Election

[smcgrath76]

I don't like Duceppe's agenda, but I
have to admit, like GF, I appreciate his
honesty. Actually, if you believe Dr.
Brinkmann from Guelph, PQ is the best
place in Canada to start farming.
I am not sure any of them deserve our
votes, and I am pretty disgusted at the
tone of things.
The contempt of parliament issue really
bugs me, Ignatieff grates on me, Layton
will break me, and Elizabeth May's ag
policy is non existent.
No one is really addressing the issues
beyond next week, and that is not a good
place to be.
I think there will be a path in the
future for someone with some vision to
strike a pose and lead the way, but I
suspect they will be encumbered by the
legacy of bureaucracy we have created.
Legislation by reaction only solves the
problems of yesterday, too late with
today's ideas.
One thing, if we wind up with another
minority parliament, Harper will get his
budget passed, as no one will want to
non-confidence him so soon after an
election.

[grassfarmer]

Per, why do you think Duceppe is not qualified to even be an MP?

[grassfarmer]

HT, You are funny because your comments are so much the stereotype of a redneck, "Con" supporting westerner. Here is my problem with your ilks thinking(or lack of)- all the "free enterprise" "no government involvement" "anti socialist" "anti communist" stuff is the biggest bunch of hypocracy I've ever encountered because you don't practice what you preach.
There is a great example going on in my local town just now - the previous council were overthrown recently as an undemocratic regime. Among their antics had been making illegal contributions of tax payers money into the Provincial Cons accounts. The mayor defended it by saying this "lobbying" always earned back more "benefits" for the town than it cost them. The new council took over and had to deal with some serious financial challenges so set about doing a budget. Turns out the previous council was also running an illegal scheme whereby new businesses established in town were getting a tax holiday for their first 5 years. So council was faced with either raising town taxes by 9% or eliminating these illegal subsidies to a small number of businesses and only raising taxes by 3% to the whole town. This has created outrage among the affected business owners who are threatening to leave town and go elsewhere. The same threat used by "big oil" in Alberta when they faced having a modest royalty increase.

Another example was a beef industry organisation meeting that I attended in Calgary recently. Lots of breed Association big wigs and some cattle exporters mouthing their opposition to Government involvement in the beef sector but their reason for attendance was the same as the businessmen at my local town council meetings - to ensure they would still be receiving their "entitlements".
How often we hear that Cretien era "entitled to my entitlments" phrase derided in the west by all these free marketeers but the truth is they are doing exactly the same thing. It is the same culture of entitlement in Alberta enjoyed by these businessmen that preach free enterprise.
So the next time you start mouthing off about socialists maybe you should stop and think who the socialists really are. We have a "Con" government that introduces communist land ownership legislation and "Con supporting" local Government running a welfare program to subsidise independent businessmen.
Why the h@#% should the little old lady in a retirement home have to pay way more taxes so the big wheel "free enterprise" businessmen get a free lunch on their taxes? Why call me a socialist for sticking up for the little old lady?

[per]

Gf, for the simple reason that his main agenda is to break up the country. That in my mind makes his actions treasonous.

As far as intelligence and honesty and general political skills go he is the best of the bunch. I don't believe his agenda has any place in the halls of the Government of Canada.

[smcgrath76]

Per, I tend to agree with you somewhat,
but based on the yahoos he works with
every day, there are moments you can
hardly blame him...

[Kathy]

Take away the transfer payments from Alberta, and Quebec would not be singing the same tune.

I think that we should just make a random draw from the pool of adults over 25 in Canada, like being on jury duty; you get picked and you become the MP for the region you live in. Could we really do any worse?

Harper has increased spending in the military by over 50%.... sent our troops into Libya without consulting Parliment, and while there is NO SITTING GOVERNMENT in Canada...

Apparently, Harper and Obama decided (ha ha) to let the world know that they are "officially" working for the UN, not their own people. Why have Parliment or Congress at all - when these JAs are doing whatever they want willy-nilly. Apparently our militaries are the New World Order police force. Never ending war/conflict is the agenda, until it bleeds every first world country dry.

[kato]

"not their own people"

That's it, in a nutshell.

The basic philosophy that a government is supposed to be there to support the interests of the people who elect is has been lost completely. We get lots of spin and lip service, and governmental self congratulations, but it's all smoke and mirrors.

How dumb do they all think we are, when they save up spending that should be considered part of the every day running of the country, and then start writing cheques like they just invented money? And follow that up with an election? That they say they didn't see coming? duuhhhh....

Are we supposed to be impressed that funding approved a long time ago, and badly needed at the time was witheld until the spin doctors said the time was right to get political mileage out of it?

And the worst part is, the parties are all the same. And there is no viable alternative. So we need to buy ourselves some time until someone capable shows up by re-electing the same parties, in the same proportions one more time. Keep a minority government. It's the only way to keep the government, no matter which party it is, responsible.

Either that, or we elect Charlie Sheen.

[Happytrails]

GF there are no doubt rats in every ship. There are lots on my side but that doesn't make me give the other side a free pass. I was only half kidding by suggesting that you locate in Quebec. It wouldn't be pretty. We Alberta rednecks tolerate you and others like you. They wouldn't. If that kind of thinking appeals to you so be it but don't expect to convert many of us. HT

[perfecho]

Duceppe is a great player....he's just playing for the wrong team! We are envious ;-)