Newfie Canadian

I'm going out on a limb and saying that one use for them would be Arctic patrol, as it seems as though the government has been looking to assert some concrete jurisdiction over it lately. At least there have been rumblings....

August makes a good point, to a point. A lot of taxpayers money has gone into helping solve the problems that face our native communities. The problem is the money isn't being spent wisely. Look at the Innu of Davis Inlet. $152,000,000+ was spent to move them to Natuashish. Many people thought this was going to solve the problems experienced in Davis Inlet, but it hasn't. There have been 4 suicides within the last couple of months, all young people. Money may be the answer, but increasing taxes isn't the answer. As with all things fiscal in the government, it's a matter of spending the money in the right place and in the right way. That apparently wasn't done in Davis Inlet/Natuashish. In this case, it's not the quantity, but the quality of the spending.

Well, if the throne speech today was any indication, it's not going to happen anytime soon, and there was another story out today that said the government asked all departments, I assume Defence included, to come up with a 5% reduction in their budgets. It's not looking good for our military. :angry:

I agree with this maplesyrup, but it will never happen. Hopefully the promise of more free votes will do the trick. Unfortunately, with a minority government the promise of free votes may go out the window. As for Cadman, good for him. I hope he sticks to his guns. Copps and some Liberals should have done the same thing to Martin after his round of hand picking candidates.

Ah but that's the thing isn't it? Martin isn't above cutting programs, that's his schtick. Cutting funding to things like the military is how Martin stopped running defecits.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories That didn't take long.

You have to admit, no shock there. The Liberals are closer to them than the Conservsatives. I hope the NDP don't let it go to their heads and start making demands that will bring another election. The Conservative party have not yet learned that being left or right wing party is going to keep them from getting elected. The Liberals keep getting elected because they are more to the center than the Conservatives and the NDP. The Conservatives, despite the efforts of Harper, came across as a right wing (dare I say Bushesque) party. The NDP, partly because of Layton, came across as a left wing nut job type of party.

I've lived my whole life (with the exception of 9 months, when I was in Alberta) in the same district. First voted in 1992/93. I usually vote Liberal, except in the last provincial election where, much to my chagrin, I voted PC as I felt we needed a change in Newfoundland government. When I first started voting I voted Liberal because that's the way my parents voted, but now it is my choice and I still vote that way, for the most part. It helps federally that I really like the Liberal member for here, John Efford. Also, I just can't bring myself to vote for Stephen Harper and the Conservative party, even though I like some of their Defence policies. A lot of the rest of their platform isn't appealing to me. I see you're not yet old enough to vote Big Blue Machine, but where do your political tendencies lean? (I haven't been around long enough to really get a good gauge on it).

Yep. Then for one term they both went Liberal, with Hickey and Payne. Since then, it's been PC/Conservative with Hearn and Doyle. Hearn in particular has been pretty active in that area. He seems to be popular, although he was in a tight race last election, and he seems to be in the party's good books. Rumour has it that if the Conservatives come to power he would be our cabinet rep.

And there's the rub.

Since Confederation in 1949, Big Blue Machine, is has gone like this: Smallwood (L) 1949-1972 Moores (PC)1972-1979 Peckford (PC)1979-1989 Rideout (PC)1989 Wells (L) 1989-1996 Tobin (L) 1996-2000 Tulk (L) 2000 Grimes (L) 2000-2003 Williams (PC)2003 to present It's been mostly Liberal. Federally, 5 out of 7 ridings usually go red, while the 2 St. John's districts, usually go blue.

Notwithstanding Clause.

I can't see the NDP or Conservatives wanting a quick election after their less than expected performances last time, with very little positive happening for them since. If they can get in the House and turn the Liberals upside down on a couple of things like the Sponsorship mess or missle defence they might try something. The Bloc wouldn't mind a quick election though.

It will be interesting, that's for sure. And how long the circus lasts depends on if Martin styles himself after Clark, or after Pearson.

I can see the logic in it. With a minority government in the HoC, the last thing you need a new GG. I mean sure the staff and bureaucracy with Rideau Hall would be the same, but I still wouldn't want a new person there when, not if, the government falls. There could be some pretty dicy issues coming up.

What's so damaging about her decision and the fallout for Williams is that she was a STAR candidate in the last election. Here are some of the details about her: Williams and the PC party made a big deal out of Marshall gettign elected and put her in one the most important portfolios, Health. He's taking a beating on the provincial open line show. And now of course, they are both giving different versions of what happened.

No offence taken. I agree with the EEE Senate for sure. I also agree that the PMO is too powerful. More power to the provinces is tricky, but I agree that there are some areas that the provinces should have more say over. Another real big problem is patronage and croneyism that runs rampant in Ottawa. It's the same old thing year after year because people get recycled due to that stuff. It all comes back to the PMO, it seems to me.

The way I look at it is bilateral issues won't get any better for Canada no matter who wins, so I don't take any pressure over it. Softwood limber is not going to disapppear if Kerry wins or if Bush is re-elected. The border isn't going to open to live cattle any faster if Kerry wins or if Bush is re-elected. The power grid in the NE US and Eastern Canada is still going to suck if Kerry wins or if Bush is re-elected.

I can live with that, I miss Reagan, for the most part.

I'll try no to take that personally IMR. Just curious IMR, what is your view on the Senate?

That is the only part of your statement that I would take exception to, IMR. The rest of it I wouldn't argue. In regards to US foreign policy BD6, I'll try this example. A recent foreign policy decision of the US has contributed to, not solely but partially, the increase of instability in the Middle East, which in turn has affected the price of oil. I think it would be fair to say that that particular US foreign policy decision has affected people all over the world and not just in the US. I think that you can keep going with the trickle down affects. It concerns me personally in that I heat my house with an oil furnace, and now instead of costing me about $400 a month like last year, this year it will be closer to $600 a month. Before you start yelling at me, I did say it was part of the problem, not the sole cause.

I like the News coverage on Fox. It's their commentators that I don't like (O'Reilly and Gibson). In regards to rants, I'm totally non-partisan. They all amuse me.

The more I read about the SIS, the less I dislike it. I was unaware of the fact that there are counselling and addiction treatment services available there.

O'Reilly is a hoot.

BigDookie6. Changed my signature just for you. Like it? I worry about my government and Martin all the time, whether it's their scandalous activities, breaking promises, or just being ridiculous, which happens often. And trust me, I worry about them a lot more than I worry about the American government. Here you go BigDookie6. Complete with animations and everything. Anyone can get it from this. http://www.curlingbasics.com/ For the record, as I've said earlier, I have nothing against the United States or Americans. I do have issues with the government. Having said that, I have issues with my own government, and I don't hide that fact. I also love defending my country, and I seem to doing a lot of it lately, not so much here but elsewhere. There's another great quote that comes to mind about it but I'll save it for later. Your seem to know something about Canadian issues. Not bad.