Derek 2.0

Doesn't the Prime Minister have bouncer listed on his resume next to drama teacher and snowboard instructor?

You feel conversing over the Canadian Prime Minister's assault of two Opposition MPs is a politicization? I suppose we must not speak ill of Dear Leader Clearly this speaks to the Prime Minister's (lack there of) judgement.........grabbing and dragging one MP and elbowing and shoving another MP is not adult behavior, and if done in most workplaces could result in being fired or even charged.

His father was alleged to have tuned up his mother several times.........

Exactly, the flying elbow to the NDP MP aside, why was the Prime Minister grabbing the Whip of the Official Opposition? Could have sworn Andrew Leslie was packing a folding steel chair into the scrum........

As in she needs another nanny for when Justin has a hissey fit at home?

Inefficient use of money? How so? And food options, compared to an airline? Food on an overnight VIA train is cooked fresh aboard the train, with a different menu each day with each meal. I have no idea, thats why I asked the question. Sure its is, namely in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor, in the same sense as commuter airlines.....the addition of highspeed rail would greatly expand the size of the footprint.

Does this qualify as a micro aggression or regular old aggression? From the video, you can clearly see the NDP MP wince in pain....glad its 2016.

Yes, that is my point......Via and Amtrak are both budget monsters, created by over bearing government............Amtrak, like Via, didn't need to happen, the then US Government could simply have the ICC require x% of routes must be maintained at y level of service by the various railroads.

Aside from the commuter routes in the New York-Washington corridor, not really..........for the most part, Amtrak is operating the same vintage equipment as Via, that was cutting edge decades ago when it was in the livery of Santa Fe, Rio Grande, Great Northern, CN and CPR etc etc.

That depends on the route, type of ticket (class) and time of year.......for the most part, Via's economy class is cheaper than airlines, with a trade off in the amount of time traveling over comfort.

Amtrak sucks off both teats.........

Their funding cuts aside, they have no need to purchase new equipment......by North American railroad standards, Via's equipment is current......the purchase of modern (see European or Japanese inspired technology) trains would be a waste of money, as the the actual grades, rails and track etc the trains would operate on are not optimized for high speed rail..........and its not a mater of giving Via money to upgrade their tracks etc, as Via doesn't own the track it operates on........that would be CP and CN.....and why would freight carriers want to invest in high speed rail? And of course, the Via monster can be blamed squarely on the former Trudeau government for its creation, copying the American's failure with Amtrak and big government ........when passenger rail service would have survived, with continued subsides like the airlines receive, given to Canadian Pacific.

You're confusing efficient for speed.........rail travel is far more efficient than by air, bus or car. No, because the story doesn't account for subsidies to the airlines. Without a doubt.........and why wouldn't they? Didn't Trudeau promise high-speed commuter rail?

How so? Did the Manitoba fires threaten a major economic resource? ---------- Forgot the burning of the city, if this fire, now moving north-northeast, torches Suncor's Firebag project, we're talking a halt in production near equal to some nations total daily production..........the loss of Libya during the onset of the civil war, which as a nation only produced slightly more than one of Suncor's sites, had worldwide follow on effects with the oil markets..........only this time, we won't benefit nearly as much from a bump in the price of oil. If there was reason to allow Americans to join the fight in Manitoba, I see no reason that outside help should be turned away, especially now with those fighting the fire having been at it with little rest for a week+ and now the fire actually threatening to burn a major economic engine for our country........economics aside, if full storage tanks go, it will be a major environmental disaster.

How many Americans are fighting fires in Manitoba?

I agree.......I think the appeal of Chong, from those that will never vote CPC, is that he stood up to Harper and doesn't tow the party line.

He doesn't have a chance, though Chong might very well have some good ideas, the anchor around his neck is his presentation and actions in Government.......his tenure may very well reflect the wishes of those who voted for him in his riding, but if said actions were desired by the party as a whole, the CPC would be a party of Chongs'.

In the latest leadership poll among Tories, I think Chong polled in the basement. I don't think he has a hope in hell, but he might bring forward some interesting ideas and topics worth reflecting on.

Why? The response to Katrina was found after to be bungled at numerous levels of Government.......This response to the Fort Mac fires, if it results in being the worse economic natural disaster in Canadian history especially, should be investigated and examined after the fact to address response methods that need improvement.....and if such investigation finds bungling at various levels of Canadian government, that too should be made public.....like was done with the Bush administration's (and State, county, city levels of Government) response to Katrina. If this is how the Government responds to a massive forest fire, there are grounds for concern in how levels of government in Canada would respond to a large earthquake in the lower mainland of BC, or a nuclear reactor disaster or major terror attack etc.

Funny you mention that, just the other day, the local news here (Vancouver Island) had a piece on a research group doing exactly that offshore .......They made the point, as did you, it might save many by giving forewarning, opening fire station doors, lowering elevators etc One thing is for certain, the Pacific Northwest is screwed when the big one hits and will make Fort Mac look like peanuts.

I consider people not dying in burning cars and trucks on the highway to be luck......And it does remain to be seen, and Notley can say all she wants, but as pointed out by Bloomberg, in a weak oil market, companies and people might not be quick to return....if ever.

You've got that right, Trudeau travels with his royal court, nannies and media circus......Trudeau was clearly busy in Ottawa last week ensuring Canadians might once again be allowed on Jeopardy........and what logistics and safety concerns?

You need to rephrase that.......he had no problem greeting with open arms Syrians, but couldn't have made an effort meeting displaced Canadians. What's the over under for Trudeau going to meet with people in the midst of a viral outbreak at the Northlands expo center?

Thankfully (and by luck for many) none, but this fire will have a greater impact on our economy than Katrina had on the American economy.

The fire fighters didn't cut their own budget.