madmax

There are many occassions that CPC Candidates don't show for debates.... ever... and they still win. Few pay attention to debates. Everyone at debates is already committed.

Daily Bump till Eday.

Daily bump till Eday.

I don't think Duffy did himself any favours. A Senator has No Constituents or Constituency offices. I also thought, for someone who has spent decades in the media, Duffy came off as an ASS. He didn't come across as a person coming from the chamber of sober second thought. I'd say that Stoffer did the correct thing in ignoring an ignoramous. Stoffer has a record of standing up for the military, and there is ample evidence of him serving his military constituency with respect and dignity and fighting for them, while the other parties engage in lip service. So, while Duffy may say all these things, and perhaps they are words that would be believed in Toronto, Ottawa or BC, they won't be taken seriously in Stoffers riding. This is an incredibly popular MP in his own riding. Parliment needs alot more Stoffers and the Senate needs no Duffys. M. Dancer .. You are a fake. Sentences like the above have no credibility on MLW. The bottom line is that Stoffer is highlighting the free lunch and priviledged lifestyles of our appointed Senators for Life. He highlighted the hypocrisy of the Conservative appointments and the spending habits of the Liberal and Conservative Senators. Duffy called names. I didn't think it was good television when I saw it but it has generated a little attention. The comments by Duffy reminded me of watching someone on Fox News

How many industrial companies paying less then $15 top rate with an average wage of $12 that have relocated, closed or gone bankrupt this year would you like me to list? There are companies leaving and their wages here are $9.50. While not high paying jobs, these are still jobs. And they are leaving, because they have to follow the rest of industry. And if there clients are leaving, so are they. Industrial companies use full time temp agency employees for years and years and years. You don't pay those benefits or high wages and this has help lead to a lack of consumer spending. $10 isn't going to pay a mortgage, or buy a new car. Parasites within the industry are sucking out consumer spending capacity. Not certain what you make, but perhaps you can tell me how much less you are willing to work for?

To be Certain, GM has virtually always been the Largest Automotive Manufacturer in terms of both Auto and Truck Sales. Toyotas overtaking of GM in terms of Auto Production last year, lead Toyota into their largest debacle in history. It was a Phyrric Victory. Regardless of what you may think of the 3 North American Owned auto manufacturers they will continue to build cars, and its just a matter of where. If you are going to dump Canadian money, there should be some return for Canadians. If the Government followed the position of the CAW with regards to monies, the Canadian operations would be building "green" automobiles. This isn't to say that Green Autos are a marketing success, because really they aren't. Not yet anyways. But the public would receive some value in what is spent, and that these vehicles would be built here. Why lend money to an Auto Plant that is scheduled to Close? That is one thing that happened last year during Harpers election games. He went into a community that was on the bubble of going Conservative and they made an announcement to give the company millions of dollars. Not to keep it open, there was no promise of that, although the public may have believed that to be the case. Nope this was one more free corporate handout among many, as a bye bye parting gift. And IIRC the Conservatives picked up the riding and the people in that place are out of work today. Seizing control is something that has happened in the past in other industries. Then the industry is stablized and resold to another entity as a profitable operation that remains in Canada. I haven't seen those actions taken in well over a decade, and certainly not since the Bankruptcy laws became modified to allow the companies to maintain control of their failed operations and the receivers intent is to continue to do the will of the company and the companies appointed people to be the "court appointed" .... "monitors". To understand that what is happening in Ontario is Grave, is to look beyond the myth of Auto. And into the entire happens of our industrial economy. This is an old article from 2007. And this trend began with the Liberals and accerated under Conservative government creating the tidal wave of this year. http://www.icis.com/Articles/2007/05/11/9028219/canada-buyouts-plant-closures-accelerate.html

