2011 Canadian Election Thread - Page 39 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

CaptainCrunch · 04-01-2011, 10:00 AM

Todays wind up

Layton promises increases to health care totaling $165 million. Though I am starting to believe that the problem with Health Care is how the budget is being spent and not how much money is being spent based around Canada ranking 3rd in the world in per capita health care spending.

http://www.canada.com/news/decision-...683/story.html

Harper hits Atlantic Canada, in his speech this morning he re-iterated budget promises, and extended things like Income supplementing through EI, Student Loan reforms especially for part time working students etc.

http://www.canada.com/news/decision-...142/story.html

Ignatieff re announces his family care plan, which is worth a billion dollars and includes 6 months worth of EI for people who want to take time off to care for family members ad family care benefits for low and middle income families.

If I go by calculations based on the student passport, half a billion to a billion on the day care program, a billion dollars today on EI reform, he's well over 2 billion in promises and I know I'm forgetting one.

http://www.canada.com/news/decision-...686/story.html

The Captains terrible analysis.

The Conservatives are running on their budget, its certainly not sexy, but if the strategy works they're hoping that the average Canadian will wonder why the budget wasn't passed. The Conservatives are now able to somewhat effectively counter the whole Liberal argument of out of control spending to an extent.

I'm not a big fan of the Liberal spending promises, but they're catering to the family voters which should be successful. It doesn't shift my vote as these programs don't effect me, and the grandious spending promises are just that. But Ignatieff is doing better on the campaign trail then I thought he would, but his biggest hurdle is goint to be the head to head debates.

Layton has run a really lack luster campaign so far, and his campaign promises especially the credit card reform in my mind are typical NDP, he's bleeding seats to the Liberals, while the Conservative support isn't being dwindled. I would expect that the NDP will be relegated further back towards the rear walls of the chamber unless Layton kicks it into gear and at least in Eastern Canada tries to go after Liberal seats. I also don't think that Layton is helping his voter base in Western Canada with his attacks on the energy sector.

Elizabeth May is launching legal action to be included in the debate, chances are she'll once again be included so that we can hear her rudely yelling "He just doesn't get it" everytime Harper opens his mouth to speak.

I haven't been following the Bloc campaign all that much.

burn_this_city · 04-01-2011, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

How come the last article of this great political site is from October 2010?

I guess nothing happened in politics since then?

No idea, not my blog, perhaps one of the best economists in the country has better things to do..

CaptainCrunch · 04-01-2011, 10:03 AM

Slava (I think) the problem with Quebecs daycare program is its realilstically something that the province of Quebec can't afford without heavy assistance from other provinces.

Its easy to make a model program when your getting money from your rich uncle.

Fire · 04-01-2011, 10:08 AM

Ignatieff complains that the Conservatives are misleading Canadians on the cost of jets and then says it will only cost 1 billion to implement a national day care program.

Bertuzzied · 04-01-2011, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire

Ignatieff complains that the Conservatives are misleading Canadians on the cost of jets and then says it will only cost 1 billion to implement a national day care program.

Most people would rather have a day care than a jet.

Hockeyguy15 · 04-01-2011, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

No idea, not my blog, perhaps one of the best economists in the country has better things to do..

Anyone can take 1 article to prove their point. It's all about collecting a bunch of data and forming your own opinion.

http://www.thestar.com/business/rece...h-resurgent-g7

The worst thing about politics is that people can't objectively look at all sides because they are too narrow minded. It's always those stupid Ontario Liberals or those western hick Conservatives....

What makes me sick is the people who always vote the same because that's the 'right' way, or they harbour hate for PAST problems with the party. Guess what? Party members and leaders change, policies change...Stop voting the same party over and over just because your mom and dad did and you have grown up voting that way...People need to stop being lazy to do some research so they can make an educated decision for the party they think is best for the COUNTRY.

/rant....And that wasn't directed at you burn this city, so please don't think it was.

Fire · 04-01-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Most people would rather have a day care than a jet.

I wouldn't. The military is one of the things the government has to spend on in order to protect it's citizens. The government doesn't have to provide a national day care program. The private sector can do that, and do it much better and more efficiently.

Stranger · 04-01-2011, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Most people would rather have a day care than a jet.

Families have daycares now. We just don't need a program to pay for it.

Even the other parties support getting new jets. The country needs them. It is just the way the bidding was done that is the concern. If the Libs get in we'll still be paying for new jets and billions a year on a daycare plan we don't need.

Hockeyguy15 · 04-01-2011, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire

I wouldn't. The military is one of the things the government has to spend on in order to protect it's citizens. The government doesn't have to provide a national day care program. The private sector can do that, and do it much better and more efficiently.

Agreed. At some point we need to spend on military, look at those horribly old helicopters we have.

