blueblood

Agriculture and Uranium are also doing very well for us. Diamonds and potash as well. Lumber is somewhat lacking though. Ag manufacturing is doing well as well. The little towns with their little machinery factories are doing well. Western Canadian oil and ag has gone through a period of very tough times in the late 80's and 90's, some Ontarians (as can be seen on this board by other Ontarians) have told us to go fly a kite, if your industry is not successful it should be done away with, etc. Now Ontario's manufacturing sector is in the toilet and that sector is asking for help. Hmmm. It's a good laugh. Don't worry my province is a have not, and my gov't is content with that. I would take a reduction in services to get out of that. We're "happy" because the shoe is on the other foot and are not needing Ontario anymore. Call it a solution to an inferiority complex. In a financial crisis, grain prices are better than what they were during boom times for Ontario. Something is wrong with that picture.

The benefits of Western Canada producing things people want... The pitfalls of working in factories... Today is a happy day to be a Westerner and a Newfoundlander...

The problem is the gov't force feeding culture. I have a big problem with that. If I want to set up a farm in Quebec, it would be in my best interests to learn french, however that is MY responsibility and it should not be legislated mandatory. It is futile for the gov't to force feed culture, that is up to the times and people. Remember the stink of SSM brought up in parliament, lets face it, it was a social conservative attempt to force feed their culture on the rest of the country, and it was defeated and rightfully so. Lets say a big part of Toronto culture is being a Leaf's fan. Let's also say city council legislated that all newcomers are forced to become leaf's fans. A habs fan wouldn't appreciate that too much. A big part of rural culture is christianity. Should rural Canadians town council's pass laws mandating all new comers become christians because "rural culture" is "threatened"? An outsider might pick up something based on Christianity to fit in, but by no means should it be forced on him. It is far easier for the gov't to influence economics with policy and taxes, and those are done to ensure success. Gov't has a very difficult time ensuring success of a culture and this has been proven throughout history. Economics rarely change, culture changes all the time.

I posted on Earlier threads the conference board figured growth was going to be 0.6% in 2009, then up more in 2010.

Truth hurts, if the Ontario liberals want to run things half assed, they can pay the price. Why should Flaherty pander to a hostile provincial gov't.

Would you rather those numbers be in integers?

Here's the pickle, if any western Canadian province passed similar language laws that Quebec has done, we would be labeled as ignorant backwards hicks. Quebec gets to pass language laws that in essense force people to learn French. Why isn't any other province passing a law mandating immigrants learn English? I'll give you a hint, the CHRC would have a field day, and easterners would be up in arms that the backwoods hicks are oppressing minorities. Please refer to the public schools dilemna in Manitoba History where they tried to force english only education.

revenge is a dish best served cold!!!

Last I checked I don't care what language they speak, in my opinion that should be optional, not for the government to forcefeed stuff. It would be in the best interests to pick up one of the official languages as those are the languages of gov't services. Unfortunately in Quebec you don't get the English option. Where has any of the ten provinces gone on national TV and said very clearly if you want to immigrate to our province, you have to learn English or face the consequences? What Quebec is doing is flat out wrong. Quebecers have no right to call Western Canadians xenophobic with a law like this passed. If Quebecers want to be xenophobic then they have no right to call themselves progressive, cultured, and sophisticated - they are worse than the Western Rednecks. I know you like your double standard way Quebec does things. It's all right for Quebec to limit immigration and dictate culture, but it's pure evil if another province tried that. Weak real weak.

Hogwash. First there is Bill 101, then there is this. There is a gun to the head of every immigrant to learn French in Quebec. They can learn it on their own and not forced to by the gov't. If that's not social engineering I don't know what is.

Gov't has no business dictating culture, that's up to individuals. Should Harper be mandating that all Canadians be cowboys?

We all know that the majority of Quebec speaks French. If I am an immigrant who speaks english, one of Canada's official languages and have a job in Quebec, I will be forced by law to learn french, thats BS. An immigrant who speaks French the other official language and gets a job in Manitoba is not forced by law to learn English and rightfully so. Is that too difficult to understand? Legislation of culture and language is the problem here and is an abomination of the charter of rights and freedoms.

A hell of a lot more choice than they have in Quebec. No we have two official languages, you should be able to pick. What makes Quebec so damn special? Should Manitoba impose similar language laws regarding English as they have in Quebec regarding French? In Manitoba, you can pick and still function, in Quebec you have a gun to your head. I find it funny you being a flag waving Liberal and saying we are all Canadian, is promoting a double standard.

So if Alberta passed a law requiring people to speak fluent english, I'd hate to be a french speaking welder out in Fort Mac. If someone wants to speak english in Quebec, they shouldn't have a legislative gun to their head forcing them to learn french. An immigrant to Alberta gets a choice to speak whatever language they want, an immigrant to Quebec only gets to speak french. You would be the first banging the redneck drum if Alberta imposed the same language laws for English as Quebec already has for French. What makes Quebec so special?

times must be tough for you to dip in the immigrant pool. Sask. premier brad wall has been walking around Toronto looking for workers in SK. Lots of jobs there, and very few immigrants there. You'll be in paradise.

What??? So much for "progressive", I thought tolerance for other ideas was a big thing for lefties. Oh well I guess they at Rabble believe in double standards. What the hell is the point of a political forum if you can't have exchanges with people you don't agree with. Everyone learns something out of it and leads to consensus building.

HA, tinfoil and toaster comments for everyone!!! Obama will be like any other US president. He does have an election in 2012 to win (if he gets in, probably will) and his legacy to worry about and party brass. I'm not scared if he gets in.

Just a class on the basics of CDN politics and most importantly doing it unbiased. It would be win win, an easy high school credit for students, parties benefit by having more votes cast, more people now vote because they understand it better. By having 16 year olds well educated in that area and realizing the importance of voting, it would increase the number and seriousness of votes. Also voting once at 16 with an understanding of politics makes for voting again while still young.

Legislation forcing somebody to learn french is pure madness, it's bigottry and xenophobia to the extreme. Not only that, it's unnecessary. If an immigrant moves to Quebec and wants to function, they'll pick up french on their own. Should Alberta pass a law saying all immigrants must speak fluent english?

Yes that's what dropping the corporate tax can do when a centre right gov't is elected, Ontario should give that a try.

If the voting age is 16, I think there should be a political science type class taught in high school that educates students on who and what the parties are, what they stand for, and their policies in an unbiased matter. If they are going to vote and shoulder that kind of responsibility, they need the tools to make a smart choice. For example, vote for the NDP because of their policies, not because it's "cool". This could actually smarten up the voting populace and encourage them to vote more.

6 choppers that's it, cripes do you guys get a fighter escort when you utilize them? Talk about putting all the eggs in one basket. Oh well 6 is better than none.

Newsflash a university degree is piss all. Workers in Fort Mac don't have university degrees and make a fortune, dare I say more than most people with university degrees. i don't have a university degree and I am definetely not poor. It's all about hard work, if you don't a PhD isn't going to save your ass.

can pakistan launch ICBMS??? I wouldn't worry too much with Pakistan and it's nuclear arsenal. There is a major check right next door, and if Pakistan did launch against the US, the rain would come down and Pakistan would cease to exist. I think they have survival on their mind? A tour of the Minnedosa ethanol plant for their PM and placing Pakistan under naval Quarantine should get them to smarten up.

dp