madmax

It would have been helpful if the Ontario Liberal MPPs had taken their complaints seriously instead of brushing them off. The fallout of this could be 1 LPC MP and 2 Ontario Liberal MPPs.

Nonsense

Keeping up with the Provincial Election activities.... West and East http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story...s-election.html Election is JUNE 9th... .. see how close the MLW pundits get with this one....

..... must have been asleep at the switch.... What was a runaway for Campbell and the Liberals had really tightened up on MLW with the NDP coming up from far behind... I think they were below the Greens at one point. Provincial Polls have the spread anywheres from 3% to 11% with the NDP trailing. Probably closer to the latter is more accurate. STV has been a back and for battle here, but not yet near the magic number. MLW seems to be in reverse of the polls in BC where STV is holding a 53% to 47% lead in voter choice.

Don't post an run....... A few comments would be helpful.... and for fun, you could make it up and I wouldn't doubt your source

There was no substance to the Conservative Platform in the September 08 election. There was no "Stimulus" package offered by any political parties. The All political parties campaigned on a balanced budget, but it was the Conservative government that was already running a deficit, and it was going to be alot worse then they were leading on. Currently your political parties are leaving the youth nothing... let alone servicing the debt. The Debt has been reduced for almost 13 years straight, under both LPC and CPC governments. Also both governments have stolen from the Employment Insurance fund to pay down the debt, or give large tax breaks to corporations that closed their operations in Canada and left those same employees out of work. $56 Billion taken between the actions of the two parties. As for giving corporations "STimulus" monies, the corporate welfare handouts have been the way of Canadian Politics for all Liberal and Conservative governments. They give corporations money and ask little in return, and they receive just that. Very little. Unfortuneately the economic policies of the Liberals and Conservatives are nearly identical, with each party flip flopping on issues when in power. Arrogance is generally stronger within the Liberal Ranks then the Conservative ranks, but it is an unfortuneate reality of these political parties. Prime Minister Harper waged no war on Iraq. Infact his support for the War was as an opposition leader, whereas Mr. Ignatieffs support for the war in Iraq was as a human rights activist. Both sincerely believed the Lies Presented by the Bush Government as fact. However, Mr. Ignatieffs position is the most shocking of the two leaders. I expect a Conservative to walk lock step with a Republican government, whether right or wrong, as long as its done together. Our Fascist state began as the Paul Martin and Chretian government brought in broad sweeping "anti terrosism" legislation that removes the rights of everyday citizens. This was with the support of the Conservative Opposition. So, just to set the record straight. Canada is not at war in Iraq. Prime Minister Harper, like Liberal Leader Ignatieff were strong supporters of the Iraq war, but with anything that goes poorly, a politician likes to downplay the whole affair and make piss poor excuses for their stupidity and incompetent judgement.

He hypocritically violated his own fixed election date. It is not a lie. There was no reason that the Prime Minister called the election other then to manipulate the electorate in order to receive a majority government. Mr Harper would have been unable to find ONE SINGLE TIME in which the government did not have the support of the LPC on any confidence bill or any bill the CPC put forth. It was 48 times in consecutive votes that the CPC ruled with the LPC. Not even a blip in the radar. If there is any reason that Harper should be gone it is because he broke his own law for political gain. The government was not defeated. What Harper has given us is the possibility of TWO elections before his fixed election date because of his won arrogance and opportunism. People in all circles know that the September Election was a grab for a Majority government and nothing else. There wasn't even a platform. Infact what the election did, was turn the CPC easy ride into a gain of a few seats and a far more difficult ride ahead. The Fact is, Harper wanted an election and he called one. The public should have punished him, and he is lucky they didn't. But that is what happens in sleeper elections. In the next election, the public will not be asleep.

HAHAHAHA The LPC are not going to try to rig an election over EI. Are they planning to put back the $48 Billion they stole, or Just the $6 Billion that the CPC gave away. The LPC will not do it. They haven't the balls.

