err
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Posts posted by err
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On what kind of wisdom do you base this kind of statement. This isn't outdated... it actually has todays date on it.... and it is pertanent to our immediate political situation.....The promised Liberal tax cuts, intended to buy votes, could be better spent on providing services that the government should provide. The following is an exept from Linda McQuaig's column in today's Toronto star."A lot can be achieved with $30 billion. Some possibilities: providing top-notch diagnostic equipment in hospitals across the country" ...
McQuaig is SO outdated, it's not even funny.
A bit of a credibility problem here...Top-notch diagnostic equipment is as affordable to governments today as CRT 32" TVs are to the general population. It's not a big deal.Actually... not worth even answering this one....
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It's that kind of whacky thinking that is democracy's great weakness - and might eventually endanger it.One would have trouble imagining a scenario in which these savings could significantly improve anyone's life. At the low end, the money could perhaps buy some clothing, groceries, a case of beer; at the upper end, a dinner out, a fancy toaster oven, some fluffy bathroom towels.But, pooled together, the tax-cut money amounts to $30 billion.
One cent from every Canadian is nothing, and wouldn't be noticed at all. But together, it could mean $300,000 for me. Now then, how far will I go in getting Paul Martin's ear and convincing him of my scheme?
I couldn't help but not how you didn't quote or address the next lines in the Linda McQuaig quote...
A lot can be achieved with $30 billion. Some possibilities: providing top-notch diagnostic equipment in hospitals across the country, investing serious amounts in upgrading our universities and in early childhood education programs, properly funding public transit.If you think in terms of investment, putting this money into health care could prevent the cries about how we need a parallel system because this one is too slow... and other such Conservative tripe.... Because these things don't seem to be priorities for Conservative types, do they... Well, they certainly don't appear important to August, who'd rather get a new toaster oven on her counter than have an MRI machine at her local hospital.
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Did you study psychology?? that bit about these hoods not respecting authority was just brilliant... However, the lack of councillors for this girl to go to when the problem started, the lack of anyone to turn to, prevented her from turning to them... didn't it. Granted, we can't be sure that this girl would have gone to a councillor, but her friends may have...
Thanks for noticing.And with all your wisdom, could you enlighten us to how you can be sure that this girl (or one of her friends) might not have talked to a councillor had the school not laid them off. Kimmy, you sure must be really really smart to know all these things that nobody else knows..
As the original article mentioned, fear of reprisal maintained the silence. Amongst the coverage of this event, I have read that there was an element at the school that simply did not respect the authority of the administration and teachers. Bringing in counsellors does not provide security. Perhaps some police might have. More on that later.
Can't get anything past your sharp eyes... I likened cops and councillors in the above quote as people that you would go to when in distress. I wasn't suggesting that they put cops in the school, but really, if the school is that bad, maybe it would be a good idea to put the school on a cop's beat...
Would it be more likeley that you'd call the cops (councillors) if there were some cops (councillors) to call ??? We'll never know... maybe "market forces" will tell us later....Would the alleged victim have been more assertive if there had been more counsellors at the school?Now this is particularly interesting. Do you want counsellors in schools, or do you want cops in school? Counsellors are not cops.
My whole post was relating how Mike Harris' funding cuts to our schools have lead to horrible consequences. (Actually, this is only one of many places his cuts have hurt the general public) Maybe Mike Harris didn't want these kinds of things to happen, but it appears that he didn't care too much if they did....Did Mike Harris cut funding for school counsellors, or did he cut funding for police? Does Mike Harris even have control of the Toronto PD budget, or is that under City Hall's watch?
