Leafless

Minimus Maximus I agree 100% postal code discrimination is totally unacceptable and absolutely ridiculous. But like shoop I have heard about an end to this type of discrimination but have not heard any or seen any media verification concering the elimination of postal code discrinination. Iam going to try to confirm if this policy has in fact been eliminated.

tml12 Obviously you have no concern for world peace. Are you saying the war in Iraq was avoidable? In fact if it wasn't for the war in Iraq there would be a distinct possibilty that you would not be typing out your current post as the world could very well be paralized by terrorism out of control. ( Yes I know the two aren't related) How can you even compare a necessary major expenditure (Iraq war) to domestic Conservative policies. The U.S. is a world leader of democracy and capitalism that backs the only real system that works. I give George W. Bush and Americans in general a nine out of ten with their handling of the U.S. economy and providing safety and promoting world peace.

Official bilingualism in the federal government is discriminatory as well as useless. It should be remembered the federal civil service is the potential employer of ALL Canadians in which the majority are English speaking and not a select few from Quebec who just happen to be already bilingual and who take their federal admission language test (when required in English). Actually a minority French applicant should be tested in BOTH official languages as their is no guarantee of proper fluency in either official language as most of the French spoken in Quebec is Quebecois or slang French and not Parisian type French the type the English are trained to learn. To dictate official bilingualism in a city such as Ottawa, especially in a province that is not officially bilingual reeks of discriminatory federal meddling in area that should be out of bounds to federal bilingual legislation of this nature. To create a bilingual culture club within the walls of our federal public service is pretty well useless anywhere else in a majority English Canada and creates a tremendous tax burden to accomplish this. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada?2005/11...pf-1305432.html It appears less tha 4% of the 4,656 students taking part in this $120-million dollar language training effort were learning English.

Al-Qaeda has threatened the Queen by naming her as " one of the severest enemies of Islam" in a video message to justify the July bombings in London. In the video, Ayman al-Zawahiri, second in command to Osma Bin Laden targets the Queen as ultimately responsible for Britain's "crusader laws" and denounces her as an enemy of the Muslims. This is really twisted stuff- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1869849,00.html

shoop You wrote- " What is the real reason an election won't be held over the holidays." I thought it had something to do with Jack Layton and Chinese New Year festivities.

err You wrote- " If your really looking for blame for the Cons. lack of popularity I'll give you two suggestion: 1) Brian Mulroney and everything he did 2) Stephen Harper and everthing he promises to do." Brian Mulroney a Prime Minister from Quebec is not my idea of a true Conservative PM although through no fault of his own was trapped catering to Quebec regional (national) political concerns if he was to remain a viable alternative for Quebec which adds partially to my dysfunctional claim pertaining to Canadian politics. Basically what Mr. Mulroney did was for the betterment of Canada by selling off money losing crown corporations as Paul Martin did with selling off the remaining Air-Canada shares in 2004. A lot of Quebecers still think that Meech was the way to go despite it's failure. The implenmentation of NAFTA again was done for Quebecers as well as Canada and has helped entrench a permanent trade realtions with the U.S. But no matter what you consider what Mr. Mulroney has done the Liberals have had twlelve years to turn things around . Have they? Criticizing Mr. Harper is pointless as he as not yet served as PM and simply wishes to govern with a more democratic approach rather than dictatorial. The point of the matter is tax payers cannot forever continue to fuel a system that corporate Canada should be fullfilling and provinces and individuals who should be trying harder to be self sustaining rather than continual trying to blame Canada for it's employment and financial woes. The Liberals have created a condition (along with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms) that makes many Canadians dependent on Liberalism that is totally unjust to other Canadian national political Parties. This conditon requires immediate electoral reforms as it is totally illogical to expect all political Parties to cater and compete only on a socialistic level bypassing a more desirable democratic political system could eventually have irrereversable devastating effects on Canada and Canadians.

