Are Canadians so fed up with Harper that all we ever talk about is a c

[Sir Bandelot]

By great kleptocracy do you mean people in the us thinking they can afford houses at more than 5 times earnings?

Not entirely, that is a good part of it. The great kleptocracy is what we live in now, where for example we are told that there is no money for omproving infrastructure and social projects, but on the other hand we hear that the banks, and the upper 1% income earners made the most money ever on record, in 2010. We see how prices shoot up erratically at the merest hint of an international crisis. Every slight blip on the graph of commodity prices increases the wealth of the wealthy substantially. Each time this happens, we the commoners are gouged to the tune of millions of dollars. Likewise, sudden downward drops are also to their benefit. There is no rational basis for these shortages, that would have been minimized if not for a global economy. Yet there is big money for militia and wars, that do not seem to accomplish anything of merit.

This should be obvious to most people here, as we tend to keep up on the news but the majority of people do not. Nor can they draw meaningful inferences about what is happening in the on-going power and class struggle. After a days hard work most Canadians by and large are satisfied with simple things in life. Like TV, a hockey game, a bottle of beer...

[Sir Bandelot]

Our fiscal position, including our debt, is the best in the G7. Our banks did not get any bailouts, that was the U.S.

They got a whole lot of something.

[Smallc]

They got a whole lot of something.

No, no they didn't.

[Guest peterb]

Count Ignatieff LYING once again - reminds Canadians he appears to be a pathological liar so don't believe a word he says about coalition , immigrant family etc. or anything else

Prime Minister Harper was never in a hotel room with Jack and Gil

he needs to apologize NOW

Ignatieff will say anything and do anything (including foisting a 300 million dollar election on Canadians) in desperate grab for power (that include a coalition because there is no other way possible for him)

[blueblood]

Not entirely, that is a good part of it. The great kleptocracy is what we live in now, where for example we are told that there is no money for omproving infrastructure and social projects, but on the other hand we hear that the banks, and the upper 1% income earners made the most money ever on record, in 2010. We see how prices shoot up erratically at the merest hint of an international crisis. Every slight blip on the graph of commodity prices increases the wealth of the wealthy substantially. Each time this happens, we the commoners are gouged to the tune of millions of dollars. Likewise, sudden downward drops are also to their benefit. There is no rational basis for these shortages, that would have been minimized if not for a global economy. Yet there is big money for militia and wars, that do not seem to accomplish anything of merit.

This should be obvious to most people here, as we tend to keep up on the news but the majority of people do not. Nor can they draw meaningful inferences about what is happening in the on-going power and class struggle. After a days hard work most Canadians by and large are satisfied with simple things in life. Like TV, a hockey game, a bottle of beer...

The top 1% earn that money because they bloody well earned it, they risk far more money than you can imagine and get to reap the rewards of that risk. Also they have succession plans stretching back decades ensuring the next generation is better off than the first. Not only that the top 1% spends and invests their money which provides jobs and improves the lives of other people. Hugo chavez tried going after wealthy people and they all bailed out of the country taking their wealth and talents with them.

Canada does well when commodity prices rise. Its why the deficit is smaller than predicted and why paul martin and stephen harper were both able to reduce taxes. The common people in canada are doing well, just the top tier is doing better. Its posts like that which tells me that commerce, economics, and management classes should be mandatory for high school graduation.

[bush_cheney2004]

Our fiscal position, including our debt, is the best in the G7. Our banks did not get any bailouts, that was the U.S.

Several Canadian banks also received U.S. TARP bailout funds:

Overall, 87 banks and financial entities indirectly benefited from the US aid to AIG of which 43 are foreign, according to the panel's report. In addition to France and Germany, they include banks based in Canada, Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/43012/20100812/tarp-funds-benefited-foreign-banks-more-says-oversight-panel.htm#ixzz1HvrDgQMG

[Smallc]

I think maybe you should reread your article.

[Scotty]

your sense of history is very faulty, CCF is the NDP...

oh really, when did this warning happen? 5 years ago when he told us that he would fix our healthcare and did nothing since?...is this the secret agenda know one knows about?

and your dislike for healthcare reveals you to be from the far right so you never were an objective voter to begin with...

