Harper's New Priorities

[jdobbin]

Harper has listed his government's priorities for 2007:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...0123?hub=Canada

* Senate reform

* Fighting crime

* Economic growth

* Tax cuts

* A strong voice on the world stage

Could they suffer a sophomore slump?

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...22?hub=Politics

[tml12]

Harper has listed his government's priorities for 2007:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...0123?hub=Canada

* Senate reform

* Fighting crime

* Economic growth

* Tax cuts

* A strong voice on the world stage

Could they suffer a sophomore slump?

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...22?hub=Politics

Harper has said he will make the environment and wait times a significant theme in his campaign.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Could they suffer a sophomore slump?

Doesn't that question require a degree of belief on your part that the Conservatives performed well in their first year in Government? i.e. they have some standard to slump from.

[jdobbin]

Harper has said he will make the environment and wait times a significant theme in his campaign.

I wish he wouldn't just run on it in an election but actually do something about it in government.

[margrace]

Both Bush and Harper have jumped on the environment wagon, I wonder why. The Glaciers in the rocky mountains are predicted to be gone by 2050, what will Alberta do for water then.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I wish he wouldn't just run on it in an election but actually do something about it in government.

He has.

Canada’s new government announces pilot project for wait times guarantees for children

Here is the link.

Does it completely fulfill the promise? No.

Is it actually *doing something about it in Government*? Yes.

Valid questions that Harper-haters refuse to answer ....

[tml12]

Harper has said he will make the environment and wait times a significant theme in his campaign.

I wish he wouldn't just run on it in an election but actually do something about it in government.

jdobbin, if the environment is truly your concern, I assume you are voting neither Liberal nor Conservative.

[jdobbin]

jdobbin, if the environment is truly your concern, I assume you are voting neither Liberal nor Conservative.

If the environment was my only concern, I'd probably not vote for either.

While the Green Party ran a candidate in my area, I thought the policies of the party were too vague and not enough of them had any experience running anything. I would like to see more Greens attempt to run for city office and provincial politics before attempting to breakthrough federally. No one knows enough about them except for the environment.

[Ricki Bobbi]

If the environment was my only concern, I'd probably not vote for either.

Seems like your primary concern is slandering the Conservatives and ignoring evidence provided to prove you wrong.

[Who's Doing What?]

If the environment was my only concern, I'd probably not vote for either.

Seems like your primary concern is slandering the Conservatives and ignoring evidence provided to prove you wrong.

Full attack mode in effect today I see.

[geoffrey]

Both Bush and Harper have jumped on the environment wagon, I wonder why. The Glaciers in the rocky mountains are predicted to be gone by 2050, what will Alberta do for water then.

Trade our oil for it.

That's actually a complete falsehood Margrace, I believe the study you were referring to is in the Alps. This year with the record snowfall (3x the usual so far), it's easy to predict glacial growth over this year anyways.

Oh my, it's one year!! Must be global cooling!!

Almost as ridiculous as an idea that one warm winter in Ontario means the world is going to end within the decade.

Apocolypse predictors are nothing new, just this time they have our money.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Full attack mode in effect today I see.

Uhhh, he completely ignored what the Government has done on Wait Times, so you are right jdobbin is in full attack mode today ...... as usual.

[geoffrey]

Full attack mode in effect today I see.

Uhhh, he completely ignored what the Government has done on Wait Times, so you are right jdobbin is in full attack mode today ...... as usual.

Sorry, what has been done on wait times? Oh right, a pilot project on pediatric care while people queue up for several hours in our city's ER's Ricki... do you know how long it takes to get 'minor' surgery on otherwise debilitating injuries?

It's time that the CPC either does something, or allows fully private options.

It's all about priorities... taxing business or fixing health care... hmm... taxing business!!!!

[Ricki Bobbi]

Sorry, what has been done on wait times? Oh right, a pilot project on pediatric care while people queue up for several hours in our city's ER's Ricki... do you know how long it takes to get 'minor' surgery on otherwise debilitating injuries?

It's time that the CPC either does something, or allows fully private options.

It's all about priorities... taxing business or fixing health care... hmm... taxing business!!!!

So the project on reducing pediatric wait times is a bad thing? Couldn't it allow for creating of a template for providing a wait times guarantee in other medical specialities?

Do clarify what the debilitating surgeries and minor surgeries are then the time would make sense.

Yeah, fully-private options ....