What bugs me about this whole day care thing is this. If you have a kid, make some sacrifices so you can bring them up the way you want, either stay at home and raise them or pay for daycare. It shouldn't have to be solely up to the tax payer to provide this service to you for free.

And to all the bleeding hearts that say 'what about the people who can't afford to have someone stay at home or pay for daycare?' I say this....Stop having kids if you can afford to provide for them!!

Slava · 04-01-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire

In Quebec it costs parents $7 dollars a day, which is great for the parents that used it. In reality it costs about $15000 per child/ per year for the government to run this program. No wonder the government has $160 Billion in debt to pay off and insane taxes.

This type of thing kills me because I prefer less government involvement in my life, not more. I rather they lower taxes and let me decide what to do with the money. The conservatives are not perfect in this regard, not even close, but they are the best of the bunch right now.

Right, but the system doesn't have to be set-up exactly as it is in Quebec. Secondly thats great for you; don't take advantage of the program then!

Investing money in our kids is the best thing that society can do. I agree that the debt should be paid down and reduced, but that's just a red herring here. Its not an either or. Harper is using that same money and giving corporate tax breaks...not paying down the debt with it either!

Stranger · 04-01-2011, 10:40 AM

Government Daycare isn't investing in our kids though. Providing money to schools and universities is a more effective way.

Fire · 04-01-2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

Right, but the system doesn't have to be set-up exactly as it is in Quebec. Secondly thats great for you; don't take advantage of the program then!

Investing money in our kids is the best thing that society can do. I agree that the debt should be paid down and reduced, but that's just a red herring here. Its not an either or. Harper is using that same money and giving corporate tax breaks...not paying down the debt with it either!

We can invest in our kids by giving tax breaks to people with kids instead of creating a bloated government programs to do it. Sure we don't have to follow the Quebec model, I was just using that as an example, but it would still cost a lot more than 1 billion a year.

As for the Harper, I would like to see him slash spending big time and pay down the debt as well, but if we had the Liberals and NDP in charge during this recession, the deficit would have been a lot larger IMO.

Reggie Dunlop · 04-01-2011, 10:49 AM

In a way, building more prisons and funding daycare programs kinda go hand-in-hand.

Slava · 04-01-2011, 02:50 PM

CPC to give $2 Billion to Quebec for HST compensation: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1967422/

Let me help some of you guys out...."we can't possibly afford this"... "we should be working on the deficit/debt"..."I want a government that is careful with our money"

Let me know if I'm missing anything and I'll try to add that to the list!

Bertuzzied · 04-01-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

CPC to give $2 Billion to Quebec for HST compensation: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1967422/

Let me help some of you guys out...."we can't possibly afford this"... "we should be working on the deficit/debt"..."I want a government that is careful with our money"

Let me know if I'm missing anything and I'll try to add that to the list!

It's a SHELL game!!!!!! game over man. game over.

Slava · 04-01-2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire

We can invest in our kids by giving tax breaks to people with kids instead of creating a bloated government programs to do it. Sure we don't have to follow the Quebec model, I was just using that as an example, but it would still cost a lot more than 1 billion a year.

As for the Harper, I would like to see him slash spending big time and pay down the debt as well, but if we had the Liberals and NDP in charge during this recession, the deficit would have been a lot larger IMO.

Right and if we had only Harper (majority) we'd have had no stimulus spending and there would be far reaching consequences because of it.

Slava · 04-01-2011, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

It's a SHELL game!!!!!! game over man. game over.

I can't believe I forgot that one! I actually can't wait to see the response on this one. I think there is a good reason this one came out Friday afternoon....

Parallex · 04-01-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

CPC to give $2 Billion to Quebec for HST compensation: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1967422/

Probably good politics (nothing says "Vote For Me" better then a fat cheque in the mail)... I'd like to hear how he intends to pay for this. At least with the Grit and Dipper promises we know where the money is going to be coming from.

crazy_eoj · 04-01-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

CPC to give $2 Billion to Quebec for HST compensation: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1967422/

Let me help some of you guys out...."we can't possibly afford this"... "we should be working on the deficit/debt"..."I want a government that is careful with our money"

Let me know if I'm missing anything and I'll try to add that to the list!

Yup this ones brutal and wish they would hold to their guns a little bit. Or better yet claw back equalization tenfold.

Again, this represents only a fraction of what the coalition will spend if they form government with the bloc holding ransom over every decision.

Slava · 04-01-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stranger

Government Daycare isn't investing in our kids though. Providing money to schools and universities is a more effective way.

In an ideal world I'd prefer the elimination of the RESP program, and all of the funding that is similar so that all of the funds went straight to post-secondary institutions. Ideally for Canadian citizens post-secondary education would all be free....but there I go again, sounding like a communist!