USA is in debt because of excessivemilitary spending AND a lack of public healthcare...

Not true. The US is in debt because of decades of irresponsible, incompetent, and corrupt politicians whose answer to every problem is "Cut taxes!"

Let them raise taxes - well, once they're out of the recession those selfsame irresponsible, incompetent, corrupt politicians created - and that will take care of the debt.

[Scotty]

Canada was in a very good position financially, and as a result was able to weather the latest economic "storms" quite well. Canada is now in worsening debt because of the policies of the CPC, handing out billions to banks that are not even in trouble. Because the banks wanted their "cut", as was being done in other western contries in the time of the great kleptocracy.

First, the debt problem isn't worsening it's getting better, with smaller deficits each year. Second, the government didn't give any money to banks.

[Scotty]

Yes...I understand the short term ruckus over deficits, but why is Canada in debt to the tune of over half a trillion dollars? Alluding to the previous post about US debt...Canada has a small military budget compared to other NATO nations, no current national infrastructure investment, no manned space program, etc., etc. So where did the money go? Or do you still blame it on Trudeau and Mulroney?

Why would we not blame it on Trudeau and Mulroney? Trudeau ran up the debt from virtually nothing, quadrupling spending, so he holds the primary responsibility. Mulroney didn't really do a lot but pay the credit bills, but given the stagflation of the day and double digit interest rates, the debt exploded upward. We've had something like 12 straight years of surplus budgets though until corrupt, incompetent American politicians caused a world-wide recession.

[Scotty]

Not entirely, that is a good part of it. The great kleptocracy is what we live in now, where for example we are told that there is no money for omproving infrastructure and social projects, but on the other hand we hear that the banks, and the upper 1% income earners made the most money ever on record,

This year, I will make more money than at any time in my life. Guess what? I will be paying more taxes than at any previous time in my life. I will probably pay more in taxes than you make, maybe twice as much.

So how much do you contribute to the public purse?

[bush_cheney2004]

Why would we not blame it on Trudeau and Mulroney? Trudeau ran up the debt from virtually nothing, quadrupling spending, so he holds the primary responsibility. Mulroney didn't really do a lot but pay the credit bills, but given the stagflation of the day and double digit interest rates, the debt exploded upward. We've had something like 12 straight years of surplus budgets though until corrupt, incompetent American politicians caused a world-wide recession.

Yes...yes...yes...Canada's budget problems are always caused by the incompetent Americans.

But you still haven't answered the question...what did Canada get for all that debt?

[blueblood]

Not true. The US is in debt because of decades of irresponsible, incompetent, and corrupt politicians whose answer to every problem is "Cut taxes!"

Let them raise taxes - well, once they're out of the recession those selfsame irresponsible, incompetent, corrupt politicians created - and that will take care of the debt.

They are a VAT tax away from putting a dent in their deficit, however they might be worried about suffering the same fate as the PC party.

The only way that they will smarten up is when the bond vultures start circling. Ask bill clinton how that worked out. James carville said it best "if I could be reincarnated I would come back as the bond market, everyone fears the bond market"

[Jerry J. Fortin]

They are a VAT tax away from putting a dent in their deficit, however they might be worried about suffering the same fate as the PC party.

The only way that they will smarten up is when the bond vultures start circling. Ask bill clinton how that worked out. James carville said it best "if I could be reincarnated I would come back as the bond market, everyone fears the bond market"

The debt has earned and will get much attention over the next few years.

[WWWTT]

I looked into it. This issue fails the Google test...

http://www.google.ca/#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=canada+immigration+backlog&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&fp=f7f0c7ab186c2db8

There are no published numbers on the first Google page indicating the backlog, the costs for managing the backlog, the change in numbers over time.

So, my #1 issue remains: transparency and monitoring of government services.

If you check Immigration Canada there is some info on waiting times.

Keep in mind that a visitors visa is not required for NATO countries and pretty much all of western Europe.

Visas are required for all other countries but I believe there are exeptions(I do not have the time to do a thourough search)

However there are suggestions that some of these Canadian visa offices abroad are corrupt,accept cash payments and routinely issue standard letter head with a generic reason for refusal(unsigned of cource).

