mikedavid00

Actually, it has been proven to work quite well, as long as you remember to recover the spending after the recession. That part has proven difficult for politicians. Ask Bob Rae if it works very well. i dont think we've had a real recession in a long time. i'm talking the type of recession where every business is hurting badly, everyone losing their homes, everyone is lined up looking for a job. Maybe we've learned from our mistakes in the past. By 'we' I mean the US.

I agree. Especially when a single province gets greater representation than all the rest in the functinoing of our top level gov't. There is a movement for an Ontario Party of Canada. Actually a lot of people called the radio in support and open to this idea. There's already a BC Seperatist party. You know.. maybe if every province had it's own party, it would be a way to get representation for each province into the house. The problem is, Ontario would always have majority. Now what if we just sent 2 people to represent the provinces. Ah yes, then it would be a US style sentate with even representation. I don't feel the Parlimenatry system works. We need to give full control to the provinces. I guess the question becomes - who does Alberta's oil belong to???

I completely agree. We've replaced white collar, private sector jobs with working-poor service jobs. People are on their own survival mode now and realize the gov't isn't helping, but rather hindering their lives.

Show me WHERE in Canada's constitution this is factual and official? It's not official. It's just common knowledge. Quebec meets the definition. Two nations of people came together to form Canada because Quebec was going to stay by itself during the formation. Two cultures came together. Naturally the more dominant culture began to saturate the other culture, and the minority cultures had enough and faught back to protect their culutre. They have a right to their culture. What's happening now is unfair handouts and politics being played. People have learned to use the 'french culture' card to get what they want and now we have a non functioning parlimenatry system which does NOT represent the country of Canada, rather, special intrest. The same will happen with Islam here in Canada. It will take many more years but you will see history begin to repeat itself. And I'll just prove that the parmlimenaty system doesn't work for modern Canada. It's broken, non democratic, and doesn't represent Canada in a national respect. There's no answers anymore. It's beyond repair unless we have major reform to our system. We have ot move with the times. Let Quecec control all its taxes and programs. When they realize they are poor, they will get their act together and stop looking for handouts, focus less on thier culture, and get their books in order.

Bravo! I agree completely. I fell that we need 100% voting cooperation and loose the seat idea. It might work well for city poltiics, but not in Canada as a whole. Also, large cities control a lot of the politics when most large cities have the same concerns. A farmers concern might be different and have much less representation in the house. Again, make the feds way less powerful, bring everything back to the provinces, and let the poeple decide on issues. Govern is here to govern, not dicatate or rule according to their own agenda.

I somewhat agree. Some predict that the future of parliment will always be in minority due to formations of new parties in the future. I'm however not ready to agree fully that this is better for us. I don't like hearing about our gov't being toppled over every small budget during every issue. This creates instability with our own gov't which is the cornerstone of having a functioning nation. Also suppose this. Suppose 20 years from now. Suppose every region of Canada creates a party backed by a minority group htey get 4 seats each in the house. So we have Bloc (our first real minority based party), we get the Islamic Party of Canada (this is already in the works from what I here), we get the APC etc. etc.. Naturally, each minority party will want handouts from the gov't in form of tax payers money. Thus to keep that minority gov't in power, it will have to give payouts or bend to keep all parties happy so it doesn't get toppled. Thus, we loose function of the Parliment and we loose our political system. What avoids this is an electoral college system and giveing the gov't far, far less powers then it already has.

Well I got the answer. China is 'poor' so lets use our tax dollars and send them to China in international credits so they can fix their polution? Good one Dion. Good one.

The logic is so simple I can't believe it's even being debated. I guess it's more of a partison issue for some people. Remember, there are card carying Liberal members on this board so if Dion dictates it's the number 1 issue, it will be become those people's number 1 issue. The more I hear about it, the more Ambrose's plan suits us perfectly. She didn't have a good media spin on it that's all.