Here we have the latest Decima poll that puts Liberals at 33%, Conservatives at 30% and the NDP at 20%--conducted Nov. 3rd to 7th. In Ontario though the Liberals have an eight-point lead over the Tories in vote rich Ontario. Liberal Socialistic policies it seems have won the support of immigrants especially in the Toronto area creating an uneven playing field. Any Canadian that is in the lower income bracket will probably vote Liberal. This same situation it appears is prevalant in Quebec and the Maritimes. The Bloc is a Party that really serves no purpose in federal politics than to steal votes from the Liberal who simply turn around and throw more tax payer money at Quebec until they aquire more seats like they have done with their latest transfer and equalization and asymmetrical offerings. Has this created a socialistic Liberal stranglehold that favours minorities and gives minorities a Liberal identity that simply relates to minority favourtism and ignores Canada as a country of Canadians? How can political Parties like the Conservatives and the NDP ever stand a chance with this Liberal Party continually buying votes with taxpayers money under the guise of equality. The Liberals at the moment are doing poorly in Quebec But it will only be a matter of time and tax payers money before the Liberals buy off Quebecers and are returned to a majority. Is this the end of Canadian politics as we know it and as Canada already been transformed into a dictatorial state with other political parties simply going through the motions as part of a legitimate politcal system simply because there is no other way to describe or do anything concerning this Liberal socialistic stranglehold?

Local media has it two key Liberal minister's in Paul Martin's government challenged the oppositon to either defeat the government or let it govern. " I am impressed by the incompetence of these oppositon leaders who are unable to make a decission," Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew told reporters as the Quebec wing of the federal Liberals gathered in Montreal for a convention. " Iam fed up with this kind of politics... with their hypocritical and lying language." Transport Minister Jean Lapierre added: " If they want to prevent Parliament from working let them decide. Either they stop it completely or they let it function." Yesterday members of the Quebec wing gathered for the first time since the Party was rocked by Judge Gomery's scathing report which was critical of the Party's Quebec wing. Mr. Lapierre said " We've looked in the rear view mirror enough and it's time to look in the windshield." Just yesterday Mr. Martin phoned Primier Jean Charest to inform him that Quebec will be getting more money in equalization payment's next year, a total of $5.3 billion. The result Mr. Lapierre predicted will be a Liberal majority government when Canadians go to the polls with more seats for the Party in Quebec. Well, looks like the corrupt electioneering has already begun and in a related story Martin and Charest signed a transfer payment deal with Quebec worth $500 million dollars. Isn't all this to much already? http://www.cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat=2&nid=33840 And if that's not enough 'Quebec Liberals consider return of Sponership program' http://www.cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat&nid=33814

Shakeyhands You wrote- " Only loser here is us, having to pay for another election....oh and Harper to." You almost make it sound like the Conservatives have no buisness in federal politics. Let's get things into perpective here as we are talking about the elimination of a corrupt Liberal Party who doesen't have the moral authority to govern the country and the NDP a Party to yellow to do the right thing, to get on board with the other Parties or possibly face being obliterated in the next federal election.

PocketRocket You wrote-" I heard that Montreal is a haven for couterfeit DVD manufacturers" and also copyright pirates. Yes and also Montreal is king of private health care clinics and Quebec current leaders in federal invetigative commissions i.e. the Gomery inquiry. Looks like Quebec wants to be leaders in in destroying the 'goodness of Canada label' and turning it into a corrupt money making entity that stops for no one.

Looks like Jack Layton's 'plan of action' to topple the Liberals is nothing more than hot air as Paul Martin responded with an "absolute NO to just stop governing." Stephen Harper will meet with Layton to discuss implications of the NDP plan and says he wants to ensure any vote against the government is successful. Conservatives also threatened to block Goodale's fiscal update discounting it as nothing more than electioneering. Why is Jack so nimble concerning a confidence vote? http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/11...pf-1301121.html

shoop schoop wrote- " Anybody got fiqures on how much revenue the feds would be foregoing with this move." According to my info the GST represents $66-billion dollars in added revenue to federal coffers.

Cancelling the GST could greatly move the economy and greatly encourage consumer spending that would make up or surpass revenue from the GST which is supposed in it's entirety to be used to eliminate the gross national deficit. I hope they do cancell the GST as I always found the GST oppressive and illegal in the sense merchants are allowed to advertise an item at a price that DOES NOT include the GST. As a result ever since it's introduction I became extremely cautious concerning items I buy and consider Canada 'consumer unfriendly' especially when coupled with the other rip off tax the PST.

