Veteran Tory MP Might Vote Against

[jdobbin]

No, the Federal government won't lose. They'll just honour the line by line accord and take all the extra money on top of it back.

How these people think they can win out of fighting this fight is beyond me. I really don't get it. If someone gives you extra stuff, maybe not exactly honouring your contract but you take home more money and benefits... you don't bitch about it and demand your original outcomes as well!

I think that Memorial University professor's report on the budget deal versus the Accord pretty much settled how the Martimes thinks they did with Harper. They didn't come up with more money.

That report is cited somewhere in this forum and has been discussed at length.

[Argus]

No, the Federal government won't lose. They'll just honour the line by line accord and take all the extra money on top of it back.

How these people think they can win out of fighting this fight is beyond me. I really don't get it. If someone gives you extra stuff, maybe not exactly honouring your contract but you take home more money and benefits... you don't bitch about it and demand your original outcomes as well!

I think that Memorial University professor's report on the budget deal versus the Accord pretty much settled how the Martimes thinks they did with Harper. They didn't come up with more money.

That report is cited somewhere in this forum and has been discussed at length.

The budget does not alter the Acrod at all. The budget presents a new, richer equalization formula, however, which the Atlantic provinces can choose to deal themselves in on - or not. If they don't, they continue as is with the Atlantic Accord. If they opt in then there are limits.

Danny Williams wants all resource industries, not just oil and gas, to be exempted forever. I think that's ludicrous. Are Ontario's mines and forestry companies exempted?

[Michael Bluth]

The budget does not alter the Acrod at all. The budget presents a new, richer equalization formula, however, which the Atlantic provinces can choose to deal themselves in on - or not. If they don't, they continue as is with the Atlantic Accord. If they opt in then there are limits.

Danny Williams wants all resource industries, not just oil and gas, to be exempted forever. I think that's ludicrous. Are Ontario's mines and forestry companies exempted?

That's the key right there.

The Atlantic Accords are still in place.

Bill Casey really got lead down the garden path on this one.

[jdobbin]

The budget does not alter the Acrod at all. The budget presents a new, richer equalization formula, however, which the Atlantic provinces can choose to deal themselves in on - or not. If they don't, they continue as is with the Atlantic Accord. If they opt in then there are limits.

Danny Williams wants all resource industries, not just oil and gas, to be exempted forever. I think that's ludicrous. Are Ontario's mines and forestry companies exempted?

You have just indicated a change right there. Harper in the election said that there would be no caps to equalization.

[Argus]

The budget does not alter the Acrod at all. The budget presents a new, richer equalization formula, however, which the Atlantic provinces can choose to deal themselves in on - or not. If they don't, they continue as is with the Atlantic Accord. If they opt in then there are limits.

Danny Williams wants all resource industries, not just oil and gas, to be exempted forever. I think that's ludicrous. Are Ontario's mines and forestry companies exempted?

You have just indicated a change right there. Harper in the election said that there would be no caps to equalization.

Pay attention. The Atlantic Accord was not part of an election promise - at least not lat year, other than that the Tories would respect the Atlantic Accord. And they have done so. The budget makes no changes to the Atlantic Accord as is. The only changes would come if the Atlantic provinces choose to opt into the new equalization system.

Quite aside from the Accord there was a promise to renegotiate the equalization formula with the provinces to deal with caps and resources. That proved futile as the provinces could not agree on a new formula. So rather than imposing a new formula on provinces which don't like it the Tories have goven the provinces options. I don't see that as a broken promise.

[jdobbin]

I don't see that as a broken promise.

Yet two Tory governments do see it as a broken promise. Harper will have to explain how it wasn't because it is just not resonating.

[Michael Bluth]

Pay attention. The Atlantic Accord was not part of an election promise - at least not lat year, other than that the Tories would respect the Atlantic Accord. And they have done so.

That is the key.

This entire situation is a good indictor of Harper's strength as Prime Minister.

Whenever Martin got pushed he'd bend over to avoid a fight.

Harper is standing up to the Atlantic provinces. There might be some small changes, but nothing substantial.

Does anybody really want to force an election over this?

[runningdog]

I hope that this is the beginning of the end for this disgusting government. It can't come too soon.

[scribblet]

Pay attention. The Atlantic Accord was not part of an election promise - at least not lat year, other than that the Tories would respect the Atlantic Accord. And they have done so.

That is the key.

This entire situation is a good indictor of Harper's strength as Prime Minister.

Whenever Martin got pushed he'd bend over to avoid a fight.

Harper is standing up to the Atlantic provinces. There might be some small changes, but nothing substantial.

Does anybody really want to force an election over this?

It will pass because the bloc is supporting it. I don't actually get it when the Atlantic prov. are getting a better deal, 95 million more than under the Atlantic accords.

What if Ontario suddenly struck oil and demanded that they too keep all the revenue, how would the east feel about that - everyone is all for equalization until they have to start shelling out or losing some to another have-not province.

[Michael Bluth]

I hope that this is the beginning of the end for this disgusting government. It can't come too soon.

Hey runningdog how do you really feel?

You're post is a little vague.

[scribblet]

Does Alberta have as sweet a deal as the Maritimes?

[normanchateau]

It will pass because the bloc is supporting it.

Of course the Bloc is supporting it. In the 2007 budget, Harper promised 4.8 billion dollars to Quebec which allowed Charest to deliver a tax cut. Who's paying for this extraordinary handout to Quebec? In part, British Columbians:

http://billtieleman.blogspot.com/2007/03/b...ote-buying.html

[Argus]

I don't see that as a broken promise.

Yet two Tory governments do see it as a broken promise. Harper will have to explain how it wasn't because it is just not resonating.

