OddSox

His response seemed perfectly reasonable to me. The alternative was to let the reporter run off at the mouth for another five minutes, say 'No Comment - Next Question'. Apparently, some journalists need to be told how to do their jobs - it's not too bright to waste your time (as well as everybody else's including the President) asking questions you know are not going to be answerable.

If government was a business like the automakers, they would be in the same pickle and for most of the same reasons. Unfortunately, government doesn't seem to be able to go bankrupt...

http://www.canadianmuseumforhumanrights.com/ It's certainly a pretty building, although not cheap. They don't really say what they going to put in it but with a $22 million annual budget I'm sure they'll think of something. I guess this falls under the 'stimulus' category?

Um, they have been offered a raise of more than 10% at a time when inflation is nearing zero and we are being warned about deflation. How many non-union employees are getting a raise at all these days? A pay cut is more likely unless it is a layoff. Their existing sick leave program is ridiculous - an employee can bank unused sick days indefinitely and can potentially book off sick for a year or more at full pay before retirement. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/s...cb-dd73a6e9d178

1. If privatization 'for-profit' is so offensive that it has to be stamped out at all costs - why are dentists, optometrists, pharmacies, etc. allowed to operate the way they are? 2. If a walk-in clinic or an x-ray clinic can operate efficiently enough to make a profit, then why can't we have hip-replacement clinics, private emergency rooms, MRI clinics, palliative care units and even smaller more-efficient hospitals - all operating under the same fee-for-service system that is currently in place? On the side note in this thread, the gun-registry is not accessed 'thousands of times per day' - CPIC is. (http://www.cpic-cipc.ca/)

Heh - they just mop it off the melamine flooring and put it back in the jug!

I'm not sure about Quebec, but in Ontario: - Doctors - Walk-in Clinics - Xray Clinics - Blood Test Clinics - Dentists - Optometrists - Pharmacies - Prescription Drugs All private and for profit. Some paid by the government system, some paid by the individual.

Actually, they have threatened to attack Canada - more than once.http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=38689&sc=58 http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/s...14-18e52a333677 http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.htm...d91&k=70612

How does this affect the Canadian industry? If the coalition had it's way, they would already have cashed the cheques! Is GM Canada a separate entity from the US company or would they go under together?

That news story says nothing about 'mass home foreclosures'. It does say "The report warns it's still possible that the situation here could take a turn for the worse, driven by panic linked to household debt." and that "The impact on the balance sheets of financial institutions would, however, be substantially mitigated by mortgage insurance." Doom and gloom headlines don't help the situation at all.

Perhaps the bad guys have just switched over from Iraq? "U.S. troops start to relax as Iraq security improves" - http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idU...eedName=topNews

Umm, Honda has been building cars in Ontario since 1986, and Toyota since 1988. No unions yet...

If a gang of 30 youths were running riot through the streets of my neighbourhood, I would expect the police to 'go looking for them'. You are right in that we will never know the entire story.

I think there is a major difference between 'getting the best for Quebec' and 'getting the worst for the Country'. It's the latter of those that the Bloc has pledged.

First, I agree. But, I want to point out that (I think) the Harper government has allowed a number of 'free votes' where representatives are not 'whipped' at all.

Honestly, I don't get it. I am not sure what the fascination is with making decisions by 'committee' or 'consensus'. For example: In the current coalition (and I'm leaving the Bloc out of this, although I believe they are part of it) the priority of the NDP campaign was cancellation of the "corporate welfare" tax breaks which would result in a $50 billion dollar kitty for their favourite causes. The priority of the Liberal campaign was the 'Green Shift' which would result in sufficient revenue to pay for all their favourite causes. I would presume that many people voted for either of those parties because of the priorities they promised to pursue. Now, the coalition has dropped the concept of a corporate tax revenue, and dropped the concept of carbon tax revenues. What's left? Spending priorities - there are lots of them and nobody has dropped any (and I think the Bloc added a few of their own). How is this type of scenario good for a country? If every political party negotiates away their priorities just to "get along" it really does not leave much to inspire any interest from the electorate at all. In the long run, the government of your country ends up being "average" which results in an "average" country. Is that what you want? Why should these coalitions not be formed in advance? That is what this country has done for many years (not always successfully). For example, the current 'Conservative' party is actually a coalition of several parties - which include the fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, progressive conservatives and also a bunch of others (is there a libertarian conservative?). The Liberal party has a similar makeup of different ideologies - which are currently fighting each other. It seems that the Green Party might as well be a faction of the Liberals so why not join up and force change from within? I am sure that the contributions from a million voters would be able to sway policy in their direction if they were to make the attempt. In every party, there is constantly a tug-of-war between different factions, and I don't understand why every faction should have their own little "party". I'm just saying: If you feel that your voice is not being heard, perhaps you should make a little more effort to be heard (and not tilt at windmills if its not needed).

A cruise ship outrunning a speed boat? Sounds a little fishy. On another note, what would the US response be if they actually kidnapped 1,000 US citizens? It doesn't sound like a great career move, even for a pirate.

If the GST cut had no effect, then I guess none of you would object to increasing the GST by 2%?

Why does Elizabeth May have her own party when she is continually following Dion around like a little puppy dog? "Tanks on Parliament Hill"

Sure, if they spend $30 billion they don't have...

Sounds like the plan is a $30 billion deficit...

TSX up over 20% this week - did you miss out?

Iqaluit used to be called Frobisher Bay. Many other place names in our own North have been changed to reflect their Inuit origins. I don't think they changed the name out of spite, but more a matter of being proud of their heritage.

Google tells me that they got tired of the CIA jokes and have changed their name - http://www.igloo.org/ciia Other than that, I don't know much about them - although their 'supporters' listing reads like the Who's Who of Canadian Big Business.

Indeed - I wonder if that means they will cancel all payments related to the recent election (can they even do that?). That would leave the Liberals with virtually $0. I wonder how much the Green Party is depending on that income.