Craig Read

Borjas and others [he is one of many i used him as an example because he writes well and is politically rather centrist], state that unfettered immigration which is advocated by the right as necessary is actually an economic drain overall on the economy when all costs are considered not to mention security and social risks which are hard to quantify. Borjas concludes that immigration does help the receiving economy but not by nearly the amount that the political left and legal set would like us to believe. He and others [you can read books on immigration by Stoffman and Francis for the Cdn view] feel that quota's are insipid. I would agree stating that we must allow 200-300.000 people per annum to come here, irregardless of economic conditions is nescient. Immigration is an economic matter not a diversity induced socialisation program nor a lawyer centric program and political program.

As i stated WMD is a one of many reasons to invade Iraq and use it as a base to rebuild the Middle East. The War against Terror has been in effect against the West and civilisation since the 1970s. We have finally [oops i mean the British and Americans] woken up and addressed the threat. Trust me the Iraqis themselves want the US there and know they are better off. Talabani is right - time for the Iraqi's to start to organise their affairs and share the burdens of building a state.

BF, good post. On military matters [Martin cut spending to erase the deficit], on security and immigration matters [enough said our immigration policy is an expensive politically inspired mess and the borders are porous], on US relations [is there still a relationship ?], on economics [the overall tax burden and gov't spend is HIGHER not lower], debt reduction [here some progress but we still spend 40 % of Fed Revenue on interest payments !!!] not to mention; -Corruption in Shawinigan and in the Cabinet [not unique to Chretien but he campaigned in 93 on ethics] -Ethics commissioner that is appointed by the PM and rubber stamps what he wants -Parliament becoming increasingly impotent as the PMO's takes more power -EI over taxation -Que and the East being bought off with endless streams of tax money [gas taxes for instance] -Kyoto and NEP II [illegal, incompetent, baseless] He is a Trudeau Liberal. Not a complimentary term. The two are part of the same legacy - the enforced anti-americanism and socialisation of Canada.

Canada steals US IP [intellectual property for the liberals], and then price controls it to buy senior votes domestically, and now is rather ambivalent about stopping Cdn pharmacies from shipping these drugs back south of the border. This is called IP theft and contravenes every trade agreement now in existence. If you were to normalise Cdn spending to account for the IP infringement and price controlled drug sector the health care spending would inflate by several billions per year. So much for the legerdemain surpluses that are announced federally. Drug and military free riding is immoral, unnecessary and detrimental to the country's best interests. Buying votes using US money and R&D does not make a country moral.

That is false - that we need more people. This is the utter falsehood put forward by the Liberal-Immigration Media complex that believes in unfettered immigration. It is wrong. Canada needs far less than 100.000 per annum in certain industry sectors. Right now 60 % of immigrants are not screened, 50 % of total immigration is on the extended family plan, and no economist supports the idea of a quota - a ridiculous idea - of 325.000 people per annum [about 250.000 actually arrive]. Besides security risks, welfare payment issues, lack of jobs, demographic change and infrastructure strain, there is no compelling evidence that quota's, family plans and selective diversity immigration [ie. Middle East and Asia] are correct. There is lots of evidence that the immigration system in Canada wastes money, unfairly punishes and strains Toronto, and feeds the political-immigration lawyer complex from which much political money is extracted. Borjas at Harvard probably the world's pre-eminent immigration economist feels that the US needs a max of 500.000 people per annum. This would equate to about 50-80 K in Canada. Immigration is an economic policy, not a UNO summer camp concept.

It is rather incredible that some people - lost on the left or just left out it can be said - don't see the connection between 9-11 and the war on terror now proceeding apace in Iraq and Afghanistan. On this forum alone, there must be 50 posts outlining the connection. The current situation is nothing more than the first step in a long process and a long war against Islamo-fascism and its terrorist components. This does not mean that Islam, muslims or people in affected countries are in general the enemy or evil, but that their regimes and rogue elements need to be destroyed. Iraq is the perfect base from which to remake the Middle East. It will work and contrary to media hysteria and the unfortunate deaths of 200 soldiers since March, there is much good work going on in Iraq. The US and Britain must stay the course for the coming 5 years to reform and remodel Iraq. If they do this, and I beleive they will, then a significant victory has been won against those elements within the world body politic that hate freedom and modernity.

