madmax

It is no surprise.

It will be privately financed and payed for over the long term by users of the system like any major investment. I am curious to know, what the average price for hydro is in Alberta?

I had to vote my concience. CHP, that's from me. Merry Christmas.

Yes Mike, I have nothing better to do, then lie to you. Two quotes, one from GM. One for the EPI. You Can also look up Delphi for more individual proof of my lies. from the Economic Policy Institute GMs own website Benefits are being cut or reduced and employee contributions to receive these benefits are increasing. Smaller companies don't make the news, but it is hard for all companies to handle burdensome health care costs. As the above study would indicate. Steady decline since 2000 in the US.

Canada has Caveats on what we do within NATO. We had trouble with these caveats early on. We don't allow prisoners to be tortured. Thus when JTF2 was capturing true foreign fighters, and handing them over to the US (before Canadians even knew we were in Afghanistan participating, and the Americans for that matter), these prisoners were not guarranteed that they would not be tortured like those in Mazer e Sharif. So, then we had a problem when it became public. We didn't have a separate Canadian Facility for prisoners, and the US wasn't being forthcoming at that time, that it was against torture. The British SAS was also handing over prisoners but had no political problems. The Afghans of the NA couldn't be trusted, because they were selling and killing prisoners. Eventually, we got past that, while leaving alot of murky water. Canada also has a Caveat against Land Mines. Afghanistan is the most mine laid country in the world. Thanks USSR. The USA is laying portable land mines, most are, and hopefully they are picking them up as they leave their defensive position. I don't mind countries that have Caveats, particularly when countries are not all that committed to the program. Fact is, if they are hiding behind their caveats they don't want to be there and aren't committed to the mission beyond what they are doing. So, putting them in a riskier situation, will only ensure their early departure, and possibly the toppling of a government that is semi supportive, for one that isn't supportive at all. There is a military thought, that goes along the lines of, get em shot at and then the will commit. It doesn't always work.

The Taliban is less abusive than whom? That is a myth. The Taliban were and are actively involved in the drug trade. The Taliban, were equally as abusive as many different factions in the Northern Alliance. Some of these factions were worse than the Taliban. The Taliban were better than many Warlords that they displaced in the south. The warlords were so bad that the Taliban were welcomed. People choose religious tyrrany over anarchy and perpetual war amongst the warlords. The Taliban, virtually stopped the drug trade. IIRC they used money from AID to pay the farmers not to grow poppies.

Well, now you have caught my attention. I understand your point with regards to small business. What you are suggesting in your second paragraphs is like an export tax, only focused on Capital, if I understand you correctly. In the resources and manufacturing, economists often argue that export taxes are bad. Although many countries with oil use just that option. But, that aside, I believe this idea of, don't take your money out of the country, invest it here and it will not be taxed is interesting to say the least. Am I understanding you correctly? Obviously, if you understand what is going on today, many foreign companies are buying Canadian Branch plants and Canadian Companies, taking the technology, profits, then moving both towards China and/or the USA. Now, is this a platform of the CPC, or just a Platform of some Albertan Nationalist?

Eliminate the Debt by 2015? Not possible. What is scarey about what Flarehty proposed, is that this method of accounting is exactly the same method that Bob Rae/count Floyd used. Any government can count assetts against the debt.

Small business haven't ever gotten the breaks they deserve. Talking with local politicians, they don't see it changing. Many large corportations are given the land at a cut rate deal, and then the focus is to reduce their property taxes to zero. I come from a region that has the highest industrial property taxes in sw Ontario. They make no bones about giving away the land, focusing on reducing the taxes of these companies, (Many large warehousing units for manufacturing firms offshore), to zero. It was mentioned to myself in a formal meeting that the loss in taxes were going to be shored up be personal property tax. I didn't hear a single municipal politician in my area state, they wanted to raise personal property taxes. But, if they ain't getting the money from the Feds, not from Large Corporations, then who is left to foot the bill. Small Business and the average homeowner. I agree with you very much that property taxes are killing small business. It makes no sense to me how multi million dollar companies pay less property tax then small business, yet the acreage they use in land, and the services they consume far exceed that of small business. Go figure.

Many companies in the US are cutting off health care benefits, because the costs are killing the company. Health Care benefits are one of the main targets of large corporations. Smaller companies in the US are often pressured by their insurance provider to drop people whom are a heavier burden or their policy will not be renewed. Then there is the problem of people whom end up with a chronic or terminal illness and cannot return to work. Regardless of how much coverage they had while working, they can end up with none once the going gets tough. The US Manufacturing Industries recognize the Canadian Health Care system as a competitive advantage over there own domestic base. That is why GM asks there members to take a cutback in health care benefits, but the benefits that can be cut in Canada are marginal by comparision. Many companies offer dental and eye glasses. These are some the marginal benefits that I speak of. With regards to your theory that as the economy gets better more benefits are offered or extended. As the economy declines the benefits will also decline. There are two things at issue. You health coverage can decline when you need it most, such as the level and degree of your illness. Your Benefit Coverage suffers the from market forces, while your state of health reacts to the state of your health, regardless of the present market conditions. I don't see any company rushing out to spend an extra $3600/per person in benefits. I do know that white collar workers in Ontario have had the very benefits you speak of reduced.