Perhaps you can tell me how Harper is violating the Atlantic Accord.

Go ahead. I'm all ears.

[Michael Bluth]

Yet two Tory governments do see it as a broken promise. Harper will have to explain how it wasn't because it is just not resonating.

Perhaps you can tell me how Harper is violating the Atlantic Accord.

Go ahead. I'm all ears.

It isn't.

The provinces have the ability to stay within the Atlantic Accord or choose another option.

[geoffrey]

Does Alberta have as sweet a deal as the Maritimes?

You mean do we get to intentionally build policies to destroy our economy then rely on the rest of the country to fullfil our socialist dreams??

Nahhh.

[jdobbin]

Perhaps you can tell me how Harper is violating the Atlantic Accord.

Go ahead. I'm all ears.

The equalization program that caps payments is going to cost Nova Scotia $1 billion according to several sources including economist Wade Locke in Newfoundland.

http://winnipegsun.com/Comment/Editorial/2...253710-sun.html

The budget doesn't affect the accords, they say, because it offers a choice: keep the original agreement or choose an enriched equalization formula. But that, says Nova Scotia, will cost it as much as $1 billion.

Complex agreements regarding clawbacks, resources and equalization payments being what they are, we may never be able to sift through the rhetoric and know the reality. But the federal Conservatives appear to be losing the battle on the streets in Atlantic Canada, where the party's popularity is dropping.

By all means though, continue to attack people in the Martimes as whiny, snivelling complainers who aren't fit to eat at the table of Confederation because it warms my heart every time the Tories do this.

[jdobbin]

I hope that this is the beginning of the end for this disgusting government. It can't come too soon.

According to the polls, the Liberals are now ahead and the remaining two Tory MPs in Nova Scotia are in trouble.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...12?hub=Politics

- Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, Nova Scotia's embattled representative in the cabinet, has kept a low profile since the province's Conservative premier and one of its Tory MPs started denouncing the federal budget as an abject betrayal.

But in his riding of Central Nova, local residents had plenty to say Tuesday about their MP and his chances for re-election.

"I voted for Peter MacKay, but I would have a hard time voting for him anymore,'' said Linda MacDonald of Westville as she sat in a local coffee shop.

"I have watched him on many issues turn about face.... That's a real issue with me right now.''

Her friend, George MacDonald, said he was impressed by the stand taken by maverick MP Bill Casey, who was thrown out of the Conservative caucus last week for voting against a budget implementation bill.

I'm sure when the Tories go down to defeat, some of the right wing here will say how this is a failure of confederation and say that the west should separate.

[Argus]

Perhaps you can tell me how Harper is violating the Atlantic Accord.

Go ahead. I'm all ears.

The equalization program that caps payments is going to cost Nova Scotia $1 billion according to several sources including economist Wade Locke in Newfoundland.

http://winnipegsun.com/Comment/Editorial/2...253710-sun.html

The budget doesn't affect the accords, they say, because it offers a choice: keep the original agreement or choose an enriched equalization formula. But that, says Nova Scotia, will cost it as much as $1 billion.

Yeah, yeah, and Quebecers will tell you that they're being ripped off by the feds even though they get over $7 billion per year in equalization. You can always play games with figures if you want to. The gullible will believe what they want.

Complex agreements regarding clawbacks, resources and equalization payments being what they are, we may never be able to sift through the rhetoric and know the reality. But the federal Conservatives appear to be losing the battle on the streets in Atlantic Canada, where the party's popularity is dropping.

Because none of those people know anything about the accord or the budget and are just listening to whiny, self-righteous local politicians who are claiming they're being ripped off by those evil Ottawa folks again.

By all means though, continue to attack people in the Martimes as whiny, snivelling complainers who aren't fit to eat at the table of Confederation because it warms my heart every time the Tories do this.

No doubt the Liberals will do what they always do to get votes from the maritimes - bribe them.

That shows how much you love them, of course.

[Argus]

I'm sure when the Tories go down to defeat, some of the right wing here will say how this is a failure of confederation and say that the west should separate.

I think the whole of Canada west of the Ontario Quebec border should seperate. Think how rich we'd be, and how much peace we'd have without Quebec and the Maritimes.

[Michael Bluth]

No doubt the Liberals will do what they always do to get votes from the maritimes - bribe them.

That shows how much you love them, of course.

Today's:

Globe and Mail;

National Post;

Toronto Star

Have all come out supporting the Prime Minister on this one.

Tread very lightly Liberals. Do you really want to piss off the GTA over this issue?

[Argus]

No doubt the Liberals will do what they always do to get votes from the maritimes - bribe them.

That shows how much you love them, of course.

Today's:

Globe and Mail;

National Post;

Toronto Star

Have all come out supporting the Prime Minister on this one.

Tread very lightly Liberals. Do you really want to piss off the GTA over this issue?

I want to hear Jack Layton come next election explaining to the peopel of his riding that they don't give enough money to the Atlantic provinces, and that he's in favour of them giving even more.

[Michael Bluth]

I think the whole of Canada west of the Ontario Quebec border should seperate. Think how rich we'd be, and how much peace we'd have without Quebec and the Maritimes.

Naw, we need the martimes.

Where else are we going to get our rig workers from?

[geoffrey]

I think the whole of Canada west of the Ontario Quebec border should seperate. Think how rich we'd be, and how much peace we'd have without Quebec and the Maritimes.

I'm in. As long as Ontario remains prosperous, if manufacturing goes down anymore, they get the boot too.

Where else are we going to get our rig workers from?

They can immigrate. It's the best of both worlds. Cheap Maritime labour without funding any of the welfare.