2011 Canadian Election Thread

[Slava]

So now that the CPC supporters have returned, anyone care to comment on the $2.2 Billion headed to Quebec. I'm very interested to hear how that failed to make the budget just a couple of weeks ago and mysteriously comes out during the campaign.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Slava

So now that the CPC supporters have returned, anyone care to comment on the $2.2 Billion headed to Quebec. I'm very interested to hear how that failed to make the budget just a couple of weeks ago and mysteriously comes out during the campaign.

Mysteriously...they are campaigning like Ignatieff and his 8 billion dollars in promises thus far.

But to the point, once they decided to back the hydro development in the maratimes, they had to agree to do so in QC to stay fair to all areas. At least that's how I understand it, and admittedly Im not all that familiar with the whole thing.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Slava

So now that the CPC supporters have returned, anyone care to comment on the $2.2 Billion headed to Quebec. I'm very interested to hear how that failed to make the budget just a couple of weeks ago and mysteriously comes out during the campaign.

I dont really have an issue with it. Of course I'd rather not kick anymore money towards Quebec, but its only fair since Ontario and BC received compensation.

[Ark2]

I've always voted Conservative in the past and that is probably how I will go this time, but I can't say that I am terribly impressed by any party at this point. Politics is no longer about ideas. It is about who can bribe the most voters.

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by transplant99

NEP Part 2?

I have not heard this reported anywhere else as it is in this piece, so maybe a whole lot of nothing.



http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alber.../17861511.html

Atkins is awesome.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I would be fine with a carbon tax depending on execution. What really killed the Liberals and the concept of Carbon taxes is when they decided that Ontario Manufacturing would be exempt under Dion.

The world according to CaptainCrunch is a strange world.

Where was "Ontario Manufacturing" exempt under Dion's plan? Page reference please.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

The world according to CaptainCrunch is a strange world.

Where was "Ontario Manufacturing" exempt under Dion's plan? Page reference please.

Go back and take a look at Dion's discussions around the Carbon tax and his ensurances to Ontario voters that the auto industry would be protected.

And maybe when I get home from work tonight, I'll go back to 2008, if I have time.

[Slava]

I find myself more and more undecided in this campaign. I went through the Liberal platform yesterday and was really not very impressed. I'm not convinced that the corporate taxes actually amount to the figures that they are putting forward, so that strikes me as a problem. Overall I think that they are aiming in the right direction, but in the wrong way.

I saw Jim Flaherty (The Hobbit) on TV last night and realised that I just don't like that guy for some reason...he's just plain smarmy. Anyway, he says that the CPC platform is the budget. Well the budget does nothing for me (not as in it "doesn't give me anything" but as in "it jsut get me excited at all"). Then there is all this business of spending that wasn't in th budget that suddenly comes out during the campaign to buy votes...I can't stand that. Couple that with the scandals (in and out, numerous failures of democracy in general, influence peddling and the list just goes on and on) and I'm really not liking any of the parties.

I'm not voting NDP or Green. I have no idea whats left....I just hope for a Liberal minority and will try to pick something/someone before the election I guess. What a disappointment.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Go back and take a look at Dion's discussions around the Carbon tax and his ensurances to Ontario voters that the auto industry would be protected.

And maybe when I get home from work tonight, I'll go back to 2008, if I have time.

I wouldn't waste your time. Because it's not in there.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I wouldn't waste your time. Because it's not in there.

Actually it was, the green shaft was all about taxing the west and transfering the money east.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm not voting NDP or Green. I have no idea whats left....I just hope for a Liberal minority and will try to pick something/someone before the election I guess. What a disappointment.

The Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada (Trotskyist) will welcome your vote. Yours and my father's.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Slava

Ya, and I understand that. Even so though, its not a 3% difference is well within the wiggle room built into most budgets a year or two out? I see your point, but its not like this is completely out of question either.

Of course companies build in contingencies and multiple cases into their modeling and planning and yes this won't bankrupt any large employers. This is an opportunity cost issue, where less economic activity will occur as a result of this policy than otherwise. Another thing the Liberal's haven't priced out properly is the lost tax revenue from this increased economic activity. The $2 billion assumption comes from 2008 and is stale dated.

Considering that their educational program zaps existing tax credits too and only amounts to $400 some dollars extra per student, I don't think it's worth it when we have a real chance to add to our competativeness in commerce as other countries do not have the budget room to do so.

[burn_this_city]

Jacko is promising to double the CPP payments to seniors. Yikes. I don't mind contributing more to seniors, but doubling seems a bit much.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Jacko is promising to double the CPP payments to seniors. Yikes. I don't mind contributing more to seniors, but doubling seems a bit much.

"I have no chance to win, so I'll promise random crap because I will never have to worry about paying for it. But if I have to worry, evil corporations will pay."

I think that sums the NDP position in any election on any topic.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

I find myself more and more undecided in this campaign. I went through the Liberal platform yesterday and was really not very impressed. I'm not convinced that the corporate taxes actually amount to the figures that they are putting forward, so that strikes me as a problem. Overall I think that they are aiming in the right direction, but in the wrong way.