Quebecois does indeed meet the definition of a nation. Quebec was 1 of the 2 'founding nations' of Canada. Of course, Richmond, Surrey, Markham, Richmand Hill can now also be considered a nation within Canada. It's natural for it to progress to this in due course and is a great way to get votes for corrupt political parties. The only way to stop this is to give the politicians less power and leave these descisions to the people. BTW. Our national anthem was written by a Quebecer.

A county which does not look after the safety of its own citizens is not a great country. If you need a liver, you can very well die on waiting list. Same with a surgery. As long as Canadians citizens die on waiting lists and denies the right for poeple to persue alternative healthcare, then I do not consider this a great country. TThat is not necessarily true. I did not vote and am not satisified. I didn't vote because in the riding I live in, there is no point in voting. Same for my brother and people at work. We know we don't have a say. Idealism aside, the facts are some of us aren't living in functional ridings. People come here becuase it's easy to get in here. Fact. The minority of people that come here find work within the first the first 2 years of being here. Fact. Canada is about 50% English speaking. Fact. I agree. Bingo. So we're not as democratic as we could be. More democrocy should be encouraged. I disagree. You can say the same about any non functioning parliment.

I agree 100%. I also heavily addressed this my 'fixing Canada' thread. The country relies on small business. Not large corporations. We are not agressive at all with small business financing. I've already looked into a business loan once. The gov't program is basiclaly not there for you to help get a small business loan. This is where the Americans have a great advantage over us. Also, franchises are a big porblem IMO. Ask anyone from almost any country that comes here they will say that every store in the mall is the same. It's the same thing over and over. We have instatutionalized, US based franchises that have swalled Canada and do nohting for our country. The Banks will approve you more for these loans instead of starting your own business. We heavly lack wholesale. If you would like to sell products, it's very tough finding wholesale here in Canada as compared to the US where any home based business can sell products for CHEAPER than Best Buy. That is impossible here in Canada. Before half of the car audio businesses got shut out of business from Best Buy/Future Shop, one store owner told me that they were selling each car audio unit $20 cheaper than what he could even get them for from the wholesaler. So this shows you the trouble that Mulrouny created. And bye bye to all the white collar jobs as low income, working poor has been put in their place.

That's a classic quote. The Canadians do need to be told what to think by the media because they are so used to not making descisions for their country or themselves. That's a reason we should be voting voting on propoistions; so Canadians can finally think independantly. I have to say though, if politicians and CBC say the sky is falling, poeple WILL believe it. This isn't the US where people easily see through these sorts of things. And one last thing, as I was studying all of California's propositions, ANYTHING that involved raising taxes in ANY way, shape, or form was voted 'NO'. We're talking raising taxes on ciggerettes to give to healthcare - NO. And this is the most Liberal state in the country! you got to love it! Why? Becuase they see it for what it is. They have control over their gov't and know that if they get all the contorol they gouge companies, corperations, and tax payers. Thus, not one single bill regarding raising ANY kind of tax was passed. Canadians however are brainwashed and dictated to by the media and elites. They repeat what their elders to them to say. I hear it here on this board daily. They aren't used to decing what's good for us, they just 'elect poticians to think for them'. As some might argue. This is ideoligy, not reality. Only we can think for ourselves. That is fact. If a politician and CBC come forth and dicate that 'the sky is falling', people may actually get worried and seriously might feel that hey have to do something about the environment or the sky will fall. I've seen it here on this very board. The Americans would say: 'Yup. This is a way to get a cash grab from Alberta' - NO on the ballad.

