Fiscal update

[Leafless]

It will be interesting to see if the proposed tax changes will be favoured by oppositon Parties to be passed into law thus allowing Liberals to buy time-WITH YOUR TAX DOLLAR.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...115/?hub=Canada

[shoop]

Doesn't look like that is gonna happen. Roughly 2/3rds of the respondents *unscientific* poll asking if the "measures in Ralph Goodale's mini-budget make you more inclined to see the Liberals stay in power until a spring election?" responded no.

We'll be having a wonderful Xmas election. .

It will be interesting to see if the proposed tax changes will be favoured by oppositon Parties to be passed into law thus allowing Liberals to buy time-WITH YOUR TAX DOLLAR.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Leafless]

No wonder the Conservatives are hesitant to announce their policy platform when the Liberals simply steal their ideas and implement them with tax payers money.

Shameful and Cheap!

[Riverwind]

No wonder the Conservatives are hesitant to announce their policy platform when the Liberals simply steal their ideas and implement them with tax payers money.

The Conservatives can fume as much as they like about how Martin 'stole' their platform but the political reality is the Liberals came out with it first which means they will get the lion's share of the credit for it and the Conservatives will be reduced to something like 'me too' when they get around to releasing their own platform.

Harper had a choice: he could have taken the high ground and came out with a similar platform in Sept and he would have put the Liberals on the defensive. But he decided to obsess about corruption instead.

Keep in mind that I would like to see the Conservatives win the next election so I am not happy with these displays of incompetence.

[err]

No wonder the Conservatives are hesitant to announce their policy platform when the Liberals simply steal their ideas and implement them with tax payers money.

Shameful and Cheap!

Paul Martin is and always has been a fiscal Conservative. He's balanced the budget and reduced the deficit on the backs of the middle and lower income Canadians for years.... He's robbed health care and education to give to Corp. Canada... He already knows the "Conservative" tricks....

(And so do most Canadians, and that's why they'd prefer the crook we've got to what Harper has to offer...)

[August1991]

The Conservatives can fume as much as they like about how Martin 'stole' their platform but the political reality is the Liberals came out with it first which means they will get the lion's share of the credit for it and the Conservatives will be reduced to something like 'me too' when they get around to releasing their own platform.

Harper had a choice: he could have taken the high ground and came out with a similar platform in Sept and he would have put the Liberals on the defensive. But he decided to obsess about corruption instead.

Sparhawk, do you really believe the Liberals are going to implement this budget? If so, I've got some wonderful property in Florida you might be interested in...

Corruption? No, the issue now is credibility. And if you believe the Liberals, then you are desperate.

[Riverwind]

Sparhawk, do you really believe the Liberals are going to implement this budget?  If so, I've got some wonderful property in Florida you might be interested in...

If Martin got a majority he would likely implement it (the Liberals did the same thing in 2000). If he is stuck with another minority then it could get implemented but that would require the co-operation of the CPC which is more concerned about getting elected than getting good legislation passed by a minority gov't.

[August1991]

If Martin got a majority he would likely implement it...

Likely? Hey, I'll throw in the A/C as part of the condo in Florida. Trust me.

[err]

Corruption?  No, the issue now is credibility.  And if you believe the Liberals, then you are desperate.

Well, if you can't trust the Liberals, and we can't trust Harper.... Let's all vote for Jack Layton.....

[Leafless]

Sparhawk

You wrote- ' The Conservatives can fume as much as they like about how Martin 'stole' their platform their platform but the political reality is the Liberals came out with it first'

This again is a corrupt way of playing politics, introducing and implementing the oppositions platform prior to being re-elected.

The five year time frame on the Liberals tax exemptions makes this promise insignificant or hollow which makes me suspect other big Liberal spending possibly is in store.

[Toro]

I find the tactics in this fascinating. The focus is on tax cuts, not spending. That means the Liberals are tracking to the right to get votes. They must believe that Canadians want tax cuts, not increased spending.

[Guest eureka]

I think that tax cuts are much easier to spell out than a real program to inprove all the programs that need more money or a revamping. They take just a couple of minutes of air time rather than the long explanations of problems and remedies.

The Conservatives learned this lesson long ago and have used it vety effectively, particularly at the provincial levels.

Unfortunately for the Conservatives, Martin also played the game.

For both, tax cuts are a seductive alternative to real social and economic ideas/

[I Miss Trudeau]

No wonder the Conservatives are hesitant to announce their policy platform when the Liberals simply steal their ideas and implement them with tax payers money.

