scribblet

Considering that this is a minority gov't, and other party positions have to be considered, its a smart budget, he can't possibly expect to get everything he wants in the first budget, most reasonable people would know that. Harper cannot go right at it in the first budget if he wants his gov't to fail, all he can do is go slowly, until he wins a majority. He is following through on the 5 priorities promise. Harper hits homerun with budget: Poll A new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid found Canadians generally approved of the budget, but that reaction in Quebec was particularly favourable toward the Harper government and the budget it brought down this week. http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/st...12-dd31f1a6a5f3

I doubt that the Van. Sun said that, I would like to see the link, tried but couldn't find it/ According to The Montreal Gazette, Page A12 - It was $13,500 there doesn't seem to be any mention of it in any of the other MSM. Right now the liberals don't have a heck of a lot to do, but I'm sure they'll get a lot of mileage out of the little stuff. LOL

Nope. Its called respect for the dead. If the media had any he wouldn't have to step in and do this. Unfortunately nothing Harper did or could do in this situation would satisfy those who just simply hate him, or cannot get over the fact that he actually was electable.

Both parties are pandering to their constituencies - the Liberals to those who believe that nothing is accomplished until you piss away large amounts of taxpayers money and the CPC to the religious right. A pox on both thier houses. How is this issue pandering to the religious right ?

And while all of this ferments, problems in the Indian community aren't really being solved and resentment on that side of the cultural fence starts to build. That's roughly an emotional map of this conflict. I have put no blame on any group, nor have I gone into depth on these issues to any degree. But I think it outlines the patterns of political interaction that have been happening, and will probably continue after this crisis has been solved. Resentment will always build when any political culture or system allows the overthrow of common sense and defines peoples rights, identity, lands and entitlements based on collective groups or on raciallybased concepts. It will always end in division and anger. Not only that, but our official multiculturalism Canadians hold so dear, embraces equality for all, that all cultures are treated equally, all are of the same value.

Finally, its on the way, but will it pass ? http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/st...33-900da829b6b0 EXCLUSIVE: Tories to disarm gun registry Global National Thursday, May 04, 2006 OTTAWA -- The Tories campiagned on law and order and the Conservative Party was not just talking tough. A Global National exclusive has discovered the Harper government is appealing to its base by moving to disarm the controversial gun registry. Global National has learned the details of how the Conservatives are going to deal with the gun registry: during the election they promised to kill it, but that's proving to be more difficult than they thought.

How do you know she used his name? Where you there? And even if she did: so what? It's his government and his policy. Even according to the blatantly biased media account you linked to, there's nothing to indicate she was voicing he rown opinion about the policy, but merely asking those who are potentially affecte dby it their opinion. You (and the CPC-friendly Sun) are making a mountain out of a molehill. Read the link: she asked military family members how they felt about the Harper government's decision to ban media from covering soldiers' coffins returning to Canada. Entirely innappropriate for a GG, especially at that time. No more of a mountain than some other issues that come up.

At first 3 strikes sounds great, until you realize what it could do to someone who only committed 3 very minor crimes. Toronto is looking at another year of the gun, and obviously the current laws are not working including the registry. Actually, these measures are less than what I expected, but they are a start,

I've always felt that milk was for cows, I don't drink the stuff as an adult. I do think its over rated, I'm not sure about the immunization, there is a chance of a serious reaction, you are playing roulette with your child by giving it to him. I erred on the medical side and gave them their shots. Tis a puzzlement....

I'm with you on your assessment of Harris and Eves, Harris started out great, kept promises, then became mediocre. Not much of a choice really these days, McGuinty is a d.....d liar, but I don't see John Tory as being really conservative. Howard Hampton is no choice, I think the NDP need a new leader there.

The GG's office is supposed to be apolitica, she wasn't showing concern for them, she s used Harper's name. It was a very transparent attempt at politicking.

. That is why I feel that all native land claims are ethically wrong and deserve to be tossed in the trash bin of history with slavery, state sponsered religion and any other racist institution developed by people living hundreds of years ago. Agreed. From what I've read, there is no indication that those posters actually came from any Caledonian. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if its a setup.

Also, executing him would have made him a martyr, not something we would want. 23 hours a day in solitary confinement, and one hour of solitary outdoor stuff, is a fitting punishment IMO, worse than death. If he isn't mad allready, he will be shortly.

Exactly, not only that, the Tories campaigned on the $1,200 allocation , and are delivering immediatel the y. The Grits promised Sovietstyle child care but were unwilling to deliver for 13 years. The Tory plan gives families a choice, while the Grits promised and didn't deliver for 13 years, and if they had there would have been no choice but Soviet type care. Parents want the right to choose, and the resources to exercise those choices.

Heard on CTV news last night that they were allowing for building a couple more jails, don't know where.

Here we go, are we surprised, she's stirring it up against the CPC. She should be spoken to about getting political, I think I'll write and complain. http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2...565348-sun.html Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean launched a flood of emotion when she asked military family members how they felt about the Harper government's decision to ban media from covering soldiers' coffins returning to Canada.

Stiff, if you caught you can loose your boat, truck everthing, could even lose your cottage. They confiscate everything, most legal hunters are aware this, and believe it to be a good deterrent.

Agreed, Duffy was right on - when my kids were in school I always said that a parent has take the pre school years and innoculate the kids against the school system, before the system brainwashed them. All this huffing and puffing about institutionalized day care is pandering to the left wing socialists who want a complete cradle to grave nanny-state. No thanks, I prefer the CPC plan anyday.