I've been thinking the same thing lately until I saw the Dion polls some weeks back that weren't very encouraging. I also agree that Liberals are idealists, CPC are realists. I think what's happening now is that people and even the media are starting to sub consoiusly clue into the fact that we pay amougst the highest taxes in the G8, and do not get services anymore. Example: In the 1970-80's you needed to have 25% downpayment to get a mortgage to be able to buy a home. This was a problem for the working poor (which is a solid chunck of our country). So a remedy was to build 'gearned to income housing' or subsidized housing. Ottawa had TONS of it. They were these 2 story row homes.. pretty spacious and nice to be perfectly honest. Single moms and low income families with children could move in. We looked the gov't for this and it was our safety net to look after our own. In Ottawa and Toronto, immigrants now occupy these houses and the waiting lists are now up to 5 years I think to be able to get in. These are welfare homes that are unsafe now. Ghetto's, not geared to income like I remembered them. BUT, these days the working poor can now get a mortgage to fit a house and buy one with no money down so essentially anyone can own a home now. You don't need the govt's interfeirence anymore. The gov't will supplement your income with welfare if needed, but you can make it on your own as to where it used to be simply impossible. Interest rates are also lower than it used to be. So leasing or buying a new car is much less expensive considering you can drive for $180 a month and under warranty. When people DO need to use services, they find out that they are waiting for 19 hours (true story) at the emergency room for a misscarage (happend to ex coworker). Word gets around and people realize that the gov't isn't there for them anymore. Services aren't there for them anymore. People see no new roads being built, nothing is frowing like it used to, no new inferstruction, and people realize that others are taking advantage of our system and that the gov't is doing nothing about this. The Liberal idealists 'vision' is just not flying with voters. We don't want to elect a 'vision'. Dion's Kyoto scam is important to him, not to Canadians. CPC is governing on behalf of Canadians for the most part by giving us a bit of tax relief that everyone can relate to. I don't think the tides have turned because the polls aren't really reflecting that and are quite troubling to be honest. I'll be in Montreal this christmas break and will have a chance to speak to a large immigrant cirlce of voters and see where their head is at. Last year, everyone was anti-Bush, pro Liberal party. We'll see what they say this year. I'm goign to use that very discussion to guage a possible majority.

Oh he's just using a comon technique to fake his father into the country because he's old and needs medical procedures and was most likely refused through sponsorship. Showing up with physical scars helps your refugee case. There's some things inside the immigrant community that stay in that community. It's odd how Arar's wife has another last name than Arar. Common people may not give that a second though. But this is a common, common practice used to cheat welfare payments. If you are married, they will want the husbands income and pay you less or not even give you welfare payments. If you keep a seperate last name it is not assumed you are married. You can be a cousin or friend living in the place of residence. People cut off portions of their earls or may cut the back of their neck with a razor to show that they were being picked on because they were gay. If you have scars, your winning the case. There's all sorts of ways to exploit the system. Especially OHIP and welfare. That last Sri Lanken terrorist 2 weeks back who was here illegally was getting $1600 a month for just him and his son. That is our money. Tax payers money. He was collecting it for years. He was a known terrorist and we still let him under Chretiens gov't becuase the Liberals refused to name the Tamil Tigers a terrorist group. Now, we have an old, 70 year old ailing man who can't speak English faking his way into our country because he needs medical attention. He'll file his papers, see a Guynese Canadian doctor, and get his triple bypass off our tax dollars. He'll get his surgeries done and we'll end up paying. This story repeats it's self each day here in Canada. People flying into Canadad who simply don't live here and are not even citizens are fully entitled and encouraged to use our healthcare system (lebannon). They use our medical services and go back. This amplifies and repeats itself over time. Over and over year through year and eventually, one day we all wake up and realize that our system is broken beyond repair. It should have adequate funding, tax payers pay enough to serve those that pay into it. . but ahhhh.. people are using it that haven't paid into it, thus, it's bound to fail. that's fact, not idealism. When I was a kid back in Ottawa my Mom would sometimes say 'your aunt/uncle is coming to visit from Lebannon'. Then I'd ask why she was here and the answer was 'to get a surgery'. Of course I didn't understand I was a kid. At a baby shower recently with mostly immigrants there was an obviously older man who came here like 2 years ago. He seemed in his early 50's late 40's. His wife started talking about going to the doctor for pains, then others all got into and started talking about hospitals and emergacny an stuff. I can go on and on and on about loopholes, cheating the system, first hand examples. Over and over. I can seriously make an internet radio show, sit for 2 hours, and give all the stories of medical treatment and such. I associalte more with immigrants and people of color than I do Canadians. Let's just say that. I'm very close to these circles. If ANYONE wants to get into the country, I can get them in easily. I was actually thinking of taking an immigration consultant certificate. If you are willing to lie, refugee class is the best way to get into Canada. Even if your story isn't valid, it wont matter if you are willing to have kids on our soil. It's a sealed deal. You will get your legal fees paid for by tax payers so that's not even a problem. International student is a fast way, but is amongst the most strictist of Visa's and unless you have a spouce for marriage picked out, it is not recommeneded. Even if you are engaged, the student will have to back home and re-apply if she doesn't find work. Do not try and get via student visa. If you have a significant other already here, I know how to get them in right away. Even without marriage. There's just a bit of lying involved of course. You can't be dumb or you can get expelled at your hearing.

