Hydraboss

Sorry, sorry. I forgot to mention my new appointment: (drumroll.....) Gilles Duceppe for Unity Minister

eureka, we agree. Corporate daycare may or may not work, but what does that do for the single mother that works for a company of 5-15 employees? They aren't going to open a daycare on site. But increasing the CHEQUE that she gets (read: cash) allows her to HELP pay for a daycare space, or pay her mother, or her bilingual, multi-sexual neighbour (who cares!). But the amount needs to be higher than $1200. Concerns that will no-doubt be raised: How do we know she will spend it on daycare? Well, how do we know she doesn't own a Ferrari? What does it matter? Equality is equality. However, you state that she won't take the monsters on the mass transit to work. Are you prepared to guarantee that there will be a government-run daycare within walking distance of her two room apartment?

Well said, and well backed up. (..bows..) "Ethics Commissioner - Deborah Grey" Betsy, please tell me this was a joke. Deb "I took the pension anyway" Gray for ETHICS? She (now) makes the Lib's look honest. I've changed my mind....Jack Layton for Ethics Commissioner. Now there's a winner if I ever saw one.

"Then there is the question of lack of access that even Quebec's $7.00 a child per day has for a lot of families." $7.00 a child per day? Man, here in AB you'd be lucky to rent a couple kids for under $20-25 per day. I'm going to Quebec. Seriously though, I agree with you completely. You can't make a "fair comparison" without COMPARING. Put the numbers together, and then we'll see.

What about River_God for Intergovernmental Affairs?

No strings attached? Why would parents need strings? They will spend the money as they see fit. However, $1200/year is weak. Majorly weak. How many kids under 6 are we talking about? Two million? Three? (I honestly don't know) Let's see.....$2,000,000,000 / 3,000,000 kids = $666.66 (hmm...weird!) $1200 + $666.666 = $1866.66 now that's a little more like it.

"The reality is the single income family is dead (or on life support pending world economic reform) and we have to do something about it. I have no problem with provincial jurisdiction, though I would hope there is some control on them actually spending the money on child care." Generally, I agree, but for selfish reasons. I don't want my tax dollars going for....say....a new fountain in a riding. And I also agree that the single family income IS dead. Which is probably a lot worse if you happen to be a single parent. But WHO SETS THE POLICY? Harper? Martin? Happy Jack? Sponge Bob?

Want to see something REALLY scary? Me. In charge of Early Childhood Learning. In cities. Canadian cities. Idiots with chalkboards. In Canada. Choose your pudding. Can I teach the NDP kids????????

I'm here. You're there. Can't we just learn to get together?

"Do you think your corporation would take advantage of the tax breaks Harper is offering for corporations to start daycare centres for their employees?" Amazingly enough, yes, I think they would. Which would suck because I would probably have to get everything going. Screw Harper....I'M THE SCARY ONE!

I have no problem with funded child care either. But realities in different provinces are just that...different. I would never try to tell an east coast fisherman how to work his nets. I have no idea how to. Neither does the federal government. They are there to set policy on federal matters, not instruct on provincial matters. Mosquito cloning.....it's all starting to make sense somehow....

People move for economic realities. Paying someone to sit on their ass just so they won't move to another province is a self-fulfilling prophecy. I hire about 4-5 guys from the east coast every week (in Alberta), and I respect them for it. I've heard them say more than once that working out here is better than being "on the package" (EI). I have no doubt that the provinces will be expected to administer the program, but WHO sets the guidelines for the program? As for corporate tax breaks, I may only work for this company, but I can tell you that high taxes have a direct effect on our hiring practices. More tax = less jobs. I don't claim to speak for the entire corporate world, but I can knowledgably speak for one.

Have the Lib's ever promised to fund and then shut up? Have we heard the details? No. Ralph is impotent in Alberta. Of course, he thinks that means he gets seated right away in fancy restaurants. I have no doubt that if there weren't tag lines to transfer payments for other programs, you wouldn't see half the participation. The fed's want to send money? Then do it. And then let the proper people administer it. I may be making this up.

