madmax

During a hot summer citizens AC units can create brownouts. We could build a nuclear or coal generator to power the cars, but this kinda defeats the purpose. Batteries are going to be a nightmare to dispense with. Other then that.. not bad considering..

Whoa dude... just because Mulroney implemented them, doesn't mean these ideas originated within the Conservative Party. They did not. Infact, the Liberals were the Free Traders and the Tories were the protectionists. The Conservatives implemented the GST and yes the Liberals never turned their back on it, because they would have implemented it themselves. Canada needs a "REAL" Conservative Party... like what... One that ELIMINATES the GST & TRASHES NAFTA... Its tweedle dee and tweedle dum dum. IT doesn't matter what name you attach. What is funny, is that the only what that Conservatives use to say they are different is the bring out the Abortion CARD Something they don't oppose, as any Family Coalition Rep. I truly like Mulroneys accomplishments. He managed to sue the Canadian Government, and he managed to meet with Schrieber in Hotel rooms and get handed hundreds of thousands of dollars in Cash. What a great guy... Yes, Mulroney did go against over 60% of the country to create free trade agreements that have been successful in neutering the power of the Federal Government. Sir John A did a hell of a lot more for this country then Mulroney ever did. He created a nation out of a global trading economy.

I am enjoying this... keep digging.

That is what got Conrad Black into trouble, and a nice jail cell.

Therein lies the problem. In the last 13 years, the Liberals and Conservatives used EI for their own slush fund, to help out their billion dollar friends and suck EI dry. So when the Billion Dollar Friends, relocate their Hundred Million Dollar Operations and put 1000s of employees out of work, the Cons are happy to say, here is a tax cut for you on behalf of those people being walked out the door. Ironically, the Government wants to pull a fast one, and get the same employees to pay TWICE into the system. The Employees didn't rob the EI treasury, But Stephen Harper did, and he is proud of it.

Yeah, things sure were good before Unemployment Insurance was created. Lets go back to that era...

Sounds more like an extension of the current program. Regardless, there is nothing on the Table for Self Employed people to receive EI funding. However, if you understand how it would work, it works similar to the way a commissioned sales person receives a draw. Or for those who pay for Electric Heat, your bill is balanced throughout the year, vs bankrupting you in the winter... People and even governments aren't as stupid as you suggest.

I'd say that $15 isn't a bare wage survival, but it isn't a significant wage either. Regardless most of the new employment generated by companies like Proctor and Gamble etc pay closer to the minimum wage. The trend in falling wages is quite significant. The fact that you suggest your lived comfortably on $15 before, the question is when? are you talking 10 years ago, 5 years ago or last week? If you earned $15 and saved $5, you certainly haven't purchased a home, and clearly aren't adding to growth in the economy. Nor did you suggest you invested it, which under the recent circumstances may have been a good thing. That said, sure, I know alot of people who can make your same statement, and earning $10 and hour in the big cities. However, sooner or later, you must leave your parents home and stop asking for money to go out with your friends. Obviously people who manage to earn a higher wage, regardless of its amount, forget how to manage when that wage is no longer available. However, it becomes forced upon them, and the answer is quite simple. You no longer can spend the same amount. You can no longer handle the same amount on credit. You no longer can maintain you vehicles or homes in the same fashion, or the docking fees for the boat need to be cut off this year and the boat sold. THeir is always something to give up. Of course people get by. People survive. The economy shrinks. The McGuinty Government handed out billions in "High Tech" research incentives. The Feds, not so much. However, As was pointed out in an earlier post, I suggest you reread CAMP. R&D is a facade to hide behind. I have watched many an R&D Building created with the aid of public funds. They are very pretty buildings. For some companies they are a testement to their wealth. Most of the high tech industries left Canada 15 years ago. R&D follows the manufacturing base, and Canada choose not to support manufacturing. It is slightly different with Pharma... but certainly on proportion to the advanced state of this country and the people with the talent here, it is still far behind other G7 countries.

We decided to become a resource nation when we abandon the policies of Sir John A MacDonald, and energy polices of Adam Beck. Where have you been the last 15 to 20 years? This was a choice. That choice was completed following with the elections of Mulroney and then Chretian for Biased Trade Agreements that put Canada back into the colonial mode of the 16 to 18 hundreds. Just like in the time before Sir John A for hundreds of years, we were a resource exporting nation to Europe. Sir John a Changed that and fought against Liberal Trade policies as did successive Conservative Leaders and Prime Ministers up to Brian Mulroney when he reversed over 100 years of Conservative policy and adopted the Liberal mantra for Open Trade. Not certain what else you expect to happen, but one of the benefits of technology and trade is that human resources can be outsourced to Honduras, or India as can all Engineering and other technological aspects. THere is no reason to do it in Canada when it can be done outside of Canada for a very very small fraction of the price. There is little need for Manufacturing or Technology to be done in Canada when it can be done elsewhere for less money. People support this policy today and certainly on MLW from the postings that I have read over the past 3 years. Most people don't support it when their R&D centre is shut down, and they realize that they are easily replaced and outsourced. Some call it the Global economy, to compete in the Global Economy, you compete with the 3rd world which can punch out Engineers and Computer Specialists dirt cheap and in mass quantities at 3rd world wages. You wonder why we are degenerating into a 3rd world status? Hey, the 3rd world technology and value added sectors are growing. Enjoy.