It is a GLARING detail. I cannot foresee an election in May, June, July, August, Sept. I cannot see the Liberals voting against something, or the CPC putting forth a bill that the LPC will not support, unless the CPC wants to force another election. As for the LPC, I think the LPC would be committing suicide by having an early election. Still get gains, but nothing substantial, and the LPC needs to win alot more seats nearly double to get into minority control let alone majority. Beyond all the spinning, the LPC really don't have their shit together, but they are working the media hard to create the image that they do. They also are doing alot of spinning with the media to get the monkey off their back and onto the BQ or NDP. I can't honestly tell you how the BQ or NDP would react, I am only giving my opinion. You might be correct.

No, No more then the "coalition" was a "coup". Of course the CPC got themselves into this mess by using misleading labels and forcing the public to believe CPC spin doctoring. This nonsense has painted the CPC into a corner. The only "formal" coalition as of recent was the Document signed by the MPs of the LPC and the MPs of the NDP. Clearly a formal document means nothing to the LPC and their word and signatures are to be taken with a grain of salt. If opportunity is involved the LPC will be there. If principles are involved, its a whole different kettle of fish. Today the "Informal" coalition is one between the CPC and the LPC and they are on a short term, case by case, voting structure with each party more focused on the latest polling data then the job at hand. In any minority government more then ONE party is required in order to get legislation passed. The fact is that the LPC have voted with the CPC some 60 times, maybe more, and have not voted against the CPC on any government bill. If the LPC choose to vote against the CPC, and it will happen, it will be at a time that the LPC can see an "opportunity" in it for themselves, not for the country. Therefore the LPC will be focused on a defeat of the government, in hopes of having an Election. Now, that leaves the other two parties. The BQ have been the mistress of the CPC for quite sometime, however, since the October election, the CPC went to great lengths to call their former mistress a whore. If the BQ return to propping up the CPC, then perhaps they might earn that latter title. Except that it would be difficult to see the BQ propping up a party that is TANKING in Quebec. The CPC having shown so much promise in Quebec prior to portraying the Province of Quebec as a leech. The CPC having gave gifts to the PRovince, then shit on the Province for taking those gifts. Harper built his bridge into Quebec, and should be given credit for doing so. He also burnt that bridge, and I don't believe it is reparable for the foreseeable term in office. That leaves the NDP. The NDP may have wanted to work with the CPC on various occassions, but found the Prime Minister to be "untrustworthy". Unfortuneately after the last election, there was hope for a new direction from the Prime Minister to work with the other parties as he didn't receive his desired majority. The whole reason for the election exercise was about "Harper" and not about governing. Pretty shameful. However, the Prime Minister choose NOT to work with any of the parties, and forced them into a corner. Oh, but the LPC are not to be trusted either, and the NDP , in need of a partner, offered to help the LPC out of their dilemna. (Possible extermination). Thats were the "written" documents of the coalition come into effect. Except that the LPC being the LPC, choose to use the coalition leverage and then abandonment for their own necessary survival. 1) they needed the coalition to survive 2) they needed to drop the coalition to grow. Good politics, bad for credibility in the house. Bad for the NDP, in hopes of being heard or seeing change. Today, We have two parties in fear of governing. The CPC are not governing, but reacting. I am not certain why they want to be in government, as they are doing a pretty shitty job of it. The LPC don't want to be in government and are proving that by not saying anything on anything, and have yet to develop a policy on anything. The purpose of the LPC is to wait, and wait and say nothing, but exist as the government in waiting. I believe the CPC will be prepared when the LPC find the missing component between their legs to call an election. The LPC don't have it now, and are behaving no differently then the DION Liberals did when in parliment. The tactics are the same. However, the LPC are trying to build a party, and pulling down the government doesn't build a party, so don't expect the LPC to do anything stupid like last year, when Dion finally started talking about election, Mr Harper gave him one. Today the yapping is coming from the media with fabricated stories, no facts to back up their bullshit. Infact, its like creating gossip yourself and then reporting it as fact. As for the NDP, I expect them to live with an election rather then prop up the CPC. There have been numerous occassions for the two parties to work together, and it just doesn't happen. For every vote that the LPC supports the CPC , the NDP does not. The LPC has supported the CPC 100% of the time, and the NDP has voted against the CPC 100% of the time. I cannot see this changing, even for one confidence vote in which the government would be voted down. The NDP is a party (Federally) of principles and they will sink or swim on them. Expect the NDP to circle the wagons and fight to save all the seats they currently have. I expect no growth from the NDP in the next election, under the current conditions. The party with problems is definitely the CPC. Money is not going to be enough to change the direction of the Canadian Voters. The CPC are going to lose a number of seats, but retain some of the recent pickups in 2008. But CPC losses in Quebec are going to be bloody. Next election will be another minority government. It could be LPC, my bet, or CPC with an economic miracle not on the horizon, I don't think they are going anywhere but down in seats. Therefore with the next minority government, and the LPC and CPC in near equal seat counts, I would not be surprised to see the NDP working with either untrustworthy party in the next government. But before that happens, one of those two parties will cut a deal with the BQ and secure that Majority. Back to square one.