Can I be Speaker of the House. I don't actually know what I'm doing, but I just want to sit in a really cool chair. And get a huge pension. And tell everybody when they can talk.

Nice. Very nice.

Not hypocritical. I slam CPC-supporting b.s. numbers just as fast. And NDP. Especially NDP. But you are right in general about think-tanks. I'll believe the numbers (from any party) when I can find the details on the CRA's site.

Betsy, I know you like Harper. But can you get over the party lines for a minute. What if you were PM? Who would you put where, if there were no parties period? Come on, pour another Arbour Mist, turn up Sarah M, and think back to who impressed you...and then give them a job!

Why are we debating this? "Child care is a provincial responsibility," You're damn right. I know the need for federal government, but why won't they stay the hell out of areas they don't belong. I voted for my provincial government, and I will trust them (yes, I can kind of trust some government) to do what is needed in my province. Big Brother has enough to do without 'a messin about' with matters that are not theirs to screw up.

hey slavik, why Layton for Justice? Never thought of that one. (Can't picture him doing it unless he got to wear a holster and badge.) But seriously, what made you say that?

"This math is completely wrong. I've never seen such a falsification of basic tax and benifets policy. Taking the one example, someone right on that $35k mark, there might be some facts that it will be significantly lower than $1200." So I'm not the only one who questioned the accounting practices! Where are the calculations? I could recalculate it (with different tax points) and make it read the other way. Melanie, is that link using metric numbers again?

mar, you think that's something? Check this out (and I swear it's all true!) "After statements made at the second english leaders debate, one NDP supporter confirmed the report that the party has come up with a new method of ensuring accountable government. The statements in question were made by NDP party leader Jack Layton: "...the NDP puts working families first..." This was soon followed by "...we will put seniors first..." and "...youth are our first priority...". When questioned about the seemingly contradictory statements, this same NDP supporter was quoted as saying, "The NDP does not mislead Canadians. We have now come up with a method of marrying youth with seniors, and forcing them both to work. In this way, we can take care of all three groups with a single infusion of taxpayers dollars. This will ensure that an NDP government will make good on election promises, because we need to send a message...we need more NDP MP's in Ottawa!"

Actually, mar, I was watching Jack-O on CPAC tonight (yes, I watch it) and he must have said "socialist" about 5 times a minute. It was actually refreshing watching Happy Jack just come clean about his true identity. We all knew it anyway, and he gained respect points from me for stating his convictions. I can, however, see the NDP reaching official party status in the election to follow this one. They will no doubt gain a lot more seats this time around, and once they have some swing in the house I think they will make small vibrations when they stomp their feet. No good government exists without strong opposition, and I don't count the separatists. You wanted a chance, Jack? You go girl.

"The insurers in the USA are drooling over getting 30 million new "customers" and charging us extreme rates and denying us coverage as they see fit." Extreme rates? What do you call the percentage of our taxes that go to health care spending? Personally, I couldn't care less who provides the service at 4am in emergency with my seven year old. Nobody has ever said (from any party) that they want to turn over the whole damn system to the private pirates. If I want to go to a private clinic and pay with my private insurance, I should have that choice. It doesn't mean that you can't go to the public clinic and pay with your health card (which we all pay for). This is not a this-or-that argument. It's about options. I have my right to options. Paul Martin has the right to options, and he exercises them.

Mable, I was not attempting to make that connection and thank you for that. I spent a lot of years at the bottom of the income ladder, and I too got the $1400 suprise. I paid it because I didn't know that I could get out of it. My point was simply that, IN MY EXPERIENCE, a hell of a lot of "low income earners" blow a wad of cash on unnecessary things, and then whine about the mandatory ones. I was one of these. People by group cannot absolutely be stereotyped, but trends can be established. The $44/month is not punitive. That being said, I think that Alberta SHOULD get rid of it, but under controlled circumstances.

Good point. I don't want this to turn into an anti-Quebec thread (although it's fun), but could people smarter than I please post a list of the last, say, 7 or 8 PM's and where they were from?