Hjalmar

Your argument is wearing a bit thin. The fact is that union workers benefit at the expense of everyone else. There are a lot of products that non-union workers can no longer afford because of inflated prices resulting directly from labour unions exorbitant demands. You need to get your head out of the sand and recognize what is really happening MS. Thankfully we have WalMart with a non-unionized staff enabling a lot of people to purchase goods they otherwise couldn't afford today. Time to start living in the real world of today MS. Your living la la land.

I'll ask you to explain this to me --- Why has a small group [approx 25% of the workforce] been vested with such massive powers? I'll answer my own question: These powers were granted to labour unions little by little over a long period of time dating back 100 years. Once additional powers are granted they seldom, if ever, are rescinded. Over time, these powers accumulated to the point where labour unions have become a huge thorn in our society. Scrapping the Rand Formula is not the total answer but a good start nevertheless. Our world has changed a lot over the past 100 years. The time has come to use more mature tools. Labour unions are not the answer in this day and age. They are passe, outdated and needless. Time to start focusing on the masses rather than a select few who benefit from unionism.

Labour unions in Canada are a far bigger threat to our country than any corporation. Labour unions are a self serving group with no ones interest but their own. By contrast corporations, and all employers for that matter, make a vast contribution to society. They are the engine that drives our economy, provide people with the products they need as well as creating employment for virtually every person who works other than people who are self employed. Do corporations create massive inconveniences for people, and society as a whole, the way labour unions do? In todays world, with up-to-date labour laws in every province, how many people would be harmed if labour unions were to become history? I can tell you this --- approximately 85% of the population would benefit. That would include all non-union workers plus all the people that don't work such as retirees etc. And I doubt many of them would feel sorry for the union workers affected after witnessing the free ride they have had over the past 30 - 50 years. Best of all -- we could start competing again and more jobs would remain in Canada. Also our prices would likely come down to earth again after being driven upward for 35 years based primarily on labour union greed and selfishness.

It matches to a T. The trend today is lower wages and that has to transcend into shrinking union presence. Concessions is the by-word for labour unions today and will be for years to come.

But that's the very thing that labour unions are doing today -- pricing themselves out of the market. They keep asking for more and continue doing less. Employers today have no choice but to control their costs. Failing that they have two choices .. outsource to lower wage jurisdictions or go out of business. Die-hard union workers, who appear to be plentiful here, have their blinders on and think of no one but themselves. I think employers in the private sector will find a solution to control their labour costs if unions don't smarten up. It's the public sector unions that need a wake up call. Governments are giving them too soft a ride.

If labour unions are so great why isn't 100% of the workforce unionized? In the 50's the USA had a unionization rate exceeding 50% and are now down to 13% overall. Why do you think that is? Because they have woken up to new realities in the world today where everyone has to compete in a global economy. But Canada lags behind. Labour unions, in their present form, could be the demise of Canada. What applied 25 - 50 years ago is no longer applicable and there are still a number of union supporters who are very slow learners. As to an attack on the working class -- I am one of those, and so is 75% of the workforce that doesn't belong to a union and don't want any part of a union. They work for their employer and not for the union. As to benefits brought about because of labour unions presence in their area -- you must be kidding!! Over a 10 year period perhaps, labour unions have managed, through coersion, to have their pay increased from $10/hr to $15/hr while the non-union worker has had their pay increase from $10/hr to $10.75/hr. So you are correct when you say they have acquired some benefits -- you do the math!! Most would prefer the pay they had without labour unions influence and at the same time be able to purchase the products required for survival without union influence. As to working for 75 cents per hour -- everything is relevant. You live in a heavily unionized jurisdiction and all prices are higher.

The Rand Formula is under growing attack in Canada Go to Google News Canada to see the site

MS You and Jack Layton are from the same school. You want an equal standard of living for everybody. That is absolutely wrong. I believe in equality of opportunity for all and not equal standard of living for all. We are not all created equal and therefore the more productive should be entitled to a better standard of living. Are you with me so far? Now tell me, how are you going to redistribute the wealth as you say, without creating a disincentive to work and get ahead? Think that over carefully before responding.

Caesar Insurance rates are based on the element of risk. EI premiums are all the same and therefore do not fall into the insurance category. Is it fair that someone who collects EI every year should be paying the same monthly premium as someone that has paid into the system for 20 years without ever collecting a penny? Therefore EI is nothing but a form of welfare.

Show me where I have attacked easterners. You don't have a scintilla of evidence to back that up. Would you direct me to that post please? I think people all across Canada should be prepared to fend for themselves and not rely on government handouts. Are you one of these people that collects EI while sitting at home at your computer? If you aren't on EI, would it bother your conscience if you were? Just wondering!! People in this country exercised far more responsibility for themselves before Trudeau, with a minority government and support from the NDP, quadrupled UIC benefits overnight back in the early 70"s. It was back in 1972 that I first heard the comment "You can't find people that want to work today", and this coincides with the overly generous UIC benefits that were now available. Now employers have to compete with this monster.. and the monster has a huge advantage -- less effort. You subsidize poverty and failure and you get more of both. It's a good thing that Jack Layton doesn't have enough seats to give the Liberals a majority.