If policing the schools is what's required to control the problems, then why not do it... It's "common sense", but not Mike Harris's kind of common sense... His kind of common sense would put security around a wealthy business owner's property... or have the police shoot some Indians to get them out of a park.RED HERRINGI'd be surprised if Mike Harris cut funding for police, because more funding for law enforcement has generally been something "right wing" types are in favor of. And putting a police officer in schools has generally been something "right wing" types support.
pretty poor job stereotyping....Whenever people propose putting police in schools, "lefty" types cry bloody murder, for a variety of "politically correct" reasons. Lefties don't even like security cameras in public places. -
The promised Liberal tax cuts, intended to buy votes, could be better spent on providing services that the government should provide. The following is an exept from Linda McQuaig's column in today's Toronto star. The entire article can be seen at the following link:
Buying votes at expense of building country a waste, Linda McQuaig
Let's look at what the Liberals are offering with their dismal little tax cuts. Individually, almost nothing. For individual taxpayers, the total savings range from about $120 for a very low income taxpayer to about $360 for a high-income taxpayer, according to the government's own numbers.One would have trouble imagining a scenario in which these savings could significantly improve anyone's life. At the low end, the money could perhaps buy some clothing, groceries, a case of beer; at the upper end, a dinner out, a fancy toaster oven, some fluffy bathroom towels.
But, pooled together, the tax-cut money amounts to $30 billion.
A lot can be achieved with $30 billion. Some possibilities: providing top-notch diagnostic equipment in hospitals across the country, investing serious amounts in upgrading our universities and in early childhood education programs, properly funding public transit.
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isnt canada really exercising democracy? by choosing not to get involved? Isnt that the point of Democracy to choose for yourself?
The war in Iraq had NOTHING TO DO WITH DEMOCRACY... It had EVERYTHING TO DO WITH OIL and POWER in the middle-east.
If the USA really wanted to promote democracy, why didn't they want Saudi Arabia to become a democracy.... I'll help you with the answer... The USA has a deal in place with the Saudi royal family to guarantee them their power, and the USA will use military might if she must to prevent democracy in Saudi Arabia.
How about the democratically elected Mossedegh government in Iran in the 50's... The USA participated in a coup to tear down this government that wanted to nationalize their OIL.... (note that this word is recurring when discussing the USA and democracy)... This lead to the reign of the Shah of Iran, and the extremist state that continues to exist there today... Here, again, we see that the USA sees that the power of OIL is more important than the power of Democracy....
Enter Hugo Chavez... He has lots of OIL... and is Demoratically elected... But he marches to a different drummer. And the USA partipated in a coup to take him out of power in 2002... and you can bet they'll try again....
I'd say that the USA's definition of DEMOCRACY is spelled "HYPOCRACY".
And I'm glad Canada has the good sense to stay clear of that....
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The video camera that caught her being dragged into a stairwell... do you think maybe it might have made a difference if there was anyone to perform a "security" function at a school that's obviously crying for it ????At any rate, let's get this thread back on topic. I believe Mike Harris got dragged into this because of the suggestion that more school counsellors could have prevented something like this from happening.Does that seem realistic? Not to me. I call "bullshit!" on that.
Obviously, you share Mike Harris's opinion that tax breaks are more important. It's more important that the tax dollars go to good decent folk with nice houses than being spent on the low-life scum in the poorer schools... It's just too bad this kind of stuff makes it onto the news, isn't it ??? Now we'll have to waste more taxpayers money on making sure the schools are "safe"....
Throwing money at them won't help, will it. ???? Do we have any more good Conservative catch phrases to try to distance the Conservatives from the direct consequences of their policies ???
And with all your wisdom, could you enlighten us to how you can be sure that this girl (or one of her friends) might not have talked to a councillor had the school not laid them off. Kimmy, you sure must be really really smart to know all these things that nobody else knows..
Would it be more likeley that you'd call the cops (councillors) if there were some cops (councillors) to call ??? We'll never know... maybe "market forces" will tell us later....Would the alleged victim have been more assertive if there had been more counsellors at the school?
Supposing those councillors called the police.... or is that only a ridiculous impractical "lefty" thing that no good red-blooded councillor would do....Would the alleged assailants have been kinder or gentler if there had been more counsellors at the school? Pfff. Haha. HAHAHAHAA. Suuuure they would. Tough guys just looove going to the counsellor to talk about feelings. They looove to share. -
I have to agree with speaker, and try to deal in realities.
It is unfortunate, Speaker, that you take such a view of markets. It is as if, seeing the O. J. Simpson verdict, you argued in favour of getting rid of juries.I think that these right wing stink tanks, like the globalization institute quoted above have done enough damage with their fantasy type apologies for the market place.
