Canadian Federal Politics Thread v5

[Harry Lime]

As for the CERB payments that people didn't qualify for, a lot of it stems from people who applied for EI after covid hit. They were funneled into CERB to streamline the overloaded system, and not given the choice to just be on EI, which they did qualify for. They are now being dinged for a mandatory payback of the CERB funds into the system.

It's not all fraud by unscrupulous people, most of the money being clawed back is because of a forced inclusion into CERB by the federal government. I've heard a few stories from angry people, and they are all generally the same.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

As for the CERB payments that people didn't qualify for, a lot of it stems from people who applied for EI after covid hit. They were funneled into CERB to streamline the overloaded system, and not given the choice to just be on EI, which they did qualify for. They are now being dinged for a mandatory payback of the CERB funds into the system.

It's not all fraud by unscrupulous people, most of the money being clawed back is because of a forced inclusion into CERB by the federal government. I've heard a few stories from angry people, and they are all generally the same.

There is also a very high degree of Government incompetence coupled with a very, very high degree of civilian incompetence.

I had a client who complained that he had to repay his CERB benefits.

His coffee buddies told him to apply for 'free money.'

He is collecting a pension from AGT. Thats how long he's been retired.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Uh oh, port strike back on.

That is decidedly suboptimal

[Monahammer]

This port strike is going to really #### up some things for Alberta right away.

I am split on my support for the striking workers. Personally I think everyone deserves a base raise above what ridiculous inflation we've had to endure over the last few years. And fighting to maintain a good labor relations balance is worthwhile. But demanding limits to automation? I don't support and can't support that.

[Tron_fdc]

The strike is royally f-ing us, so if it continues we are likely looking at some pretty hefty financial losses. We rely completely on container traffic full of raw materials to operate, so any delays trickle down to our customers. Majority of which are oilsands operators, so this nonsense will affect their maintenance schedules. People I talk to at site are already getting pretty mad about it.

There's also a reason they are against port automation. Long term they would run safer, more efficiently and cheaper so yeah, I can see why ILWU doesn't want it. Machines don't go on strike when they want a raise.

[opendoor]

I mean, it's the BC longshore union; they're probably just choked that machines won't bribe them with tens of thousands of dollars to get in to the union like humans do, lol.

[BlackArcher101]

My massive inventory order is stuck in the port, we have already run out of stuff on the shelf and losing orders. I don't blame the government for it, but I do want them to issue a return to work order ASAP, because we are bleeding money now.

[Ashartus]

Strike temporarily at least back off due to not providing the required 72 hour notice. I imagine it will be back on in 3 days though. Apparently union leadership didn't even take the mediator's recommendation to the members.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

The strike is royally f-ing us, so if it continues we are likely looking at some pretty hefty financial losses. We rely completely on container traffic full of raw materials to operate, so any delays trickle down to our customers. Majority of which are oilsands operators, so this nonsense will affect their maintenance schedules. People I talk to at site are already getting pretty mad about it.

There's also a reason they are against port automation. Long term they would run safer, more efficiently and cheaper so yeah, I can see why ILWU doesn't want it. Machines don't go on strike when they want a raise.

After watching a video on the fully automated chinese ports with very few workers, and most of them remote, I can see the fear for their jobs. But its going to happen inevitably. The Government isn't going to, nor is it in their perview to stop companies from following innovations and chasing effectiveness.



Seamus jumped the gun when he was spiking the football repeatedly on resolving this strike.



Remember that they enacted that to get govt funding in the green sector these companies had to be unionized or pay union rates. He went full on with the organized labor thing, and now he just got punched in the nuts.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Strike temporarily at least back off due to not providing the required 72 hour notice. I imagine it will be back on in 3 days though. Apparently union leadership didn't even take the mediator's recommendation to the members.

So that gives the government 72 hours to legislate them back to work!

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

After watching a video on the fully automated chinese ports with very few workers, and most of them remote, I can see the fear for their jobs. But its going to happen inevitably. The Government isn't going to, nor is it in their perview to stop companies from following innovations and chasing effectiveness.



