Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi. In August, Stephane Dion joined the fun as well.
Plain and simple, the Conservatives Government will
not introduce a bill, nor support a private members bill on abortion.
I say again:
Plain and simple, the Conservatives Government will not introduce a bill, nor support a private members bill on abortion.
Stephane Dion likes to talk about getting back to policy, yet who is leading the smear charge now? Stephane Dion and the charge of the smear brigade.
We're better off with Harper.
Leadership via name calling, Dion's way
Sitting Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi declares that Stephen Harper "does not really like 52% of the population".
I guess by extension then that Stephen Harper doesn't like his wife or daughter! This comment is gutter politics of the worse kind. It is simply not true, having a woman say it doesn't make it any better either.
Liberal MP Ratansi must immediately apologize for that uncalled for remark. Do Liberals really think this kind of personal attack is acceptable in democratic debate? What would Dion say and do if Conservative MP said that Dion doesn't like gays?
Here is the Conservative response:
“Yasmin Ratansi’s statement at a Liberal rally today that the Prime Minister ‘does not really like women’ demonstrates just how desperate the Liberal Party has become during this election campaign. They will say anything to try to win votes.”
Tim Powers response:
Yesterday, Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi's said at a Liberal rally that the Prime Minister, "does not really like women." Really? Other than desperation, on what exactly does Ms. Ratansi base that statement? Dion says he doesn't like the name calling and he is running a high-road campaign, yet he allows Ratansi to spew such nonsense.
Is this the leadership of Stephen Dion? Is it? Seems to me it is exactly the kind of smears and attack that we all predicted would come. Stephane Dion, this is not leadership, this is not respectful. And before you say anything, no, two wrongs DON'T make a right.
We're better off with Harper.
I guess by extension then that Stephen Harper doesn't like his wife or daughter! This comment is gutter politics of the worse kind. It is simply not true, having a woman say it doesn't make it any better either.
Liberal MP Ratansi must immediately apologize for that uncalled for remark. Do Liberals really think this kind of personal attack is acceptable in democratic debate? What would Dion say and do if Conservative MP said that Dion doesn't like gays?
Here is the Conservative response:
“Yasmin Ratansi’s statement at a Liberal rally today that the Prime Minister ‘does not really like women’ demonstrates just how desperate the Liberal Party has become during this election campaign. They will say anything to try to win votes.”
Tim Powers response:
Yesterday, Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi's said at a Liberal rally that the Prime Minister, "does not really like women." Really? Other than desperation, on what exactly does Ms. Ratansi base that statement? Dion says he doesn't like the name calling and he is running a high-road campaign, yet he allows Ratansi to spew such nonsense.
Is this the leadership of Stephen Dion? Is it? Seems to me it is exactly the kind of smears and attack that we all predicted would come. Stephane Dion, this is not leadership, this is not respectful. And before you say anything, no, two wrongs DON'T make a right.
We're better off with Harper.
Liberals Continue their negative assault on the Economy
As predicted, the Liberals continue their attack on the economy. Attempting to scare Canadians into voting for the Liberals.
This is inspiring leadership on behalf of all Canadians by the Liberal party of Canada, don't vote for us because we are visionary, and have the best plan for Canada, vote for use because Harper is scary. Big surprise. This is their election strategy now.
And, this announcement was made by Michael Ignatieff, not Stephane Dion.
"Deputy Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff warned business leaders in Toronto on Monday that Stephen Harper would lead the country into an "economic crisis" if he returns to government."
If Stephane Dion is elected as Prime Minister of this country, then we will have an economic crisis. Even the most optimistic economic models have the economy contracting in the first 4-5 years. Now is not the time to risk a recession for an unproven, untested tax shifting strategy.
In the time of global economic uncertainty, Canada needs a government that is pragmatic and thoughtful, putting the lives of average Canadians first, a steady hand if you will to chart the good ship Canada through this rough economic waters. Now is not the time for grand experiments to shift tax around.
We're better off with Harper
This is inspiring leadership on behalf of all Canadians by the Liberal party of Canada, don't vote for us because we are visionary, and have the best plan for Canada, vote for use because Harper is scary. Big surprise. This is their election strategy now.
And, this announcement was made by Michael Ignatieff, not Stephane Dion.
"Deputy Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff warned business leaders in Toronto on Monday that Stephen Harper would lead the country into an "economic crisis" if he returns to government."
If Stephane Dion is elected as Prime Minister of this country, then we will have an economic crisis. Even the most optimistic economic models have the economy contracting in the first 4-5 years. Now is not the time to risk a recession for an unproven, untested tax shifting strategy.
In the time of global economic uncertainty, Canada needs a government that is pragmatic and thoughtful, putting the lives of average Canadians first, a steady hand if you will to chart the good ship Canada through this rough economic waters. Now is not the time for grand experiments to shift tax around.
We're better off with Harper
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The truth about Conservative Spending
You often hear the opposition claim about the 8% increase in spending by the Conservative Government, but despite what you hear from the likes of Stephane Dion and his "team", the Conservatives are not spending like drunken sailors.
Program expenses for April to July 2008 were $66.1 billion, up $4.9 billion or 8.0 per cent from the same period last year, reflecting an increase in transfer payments, Crown corporation expenses and operating expenses of departments and agencies.
Well, depending on your point of view, that may be debatable. But they are not spending billions by sending it out in brown envelopes, building golf courses or water fountains, nor spending it on a gun registry which cannot work. The Conservatives are not spending it, they are sending it. Sending it to the provincial and territorial governments.
Stephen Harper and his Conservative government have increased transfers to the provinces and territories by a staggering 8.8 percent. Some examples:
All other program spending amounted to a more "misery" 6.5% increase.
Now everyone has the information at hand to dispel the lies the opposition will spread about Conservative spending. The Conservatives are spending more yes, but good chunk of that increase is sent directly to the provinces and territories to provide services to us, the rate payers.
Of course this is still too much money. I agree. The federal government is doing too much, their priorities are scattered, and the spending isn't focused enough. Unfortunately, this is the reality we live in. We cannot expect the Conservatives to have changed this in the short time they have been in minority government.
The fiscal framework is setup so that Ottawa is the arbitrator of our money, they dole it out to the provinces based on their equalization framework, this is to ensure that all provinces can have a similar level of services with a similar level of taxation. In reality, it redistributes the wealth from Ontario, Alberta, and other have provinces to the have nots.
I know this isn't ideal, but until this is changed, this is the reality that the Conservative government lives in.
Transfers increased a total of 3.494 billion (sending), program spending increased 1.398 billion. Debt financing charges decreased 4% from this time last year. The total increase in spending was 4.892 billion dollars.
Remember, billions of the increased spending is not spending at all, it is sending of the money to provinces, territories, and cites. Money that delivers services to you.
We're better off with Harper
Program expenses for April to July 2008 were $66.1 billion, up $4.9 billion or 8.0 per cent from the same period last year, reflecting an increase in transfer payments, Crown corporation expenses and operating expenses of departments and agencies.
Well, depending on your point of view, that may be debatable. But they are not spending billions by sending it out in brown envelopes, building golf courses or water fountains, nor spending it on a gun registry which cannot work. The Conservatives are not spending it, they are sending it. Sending it to the provincial and territorial governments.
Stephen Harper and his Conservative government have increased transfers to the provinces and territories by a staggering 8.8 percent. Some examples:
- Elderly benefits, 3.3% increase
- Canada Health Transfer, 6.0% increase
- Canada Social Transfer, 10.6% increase
- Canada's cities and communities, 23.1% increase
- Human Resources and Social Development, 40% increase
All other program spending amounted to a more "misery" 6.5% increase.
Now everyone has the information at hand to dispel the lies the opposition will spread about Conservative spending. The Conservatives are spending more yes, but good chunk of that increase is sent directly to the provinces and territories to provide services to us, the rate payers.
Of course this is still too much money. I agree. The federal government is doing too much, their priorities are scattered, and the spending isn't focused enough. Unfortunately, this is the reality we live in. We cannot expect the Conservatives to have changed this in the short time they have been in minority government.
The fiscal framework is setup so that Ottawa is the arbitrator of our money, they dole it out to the provinces based on their equalization framework, this is to ensure that all provinces can have a similar level of services with a similar level of taxation. In reality, it redistributes the wealth from Ontario, Alberta, and other have provinces to the have nots.
I know this isn't ideal, but until this is changed, this is the reality that the Conservative government lives in.
Transfers increased a total of 3.494 billion (sending), program spending increased 1.398 billion. Debt financing charges decreased 4% from this time last year. The total increase in spending was 4.892 billion dollars.
Remember, billions of the increased spending is not spending at all, it is sending of the money to provinces, territories, and cites. Money that delivers services to you.
We're better off with Harper
Harper was right: High ranking Liberals "lie" about Canada's economic situation
A few days ago, Harper criticized Dion and other high ranking Liberals for undermining confidence in Canadian's economy, and misrepresenting Canada's economic position in relation to the rest of the world.
A combative Mr. Harper argued that economic commentators are saying the fundamentals of the Canadian economy remain solid despite the slowdown, but what we see is “the Leader of the Opposition and his leading critics going around and trying to tell Canadians the opposite, trying to drive down confidence in the Canadian economy without foundation.”
“And quite frankly sitting on the sidelines virtually cheering for there to be a recession.”
Dion and his cheerleaders reacted strongly to this, and flatly denied it. And yet today on CTV's Question Period, Senator David Smith the Liberal campaign co-chair reiterated some of these same comments that Harper attacked them for.
You can view the segment here.
Senator Smith get's it wrong on many accounts, around the 3:40 second mark on the video Senator Smith talks about the 42 billion dollar debt that the Liberals "inherited" from the PC government of Brian Mulroney. Perhaps this is the end of the story right here, I mean, can we really believe the worlds from anyone who doesn't even understand the difference between deficit and debt?
Senator Smith also conviently forgets to tell what happened to the 12 billion surplus -- also known as massive over taxation that the Conservatives inherited. That surplus was redistributed to tax payers through tax cuts, and increased transfers to the province. Stephen Harper also ensured adequate funding for our Canadian Forces.
Senator Smith goes on to tell misrepresent the truth on the financial states of the Government to Canadians when he talks about a deficit last quarter. He briefly talks about the surplus in this quarter but then talks about the deficit from last quarter. This is just plain wrong. There hasn't been two quarters in this fiscal year.
First off Senator Smith, there has only been one complete quarter in this fiscal year. The fiscal year for the Government of Canada goes from 1 April to 31 March. This means the first quarter of this year is the months April, May, and June.
The fiscal results for the first quarter of the 08/09 fiscal year was a surplus of 1.2 billion dollars. That total recorded surplus to date (April-July) is 2.9 billion dollars. These are the numbers reported by the Department of Finance. So Senator Smith, who is wrong? The Department of Finance or you?
So here we have a very senior Liberal Senator talking about Canada being in deficit last quarter. Since we all know deficits are bad, we can only assume he is trying to scare us.
Mr. Dion, why do you have senior Liberals lying to us about being in deficit in the first quarter of this fiscal year? Why do you support their lies, and the way they talk down about the economy? Why?
We're better off with Harper.
A combative Mr. Harper argued that economic commentators are saying the fundamentals of the Canadian economy remain solid despite the slowdown, but what we see is “the Leader of the Opposition and his leading critics going around and trying to tell Canadians the opposite, trying to drive down confidence in the Canadian economy without foundation.”
“And quite frankly sitting on the sidelines virtually cheering for there to be a recession.”
Dion and his cheerleaders reacted strongly to this, and flatly denied it. And yet today on CTV's Question Period, Senator David Smith the Liberal campaign co-chair reiterated some of these same comments that Harper attacked them for.
You can view the segment here.
Senator Smith get's it wrong on many accounts, around the 3:40 second mark on the video Senator Smith talks about the 42 billion dollar debt that the Liberals "inherited" from the PC government of Brian Mulroney. Perhaps this is the end of the story right here, I mean, can we really believe the worlds from anyone who doesn't even understand the difference between deficit and debt?
