Canadian Federal Politics Thread v5

[chemgear]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/can...gets-1.7015304

After increasing its immigration targets several times in recent years, the federal government announced Wednesday it's aiming to maintain its target of welcoming 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026.

Canada's population grew by a record 1 million people in 2022. The population also surpassed the 40 million mark earlier this year.

That population growth is coming at a time when the country is also facing a housing shortage. Almost 5.8 million new units will have to be built by the end of the decade in order to fix the housing supply, said a report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released in September.

But Phil Triadafilopoulos, a political science professor who specializes in immigration at the University of Toronto, said high levels of immigration will still put pressure on the housing market.

"I don't know whether pausing at a historically high level of immigration is really going to do much to ease affordability issues around housing," he told CBC News. "Those pressures are going to persist, I think."

Jenny Kwan, the NDP's immigration critic, said the Liberals' plan lacks transparency.

'While the government's immigration levels plan document talks about ensuring newcomers can successfully resettle in Canada, there are no plans attached to make that happen. Once again, it's all talk and not action," she said in a media statement.

[calgarygeologist]

Trevor Tombe: The carbon tax is dead
The same government that introduced the policy delivered the potentially fatal blow

https://thehub.ca/2023-10-31/trevor-...n-tax-is-dead/

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Trevor Tombe: The carbon tax is dead
The same government that introduced the policy delivered the potentially fatal blow

https://thehub.ca/2023-10-31/trevor-...n-tax-is-dead/

Even the temporary “three year” pause for heating oil is likely permanent.When the federal government started to levy the carbon tax in Atlantic Canada on July 1, it involved a sharp increase from $0 to $65 per tonne on heating oil. That was a sudden shock that will only grow larger since, in three years, the tax (if it still exists) will be $110 per tonne. If immediately moving to $65 per tonne was too much, how will $110 be easier?

They really didn't think this through.

[CaptainCrunch]

Investigation launched into the Green Fund after allegations of it giving out free money.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1719825359686828213


With the Arrive Can App stuff and this and other open files maybe the Liberals want to delay an election as soon as possible so they can shred all the paper work.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

I just can't imagine being that angry and easily frustrated/annoyed/outraged all the time. Seems exhausting and sad.

Safe to say the people who are that wound up about politics are not happy campers to begin with. If it wasn’t politics giving them vein-bursting rage on a daily basis, it would be something else.

[Azure]

The Liberals being corrupt? Say it isn't so.

Everyday we learn something more about this disaster of a party and their terrible policies and leader.

What will we learn of today I wonder?

At this point if a single person votes for them they need to give their head a shake. Vote for the NDP if you can't stand the PCs. At least the NDP isn't corrupt.

[Firebot]

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/poli...l%20leadership.

Carney basically alluding he isn't ruling out running as he starts being more visible publicly...which basically means he will be running. And with him publicly questioning the carbon tax exemption, he has taken a side on the debate contrary to Trudeau.

"Many Canadians are struggling. They're struggling not because of the carbon tax, which gets rebated, they're struggling because of broad increases in energy prices and food prices, the impact on wages ... the lingering effects of COVID as well," Carney said during a question-and-answer session after delivering remarks at Tuesday's conference.

"I would have looked for other ways to provide that support than the route chosen, not least because what is important is that clarity in terms of the overall plan, the overall direction. Because that certainty helps to incentivize change, so you can provide support here, but keep this certainty there."

Poilievre meanwhile, is seeing the opportunity to have Liberal and NDP MPs take a stance on home heating

The motion being voted on this morning is the following:

That, given that the government has announced a “temporary, three-year pause” to the federal carbon tax on home heating oil, the House call on the government to extend that pause to all forms of home heating.


It should be quite interesting to see how Liberal and NDP MPs vote, and how said Liberal and NDP MPs in provinces like Ontario and BC can face their constituents if they vote against the motion.

I fully expect the Liberal-NDP coalition to vote down the motion, the parliament live connection is quite spotty today

Such a self-made colossal debacle.

[Azure]

They're not struggling because of the carbon tax.
They are struggling because of the increase in energy and food prices.
What is a reason energy and food prices have increased?
The carbon tax.
Lets try this again Mark.
Why are families struggling?