Riff, i would agree, the terrorist threat is very real and they will strike at anyone, as portrayed by recent attacks in Iraq, Turkey and India. You are right on the softness of the current Western world. Appeasement, supported by rhetoric and dubious claims that the terrorists have root cause reasons to destroy premised upon Western criminality fits very easily with the left liberal media's fascination with anti-americanism. The UNO just relased a report on Al Qaeda and WMD. For Cdns who don't believe that a war on terror is necessary or that little Canada is safe because we are loved by all, should think again. WMD against any and all targets is an option - and as recent attacks clearly point out, the US is not the only target. AQ and terror groups know the US won't back down, but the Cdns and EUnuchs are different animals.

The thread deals with France and the UN and their attempt to remodel the world into a socialist EU styled welfare system. Kyoto is the apogee of such efforts. France is no friend of freedom. I don't see any historical evidence of France defending freedom for the sake of liberte, egalite or even securite. The French are deeply antagonistic to the Americans, forgetting that US hegemony, money and blood guaranteed their freedoms. The UNO and EU as the epicentres of French ambition must be viewed through a lens of realism. The French have never given a damn about anything other than money and their vaunted political arrogance.

Hi Michael, the Central American analogy is false. In Grenada, Guatemala, El Salv. and Nic. the US supported pro Western and anti-communist gov'ts. Yes these govts were far from ideal, but if the US went in and imposed an Iraqi style occupation the Cdn media would have been howling in rage along with the liberal nitwits in the States. Don't believe the liberal media in their depiction of these events, they are wrong. As for US bashing, it is a sick psychosis that points to racism, and lack of self esteem.

No evidence supports your idea that France is your friend. 1783 is not relevant to 2003. France spends half its military budget on salaries and admin costs and pensions. They have little projection power and can't contribute large amounts of hardware or troops for major engagements. They now want to create a EU only military defence organisation that directly would weaken and compete with NATO. Give me one foreign policy issue in which France supports the US ? You can also include the Lisbon declaration that by 2010 the EU will be the world's preeminent economic locus. Who do you think this is directed against ? Naive, naive, naive.

Bush's precense was apparently key in this votes. This bodes VERY well for 2004. I predict that Bush will win 35 States and the plurality of the vote. I also predict that the Dumbocruds will not win ANY states in the South and that they will be confined to their anti-reality bastions on the Weird Coast and in New 'Post Modern' England. The Demo's are in danger of imploding and being a 2 region party, albeit with massive media support including the talking hair and teeth on the major networks [except for Fox] and CNN.

Well true - the anti-trade Liberals will point out that all jobs will disappear unless we have protective tariffs. This is nonsense but plays well to the Unions. The Pharma industry in the US pays huge taxes and employs advanced scientists and engineers from across the world. The State of NJ lives off of its Pharma cluster. In Canada we have some smaller firms in TO and MTL doing research in certain areas, but they are far smaller in scope, research $ and employment power, even given the market size difference than their US counterparts. I can't name the year of the last drug produced in Canada. Can anyone ?? If health care and services and products in that space will account for 15-20% of the GNP within 10 years then why isn't Canada allowing the setting of market rates and prices to allow for firms to expand, conduct R&D, make profit and then hire value added workers ? What is the point of free riding off the US industry and setting price controls on drugs funded by taxpayers in this country ? Don't you want higher paying jobs in Canuckistan ?

According the liberal anti reality left, the Iraqi's are pining away for Hussein's regime, and sorely missed being raped, beaten, abused, threatened, extorted and killed. According to the liberal world view, the Arab peoples are just too stupid, too lazy, too dumb or depending on the depravity of the liberal in question, too cultured, too refined and too nuanced to accept crass orthodox Western liberalism. Liberal views on world affairs have always been wrong so one should take the CNN [Clinton News Network] view that all is disaster with a grain of salt at best. And what is Canada doing there ? Nothing much - $250 million in aid, no troops, no media support, and lots of CBC yearnings for an American failure. Ditto the EU who contributed 0 dollars. [but of course the French are VERY concerned about the Iraqi people!]. Iraq presents clearly the positions of those in the world who are adults, accept responsibility, want to create a better world and understand the magnitude of the terrorist challenge. The adults also believe that the Arab people if given a chance will create stable, pro Western and pro Living governments and societies. Arrayed against the adults are the Liberal children. Childish, puckish, with 12 year old mentalities that if only we love harder, the world will be a better place and that we must 'let the people decide' in Iraq and elsewhere what type of country they want to build. This fatuous view traces its origins back to Korea, Vietnam, Africa, Central America, Soviet Russia, China, Eastern Europe and now the Middle East. The fact that you don't rid the world of fascist violence without war is rather lost on the simple minded left who apparenlty have difficulty reading the lessons of history, being of course anti-historical ie. 'post modern'. But hey these clowns think Al Gore is smart and that Harvard College is the epi-centre of intellectual activity.

