Prime Minister Jack Layton

[WWWTT]

The NDP overtaking the Libs is pure fantasy.

Hold your breath and I'll start counting.

There is a 5 point spread seperating them and the margin of error is like 2 or three points.So to make a statement like that is real risky man

WWWTT

[nittanylionstorm07]

If the Liberals fair poorly in this election,Rae stands a very good chance of becoming leader after Iggy get's the Julius Caesar treatment.And since many Canadians hold Liberals and Conservatives to very different standards,he stands a fair chance at being Prime Minister too.

(One thing even scarier for me....... Prime Minister Justin Trudeau! )

That would probably solidify the NDP as the primary left wing party in the country.

NDP replaces the Libs at 2nd, and then the Libs elect Rae as their leader. That would just be insanely ironic.

[bloodyminded]

The NDP overtaking the Libs is pure fantasy.

It is. It could only happen over a generation (at best) and then only with a major--shall we say--"reform" movement for the party.

The NDP periodically polls well at election time, but never gets past the hurdle when it comes down to the quick.

Edited April 17, 2011 by bloodyminded

[Evening Star]

I do agree that there are some important differences between the Nordic approach and that advocated by the NDP or left-learning Liberals. As I understand it, the Nordic countries have kept business taxes relatively low while raising personal income taxes beyond what Canadian politicians would dare to advocate. Their consumption taxes, which our left tends to oppose, are especially much higher. As well, they are unitary states, which makes it easier for resources to be nationalized and for services to be administered evenly across the country. I believe that it is also the case that they do not have comparable levels of immigration.

If they're applied intelligently. The thing is, those countries were all pretty much homogenous and middle class to begin with. They've had moderately sensible socialist policies for a few decades and done fairly well, in most cases, by that.

But the NDP is still into the class warfare anti-establishment, anti-business, anti-capitalism mindset which sees middle class white people as the enemy of all the poor and downtrodden. First thing they'd do is raise taxes on corporations and the rich (rich being anyone making more than minimum wage). Then they'd put mandatory hiring quotas in place for all businesses forcing them to hire and promote women and minorities. They'd funnel tens of billions to native reserves, and double immigration.

Edited April 17, 2011 by Evening Star

[maldon_road]

Their consumption taxes, which our left tends to oppose, are especially much higher.

I have yet to see any support, from anywhere on the political spectrum, for Harper's reduction in the GST. I have however seen much argument that it would have been preferable to reduce income taxes instead.

[Evening Star]

Norway and Sweden have 25% VATs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_rates_of_Europe

[Scotty]

I have yet to see any support, from anywhere on the political spectrum, for Harper's reduction in the GST. I have however seen much argument that it would have been preferable to reduce income taxes instead.

I'd like to see him put the 2% back. It would do a hell of a job to help with the deficit.

But one thing politicians of all parties agree on. Once you make a big decision you can NEVER EVER admit you were wrong, and go back on what you did.

Because it was Harper who cut the GST, hell would have to freeze over before he put it back.

Edited April 17, 2011 by Scotty

[bloodyminded]

I'd like to see him put the 2% back. It would do a hell of a job to help with the deficit.

But one thing politicians of all parties agree on. Once you make a big decision you can NEVER EVER admit you were wrong, and go back on what you did.

Because it was Harper who cut the GST, hell would have to freeze over before he put it back.

That's a little-mentioned truism. You're right. It's hard to imagine any leader going back, openly, on something they've done, at least if it was well-publicized.

[maldon_road]

But one thing politicians of all parties agree on. Once you make a big decision you can NEVER EVER admit you were wrong, and go back on what you did.

Way back when Iggy talked about it being bad fiscal policy but he has shut up about it now. No way would any pol talk of increasing it back to 7%.

[Scotty]

Way back when Iggy talked about it being bad fiscal policy but he has shut up about it now. No way would any pol talk of increasing it back to 7%.

Well, not BEFORE an election anyway.

I could easily see him doing it AFTER the election, though.

[Bryan]

Because it was Harper who cut the GST, hell would have to freeze over before he put it back.

GST was the only available tax reduction possible on people whose incomes are so low that they don't pay much (if any) income tax. The idea is lower taxes for everyone.

What would have to change to make Harper not be in favour of lower taxes though? He'd have to see that it wasn't working the way he intended. So far, it has worked. Employment is up, GDP is up, foreign investment is up, government revenues are up, and the deficit is going down. The real sticking point so far is the high dollar. Bad for a lot of business, but good for most consumers.

[wyly]

That's a little-mentioned truism. You're right. It's hard to imagine any leader going back, openly, on something they've done, at least if it was well-publicized.

like income trusts or appointing senators

[Harry]

Interesting discussion about the possibilities.