Are you suggesting that people from Canada went to the US and Flew Planes into the towers?

The company I have been involved with has earned between 80 million and 70 million/year throughout the last five years. This company has made profits during these five years. Payment in taxes $35000/year. I really don't believe that giving this final $35,000 is going to make a difference, then again I don't believe $35,000 is making a huge difference in community services either.

Yes they are. He was more straight up then Paul Martin ever was with regards to the mission and he inherited it, I think he was straight in the interiview. That said, regardless of how good this sounds about what we are doing, or the situation our troops are facing. The weakness of this mission will not be hidden in the long run.

It's you arguing sematics and you continue to do so. It is not unusual for military missions to be involved in clearing mines and destroying muntions. That's part of the job. The Afghanistan mission is not a peacekeeping mission, but it is not the same as major wars of the past. Canada spent over 15% of GDP on WWII, and today, a little more than 1% is spent on defence. Over a million Canadians served in WWII compared to roughly 14,000 in Afghanistan. I think you're being a bit disingenuous and melodramatic by comparing the two as if they're the same and saying that Afghanistan has lasted longer as such Infact, in news conferences, these guys have performed poorly, and yet Leslies is telling it as he sees it. I disagree with your evaluation of their job performance. Further, based on everything I've read, I'd say your opinion of Hillier puts you in a minority. What I can tell you with complete certainty is that the people that post on the army forums have better things to say about Hillier than Jack Layton. Right Now, I don't care if I am in the Minority with regards to Hillier, whether it is in the Civilian segment or the Military Segment. I have been in the Army, I am not surprised that soldiers and military beauracrats would have better things to say about Hillier than Layton. In fact if you found me one good post in a military forum on Layton, I would sh*t my pants. In Afghanistan, we have an opinion from every soldier. Most of all the soldiers want to come home, and they don't want to be doing this operation in Vain. You want our soldiers there to make you feel good, for you to feel proud. So, Why don't you sign up. Are you too old? What's the two years? I have posted with regards to the 2 years in this thread, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me again.

I think your first two sentences have merit. The calling of an election will not be influenced by the "desperation" of the NDP. It doesn't make any sense to me. Before I comment, perhaps you can elaborate. As for the Bloc. You might be right, although, they appear to be just as worried about Resurgent Liberal Support.

Thanks for covering the 3 points I asked for in clarity. I have one more question. The project above. Does this company have the capital to put toward a billion dollar project, or is this done by various shareholders and private investors, or is this a government the funded project? Thanks in advance.

I checked out the link. Some substations and transmission lines. But on the whole this company appears very small and many of the links they had to their page didn't work. Is Alberta's Hydro Electric Power, totally Private? Power Generation, Transmission, and Delivery?

I mentioned all the "Wars" Canada has been in except Boer War. You choose Bosnia, which was a peacekeeping mission. I did not suggest Canada has been in Kandahar since 2001. Canada has been in Afghanistan, actively fighting since 2001. Particularly our help in Anacoda saved many US 10th mountain division lives. We are engaged in combat operations. We have been doing such for 5 years going on 6 years. We have 2 years to get this mission right. The current mission is flawed. It needs to be changed, or we are going to lose any chance of participating in a successful 20 year venture. These two Generals, have had to respond to some very bad circumstances because of some very poor communication to the Canadian People. Infact, in news conferences, these guys have performed poorly, and yet Leslies is telling it as he sees it. As for Hillier. He talked a bold good game. Gung Ho for him. If you want to help Hillier out, sign up. Hillier doesn't have my respect any longer. If not, my buddies whom have been to Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, many times over, will tell you in no short order.... sorry, what they told me, is going to stay with me. It's war and we need to win this and the current mission is wrong and misguided. Gille Duceppe is just playing politics, and Hillier must defend what he is doing in Afghanistan. That doesn't mean they are right in what they are doing. And these simplistic statements to a very complicated problem will only provide cover for so long.

The family had to apply for social assistance when Arar came back and they had depleted their savings, is the story in the Globe. Torture, time and energy to clear ones name, and job offers and interviews aren't going to be the 1st thing on an employers mind. I believe Arar held a good job, until the holiday in wonderful Syria, where they are pretty modern, except for the torture part. This thread has been very fun to read.

Bosnia Peace Keeping Kosovo Peace Making Afghanistan WAR If we are comparing Wars, then Afghanistan is closing in on a Vietnam timeline. A Soviet Afghan timeline. And has surpassed our participation in WW2. Our participation in Korea. Our Participation in WW1. It has also surpassed our participation in the war of 1812.

I love those gotcha moments.

How did this get past the resident immigration specialist

I swear to God that this is a third hand story. You, Your fiance, her friend (coworker) and finally the Guy from Guyanna whom would have to tell the coworker, who told your wife, whom told you.

It is not my intent to have you banned. Infact I have defended you against others whom have advocated such an act. Your viewpoints are your viewpoints which is why you are posting in a political forum where everyone has viewpoints. I said my piece in the previous post and stand by it. My wish is for a new motorcycle.

Perhaps you might start a separate thread that focuses soley on Afghanistan, as opposed to this thread, which is trying to determine if Dion is clever or not. I am interested in such a discussion.