The NDP's motion is talk about nothing--So what if Mr. Layton is going to present a motion to "ASK" Martin and the Liberals to step down and does NOT have the clout of a non-confidence motion. This is nothing more than NDP political obfuscation in which it seems are still Liberal friendly and have no real desire to see the Liberals fall Iam sure Paul Martin's shaking in his boots over this one. And what revalence does Part-2 of Judge Gomery's report have to do with anything and will only include recommedations that the Liberals or for that matter any government does not have to abide by.

Oil industry executives are on the mat as they will appear before a joint Senate committee hearing on energy prices and profits. Another factor adding to the refining woes and cost is in the U.S. anyways is that there are 50 different formulations requires to meet all of the nation's various and state regulations including ethonal and other additives. Crude oil prices are detirmined in an international marketplace by the balance between production in OPEC and non-OPEC nation's and demand. Countries like China not only use a lot of energy in manufacturing but more and more people there are buying cars increasing demand. http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/07/news/economy/oil_questions/

FLA Lawyer Have you got a link to confirm your statement that Shell Oil spends $2-$300 Billion for oil explore the farthest reaches of NWT --Sounds high. Here are a couple of interesting links- http://alaska.bp.com/alaska/FAQ/default.asp http://www.energybulletin.net/print.php?id=3487

kimmy You wrote- " I just can't bring myself tpo have a whole lot of sympathy who are complaining about the price of gas right know." I guess you don't live in cold Canada where gas mileage drops a third or more in the winter months. Supply and demand - Who knows for sure what the demand is and what the supply is and why profits always seem to be increasing whether a barrel of oil goes up or down. When oil companies make big bucks governments make big bucks. Who knows for sure what's going on, we could all be subsidizing the war in Iraq.

Argus You wrote - " This is why official bilingualism greatly favours Francophones. And at the higher levels (executive rank of the civil service) which require absolute fluency." Sorry the worst speakers of French in the world are the ones that speak 'Quebecois French or slang French rather than 'Parisian French' and the only reason so many are bilingual is because their own province is unable to create French jobs for them so they catered to the English for jobs forcing them to learn and speak English. In New Brunswick Canada's only 'official bilingual province' they have a language commissioner. Federal Language Commissioner Dyane Adam exercises her powers both in Ontario and Quebec especially the NCR to a much lesser extent (it seem the only ones worthy of a linguistic whipping are the English). It seems the NCR anyways only exists for the benefit of Francophone employment as Ottawa is the Capital of Canada and home to the federal government where many English loose jobs to a much smaller Francophone population on the Quebec side who by the way have there own share of federal entites. But there is one major flaw neither Ontario or Quebec is 'officially bilingual' so I highly question the fact how she can extend her bilingual powers into provinces that are NOT part of the federal governments 'official bilingual policy'. Officiasl bilingualism is I fully believe extremely dangerous when our federal government caters openly to a province aloof in it's own little world of separatism and cultural fantasies. Here are the real numbers concerning bilingual positons across Canada. http://www.ocol-clo.gc.ca/archives/nr_cp/2...005-04-12_e.htm

Argus You wrote- " As I have stated on previous occasions, most bilingual positions have nothing to do with serving the public." And you also wrote- " That meant all of those francophones who were hired over anglophones because they were bilingual had the absoloute right to work in their own language. This meant all the internal service people from IT support to HR, clerical support, even janitors, had to be bilingual. And of course, all managers had to be bilingual, even if only a single one of their employees was French or even if none were. So now all senior managers have to be bilingual and the National Capital Region all managers and supervisors have to be bilingual. The 'Legal basis' that affirms the equality of both official languages, guaranteeing equal rights and privledges for their use in all federal institutions makes NO mention of the legal requirement for internal service people from IT support to HR, clerical, janitors, managers, senior managers and supervisors have to BILINGUAL. http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/ollo/common/gov-gouv_e.asp Quebec is the only province in Canada that is 'officially unilingual'. A vote for the Liberals is a vote for Quebec 'separatist' in their pursuit to dominate and control Canada with their minority language and political concerns.