Paul Martin would also have had the benefit of alot of Canadian Owned Companies paying taxes. Those companies have since been purchased by prospecting companies and relocated or idled indefinitely. Martin did have to suffer the corporate plundering that had just started to take shape during his last year as Prime Minister. Certainly some are looking at the Martin Era regarding balanced budgets. Just like people look at the Provincial NDP governments that have a long record of balancing budgets through good times and bad. However, Bob Rae, Grant Devin style spending appears to be the order of the day, with declining revenues to match. Income tax cuts will not balance a budget, nor will they stimulate an economy as we have seen. Paul Martin appears to be getting the credit of that mid 90s directional change and mud is being tossed at Mulroney is deserved, however, give credit where credit is due. The change of fiscal policy and deficit spending of the federal government wouldn't have happened without the pairie winds blowing in the Reform Party and Preston Manning.

Bravo... but I don't see a revolution on the horizon and that is what it would take to implement the monetary reforms you are speaking of.

We have to stop here... as most economists are unable to find work in their fields. Most practicing economists debate theories and models and most economists have been shitting their pants because they couldn't see the forest through the trees. Just like most economists moved from supporting closed local economies with controlled foreign insourcing to an virtual abandoninng of mixed local economies for unempeded importing of foreign goods, foods and resources. All in the name of unsustainable economic expansion and the destruction of healthy local economies. It does work as a global economic model. It just may suck, where you live because of it. Its a pretty basic premise and it doesn't take alot of thought. WHich is why I have little use for "economists". Virtually none of whom can hold job in real world conditions. Economics is great, there are many forms of economics, and I do enjoy the modelling and the debates. But everything in our economy is open to debate and everything in our economy is controlled, its just a matter of where we want to put the potentiometers. So, I take the words.... "most economists" with a grain of salt. Essentially, all Mulroney truly succeeded in doing was create another form of tax revenue. All Paul Martin did, was receive the benefits of this extra tax and use the extra tax to pay off bills, cut services, and give wealthy people a break. After 15 years of this, we have demonstratable evidence that outright tax breaks do not sustain an economy nor does it keep multi nation companies operating in Canada. They take the extra dough and continue on their merry way. With a revenue stream larger then ever in Canadian History, the Conservative Government is on course to running deficits that would put Trudeau and Mulroney to shame, and they didn't have the extra stream of revenue created by the GST. In areas where GST style of taxes have proven their merit, has been in regions where Progressive Income Taxes are maintained or increased in order to ensure proper government services. Of course people would love to see income taxes removed, just like some like to see a reduction in the GST. Fact is the Conservatives brought it in, the Liberals benefited from its revenue potential, and the Conservatives trimmed it back a bit so that I have 2cents in my pocket each time I get a coffee. In the end, regardless of the revenue stream, or those who want to argue the merits of one revenue stream over the other, the truth is.... This government ignored the economic crises around it, ignored the manufacturing sector, played politics, and then called and unnecessary election in order to attain greater power for themselve. It was a NERO proposition. Fidelling while the country crumbles. Now they are running around like cats with their tails on fire handing out cheques across the country, and pretending to the public they have done a great job. They will deal with the fallout when the bills start to come in later. So... having seen the experience when the GST was brought in, its initial offering slowed down economic recovery, as retailers who were already in pain because of the recession, had another 7 cents to deal with and consumers held back spending that much more. Eventually there was recovery and all was forgotten.... Anyone looking at this recession like the 1990 recession is fooling themselves. And anyone comparing this recession to the similar job loss figures of hte 80s is also missing the point. In the 80s the recover allowed for people to go back to their jobs. There are no jobs to return to today as the company that was actually making money, has left the country. It wasn't about work slowdown. The companies that were on the edge are now bankrupt. The government has screwed up on both counts, but is spending money on some pretty interesting pork projects that will have little if any long term benefit on the job market. And don't get me wrong.... other then some quibbling, the Liberals would offer a tax cut on income and increase the GST and somehow believe that waving a magic wand is going to fix anything. The parties are very closely aligned in economic ideology, and yet neither appear able to steer the bus.

