Fall election

[freewheat]

2006 budget? This was Harper's Budget, not Martin's. The surplus that year was 13.8 Billion. 2007 Surplus of 9.6 Billion. You stated it was gone in one year. First, you state 2006 was a Martin budget, and then you state it was gone in ONE year...

You were wrong. Where else are you wrong?

[15444]

Just because we get GST back doesn't mean we automatically should be in favor of it, or not care at all - that wouldn't be very Conservative-y. I would like to see GST and income tax eliminated for the lower and middle classes. Instead hike up the high class bracket tax, sin taxes, corporate taxes and the list goes on and on. Introduce an inheritance tax.

In this way, regular people are encouraged to do well, and spend their money how they want without having the government in their pocket every step of the way, until they die. Then they pay the man, but who cares, they're dead.

[TOM4CWB]

Hopper, Bucket and Anti Harpers;

Our western MP's have gone some distance to cut the easier abuses of CN/CP.

IN The Hopper car scandal... where CN and CP took $70M per year excess above costs for many years...

The Conservatives;

A, cut the hopper maintenance charges to cost, and lowered the cap to gain every grain farmer in western Canada over $2/t OFF our freight cost to port position, from 2007-08 into the future;

B, left in place the reasonable profit cap so that if/when RR overcharge freight rates... WGRF gets the overcharge... which is then increased by 15 percent to discourage future overcharges by RR's all sent to the WGRF;

C, Gave RR a stern message about moving our grain (minimum orders and fines)... increased inter-switch distances to 160km.

"Witnesses from both the shipper and railway communities also addressed these issues before the Committee.

While shippers were generally supportive of the proposed distance, region and goods, both CN and CP voiced their opposition to the imposition of expanded interswitching distances for all goods, citing as their concern the unknown impact on the Canadian economy as a result of extending the interswitching zones without greater consultation.

The Agency has taken the decision, guided by the clearly expressed intent of Parliament, and in advance of any evidence based on actual activity, to use subsection 128(1.1) to amend the Railway Interswitching Regulations allowing for the expansion of the interswitching zone for shippers of all commodities, located within the Prairie Provinces from the current 30 kilometres to 160 kilometres.

The Agency also considers the new regime to provide a pilot testing opportunity that will be monitored and assessed."

There is no question the RR's are very upset with the Conservatives.

[bucket]

Yup the railways are really upset with the conservatives. The fines went from daily to weekly. And since cn pushed moving the grain into a new crop year at a higher rate the farmers actually paid the fines.

The targets were set lower for winter months which they are still missing. Moving less grain this year than last.

And the government backs them with back to work legislation.

The railways are so pissed.

Thanks for pointing it out.

[Braveheart]

Forage, "thoughtless"? Hardly. But I put my thoughts into checking basis levels, monitoring cash flow, following fx rates (the new market fundamental), watching futures, and working through budgets to plan our cropping mix.

Anyone who thinks that changing the political leadership would somehow improve farming is dreaming. Political change won't get rid of burdensome stocks of grains and oilseeds, increase demand, or stop fusarium from robbing quality. Political change won't stop farmers from selling into weak basis signals and thereby showing graincos they don't need to be more competitive.

The railroad file has been a problem for governments in this country since 1885. It probably always will be. My thinking will be directed into making our farm less dependent on rail transportation.

Thoughtless? I'll think about politics on Election Day. As much as possible I'd rather politics didn't divert any energy from the things I enjoy working on and doing.

Keep on Foraging.

[samhill]

Politics in Canada - wow, it's all a joke and the Conservatives are simply the prettiest girl in this colony. The East an the West are too diverse for the thing to work. The west doesn't have enough votes to allow proper government out here. RK is putting the spotlight on the banksters in this country but the tax structure, transportation, unemployment and immigration are a joke. We live right next to maybe the largest commercial market in the world and work for minimum wage. Anyone think envelopes full of cash still don't get handed out? Not saying governing this country is easy, but the East-West thing causes the problem mainly b/c it requires party partisanship rather than independent representation, so we accept our government with the attitude of "well, it could be worse."

[bucket]

That's exactly why people vote conservative.

Their campaign message should be "....it could be worse....."

Here is the smell test for me. When discussion forums like this start to see conservative voters start to question their government and nothing changes. There is growing dissent out here.

Now because of what's happening and the way it's happening and our elected MPs think there is nothing wrong. 5 years ago they thought something was wrong.

[foragefarmer]

Freewheat


The federal debt in the fiscal year 1996-97 was $562.9-billion. By the time the Liberals left office in 2006, it was reduced to $481.5-billion. In contrast, by the year 2014-15, the Conservatives will have added $176,400,000,000 to the national debt.

I apoligize for saying Harper has increased the national debt by 150 billion in my first post. I didn't want to over budget, like others. Harper did much better than that, it's 176 billion.

Such great fiscal management by PM Harper.

I'm wondering who is really smoking a joint Wheaty???? Keep the chaff coming!!!

[BreadWinner]

Forage you've lost all credibility, I can copy and paste off the web as well. Nice to see you've found these facts straight from Sean Casey a very reputable liberal mp. What a load of bull. Keep on voting liberal because you always have.

[sumdumguy]

Forage, those stats are stagerring! Quite unbelievable when programs all around us are trashed. And all while the country has been swimming in cashola!