Argus You wrote- " My best estimate is that within 10-15 years as the largely English boomers retire more than 90% of all senior civil servants will be francophone." I am still a Canadian but have denounced my Canadian citizenship privately because of the situation in the federal civil service. Canada has become a Liberilized socialist Cuba with NO democratic political direction or leadership. The Liberal federal government and even the Coservative one led by Quebec's Brian Mulroney has shamed Canadians by alowing mainly a separatist province represented by francophones to overun our Canadian federal government and destroy freedoms dictated by the majority. This amounts to a reverse win for Quebec on the Plains of Abraham. If this French stranglehold on fedral government employment is not eliminated I predict Canada will be lost as other Canadian provinces will not tolerate a Quebec takeover of our federal resources.

Well it looks like sixty bitter civil servants are alleging " systemic discrimination in the federal workplace denies unilingual employees promotions. Lise Jolicoeur, a treasury spokesman, had not heard about the complaint but said federal employees have several options for language training. She said " The government is committed to a bilingual public service, where people can work and be served in the official language of there choice." Well if I read this correctly this bilingual policy now applies to individual civil servants and has nothing to do with the main objective of 'federal bilingualism' and that is to PROVIDE SERVICES to the general public in either official language. And if civil servants can work in the language of their choice why the English restrictions for senior level jobs? In this country francophones have pursued the English language with the reason being for personal 'self gain' concerning jobs in the English job market. There is no personal requirement for English Canadians to pursue the French language as the country is COMMERICIALLY ENGLISH outside of the feds discriminatory implementation concerning bilingualism in the federal public which Quebec does not own. Why federal authorities would want to belittle majority unilingual English employees to speak French by creating an artifical bilingual linguistic work enviroment and to deny senior level jobs I think does infringe on constitutional Rights mainly -Equality Rights. I don't think the federal civil service has to be bilingual at all as bilingual concerns concerning serving the public in French or providing a French workplace enviroment can be carried out from a few federal offices in Quebec. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2005/...pf-1296445.html

According to the Liberals an early election would derail progress on everything from aboriginal poverty to medical wait times. That's okay Mr. Martin because between you and Mr. Chretien had lots of time to turn things around concerning health care and aboriginal problems but were still waiting--a few weeks or months will make little difference. We are eagerly waiting for that confidence vote expected Nov.15/2005. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/11...pf-1295267.html

mcqueen625 You wrote- " Canada contrary to popular belief is not a demcracy and never was, we are a constitutional monarchy." We are a constitutional monarchy but ruled under a 'parliamentry democracy' but I agree with everthing you said. I would also like to add the Liberal stranglehold on everthing political does not really help matters either with their dictatorial style of governing. A good natured Conservative leader could increase the democratic politcal decision making to appease Canadian citizen's who would like to see some concerns agreed on by the majority a reality.

Renagade You cited the construction industry in Ontario is hampered by lack of skilled trades. In Ontario there is only 1% of workers enrolled in apprenticeship programs. There is as problem with employers not wanting to or are reluctant to sponser apprentices in all trades. Basically the emphasis of governments until recently has been obtaining a university education while basically ignoring the trades. Certaintly Canada needs immigration but it is not clear how many and it is not clear if the governments intent is to displace the Canadian worker in order to create a more competitive work place. In fact I have an article right in front of me that says some experts say that as a result of technological change and global market pressures to cut labour cost, the Canadian workforce has been reshaped forever, the large core of workers doomed to job insecurity and there is no turning back the clock.

cybercoma You wrote- " I understand it seems as though Quebec is expelling English from the province, but so to have the other provinces shoved French aside." Quebec purged English from the province legally using Bill-101 now known as 'French Charter' and no other Canadian province to date has resorted using a 'legal avenue to reduce or eliminate the francophone population. It seems you have a problem understanding the difference between a 'majority' language and a 'minority' language as the latter is commercially unfeasable when put up against a combined Canada-U.S. English population of 332-million speakers minus Quebec's 7-million which of course are not all francophone. Canada -U.S. is not Europe where a cluster of smaller countries speaking different languages makes more sense to be bilingual for one's personal benefit if he or she personally chooses that route. I agree with eureka's statement "Quebec is historically a dual language province not a bilingual one" advice the federal government could use to stay out of the language issue period rather than force force French on the ROC.