A few years ago I was watching a TV show where they were interviewing two young men in Iceland. These two had just returned home after spending two years in Canada attending university. Their fishing season in Iceland was just over and the interviewer asked these young men what they planned to do now that the fishing season was over. One of them said that they would move on and seek work elsewhere until the next fishing season opened. Then the other one piped up and said

Time to start appreciating our neighbor to the south a bit more. We are very fortunate in having the USA as our immediate neighbor.. or would you rather it be Cuba? Why should the USA, and by extension American taxpayers, be funding the defence of the entire North American continent? I would go so far as to harmonize our defence and immigration policies with those of the USA. Do you ever wonder why we run into trade difficulties with our largest trading partner when we are unwilling to carry our share of the load when it comes to defence?

It is the main reason why Harper has a future, and a solid one at that. As the future evolves, nations worldwide are turning away from socialism and the welfare state, and moving toward fiscal prudence and lower taxes in order to properly compete in a global economy. The door was wide open for Jack Layton to make a breakthrough and what was the final result? You said it -- Conservatives 99 seats and NDP 19. When are you going to get out of la la land MS?

Our debt started with PE Trudeau in 1968. This debt stood at approx $200 billion when Mulroney took over in 1984. However that debt increased from $200 billion to almost $500 billion when the Liberals took over in 1993. It had reached $585 billion when Paul Martin ended the deficit in 1997 and that debt has now been reduced by approx $50 billion. Paul Martin should have ran his election campaign on one issue only... that being his prudent fiscal management.. I think he would have won a majority had he done so.. his strongest point by far.

Jack Laytons is yesterdays man and his proposed policies would take our country 40 years backward. He is yesterdays man. Then again, he did manage to gain 5 [imagine that] seats for the NDP!!!

Are you manufacturing these stories? The Conservatives are doing the exact opposite and increasing the tax credit. And they are helping the middle income earners by phasing out the middle income tax bracket of 22%. In other words the lowest tax bracket of 16% would apply to all incomes from the present $35,000 to $70,000. Do you not consider that helping out the average family.

Why is it that Canada was the only country in North America that went along with Kyoto? We stand alone in North America. I'm taking you to task on this one. Let's see the proof that Chretiens stand against our traditional allies was backed by the majority of Canadians.

What kind of a hidden agenda are you talking about? Can you give us some examples? There was nothing wrong with what Randy White said and furthermore he made that comment 2 weeks before the election was called.. that's almost 2 months ago!!! You're running out of ammunition MS. If I had an NDP sign on my front lawn I would be too embarassed to show my face around the neighborhood. Do you have an NDP sign on your front lawn MS? These socialists are getting desperate.

First of all, Jack Layton is yesterdays man. He thinks we're still living in the 60's. There is no way any country today can prosper with the welfare state mentality that was so prevelant 40 years ago. Most of the Western European countries started to recognize this 10 and 15 years ago and have been revamping policy ever since. They now recognize the need to compete on the world stage and this applies not only to corporations but to governments as well when it comes to taxation. Our society today is very mobile and any governments that charge more for the services they provide than they are worth to the their citizens will lose their most educated, productive and most desired citizens to more tax-friendly jurisdictions. Social programs, once introduced, are virtually impossible to rescind or scale back. In Canada we have all the social programs necessary --- Indeed we have too many and this is hardly a time to be burdening our citizens further. The more you subsidize poverty and failure the more you get of the same. The key issues today are: [1] Accountability We need fiscally prudent governments today with good money and business smarts to handle taxpayers money. [2] Economy We need to stimulate our economy by reducing taxes, not increasing them. [3] Health Care There is more to improving our health care than simply throwing more money at it. All provinces have to start recognizing this. [4] Security The primary duty of any government is security for its citizens and this has now become the top issue for any government ever since 9/11. The most vulnerable countries are the ones with the weakest defence. [5] Criminal law Governments elected by the people should be making our laws. Our courts and judges are there to interpret our laws, not make them.

This happens every time you have an NDP government. They leave the finances in such a sorry state that the new government has no choice but to make the required corrections. This happened in Ontario where it cost the taxpayers of the province $12 billion to educate Bob Rae. Then it happened in BC after 2 terms of NDP government. All the NDP is capable of doing is to disrupt the government finances to the point where it takes a generation or more to straighten out the books. And who becomes the "bad guy"? You said it -- the premiers that replace them such as Mike Harris and Gordon Campbell .. Go figure!!! The death of the NDP forever would be the best thing that could happen for Canada. They survive only by catering to special interest groups.

Excellent point. EI has become nothing but a welfare program and creates an incentive for people not to work. Why would any country pay people for doing nothing? If EI in Canada has become so sacred then they should change the premium structure so as to create incentives for good work records. People that collect EI every year should pay perhaps 5 times the base rate. People that collect it every 5 years could pay the base rate and people that haven't made a claim for 10 years would pay 10% of the base rate. This is how you create incentives for good work records and you also become a more attractive prospective employee as employers pay part of this monthly premium. Indeed, I think once a person has paid into the EI fund for 10 years without a claim they should have a choice in opting out of the plan altogether. Insurance rates are based on the element of risk. How can they call this plan Employment Insurance when it is not an insurance plan at all but rather a form of welfare?

It's called "buying votes" with taxpayers money.

This happens to be one item of 37 in their platform. This thread deals with income tax and is the only one of the 37 that belong here.

Synopsis of the Conservative Party of Canada platform: We will reduce the federal tax rate on middle-income Canadians by more than 25 percent. A conservative government led by Stephen Harper will raise the thresholds for all tax brackets. They will phase out the 22 percent tax bracket on taxable incomes between $35K and $70K. All other brackets will be raised at one percent above the inflation rate. A taxpayer earning $50,000 per year will save about $1.000 per year on his or her taxes when the cut is fully implemented.

... Looks like the kids have been in here again!!!