The Liberals creating an exemption for home heating oil basically proves that even if they supposedly get a rebate, the carbon tax is still an issue for families who are struggling. Otherwise, why exempt it to begin with.

Looks like Mark has bought into the delusion as well.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Azure

They're not struggling because of the carbon tax.
They are struggling because of the increase in energy and food prices.
What is a reason energy and food prices have increased?
The carbon tax.
Lets try this again Mark.
Why are families struggling?

The Liberals creating an exemption for home heating oil basically proves that even if they supposedly get a rebate, the carbon tax is still an issue for families who are struggling. Otherwise, why exempt it to begin with.

Looks like Mark has bought into the delusion as well.

It doesn’t prove that at all. But it definitely reminds us that perception matters. And that’s a big part of politics.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Azure

The Liberals creating an exemption for home heating oil basically proves that even if they supposedly get a rebate, the carbon tax is still an issue for families who are struggling. Otherwise, why exempt it to begin with.

Because if the cost of something increases by 30 per cent, and 25 per cent of that is the market and 5 per cent is a tax, people will loose their minds over the 5 per cent part because of the word ‘tax.’

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Firebot

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/poli...l%20leadership.

Carney basically alluding he isn't ruling out running as he starts being more visible publicly...which basically means he will be running. And with him publicly questioning the carbon tax exemption, he has taken a side on the debate contrary to Trudeau.



Poilievre meanwhile, is seeing the opportunity to have Liberal and NDP MPs take a stance on home heating

The motion being voted on this morning is the following:

That, given that the government has announced a “temporary, three-year pause” to the federal carbon tax on home heating oil, the House call on the government to extend that pause to all forms of home heating.


It should be quite interesting to see how Liberal and NDP MPs vote, and how said Liberal and NDP MPs in provinces like Ontario and BC can face their constituents if they vote against the motion.

I fully expect the Liberal-NDP coalition to vote down the motion, the parliament live connection is quite spotty today

Such a self-made colossal debacle.

CPAC has already indicated that the NDP is voting against the motion. The NDP has somewhat neutered themselves with this supply and confidence deal.


You can't on one hand cry about how bad Justin is and in the pockets of big business, and on the other hand blindly support him in committees and in votes.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Because if the cost of something increases by 30 per cent, and 25 per cent of that is the market and 5 per cent is a tax, people will loose their minds over the 5 per cent part because of the word ‘tax.’

Shouldn't the government be standing strong on it's initial position and implementation of the tax if that is the case? They should tell the people complaining that their issue is market related and not taxes and as such they need to suck it up and deal with it.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Azure

The Liberals being corrupt? Say it isn't so.

Everyday we learn something more about this disaster of a party and their terrible policies and leader.

What will we learn of today I wonder?

At this point if a single person votes for them they need to give their head a shake. Vote for the NDP if you can't stand the PCs. At least the NDP isn't corrupt.

I don't know if this is new but it is the first time I am hearing about it:

The Public Health Agency of Canada is refusing to disclose any information on how it lost $150 million in taxpayers’ money for an unfulfilled contract with an undisclosed vendor last year.

Who was the contract with? What was it for? And why did it go unfulfilled, leading to a loss of $150 million? Those are all questions the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has repeatedly refused to answer.

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada...n-wont-say-why

[BlackArcher101]

Man it must be nice to have good contacts in any government these days.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

CPAC has already indicated that the NDP is voting against the motion. The NDP has somewhat neutered themselves with this supply and confidence deal.


You can't on one hand cry about how bad Justin is and in the pockets of big business, and on the other hand blindly support him in committees and in votes.

That's the problem with a coalition deal with a party desperate to keep regional seats, and ideology meeting up with harsh reality of economics. The NDP is forced to pick in a lose lose situation.

The NDP obviously wants a carbon tax and keep the word on all fossil fuels (as they wish eliminate them in from use in totality).

This exemption seems to have caught the NDP completely flat footed. And Singh and the NDP is looking to dodge addressing the whole fiasco by choosing to oppose the motion, instead wanting to remove GST on all home heating.

https://globalnews.ca/video/10060985...-gas-companies.

https://www.ndp.ca/news/new-democrat...s-rising-bills

It's not going to work though. The GST is a flat 5%, while noble in their attempt to avoid the issue (and certainly I personally would not object to being taxed less), isn't nearly as noticeable or as impactful as the carbon tax which is slated to increase every year and nearly triple by 2030. Natural gas's carbon tax is currently priced at $3.327 per GJ. Floating rate is 2.85 per GJ for November, the carbon tax is actually higher than the energy charge. The carbon tax rebate also needs to be considered of course within this calculation, but the optics as you view the heating bill skyrocket in the winter is what the average person will generally see and react to.