There is no such thing as a "Free Market" economy. THere never was, and there never will be. However, I do agree that this money is intended to save the corporate entity known as "Chrysler" and there is no guarrantee attached with this "investment". THere isn't any intent to save "some citizen employment" but there is intent to give corporations free money. Corporations like free money. Its FREE!!! Well Jerry, if you can get the government to stop this nonsense, I am all ears.

We should teach that the earth is flat.

Much like , too little too late. Definitely problems associated with this decision. Auto manufacturers located here because of the strong industrial base, and the many support mechanisms and suppliers that "were" located within a central triangle. This base is decimated. There is little rational to open an assembly plant located in Ontario when the suppliers are moving to Mexico and China or are now officially bankrupted. As for building cars that "Canadians want, you might be rather biased in your choice of vehicle. Every dealership is sitting there with tonnes of steel and plastic parked on the pavement. Every purchaser has a different opinion of what they want. I am a big fan of Subaru, and yet I know how fragile their engines can be. Its just that a hell of a lot of them make it to 300,000km problem free. For a Cyclist like you.... that would mean a "Car for life". Or more properly, if it isn't a Wagon, I am not interested in a Subaru.

Cool Seven days later... We have a split on STV which has come back from far behind. The Liberals appear to be a runaway train over the NDP. Meanwhile I have no STV polls coming from BC. Latest polling shows the NDP has closed up a 16point deficit to 3 points. Still alot of time, will someone here break the STV deadlock and will it move into the 60% region?

http://www.thespec.com/News/Business/article/556774 Close to 326,000 people applied for benefits in February, the largest number since 1997, when Statistics Canada began collecting comparable data. Claims were up 18.6 per cent over January and more than 53 per cent since February of last year. The rise in EI recipients reflects an economy that has shed 357,000 jobs since October, said Benjamin Tal, a senior economist with CIBC World Markets "It's like somebody turned off the light in October of 2008, and this is not the end of the labour market pain," he said. "The West is suffering from the global recession and Central Canada is suffering from the U.S. recession. "The commodity collapse is clearly hurting the West in a significant way, while the slowing auto sector in the U.S. is clearly hurting Ontario's manufacturing sector."

And it looks worse here....for the Libs.... Sounds like a bunch of drunken goofs. Where are they finding these clowns??? BC Politics is always a treat.

YUP!!! In 2005, he made history by persuading the Supreme Court to overturn Quebec's ban on private health insurance.

