Will Harper Play for Toronto in 2015 ?

[Michael Hardner]

Part of the Conservative strategy, as we can all agree, is to build on the one value almost all Canadians share regardless of their backgrounds, diversity, geographical location: their hatred of Toronto.

As a Torontonian, I could say that we don't really understand why the RestofCanada holds us in such contempt but really... most Torontonians aren't even aware of that contempt, as we're not really interested what the RoC talks about and really why would we be...

But anyway, I was telephone-polled last night and they asked a lot of questions about Harper is doing and so on... which led me to suspect that this was a Conservative-sponsored poll.

And then there were questions about John Tory, which I found odd... and then this: "Would you consider voting for Stephen Harper if the Federal government attributed $2.7B to Tory's Smart Track plan ?"

Well, I had to answer "yes" and added "I would fall off my chair" but I immediately started wondering if this is something the Conservatives are seriously considering. Also, it was such a specific dollar number. They must be thinking of doing this, right ?

Thoughts ?

[Keepitsimple]

Not sure of all the questions but is it possible that it was a poll sponsored by Toronto/John Tory interests? After all, it's Tory and Toronto that need to find the money to make the SmartTrack projrect work. Either way, an interesting survey.

[Michael Hardner]

Not sure of all the questions but is it possible that it was a poll sponsored by Toronto/John Tory interests? After all, it's Tory and Toronto that need to find the money to make the SmartTrack projrect work. Either way, an interesting survey.

Good point. It may be that Tory's people are going to approach the federal government with this and say something like "See ? For only 2.7 Billion you can buy x seats in Toronto !"

[Boges]

He has to retain most of the seats won in 2011 in the GTA. Downtown Toronto will never vote for anything but the Liberals or the NDP but the "Ford Nation" is certainly up for play as well as the immediate suburbs in Peel, York and Durham region. By far the most populated part of the country.

We can see the CPC doing many campaign-like spots in the region lately.

Here's one from yesterday in Guelph, about an hour outside the city.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lisa-raitt-heads-to-guelph-with-federal-support-for-world-class-auto-sector-1.2897495

[Michael Hardner]

We can see the CPC doing many campaign-like spots in the region lately.

Here's one from yesterday in Guelph, about an hour outside the city.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lisa-raitt-heads-to-guelph-with-federal-support-for-world-class-auto-sector-1.2897495

It's too bad that political strategy and elections are so much more interesting than policy.

[Topaz]

The Tories NEED Ontario, especially the GTA to get a majority, so anything is possible. After all, its was GTA that elected Wynn. So the rest of Canada will be watching GTA on election night.

[WIP]

I think most Ontarians understand that Harper's priority is and always has been Alberta and....well, what they call oil. Oil is a curse to every country that becomes dependent on oil revenues, as it artificially inflates the local currency's value and the rest of the economy becomes an extension of the oil industry. But, it looks like OPEC's price war and the global lack of demand for more oil, has thrown the monkey wrench into Harper's strategy.

[AngusThermopyle]

but really... most Torontonians aren't even aware of that contempt, as we're not really interested what the RoC talks about and really why would we be..

.You answered your queary yourself with this statement. That help ya out any?

[overthere]

I think most Ontarians understand that Harper's priority is and always has been Alberta and....well, what they call oil. Oil is a curse to every country that becomes dependent on oil revenues, as it artificially inflates the local currency's value and the rest of the economy becomes an extension of the oil industry. But, it looks like OPEC's price war and the global lack of demand for more oil, has thrown the monkey wrench into Harper's strategy.

Yeah, we would have been much better off to back all those industrial jobs in China, I mean Ontario.

It's a real shame that nobody will pay $70k per year plus benefits to work a semi skilled job anymore. Blame Harper for that too.

I think Harper and anybody else with a smidgen of brain matter would back anything in this country that can support the plump social contract that is under threat. We can start by building or expediting some infrastructure right now to get oil and gas to market elsewhere.

Or we can wring our hands about the latest corporation to note that operating costs in Ontario are not remotely close to multiple locations across the globe.