I guess the liberals subscribe to the theory of rehabilitation rather than jail. Its my understanding that mandatory sentencing would only be for serious drug trafficking, weapons, violent offences, and ending house arrests for violent, sexual, and other serious offences. Sounds okay to me. I don't think the liberals nor the NDP would like much of anything the CPC did, they would oppose it just to grandstand and get the attention. It may backfire on them.

Bud...how many time do I have to say that the benefits flow because we were here first? When are you going to quit with this racist bullshit and talk to me like an equal. just because my skin is different and my hair is black doesn't mean squat. the simple fact is that my forebears signed legal agreements with yours that ensured the land was Canada's in perpetuity in exchange for certain rights and benefits. How many times do I have to tell you it shouldn't matter who 'was here first', and personally I don't care. I don't care what colour your skin is or anything else, as far as I'm concerned we are talking as 'equals' except you don't seem to subscribe to 'all people should be treated equally' , so you can quit playing the race card and get over it . Apartheid doesn't work. Have a great day .

Oh boy, now we are getting nasty, spinning like crazy, and deliberately changing aliases. I don't mind if you correct the spelling though. What treaty says "Natives will have a blank cheque to attend university for as long as they want" or "natives will not pay taxes"? These things all come about as a result of legislation, the only treaty specific items include matters related to the utilization of lands and natural resources. I don't see the benefit or relation to the "true native way of life", that is, having a system whereby chiefs can give housing to whomever they want, where grants can be squandered without audits, where the operating grants per man, woman and child exceed $100,000 annually (and that doesn't include freedom from taxes and free education), and of course those Chiefly travel bills that have exceeded provincial cabinet ministers. Canadians really do not want a racist system of giving over cash and benefits based on ancestry which does not seem to provide a decent standard of living for all natives. The feds want to make bands more accountable and rightly so, the chiefs, don't seem to want it, in the meantime there are instances of bands and reserves in financial receivership and the indians have no drinking water etc. etc. Moving to a system of individual property rights on reserves along with transparent band governance ... would help Canadian aboriginal/natives/first nations/indians (or whatever nomenclature currently in use is) would be of far more help than rhetoric and name calling. However, we are of course, not allowed to have an opinion on what is the best course of action for Canadians as a whole, including natives without the name calling and accusations. Either way this isn't going anywhere, I'm not changing my mind that natives should be full and equal citizens, and your not going to change yours that accepting entitlements based on race is acceptable.

"Taxpayer Criblet: I agree, and this thread is starting to degenerate into name calling. Gee, i didn't see you saying this in the first ten pages, when people were gladly rhyming off myth after innuendo about Natives? Where were you then, taxpayer? I'll tell you. you didn't care...hell no, you were an active participant in making anti-Native statements, but as soon as a Native got on this site and started myth-busting, NOW there is a problem with the thread degenerating. That is also racist, but you cry whenever I point that out, so sorry for hurting your taxpaying feelings." I havn't made any 'anti-native' statements, that is in the eye of the reader, or his/her bias. I stand by my belief that ALL CANADIAN CITIZENS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY', if that is racist in your mind, then you have a problem. Such inflammatory accusations only create more animosity and distrust, one of the main reasons there is little discussion of the issue. Playing the race card and calling people racist works. Consider M. Coon Come's inflammatory words back in 2001 which did little to alleviate native problems, not only that they and others like them test patience of fair-minded Canadians who want to solve the a very intractable social problems. Consider some of Coon Come claims: "My own people, the James Bay Cree, have been virtually completely dispossessed of our lands and resources.'' In fact, the Cree themselves agreed to a $225-million deal with the Quebec government. They retained close to 80,000 square kilometres. "When our people tried to obtain a moderate livelihood from the sea, white mobs burned our boats and beat our people.'' In fact, Mi'kmaq fishermen got into violent clashes with fisheries officials after they knowingly defied federal fishing regulations. Minor injuries resulted. Half-truths such as these accomplish nothing. What is needed is an honest debate about why the billions of dollars Ottawa spends, i not improving aboriginal people's lives - where does it go? Native leaders need to examine their roles and objectives if they wish to be of more help to their people.. You might want to read this one: http://home.earthlink.net/~rdmadden/webdoc...Triumphant.html To rely upon a hazy or even nonexistent connection with men and women dead for thousands of years, however, in order to claim special privileges and influence today is morally and intellectually dishonest and despicable.

Your right but wasn't the 5 billion for military funding a litttle short handed and a pittence for a Conservative budget? I think it was a bit less than hoped for, I'm hoping for more in the next budget. Again, I think its because of the minority situation, they have to do what they can in the short term. If they can gain a majority next time around, I would expect more, as long as the economy keeps chugging along. I did hear an interview with McKenzie who said he welcomes the addition of that many new recruits, but wonders how they are going to train and house them as they lack the resources to do so.

Actually I was wondering the same thing, havn't got mine yet. I guess maybe the question is, how can we frame our answers to best benefit Canadians as a whole, or, is there any benefit to be gained from not answering honestly. Enquiring minds would like to know

Not likely as working people also get another 3,000 credit, middle class earners are the winners in that one. This st budget is an exercise in political expediency,as they have watered down conservativism in order to win votes - necessary in a minority situation. John Williamson of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said a simple straight-forward tax system would be better to let Canadians themselves decide what they want to do with their money. I agree with that, hopefully the next budget will reduce taxes again.