Senator Smith also conviently forgets to tell what happened to the 12 billion surplus -- also known as massive over taxation that the Conservatives inherited. That surplus was redistributed to tax payers through tax cuts, and increased transfers to the province. Stephen Harper also ensured adequate funding for our Canadian Forces.
Senator Smith goes on to tell misrepresent the truth on the financial states of the Government to Canadians when he talks about a deficit last quarter. He briefly talks about the surplus in this quarter but then talks about the deficit from last quarter. This is just plain wrong. There hasn't been two quarters in this fiscal year.
First off Senator Smith, there has only been one complete quarter in this fiscal year. The fiscal year for the Government of Canada goes from 1 April to 31 March. This means the first quarter of this year is the months April, May, and June.
The fiscal results for the first quarter of the 08/09 fiscal year was a surplus of 1.2 billion dollars. That total recorded surplus to date (April-July) is 2.9 billion dollars. These are the numbers reported by the Department of Finance. So Senator Smith, who is wrong? The Department of Finance or you?
So here we have a very senior Liberal Senator talking about Canada being in deficit last quarter. Since we all know deficits are bad, we can only assume he is trying to scare us.
Mr. Dion, why do you have senior Liberals lying to us about being in deficit in the first quarter of this fiscal year? Why do you support their lies, and the way they talk down about the economy? Why?
We're better off with Harper.
The seventh sign of the coming apocalypse
In what is surely a sign of the end of the world, the CBC has admitted its left-wing bias. Left. Wing. Bias. The CBC? Surely you jest.
Ombudsman Carlin makes another significant observation in his response to complainants: when it does choose to print opinion, CBCNews.ca displays a very narrow range on its pages.
In this, Carlin is also correct.
I guess that we should be glad for the CBC to finally admit what was painfully obvious to every honest person.
The CBC is funded by tax dollars, it needs to represent the full spectrum of opinions, not just the opinion of the so called elite.
Report news without spin, put commentary in its place, in editorials. As a public institution be sure to represent the values of ALL Canadians.
Ombudsman Carlin makes another significant observation in his response to complainants: when it does choose to print opinion, CBCNews.ca displays a very narrow range on its pages.
In this, Carlin is also correct.
I guess that we should be glad for the CBC to finally admit what was painfully obvious to every honest person.
The CBC is funded by tax dollars, it needs to represent the full spectrum of opinions, not just the opinion of the so called elite.
Report news without spin, put commentary in its place, in editorials. As a public institution be sure to represent the values of ALL Canadians.
Desperate Dion begs for votes
Feeling the Dippers breathing down his neck and seeing green BC turn blue and orange Dion launches a blistering attack on Jack Layton and at the same time cries for help.
“Mr. Layton has an old-fashioned socialist mentality that will not work in this century,” he said.
Well in this case Dion is right. Layton will screw up Canada's economy. Too bad Dion is wrong in so many other aspects.
“They [the NDP] may take some votes,” Mr. Dion said. “Everyone wants to see progressive government. You need to pool your vote for the only progressive party that may win this election.”
Desperate Dion calls for strategic voting days before the debate. Desperate strategic voting. The Liberals' last gasp effort to halt a Tory majority. This is a leader? This is someone I should trust to run the greatest country in the world? I don't think so. Dion shows just how desperate he is. He sees his future on the line, I wonder if we will see May call for strategic voting in the debates?
And again, I have to protest the use of "progressive" in an effort to smear us Conservatives, its just plain wrong. Us Conservatives have actually had a female Prime Minister, you Liberals have a hard time electing a leader from outside of Quebec.
Of course I predicted that desperate Dion would resort to smears.
Desperate Dion and his floundering Liberals, getting more and more pathetic by the day.
We're better off with Harper.
“Mr. Layton has an old-fashioned socialist mentality that will not work in this century,” he said.
Well in this case Dion is right. Layton will screw up Canada's economy. Too bad Dion is wrong in so many other aspects.
“They [the NDP] may take some votes,” Mr. Dion said. “Everyone wants to see progressive government. You need to pool your vote for the only progressive party that may win this election.”
Desperate Dion calls for strategic voting days before the debate. Desperate strategic voting. The Liberals' last gasp effort to halt a Tory majority. This is a leader? This is someone I should trust to run the greatest country in the world? I don't think so. Dion shows just how desperate he is. He sees his future on the line, I wonder if we will see May call for strategic voting in the debates?
And again, I have to protest the use of "progressive" in an effort to smear us Conservatives, its just plain wrong. Us Conservatives have actually had a female Prime Minister, you Liberals have a hard time electing a leader from outside of Quebec.
Of course I predicted that desperate Dion would resort to smears.
Desperate Dion and his floundering Liberals, getting more and more pathetic by the day.
We're better off with Harper.
NDP to spend 18 billion more a year
Yikes! By year four of their campaign, the NDP promise to spend an additional 18.1 billion dollars a year on their pet projects.
This should put a halt on their drive to Stornway.
The NDP have no clue on economics. In year 1, they would spend an additional 8 billion in new spending. They will pay for this by spending the surplus, pulling the troops out of Afghanistan, rolling back the corporate tax cuts the Conservatives instituted in the last budget. The NDP would increase taxes on corporations by raising the tax rate to 22.12 per cent from 19.5 per cent
One has to ask himself, why does Jack Layton hate the working Joe so much?
The NDP's big Shift
As far back as the sixties, empirical studies of corporations with respect to taxes have been made. They have found that corporate income taxes are shifted, even in fact over-shifted. An important implication of this shifting is that cost of corporate goods and services are increased enough to pass the tax on to consumers.
Also, "... a 10 percent increase in the effective corporate tax rate reduces aggregate investment to GDP ratio by 2 percentage points. Corporate tax rates are also negatively correlated with growth, and positively correlated with the size of the informal economy."
Don't believe me? Google "economic effect of increased corporate taxes" and educate yourself.
I have to wonder what the NDP really think that corporations do with their profits? I swear, I bet Jack thinks there is a really big mattress tucked away somewhere, and that is where all the corporate profits end up. They obviously think this.
Realistic people know that corporate profits go towards new R&D, new investment, to fuel growth (new jobs), increased salaries or benefits, and many more ideas like this.
Corporate tax increases are bad for economy. In this time of global economic uncertainty we should not risk our standard of living to tax the very institutions that provide the jobs, the capital, investment, and growth that make this economy as robust as it is.
Their is a reason that the NDP are not considered good stewards of our economy, and this platform amply demonstrate why.
We can all thank god that the NDP will not win this election. Thank God!
We're better off with Harper.
This should put a halt on their drive to Stornway.
The NDP have no clue on economics. In year 1, they would spend an additional 8 billion in new spending. They will pay for this by spending the surplus, pulling the troops out of Afghanistan, rolling back the corporate tax cuts the Conservatives instituted in the last budget. The NDP would increase taxes on corporations by raising the tax rate to 22.12 per cent from 19.5 per cent
One has to ask himself, why does Jack Layton hate the working Joe so much?
The NDP's big Shift
As far back as the sixties, empirical studies of corporations with respect to taxes have been made. They have found that corporate income taxes are shifted, even in fact over-shifted. An important implication of this shifting is that cost of corporate goods and services are increased enough to pass the tax on to consumers.
Also, "... a 10 percent increase in the effective corporate tax rate reduces aggregate investment to GDP ratio by 2 percentage points. Corporate tax rates are also negatively correlated with growth, and positively correlated with the size of the informal economy."
Don't believe me? Google "economic effect of increased corporate taxes" and educate yourself.
I have to wonder what the NDP really think that corporations do with their profits? I swear, I bet Jack thinks there is a really big mattress tucked away somewhere, and that is where all the corporate profits end up. They obviously think this.
Realistic people know that corporate profits go towards new R&D, new investment, to fuel growth (new jobs), increased salaries or benefits, and many more ideas like this.
Corporate tax increases are bad for economy. In this time of global economic uncertainty we should not risk our standard of living to tax the very institutions that provide the jobs, the capital, investment, and growth that make this economy as robust as it is.
Their is a reason that the NDP are not considered good stewards of our economy, and this platform amply demonstrate why.
We can all thank god that the NDP will not win this election. Thank God!
We're better off with Harper.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Lost in Dion's World
Stephane Dion is really in his own world these days. It is really getting quite pathetic.
First Dion blames "Harper's 'low-blow' tactics for poor Liberal poll numbers" when in reality he has no one to blame but himself. His failure to connect to voters is due to his lackluster charisma, inability to clearly communicate, and lack of a compelling vision for Canada that actually connects with average Canadians is what is causing his poor performance.
He is a poor leader who needs to rally his "team" around him in order to appear effective. Too bad that both Ignatieff and Rae are more confident, and more inspiring. It's hard to inspire confidence in your competence to lead the country when your own subordinates outshine you by a factor of 10. It is also hard to get caught up by a "leader" who requires his wife to pick out his clothes for him.
That being said, reality is even farther away from the lackluster Dion then even that headline can convey. Dion actually claims that Canadians are "dying to vote Liberal".
"I think Canadians are dying to vote Liberal," he said.
"It's for us to tell them we have ... a team, with a leader, with an action plan ...for the challenge of today."
That is incredibly far from reality. When even your base is rapidly melting away to other parties I think it is more accurate to say "I think Canadians would rather die then vote Liberal".
Also, notice how Stephane Dion emphasizes his team over his own "leadership".
We're better off with Harper.
First Dion blames "Harper's 'low-blow' tactics for poor Liberal poll numbers" when in reality he has no one to blame but himself. His failure to connect to voters is due to his lackluster charisma, inability to clearly communicate, and lack of a compelling vision for Canada that actually connects with average Canadians is what is causing his poor performance.
He is a poor leader who needs to rally his "team" around him in order to appear effective. Too bad that both Ignatieff and Rae are more confident, and more inspiring. It's hard to inspire confidence in your competence to lead the country when your own subordinates outshine you by a factor of 10. It is also hard to get caught up by a "leader" who requires his wife to pick out his clothes for him.
That being said, reality is even farther away from the lackluster Dion then even that headline can convey. Dion actually claims that Canadians are "dying to vote Liberal".
"I think Canadians are dying to vote Liberal," he said.
"It's for us to tell them we have ... a team, with a leader, with an action plan ...for the challenge of today."
That is incredibly far from reality. When even your base is rapidly melting away to other parties I think it is more accurate to say "I think Canadians would rather die then vote Liberal".
Also, notice how Stephane Dion emphasizes his team over his own "leadership".
We're better off with Harper.
What to expect in the coming days from Desperate Dion
I think I can safely say I know what Stephane Dion's plan is going forward from now until October 14th.
Lie. Smear. Scare.
- They will distort the truth about the youth justice reforms, aided and abetted by their dishonest lackies
- Lie about Canada's economic position
- Lie about supposed cuts to the arts and culture
- Desperately look for old blog posts or newspaper articles that have quotes that can be easily twisted out of context
- Launch new attack ads despite promising not to
- Hide Dion, and promote the "team"
- Bury the Green Shift
- Cry about the "biased" media
- Dismiss the polls
- Have Dion's sister (or wife if he doesn't have one) threaten to beat up Stephen Harper
- Need help picking out his clothes and underwear
- Duct tape his plane to keep it flying
- Promise ever more new spending
We're better off with Harper.
Lie. Smear. Scare.
- They will distort the truth about the youth justice reforms, aided and abetted by their dishonest lackies
- Lie about Canada's economic position
- Lie about supposed cuts to the arts and culture
- Desperately look for old blog posts or newspaper articles that have quotes that can be easily twisted out of context
- Launch new attack ads despite promising not to
- Hide Dion, and promote the "team"
- Bury the Green Shift
- Cry about the "biased" media
- Dismiss the polls
- Have Dion's sister (or wife if he doesn't have one) threaten to beat up Stephen Harper
- Need help picking out his clothes and underwear
- Duct tape his plane to keep it flying
- Promise ever more new spending
We're better off with Harper.