You pick em.

Oh, and every party will be fighting hard for seats in the GTA. Obviously.

[Bob Macadoo]

.You answered your queary yourself with this statement. That help ya out any?

I don't think that was snobbery....do you spend your day caring about what's going on in Toronto? Life is local is all.

[Moonbox]

The Tories NEED Ontario, especially the GTA to get a majority, so anything is possible. After all, its was GTA that elected Wynn. So the rest of Canada will be watching GTA on election night.

They need Ontario and some parts of the GTA. We saw in 2011 that the CPC doesn't need Toronto proper, just like it didn't need Montreal or Vancouver.

[PIK]

Everybody seems to talk about the need for money for infrastructure, and how harper does nothing, except the stimulus was the largest infrastructure spending in history.

[The_Squid]

You would vote for someone who throws some money at the city you live in? Not a very principled position...

[Michael Hardner]

.You answered your queary yourself with this statement. That help ya out any?

That was a very dry joke...

[Michael Hardner]

I don't think that was snobbery....do you spend your day caring about what's going on in Toronto? Life is local is all.

That was a very dry joke...

[WIP]

Yeah, we would have been much better off to back all those industrial jobs in China, I mean Ontario.

It's a real shame that nobody will pay $70k per year plus benefits to work a semi skilled job anymore. Blame Harper for that too.

But, you're fine with executives and inheritors of wealth sitting on their asses and being the only economic class to see their incomes rising today?

Most of us are treading water...even the 70k a year skilled workers. But, that's too much money to spend, when there's someone in China or Bangladesh who will do it for 50c an hour!

I did a lot of background reading a few years back when all of the factory fires and collapse disasters in Bangladesh were in the news. One of the factoids that really jumped out at me and was never hardly mentioned in western media was that the company set up there to manufacture clothing that ended up at Walmart, Tommy Hilfiger and most other major U.S. retail outlets, was threatening to close up their operations in Bangladesh and move to Sri Lanka. You see, when it's a race to the bottom....like it is for average workers, there is always someone else who will do it cheaper! That's why this whole charade of globalization should have been stuffed right from the beginning! All of the promises that were made were fraudulent...except for the cheap clothing imports! But what good does that do for so many younger people entering the workforce today and having prospects of never rising much above the minimum wage?

* I want to add that the scams of the Neoliberal right would have been impossible in a democracy, because they only benefit a small segment of the population. But, the masters of the universe have been able to count on the fact that as the system becomes more stratified along income and wealth hierarchies, most people never look to the top of the chain. Instead, their attention is focused on those who are immediately ahead of them...because they have contact with those they see having better cars and more expensive houses than they do, and have a desire to knock them down if they can't raise themselves up.

Likewise, there is a strong desire to prevent any group under them on the economic ladder from rising to their level. So, with adequate propaganda and brainwashing, the system can be easily maintained by a mere handful of puppetmasters unless it becomes unworkable and starts to collapse.

Edited January 14, 2015 by WIP

[Keepitsimple]

But, you're fine with executives and inheritors of wealth sitting on their asses and being the only economic class to see their incomes rising today?

Most of us are treading water...even the 70k a year skilled workers. But, that's too much money to spend, when there's someone in China or Bangladesh who will do it for 50c an hour!

Are you part of the fictitious 99% that wants "equality"? Time to look at the big picture - because Global Wealth Re-distribution - the darling strategy of the Left - will not happen without a cost. Those 50 cent jobs in China will multiply, unions (or their equivalent) will rise - as will their wages and living standards. That rise in product costs will start to bring manufacturing and outsourced jobs back here as we become more competitive on a relative basis. More money and education in the developing world will put the brakes on the population explosion. As they say - a rising tide lifts all boats. The Big Picture - over time. How much time? We can speculate on that - 50 years? But of this I am sure - it won't be government regulation that redistributes wealth (AKA Kyoto).....it will be the economics of business (AKA Capitalism).