Seamus jumped the gun when he was spiking the football repeatedly on resolving this strike.



Remember that they enacted that to get govt funding in the green sector these companies had to be unionized or pay union rates. He went full on with the organized labor thing, and now he just got punched in the nuts.

Our ports are pretty automated as well. China may be ahead of us in North America (although I doubt it) but everywhere is a long long way from getting these things fully automated. Just way too much stuff going in and out.

Its kind of like self driving in that you could have way better success if you just did a 100% cutover to automation but you'll never get to that point so you have clashing human/automation and you require a human to figure out what has happened.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Strike temporarily at least back off due to not providing the required 72 hour notice. I imagine it will be back on in 3 days though. Apparently union leadership didn't even take the mediator's recommendation to the members.

I’ve read conflicting reports on whether or not the deal was actually voted on, some reports saying there was no vote and some saying it was voted on but the negotiating committee didn’t recommend voting in favour of accepting it. If their executive board didn’t put the mediators recommended offer to a vote at all the government is almost certainly going to pass legislation forcing them back to work.

If it was voted on I’d be very interested to know what percentage voted against it.

Edit: it’s looking like it wasn’t voted on by the membership. My guess is they’re legislated back to work by next week if not sooner.

[aaronck]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

When it comes to economics, Harper is so smart. We would be sooooo much better off and further ahead as a country if he was still in charge.

I'm sure since you put so many oooos into it, you have actual examples of Harper's great financial policies? Note that Frasier Institute "studies" can't be used

[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

As for the CERB payments that people didn't qualify for, a lot of it stems from people who applied for EI after covid hit. They were funneled into CERB to streamline the overloaded system, and not given the choice to just be on EI, which they did qualify for. They are now being dinged for a mandatory payback of the CERB funds into the system.

It's not all fraud by unscrupulous people, most of the money being clawed back is because of a forced inclusion into CERB by the federal government. I've heard a few stories from angry people, and they are all generally the same.

This was the case form me. Received $4000 immediately upon being laid off. Applied for EI before CERB launched, transitioned to CERB, got double paid, same thing happened with at least a dozen co workers. Was getting statements showing I owed the money back since Nov 2020. I pretty much ignored them Figuring it would come of my 2021 tax return, nothing, continued to get statements. $2000 was clawed by from my 2022 tax return to cover the double payment.

[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by aaronck

I'm sure since you put so many oooos into it, you have actual examples of Harper's great financial policies? Note that Frasier Institute "studies" can't be used

Was specifically referring to the video posted earlier. He predicted exactly what would happen. Unfortunately, the guy who got elected believes budgets balance themselves.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

Was specifically referring to the video posted earlier. He predicted exactly what would happen. Unfortunately, the guy who got elected believes budgets balance themselves.

Did you like Harper’s ####ty job creation numbers too?

[PeteMoss]

Lets be honest - the only two economic numbers people care about these days are unemployment rate and inflation rate. When those two are either good or improving, the people against whoever is in charge move to the deficit which very few people actually care about.

(not a right or left thing, lefties would do the same thing if the Cons were running the country right now)

[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Did you like Harper’s ####ty job creation numbers too?

Yes

[Tron_fdc]

So the port strike is now off. Just to summarize:

- Port goes on strike for a week, people like me lose our collective minds
- mediator reaches an agreement, port goes to work for 24 hours, I breathe a sigh of relief
- PSYCH!!!! The next day the agreement is thrown out because "reasons", back on strike, ILWU forgets to give 72 hour notice
- PSYCH!!! we are going back to work the next day because the last strike action was apparently illegal
- ILWU gives 72 hour notice
- PSYCH!!! we actually agree to the deal????

Nothing to see here, business as usual. Can't we all just be friends?

[iggy_oi]

I think the ILWU know, or at least they should know, that they’ve put themselves into a corner by not voting on the mediator’s recommended offer and if they were to go back on strike they’d be legislated back to work immediately.