Nobody in this country favours that. How much work have you put in on creating the Geoffrey party? That would be the only party in the country to encompass your views.

Allowing fully-private options is a sure way to guarantee a Liberal majority.

[geoffrey]

So the project on reducing pediatric wait times is a bad thing? Couldn't it allow for creating of a template for providing a wait times guarantee in other medical specialities?

In how long? People have been running studies and pilot projects for decades with zero actually happening. It's time for results, today.

Do clarify what the debilitating surgeries and minor surgeries are then the time would make sense.

Yeah, fully-private options ....

Nobody in this country favours that. How much work have you put in on creating the Geoffrey party? That would be the only party in the country to encompass your views.

Allowing fully-private options is a sure way to guarantee a Liberal majority.

The Geoffrey party is working hard to discredit those that seek power at the cost of becoming another Liberal Party. Everyday I see less and less contrasting the LPC and CPC. Again, I don't care what the name of the party is in power, it's irrelevant compared to what they deliver, to me.

You don't need to privatise the whole system, but if all parties refuse to do a damn thing in real terms, it's time to give me the choice to tell them to shove it and buy my own services.

[Ricki Bobbi]

The Geoffrey party is working hard to discredit those that seek power at the cost of becoming another Liberal Party.

You don't need to privatise the whole system, but if all parties refuse to do a damn thing in real terms, it's time to give me the choice to tell them to shove it and buy my own services.

The irony of these two statements is classic.

Your *working hard* is whining on message boards. You refuse to do the grunt work for any party because it's beneath you. Your whining does nothing in real terms.

Nobody is stopping you from flying to the US and buying whatever health services you want...

[tml12]

So the project on reducing pediatric wait times is a bad thing? Couldn't it allow for creating of a template for providing a wait times guarantee in other medical specialities?

In how long? People have been running studies and pilot projects for decades with zero actually happening. It's time for results, today.

Do clarify what the debilitating surgeries and minor surgeries are then the time would make sense.

Yeah, fully-private options ....

Nobody in this country favours that. How much work have you put in on creating the Geoffrey party? That would be the only party in the country to encompass your views.

Allowing fully-private options is a sure way to guarantee a Liberal majority.

The Geoffrey party is working hard to discredit those that seek power at the cost of becoming another Liberal Party. Everyday I see less and less contrasting the LPC and CPC. Again, I don't care what the name of the party is in power, it's irrelevant compared to what they deliver, to me.

You don't need to privatise the whole system, but if all parties refuse to do a damn thing in real terms, it's time to give me the choice to tell them to shove it and buy my own services.

Of course Harper should not campaign on private care (though I think some of the major parties should begin acknowledging Canada has a flourishing private health care system...remember when it was revealed on this board during the last campaign that both Martin and Laytom used private care while Harper didn't?)

I don't know about you guys in Alberta but here in Quebec we have a serious problem with contagious illnesses in our hospitals, especially here in Montreal. I have friends that say even if the situation is life-threatening they would rather go to Plattsburgh, NY or Burlington, VT (both about 40 minute drives) to go to American hospitals. I know a ton of people who use our very open private health care clinics. After the Chaloulli decision in 2005, Quebec Blue Cross sent all of us private health care bulletins in the mail.

The system has fallen on hard times (for the most part under Liberal watch, no surprising)...it is time to acknowledge Canada's two-tier health care system and stop pretending we can go back to the age of Marxism...the left doesn't bring the poor up, it brings the middle class down.

[geoffrey]

Your *working hard* is whining on message boards. You refuse to do the grunt work for any party because it's beneath you. Your whining does nothing in real terms.

Why bother? I realise the futility in knocking on doors.

Nobody is stopping you from flying to the US and buying whatever health services you want...

My family had to do that for my younger sister when she was refused proper treatment in Canada (the government said it's simply not going to bother with her anymore). What about the millions of families that can't afford that similar care because of the added transportation and addition costs of going to a foreign country?

One-payer systems in a world of private care actually create the largest division between the rich and the poor. Now that I'm on my own, I have access to far less health resources than when I lived at home, where my parents could fly me somewhere for half decent treatment.

So I'm not being irrational, I'm looking for a fair and just system so that Canadian's can get the health care that even the Supreme Court says they should be able to purchase if it's not given to them by an outdated and wasteful system.

[tml12]

Your *working hard* is whining on message boards. You refuse to do the grunt work for any party because it's beneath you. Your whining does nothing in real terms.