God I feel sorry that you listened to the CBC for more than 10 minutes. It does hurt the mind and apparently will cause blood clots. No, Anti-Americanism will be the same under Martin. Demagoguery and hating Jews and Americans plays well apparently to various constituents. The CBC should be censored and closed down for its role in propagating the nauseating veiwpoint that Cdns are superior. I don't see individual ministers under Martin turning down the anti-US volume unless Martin starts to fire people. I doubt he will do this. Such small minded nationalism is sickening and leads to unnecessary friction. Canada does little to support its allies, engages in free loading off the US and has no core values which it deems necessary to protect other than socialised health care and redistribution. At the very least Cdns and their imbecilic representatives should have the common sense to keep their mouths shut. The Syrian case deals with a suspected terrorist, what does the CBC expect ? A medal for a man who apparently had deep links with various terrorists ? What a country.

So Canada imports its drugs from the US and slaps price controls to buy the votes of Seniors and the blue hairs. Poor dears. I wonder how much this costs the younger taxpayer ? Now it wants to export Price controls to the States, so Politicians there can buy votes and cry. Poor dears. When was the last time there was a drug which was actually invented in Canada that went to market ? Where is the inherent logic in free riding off US R&D and not in accounting for proper costs and prices here in this country ?

Good posts guys. In Canada petty crime is higher per capita than in the US [Economist world in figures 2003]. Paris has higher per capita murder rates than NY. Toronto's homicide rate is increasing 2x faster than NYs which is dropping. Thanks to our mumbo jumbo immigration policy expect more of the same [currently here the big thing is 'gang' attacks on houses, where 3-4 guys invade your house and demand cash, 3 occurences in the past 4 days]. I have never understood the rationale and support for socialised medicine that limits freedom of choice. Freedom of choice and of service is a primary condition of a well functioning society. Taking care of those who can't take care of themselves is obvious, but there are so many ways to deliver health care that a one user, universal system strikes me as the most simplistic [moronic], easiest to abuse and most inefficient one imaginable. It seems to spring from the mind and complexity of a 12 year old. This is one of the dangers that the Dumbo's pose in the US - HitleryCare. The new drug bill is very bad - $400 billion over 10 yrs in new costs to socialise drug prescriptions. Hitlery must be happy, but this is the first taste of a poisoned cup. I fear that more will follow. I agree with Bush on a lot of things - tax cuts, Iraq, giving France the finger - but spend, spend spend must stop. Rep strategists state that Bush is taking away all the Dems big points - health care, older voters, Cali [he just gave a Billion to Arnie for the LA fires], Bash China [very stupid] and so on. OK be that as it may, it is still not, I believe good economics or good politics to increase non discretionary spending 18 % over 3 years.

Occupation ?? Israel either had the land or won it in wars. And the liberal boneheads call land won in conflict and which is used as necessity, as a buffer area to protect the state from terrorists as being 'occupied'. This of course only applies to Israel. It never applies to terrorist states, communist states, fascist states or dictatorships. Only to democratic Israel. In fact the PLA is sitting on land that is not lawfully theirs. They agreed in 1948 to abide by certain rules and laws and build up democratic institutions. Hmm let me look, well gee, nothing done yet, 55 years later. Might they not hurry up a little and start keeping their original agreements ? Nope, let the EU and UNO send more money so Arafat and gang can kill more civilians. Then the UNO can condemn Israel for 'occupying' territory it won in wars and needs as buffer. Sounds rationale only to the demented liberal mind. Let the Israeli's fully wage and win their war and forever shutup the chattering left and PLA.