A Tale of two Lefties: Surging Orange and fading Red
The NDP are surging and the Liberals are receding according to the latest poll.
OTTAWA — Jack Layton's New Democrats have been reaping the benefits of an ongoing slide in Liberal support, a new poll suggests.
The latest Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll gave the NDP the 'support of 19 per cent of respondents, up from 14 per cent at the start of the campaign.
Those of us that watch politics close have often called the Liberal Party of Canada the Liberal Party of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver as that more closely resembled reality.
Now even that truism is fading away. Thanks the the "stellar leadership" of the Liberal leader Stephane Dion the last bastions of the Liberals are turning away from the Red and into the Orange and Blue.
In the cities, NDP support reached 22 per cent, up from a campaign low of 14 per cent, while the Liberals languished at 25 per cent — their lowest level of the campaign.
This means that the NDP and Liberals are statistically tied. Stephane Dion is destroying the once mighty Big Red. This should greatly help the vote splitting on the left with the NDP and Liberals very close together in popular support.
Stephane Dion, the greatest gift to Conservatives in 30 years. Whomever talked about sending thank you cards to Gerald Kennedy had a great idea, we really should.
We're better off with Harper.
OTTAWA — Jack Layton's New Democrats have been reaping the benefits of an ongoing slide in Liberal support, a new poll suggests.
The latest Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll gave the NDP the 'support of 19 per cent of respondents, up from 14 per cent at the start of the campaign.
Those of us that watch politics close have often called the Liberal Party of Canada the Liberal Party of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver as that more closely resembled reality.
Now even that truism is fading away. Thanks the the "stellar leadership" of the Liberal leader Stephane Dion the last bastions of the Liberals are turning away from the Red and into the Orange and Blue.
In the cities, NDP support reached 22 per cent, up from a campaign low of 14 per cent, while the Liberals languished at 25 per cent — their lowest level of the campaign.
This means that the NDP and Liberals are statistically tied. Stephane Dion is destroying the once mighty Big Red. This should greatly help the vote splitting on the left with the NDP and Liberals very close together in popular support.
Stephane Dion, the greatest gift to Conservatives in 30 years. Whomever talked about sending thank you cards to Gerald Kennedy had a great idea, we really should.
We're better off with Harper.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Liberals projected to lose almost all close races
Oh. My. God.
The Liberals are projected to lose virtually all 45 tight ridings being tracked by the Strategic Counsel polling firm, according to new seat projections conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV.
The Strategic Counsel has been tracking 45 of the most narrowly won ridings from the last campaign and is translating those numbers into seat-by-seat results. The findings are bad news for the Liberals, which won 17 of those ridings in 2006. The party is projected to hold on to only one of those seats – the Quebec riding of Hull-Aylmer. For the Conservatives, their seat numbers in these ridings would jump from 16 to 32. The NDP would win three, down from four in 2006.
The Conservatives will gain in 905, 519, and B.C.
Hot damn.
We're better off with Harper.
The Liberals are projected to lose virtually all 45 tight ridings being tracked by the Strategic Counsel polling firm, according to new seat projections conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV.
The Strategic Counsel has been tracking 45 of the most narrowly won ridings from the last campaign and is translating those numbers into seat-by-seat results. The findings are bad news for the Liberals, which won 17 of those ridings in 2006. The party is projected to hold on to only one of those seats – the Quebec riding of Hull-Aylmer. For the Conservatives, their seat numbers in these ridings would jump from 16 to 32. The NDP would win three, down from four in 2006.
The Conservatives will gain in 905, 519, and B.C.
Hot damn.
We're better off with Harper.
Hope-o-crisy
The real truth behind the sub-prime fiasco. Interesting look at how sub-prime fiasco got started, a bad government regulation....
"The Liberal vote is evaporating,"
Another day, another poll. The latest poll released is from Ipsos-Reid.
WARNING: The following post may contain disheartening news for Liberal party members. It is recommended that all sharp objects and prescription medications be safely stored away from Liberal party members. Please do not read this alone, if you feel you cannot go on, or feel like you may hurt yourself please contact your doctor without delay.
Ipsos-Reid has a poll out that is painting a bleak picture for the Liberals.
Thirty-nine per cent of the respondents said they would vote Conservative, about the same number as a similar poll a week ago. Just 23 per cent of respondents said they would vote Liberal, a drop of four percentage points in a week while 18 per cent would pick the NDP, a gain for that party of three percentage points.
Support for the Green party also climbed in the week, by two percentage points up to 11 per cent.
There is a strong chance for the NDP to form the official opposition. Only 5 points separate the Liberals and the NDP.
In BC, the news is downright embarrassing for the Liberals.
The poll also finds that Liberals are doing particularly poorly in British Columbia, where they are now in a statistical tie with the Greens, behind both the Conservatives and the NDP. Ipsos found that 42 per cent of respondents in B.C. would vote Conservative, 31 per cent would vote NDP, 13 per cent would vote Liberal and 12 per cent would vote Green.
And in Ontario the Conservatives a still leading with 41% support compared to 28% for the Liberals.
Even in the environment, just as many respondents support Stephane Dion's plan as Stephen Harper.
Ouch.
We're better off with Harper.
WARNING: The following post may contain disheartening news for Liberal party members. It is recommended that all sharp objects and prescription medications be safely stored away from Liberal party members. Please do not read this alone, if you feel you cannot go on, or feel like you may hurt yourself please contact your doctor without delay.
Ipsos-Reid has a poll out that is painting a bleak picture for the Liberals.
Thirty-nine per cent of the respondents said they would vote Conservative, about the same number as a similar poll a week ago. Just 23 per cent of respondents said they would vote Liberal, a drop of four percentage points in a week while 18 per cent would pick the NDP, a gain for that party of three percentage points.
Support for the Green party also climbed in the week, by two percentage points up to 11 per cent.
There is a strong chance for the NDP to form the official opposition. Only 5 points separate the Liberals and the NDP.
In BC, the news is downright embarrassing for the Liberals.
The poll also finds that Liberals are doing particularly poorly in British Columbia, where they are now in a statistical tie with the Greens, behind both the Conservatives and the NDP. Ipsos found that 42 per cent of respondents in B.C. would vote Conservative, 31 per cent would vote NDP, 13 per cent would vote Liberal and 12 per cent would vote Green.
And in Ontario the Conservatives a still leading with 41% support compared to 28% for the Liberals.
Even in the environment, just as many respondents support Stephane Dion's plan as Stephen Harper.
Ouch.
We're better off with Harper.
If you don't stop being mean, my sister will come and beat you up!
David Pratt was looking so bad at the all candidates debate for Ottawa-West-Nepean on Wednesday night that he had to call in the big guns....his sister.
At the end of the debate, a woman from the audience seized the microphone and accused the Harper government of muzzling scientists, until an official wrestled the microphone from her hand. A shouting match ensued between the woman and members of the audience.
The woman later told a CBC reporter that she was Christine Pratt, the Liberal candidate's sister. On Wednesday, the Baird campaign contacted CBC News to ask how it could get a copy of that footage.
Priceless, this practically writes itself.
We're better off with Harper.
At the end of the debate, a woman from the audience seized the microphone and accused the Harper government of muzzling scientists, until an official wrestled the microphone from her hand. A shouting match ensued between the woman and members of the audience.
The woman later told a CBC reporter that she was Christine Pratt, the Liberal candidate's sister. On Wednesday, the Baird campaign contacted CBC News to ask how it could get a copy of that footage.
Priceless, this practically writes itself.
We're better off with Harper.
Another day, another Liberal lie debunked
You remember how the Liberals keep saying the Conservatives are running a deficit? While another nose stretcher has been put to bed. The July numbers are in from the Finance Department, and despite Liberal lies about deficit we are nowhere near it.
Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Canada recorded a budget surplus in July that was 48 percent higher than the same month a year earlier because of rising revenue from income taxes.
The C$1.69 billion ($1.63 billion) surplus compares with a C$1.14 billion cushion in July 2007, the Finance Department said today from Ottawa. Revenue from income taxes rose 10 percent from a year earlier to C$13.9 billion, led by a 16 percent gain in tax revenue from companies.
The surplus for the first four months of the fiscal year that ends March 31 fell to C$2.91 billion from C$6.75 billion in the year-earlier period, according to the Finance Department. Still, the agency said last month that Canada is on schedule to post a surplus of C$2.3 billion this fiscal year as projected in Minister Jim Flaherty's February budget.
A Finance Department survey of economists released last month showed the economy will grow 1.1 percent this calendar year after adjusting for inflation, instead of the 1.7 percent forecast in Flaherty's budget.
Wait, I thought the Liberals said we were in deficit? Guess they were wrong again. Or, they refuse to look at the big picture and realize that you can't look at individual months, you need to look at the whole fiscal year.
It has been 4 months and we have accrued 2.91 billion year to date.
Of course Liberals also like to talk about "increased Conservative spending", and how they are spending so much more money then the Liberals would. What are the Conservatives spending the extra money on? Guns? Tanks? Kittens to be eaten? No, that is not right at all.
Program expenses in the period jumped 8 percent due to more costly transfer payments to provincial governments primarily for health, social programs and infrastructure.
Those evil evil Conservatives. How dare they give money to the provinces for health care, social programs and infrastructure! Pure unadulterated evil. /sarcasm
We're better off with Harper.
Sept. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Canada recorded a budget surplus in July that was 48 percent higher than the same month a year earlier because of rising revenue from income taxes.
The C$1.69 billion ($1.63 billion) surplus compares with a C$1.14 billion cushion in July 2007, the Finance Department said today from Ottawa. Revenue from income taxes rose 10 percent from a year earlier to C$13.9 billion, led by a 16 percent gain in tax revenue from companies.
The surplus for the first four months of the fiscal year that ends March 31 fell to C$2.91 billion from C$6.75 billion in the year-earlier period, according to the Finance Department. Still, the agency said last month that Canada is on schedule to post a surplus of C$2.3 billion this fiscal year as projected in Minister Jim Flaherty's February budget.
A Finance Department survey of economists released last month showed the economy will grow 1.1 percent this calendar year after adjusting for inflation, instead of the 1.7 percent forecast in Flaherty's budget.
Wait, I thought the Liberals said we were in deficit? Guess they were wrong again. Or, they refuse to look at the big picture and realize that you can't look at individual months, you need to look at the whole fiscal year.
It has been 4 months and we have accrued 2.91 billion year to date.
Of course Liberals also like to talk about "increased Conservative spending", and how they are spending so much more money then the Liberals would. What are the Conservatives spending the extra money on? Guns? Tanks? Kittens to be eaten? No, that is not right at all.
Program expenses in the period jumped 8 percent due to more costly transfer payments to provincial governments primarily for health, social programs and infrastructure.
Those evil evil Conservatives. How dare they give money to the provinces for health care, social programs and infrastructure! Pure unadulterated evil. /sarcasm
We're better off with Harper.
Liberal bloggers can't read
James Curran is on a rampage today, attacking Conservatives for their religious beliefs while conveniently ignoring Liberals with the same beliefs.
It doesn't end there, James Curran is now attempting "mislead" his readers by making false statements about existing laws.
PM Harper and Justice guy Rob Nicholson put forth a Bill raising the age of consent from 14 to 16. In other words, 14 year olds and 15 year olds are not mature enough to determine whether or not they should be able to have sex. So an 18 year old having sex with a 15 year old could be charged with rape.
Mr. Curran, did you even read the article you linked to about the law before writing your claptrap? Or are you betting on that most readers won't click the link and will just take your word for it?
From YOUR link:
The Criminal Code contains a "close-in-age" exemption of less than five years, added so that teens who engage in sex are not breaking the law. For instance, a 19-year-old could have relations with a 15-year-old without being criminally charged, provided the older partner is not is a position of trust or authority over the younger teen and the relationship is not exploitive.
This law brings us into line with many other western countries. This is not to criminalize teenage sex, it is to provide protection from those who prey on the young.