I believe it is the lack of reality that lead you to the position you've chosen. When markets and stockholders profits supercede responsibility to ones self, neighbours, children, and environment, and planet, we have to wonder if the motive is just greed or greed mixed with stupidity.
It is the lack of markets that has brought on these problems.It is the direction the market place has led us that has brought on urban problems, global warming, disappearing fish stocks, forests, etc.
Was it the word tenaciously that you didn't understand ???
Huh?Sure the marketplace can lead us out of this mess as well but not so long as it is so tenaciously explained and defended by institutes that are funded by the people who make their money causing injury to the planet.tenaciouslyA adverb
1 doggedly, tenaciously
with obstinate determination; "he pursued her doggedly"
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That wasn't what they were saying last year before they put on grandma's dressing gown to try to catch up with Liberal Red Riding Hood.... On either health care or abortions....Ah, err you really look at the political spectrum from a completely extreme left point of view.The Conservative Party is, according to their convention here in March, pro-choice and pro-universal health care. How can they be extremely right-wing if they encompass these views?
Paul Martin outdid even Brian Mulroney for slashing program funding and giving the money to Corp Canada. He was far more Conservative than Joe Clark too... He's only in the centre if you've moved the right way further to the right and reframed the picture... Which is exactly what I expect you've done...Similarly, the Liberal Party of social liberalism and economic centrist is more libertarian than conservative.
And I suppose I could just as well ask you to accept the facts..... rather than re-shape them to fit your target picture...Those of us who are regulars on this forum understand you are an NDP voter but seriously, at least get the facts right. -
But my distain is not limited to the Ontario Conservatives.... The Ontario Liberals are Conservatives in sheeps clothing, and haven't rectified any of the damage inflicted by Mike Harris and the Conservative Party.
You've said the same about the federal Liberals. Is there anyone you don't think is conservative? I mean, short of Fidel Castro?
We seem to have three main choices:
Extreme Right Wing: - the CPC Party
Conservative: - the Liberal Party (using the Mulroney/pre-Mulroney definition of Conservative)
Non-Conservative: - the NDP
In my view, there's only one choice.....
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Oh sure, blame it on Mike Harris, next it will be Bush's fault too. How about laying the blame where it really belongs; on those who committed the crime, the lack of moral and ethical values obviously not taught at home.
If you read the previous posts, you might have discovered that the topic of "not having adequate support staff, like councillers" was brought up, and that I linked this directly to Mike Harris. I never suggested that Mike Harris had anything to do with molesting the girl, or directly encouraging it.
However, Mike Harris's actions can be directly linked to the removal of many of the safegaurds that could have prevented or put an early stop to the ongoing criminal behaviour of some of the students.
Suggesting that Mike Harris's (and the Conservative party's) cuts to the school system have nothing to do with the situation in schools is akin to denying that the decimation of a police force in a community has anything correlation with a resultin escaltion of crime in the same community.
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Just jumping in to add to Toro's post, that Clinton knew that the Senate wouldn't ratify Kyoto, but signed it anyway. It's easy to be a hero when you're in a position to make lavish promises that you know you won't have to keep. One of the prime examples of the cynical hucksterism that defines the Clinton administration's legacy.
Even if that were the case, don't you think that Clinton embracing Kyoto, and stating that the USA has to participate is a step in the right direction. Pushing for a vote to endorse Kyoto, even though the Senate is stacked against it isn't a bad thing.
When compared to "it's not true", "that's bad science", and other statements refuting the existance of global warming that come from Bush, I'd take Clinton's side any day.
Bush is controlled by Big Oil.... not what is best for his people. He has shown on many occasions that he is not afraid to boldfaced lie to the public....
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IMT, you've made an obvious error which others have already pointed out. You have offered no support at all for the suggestion that this guy is acting as a proxy for the Conservatives.
Had you, or anyone else, bothered to read the title of the thread, you'd have noticed that I in no way claimed that the Conservatives were involved in this.
This is true... Trudeau never once linked the pamphlet to the CPC party,
You have as little intellectual honesty as IMT. Both of you are too full of hate for your political opponents to write a post without spittle hitting your monitor.