I find immigration to be the root of almost all of our problems in Canada right now. I also believe that our immigration policy is going to eventually collapse our social programs and services including healthcare. If these things collapse, our country will collapse. Don't ask if healthcare is ruined. It is, it's already finished beyond repair. It was ruined because people were using it that didn't pay in. End of story. Now we need private hospitals. If something happens to me and I need an organ, I cannot get one and could die on a waiting list. I suggest, you go look up some numbers and stop repeating what politicians 'want you to think'. You might suprise yourself if you find out the truth.

Neither am I. I welcome people to come here on a work permit the day our unemployment rate is so low we have so many vacant full time jobs that we simply can't fill them all.

I agree. Those people you described in that sentance are in the great minority of 300,000 people that come here each year. Numbers back this. It's factual.

We're far richer than China? Didn't know that. Learn something new each day. And I don't think China really cares about Kyoto or Canada very much.. I mean don't get me wrong.. the people of China care about Canada because they all have relatives here and such.. with many waiting to come here and take advantage of our criminally lax system, but China's gov't doesn't care what we do with global warming. I don't think the Chinese are that ill-informed.

Canada does not meet the definition of a democrocy unless every person votes. Also there are questionable representation of power that do not represent what the people voted for. Canada does not meet the definition of a democracy in it's current state. It's not only me who thinks this. Liberal Senator Mac Harb (who my mother went on a date with back in ottawa when I was a kid) agrees that right now Canada is not being represented fairly or democratically. He and other senators believe in manditory voting. Ideoligy. That above statement is like saying 'if you walk more often, you will loose weight'. That's ideological, not necessarily factual. 2 + 2 = 4. That is factual. If 450,000 voters vote for a Toronto mayor, out of 1 million voters, and half of those voters are people work for the city and have a vested interest in making sure their union gets treated well, then a special interst is controlling the vote and not everyone is voting which does not meet the definition of democracy. This is factual - not idealogical. I hate Mulrouny. Him and Trudeau both ruined the country. Trudeau much of course, but Mulrouney... I JUST HATE HIM! They deserve compensation, they did NOT get $37,000,000 each. For the longest time they got NOTHING.

This coming from 'Appollo19'. Sorry couldn't help but to point you obvious have a bias. Canada should not be taking part in this program and should eliminate financing to this white collar welfare.

Wow. Sometimes things get to a point where I can't even debate something because i don't know where to start. How does one convince another the sky's not falling? It's like.. where do you start?

Canada's space program?? Lol!! oh lordy lordy..

That's what they did, try to protect us. What your failing to understand: Arar not Canadian. Arar not us.

I wonder how many women and children have been victim of a sexual predator due to the gov't making wrong descisions. Think about it.

That's why they were following him. I agree with all your comments. It's nice to hear from someone with basic logic and a basic sense between right and wrong.