Harper's surprise visit to Baghdad

On Guard for Thee · May 4, 2015

He tried, but the opposition parties would have non of it.

By the time 08 rolled around Harper had blown the surplus Martin handed him and was well on his way into deficits.

Smallc · May 4, 2015

If not hyperbolically.

Nothing hyperbolic about it. In fact, the opposition was doings omething even worse, in that they were protecting their own bank accounts (the public funding subsidy was going to disappear).

Smallc · May 4, 2015

By the time 08 rolled around Harper had blown the surplus Martin handed him and was well on his way into deficits.

Yes, the crashing world economy would tend to do that.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Smallc

Smallc · May 4, 2015

Are you trying to say Harper cut spending back then, or am I just not hearing correctly.

He couldn't. Apparently you have a very short memory.

Keepitsimple · May 4, 2015

By the time 08 rolled around Harper had blown the surplus Martin handed him and was well on his way into deficits.

That myth has been beaten do death. Martin and Chretien used $50 billion in EI funds and cut back transfers to provinces in order to generate that "surplus" - all on the backs of over-taxed Canadians and the provinces.

On Guard for Thee · May 4, 2015

He couldn't. Apparently you have a very short memory.

My memory is just fine. Harper put the budget into deficit first off by cutting the GST. Then he drove it higher with his attempt at applying Keynesian economics. However, this sees to be a bit of thread drift.

Edited May 4, 2015 by On Guard for Thee

Smallc · May 4, 2015

My memory is just fine. Harper put the budget into deficit first off by cutting the GST. Then he drove it higher with his attempt at applying Keynesian economics. However, this sees to be a bit of thread drift.

Harper didn't ever want to spend the money he did, actually, and after the GST cut, the budget was still in surplus. A very poor memory indeed

On Guard for Thee · May 4, 2015

Harper didn't ever want to spend the money he did, actually, and after the GST cut, the budget was still in surplus. A very poor memory indeed

Better check your facts.....budget of 08-09 was in deficit by about 6 billion, mostly due to lot GST revenue.

Shady · May 4, 2015

Better check your facts.....budget of 08-09 was in deficit by about 6 billion, mostly due to lot GST revenue.

Complete nonsense. The recession was responsible for lost revenue.

eyeball · May 4, 2015

Nothing hyperbolic about it. In fact, the opposition was doings omething even worse, in that they were protecting their own bank accounts (the public funding subsidy was going to disappear).

You don't think 'coup détat attempt' is hyperbole?

GostHacked · May 4, 2015

That's total BS since the previous 4 or 5 governments all had a hand in racking up debt, with Chretien taking the lead. I suppose you think WW3 is just around the corner.

You've been paying attention to things going on around the world? We just might be on the edge of that. Ukraine, Middle East, China-Russia against USA NATO, with China vs Japan mixed in. Africa having issues with Boko and Al-Queda types. Not to mention the Middle East and ISIS with another Saudi US NATO against the Russian-Iran-China batch .. I dunno. Sure looks like peace is breaking out all over the place.

Smallc · May 5, 2015

You don't think 'coup détat attempt' is hyperbole?

I don't believe that's what it was. The stated reasons are spot on.

Smallc · May 5, 2015

Better check your facts.....budget of 08-09 was in deficit by about 6 billion, mostly due to lot GST revenue.

The recession started during that fiscal year, and the slowdown started as soon as two years prior. Better check your facts.

On Guard for Thee · May 5, 2015

Complete nonsense. The recession was responsible for lost revenue.

Complete nonsense. Already in deficit prior to the recession.

On Guard for Thee · May 5, 2015

The recession started during that fiscal year, and the slowdown started as soon as two years prior. Better check your facts.

The cuts to gst were done and the fallout began prior to the recession. Better check your facts.

Shady · May 5, 2015

Complete nonsense. Already in deficit prior to the recession.

Yes, economies start to slow down rapidly months before an official recession.

On Guard for Thee · May 5, 2015

Yes, economies start to slow down rapidly months before an official recession.

Lots of people like to try and blame the recession. He had already entered deficit spending well before.

Shady · May 5, 2015

Lots of people like to try and blame the recession. He had already entered deficit spending well before.

Not true.

On Guard for Thee · May 5, 2015

Not true.

Well check your facts. Dont just blurt out, he said, she said.

Keepitsimple · May 5, 2015

Well check your facts. Dont just blurt out, he said, she said.

You've already been called on it - repeating your mantra over and over as you usually do will not change the facts.....

The_Squid · May 5, 2015

They're the responsibility of the provinces (with the help of the already massive Canadian Social Transfer) and already get more than most of us should be comfortable with. In this country, you have to try hard to be extremely poor.

Actually, all you have to do is have a chronic illness.

$1000/month and virtually no coverage of medical expenses needed to keep a person as healthy as possible. It's disgusting how Canada treats disabled people.

The_Squid · May 5, 2015

This visit was pure election time politics. Anyone who isn't a partisan hack can see that.

On Guard for Thee · May 5, 2015

You've already been called on it - repeating your mantra over and over as you usually do will not change the facts.....

Called on it....by someone who doesnt know the fact. Here is a little reading for you.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/canada-deficit/

Shady · May 5, 2015

Called on it....by someone who doesnt know the fact. Here is a little reading for you.

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/canada-deficit/

Thanks for proving my point. It clearly started in 2008, when the recession hit, was at it's biggest in 2009, and has been shrinking ever since. You're "it clearly started well before the recession" is completly and utterly false.

On Guard for Thee · May 5, 2015

Thanks for proving my point. It clearly started in 2008, when the recession hit, was at it's biggest in 2009, and has been shrinking ever since. You're "it clearly started well before the recession" is completly and utterly false.

A 13 billion dollar surplus turned into a 6 billion dollar deficit in 2 budgets, mostly by cutting gst. Its not calculus...