Ah, right... I hadn't noticed the second line in the title prior to now. I guess Trudeau was stating that Steve Harper's CPC party don't need to make the false accusations that the Liberals "promote child porn", this time. I clearly remember the previous election campaigns, when Steve Harper and his CPC party kept harping (not pun intended) on that Paul Martin and his Liberals promoted child porn and other forms of perversion....
So actually, the second line of the title does seem to be quite fitting, wouldn't you think.... Steven Harper doesn't have to sling these false accusations at Paul Martin this time because there's another right wing nutbar doing it in Harper's stead this time. Harper doesn't have to be seen as he was in previous campaigns (with dirt on his hands).
If Trudeau had accused the CPC of encouraging the nutbar to imitate what Steve Harper did in previous election campaigns, then maybe you'd have a point.... But that not being the case, you don't have a valid argument.
PS. What kind of tissue do you use to clean the spittle from your monitor?
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I meant to say "I don't think that we can say that". Our country, or at least the majority of it, is proud to say that Canada is tolerant, and does not discriminate based on race... The knee-jerk reaction might be to "kick them out" or "don't let them in", but we would be hypocritical to take this point of view and, at the same time boast about our distain for discrimantion....I don't know that I can really say that (publicly anyways)... But what we can say is that the laws of the land must be upheld much better than they obviously have been.... Where the hell are the teachers and support staff that this could continue on...I don't know that I can really say that (publicly anyways)... err, are you afraid to say publicly what you think?
It can be traced directly to Mike Harris and his definition of "common sense"....
Uh, is this all the fault of Mike Harris and the Conservatives? Is Stephen Harper to blame too?What they need is to hire back some of the councillors and support staff that were untimely ripped from the school system by Mike Harris's wonderful "school reforms"....Mike Harris promised "Not one penny from classroom education"... and then found that he needed some of this money for his big tax return. So he proceeded to vilify the teachers and school system... Spending a fortune on a new "standardized test" that was intended to make our schools look bad... So then he had to break his word and "reform" our school system.... And the first years reforms consisted of removing a half of a billion dollars from the school system's budget.... and no other reforms... So the schools had to lay off a large percentage of support staff.... directly because of Mike Harris's actions.
But my distain is not limited to the Ontario Conservatives.... The Ontario Liberals are Conservatives in sheeps clothing, and haven't rectified any of the damage inflicted by Mike Harris and the Conservative Party.
The one just nort of the USA... Not that it is North of the USA, and does not have overlapping boundaries.....What Canada do we all live in? -
August, do you not conclude from the old man's rant that he was a "Liberal basher"....
There you go again, Sparhawk. Stick a label on someone and then you can safely ignore them. For some reason, you have decided that this old guy is a homophobe/Liberal-basher and in your book, that means he's not worth listening to.For the most part his comments are a typically conservative rant that is repeated over and over in the media and on this board: the script goes something like: "The Liberals are corrupt to the core and since Canadians seem to still want to re-elect these crooks then Canadians must be <fill in a suitable list of insults>".
Some things haven't changed.... but at least many of the gays can come out of the closet now...I went so far as to agree with you that the 1940s - when this guy went to war to defend his country - the country had many ignorant people and gays, for example, had to hide themselves.
Since you are obviously so much smarter than all of the rest of us, could you please fill us in on some other potential topics the old man was alluding to that we should have seen to be as obvious as that assumed by Sparhawk and the majority of the rest of the readers ???Keep in mind however that nowhere in the letter does the writer refer to gays. You alone insinuated the rant.
And in many others, it has improved....I happen to think the old guy has a point. In some ways, Canada has changed for the worse in the past 60 years ago.
Your opinion of Trudeau differs from that of John Lennon (the British guy, not the Russian one)It strikes me that since 1968 and Trudeau, our federal government has taken on a missionary role to change the moral values of the population. In his own eyes, Trudeau was as much teacher as politician. When the government attempts to change the moral opinions of people, little good will come.If all the world's leaders were like Pierre Trudeau, there would be no more war. -
Alright i sit just me, or is gun violence getign ridiculus? I know it has been going on for a while in major ciries like Winnipeg and Toronto but recently I read about a man who was shot to death in a Toronto funeral home by yet another ruthless gang who thinks killing is a game? What has are government done to fix this problem? (Please correct me if I am wrong) Absolutly nothing, yes they have hired more police officers on the street. But is that really effective considerign are officers are under equipped and unde rfunded to deal with this.