Shameful and Cheap!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, thats right. Announcing tax cuts at election time has never been done by any non-conservative party before.

[shoop]

Right on!

The Conservatives need to re-capture the tax cut agenda. Sadly, their best recourse at this point is to hammer the Liberals track record of corruptin.

C'est la vie!

I find the tactics in this fascinating.  The focus is on tax cuts, not spending.  That means the Liberals are tracking to the right to get votes.  They must believe that Canadians want tax cuts, not increased spending.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[err]

Right on!

The Conservatives need to re-capture the tax cut agenda. Sadly, their best recourse at this point is to hammer the Liberals track record of corruptin.

C'est la vie!

I find the tactics in this fascinating.  The focus is on tax cuts, not spending.  That means the Liberals are tracking to the right to get votes.  They must believe that Canadians want tax cuts, not increased spending.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing that you can't dispute is that during most of our lifetimes, Paul Martin has been the biggest tax-cutter of them all!!! And the biggest spending cutter... Much bigger than even Muroney... But it is questionable if the Liberals could have been as corrupt as Mulroney, or have done as much damage to our society through free trade, GST, etc... So I guess it's a question of who is the worst of the two, rather than who is going to be good for us ....

I would contend that because we have such budget supluses, we should not just piss them away (primarily on Corp. Canada and the richest 10% of the population), but rather, fix a lot of things that were broken in our society due to deficits, and repair a lot of things that were looted to finance Martin's deficit reduction. I suppose that only Jack Layton will be doing that...

We have unreasonable wait times for cancer treatment and dozens of other health care treatments... We have huge wait times at emergency wards because there is only one doctor on duty in the emergency wards of many of our hospitals.

Why not fund health care enought to fix situations like in Ontario. Martin's cuts (along with Mike Harris's cuts) have left a huge deficit. The Ontario Liberals have fixed it somwhat with their "health care premium", almost 50% of which is paid by Ontario's working poor ($30,000 or less income). Martin's tax break will repay 50% of the $30 Billion to the wealthiest 10%.... Why not help the working poor pay the health care premium caused by the last round of cuts....

It's easier for the government to state that they're going to "give us more money" that they took from us, rather than actually fixing what's broken in our Country... If you think about all of the party's attitudes, only the NDP is talking about fixing the broken things... The'll get my vote...

[Canuck E Stan]

It's easier for the government to state that they're going to "give us more money" that they took from us, rather than actually fixing what's broken in our Country... If you think about all of the party's attitudes, only the NDP is talking about fixing the broken things... The'll get my vote...

The catch words in your statement is "fixing what's broken".

You're right, the Liberals solution to fixing any problem is to throw money at the problem.

Billions gone into Healthcare-no fix,billions gone into Aboriginal problems-no fix,Billions into gun registry-no fix on crime,and on ond on it goes.

There is no Plan from these guys to tackle the problems,only throwing cash at the problems to extend it into the future.

The trouble with Jack is that's all he's good at doing and that's "talking about fixing the broken things".

How is he going to fix public healthcare when more than 25% of the population(Quebec and BC) already has private healthcare?

He wants private healthcare removed from the provinces that presently have it.

How does he plan to do that,what are the consequences of trying to force provinces to stop private healthcare?

What is his "plan"?

[err]

It's easier for the government to state that they're going to "give us more money" that they took from us, rather than actually fixing what's broken in our Country... If you think about all of the party's attitudes, only the NDP is talking about fixing the broken things... The'll get my vote...

The catch words in your statement is "fixing what's broken".

You're right, the Liberals solution to fixing any problem is to throw money at the problem.

Billions gone into Healthcare-no fix,billions gone into Aboriginal problems-no fix,Billions into gun registry-no fix on crime,and on ond on it goes.

There is no Plan from these guys to tackle the problems,only throwing cash at the problems to extend it into the future.

The trouble with Jack is that's all he's good at doing and that's "talking about fixing the broken things".

How is he going to fix public healthcare when more than 25% of the population(Quebec and BC) already has private healthcare?

He wants private healthcare removed from the provinces that presently have it.

How does he plan to do that,what are the consequences of trying to force provinces to stop private healthcare?

What is his "plan"?

For one, keeping public healthcare public will reduce its costs, and that is the big committment that the Martin Liberals wouldn't make, the one that cost them the NDP's support.

There is no question that a publicly delivered system is cheaper than a privately administered one....