NDP Government

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/04/18/ndp-government/

[Scotty]

GST was the only available tax reduction possible on people whose incomes are so low that they don't pay much (if any) income tax. The idea is lower taxes for everyone.

Cutting employment taxes would have been better. That would have been better than cutting corporate taxes, too.

What would have to change to make Harper not be in favour of lower taxes though?

We're ALL in favour of lower taxes. But not if they bring deficits, and not if it means we can't afford necessary services.

[Smallc]

Cutting employment taxes would have been better. That would have been better than cutting corporate taxes, too.

A smarter Liberal leader would have proposed just that - put corporate taxes at 18%,a nd cut the bottom two tax brackets by a percentage each. Even if it put us a bit further in deficit, it would have probably been popular.

[WWWTT]

As we reach closer to election day Prime Minister Jack Layton is becoming a stronger reality.

It seems that Harper,Ignatieff and Dueceppe have that glazed over look much like a deer when caught in your headlights

Totaly caught off gaurd,no script,no message,nothing to stand apart or to slow Layton.

Does not even seem the media even wants to give any attention any longer to Harper

I'm sure Harper would love a chance to take any unscripted media questions now.

WWWTT

[M.Dancer]

As we reach closer to election day Prime Minister Jack Layton is becoming a stronger reality.

In your reality, what colour is the sun?

[M.Dancer]

A smarter Liberal leader would have proposed just that - put corporate taxes at 18%,a nd cut the bottom two tax brackets by a percentage each. Even if it put us a bit further in deficit, it would have probably been popular.

If popular was all it was about, Flaherty would remove the GST from the fuel pumps

[Harry]

In your reality, what colour is the sun?

I wouldn't crow too much with your own forecasting record - what was it Zero seats for the NPD in Quebec. Yup, right on the money with that one.

[WWWTT]

If popular was all it was about, Flaherty would remove the GST from the fuel pumps

And the oil companies would spike the price right back up,replacing tax revenues with profit in their pockets.

WWWTT

[nittanylionstorm07]

In your reality, what colour is the sun?

You have one of the worst cases of denial I have ever seen.

[M.Dancer]

I wouldn't crow too much with your own forecasting record - what was it Zero seats for the NPD in Quebec. Yup, right on the money with that one.

No I said they would be lucky to have one, now I say lucky to have two..but I think one is more of a safer bet

[M.Dancer]

You have one of the worst cases of denial I have ever seen.

We shall see...whether I am in denial or the junior NDP booster club is ina state of delusion...and believe me, Layton as PM is a delusion

[Smallc]

If popular was all it was about, Flaherty would remove the GST from the fuel pumps

I'm talking about trading one tax cut for another. One may be slightly more expensive, but that's inconsequential.

[Harry]

I like Olivia a lot. She's a class act.

Party Favours: Chow stands shoulder to shoulder

THE RIGHT TO BARE ARMS

New Democrat Olivia Chow decided to show a little skin when she appeared alongside her husband Jack Layton on a Sun News Network morning show on Thursday morning in Toronto.

Chow, the incumbent NDP candidate in the Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina, began the hour-long live broadcast wearing a blazer over her sleeveless dress. But when the show returned from a commercial break, Chow and co-host Alex Pearson had both ditched the jackets that had been concealing their bare shoulders and arms.

“A curious thing happened on the break,” Pearson said. “You took your jacket off because you saw that I wasn’t wearing a jacket and I thought this is a funny kind of thing, because the women here of this network, have been — how do I say it? — well, we’ve been beaten up quite a lot about our appearance.”

The morning show host then mentioned a since-retracted tweet from Maclean’s correspondent Luiza Ch. Savage in which she referred to Sun News as “Skank TV.”

“I want to know, as a woman, what do you think of a comment like this?” Pearson asked Chow. “You are in the spotlight and apparently if you, I guess present yourself like this. . . Are you a ‘skank’ if you dress like this?”

“Hang on a minute. This is my Member of Parliament!” Layton cried out, adding that she is also gorgeous.

Chow explained that she had bared her arms to make a point about female representation in federal politics, saying the situation reminded her of when NDP incumbent Megan Leslie was scolded (by Conservative Diane Finley) for wearing capped sleeves in the House of Commons.

“This (was) in the middle of summer,” Chow said. “It was quite warm, so she rallied all her female colleagues with the ‘right to bare arms’ and what’s wrong with it? This whole emphasis on peoples’ appearance rather than looking at what we believe in, what we stand for, no wonder the House of Commons only have 22 per cent female MPs.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/978748--party-favours-chow-stands-shoulder-to-shoulder?bn=1