Campaign 2008 promises and lies

Russian hardnosing

2008-11-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

Well, this may not mean much for those not up-to-date on world politics but President Dmitry Medvedev recently stated that any attempt by the United States to complete the creation of their planned missile shield in eastern Europe would be blocked by Russian deployment of counter-missiles along their western border. There is a clear rivalry rebuilding between the two powers as Russia is rapidly gaining strength once more.

I read one comment by a US analyst that could not comprehend why the Russians would do this, as they defense shield was aimed more at stopping any possible Iranian aggression rather than Russian. What this analyst has failed to examine is the strong ties Russia has been building with Iran and China over the last decade. These ties are slowly starting to build an eastern hegemony that could easily be the equal if not surpass the waning power of the United States.

Now, what does this mean for Canada? Well it can mean many things depending on the route we take. Will we keep supporting the US blindly in its aggressive foreign policy or will we adopt our old stance as mediator. Ultimately, if things keep going the way they are and the United States sparks off a war with Iran, things might become very dire in the near future. Fortunately, with new blood in the presidency this things should be averted as president Obama has stated that he would be willing to enter into diplomatic negotiations with Iran.

2008-10-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Well, the Economy is as crumbling around us as we speak. To deal with the problem, Harper has presented his six point plan. Here is the plan such as it is:

* Hold a first ministers meeting to discuss the global financial crisis. Harper did not specify a date for the meeting.
* Continue to work with other G7 nations to take "appropriate actions" to support Canada's financial system.
* Summon Parliament to meet in the fall. Harper did not give a date for the resumption of Parliament.
* Send Harper to meet with European Union leaders later this week to discuss the economic crisis and strengthen Canada's economic partnership with the EU.
* Attend a summit of G-20 finance ministers in Brazil in early November.
* Continue a review of departmental spending.

Seems a tad empty to me really. I mean it's pretty much "We'll keep doing what we were doing and hope everything turns out. Granted, stronger ties with the EU would be nice for Canada and attending these global summits can only lead to good things (assuming people can agree on something.) Well time will tell, WE shall see what happens in the course of the next few years.

Election possibilities

2008-10-15T08:04:00.001-07:00

Well, the election is over now and the Conservatives have secured their place as a minority government. Looking at the stats, they gained 19 seats with an additional 2% of the popular vote. Thanks to the glory of the first past the post system, they gained a further 6% of the total seats in parliament while only gaining that 2% of the actual vote. Bah, ah well thing can’t be perfect and neither the liberals nor the conservatives want to see Canada adopt proportional representation any time soon. Just for fun, here are how many seats each of the parties would have gotten if we had proportional representation:

Conservatives: 118 seats with 38% of the vote

Liberals: 81 seats with 26% of the vote

New Democrats: 56 seats with 18% of the vote

Green Party: 22 seats with 7% of the vote

Bloc Quebecois: 31 seats with 10% of the vote

So as you can see, It’s really in the interest of the 3 currently leading parties to keep our archaic first past the post system since it guarantees them more seats. This is pretty much the reason why we don’t have a proportional system. Ultimately a mixed system would be nice, as it would allow the major parties to retain power while giving the smaller party more of a say. For example here is what things might look like with a mix system:

Conservatives: 72 seats FPP, 59 seats by proportion: Total of 131 seats

Liberals: 38 seats FPP, 40 seats by proportion: Total of 78 seats

New Democrats: 19 seats by FPP, 28 seats by proportion: Total of 47 seats

Green Party: 0 seats by FPP, 11 seats by proportion: Total of 11 seats

Bloc Quebecois: 25 seats by FPP, 15 seats by proportion: Total of 40 seats

With this kind of system most of the parties would actual see a gain, the only ones who really have something to loose would be the Bloc as they only have ridings in Quebec itself. And even then, their only loss comes up as 10 seats in this case, something that, while notable, is hardly disastrous.

Anyway, that was a quick rundown of what the election would look like if we we’re running with a more democratic electoral system, however until we can get out act together and demand this kind of representation we won’t be seeing it.

One shot machinegun

2008-10-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to write a new post. things have been somewhat hectic and the sheer amount of information is slightly overpowering. Since the election is only two days away I'll be posting the campaign promises wholesale and in point form rather than split them up, simply in the name of expediency and effectiveness. Well here we go:

Conservatives

-- Two-cent-a-litre cut in taxes on diesel and aviation fuel over four years. $600 million a year once fully implemented.

-- Reinstate veterans' benefits for Second World War veterans who have lived in Canada for more than 10 years; $9 million a year.

-- A near-complete withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan in 2011.

-- Allow 49 per cent foreign ownership of airlines and foreign ownership of uranium mines.

-- Maternity, parental leave benefits for entrepreneurs who pay into EI. $150 million annually, financed by EI premiums.

-- Tax credit for first-time homebuyers to claim up to $5,000 in closing costs for a rebate of up to $750. $200 million a year, fully implemented.

-- Ban kid-friendly flavours and additives from tobacco products and require cigarillos to be sold in packages of at least 20. No cost provided.

-- Increase the Senior Age Credit by $1,000, saving those in the lowest tax-paying income bracket about $150 a year. $400 million a year.

-- $85 million in tax breaks for families where one spouse forgoes full-time work to care for a disabled family member.

-- Introduce maximum life sentences for offenders as young as 14 convicted of first- or second-degree murder; maximum 14-year sentences for youths who commit violent crimes.

-- Teens over 14 who commit serious crimes would no longer have their identities protected.

-- End conditional sentencing, also known as house arrest, for 30 serious crimes, including robbery, theft, and arson.

-- $113 million over five years to crack down on environmental crime, including maximum penalties of $6 million for companies and $1 million for individuals.

