Fort McMurray wildfire

Boges · May 11, 2016

and the same anti-Trudeau bunch here complaining about... an absent Trudeau (in spite of his personal statements of support, in spite of his repeated references to not wanting to go there now... and be a distraction), somehow all these anti-Trudeau types really, really wanted him there! Of course, they're the same types who come out and whine and complain about photo-ops and "selfie-ops"... like Trudeau meeting with refugees. Hypocrites!

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Would you accuse the former PM's involvement so far a distraction? A friend wants to know.

waldo · May 11, 2016

Would you accuse the former PM's involvement so far a distraction? A friend wants to know.

a friend just asked me to ask for you to be more specific with a name/example? By the by, in keeping with that offered idiotic Hurricane Katrina/New Orleans comparison... would it have been okay for PM Trudeau to have done a GWBush fly-over of the city, one ever recorded in infamy by media allowed on the U.S. Air Force One just for that single photo-op looking out the plane window?

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Boges · May 11, 2016

a friend just asked me to ask for you to be more specific with a name/example? By the by, in keeping with that offered idiotic Hurricane Katrina/New Orleans comparison... would it have been okay for PM Trudeau to have done a GWBush fly-over of the city, one ever recorded in infamy by media allowed on the U.S. Air Force One just for that single photo-op looking out the plane window?

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So you answered a question with a question. COOL!

I would only be perturbed if JT even remotely entertained the idea of posing for a selfie with ANYONE. That's super disrespectful. I also am not assuming he would, but does seem to enjoy the practice when prompted.

But no I don't think the things your describe would have been a problem. Show support for the people there fight the fire. I disagree that it would be a distraction. W's appearance in the wake of 911 (obviously not an apples/apples comparison) seemed to serve as a morale boost for all involved.

waldo · May 11, 2016

So you answered a question with a question. COOL!

so you didn't answer a question... how unCool! I trust your imaginary friend presses you further to answer the question simply seeking you clarify for the benefit of my... imaginary friend.

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Boges · May 11, 2016

so you didn't answer a question... how unCool! I trust your imaginary friend presses you further to answer the question simply seeking you clarify for the benefit of my... imaginary friend.

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But no I don't think the things your describe would have been a problem.

:rolleyes:

I'll ask again. Are you critical of our former PM's continued involvement since, pretty much, the start of the crisis?

Accountability Now · May 11, 2016

Exactly, including the Northlands center........Would Trudeau take selfies with sick people?

He probably would but the reality is it takes two to 'selfie'. I understand the public response/criticism to his popularity and resulting 'selfies' but at a time like this he needs to push aside the social media response and do the right thing.

Again, there were at one point 11,000 people registered in the Northlands center but only 600 people were staying there. That number may decrease yet again by next Friday. His chance to do the right thing will have gone out the window by the time he gets there.

waldo · May 11, 2016

........Would Trudeau take selfies with sick people?

my how you're milking that, hey! I read Alberta Health Services reps state it is nothing unexpected in association with large-scale evacuations, pointing to the ~15,000 persons that came through the facility in a very compressed time-frame... some who had already been evacuated from other locations, twice already. I read that 40 people were initially identified and isolated and it is believed the high-point has been reached at ~100 people with the gastrointestinal problem.

all told the facility has medical staff, including EMS crews and nurse practitioners... and Infection Prevention and Control staff. Anything else to complain about?

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-1=e^ipi · May 11, 2016

So your suggestion is for Trudeau to ignore the people coordinating the efforts to fight entire and just send more help anyway, despite e fact that it would be dangerous to have more air traffic and the fire is moving so quickly that you can't put people in front of it? Screw what the response team says, it's more important to look good politically?

As far as I am aware, the 'experts' merely proclaimed that foreign help isn't necessary.

Do you think that necessary and desirable are the same thing?

cybercoma · May 11, 2016

Why are you assuming that it's desirable? If they say it's not necessary, then it's not necessary. Why make organization more difficult by adding foreign help to the mix when it's not necessary?

You've got an odd interpretation here. You offer someone tea and they say that won't be necessary. And you insist. And they're like "really no, that's not necessary." Next thing you know your funneling tea down their throat against their will.

overthere · May 11, 2016

There is no need to criticize Trudeau for the quality or amount of services provided to evacuees. He had nothing much to do with any of it, despite his lapdog Goodale blithering on as if they did.

The reason so many are registered at Northlands Expo and so few stay there is that there are much better places to sleep than a giant convention hall. It is still a destination though, because many. many public and private services have staff there to help with the myriad of things people need. One stop shopping for evaucees.

Big Guy · May 11, 2016

It was important that each evacuee register since the allocation of funding is being based on registrants.

I believe that the first installment is $1250 per adult and $500 a child. If you did not register then how will people know that you are eligible?

-1=e^ipi · May 11, 2016

Why are you assuming that it's desirable? If they say it's not necessary, then it's not necessary. Why make organization more difficult by adding foreign help to the mix when it's not necessary?

Because it's free help that can help put out the fires sooner and reduce property damage.