Indeed, what do you know?
I see. So, 14 year olds don't have the mental capacity to have sex, but they have the mental capacity to determine the scale of crimes they commit? And these same 14 year old criminals will be named for these crimes to act as a further deterrent to future crimes they may or may not commit (depending on whether or not they been sodomized to death in a general population of adults in one of the new penitentiaries Mr. Harper will have to build to accommodate all these new criminals).
Are you equating sex with adults to murdering someone? Teens can still have sex as long as it is not with an adult.
The is a distinct difference, when you murder someone you KNOW there will be a consequence. With sex, there MAY be a consequence, like pregnancy, or a STD. When you commit a violent crime the youth knows there IS a consequence. With sex, they HOPE there isn't.
Oh, and nice disgusting reference to sodomy, and it is just wrong to boot.
It doesn't end there, James Curran is now attempting "mislead" his readers by making false statements about existing laws.
PM Harper and Justice guy Rob Nicholson put forth a Bill raising the age of consent from 14 to 16. In other words, 14 year olds and 15 year olds are not mature enough to determine whether or not they should be able to have sex. So an 18 year old having sex with a 15 year old could be charged with rape.
Mr. Curran, did you even read the article you linked to about the law before writing your claptrap? Or are you betting on that most readers won't click the link and will just take your word for it?
From YOUR link:
The Criminal Code contains a "close-in-age" exemption of less than five years, added so that teens who engage in sex are not breaking the law. For instance, a 19-year-old could have relations with a 15-year-old without being criminally charged, provided the older partner is not is a position of trust or authority over the younger teen and the relationship is not exploitive.
This law brings us into line with many other western countries. This is not to criminalize teenage sex, it is to provide protection from those who prey on the young.
Indeed, what do you know?
I see. So, 14 year olds don't have the mental capacity to have sex, but they have the mental capacity to determine the scale of crimes they commit? And these same 14 year old criminals will be named for these crimes to act as a further deterrent to future crimes they may or may not commit (depending on whether or not they been sodomized to death in a general population of adults in one of the new penitentiaries Mr. Harper will have to build to accommodate all these new criminals).
Are you equating sex with adults to murdering someone? Teens can still have sex as long as it is not with an adult.
The is a distinct difference, when you murder someone you KNOW there will be a consequence. With sex, there MAY be a consequence, like pregnancy, or a STD. When you commit a violent crime the youth knows there IS a consequence. With sex, they HOPE there isn't.
Oh, and nice disgusting reference to sodomy, and it is just wrong to boot.
What is the colour of stupid? Green
Green isn't the colour of envy, its the colour of stupidity, well, maybe envy too. Green Party of Canada Leader, Elizabeth May is so far out there she is building a base on the moon.
May said Friday the downturn in Canada's economy could be smoothed out by putting a moratorium on an expansion of the tar sands.
The stupidity of this statement is beyond my comprehension. Is she really advocating an assault on the engine of the Canadian economy?
The tar sands, that place out west that is creating thousands of good jobs? This would greatly affect the West's economy. They are an oil based economy right now, and to be perfectly frank, it is the best performing aspect of the Canadian economy right now.
She is advocating attacking the west's economy to drive the price of oil down? This makes no sense, she is literally going to hurt the western provinces to drive down the dollar to help manufacturing in central Canada.
"That would help bring our dollar back to more of its historic relationship with the U.S. dollar and that would help our manufacturing sector," May said in an interview with CTV's Canada AM.
Of course, most of our raise against the American dollar is due to the American dollar's decline against world currencies.
Unbelievable.
It's like NEP II, Green styles.
We're better off with Harper.
May said Friday the downturn in Canada's economy could be smoothed out by putting a moratorium on an expansion of the tar sands.
The stupidity of this statement is beyond my comprehension. Is she really advocating an assault on the engine of the Canadian economy?
The tar sands, that place out west that is creating thousands of good jobs? This would greatly affect the West's economy. They are an oil based economy right now, and to be perfectly frank, it is the best performing aspect of the Canadian economy right now.
She is advocating attacking the west's economy to drive the price of oil down? This makes no sense, she is literally going to hurt the western provinces to drive down the dollar to help manufacturing in central Canada.
"That would help bring our dollar back to more of its historic relationship with the U.S. dollar and that would help our manufacturing sector," May said in an interview with CTV's Canada AM.
Of course, most of our raise against the American dollar is due to the American dollar's decline against world currencies.
Unbelievable.
It's like NEP II, Green styles.
We're better off with Harper.
Conservatives continue to consolidate gains in key ridings
The Conservative Party is solidifying support in key battleground ridings surveyed by The Strategic Counsel, while Liberal and NDP voters indicate they are nearly twice more likely than Conservative voters to switch their support between now and the election.
The latest Battleground 2008 poll from The Strategic Counsel, conducted for CTV and The Globe and Mail, surveyed voters in key ridings in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
They Conservatives also had a minor tick in Quebec, but that could be a margin of error deviation.
The Conservatives are doing well, let's hope the latest potential scandal won't affect them and that the Liberals continue to engage in fratricide.
The really interesting news in the latest poll results have the NDP surging in Quebec. Nano's also has the NDP and Liberals statistically tied in the province of Quebec.
Federalist vote splitting?
We're better off with Harper.
The latest Battleground 2008 poll from The Strategic Counsel, conducted for CTV and The Globe and Mail, surveyed voters in key ridings in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
They Conservatives also had a minor tick in Quebec, but that could be a margin of error deviation.
The Conservatives are doing well, let's hope the latest potential scandal won't affect them and that the Liberals continue to engage in fratricide.
The really interesting news in the latest poll results have the NDP surging in Quebec. Nano's also has the NDP and Liberals statistically tied in the province of Quebec.
Federalist vote splitting?
We're better off with Harper.
Flashback to 2006
The RCMP are investigating two aspects of the Bernier/Couillard debacle. First the whole lost/forgotten briefing notes thing, and second, allegations around a patronage appointment.
Sources said the RCMP investigation is focused on two lines of questioning: allegations that businesswoman Julie Couillard lobbied Conservative officials on a federal real estate deal, and how secret documents that belonged to Conservative MP Maxime Bernier when he was foreign affairs minister came to be left at Ms. Couillard's home.
The revelation about the probe came as sources said Thursday that Conservative official Bernard Côté helped Ms. Couillard's mother obtain a federal patronage appointment last year, after he dated Ms. Couillard.
Let's hope the RCMP will be a little more discreet this time in their investigation to avoid any new allegations of tampering with the electoral process. That story should also clarify that it is former Conservative official Bernard Côté.
Bernard Côté already resigned from Fortier's office for his failure to recuse himself from the Quebec City project. Michael Fortier also publicly spanked him for his failure. It seems here again, it's Bernard Côté at the centre of this potential scandal. It is good that he is gone.
I wonder if he is involved in the campaign at all?
This will surely provide more fodder for attacks against the Conservatives.
Sources said the RCMP investigation is focused on two lines of questioning: allegations that businesswoman Julie Couillard lobbied Conservative officials on a federal real estate deal, and how secret documents that belonged to Conservative MP Maxime Bernier when he was foreign affairs minister came to be left at Ms. Couillard's home.
The revelation about the probe came as sources said Thursday that Conservative official Bernard Côté helped Ms. Couillard's mother obtain a federal patronage appointment last year, after he dated Ms. Couillard.
Let's hope the RCMP will be a little more discreet this time in their investigation to avoid any new allegations of tampering with the electoral process. That story should also clarify that it is former Conservative official Bernard Côté.
Bernard Côté already resigned from Fortier's office for his failure to recuse himself from the Quebec City project. Michael Fortier also publicly spanked him for his failure. It seems here again, it's Bernard Côté at the centre of this potential scandal. It is good that he is gone.
I wonder if he is involved in the campaign at all?
This will surely provide more fodder for attacks against the Conservatives.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Garth heads off the deep end
You see Garth knows more then everyone else. Everyone else. Every. One. Else. And in his usual self, is very dismissive and insulting....sweater talk indeed. Whatever drives hits buddy.
The housing mess: If you happen to live in Edmonton, you might have noticed your house is worth $60,000 less than last year. Ditto for Calgary. The condo market is staggering, homes are sitting on the market for 100 or 200 days, and prices are falling half a per cent more every 30 days.
This is also sneaking into Vancouver and Toronto, and even infecting Saskatoon and The Peg. In fact, the US real estate contagion we were told could never come here, has. But don’t try to convince some folks in Alberta about it. They’d rather listen to Sweaterman tell them everything’s okay.
So, I did battle for a while today on CBC Radio in that province, where a bunch of callers just can’t handle the thought that the Harper gang – with their bloated government spending, high dollar policy, income trusticide, 0/40 mortgage loans and love of income taxes – have paved the way for a multi-year equity crunch here. Truth is, Alberta’s at risk. So’s Ontario.
So you're saying the bubble is bursting in some of the massively overheated zones? That has been called for for months, localized bursts are not the same as the massive widespread meltdown as is happening in the States.
What does CHMC say about housing prices in Ontario for example? The average MLS price in Ontario will rise by 2.8 per cent and 2.3 per cent in 2008 and 2009 respectively, as the rate of price growth follows the same cyclical trend as sales.
That is in Ontario.
Also, you are paying less income tax now then when the Liberals were in power. 0/40 mortgages are now out again, their days are numbered. They will be disallowed on 15 October. These mortgages were only allowed for 2 years, our charted banks were not super aggressive.
Nearly every expert on the economy and housing market says we are not in the same position as the US.
The Bank of Canada has said repeatedly our banking and financial systems are much better capitalized then our American counter parts. Can we be affected by the US crisis? Yes, 80% of our economy is tied to the US, but our overall economy is still strong despite problems in manufacturing.
And Garth, the strong dollar is hard for manufactures, but good for consumers, it helps to shield us from inflation on the price of imports and gas. It's a double edged sword.
You are being unduly alarmist, but really, that shouldn't surprise us.
The housing mess: If you happen to live in Edmonton, you might have noticed your house is worth $60,000 less than last year. Ditto for Calgary. The condo market is staggering, homes are sitting on the market for 100 or 200 days, and prices are falling half a per cent more every 30 days.
This is also sneaking into Vancouver and Toronto, and even infecting Saskatoon and The Peg. In fact, the US real estate contagion we were told could never come here, has. But don’t try to convince some folks in Alberta about it. They’d rather listen to Sweaterman tell them everything’s okay.
So, I did battle for a while today on CBC Radio in that province, where a bunch of callers just can’t handle the thought that the Harper gang – with their bloated government spending, high dollar policy, income trusticide, 0/40 mortgage loans and love of income taxes – have paved the way for a multi-year equity crunch here. Truth is, Alberta’s at risk. So’s Ontario.
So you're saying the bubble is bursting in some of the massively overheated zones? That has been called for for months, localized bursts are not the same as the massive widespread meltdown as is happening in the States.
What does CHMC say about housing prices in Ontario for example? The average MLS price in Ontario will rise by 2.8 per cent and 2.3 per cent in 2008 and 2009 respectively, as the rate of price growth follows the same cyclical trend as sales.
That is in Ontario.
Also, you are paying less income tax now then when the Liberals were in power. 0/40 mortgages are now out again, their days are numbered. They will be disallowed on 15 October. These mortgages were only allowed for 2 years, our charted banks were not super aggressive.
Nearly every expert on the economy and housing market says we are not in the same position as the US.
The Bank of Canada has said repeatedly our banking and financial systems are much better capitalized then our American counter parts. Can we be affected by the US crisis? Yes, 80% of our economy is tied to the US, but our overall economy is still strong despite problems in manufacturing.
And Garth, the strong dollar is hard for manufactures, but good for consumers, it helps to shield us from inflation on the price of imports and gas. It's a double edged sword.
You are being unduly alarmist, but really, that shouldn't surprise us.
Gas, Texts messages, and Spam -- Part of your Conservative diet
Today Stephen Harper has staked out his positions on protecting the consumer. There a measures to stop unsolicited emails, unsolicited text messages, and dishonest gas pumps.
