madmax

There was another thread on this...... Desjarlais was an NDP MP and lost the nomination battle much like Chuck Cadmanl lost his nomination battle. Desjarlais went on to lose as an independent and Cadman went on to win as an independent. Jack did not kick out anyone. Desjarlais voted according to her constituents and her own beliefs and took some heat from the party but was not kicked out. Her constituents didn't back her nomination meeting or in the election, which happens in electoral politics. Bill Casey was kicked out of the party by Harper. He ran as an independent and won. If Desjarlais won her nomination meeting as a New Democrat and then the election for the riding Desjarlais would still sit as an NDP MP.

He was a Tory MP until Harper Kicked him out.

Harper has kicked members out of the party. Iggy hasn't had a Scandal erm reason to kick any LPC out of the party yet, and did not whip the vote to support the budget. Layton hasn't kicked anyone out of the party that I am aware of since becoming leader of the NDP. The GP can't kick out an MP because they have NEVER had any..... well, one but he was kicked out by the LPC and then kicked out by the electorate Mr. Canada. You have just highlighted that Mr. Harper is the only current leader to kick anyone out of the party for being a free thinker.

I don't disagree with you. However, I felt similar to the first comments in the article, that I didn't quote, that there would be a larger number of CPC supporters who would have a revolt of sorts. Clearly the CPC voters and even hard core have simply chosen to live with it rather then criticise it. I am a bit surprised by this. I would have thought 6 in 10 conservatives are for this budget and would vote conservative regardless of their thoughts on the budget. But 9 in 10 is pretty high, infact it is impressive, and perhaps the CPC have read this one right. I Agree with your two examples if the other parties created the budget, we would see numbers like you describe. No surprise there.

The property owner pays more in taxes then the non property owner. The number of people who pay property taxes is significantly less then those who pay GST.

Interesting article in todays Globe. Cancel the Revolution And yet stranger..

Municipalities do not have broad taxing capabilities. The burden of taxes is born by the property owner, unlike many other forms of taxation. This is going to be a difficult year if municipalities somehow believe that people can pay more in property tax.

Realizing that you called me delusional in another thread, I recognize the give and take in any discussion. He is an update on Party Fundraising http://punditsguide.ca/2009/02/conservativ...212-million.php

Yes, much better to trust the CPC to put a Separtist in the Senate. The Separtist bed is ok for the CPC but not for the LPC? Enjoy the budget.

Call it what you wish. I understand that there are people spinning yarns about Iggy both for and against.

IMHO

I don't believe Iggy is an incompetent. He is arrogant, self absorbed and considers himself the smartest person in the room. The only reason that the CPC are talking about IGGY is because of Harpers Fiscal Folley last November. IGGY did nothing more to lift the LPC then did DION after that blatent attack on the LPC. IF the funding measure gone through, APRIL 1ST would be the 30 day notice before the DEATH of the Liberal Party. Harpers rush for a fast kill cornered the badger and it fought back. But IGGY was not part of that fight. In fact, had Dion smartly stepped aside, I doubt Iggy would have been able to gain the leverage of a coalition under any circumstances. Because he didn't believe in it. The Coalition was the only measure, the BQ and the NDP that actually gave the LPC a chance to fight for its life against the CPC attack. Just as it wasn't DION who stood the LPC on their feet, it was the POLITICAL DEATH presented by the CPC that gave them no other choice. Dion just happened to be the tool of the time. Had Dion then stepped aside, and allowed an interim leader of the coalition, it would not likely be IGGY but someone neutral. Fate again took over. DION stayed, Dion proved himself a stooge and did such a remarkable job, that the LPC, still in DESPERATE LIFE SUPPORT MODE, had to do something quickly. Again, all these radical and major changes in direction and leadership of the LPC were driven by Harpers RUSH to kill off the Liberals. IGGY did not orchestrate this, but was in the right place at the right time in a party that had no money to hold a Leadership convention. This fear of destruction allowed the LPC to buy into the coronation for the survival of the party. The budget is more posturing. The LPC couldn't fight an election under any circumstances. Iggy wasn't a believer in the coalition from the start. And the CPC put forth a budget that makes sense to nobody but is accepted by a majority both in the house and in the minds of the public. I don't believe IGGY is incompetent. Dion proved himself incompetent by missing his National Televised Address. I don't believe that Iggy is anything other then a politician, and his historical track record shows that he has more in common with the Prime Minister on issues like Iraq. Iggy supports torture. THere is a point of torture that he says is too much torture. But he believes in a level of torture to interogate for information. arper put the LPC backs against the wall, IGGY knows well enough there is still no room to step back, and no power to step forward. A lateral move along the wall is the only option for the LPC and this is hardly a surprise to anyone.