IIRC this the same MD who has been advocating private medicine and has been leading the privatization the health care system. I believe his arguments used to focus on people dying in the waiting rooms of public funded health care, not getting looked at .... Solution! Pay more and die waiting in his private facility

The CPC will not fall below the NDP in Ontario, nor will the NDP break above the 26% plateau that might be required to achieve such a feat. Essentially there is no precendent for this.That said, the NDP received the Highest seat total in Ontario in its entire CCF/NDP history. Heavily exceeding the seat count of Ed Broadbent, which for the NDP has been their high water mark. Obviously the economic conditions today are going to be far worse then in any time in Ontario history heading back to the Great Depression. The Federal and Provincial governments are at a complete loss of what to do, and lack the expertise required to strengthen Ontario through this globally driven storm. However, the lack of action in the previous 2 years indicates that while knowing what was at risk, these governments failed to initiate any kind of protections to the employees in Ontario. Today Solvent companies are closing up, leaving the employees at a loss at how to claim their monies owed from owners overseas. Our police force helps escort the equipment off the premises, and let the crooks leave without paying. To these people its theft of the wages and a loss of the jobs. The problem is, it is CPC MPs who many of these people are turning to for help, and SFA is happening. That doesn't get you votes. THus with the unemployment rate actually in the double digits and many of these people realizing that their conservative values and the conservative party values aren't the same, is leaving them looking for alternatives. Ironically the same is true of the LPC voter who has lost their jobs and don't realize it was the LPC who weakened the bankruptcy laws and were the biggest thieves of the EI system. Of course these are policies embraced by the CPC. But the mere fact that the LPC could change these laws, could get them the default vote, which I think is occuring. It is not an earned vote, and the LPC aren't having to work hard to get it. They merely have to exist, and maybe toss out a promise or two. Under the Current conditions, I see the CPC losing a few seats in Ontario, but not as many as people might think. I also believe they will hold onto some of their newest aquistions. The NDP is one of the stubborness parties in Canadian History. I think they have are much more stubborn then the Conservatives when it comes to holding values. And while there are many criticisms of the Rae Government, all well earned, the irony is that Mr. Harper appears to be behaving very similar to Mr Rae in his economic governance and at the same time, ticking off his base, which is what Bob Rae did. Perhaps one of the reasons that the NDP is respected in the North, the CPC almost unelectable until recent, and the LPC the historical default of the region until recent, is that the NDP successfully saved many a bankrupt operation in the North and are remembered for those actions. The did not implement those same policies in Southern Ontario, or I have no knowledge of them doing so, but the NDP have a record of saving Industries and jobs during a downturn so that they will be there during the upturn. Even then there is attrition, as nothing ever stays the same. The CPC and LPC policy is virtually the same, thus, what layoffs we see today are in the majority, permanent, which is far more stressfull on the system in the longrun. We have an abundance of Millrights, Engineers, Machinists, Mechanics, QA inspectors looking at other operations to implement their science degrees. And finding work for these trades and degrees of people not used to being out of work or essentially having to retrain to become pharmacists, does not buy the love of the current political party governing. Federally the CPC and Provincially the Liberals are going to take a hit. But it will not be a death blow. I predict the LPC will regain the strength in Ontario and hold it. The NDP may shed a seat or possibly two. The CPC may lose a 7 to 12 seats in working class ridings, like Cambridge. (Going out on a limb there, but this is a bold prediction) Unless the economic meltdown turns disasterous, I don't expect to see the CPC polling under 30% during the election. Provincially, the Liberals free lunch should come to an end. I predict a left right split but the Liberals still holding government. The NDP going up to 14 or 15 seats and the PCs getting up to 32 seats. Now, lets see how completely wrong I am in 1 to 2 years

Read it and weep Jdobbin... I scooped ya on a poll http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianp...ju2K-KRPR1fs6Ag

Interesting Poll on the BC Election. Don't know how reliable...but some food for thought for political hacks... http://www.robbinssceresearch.com/polls/poll_582.html