I am going away to college in a year in Winnipeg, I will be off on my own, and probably in a bad part of the city and I don't want to ahev to worry about getting shot and killed.
Then I'd recommend not joining any gangs... Hang out with other students... and, if you are worried about gun violence, etc, I would consider altering your plan to live in a "bad part of the city"....
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IMT, you've made an obvious error which others have already pointed out. You have offered no support at all for the suggestion that this guy is acting as a proxy for the Conservatives.
Had you, or anyone else, bothered to read the title of the thread, you'd have noticed that I in no way claimed that the Conservatives were involved in this.
This is true... Trudeau never once linked the pamphlet to the CPC party, but rather stated how distastful and incorrect the slur had been on the Liberal party by the offender. No reference nor suggestion was made to the offender's political affiliation... The other distateful website was not brought up by Trudeau, nor was its contents in any way affiliated by Trudeau to any political party.
Shoop, Argus, et al. are just trying to make a "straw man" of Trudeau here, putting false words into Trudeau's mouth....... Is that a standard CPC supporter's tactic ???
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It appears he came from a time when "men were men" who listened to "real music", and homosexuals didn't exist.He quite clearly stated that their was something wrong with Canada today because Canadians elect parties which he claims have 'a record of sleaze, waste and dishonesty' and that he questions whether he would fight for the country today. Yet he seems to have forgetten that the same kinds of things happened in the 30s and 40s. His memory is selective and coloured by his political predispositions. There are many problems in Canadian society today but there where many equally serious problems with Canadian society in the 40s that no longer exist today - yet the vet chooses to ignore this in his rant.Spar and Pocket are right on the money on this thread....
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The Liberals are obviously pro gay. Just look at their track record.
Oh, and sex offenders? They're about to release one next door to you.
While I am not a fan of Paul Martin, I will applaud their support for "non-discrimination" based on sexual preference, religion, etc... I cannot say the same for your CPC party....
It would appear from your response that your sentiments lie closer to the CPC party and Bill Whatcott....
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Under Clinton, the USA embraced Kyoto.... I'm doing this from memory, so excuse the lack of names and dates. The scientist who spearheaded the global campaign on ozone depletion had done such a good job in organizing that effort, they put him in charge of running the studies on CO2 emissions and the plan to alleviate the problem... Clinton gave him an office in the Whitehouse... Then, shortly after Bush was elected, Raymond (Whatshisname) from Exxon faxed George Bush with a demand to get rid of the head scientist who was organizing the whole thing... And Bush was only too happy to respond...I would disagree with that, August. The US had accepted Kyoto; enthustiacally so. It was only when Big Oil and Big Energy took control of the White House that it reneged on its committment.It did that because, like the shortsighted and not very bright businessmen that the current political leaders are, they can see only the bottom line for today and live by the executive principle that they will have moved on in five years when their successors can try to fix the cracks in the program.
The guy had been doing such a good job, that all the oil companies (except Exxon) had agreed with the science, and that steps needed to be taken. After Bush got rid of the head scientist, BP and other oil companies re-joined Exxon in their denial of the facts....
(It's been a long time since I read Linda McQuaig's "It's the Crude Dude", but there was at least a chapter dedicated to this topic.... I wholeheartedly recommend this enlightening book)
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If one federal judge says this:
G & MA Federal Court judge has reinstated Jean Pelletier as chairman of Via Rail, saying the government was unfair in the way it fired him in March 2004.But another federal judge says this:
National PostJean Pelletier, who was blamed by Justice John Gomery for overlooking the abuses of the sponsorship scandal, said yesterday he warned the former prime minister against the appointment.Should I be confused or expect the Supreme Court to decide?