Lending institutions enjoy Canada in a Debt Prison. There is a reason that money is loaned at interest. If the money is being used to service the debt, it can't be used for the public good.

That is pretty much true of any value added production. Certainly in the consumer arena there is little that one can find in a dept store that is made in Canada. Especially since the criteria changed long ago. Now imported in Canada or if you do something like Repackage it, it gets a made in Canada sticker. Of course those stickers aren't made in Canada.... just kidding...some come right off the printer labels, labels made in, erm, forget it. GostHacked. What can I say. You're right....

This appears to be a very safe seat for John Tory. But .... What if he loses? Every now and again something strange happens. I agree with Muddys previous comments. But John Tory does have a losing record, and is a lousy politician when it comes to getting elected. What would happen if the riding rejected him? It might be better for the PCs if he is gone. He doesn't have alot of support in the party and many are waiting for someone more to the right of him. In the meantime the Liberals have the same candidate who ran last time running again, no surprise there. The Greens have there candidate selected. And I have read that many in the NDP would be happy if Tory won a seat.... finally. But then, I noticed today that there is a contested nomination for the NDP candidate. 3 People are challenging for the opportunity to be the NDP candidate. This is hardly a bastion of NDP support, so why have 3 Local candidates come forward? 3 Candidates is no sign of riding support, but it is interesting to see that 3 people are interested in running for a party that I can't recall ever being competitive in the area. I was kidding earlier when I said that last PC MP won with only 50% of the vote and that might not be enough of a starting handicap if Tory runs. It was a joke...... Funny thing is.... what if he really doesn't win???

The LPC didn't make it look worse. It was what it was. The LPC increased taxes.... yes. There is little doubt that Public Sector Unions, Doctors, Nurses and Teachers are by and large Ontario Liberal Supporters.But to you Mr. Public Servant POT... I think you need to meet MR. KETTLE. Give me a break with you throwing stones at Ontario Public Sector Workers while you feed at the trough of the Federal Public Sector. Next time you waggle your finger, remember your nose is in the way.

Point taken.

If a Drunk can, then so can a Foreigner. Sir John A MacDonald... set the Precedent ....

Canada has more leverage in a trade war then in NAFTA. Just one way is uglier then the other. The US is used to turfing NAFTA rulings against them. Trade Wars are UGLY, but bouncing between #1 and #2 trading partner with the US has its influences. Unfortuneately CHINA is the US #1 trading partner and we are sliding back and forth in the spot but unlikely to maintain #1 partner in the long run. That said, In the last 2 years, all Canadian Steel Plants were sold to larger foreign interests. Defasco was sold to Arcelor Mital Stelco was sold to US Steel and on it goes. There are NO Canadian owned Mills today. US STEEL owns both Lake Erie Works and Hilton Works. Hilton Works will eventually be closed. Lake Erie Works Will not. US STEEL has made nothing but back to back to back to back to back.... Quarterly profits with the "Bankrupt Stelco... that kept making $100Million Dollar Quarterly Profits while "Bankrupt". US STEEL like other operations in the US is leveraging the Government to help fund their operations, and want the BUY AMERICAN policy. THEY have no fear, worries or concerns about the latest posturing, and it affecting their operations at Lake Erie Works. US STeel announce 3000 layoffs in the US Mills and 650 in Canada. The 650 in Canada didn't happen and only a relative handful were laid off from Hilton works and some of those were offered jobs at Lake Erie works. People are still working at Lake Erie with as few as 4 months in. US STEEL just had another profitable quarter amidst this major downturn and much lower steel prices. ( I have no idea how). Just the same US Steel stock is falling. Regardless of all the noise and posturing. Canadian Steel will flow over the boarder to be used in US value added operations for public works. Should be a fun topic to follow. Let the Sabre Rattling begin