After looking at the Nanos polls last night, I think you're not the only one thats not buying into the family plan. I think that people are a little cynical about it because it smells like blatent vote buying and the numbers don't balance at all. Strategy wise I think the Liberal's are throwing away their argument that they're the only ones who are capable of balancing the budget if they incorporate these changes. As well there's the fear and the Conservatives are hammering on it, that the business unfriendly sounding policy planks will cost jobs. I think that the Liberal's are sending out the wrong message in the wrong election.

Originally Posted by Slava

I saw Jim Flaherty (The Hobbit) on TV last night and realised that I just don't like that guy for some reason...he's just plain smarmy. Anyway, he says that the CPC platform is the budget. Well the budget does nothing for me (not as in it "doesn't give me anything" but as in "it jsut get me excited at all"). Then there is all this business of spending that wasn't in th budget that suddenly comes out during the campaign to buy votes...I can't stand that. Couple that with the scandals (in and out, numerous failures of democracy in general, influence peddling and the list just goes on and on) and I'm really not liking any of the parties.

Its interesting, but I feel the same way about the Liberal proposals, I'm a single white middle aged male, there's nothing in their platform that resinates for me, so its apparent that I've now officially moved into minority status. In fact the only thing that I like is the equivalent GI bill that gives education to discharged vets, however I don't think its affordable.

I'm jaded because the "scandals" don't resonate with me because I've come to the point that every government is going to do this, and I go back to the equivalency theory that Shawanigate and AdScam were far worse then what we're seeing now.

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm not voting NDP or Green. I have no idea whats left....I just hope for a Liberal minority and will try to pick something/someone before the election I guess. What a disappointment.

My MP has done a good job, and he's always been open to his constituants, so I have no guilt in voting for him.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

The Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada (Trotskyist) will welcome your vote. Yours and my father's.

I've never understood how the Marxist-Lenninist Party can place candidates up for election. Shouldn't they be planning the violent overthrow of the upper class? Isn't voting contrary to their revolutionary spirit. The very fact that their running candidates is a betrayal of their core values, and instead of wasting time making signs they should be robbing banks for funds and plotting racous beer hall meetings.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Slava

I find myself more and more undecided in this campaign. I went through the Liberal platform yesterday and was really not very impressed. I'm not convinced that the corporate taxes actually amount to the figures that they are putting forward, so that strikes me as a problem. Overall I think that they are aiming in the right direction, but in the wrong way.

I saw Jim Flaherty (The Hobbit) on TV last night and realised that I just don't like that guy for some reason...he's just plain smarmy. Anyway, he says that the CPC platform is the budget. Well the budget does nothing for me (not as in it "doesn't give me anything" but as in "it jsut get me excited at all"). Then there is all this business of spending that wasn't in th budget that suddenly comes out during the campaign to buy votes...I can't stand that. Couple that with the scandals (in and out, numerous failures of democracy in general, influence peddling and the list just goes on and on) and I'm really not liking any of the parties.

I'm not voting NDP or Green. I have no idea whats left....I just hope for a Liberal minority and will try to pick something/someone before the election I guess. What a disappointment.

Vote for the MP in your riding that best represents your views so that it takes out all the party outrageous campaign promises.

[Slava]

^ My MP is a blatant liar and spewer of half truths. I would doubt he's actualyl set foot in the riding, let alone done anything to represent us in Ottawa.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I've never understood how the Marxist-Lenninist Party can place candidates up for election. Shouldn't they be planning the violent overthrow of the upper class? Isn't voting contrary to their revolutionary spirit. The very fact that their running candidates is a betrayal of their core values, and instead of wasting time making signs they should be robbing banks for funds and plotting racous beer hall meetings.

A minor contradiction.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Slava

So now that the CPC supporters have returned, anyone care to comment on the $2.2 Billion headed to Quebec. I'm very interested to hear how that failed to make the budget just a couple of weeks ago and mysteriously comes out during the campaign.

It failed to make the budget because they haven't come to a final conclusion yet and so couldn't table it as an actual budget figure. That being said, it's certainly no surprise that this is going to be spent as the Conservatives have been negotiation with the Quebec Government for months over settling this issue. The election promise to finalize an agreement is really not much changed from before, and when dealing with a province that is used to being bribed and likely a bit steamed that the Cons are allowing the transocean power line to be develeoped, it is really quite predictable they might bend a but on the PST negotiation.

Jack Mintz was in the paper over the weekend just destorying the Liberal Parties awful corporate tax projections and basically confirming that Ignatieffs spending promises will plunge us even further into debt. Not that the Conservatives' won't but their promises are considerably less that the Libs, and that doesn't count any extra spending that would be created through the bloc propping up a Liberal/Coalition government.

I think most Canadians are realizing that prudent fiscal management, including limiting increased spending on programs, and even looking towards program cuts, while trying to grow the economy and job market is still the number one issue of the day. And thats likely why the Conservative lead continues to grow in the polls.