Somehow,,,, Let the Auto Makers FALL has turned into someones UNION rant. Letting the Automakers fall is a legitimate choice to consider. WHile we debate this, numerous places are closing their doors. Hundreds of thousands and soon millions will be out of work. The tidal wave hasn't hit the coast, its still building steam. Its not just automakers, much of the economy, the local economy is going to tank like people have never experienced in their lifetime. This is much larger then a foolish debate claiming and blaming Unions, the rights of people to associate, or the fact that companies offered pensions and failed to put money into them. Entire cities and nearby cities are going to come to a screaching halt, and their debtloads are going to be ENORMOUS!!! Currently AUTO hasn't failed. If you look, the auto industry has been taking months upon months upon months claiming they are going to go under..... Meanwhile the 100,000 of thousands of other employees are being thrown out of work, as their companies choose to pool resources in foreign countries and close down recently purchased Canadian Operations. It has been this elimination of the middleclass consumer that has brought down the Canadian Economy. For Automakers here, it took much longer for sales to catch up to the problem and then the manufacturers, all of them, engaged in excessive autoproduction and Toyotas claim to producing only vehicles that had been sold, proved to be a MYTH!!! No surprise there. However, Automakers should have recognised that the US was suffering a meltdown through Sub PRime MOrtgage Fiasco, Derugalation and a rush to globalization. But they didn't. Greed begets Greed and they overproduced for a collapsing demand. Somehow the Unions are responsible for this decision. The foolish decision of Toyota and GM to play king of the castle and be the #1 automaker. Companies are allowed to dream, set goals, and compete with one another. Much like the idiots we call economists, all these wonderful executives have lead their corporations down the garden path. As for BAILOUTS??? Why are Land Developers and Politicians often joined at the hip? Why do Billionaire Developers get joe public to pay their expenses and development costs??? Corporate Welfare isn't going to go away. A policy to determine if we need an autosector should be taken into consideration. Should we determine that we don't, then Ontario needs to file for Bankruptcy protection. If we determine that we need and autosector, then handing over $$$ isn't going to solve the problem. If we determine that we need a manufacturing sector, someone better figure out what the hell is going on out there. Don't hold your breath.

IIRC Lee Iacocca did it in the 80s and turned Chrysler around. He made more off stock options and worked for $1.Regardless this is worth reading..... In tough times many people become petty, finger point, or require a scapegoat. There are many choices to fullfill these three needs. I prefer the CORPORATION EXECUTIVES, the GOVERNMENT, and then, market forces. The Union only assembles the cars and are a small portion of the costs. Nothing that is going to turn anyones fortunes around. However, I still have no idea how these automanufacturers are going to survive with no parts suppliers available. Another non union parts supplier closed its doors today and more to come. Toyota is Raving about the RAV. Apparently demand for the RAV, a SUV ironically, not a small car or a Green Car, is one of the stronger products that is not sitting on the showroom lots. If one wishes to look back into some of my posts from 6 months ago, I mentioned that 20% and 25% paycuts were on offer in many Union and Non Union places. Some here suggested I was exageratting, or that it wasn't happening. Some Civil servants were emphatic that this was silly talk. Wages are going down. Its not a good thing, but it is happening. Those people who look for their pound of flesh from the Auto Assemblers, and it may come, should Reckonize that Toyota will have to match those cuts $dollar for Dollar if they are to remain competitive with manufacturing costs. The way around that will be a significant use of FULLTIME TEMP LABOUR at bargain basement rates, with Millwrights and Mechanics and Electricians in the $14 to $18 range and General Labour in the $10 To $14 range. At $27 Toyota will be expending too much in Labour Costs but would not be able to drop wages without fear of Unionization. Therefore all new workforce employees will start under indefinite contracts as occurs in Japan, where a Non Union Temp works at Honda or Toyota alongside their unionized counterparts for 20 years. Two tiered wages and a poorer workforce are the wave of the future. 40% of new employment is fulltime temp agency work. Enjoy.

Bump

VW To surpass Toyota!!! http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8459796 And what about what Toyota makes???