It is strong, realistic protection of for the consumer. Other then cutting taxes, there is nothing the government can do to influence the price of gas. Regardless of what Layton and Dion say. Oil and gas is a world commodity. Over their mandate the Conservative Government has reduced the price of gas by decreasing the GST. There is little room left in the budget to reduce it more.
Since the Conservatives cannot influence the price of gas all they can really do is make sure their is no collusion among gas companies and that the pumps work properly. All measures the Conservatives are doing now and will expand on.
An Ottawa newspaper reported on some short-changing, and noted that Measurement Canada inspection found that at 30 per cent of stations, one pump would fail inspection, pumping 3 to 4 per cent less fuel than claimed at the pump's meter.
Mr. Harper's broader proposal to stiffen penalties for anti-competitive practices like price-fixing would apply to all companies, but it too, appears designed to appeal to the many who feel that gas companies are setting artificially high prices.
“These measures would apply to gas retailers who could be said to be in price-rigging circumstances,” said Industry Minister Jim Prentice. “Such claims are very difficult to prove and we are amending the legislation so they would be easier to prove.”
Their SPAM position is less interesting, most SPAM originates outside of Canada, but their proposal will allow us to work with other countries on the annoyance of SPAM. Canada is the only G8 nation without a mechanism for dealing with SPAM.
Conservative minister Diane Ablonczy said in a conference call with reporters that the government is looking to contract with a private company to operate an email “freezer,” where Canadians could forward their spam to be reviewed, and when appropriate, investigated. She said police would investigate the complaints.
She said the law would apply to only spam that comes from Canada. While much of it originates in foreign countries, creating a legal regime here would allow Canada to take part in international spam-prosecution agreements.
And he also said the Conservative, if re-elected, would ban telephone companies from charging for unsolicited commercial text messages.
This is good for consumers, but not terribly Conservative of them. What's next? Outlawing ATM fees? I guess it is hard to change your cell phone provider when you are locked into multi-year plans with annoying out clauses.
We're better off with Harper.
It is strong, realistic protection of for the consumer. Other then cutting taxes, there is nothing the government can do to influence the price of gas. Regardless of what Layton and Dion say. Oil and gas is a world commodity. Over their mandate the Conservative Government has reduced the price of gas by decreasing the GST. There is little room left in the budget to reduce it more.
Since the Conservatives cannot influence the price of gas all they can really do is make sure their is no collusion among gas companies and that the pumps work properly. All measures the Conservatives are doing now and will expand on.
An Ottawa newspaper reported on some short-changing, and noted that Measurement Canada inspection found that at 30 per cent of stations, one pump would fail inspection, pumping 3 to 4 per cent less fuel than claimed at the pump's meter.
Mr. Harper's broader proposal to stiffen penalties for anti-competitive practices like price-fixing would apply to all companies, but it too, appears designed to appeal to the many who feel that gas companies are setting artificially high prices.
“These measures would apply to gas retailers who could be said to be in price-rigging circumstances,” said Industry Minister Jim Prentice. “Such claims are very difficult to prove and we are amending the legislation so they would be easier to prove.”
Their SPAM position is less interesting, most SPAM originates outside of Canada, but their proposal will allow us to work with other countries on the annoyance of SPAM. Canada is the only G8 nation without a mechanism for dealing with SPAM.
Conservative minister Diane Ablonczy said in a conference call with reporters that the government is looking to contract with a private company to operate an email “freezer,” where Canadians could forward their spam to be reviewed, and when appropriate, investigated. She said police would investigate the complaints.
She said the law would apply to only spam that comes from Canada. While much of it originates in foreign countries, creating a legal regime here would allow Canada to take part in international spam-prosecution agreements.
And he also said the Conservative, if re-elected, would ban telephone companies from charging for unsolicited commercial text messages.
This is good for consumers, but not terribly Conservative of them. What's next? Outlawing ATM fees? I guess it is hard to change your cell phone provider when you are locked into multi-year plans with annoying out clauses.
We're better off with Harper.
Harper's Youth Reforms Prove Popular
Sorry Liberals, the vast majority of voters in the swing ridings of BC and Ontario support Stephen Harper's changes to the youth sentencing provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
... in Ontario, 73 per cent of respondents said they support the proposition; in British Columbia, 67 per cent of those surveyed said they agreed with it.
Moreover, the support outside Quebec is not lukewarm, Mr. Donolo said. In Ontario, for instance, a full 40 per cent said they “strongly” supported the concept.
When campaigning for my local Conservative candidate I heard lots of good things about the proposed changes and nothing bad.
The support for the changes in Quebec are not as strong, only around 40%.
I guess the Liberals will stop hammering the Conservatives on this now as it appears to have no traction, and may actually hurt them. If they change their mind on this issue and stop hammering it, we can chalk it up as another Dion flipflop. If they keep hammering, another strategic mistake. Either way, we win.
We're better off with Harper.
... in Ontario, 73 per cent of respondents said they support the proposition; in British Columbia, 67 per cent of those surveyed said they agreed with it.
Moreover, the support outside Quebec is not lukewarm, Mr. Donolo said. In Ontario, for instance, a full 40 per cent said they “strongly” supported the concept.
When campaigning for my local Conservative candidate I heard lots of good things about the proposed changes and nothing bad.
The support for the changes in Quebec are not as strong, only around 40%.
I guess the Liberals will stop hammering the Conservatives on this now as it appears to have no traction, and may actually hurt them. If they change their mind on this issue and stop hammering it, we can chalk it up as another Dion flipflop. If they keep hammering, another strategic mistake. Either way, we win.
We're better off with Harper.
Duceppe stands by his "fresh meat"
Show leadership Gilles Duceppe!
The Conservative leader demanded Mr. Duceppe retract his statement, saying it was extreme and irresponsible.
“What is an extreme statement, and extreme policy, is to put young people in jail at 14 years old, possibly for life,” Mr. Duceppe told reporters Thursday morning.
Mr. Harper's plan would see criminals as young as 14 sent into the adult justice system, where the Bloc Québécois leader says they could end up in prisons mixed with adult criminals.
Tabarnak.
To be clear Gilles Duceppe, it is young murders and rapists.
Also, youth don't go to adult jail. And you're an idiot for suggesting that occur widespread. Oh sure, they could possibly go to adult jail, but in the vast majority of cases it won't.
Duceppe must not trust the judges, he thinks they will send all the young convicted rapists and murders to adult jail, and also always give life sentences because they can now.
Right, judges always go the far end of the punishment scale when sentencing convicted criminals.
/end sarcasm
The Conservative leader demanded Mr. Duceppe retract his statement, saying it was extreme and irresponsible.
“What is an extreme statement, and extreme policy, is to put young people in jail at 14 years old, possibly for life,” Mr. Duceppe told reporters Thursday morning.
Mr. Harper's plan would see criminals as young as 14 sent into the adult justice system, where the Bloc Québécois leader says they could end up in prisons mixed with adult criminals.
Tabarnak.
To be clear Gilles Duceppe, it is young murders and rapists.
Also, youth don't go to adult jail. And you're an idiot for suggesting that occur widespread. Oh sure, they could possibly go to adult jail, but in the vast majority of cases it won't.
Duceppe must not trust the judges, he thinks they will send all the young convicted rapists and murders to adult jail, and also always give life sentences because they can now.
Right, judges always go the far end of the punishment scale when sentencing convicted criminals.
/end sarcasm
Pathetic Liberal Bloggers
Wow, this is pathetic.
Liberal Outsider go back to your parent's basement and leave blogging to the adults. Your picture is out of date, and your pathetic smear is classless. You must work for Thibault.
And yes, a year is a long time, look at more recent pictures you fool.
Lame, classless, stupid ==> The Liberal Way.
Liberal Outsider go back to your parent's basement and leave blogging to the adults. Your picture is out of date, and your pathetic smear is classless. You must work for Thibault.
And yes, a year is a long time, look at more recent pictures you fool.
Lame, classless, stupid ==> The Liberal Way.
The Canadian Election in Quotes
Google seems to have yet another new application on the Internet. It is called "InQuotes".
It's a neat little webapp that showcases many of the quotes our fearless leaders have made, it pulls them from stories linked to from Google News. Think of it as a comparison engine.
There are versions for:
Of course despite the assertions that Stephen Harper is a Bush lover or whatever, looking at the quotes in "InQuotes" tells a much different story. We truly see that Dion is more interested in bad talking Stephen Harper and outgoing President Bush then talking about real policy that will have a massive impact on our future.
We're better off with Harper.
It's a neat little webapp that showcases many of the quotes our fearless leaders have made, it pulls them from stories linked to from Google News. Think of it as a comparison engine.
There are versions for:
- Canada
- United States
- United Kingdom
- India
- Stephen Harper
- Stephane Dion
- Jack Layton
- Gilles Duceppe
- Peter MacKay
Of course despite the assertions that Stephen Harper is a Bush lover or whatever, looking at the quotes in "InQuotes" tells a much different story. We truly see that Dion is more interested in bad talking Stephen Harper and outgoing President Bush then talking about real policy that will have a massive impact on our future.
We're better off with Harper.
First Terrorist: Guilty as Charged
In breaking news, an Ontario judge has found the first terrorist guilty as charged in the Toronto terror trial.
While asked to pronounce on only one suspect, Mr. Justice John Sproat ruled that the evidence a wider terrorist group existed "is overwhelming."
"I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that [the accused] by his participation and contribution intended to enhance the ability of the terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity.
Breaking news
Related Articles
"I therefore find [the accused] guilty as charged," he said in the 94-page ruling.
To be honest, I am sort of shocked. I half expected our odd hug-a-thug mentality to strike down the terror laws, and release the young man as a misunderstood youth whose poor social background led him to a life of terror.
Let us be clear, the law was also on trial here, it is good that it was upheld.
For those terrorist sympathizers who claim that it was merely guilt by association need to wake up, he wasn't just associated with them. He helped them prepare and attended training camps. He was also 17, will they consider that a youth as well? Let's be clear with the extend of what happened here:
Judge Sproat ruled that even if the youth was ignorant of the wider group's purpose until that point, after the speech he would have necessarily known he was part of a terrorist enterprise. The judge noted that under Canadian law, it was not necessary for the youth to know the specifics of any attack or plot, rather he had to only be knowingly participating in a terrorist enterprise.
Judge Sproat found that's what happened. For months after the training camp, the youth remained close to the ringleader and shoplifted camping gear and walkie-talkies on the group's behalf.
There was also evidence that he disabled a surveillance camera security agents had installed in an apartment to watch members of the group and that he went on to attend a second training camp that concluded a few weeks before the June 2006 arrests.
Yep, misunderstood youth.
/sarcasm
While asked to pronounce on only one suspect, Mr. Justice John Sproat ruled that the evidence a wider terrorist group existed "is overwhelming."
"I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that [the accused] by his participation and contribution intended to enhance the ability of the terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity.
Breaking news
Related Articles
"I therefore find [the accused] guilty as charged," he said in the 94-page ruling.
To be honest, I am sort of shocked. I half expected our odd hug-a-thug mentality to strike down the terror laws, and release the young man as a misunderstood youth whose poor social background led him to a life of terror.
Let us be clear, the law was also on trial here, it is good that it was upheld.
For those terrorist sympathizers who claim that it was merely guilt by association need to wake up, he wasn't just associated with them. He helped them prepare and attended training camps. He was also 17, will they consider that a youth as well? Let's be clear with the extend of what happened here:
Judge Sproat ruled that even if the youth was ignorant of the wider group's purpose until that point, after the speech he would have necessarily known he was part of a terrorist enterprise. The judge noted that under Canadian law, it was not necessary for the youth to know the specifics of any attack or plot, rather he had to only be knowingly participating in a terrorist enterprise.
Judge Sproat found that's what happened. For months after the training camp, the youth remained close to the ringleader and shoplifted camping gear and walkie-talkies on the group's behalf.