That is why my phone has now become a hotline for economic development. Why is that? Why should we want the Japanese companies follow the North American Companies. Toyota just built a new operation in Woodstock, and they are none to happy to see the Auto Industry leaving the region they just located in. It lowers their costs to have local suppliers and local suppliers require the business of all manufacturers to lower costs. I am watching one Toyota operation leave me region. And it is productive and profitable. What failed business are they? My concern is the massive corporate welfare fraud going on. Ontario was highly industrialized. The level of high industrialization results in diversification. To not understand that Automotive manufacturers make Toner Cartridges for companies like Xerox and Hewlett packard, while making coffee cup holders for Toyota, Honda and GM and dashes etc, shows a lack of knowledge on your part. One company was purchased for its automotive line, which was only 15% of its operations. It was an "Automotive manufacturer". The other 85% of its business was outsourced and the community lost out completely. Few corporations actually "fail". Did I hear you mention about 1 horse? And quite frankly, I network people into Sask companies, so fear not. Unfortuneately, regardless if every single available job in Sask went to an employee from Ontario, it wouldn't make a dent. At any given moment the number of unemployed in Ontario is half the size of Sask total population. I don't believe Sask is ready or able to handle a 50% increase in population, let alone provide sustainable employment. But thanks for the offer. That's right, and at this moment, within visual sight of me are 3 returned Framers and Construction Warehouse operatives from Calgary. Are you unaware that at times demand is so high that people would be flown to Calgary for construction work, but there wasn't housing support for them (irony), and they would be flown back and forth on 2week exchanges. Same is true for the Construcation warehousing, where people from Ontario, would work for less money then people from Alberta. However, I also know things have dried up significantly, particularly since Alberta rose to the top of the Unemployment list this year. No one I know gives up, nor should they. The need to educate our government with regards to technology, and value added is critical. The fact that we are giving up our intellectual property is making us poorer by the minute. Its our superior processes which are being moved to China. And quite frankly, you speak in only Canadian Terms. I have my people around the globe in South Korea and shortly heading off to China. Its not my job to educate those people ignorant of the Billions being sucked out of our economy by pooor governmnet policies. Its my job to educate all levels of government on behalf of those of us with technological backgrounds, to wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late. And Ford is the only auto assembly company that I am aware of that has resisted the government monies of late.

Thanks for being a part. No we don't. That is why I look forward to reading your comments. I separated the poll into two parts on purpose and because MLW polls stop at 3 question I think it is important to have all the by elections represented. I think it would have been wrong for me to ignore the ones in Quebec. MLW is about educating us as much as pretending to be know it alls.

Look like a BQ sweep. I heard that there is some little fires starting up between the BQ and the NDP. It be interesting if the CPC take one in Quebec. Where are the Liberals?

With just three days to go, I am going to bump Part 1 and Part 2 once per day until the election. My thoughts on these two, is that the West is a CPC/NDP affair. The East is a 3 way race (CPC,LPC,NDP) with the CPC holding advantage.

This is part 2. Have fun. And the poll interface looks so much prettier.

Lets see the MLW prediction machine get it right again.

Does anyone have a link to the contents of the bill? Is the registry being disbanded, or is it simply going to remove certain firearms from the registery?

We are.... and in typical fashion, following the thread it broadened to the manufacturing industry as a whole. With Topaz asking what it will look like and with your comment in terms of manufacturing and sunset, upon which I was commenting. But it is true with Ford and applies across the board. Billions has been given to corporations. In the forms of tax cuts, no interest loans and grants. Corporate welfare at its best. And this money goes to companies not on life support. Bankruptcy is a legal manuever and has little to do with life support. Regardless of the method, companies receive government monies, and this monies is invested in foreign countries for the good of the company, not our country. That is your tax monies at work. The vision you speak of is one that existed up until the late 80s, and a little into the 90s. But the intent then, was to attract, retain and improve manufacturing in Canada. It was very successful with Canada becoming a domininant industrial powershouse. We no longer do that, but we do protect the corporation behind the industry. I am not happy with this at all. And if I had to choose my poison, I would choose to give our monies with strings attached, no chains attached. If you believe that governments across the Globe are not involved with corporations, then you are very naive. Governments around the world are dominated by lobbyists. You're either a player or your not. Based on your values, you can deregulate the banks tommorrow, allow all banks to come in without restrictions, watch the disappearance of Canadian banks, in the same manner that we have lost agriculture and manufacturing. Then apply it to media, television etc, and there will be no need for local or national programming or newsprint. If you pay attention. Our money was used to subsidize the US tire recycling industry. How brilliant is that? One small change in the legislation and after 15 years, tires will be recycled here, if you want the perk. And it works. You want our money, there is a string attached. A manufacturing plant can make anything it wants. The product can always be changed. This is normal regular business that has been happening ever since the industrial revolution.