Lot's of things aren't necessary, should we just get rid of everything that isn't necessary? Movie theatres aren't necessary, so I guess ban movie theatres?

jacee · May 11, 2016

Because it's free help that can help put out the fires sooner and reduce property damage.

Lot's of things aren't necessary, should we just get rid of everything that isn't necessary? Movie theatres aren't necessary, so I guess ban movie theatres?

Strange logic indeed.

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The fire can't be put out.

They were only protecting buildings, but now it's gone past.

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jacee · May 11, 2016

There is no need to criticize Trudeau for the quality or amount of services provided to evacuees. He had nothing much to do with any of it, despite his lapdog Goodale blithering on as if they did.

The reason so many are registered at Northlands Expo and so few stay there is that there are much better places to sleep than a giant convention hall. It is still a destination though, because many. many public and private services have staff there to help with the myriad of things people need. One stop shopping for evaucees.

Hygiene supplies and food - they are serving meals there.

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-1=e^ipi · May 11, 2016

The fire can't be put out.

Not without foreign help, I agree.

BC_chick · May 11, 2016

Not without foreign help, I agree.

No, we don't. You're just too layman to understand. :rolleyes:

overthere · May 11, 2016

Hygiene supplies and food - they are serving meals there.

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It is way more than food and supplies: insurance companies, many govt agencies, medical care, mental health services,registry office and more are alls et up at Northlands.

jacee · May 11, 2016

red-cross-to-transfer-50-million-to-evacuees-from-fort-mcmurray-wildfire/

YES!

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BC_chick · May 11, 2016

red-cross-to-transfer-50-million-to-evacuees-from-fort-mcmurray-wildfire/

YES!

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Yeah, but to put it in perspective, it's only about $550/person.

jacee · May 11, 2016

Yeah, but to put it in perspective, it's only about $550/person.

+ dependents

It's the best use of donated money.

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The_Squid · May 12, 2016

Most people shouldn't need any help. Lots of them will have 6 figure wages. There should be a means test to see if they should be eligible for support.

msj · May 12, 2016

Or how about, in honour of the Harper government which clearly would have done better at this than Trudeau, some imaginative boutique tax cuts?

Like:

- a home renovation tax credit! If you live in YMM get 15% off your tax bill to a maximum of $1,500 by spending $11,000 or more? (Conditions apply, money must be spent by May 11, 2017, no tax credit will be applied on the first $1,000 of expenditures)

- a first time home evacuees tax credit. Get up to $750 off your federal taxes with a YMM address! (Conditions apply, must have had a YMM address within the past 4 years to be eligible).

- did your tools burn in the fire? Then how about the replacement tools tax deduction! Deduct $500 from your income when you spend $1,500 or more on tools and you live in YMM.

- children's home repairs tax credit. Enrol kids in an 8 week program to repair homes to get this lucrative tax credit worth a whole $150.

- the Universal YMM Evacuee Benefit. Everyone who was resident in YMM as of April, 2016 receives $160 per month for 1 year. Benefit is taxable. Couples with children will report the entire amount as income on the tax return of the spouse with the lower net income. Single parents can report the income as net income to their child dependant which will reduce the eligible dependant tax credit instead.

Etc etc.

Or, just hand out debit cards to registered people and don't worry about hiring bureaucrats to administer a bunch of stupid boutique tax cuts.

[And yes the examples used above are all based on various stupid tax cuts initiated by Harper - how do you like the idea of some bureaucrat getting paid to check, for example, child fitness receipts to ensure the program was eligible and lasted for 8 consecutive weeks or 5 days for a camp?]

msj · May 12, 2016

For those not understanding the stupidity of the home renovation tax credit let's put it this way:

Right wingers complain about governments distorting the economy.

Others talk about how great it is for a shop keeper to have a window broken since this will lead to the economic activity of the shop keeper paying to fix the broken window ( or in more complicated versions, pay the deductible and insurance gets involved etc).

The problem with this little fantasy being: maybe the shop keeper wanted to spend money on some shoes.

Now he has no choice but to spend it on the broken window. The window business is happy while the shoe store gets no love.

With the tax credit there is still a choice of course. But it is incentivized to a degree to nudge people towards what the government thinks is the best use of the money.

I do not necessarily have a problem with this.

But right wingers generally do.

Unless it's disguised as a tax cut and is brought in by a conservative government.

If Trudeau were to bring this in for the YMM as mentioned above of course they would be out making these critical points.

But can't stop partisans from being partisan....

Bonam · May 12, 2016

For those not understanding the stupidity of the home renovation tax credit let's put it this way:

Who are you arguing against? All the micro targeted tax measures are stupid. Much better to have a tax system that is as simple as possible and that does not create distortions or opportunities for politicians to micro manage the tax code to favor their buddies or constituents.

msj · May 12, 2016

That's exactly what my preference is.

And I give Trudeau credit for moving (ever so slightly) in this direction in the last budget.

My post above is intended to be satire poking fun at Harper's stupid tax cuts.

But my examples are probably too heavy on details that are derived directly from Harper's boutique tax cuts that few people know anything about so they are not funny to anyone but another accountant who is in the know.

Edited May 12, 2016 by msj