There was also evidence that he disabled a surveillance camera security agents had installed in an apartment to watch members of the group and that he went on to attend a second training camp that concluded a few weeks before the June 2006 arrests.
Yep, misunderstood youth.
/sarcasm
Forthright, contrite, and humble: Harper addresses reporters
Excellent answers on the economy, and the Conservative action plan to do all that can be done to keep Canada's economy on a solid footing.
Pay particular attention to the last 30-45 seconds of his answers. He is contrite and humble.
In this episode he comes across like an excellent statesman. Humble, knowledgeable, and earnest. We need more of this.
We're better off with Harper
Pay particular attention to the last 30-45 seconds of his answers. He is contrite and humble.
In this episode he comes across like an excellent statesman. Humble, knowledgeable, and earnest. We need more of this.
We're better off with Harper
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tories moving away from Liberals in key battlegrounds
Two out of three ain't bad.
The Conservatives are pounding the Liberals in the swing ridings in Ontario BC. The Liberals are getting destroyed in these two provinces.
The Conservatives are have over 40% support in both BC and Ontario swing ridings, the Liberals down to 27%.
The only bright spot for the Liberals is that they are now tied with the Conservatives in Quebec.
The Conservative trend lines in Ontario look really good, same in BC. That news is not so good for the NDP in BC, where they took a big hit in support from the last poll.
Both the Liberals and Conservatives are trending up in Quebec.
We're better of with Harper.
The Conservatives are pounding the Liberals in the swing ridings in Ontario BC. The Liberals are getting destroyed in these two provinces.
The Conservatives are have over 40% support in both BC and Ontario swing ridings, the Liberals down to 27%.
The only bright spot for the Liberals is that they are now tied with the Conservatives in Quebec.
The Conservative trend lines in Ontario look really good, same in BC. That news is not so good for the NDP in BC, where they took a big hit in support from the last poll.
Both the Liberals and Conservatives are trending up in Quebec.
We're better of with Harper.
Harper please make Duceppe into "fresh meat"
Man o'man I cannot believe this election.
"Stephen Harper is calling on Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe to retract his remark that the Conservatives' youth-justice plan would provide "fresh meat" for older inmates."
How do these parties get awhile with saying this crap? Disgusting.
Duceppe has crossed the line and should apologize for this outlandish, silly and inappropriate remark. What's next, Duceppe will accuse Stephen Harper of canceling the youth inmate soap-on-the rope program?
Duceppe, show some class, apologize. Or, to hold you to the same standard as you and the MSM hold the Conservatives, you should step down as leader of the Bloc.
We're better off with Harper.
"Stephen Harper is calling on Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe to retract his remark that the Conservatives' youth-justice plan would provide "fresh meat" for older inmates."
How do these parties get awhile with saying this crap? Disgusting.
Duceppe has crossed the line and should apologize for this outlandish, silly and inappropriate remark. What's next, Duceppe will accuse Stephen Harper of canceling the youth inmate soap-on-the rope program?
Duceppe, show some class, apologize. Or, to hold you to the same standard as you and the MSM hold the Conservatives, you should step down as leader of the Bloc.
We're better off with Harper.
What is french for "mojo"?
According to the Strategic Counsel polling in Quebec the Conservatives are slowly loosing support due to their controversial cuts to the arts.
Pollster Peter Donolo of the Strategic Counsel said the Conservative support is slowly eroding in Quebec because of controversial cuts to cultural programs.
“[Mr. Harper has] got to get some of that mojo back in Quebec,” Mr. Donolo said.
The Conservative war room, the Prime Minister, his ministers, MPs, and candidates will have to redouble their efforts to get the truth out. It would really suck to lose a majority over 45 million dollars.
The truth is the Conservatives increased funding to the arts and culture by 8% since taking power. That is greater then the rate of inflation.
The Bloc, NDP, and the Liberals are really pounding on the Conservatives over this issue, and they can easily tie it into the so called "hidden agenda".
The party must go on the offensive on this issue, the party will need to prove to Canadians that this cut will not affect our entertainment and arts industry, and prove how they have improved it.
The party will also need to attack the Liberals for their past record of funding cuts to the arts and culture communities in the 90s. Attack the Liberal's credibility on this issue. How can the Liberals claim prudent fiscal management for the CBC and other cuts in the 90s but the Conservatives can't claim that now?
To be clear, by attack I don't mean partisan mudslinging. The Prime Minister and the party need to be civil, composed, and statesman like in all of this. We are not the party of meanies like the left wants to portray us.
We're better off with Harper.
Pollster Peter Donolo of the Strategic Counsel said the Conservative support is slowly eroding in Quebec because of controversial cuts to cultural programs.
“[Mr. Harper has] got to get some of that mojo back in Quebec,” Mr. Donolo said.
The Conservative war room, the Prime Minister, his ministers, MPs, and candidates will have to redouble their efforts to get the truth out. It would really suck to lose a majority over 45 million dollars.
The truth is the Conservatives increased funding to the arts and culture by 8% since taking power. That is greater then the rate of inflation.
The Bloc, NDP, and the Liberals are really pounding on the Conservatives over this issue, and they can easily tie it into the so called "hidden agenda".
The party must go on the offensive on this issue, the party will need to prove to Canadians that this cut will not affect our entertainment and arts industry, and prove how they have improved it.
The party will also need to attack the Liberals for their past record of funding cuts to the arts and culture communities in the 90s. Attack the Liberal's credibility on this issue. How can the Liberals claim prudent fiscal management for the CBC and other cuts in the 90s but the Conservatives can't claim that now?
To be clear, by attack I don't mean partisan mudslinging. The Prime Minister and the party need to be civil, composed, and statesman like in all of this. We are not the party of meanies like the left wants to portray us.
We're better off with Harper.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
NDP/Liberal Coalition Government: A Crisis in the Making?
It is old news that Jack Layton of the troubled NDP mused about forming a coalition government with the Liberals to prevent the Conservatives forming government. The question is, what would the affect of this be?
By convention the party leader who won the most seats in the House of Commons becomes the Prime Minister. But that is complicated if the winning party doesn't hold a majority of the seats in the house.
In theory a coalition government could occur, just like in theory when Stephen Harper dissolved parliament the Governor General could have asked Stephane Dion to form a government. That didn't happen (thank god).
What would the consequences be if Stephen Harper won a plurality of seats, but fall short of a majority and the NDP/Liberals were able to convince the Governor General to appoint either Layton or Dion as Prime Minister (god help us all).
Massive constitutional crisis? Riots in the streets? Alberta succeeding from confederation? Williams rejoicing?
Any theories?
By convention the party leader who won the most seats in the House of Commons becomes the Prime Minister. But that is complicated if the winning party doesn't hold a majority of the seats in the house.
In theory a coalition government could occur, just like in theory when Stephen Harper dissolved parliament the Governor General could have asked Stephane Dion to form a government. That didn't happen (thank god).
What would the consequences be if Stephen Harper won a plurality of seats, but fall short of a majority and the NDP/Liberals were able to convince the Governor General to appoint either Layton or Dion as Prime Minister (god help us all).
Massive constitutional crisis? Riots in the streets? Alberta succeeding from confederation? Williams rejoicing?
Any theories?
West's exposure "of a sexual nature"
As I reported here, the mainstream media seems to be finally catching up.
On Sunday, West admitted he went skinny dipping with teenagers at a 1996 environmental retreat, but insisted nothing inappropriate happened.
Innocent behaviour?
But that statement was contradicted by a retreat participant, who said the New Democrat had a partial erection in front of the young girls.
"We were doing face-painting and he decided he wanted to get his legs painted, and some of the girls were painting his legs, and he took off his underwear and he had a partial erection and said 'why stop there girls?''' said Leah Jones, during a phone interview with CTV.
A slightly different story, but also a different woman reporting recounting it then mentioned in the last story.
Why wasn't he charged? The police owe an explanation.
We're better off with Harper.
On Sunday, West admitted he went skinny dipping with teenagers at a 1996 environmental retreat, but insisted nothing inappropriate happened.
Innocent behaviour?
But that statement was contradicted by a retreat participant, who said the New Democrat had a partial erection in front of the young girls.
"We were doing face-painting and he decided he wanted to get his legs painted, and some of the girls were painting his legs, and he took off his underwear and he had a partial erection and said 'why stop there girls?''' said Leah Jones, during a phone interview with CTV.
A slightly different story, but also a different woman reporting recounting it then mentioned in the last story.
Why wasn't he charged? The police owe an explanation.
We're better off with Harper.
Skinny Dipper Resigns!
I had a really cheeky blog post all planned in my head. I mean skinny dipper, NDP, dipper I mean, it practically would have wrote itself. Instead I read about how accounts described the situation completely different then I had heard before.
When Googling for news stories to link to this post I came across the following:
A group of 12 young women have come forward to voice their side of the story involving former Saanich Gulf Islands NDP candidate Julian West's inappropriate behaviour 12 years ago.
"As witnesses to Mr. West's behaviour during this conference, we feel strongly that his actions were a far cry from 'a serious error in judgement.' In fact, Mr. West's behaviour was grossly inappropriate and of a sexual nature," the women said in a press release.
How did this escape the mainstream media's attention?
"We are speaking out as witnesses of the incident and participants of the youth-lead environmental conference, which took place in May 1996 in Cowichan Lake. Mr. West was invited to speak as the local Green Party representative at the conference. At one point during the conference he removed all of this clothing and stood naked, with an erection, in front of a large group of young women aged 14 to 17 years. The youth were face painting at the time and were completely clothed."
Well, I guess we know why he quit now.
And, bring Jack Layton's judgment into serious question:
The women decided to send out a letter to NDP leader Jack Layton last week outlining their concerns and were waiting to hear back from him when West's apology began appearing on television and newspapers. "The media was underplaying it; what happened was quite serious and the public should know," said Jessica.
Jack Layton stood by his candidate, and accused the opposition of digging up mud.
Disgusting. This brings Jack Layton's "leadership" into serious question. This also puts Ritz's and Finch's comments in perspective doesn't it?
We're better off with Harper.
When Googling for news stories to link to this post I came across the following:
A group of 12 young women have come forward to voice their side of the story involving former Saanich Gulf Islands NDP candidate Julian West's inappropriate behaviour 12 years ago.
"As witnesses to Mr. West's behaviour during this conference, we feel strongly that his actions were a far cry from 'a serious error in judgement.' In fact, Mr. West's behaviour was grossly inappropriate and of a sexual nature," the women said in a press release.
How did this escape the mainstream media's attention?
"We are speaking out as witnesses of the incident and participants of the youth-lead environmental conference, which took place in May 1996 in Cowichan Lake. Mr. West was invited to speak as the local Green Party representative at the conference. At one point during the conference he removed all of this clothing and stood naked, with an erection, in front of a large group of young women aged 14 to 17 years. The youth were face painting at the time and were completely clothed."
Well, I guess we know why he quit now.
And, bring Jack Layton's judgment into serious question:
The women decided to send out a letter to NDP leader Jack Layton last week outlining their concerns and were waiting to hear back from him when West's apology began appearing on television and newspapers. "The media was underplaying it; what happened was quite serious and the public should know," said Jessica.
Jack Layton stood by his candidate, and accused the opposition of digging up mud.
Disgusting. This brings Jack Layton's "leadership" into serious question. This also puts Ritz's and Finch's comments in perspective doesn't it?
We're better off with Harper.
Dishonest Dion: Uncosted Campaign Promises
Stephane Dion promised to create a national child care and early education system. The promise stated:
At full implementation, the federal investment will climb to $1.25 billion annually.
But, their budget only budgets 1.5 billion over their 4 year mandate. That is a measly 375 million per year.
This is a mere fraction of what would be required for a national daycare system. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimates such a program would cost 40 billion a year federally.
"It's not affordable; otherwise it would have been done by Liberal governments who promised it years ago."
