Canuck E Stan

Albertans,being anti-Liberal and pro-conservatives will say, see "those damn Feds are at it again" This would also be an excellent anti-Fed move on Ralph's part......but do really think Ralph thinks smart like that?

I think your right August, Ralph has aready stated it will be more than $300. Albertans are against the $300 saying it really won"t do much and it would be better to get a tax break instead. But $1000, now we're talking about something you can take to the bank. Like you I think this is the magic number that will appeal to the tax payers and keep Ralph's Tories on the up side.

It appears that the knives are out for Pettigrew from everybody, the media,Quebec,his fellow Liberals and maybe even Martin himself. Could this be the last election for Pettigrew? Offside on policy and out of town when crisis hits, Pierre Pettigrew is the 'kamikaze' foreign minister

A country doctor is suturing a laceration on the hand of an old farmer. Old man: "All I need to know about Canadian politics is that Paul Martin is a post turtle." Doctor: "Oh? What is a post turtle?" Old man: "When you are driving down a country road, and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top? That's a post turtle. Ya know he didn't get there by himself, he doesn't belong there, he can't get anything done while he's up there, and you just want to help take the poor thing down."

Fair enough, but how can the valitity of the poll be truly accepted, when we don't know who asked for it to be done. E.g. If a national newspaper asks for a poll to be done and the polling company used gives the results to the newspaper, and it is put in print. Doesn't the paper expect some kind of "newsworthiness" change from the last poll it asked for? What if the poll said there was no change from the last poll, that would hardly sell newspapers if people read the headlines in the paper. Would not the pollsters come up with some kind of "change" in their polling method or have some figures to make some kind of change newsworthy? Not that it wasn't true, but somehow more dramatic in it's results. What about pollsters who have affiliation to political parties? I guess what I'm asking is how valid is a poll when we know nothing about who runs it or who wanted it, somewhat like the medical research done by drug companies.

More on Pettigrew and LaBonte Driving Mr. Pettigrew "Perhaps Mr. Labonte tested Mr. Pettigrew's preparedness for sudden attacks, leaping upon the minister from inside his Paris hotel room's boudoir, a la Cato. Or, perchance, he kept a black mask ready, like Kato, to don and then scatter all those intent on harming his boss. Those who point out that other government officials usually rely on local security on such trips, or that Mr. Pettigrew apparently decided to risk it without the security-conscious Mr. Labonte by his side on other travels, are ignoring the tremendous bargain to taxpayers that Mr. Pettigrew's globe-trotting chauffeur represented." When's the movie coming out?

Now don't get in a huff over this, but how does a polling company make money? Who paid for this poll? The pollsters seem to have some prime office space in this country. So they must be making good bucks doing these polls. I don't believe Leger does these poll out of interest for the public,so somebody must of requested this poll. Or am I wrong? Sometimes I think it's like getting an "independent" research report on how great a certain drug is and finding out the research is paid for by the drug company that makes it.I'm not disputing the findings, just looking for some answers about Polling companies.

LotusLandLunatic, I think an apology to Argus is in order from you. Argus never said that - you said it, Argus would never use a word like pecker.

"Lemme guess. Telephone Solicitor!?" I supose they too get the same kind of perks,but no. Not being in uppper government,us regular smucks get regular perks. It must be grand to work in government with other people's money, and being able to determine where to perk an employee,it must be really gradifying.

"but I do recall it being news when a Defense Minister (can't recall his name at the moment) was paying his completely unqualified girlfriend to write reports for the department. I think he wound up being removed from Cabinet." And for his shame he now sits in the Senate. And about the perks....At our place when quality goes up we get free coffee and donuts.

Argus,sometimes you're so anal.

Interesting,and it could mean a majority for Martin,but what is this? "The numbers were reached after distribution of the 20 per cent of respondents who were undecided." Is this manipulation of those undecided into some kind of decided votes? I'm not familiar with this,what this mean?

Just as Robert Stanfield was "the greatest prime minister we never had." The Calgary Sun probably said it right in it's editorial about Paul Martin. "Maybe history will one day remember Paul Martin as the greatest prime minister the country ever had, until he became prime minister."

A husband and wife attend a small political gathering at the rural chuch hall one Saturday night. The man was very moved by the politician's speech, so he stopped to shake the politician's hand. That was the best damn speech I ever did hear!" The Politician replied, "Oh! Why, thank you sir, but please, I'd appreciate it if you didn't use profanity in this church hall." "I'm sorry , but I can't help myself... it was such a damn good speech!" The Politician replied, "Sir, please, I cannot have you behaving this way in front of all these people!" "Okay , but I just wanted you to know that I thought it was so damn good, that I placed $5,000 in your campaign box." The Politician's eyes opened wide as he remarked, "No Sh*t!"

I'm sorry I didn't make my point clearer. I was contradicting the statement made about the "ideology of tramping down the poor instead of helping them" and "reflect well upon Canada". Mulhroney's government reflected better of Canada with it's .5% than the Liberals. Since this thread makes references to "Right wing governments failing us" I guess I'm confused as to what the topic actually is about or who "us" is. The last right wing government was Mulhroney's some 14 years ago, and you are right , Lewis spoke of foreign aid ,and the right did not fail "us" as the Liberals with their "surpluses" have.

"The right wing ideology of tramping down the poor instead of helping them does not reflect well upon Canada or those who support the ideology." Stephen Lewis offers support for Mulroney Lewis also said Mulroney's Progressive Conservative government gave more than Prime Minister Martin currently does to foreign aid. Mulroney's government gave 0.5 per cent of the gross national product to foreign aid in 1989. Paul Martin's Liberal government contributes 0.32 per cent of the GNP to foreign aid despite huge surpluses. Seeing as the last right wing government Canada had, was doing more for the poor than the elected left, shows how your statement about the right is wrong. Just ask Lewis.