The call to remove GST off home heating in full by the NDP is not new, they did so later year at this time.

But removing the GST still doesn't address the carbon tax regional-influenced exemption that caused this whole debacle. Atlantic provinces get both the GST rebate and the carbon tax pause on home heating oil. And they also get the carbon tax rebate. And they also get free heat pumps. All while producing more carbon emissions which the carbon tax specifically targets.

NDP will need to do better and make a legitimate choice or they may feel impacts regionally.

[Monahammer]

I think Carney would absolutely dummy Pollievre in an election. Depends on if the libs can clean house and image enough between now and 2025.

Carney is everything Pollievre pretends to be. He was born in rural canada, raised in Alberta, obviously an undisputed global expert on economics, and has long been recognized as one of the primary architects of Canada's survival during the 08 financial crisis. Also, he doesn't sound like a petulant child when he speaks.

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Shouldn't the government be standing strong on it's initial position and implementation of the tax if that is the case? They should tell the people complaining that their issue is market related and not taxes and as such they need to suck it up and deal with it.

Probably, but when you combine a desperate government with most of the populace apparently having little idea of what goes into the cost of their energy, you get this result.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Shouldn't the government be standing strong on it's initial position and implementation of the tax if that is the case? They should tell the people complaining that their issue is market related and not taxes and as such they need to suck it up and deal with it.

Oh, they absolutely should. But this is the Liberals we’re talking about. And the Maritimes, where government patronage and relaxation of federal standards on things like UI are a way of life. The Liberals carving out an exemption for the Maritimes in order to buy votes is the most Canadian politics thing ever.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I think Carney would absolutely dummy Pollievre in an election. Depends on if the libs can clean house and image enough between now and 2025.

Carney is everything Pollievre pretends to be. He was born in rural canada, raised in Alberta, obviously an undisputed global expert on economics, and has long been recognized as one of the primary architects of Canada's survival during the 08 financial crisis. Also, he doesn't sound like a petulant child when he speaks.

I honestly don't think it will be that easy. Even if Mark skydives in at the last moment for an election, As much as people are upset and sick of Trudeau, they're upset and sick of the Liberals.

Unless Mark convinces Justin to jump out a window on Monday and jumps in with a Flame thrower and dumps most of the cabinet out and opens up the books on Arrive Can and SNC Lavelin, and all of that stuff, he comes across with a lot of the same speaking points as the current Liberals.

It will be interesting.

I think for Carney, the smart thing is for him to wait until after the election, which would get rid of most of the worst of the Liberal Flock and sky dive in as the savior to the Liberal Party who's going to move them back to the no nonsense Liberals of the Past, but he has time to reform the party, air the dirty laundry and attack a PP government and build his narrative.

Also in a surprise move, Susan Delacourt has posted that the NDP are going to support the Conservative motion.

I'm kinda shocked at that, I'm sure the Liberals are shocked at that as they probably expected the NDP to take the heat for voting with them.

[Firebot]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I think Carney would absolutely dummy Pollievre in an election. Depends on if the libs can clean house and image enough between now and 2025.

Carney is everything Pollievre pretends to be. He was born in rural canada, raised in Alberta, obviously an undisputed global expert on economics, and has long been recognized as one of the primary architects of Canada's survival during the 08 financial crisis. Also, he doesn't sound like a petulant child when he speaks.

2025 is a lame duck election for the Liberals. If Carney ever hopes to become a PM, he would steer far away from 2025. Carney makes Trudeau look soft on climate change which is a hot topic right now and not in a good way. He was leading the charge on zero-emission financial group cartel

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...s-mark-carney/

https://www.theguardian.com/global-d...-finance-group

I think Freeland will become the next leader by proxy, she's been preferred as leader for some time and the Liberal old faithful may decide to save their bigger bullet in the election that follow (where they can be on the offensive versus on the defense).

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/poli...l-leader-poll/