The federation estimates a national program similar to Quebec's much-heralded plan, under which parents pay a set fee of $7 a day and the province chips in $1.6 billion a year, would cost Ottawa and the provinces as much as $40 billion
Another promise that Stephane Dion talked about is increased support for education, they only have 1.15 billion allocated over 4 years. When I looked at this announcement earlier, that seems woefully insufficient.
Ok I need to go back to work now, elections make my productivity decrease too much! :)
Liberals: Pro Deficit.
We're better off with Harper.
At full implementation, the federal investment will climb to $1.25 billion annually.
But, their budget only budgets 1.5 billion over their 4 year mandate. That is a measly 375 million per year.
This is a mere fraction of what would be required for a national daycare system. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimates such a program would cost 40 billion a year federally.
"It's not affordable; otherwise it would have been done by Liberal governments who promised it years ago."
The federation estimates a national program similar to Quebec's much-heralded plan, under which parents pay a set fee of $7 a day and the province chips in $1.6 billion a year, would cost Ottawa and the provinces as much as $40 billion
Another promise that Stephane Dion talked about is increased support for education, they only have 1.15 billion allocated over 4 years. When I looked at this announcement earlier, that seems woefully insufficient.
Ok I need to go back to work now, elections make my productivity decrease too much! :)
Liberals: Pro Deficit.
We're better off with Harper.
Conservative support cuts across socioeconomic lines
In a reversal of past trends, the Conservatives under the leadership of Stephen Harper are now drawing support across all socioeconomic groups.
The latest daily tracking poll from EKOS
Contrary to the conventional picture of the Conservatives as the party of the better-off, they are an almost completely uniform across income groups in terms of their support. In other words, whether you are making less than $40,000 a year or more than $80,000, your likelihood of voting Conservative is almost exactly the same. Our other recent and more in-depth surveys have also shown that these voters tend to see themselves as being of middle rather than upper socioeconomic standing, and are more likely to be college rather than university-educated.
In stark contrast it is the Liberals becoming less and less the party of the average joe. The Liberals are moving up the socioeconomic ladder and becoming the party of the elite.
In contrast, the Liberals, once the prototypical class-less party, now skew clearly towards wealthier voters.
We live in interesting times.
We're better off with Harper.
The latest daily tracking poll from EKOS
Contrary to the conventional picture of the Conservatives as the party of the better-off, they are an almost completely uniform across income groups in terms of their support. In other words, whether you are making less than $40,000 a year or more than $80,000, your likelihood of voting Conservative is almost exactly the same. Our other recent and more in-depth surveys have also shown that these voters tend to see themselves as being of middle rather than upper socioeconomic standing, and are more likely to be college rather than university-educated.
In stark contrast it is the Liberals becoming less and less the party of the average joe. The Liberals are moving up the socioeconomic ladder and becoming the party of the elite.
In contrast, the Liberals, once the prototypical class-less party, now skew clearly towards wealthier voters.
We live in interesting times.
We're better off with Harper.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Youth Justice Reforms: A hit?
When I read this today I was shocked to say the least. I was wondered why they would put this policy out now when they are leading.
This policy on the face of it seems to play into the so called progressives hand's by allowing them to scream "Bush lover", "Wants to make us more American", or "regressive".
I agree that youth crime is one of the few segments increasing in Canada, but this seemed like an odd ploy. And I also agree we need to tackle this aggressively, and I would say I like the idea of holding youth accountable for their serious violent crime like murder. After all, its not graffiti here.
For sure a controversial announcement like this could take some of the attention away from Dion's big deficit day, but still, seemed risky.
When I was campaigning this evening with my local MP I heard a lot of enthusiasm for this announcement, people were happy we were doing something.
I guess the Conservative party did their polling well. This policy seems like a hit with the average Canadian.
We're better off with Harper.
This policy on the face of it seems to play into the so called progressives hand's by allowing them to scream "Bush lover", "Wants to make us more American", or "regressive".
I agree that youth crime is one of the few segments increasing in Canada, but this seemed like an odd ploy. And I also agree we need to tackle this aggressively, and I would say I like the idea of holding youth accountable for their serious violent crime like murder. After all, its not graffiti here.
For sure a controversial announcement like this could take some of the attention away from Dion's big deficit day, but still, seemed risky.
When I was campaigning this evening with my local MP I heard a lot of enthusiasm for this announcement, people were happy we were doing something.
I guess the Conservative party did their polling well. This policy seems like a hit with the average Canadian.
We're better off with Harper.
Rebecca Finch must resign
Rebecca Finch, Liberal candidate in Dufferin-Caledon will look at raising the GST when the economic times are "right".
Ms. Finch, that would be when hell freezes over.
In March 2008, the Tories allege, Ms. Finch compared Mr. Harper to Adolf Hitler. “Let's start with the really nasty stuff, though, the stuff that conjures up comparisons to Hitler or Stalin,” reads a post on the metaball.ca website written by Ms. Finch. “Let's talk about a damaged psychology, a malevolent personality disorder, and lessons that we, the discerning public who are ultimately affected by these characters, should have already learned.”
Nice.
Tories also allege Ms. Finch dismissed the suffering of victims of natural disasters who voted for right-wing parties: “These are echoes of my impassioned heart breaking when I say perhaps we should feel little sympathy for those right-voting victims of recent natural disasters, for those who have ignored instinct and common sense so they can continue to stuff themselves with superficial gluttony,” reads another post by Ms. Finch on metaball.ca.
How progressive of you.
Ms. Finch, you must resign. That lack of caring for fellow human beings is disgusting, your comparison of Mr. Harper to Hitler is beyond the pale. You must apologize and resign right away.
Cold cuts or Hitler? Gee, I can't figure out which is worse. Let's ignore those people affected by disaster, they are right wing and hence are worse then pond scum. How progressive.
We're better off with Harper.
Ms. Finch, that would be when hell freezes over.
In March 2008, the Tories allege, Ms. Finch compared Mr. Harper to Adolf Hitler. “Let's start with the really nasty stuff, though, the stuff that conjures up comparisons to Hitler or Stalin,” reads a post on the metaball.ca website written by Ms. Finch. “Let's talk about a damaged psychology, a malevolent personality disorder, and lessons that we, the discerning public who are ultimately affected by these characters, should have already learned.”
Nice.
Tories also allege Ms. Finch dismissed the suffering of victims of natural disasters who voted for right-wing parties: “These are echoes of my impassioned heart breaking when I say perhaps we should feel little sympathy for those right-voting victims of recent natural disasters, for those who have ignored instinct and common sense so they can continue to stuff themselves with superficial gluttony,” reads another post by Ms. Finch on metaball.ca.
How progressive of you.
Ms. Finch, you must resign. That lack of caring for fellow human beings is disgusting, your comparison of Mr. Harper to Hitler is beyond the pale. You must apologize and resign right away.
Cold cuts or Hitler? Gee, I can't figure out which is worse. Let's ignore those people affected by disaster, they are right wing and hence are worse then pond scum. How progressive.
We're better off with Harper.
Harper: Tough on Youth Crime
About time!
Youth crime is on the rise, in 2006 the crime rate increased more then 3%. Homicides committed by youth are at an all time high. Violent crime rate among youth rose over 12% over the last decade. In 2006 violent crime was up 30% from 1991.
Clearly something had to be done.
Today the Conservatives have pledged to increase funding to gang rehabilitation, and introduce mandatory sentencing for youths convicted of serious, violent crime.
The focus of the law will be on accountability and protection of society.
Its about time.
Also, let us all be aware, many of these recommendations come from the 2006 recommendations of a Nova Scotia commission of inquiry led by retired Justice D. Merlin Nunn.
We're better off with Harper.
Youth crime is on the rise, in 2006 the crime rate increased more then 3%. Homicides committed by youth are at an all time high. Violent crime rate among youth rose over 12% over the last decade. In 2006 violent crime was up 30% from 1991.
Clearly something had to be done.
Today the Conservatives have pledged to increase funding to gang rehabilitation, and introduce mandatory sentencing for youths convicted of serious, violent crime.
The focus of the law will be on accountability and protection of society.
Its about time.
Also, let us all be aware, many of these recommendations come from the 2006 recommendations of a Nova Scotia commission of inquiry led by retired Justice D. Merlin Nunn.
We're better off with Harper.
Liberal Platform Released
From the Globe and Mail:
"Stéphane Dion's Liberals unveiled a campaign platform with $54-billion in spending and tax cut commitments over four years and what the party says is an ironclad promise to keep budgets balanced."
If you say so.
The platform also contains a series of broken promises:
The party is promising to restore the 2005 Kelowna accord – scrapped by the Harper government – that gives natives more support, but have shrunk their commitment to $1.4-billion over four years from $5-billion over five years.
And
Their pledge to funding a national child care system will receive $1.5-billion over four years instead of $5-billion over five years as they'd promised in the 2006 election.
Stephane Dion promised to restore the accord, but has not.
On affordability:
The Liberal platform works out to about $4-billion per year in new spending and, by year four, about $10.5-billion in annual tax cuts for individuals and business. Another $4.4-billion per year would go in special tax breaks for low- and middle-income Canadians as well as rural and northern residents.
That is almost 20 billion in spending and tax cuts, I am not sure how they plan on keeping the budget balanced. They are playing fast and loose that is for sure. This is proven by the Liberal's using outdated growth projects. Growth projects they themselves have criticized.
Canada's economic growth projections have eroded since then, but the Liberals say they're sticking with these projections because the Harper government outlook for revenue remains the same for the current year. The governing Tories have not updated revenue projections yet for the three years after 2008-2009.
The Liberals also say that they will have cash to spare:
The Liberals say they'll even have cash to spare, with $13.3-billion extra in surpluses and rainy-day cushions over that period.
That means an average of 3.3 billion a year in surplus and raining day funds. Or as the Liberals call it March Madness. Of course if the Conservatives leave only that much as surplus then they are frittering away the fiscal capacity of Canada and skirting dangerously close to deficit.
Liberals propose program cuts as well:
The Liberals will help pay for their plan by cutting about $12-billion over four years from the federal government's $200-billion annual budget and shifting the funds to new priorities.
What will they cut? We need to know.
Most experts agree that their is not much left to cut, not without going after program spending anyway. All the easy cuts were made in the 90s.
Of course, the Dion plan also assumes their own Green Shift won't reduce GHG emissions, for if it does, they will run a deficit as their 15.5 billion in new tax revenues will not be in the government coffers.
So the question begs, why impose this tax at all if they don't think it will work?
We're better off with Harper.
"Stéphane Dion's Liberals unveiled a campaign platform with $54-billion in spending and tax cut commitments over four years and what the party says is an ironclad promise to keep budgets balanced."
If you say so.
The platform also contains a series of broken promises:
The party is promising to restore the 2005 Kelowna accord – scrapped by the Harper government – that gives natives more support, but have shrunk their commitment to $1.4-billion over four years from $5-billion over five years.
And
Their pledge to funding a national child care system will receive $1.5-billion over four years instead of $5-billion over five years as they'd promised in the 2006 election.
Stephane Dion promised to restore the accord, but has not.
On affordability:
The Liberal platform works out to about $4-billion per year in new spending and, by year four, about $10.5-billion in annual tax cuts for individuals and business. Another $4.4-billion per year would go in special tax breaks for low- and middle-income Canadians as well as rural and northern residents.
That is almost 20 billion in spending and tax cuts, I am not sure how they plan on keeping the budget balanced. They are playing fast and loose that is for sure. This is proven by the Liberal's using outdated growth projects. Growth projects they themselves have criticized.
Canada's economic growth projections have eroded since then, but the Liberals say they're sticking with these projections because the Harper government outlook for revenue remains the same for the current year. The governing Tories have not updated revenue projections yet for the three years after 2008-2009.
The Liberals also say that they will have cash to spare:
The Liberals say they'll even have cash to spare, with $13.3-billion extra in surpluses and rainy-day cushions over that period.
That means an average of 3.3 billion a year in surplus and raining day funds. Or as the Liberals call it March Madness. Of course if the Conservatives leave only that much as surplus then they are frittering away the fiscal capacity of Canada and skirting dangerously close to deficit.