The NDP didn't win alot of seats, but they cover alot of Rural territory. Far More in Northern Ontario then the CPC. By about a 5 to 1 ratio. The CPC leads in ROC for Rural vote, and the NDP has strong Rural Bases in BC and Manitoba. I also believe that there New Brunswick Seat has a rural element to it, but I could be wrong. I have no idea how this argument affects the Senate, but I think Rural populations do not have enough representation in the HOC. Scroll down to the Map and look at the coverage an NDP or CPC MP has to work. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/ Oh yes, and the largest Liberal Rural element is in NFLD, where things are crazy. A Conservative Premier expresses to Liberal MPs how to vote against both the CPC and LPC supported budget. Things don't get much stranger. Alta4ever has said all the NDP talking points regarding the Senate. I believe these policy positions are about 70years old, and the stubborn little party isn't going to change its mind anytime soon. I do not support the Senate. I see no point to waste more money to elect people who barely manage to show up for their 72day year. This latest Senate Appointment is likely to be the next Max Bernier, as far as media attention is concerned. As these revelations were known prior to his appointment, I don't know why he would have been chosen as a Senate Appointment. There have to be better candidates then this. A fridge full of Alchol and Drunk on the job? Whats the Bar fridge like in the Senate ???

Unfortuneately you are the victim of the unnecessary Harris government vendetta against teachers. It was a terrible time to be in school and the Conservatives vision was to "create a crises" which they did. It wasn't the way to go about fixing a problem. Infact the Harris government didn't achieve much with this war on educators. As for your teacher who wanted to teach your extra curricular activities. Its part of work to rule campaigns. They can support it or not. If work to rule is "effective" then all teachers benefit, including those who didn't participate. The police force and other public servants engage in work to rule. It wasn't a good time for you and our education system has never fully recovered from the contention. The only thing the Liberals have done is avoid controversy or create fights. But the system is still badly broken and is nothing like the system I went through before your time. In the meantime, Wages etc continue to go up for teachers who do not recognise how disconnected they are from the current economic climate or the new wage economy. I don't know where the teachers believe the money is going to come from to pay them all this money. It is not sustainable and the sooner they realize that fact, the quicker we can look for ways to find the funding to build a better education system, instead of just trying to appease a workforce that could be easily replaced if the were open to the same labour market conditions outside of the public sector.

CKRZ was once $300,000 in debt. It went down to $100,000 and then things started to climb as revenues fell off. While some can speculate that revenues dropped off because of the protests, I think that is pure nonsense and unproven speculation. There is no print copy suggesting this and it isn't in the Spec article either. What is true, is that ALL media of ALL types, Television, radio and Print are suffering a major decline in revenue because of dwindling adversting prospects combined with internet competition. The Auto makers are the largest sources of revenue for radio, print and television and they have cut back to only the major stations and major papers and have cut back on the size, and numbers of adds. Dealerships are not spreading the wealth around either as they used to be one of the best local suppliers of add revenues. Considering that there are two newspapers, or possibly 3 newspapers that are competing for same revenues on the Six Nations, it may not be as you describe. Let alone the surrounding Halidmand, Hamilton and Brant oriented papers and radio stations. Many of these operations are in sick mode and it wouldn't surprise me to see the Spec, or CHCH collapse in this declining revenue, readership and viewership environment. a brief glance at the health of media Thus, with the entire industry, and IIRC the Brantford newpaper has pretty much let go many of its reporters because of declining ad revenues, (and the Brantford paper, does not support the native position) I would have to say that CKRZ is more likely the product of the current environment or possibly mismanagement, then a victim of what they report as a native radio station. IMHO>

Guess his lectures were effective. He gave comfort to Bush and Blairs invasion of Iraq and his OK for the use of torture. Yes Iggy spreads the humanity of torture. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2006/04/26/torture-doesnt-work Ignatieff would makes a strong case for the Bush Administrations use of Torture. Something that John McCain is against. Yes, even those on the Right can be against ripping off a testicle or two. Iggy believes in levels of torture, the debate for him might be over one testicle or two. At some point the Torture is to much for him. Of course he wavers later on, much like the Iraq position. Apparently what was good for Bush was good for him, "even though he didn't agree with Bush" it is difficult to tell the difference. No doubt Iggy has blood on his hands as an intellectual who educates people that War is Good and Torture is Acceptable. Especially if applied to the bad guys. Ignatieff is running around pretending to be a Liberal "human rights watch" intellectual, he condones torture while trying to say he is personally against it. What a crock of shiite. I expect Mr. Ignatieff to flesh out the Liberal Policy for Acceptable levels of torture in a Liberal Government.

If it wasn't for the Sexual Harrassment Charge, Brazeau would be happy to double dip the government with 2 six figure salaries. Seems he wants his drinking buddies in Ottawa. Have they put the Congress in Jeapardy? Seems Brazeau is going to have some splaining to do... So, either Mr. Brazeau didn't disclose all these potential landmines or Mr. Harper has seriously flawed judgement or bad political radar. This is Harpers Senate Choice???

Not buying it.