And I'll add to that ,Ann McLelland saying that WE are THEIR best friends.Why she did not say that THEY are OUR best friends, still bugs me.

"Far more often, August, the person with the mop is a recent immigrant - often illegal - who is paid less than minimum wage." I agree that the person with the mop might be a recent immigrant, but often being illegal-who is paid less than minimum wage, You'll have to convince me with figures on that part. My parents were immigrants that were so overjoyed to be allowed to come to Canada that the only reason they voted for the Liberals was because: 1.They thought it was because of the Liberals, that they were allowed to come to Canada and therefore it was their duty to vote for them....because if anyone else got in they would have to go back. 2. In those days the Liberals were Catholics and the Conservatives were Protestants,whether that was actually the case it didn't matter to them, that's the way they viewed it. And being Catholic you voted for those of your religion. Now today this may sound like a stupid arguement for voting ,but I believe people still vote this way.Those who come from foreign lands feel obligated to the government for allowing to come here and regardless of the issues invoved in the elections will vote for the party that brought them here.As a second generation Canadian, you become more in tune with the issues and all the fear that your parents had about being returned is gone and you become more involved with the political process at hand. Immigrants, and this is just my opinion,will mostly vote for the party that was in power when they arrived in Canada.And will continue to vote for that party because of that fact.

Interesting note from a Mulhroney senator wishing for an extended lock out....until after the next election. I wonder if the CBC being grounded will actually affect the outcome of the election. I guess the true story would be if Martin legislates the CBC back to work,for what reason I don't know, but that would definately indicate the importance of the CBC to the Liberals. Senator wants CBC lockout to linger

From a CPC supporter'sblog Thursday, September 15, 2005 MacKay to leave CPC? - Just a rumour, but... From "My Blahg's" blog: "An unconfirmed rumour reports that CP MP, Peter MacKay will not run as a Conservative in the next federal campaign." Read all the comments too as there are some in there that contain some very interesting tidbits. One is: "Further to the rumour: there seems to be a copy of a receipt floating around from the Parliamentary Press Gallery for rental of the Charles Lynch Room some time next week for a press conference rumoured to include Peter MacKay and possibly one other current CPC member. Apparently the name on the credit card used to book the room was David Peterson." David Peterson is the man that is credited with successfully facilitating Belinda Stronach's move from the Conservative Party to the Liberal Party. Like I said, it could be a rumour with no substance. If it isn't, - this is going to be a bombshell. The things you pick up on blocgs. IF true,this would be a real bombshell to Harper and the CPC if it's true.

Blair pulls plug on Kyoto Blair, a longtime supporter of the Kyoto treaty, further prefaced his remarks by noting, "My thinking has changed in the past three or four years." So what does he think now? "No country, he declared, "is going to cut its growth." That is, no country is going to allow the Kyoto treaty, or any other such global-warming treaty, to crimp -- some say cripple -- its economy. With Britain's departure, the Kyoto treaty no longer has enough support in order to be enacted. Does this make Kyoto in Canada finished or will Martin carry on with Kyoto anyways, or will he go with something that is made in Canada?

"At the present time I can bank almost half my pay. Now what I bank is either going to be spent on something else, as in the big screen TV I bought last month - for cash (I don't like paying on credit)" If more people actually waited til they had "cash" before they made "toy" purchases there would probably be more savings. It's just to easy to spend when the credit card is in the wallet.Pay cash or pay when the bill comes, then the damn banks make nothing. I try to use your policy on paying too Argus. On a secondary note Argus, Please tell me that your job in government has nothing to do with being able to pay cash.

August, "Instead, I'll make the obvious point that income tax takes money from people before they spend it. The GST takes money from people when they spend it. If a poor person manages to save money, through a pension scheme or otherwise, should they be penalized and taxed? Should a government tax savings? You claim that I have introduced a strawman argument. I haven't. If the government taxed as you suggest, it would tax all income. It would tax money spent and money saved. The GST only taxes money spent." Excellent arguement for retaining the GST. I've always believed a lot of people didn't realize that the GST was a substitution for another tax, the Manufacturer's Tax. They probably think that by getting rid of the GST it would mean life would be without any kind of tax. I'm sure when Chretien was touting the end of the GST, people voting for him then, thought it would go back to the old tax. The old tax that wasn't disclosed on your purchase and you payed without acually knowing there was a tax.Seeing the GST in your face I think was what people hated. The GST could be improved on a number of fronts beyond rent and food,removal of the tax for items like,books,children's clothing(especially when they grow like weeds),sanitary napkins and other items where people have limited options. Tax on savings,would be a mistake. Figures released lately from the banks state Canadians don"t save money and are in the negative zone for savings.Placing a tax on what little people do save would expand that negativity even further.

A man walked into the new Parliament Building ladies department, and walked up to the woman behind the counter and said, "I'd like to buy a bra for my wife" What type of bra?" asked the clerk. "Type?" inquires the man. "There is more than one type?" "Look around," said the saleslady, as she showed a sea of bras in every shape, size, color and material. "Actually, even with all of this variety, there are really only three types of bras," replied the salesclerk. Confused, the man asked what the types were. The saleslady replied "The Liberal type, the, NDP type, and the Conservative type. Which one do you need?" Still confused the man asked, "What is the difference between them?" The lady responded, "It is all really quite simple. The Liberal type supports the masses, the NDP type lifts up the fallen, and the Conservative type makes mountains out of mole hills."

"I don't know about the rest of you but I am tired of being lied to by these right wing governments" Sounds like flaming to me, what governments and that's government(S) that are lying to you. Like always, you ramble but never support your statements with fact.And never answer when challenged over statement like that one. Cheers