Liberals propose program cuts as well:
The Liberals will help pay for their plan by cutting about $12-billion over four years from the federal government's $200-billion annual budget and shifting the funds to new priorities.
What will they cut? We need to know.
Most experts agree that their is not much left to cut, not without going after program spending anyway. All the easy cuts were made in the 90s.
Of course, the Dion plan also assumes their own Green Shift won't reduce GHG emissions, for if it does, they will run a deficit as their 15.5 billion in new tax revenues will not be in the government coffers.
So the question begs, why impose this tax at all if they don't think it will work?
We're better off with Harper.
Deemphasizing Dion: A tale of election woes
"to place less emphasis upon; reduce in importance, size, scope,"
The de-emphasis of Dion and his centre piece carbon tax continues. The Liberal campaign now entering its third week will switch to full bore assault mode on Stephen Harper and his Conservative brethren all the while Mr. Dion and his carbon tax slowly fade into the background.
The platform release comes as the Liberals retool their campaign, scaling back emphasis on their controversial Green Shift carbon tax in favour of a focus on the ailing economy and moving Leader Mr. Dion into the background while front-bench MPs such as Bob Rae and Ralph Goodale take the lead.
Take an unpopular plank and stick it into the background, politically smart, but weak. Weak as a kitten.
What will happen if Stephane Dion wins this election and forms government? Will Ralph Goodale and Bob Rae still front the government? Will they still tell Dion what to do?
If Bob Rae, Ralph Goodale and others take the lead and turn things around for the ailing Liberals who will have the mandate from the people? Bob Rae or Stephane Dion?
A real leader doesn't get eclipsed by his team. A real leader rallies the team around him and presents a vision for Canada.
Stephane Dion, not a leader, not worth the risk.
We're better off with Harper.
The de-emphasis of Dion and his centre piece carbon tax continues. The Liberal campaign now entering its third week will switch to full bore assault mode on Stephen Harper and his Conservative brethren all the while Mr. Dion and his carbon tax slowly fade into the background.
The platform release comes as the Liberals retool their campaign, scaling back emphasis on their controversial Green Shift carbon tax in favour of a focus on the ailing economy and moving Leader Mr. Dion into the background while front-bench MPs such as Bob Rae and Ralph Goodale take the lead.
Take an unpopular plank and stick it into the background, politically smart, but weak. Weak as a kitten.
What will happen if Stephane Dion wins this election and forms government? Will Ralph Goodale and Bob Rae still front the government? Will they still tell Dion what to do?
If Bob Rae, Ralph Goodale and others take the lead and turn things around for the ailing Liberals who will have the mandate from the people? Bob Rae or Stephane Dion?
A real leader doesn't get eclipsed by his team. A real leader rallies the team around him and presents a vision for Canada.
Stephane Dion, not a leader, not worth the risk.
We're better off with Harper.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Charge of the Garth Brigade
Conspiracy to right of them, conspiracy to left of them, conspiracy in front of them, Garth volley'd and thunder'd into the valley of Smear.
Wow, this man is delusional.
When he was a Conservative candidate he was the victim of vandals destroying his signs. Now as a turncoat Liberal he again is a victim of vandals destroying his signs.
Someone better give him a tinfoil hat stat!
I mean really, what should we expect of this man? He hasn't met a smear yet that he didn't like.
And Garth even as a sitting MP isn't above linking to offensive content from his popular blog.
Also we know you smeared your rival candidate yet again with another baseless attack. Perhaps you should have actually called and said the sign was a mistake, but no. Instead you launched your usual smear job though this time you saw lawyers in the distance and took it down real quick. And I was wondering why that one link on liblogs.ca went to nowhere on your site.
Is it slander or libel for written accusations without proof? I can never remember....
Wow, this man is delusional.
When he was a Conservative candidate he was the victim of vandals destroying his signs. Now as a turncoat Liberal he again is a victim of vandals destroying his signs.
Someone better give him a tinfoil hat stat!
I mean really, what should we expect of this man? He hasn't met a smear yet that he didn't like.
And Garth even as a sitting MP isn't above linking to offensive content from his popular blog.
In any case, this has generated a lot of talk. You can check out what some bloggers are saying by going here and here and here and here and here and here.
Note: Some of the sites mentioned above contain offensive language, some of which is directed against my opponent. I condemn that, and regret that these bloggers have chosen to express themselves in this fashion. This kind of attack is hurtful, and I am frequently the target of it. Nonetheless, it has become a daily fact of political life in Canada. — Garth
Also we know you smeared your rival candidate yet again with another baseless attack. Perhaps you should have actually called and said the sign was a mistake, but no. Instead you launched your usual smear job though this time you saw lawyers in the distance and took it down real quick. And I was wondering why that one link on liblogs.ca went to nowhere on your site.
Is it slander or libel for written accusations without proof? I can never remember....
How progressive of him...
An NDP candidate in British Columbia apologized Sunday for removing his clothes in front of minors at an environmental retreat 12 years ago.
What was Julian West thinking? Someone really needs to watch him when he is around kids.
An RCMP officer says police received complaints from the camp that West dropped his shorts in front of a group of teens and asked them to paint his body.
Ick.
This is buried on the Globe and Mail website but some trumped up charge against Mr. MacKay from several years ago is the lead story? Nope, no media bias there.
We're better off with Harper.
What was Julian West thinking? Someone really needs to watch him when he is around kids.
An RCMP officer says police received complaints from the camp that West dropped his shorts in front of a group of teens and asked them to paint his body.
Ick.
This is buried on the Globe and Mail website but some trumped up charge against Mr. MacKay from several years ago is the lead story? Nope, no media bias there.
We're better off with Harper.
Manufacturing Scandal
Senior cabinet minister Peter MacKay approved a $16,800 hospitality bill for a group of civil servants in an apparent bending of government rules, a newly disclosed document shows.
Pardon moi?
This is not balanced reporting.
The $16,800 hospitality tab — large, even by Ottawa's standards — was to buy lunches for 400 Passport Canada employees who were working weekends to cope with a crush of passport applications last year.
$16,800 / 400 / 3 = $14. 14 dollars per person, per meal. This seems entirely reasonable to me.
It went to civil servants working on their weekends, not to some ministers or political staffers.
As an aside, when employees working for me work late or on weekends, I pay their meal expenses. And they can spend up to 20 dollars for their meal. 14 dollars with taxes seems entirely reasonable to me.
I figure this is the least we can do when they are giving up their family time.
Let's all be reasonable here.
Pardon moi?
This is not balanced reporting.
The $16,800 hospitality tab — large, even by Ottawa's standards — was to buy lunches for 400 Passport Canada employees who were working weekends to cope with a crush of passport applications last year.
$16,800 / 400 / 3 = $14. 14 dollars per person, per meal. This seems entirely reasonable to me.
It went to civil servants working on their weekends, not to some ministers or political staffers.
As an aside, when employees working for me work late or on weekends, I pay their meal expenses. And they can spend up to 20 dollars for their meal. 14 dollars with taxes seems entirely reasonable to me.
I figure this is the least we can do when they are giving up their family time.
Let's all be reasonable here.
Death By a 1000 Coldcuts?
Conservatives vs Liberals: Battle Ground Internet
The power of the Internet to influence thoughts, voters, and even elections gains every year.
Both the Liberals and Conservatives have "attack websites", and partisans post videos in YouTube hosted propaganda wars.
Bloggers, like good little foot soldiers rush to man the fortifications and launch Internet attacks across the pipes of cyberspace. The bloggers group into various "armies" as well, they will rush to defend, or attack a given party or ideology. Some bloggers rely on intelligence or thoughtful arguments, and some rely on sexist or racist words to draw people towards their site.
Who will be the winner? Is there a winner? Do people other then partisans actually read political blogs? Research videos on the Internet? I don't know. But somehow I doubt it.
Anyway, vive la Internet! Its always entertaining, and always fun to watch.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
It's a new low for Dion
CTV is now (finally) reporting Dion's attack ad on their website. The last line of the article says it all doesn't it?
It follows repeated promises by Dion that he wouldn't indulge in personal attacks.
Stephane Dion is a liar and cannot be trusted.
Canada.
We're better off with Harper.
It follows repeated promises by Dion that he wouldn't indulge in personal attacks.
Stephane Dion is a liar and cannot be trusted.
Canada.
We're better off with Harper.
Tories NOW gaining in key ridings
The polls roller coaster ride continues, it appears now that the Conservatives are gaining ground in the 45 most important ridings across Canada.
These poll results are from the 16-18th, this leads some credence to the theory that Ritz's comments won't have a significant impact on the electorate.
The Ritz story broke on the 17th and was big on the 18th, it is now slowly dying despite the best efforts of the Liberals and mainstream media. Oh, and yes I still think Ritz should resign.
We're better off with Harper.
These poll results are from the 16-18th, this leads some credence to the theory that Ritz's comments won't have a significant impact on the electorate.
The Ritz story broke on the 17th and was big on the 18th, it is now slowly dying despite the best efforts of the Liberals and mainstream media. Oh, and yes I still think Ritz should resign.
We're better off with Harper.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Dion flip flops and goes negative
Shameless, using the unfortunate deaths of Canadians as political props is a new low even for the Liberals.
Dion flip flops on his carbon tax and he flip flops on running negative ads. Dion even flip flops as being the leader of the Liberal party and instead trots out the "team".
Pathetic.
PS: The link provided by the Liberal website is broken HTML, good job guys.
Walt Lastewka Must Resign
Dion must remove Liberal Candidate Walt Lastewka from his slate of candidates for the tasteless and inappropriate joke published in his riding association's newsletter that came to light in July.
In this newsletter a "joke" that was supposed to bring "smile and a chuckle" to follow Liberals makes light of an assassination of the Prime Minister and his wife.
A quote from the story:
"Dykstra has not conducted himself in a manner I would expect from an elected official," said Jane Cornelius, the president of the Liberal riding association in St. Catharines. "An elected official who had concerns would have contacted me. I think this is further evidence of the ongoing maligning of people and their character."
If you say so. So what do you say about taping the Ritz comments and then releasing them two weeks into the campaign? Ok because a Liberal did it? That's not a character assassination ? Liberals live in lala land.
Using Jane Cornelius' logic Stephane Dion should have privately approached Gerry Ritz and expressed his concern, not release the comments to the press. We all know what really happened.
The Liberal's are using these inappropriate comments as a life raft to rescue their own failed campaign, a campaign in so much trouble that Dion had to drop the Green Shift and had to trot out the failed leadership contenders to prop up Dion.
One of Dion's critics, the opposition's equivalent of a minister, Thibault makes ageist and sexist remarks and his is not forced to resign his critic post nor his candidacy.
The Conservatives will have to fight fire with fire.
We're better off with Harper.
In this newsletter a "joke" that was supposed to bring "smile and a chuckle" to follow Liberals makes light of an assassination of the Prime Minister and his wife.
A quote from the story:
"Dykstra has not conducted himself in a manner I would expect from an elected official," said Jane Cornelius, the president of the Liberal riding association in St. Catharines. "An elected official who had concerns would have contacted me. I think this is further evidence of the ongoing maligning of people and their character."
If you say so. So what do you say about taping the Ritz comments and then releasing them two weeks into the campaign? Ok because a Liberal did it? That's not a character assassination ? Liberals live in lala land.
Using Jane Cornelius' logic Stephane Dion should have privately approached Gerry Ritz and expressed his concern, not release the comments to the press. We all know what really happened.
The Liberal's are using these inappropriate comments as a life raft to rescue their own failed campaign, a campaign in so much trouble that Dion had to drop the Green Shift and had to trot out the failed leadership contenders to prop up Dion.
One of Dion's critics, the opposition's equivalent of a minister, Thibault makes ageist and sexist remarks and his is not forced to resign his critic post nor his candidacy.
The Conservatives will have to fight fire with fire.
We're better off with Harper.
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