Best you log off now. Use a private non tax payer supported/funded forum. Hold to your guns and don't return.

I agree that this is a push poll. Of no use to anyone but spin doctors and those who want to form a mindset that there be only 2 choices next election. Unfortuneately, while voter turnout is continuing to decline, not that many people are ready to sit home, or limit themselves to two mediocre choices.

That is one of the more disturbing quotes..

Sure there is... and I am waiting for you to tell me what they are .....

You can't make this stuff up... http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDi....aspx?e=1649663 PC riding group shelved after sex raps surface Posted By RAYMOND BOWE Updated 1 day ago The Ontario PC Party has dissolved its Barrie riding association after two board members were charged with gang sexual assault. Riding association president Sarfraz Warraich, 42, of Barrie, has been charged with gang sexual assault and attempting to obstruct justice. A second board member, 43-year-old Barrie resident Arif Mehmood, has also been charged with gang sexual assault. Warraich turned down several requests to resign, according to two board members.

If this "carbon tax" is the solution to global warming, you can kiss the world goodbye. Other Provinces are expanding their Provincial Taxes for more revenues. They aren't called Carbon Taxes, but are taxing many Carbon emmitting Products. Energy Useage will not decline because of this tax. Infact, Energy Uses could increase, and possibly the poorest will suffer the most for the increase. Most people who support a Carbon Tax and expect some environmental good to come from it are delusional or eternal optimists. Most of BCs Carbon Tax doesn't make any sense other then to generate some alternative revenues for government in the face of declining incomes and lower income tax rates. The monies got to come from somewhere. As for the environment....unfortuneately it will continue to suffer without direct action and as long as people get suckered into the belief that this tax is somehow saving the planet.

Ouch...but it is a rather large mistake and it will be a learning exercise that that staffer would not likely make again after suffering the loss of his job.

I understand what you are trying to say. I would point out that the definition of Apathetic includes a lack of interest. However, having spoke to many people and gone door to door over various campaigns of the past, I recognise how you would come to make the statement you did. And you would be correct in not being able to describe those feelings. apathetic: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.comapathetic also apathetical adj. Feeling or showing a lack of interest or concern; indifferent. Feeling or showing little or no emotion;

63% of all polls are ....... LOL

63%??? Actually 65% of statistics are made up on the spot.. erm 66% oh shit.. 67% bastard...68%.. opps, 69% ... Regardless, getting rid of the Senate is the best thing that could happen. lol

http://www.republicansforignatieff.com/ I posted this link in another thread, and not many bites... but .... this site which many people believe is linked to Stephen Taylor does manage to get its point across. The Site is humourous enough not to sway CPC supporters to Ignatieff even though they are highlighting many areas in which Ignatieff is to the Right of Harper. It also seems to be trying to put off Centre and Centre Left Liberal Supporters off Ignatieff and wedging them to either the CPC or the NDP. Funny stuff and I would think that an American Republican would support Ignatieff over Harper. This morning's big "release" on the site was a clip of Ignatieff from an academic speech in Ireland, where he claimed that George Bush should be included in the list of Americans promoting human rights, like Eleanor Roosevelt. Ignatieff has some Splaining to do....... Dubya and Jimmy Carter??? IS HE NUTS??? Regardless, this is priceless. Thats where the site gets funny. Somehow pretending to be a Republican Site..or with Republican Readership. Yeah its a CPC supporters hatchet job... Now... Dick Cheney is obviously a stronger voice in Coercive Interrogation and Americans wouldn't know Ignatieff if he bit them on the ass. But.. Many Canadians are aware of Ignatieffs parrallel view to Cheney on Coercive Interrogation. Hey, the guy supports torture and plays his role as the Bush/Cheney Apologist. Clearly, the CPC are dabbling with dividing the Liberals and exposing many of Ignatieffs Far Right Wing Weaknesses.

Come on.... There was no election or election threat. There was a bill on the floor to reform EI. The bill could have amendments attached as often happens. Regardless, the bill had the support of the majority of the house. It was not a bill that could bring down the government. Therefore NO ELECTION and certainly NO JUNE or JULY election. The only election threat came from a twit who decided he would challenge the government, and back down within the 20 minute question period with the media after his opening salvo on EI. I believe the response was.. GO AHEAD, MAKE MY DAY. The fact that the Liberals have been threatening elections since Dion came to power and supporting the Conservatives lock step is no surprise. The surprise was that Ignatieff used the same Dion Tactic and had his bluff called. All this had NOTHING to do with EI reform. Especially considering the Liberals have never had a bill on EI reform in the house since they changed the rules 13 years ago. Election Bluffs are for Liberals.

.. didn't mean to labour the point... Suck it up and all.....