You're on a roll of late. Is it the new forum? Is it because it looks so much better, your posts have improved? Have you lost your biting sarcasm and replaced it with hard edge discussion on issues? Seriously, I didn't know the background on this until you pointed it out. Thanks.

Well said. Private members bills are as close as one gets to free votes. Party discipline is required and I am not against it. I also believe that an MP has a right to step out of the box and vote against his party, but that will sometimes come with consequences depending on the issue. That doesn't mean the MP has done the wrong thing, it just means the member may be in the doghouse or removed from cabinet or kicked out of the caucus entirely. Party discipline is good, but that doesn't mean the MPs need to be lemmings. That said, the article this thread is based upon, is about eliminating democratic choice. Its possibly the simplist and stupidest argument I have read. So much for the high intellectual discussion coming from a Poly sci prof.

Manufacturing is not a sunset industry. It is the largest employer and growth sector of any industry. Thus the boom and bust cycle, when its down, it tends to layoff more people because of its very nature and the domino effect. A nation with industry is strong, not weak. Marketing also has alot to do with public perception as does myth. It worked in the past for various manufacturers and it works today. As most parts come from the same sources for all manufacturers, brand myth and loyalty is often comical. This has always been growth in superior products, however, there is significant growth in inferior products. Few want to make a "White" product that lasts 30 to 50 years anymore. 3 t 7 years is even considered too long. Make certain tha t electronic switch panels give out and cost more then the entire piece new. No different then the scam of charging less for the printer and more for the ink.... and there is a sucker born every minute. And that has been the position of both Federal and Provincial governments in Ontario for the past 15 years. Ignore all facets of global competition and competitive advantage, and if you ignore it, it will go away. Many people subscribe to this vision. Or more clearly, a lack of vision. Manufacturing will relocate to third world countries and to industrial nations who understand the manufacturing sector. Canada and Ontario lost interest long ago. I have little use for the incompetence of the Provincial and Federal governments. They have no comprehension of what they have, nor of what they are losing. What is of interest, is how much local municipal governments are just starting to catch on.... just how big the disaster they are in is and how shallow their actions have been. There is a consensus building that the ship won't turn, it will wreck. Ontario is well on its way to being a job ghetto.

On the previous version, we had a menu selection with assistant and such. Will that come back or is it just me and I can'd locate it? Also, I can't seem to get to my personal messages section. Ok, it popped up this time, must have been a glitch with the personal messages, however, my inquiry about the assistant remains.

He makes a stand up case on why he shouldn't run.

The upgrade looks very pretty. Isn't this a little too classy for us?

Ouch! That's biting.

You have the blinders on. Drugs are of significant proportions in rural communities. Where do you think the illegal drugs come from anyways? Lots of homegrown operations in farming communities. Prostitution? Some of the best destinations for Prostitution and peeler bars are in rural communities in villages under 100 people. Crime? Yeah, while I never locked my doors, I can assure you that criminal activity in rural communities exists. ATVs and Snowmachine theft runs rampant. B&Es is regular and violence per capita is higher.The only difference between the city and the country with regards to crime is the travel distance. Just means in the country you steal a vehicle to start your spree.

Good Article. How easily the Reform party MPs became switch hitters on Gold Plated Pensions.

For your eyes only. Let me introduce you to the Horseless carriage. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hor...ss_carriage.jpg I know you'll want one.

Agreed. Something, too often overlooked. It is those people who bear a great share of the burden.