Edited January 14, 2015 by Keepitsimple

[Michael Hardner]

was never hardly mentioned in western media was that the company set up there to manufacture clothing that ended up at Walmart, Tommy Hilfiger and most other major U.S. retail outlets, was threatening to close up their operations in Bangladesh and move to Sri Lanka. You see, when it's a race to the bottom....

Also not mentioned, ever, is the effort by rights groups to get these companies to use contractors with safe facilities. Walmart and Hilfer and Joe Fresh have all signed on to these, as far as I can tell. Other retailers have not.

Why don't we talk about that either ?

[Argus]

How did a query about the Tories being nice to Toronto become a question on world wealth distribution?

The only wealth distribution the Tories, or any of the other parties are interested in is the distribution from those who won't vote for them to those who will.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Argus

[Argus]

Everybody seems to talk about the need for money for infrastructure, and how harper does nothing, except the stimulus was the largest infrastructure spending in history.

It could have been better targeted. We need highways and bridges fixed up.

[Michael Hardner]

How did a query about the Tories being nice to Toronto become a question on world wealth distribution?

Thread drift... guilty...

[Boges]

How did a query about the Tories being nice to Toronto become a question on world wealth distribution?

The only wealth distribution the Tories, or any of the other parties are interested in is the distribution from those who won't vote for them to those who will.

See it's Harper and Alberta's fault that all those manufacturing jobs went to the Southeast Asia.

The low price of oil now should be a boon to Ontario to the detriment of Alberta, tables seem to be in the process of being turned.

[PIK]

To what factories are left in ONT because of the Liberal government. And they are going ahead with higher hydro and proabably a carbon tax. They are going after who is ever left in business in ONT.

[Moonbox]

How did a query about the Tories being nice to Toronto become a question on world wealth distribution?

The only wealth distribution the Tories, or any of the other parties are interested in is the distribution from those who won't vote for them to those who will.

Very nicely put. I couldn't have put it much better myself.

[WIP]

Also not mentioned, ever, is the effort by rights groups to get these companies to use contractors with safe facilities. Walmart and Hilfer and Joe Fresh have all signed on to these, as far as I can tell. Other retailers have not.

Why don't we talk about that either ?

The "safe facilities" campaign is just another ruse to appear to be doing something, while doing nothing of substance! As long as there is a global trading regime that facilitates moving production to the cheapest location...with NO penalties to governments that brutally suppress all attempts by workers to organize, and no health and safety and environment guidelines to follow...all we end up with is bland, empty promises from giant corporations as a PR strategy for western consumers!

The real story of Walmart was told in this Frontline documentary that was on PBS, which showed that...even back when I first discovered Walmart while living on the border and buying stuff at the Walmart store in Niagara Falls NY, they had all of these flags everywhere and signs proclaiming "Buy American," and "Made in the USA" and it was all a fraud! Because Sam Walton's company was already setting up the regime that would facilitate outsourcing for clothing and cheap consumer product suppliers, to do more manufacturing in Asia....at first, to catch up with other major U.S. retailers/while waving the flag about buying American, but then to surge past the rest of the pack and threaten U.S. manufacturers with continuous demands for price cuts/ and then facilitating their moves overseas. That's the history that Walmart, most every other retailer and the entire rightwing bs blogosphere doesn't want to be out there for public consumption:

Lowering Wal-Mart's Profile in Asia

Even as Wal-Mart was pushing its U.S. suppliers to be more efficient and promoting its "Buy American" program through the '80s, the company bought more and more from Asia, according to Jay Moates, a former accountant with Wal-Mart's overseas buying operation.

But to please American consumers concerned about the Asian threat, the retailer played down its buying operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and the rest of Asia. Following the brutal suppression of Chinese students in Tiananmen Square in 1989 by the Chinese Communist leadership, Walton feared a consumer backlash if Wal-Mart were seen as operating in China. He was also disturbed by charges of human rights abuses in his Asian suppliers' factories.