This I am painfully aware of.

When fees are paid for services must be rendered at a reasonable time.This rule applies to every one else,why not the government?

Is it because they have a monopoly?

So does this therefore give them the right to not surrender the service a client has paid for?

Would a judge in a civil court see things the same way as this countries citizens or the government?

And finally has this issues only resolution be found in a civil lawsuit?

[Scotty]

Yes...yes...yes...Canada's budget problems are always caused by the incompetent Americans.

But you still haven't answered the question...what did Canada get for all that debt?

It got a lot of social programs which eliminated the kind of social misery we see so much of in the United States, among other things.

And I never said Canada's budget problems are always caused by the incompetent Americans. I said the WORLD's recession was caused by incompetent, corrupt Americans.

[bush_cheney2004]

It got a lot of social programs which eliminated the kind of social misery we see so much of in the United States, among other things.

So there is no "social misery" in Canada? Amazing!

And I never said Canada's budget problems are always caused by the incompetent Americans. I said the WORLD's recession was caused by incompetent, corrupt Americans.

No...the "world's" recession was caused by an over dependence on the American economy, and no other country is as dependent as is Canada.

[Michael Hardner]

If you check Immigration Canada there is some info on waiting times.

Nope: http://www.cic.gc.ca/search-recherche/index-eng.aspx?search=basic&query=wait+times&m=10&s=1&l=e&vpp=10

I keep waiting for people to realize how poorly the various governments do at providing services, and reporting on performance. Nobody seems to care, though. Oh well.

[Bryan]

No...the "world's" recession was caused by an over dependence on the American economy, and no other country is as dependent as is Canada.

And yet we were least affected.

[ToadBrother]

No...the "world's" recession was caused by an over dependence on the American economy, and no other country is as dependent as is Canada.

Except the US wasn't the only place doing some pretty ludicrous things. The Greeks went so far as to violate their debt-to-GDP ratios that they had agrede upon when joining the Euro during the Athens Olympics, when they borrowed like drunken sailors to pay for the event. Spain, Portugal and in particular Ireland were doing even crazier things with credit than the US, and the UK was at least as bad. Certainly the US was a focal point, but the US's nose is starting to point up while places like Ireland are in still in terrible shape.

Edited March 29, 2011 by ToadBrother

[blueblood]

So there is no "social misery" in Canada? Amazing!

No...the "world's" recession was caused by an over dependence on the American economy, and no other country is as dependent as is Canada.

And the usa's recession was caused by the govt policy of everyone should own a house and bozos who buy a house at more than 5x earnings and not being able to pay. That's central canada's problem not ours.

Good thing for me my business is in an industry that was one of the first to diversify from usa and european customers.

[Bryan]

Nope: http://www.cic.gc.ca/search-recherche/index-eng.aspx?search=basic&query=wait+times&m=10&s=1&l=e&vpp=10

I keep waiting for people to realize how poorly the various governments do at providing services, and reporting on performance. Nobody seems to care, though. Oh well.

So your policy is to trust Google's algorithms to tell you if info is important rather than to just go to the source? Seriously?

edit>>> sorry Michael, please disregard. I misread the order of those last few posts, and thought that link was a rebuttal to your post....then I actually read the link...oops, sorry..

Edited March 29, 2011 by Bryan

[ToadBrother]

So your policy is to trust Google's algorithms to tell you if info is important rather than to just go to the source? Seriously?

Hey, some people seem to be using the CBC political compass to figure out who to vote for, so why not?

[Scotty]

And the usa's recession was caused by the govt policy of everyone should own a house and bozos who buy a house at more than 5x earnings and not being able to pay. That's central canada's problem not ours.

And the policy of "Business knows best so we don't want to get in their way or interrupt them as they do their high-powered financial deals. After all, what could go wrong?"

[Scotty]

So there is no "social misery" in Canada? Amazing!

Guy, any rich nation which has to invent a term like 'underclass' because 'lower class' just doesn't do justice to the absolute hopeless misery and poverty of millions of its citizens should be ashamed of itself.