Why bother? I realise the futility in knocking on doors.

Nobody is stopping you from flying to the US and buying whatever health services you want...

My family had to do that for my younger sister when she was refused proper treatment in Canada (the government said it's simply not going to bother with her anymore). What about the millions of families that can't afford that similar care because of the added transportation and addition costs of going to a foreign country?

One-payer systems in a world of private care actually create the largest division between the rich and the poor. Now that I'm on my own, I have access to far less health resources than when I lived at home, where my parents could fly me somewhere for half decent treatment.

So I'm not being irrational, I'm looking for a fair and just system so that Canadian's can get the health care that even the Supreme Court says they should be able to purchase if it's not given to them by an outdated and wasteful system.

I have gone to the U.S. for health services before. New York has GREAT health care...I don't know about where you are but I have been very happy with the health care I got there (it was worth every penny I paid for it).

Recently, someone I know had to go to the ER because he was suffering a heart attack. He was misdiagnosed by several nurses (the cardiologist left at 5). A biology student who I know had correctly diagnosed his condition.

The health care system in this country, for a developed nation, is disgraceful.

[geoffrey]

We shouldn't have to fly south for it though tml, I should be able to buy my care in Calgary or Montreal. It makes the system more equally accessible than only having those that can afford to fly south getting better care.

[tml12]

We shouldn't have to fly south for it though tml, I should be able to buy my care in Calgary or Montreal. It makes the system more equally accessible than only having those that can afford to fly south getting better care.

I completely agree...Montreal and Quebec in general have TONS of private health care clinics. I pass the one Paul Martin used to go to many times. Speaking of the Liberals, isn't that how the last Liberal government fell...when Martin refused to agree to an NDP proposal to permanently ban private health care in Canada, even though technically ALL private care is illegal under the revised 1984 Canada Health Act.

By the way, the doctor in the states I happened to know through a connection...I would have gladly illegally paid to have done it here.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Why bother? I realise the futility in knocking on doors.

Futility of knocking on doors? Hmmm, methinks you have never even taken the time to do it once. Door knocking can make a huge difference in close ridings. There have been a number of elections decided by tight margins. The next election could swing on a dozen or so tight ridings. If you ever decide which party you can stomache go help out. There are many more things than door knocking needed to win an election.

What about the millions of families that can't afford that similar care because of the added transportation and addition costs of going to a foreign country?

So you are making an argument for those families who have the money and would be willing to pay for private health care but not the incidental costs of driving to the US and a couple nights in a hotel? Hmmm, methinks there are very, very few people in that position.

One-payer systems in a world of private care actually create the largest division between the rich and the poor. Now that I'm on my own, I have access to far less health resources than when I lived at home, where my parents could fly me somewhere for half decent treatment.

I'm looking for a fair and just system so that Canadian's can get the health care that even the Supreme Court says they should be able to purchase if it's not given to them by an outdated and wasteful system.

That Supreme Court decision is probably why we will see private health care much more accessible in the not too distant future. IIRC the court set aside their ruling for a period of time to allow the Government to catch up. I do forget how long it was for...

[jdobbin]

Sorry, what has been done on wait times? Oh right, a pilot project on pediatric care while people queue up for several hours in our city's ER's Ricki... do you know how long it takes to get 'minor' surgery on otherwise debilitating injuries?

It's time that the CPC either does something, or allows fully private options.

It's all about priorities... taxing business or fixing health care... hmm... taxing business!!!!

I think I specifically referred to a national program rolled out to reduce waiting times in previous posts. So far, I haven't seen that and the Conservatives don't seem to talk about it as a priority very much anymore.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I think I specifically referred to a national program rolled out to reduce waiting times in previous posts. So far, I haven't seen that and the Conservatives don't seem to talk about it as a priority very much anymore.

Why ignore the link?

They talked about it on January 11th. Why ignore the already posted link?

[tml12]

I think I specifically referred to a national program rolled out to reduce waiting times in previous posts. So far, I haven't seen that and the Conservatives don't seem to talk about it as a priority very much anymore.

Why ignore the link?

They talked about it on January 11th. Why ignore the already posted link?

Ricki Bobbi, the left will always ignore the reality that after the USSR collapsed, they and their teleological view of history collapsed and capitalism prevailed.

Don't try and justify reality to them...just feel real sorry for them.