To continue growing in Asia, Wal-Mart needed a buffer -- a middleman or a buying agency that would purchase Asian products without showing Wal-Mart's hand. According to the retired Hong Kong senior executive, Walton told Bill Fields, Wal-Mart's head buyer, that he wanted to "get out" of direct involvement in Asia. "The decision was to go to an exclusive buying agency," the buyer said. "The main reason for going into [the deal] was not to be exposed as going into Communist China."

Walton needed a trusted friend to act as his Asian middleman. He turned to a close friend and tennis partner, George Billingsley, to serve as the titular head of the operation. No matter that Billingsley, a former real estate salesman, knew next to nothing about retail or procurement. To actually run the operation, Walton found Charles Wong, a seasoned Wal-Mart vendor who knew the U.S. retail business well and was at ease operating in Asia. Billingsley would be a figurehead. Wong would run the day-to-day business of procurement out of Hong Kong.

Within two years, Billingsley and Wong had set up Pacific Resources Export Limited (PREL) as an exclusive buying agent for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart sold its own Asian buying offices to PREL. The links were so close between PREL and Wal-Mart that "most of the people at Wal-Mart, referred to them as us," said Jay Moates, the PREL accountant. "We hired all the old people from [Wal-Mart's Asian buying] operation."

As PREL provided Wal-Mart cover for its Asian buying, Walton could both continue promoting his "Buy American" campaign at home and expand his overseas procurement out of PREL in Hong Kong.

But several months after Walton's death in April 1992, the "Buy American" campaign backfired when Wal-Mart became the target of a Dateline NBC expose that revealed "Buy American" signs adorning piles of imported goods from Asia. Overnight, an embarrassed Wal-Mart de-emphasized the "Buy American" campaign.

Catching the China Bug

China loomed large for Sam Walton's successors in the years following his death. Deng Xiaoping had opened the country to investment, easing restrictions on foreign businesses, and encouraging Chinese entrepreneurs to enter joint ventures with Westerners. Deng declared the fishing village of Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, a "special economic zone," with no taxes on foreign businesses for the first few years of operation. Across South China, the government began building roads, ports, and other infrastructure. In 1994, it devalued China's currency, from roughly 5 to 8 yuan to the dollar, further fueling the country's explosive development.

China, suddenly the cheapest workshop in Asia, attracted vast capital investment. Millions of migrant workers flooded industrial centers. World-savvy entrepreneurs migrated from Hong Kong and Taiwan, eager for a piece of the action. Many shut down their plants at home in the rush to set up new factories and hire mainland Chinese workers.

Shenzhen boomed. Growing at 20 percent a year, it became known as China's "Miracle City." In two decades, a fishing village mushroomed into a city of 7 million people, with high rises, miles of factories, and modern electronics headquarters. Here too, Wal-Mart sited its global sourcing headquarters.

Wal-Mart had caught the China bug. In a speech to business schools in the early '90s, David Glass, who succeeded Sam Walton as CEO, advised students to learn Mandarin Chinese. In regional meetings, Glass told Wal-Mart execs that if they didn't think internationally, they were working for the wrong company. "The only reason [manufacturing] moved from Taiwan was China's low level of wages," said one early Wal-Mart Hong Kong buyer. "We didn't have any trouble in China, because the Taiwanese went into China and built up the factories. We were dealing with the same people."

Working through PREL's Asian suppliers, Wal-Mart buyers became actively involved in developing products, and educating the mainland Chinese on how to make goods that would sell in America. "You'd go into a factory in Taiwan that's making men's shirts. You see what works," the Wal-Mart buyer recalled. "And then you go into China and tell a factory in China, 'This is why we're not buying from you.' Chinese people are not dumb. They're tenacious. They know they need to learn very quickly."

In 1992, with Wal-Mart clocking in at a 40 percent annual growth rate, Goldman Sachs analyst George Strachan released a study concluding that Wal-Mart was in the midst of "a major strategic merchandising revolution … breaking from a history of almost exclusive commitment to [u.S.] national-brand products, expanding and improving its private-label offerings … and marketing them more aggressively than ever before."

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/secrets/wmchina.html