Post removed due to violation of forum rules. Greg Admin

I agree with Hugo and KK you made me laugh out loud. Seeing the paralytic Chretien blowing a loose hose in Parliament is worth another Liberal majority. Chretien has a lot to answer for: -Widespread corruption -Supporting 3rd world leaders like Mugabe and Mahatir [furiously shaking the Jew Hater's hand last month], and the PLA and Arafat -Allowing relations with the US, upon whom we free ride, to sink to new lows -Choosing France over the US [very stupid] -Appeasing Quebec and Atlantic Canada with huge sums of cash and transfers -Not reforming internal free trade [or lack thereof] and distorting subsidies in health, forestry, agro, and banking -Allowing his ministers to abuse public funds [only Art Eggleton was canned] -Like Hugo mentioned, the complete destruction of the military has now taken place under Chretien Normalise the numbers and the man had yearly deficits not surpluses: 1. Take out the EI scam 2. Normalise for military and drug care costs [which the US gives us for free] Result: 5 % deficits.

Morgan, good post. In the post modern version of world history, all is relative, power is to be eschewed and morality shown on one's sleeve, is the only armour needed. If the UNO cannot even look after its own people, and bureaucrats, and cannot even defend its own resolutions, it abdicates respect, power and duty.

Good analysis and spelling. Sure the US economy is growing at 7 % in Q3 so the tax cuts are obviously idiotic. The dividend cuts are reforming governance structures, forcing firms to pay out dividends [if not high growth firms], stopping false M&A activity and tax planning [ie. Enron and World Com]. Business investment was up 15 % last month. So yeah obviously these reforms are idiotic. Roll em back. Raising taxes, spending more and having more gov't regulations and control is the way to prosperity. I agree, all socialist experiments have been great successes. North Korea is a paradise. Please cite historical evidence to support the view that higher taxes, spend, gov't power and associated corruption is good. You can start with Canada whose 2003 GDP performance is 1/3 as strong as the US and whose disposable income levels and standard of living levels are 30 % less than the US and declining and whose corruption ranking is now about 25 th in the world. Plenty of other posts deal with the above issues. This thread deals with the implosing of the Democratic party into 3 basic support groups: -Teachers and Academics -Trial Lawyers -Media It is NOT a national party but a collection of the above who would like to remodel society into a collectivist haven, premised on the EU model. If these jokers succeed in such a vision the sum total would be the World's and indeed Freedom's loss.

Not sure how religion and politics are mixed ? Is this a real comment ? Islam is an example. The Pope is another. Every country in the West has a party that has large and widespread religious support. Morality and spirituality is a vital component of socio-economic development and political affairs. You clowns are the first to denigrate for instance, Bush's Conservative values, feeling that a married man who goes to Church, feels strongly about Christ, does not get BJs in the Oval office, is against gay marriage, and does not perform out of marriage sexual acts is an obvious degenerate and imbecile. What planet are you guys from anyways ? Why do you bother to post, other than to posit anti-american and anti-jew drivel ?

Yes yes good arguments. So you learned the above in let's say Grade 7 ? And the following are also true: -Hussein never invaded his neighbours -Never used WMD on his own people -Never attempted to create hegemony over ME oil supplies -Created a democratic enlightened culture -Had free press and free elections -Never killed his own citizens -Never threatened Israel with total destruction -Never funded terror -Had no plans for Nuclear weapons -Loved baby seals Some of these posts are truly pathetic.

Good point Morgan. Our Senate and other patronage filled posts reek with corruption, indolence and special interest buy offs. JC is busy right now filling every dark crack in Ottawa with his spiders ie. patronage appointments. I believe that the Dumbo's are in huge trouble in the States. If one goes back in history and analyses their statements, stands and policies - on almost every major issue with the exception of some of JFK's policies and some of Clinton's [due to arm twisting by Gingrich], they have been wrong. They are divorced from the affairs of the people, the economy and foreign affairs. Increasingly they are a party of trial lawyers, hollywood sluts and academics.

So let's debate Chretien's legacy. The Good the Bad and the Very ugly. Some say history will reward JC with saving Canada, destroying Quebec separatism, inventing the Clarity Act, holding the country's regions together and protecting the social services and welfare state that Canadians so adore. What do you guys think of JC and his rank in history ?