The technicality was that Myriam Bedard apparently "quit voluntarily", rather than having been forced to resign.... I think an investigation will find that the undue duress placed on her due to Pelletiers' comments and actions would be sufficient to make any self-respecting person want to leave... as a consequence of the remarks... and the original ruling should be upheld, because her employer was "abusive".. We've all heard the remarks he made, and I don't think any Canadian would want that arsehole back in his job....
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Yes she is white.
The media reports I heard never mentioned the race of the victim - your post was the first I here she was white. The only way I knew the perpetrators where blacks from Jamaica because I saw a mother of one of the accussed on television and could tell from her accent. The report did not actually mention he was black or from JamaicaFrom what I understand, a 16 year old girl, a recent immigrant who is white, was bullied, sexually assaulted (raped?) for 16 months in a high school in Toronto by 14 black boys.
Agreed, but you also have to look at the legal implications of broadcasting details wrt the perpetrators right to a "fair trial".... because we don't want a technicality to get them off "if they are guilty", as it appears they are...
I agree - these terms are supposed to allow woman to avoid the stigma of being labelled rape victims, however, I feel they do the reverse by trivializing the offense.4. I am bothered about these terms "sexual assault" and "aggravated sexual assault". In plain language, what is meant?
I don't know that I can really say that (publicly anyways)... But what we can say is that the laws of the land must be upheld much better than they obviously have been.... Where the hell are the teachers and support staff that this could continue on...
This event is only one of a long list high profile crimes associated with the black community in toronto - specifically the Jamaican black community. If we had any sense we would ban further immigration from Jamaica until these problems can be resolved.Am I wrong to say that I heard the mothers were from Jamaica but news reports said nothing about the accused boys' fathers?And then there's the big Liberal reaction... pumping $23 Million to fix the problem... I have to agree with Howard Hampton... That won't buy a pop machine for each school.... What they need is to hire back some of the councillors and support staff that were untimely ripped from the school system by Mike Harris's wonderful "school reforms"....
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Health Care
Child Care
Education
and Energy Costs
Aren't those all provincial responsibilities?
I know the poll doesn't specify, but since it says "facing Canadians" i would presume it means federal responsibilities.
Health Care - Under the Canada Health Act, the federal government funds provincial health care under the conditions that it is publicly administered, and accessible.... Thus, this concern is both federal and provincial, because the feds aren't supposed to pay for health care that is not publicly administered unless the necessary treatment is not available, or not available in timely enough fashion.
Education - Federal monies given to the provinces to adminster health care....
Child Care - a national program would be good... Martin has long talked about doing it... but mostly just before an election...
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err
Geothermal has problems to.
The pocket of water (larger the better) the coils sits in soon heats up due to the fact there is no circulation in that pocket of water and your heat pump becomes less efficient.
Actually, they don't need to be in water at all. Fluid (antifreeze type) is circulated in the pipes, and the ground heats it up....
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There's nothing in the story that indicates a 180 degree turn - in fact, the author goes to lengths to give the general impression it's Canadian "business" acting in concert and changing it's tune, while avoiding a statement that it's the same businesses in both cases.
I don't think there's anything too amazing about this. For companies like Shell there's good reason to want the government to commit itself in writing to a plan, so they know what sort of red tape and other nastiness to expect. For companies like Bombardier it's always good business to suck up to the government, because your solvency depends on it. Bombardier would have gone out of business years ago if the feds hadn't stepped in time and again with financial assistance and tax relief. You can bet that no matter how difficult Canada's Kyoto plan is for other businesses, the government's favouritism with respect to Bombardier will see special exemptions or other assistance put in place, and Bombardier's executives know it and are unafraid.
It's a start... and funny how it is strongly in contrast with the Conservative position and Liberal actions. Maybe these parties can learn something from it...
GM Plant Closings
in Federal Politics in Canada
Posted
GM put all its eggs in the SUV basket. 50% of all new car sales. The advertising campaign was outstanding. They also had the benefit that there is a 25% duty on all light trucks coming into the USA from foriegn markets... Which made it extremely difficult for the Japanese car makers to compete.
Hindsight says that this was a very foolish decision putting all of their eggs in one basket.... but that's what they did...