You are right that just "throwing money at healthcare" won't fix anything. Here in Ontario, Mike Harris did just that when the public realized how much he stripped from our healtcare system. Within a year, the Harris government could boast that they spent more on health care than any previous Ontario government. But what we needed was doctors and nurses, not building contracts to erect and tear down buildings.... If they had spent the money on doctors and nurses so that our emergency rooms were staffed, and that our children could see a doctor within an hour of arriving at the emergency ward, it would have been better spent.

The other big NDP demand on the Martin Liberals is that as a condition of delivery the previously announced increased health-care funding, that the provinces be accountable for the monies that are delivered for health care... and that the money is spent according to the Canada Health Act....

If these demands were adhered to, with no further funding, we would end up with a better, more efficient health care system... than what we're going to get if these conditions aren't heeded...

[Canuck E Stan]

Once again you "TALK" about demands, I want to know "HOW" the NDP "PLAN" to implement the healthcare to total public healthcare that now has so much private healthcare in it and "HOW" the NDP "PLAN" to stop or remove the private healthcare that presently exists.Not "TALK" show me the "PLAN"

[err]

Once again you "TALK" about demands, I want to know "HOW" the NDP "PLAN" to implement the healthcare to total public healthcare that now has so much private healthcare in it and "HOW" the NDP "PLAN" to stop or remove the private healthcare that presently exists.Not "TALK" show me the "PLAN"

Layton's demands were clear. It was in the newspapers, and you could find out more by visiting the NDP Website.

The NDP is not trying to remove the "private health care" that is already in place, but rather, arrest the spread of the cancer.

So if you want the answers to your questions without "talk"... then "CLICK".

[politika]

A few days ago Martin and his Finance Minister announced that their will be tax cuts and that Canadians will be refunded money on tax reciepts. You guys have probably heard this a few to many times but it's the Librals saying merry christmas to the country and telling them if an election is called "you better vote for me or else this doesn't get passed" isn't that right? If he doesn't saty PM than the money dies along with his career. Sounds like politcal blackmail doesn't it?

-Curtis

[tml12]

A few days ago Martin and his Finance Minister announced that their will be tax cuts and that Canadians will be refunded money on tax reciepts.  You guys have probably heard this a few to many times but it's the Librals saying merry christmas to the country and telling them if an election is called "you better vote for me or else this doesn't get passed"  isn't that right?  If he doesn't saty PM than the money dies along with his career.  Sounds like politcal blackmail doesn't it?

-Curtis

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I cannot believe the Liberals would let the government fall before the second Gomery Report.

Any election before that will probably not result in anything but another minority, probably a Liberal one but with the greater chance of a Conservative one.

I don't understand the Liberal logic here.

[shoop]

I can understand what the Liberals are trying to do, but I don't think it will work.

Layton's proposal would have the final Gomery report land within a week or so of the election.

The Liberals desperately don't want that date and would prefer to buy some time for a later date. By forcing the Opposition hands into a Xmas election they are hoping they can find some winning ground to fight the battle on.

Oh look, the scary Conservatives forced a Xmas election. Aren't you offended, angry and scared?

Sad, sad, sad. Shades of 1984. Deja vu all over again...

I cannot believe the Liberals would let the government fall before the second Gomery Report.

Any election before that will probably not result in anything but another minority, probably a Liberal one but with the greater chance of a Conservative one.

I don't understand the Liberal logic here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[tml12]

I can understand what the Liberals are trying to do, but I don't think it will work.

Layton's proposal would have the final Gomery report land within a week or so of the election.

The Liberals desperately don't want that date and would prefer to buy some time for a later date. By forcing the Opposition hands into a Xmas election they are hoping they can find some winning ground to fight the battle on.

Oh look, the scary Conservatives forced a Xmas election. Aren't you offended, angry and scared?

Sad, sad, sad. Shades of 1984. Deja vu all over again...

I cannot believe the Liberals would let the government fall before the second Gomery Report.

Any election before that will probably not result in anything but another minority, probably a Liberal one but with the greater chance of a Conservative one.

I don't understand the Liberal logic here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you have it right Shoop. I mean, Martin hasn't gotten his groove back since Gomery. He has always been on the offensive and has never really gotten to the public point of respect he once had.

Having said that, you really must wonder what Canadians fear about Harper. I mean, sure his past is a bit right-wing...but he is not running as Liberal leader after all.

I don't know what part of the country you live in, but I find it interesting to assess these points.