-- A consumer protection package including an Internet anti-spam law, a ban on charging for unsolicited text messages and a crackdown on gas-pump tampering. No cost provided.

-- Prohibit the export of bitumen to countries without carbon-emission targets equivalent to Canada's.

-- $24 million to foster development of international cruise destinations along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

-- New tax credit for parents of children under 16 enrolled in eligible arts programs; $150 million a year.

-- Let charities and not-for-profit groups set up RESPs for kids from low-income families.

-- $2,000 incentives for apprentices who complete eligible training programs to ease shortage of workers in skilled trades. $60 million a year.

GREENS

-- A Guaranteed Livable Income supplement for the poor. No cost provided.

-- A new carbon tax of $50 per tonne and new taxes on toxic chemicals.

-- Forgive 50 per cent of student loans for successful graduates. No cost provided.

-- More money and research grants for post-secondary institutions that focus on renewable energy and conservation. No cost provided.

-- Shift consumption taxes to environmentally harmful products and services and away from income and products, activities that do no harm. No cost provided.

-- Cut corporate tax by $50 for each tonne of carbon-emission reductions. No cost provided.

-- Increase GST to six per cent to finance infrastructure improvements, with expanded exemptions on food, children's clothing and books. No cost provided.

LIBERALS

-- "Green Shift" carbon tax on fossil fuels, offset by income and business tax cuts. Income tax cuts of up to 10 per cent. Cut the small business tax rate to 10 per cent from 11 per cent. Lower the corporate tax rate to 14 per cent by 2013. Overall, $90 million in lost revenue for the treasury over four years.

-- $70 billion over 10 years for municipal infrastructure.

-- $1.2 billion over four years to help farmers adjust to green technologies.

-- Restore the $3-billion contingency fund abandoned by the Conservatives.

-- Create $1-billion Advanced Manufacturing Prosperity Fund to help manufacturers retain and create jobs.

-- Add $350 to existing $1,200-a-year child-care allowance. Create a new supplement for the poorest families with children, worth $1,225 a year per family.

-- National daycare program with 165,000 spaces. $1.25 billion a year, fully implemented.

-- End military mission in Afghanistan in 2011.

-- Restore the Court Challenges Program and double budget to $6 million a year.

-- $50 million to upgrade Canada's food safety system.

-- $10,000 per household in refundable tax benefits for energy-saving home retrofits. $600 million.

-- More robust energy efficiency standards for building codes and home appliances.

-- $250 million over four years to curb the spread of the mountain pine beetle.

-- $250 million to modernize and "green" fishing vessels and protect fish stocks in Canadian and international waters.

-- $100 million to improve Canada's small-craft harbours.

-- $420 million over four years to help increase the number of doctors, nurses and medical technicians across Canada.

-- $900 million over four years to create a new plan for catastrophic drug coverage.

-- $500 million more a year for university-based research and a $100-million research fund for scientists, researchers and grad students.

-- A poverty plan to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line by at least 30 per cent and the number of children by at least 50 per cent.

-- Reverse the immigration measures brought in by the Conservatives and spend $800 million to help new Canadians and reduce the immigration backlog.

-- Bring back the Kelowna Accord and work with aboriginal peoples, provinces and territories to improve native health, education and housing. $2 billion.

-- Increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors by $600 a year for low-income seniors.

-- 200,000 student bursaries of up to $3,500 per year over four years, and guaranteed eligibility for $5,000 student loans, regardless of parental income.

-- Simplify the tax system for post-secondary students, providing most students about $1,000 a year.

-- Restore cuts made by the Conservatives to arts and culture funding and double the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts.

-- $75 million to bolster security at ethno-cultural centres and places of worship across Canada.

-- Restore $6 million in funding for Quebec's National Optics Institute.

-- A summit meeting on the economy with economists, regulators and premiers within 30 days of forming a government.

NDP

-- A moratorium on expansion of Alberta's tarsands and requiring oil companies to reclaim land strip mined for petroleum production. No cost provided.

-- $8.2 billion over four years to create, protect and foster growth of "green-collar" jobs and manufacturing.

-- A "cap-and-trade" system to create incentives for big business to reduce their emissions. No cost provided.

-- Slash greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. No cost provided.

-- A price-monitoring agency to investigate price spikes and consult with provinces about regulations. No cost provided.

-- Cap credit-card interest rates at five per cent over prime.

-- Outlaw automated banking machine fees, saving consumers at least $104 per year.

-- $120 million a year in additional funding for women's groups.

-- $1,000-a-year grant to all undergraduate or equivalent students who qualify for student loans.

-- $1 billion over five years to expand medical and nursing schools, increasing the number of student spaces by 50 per cent.

-- $125 million a year to forgive student loans for medical-school grads who spend 10 years as family physicians.

-- $100 million for skills training and job creation.

-- Comprehensive review of Canadian banking regulations. No cost provided.

-- Income averaging for artists and a $20,000 annual tax break on income generated by copyright and residual revenue. No cost provided.

-- Scrap Canada-U.S. softwood lumber agreement within six months of forming government.

-- A new Ministry of Consumer Protection to investigate and prosecute gas-pump gouging and collusion. No cost provided.

-- $1 billion a year on a new catastrophic drug plan.

-- Reverse corporate tax cuts brought in by Liberal and Conservative governments, a move that would raise the rate to 22.12 per cent from 19.5.

-- A new monthly cheque of up to $400 that would replace three existing child benefits, including the Conservatives' $100-a-month cheque. A family with two children and an income of $75,000 would take in an extra $2,140 a year.

-- $5 billion over five years to improve health care, housing and infrastructure for First Nations communities.

-- $1-billion national home-care program for seniors.

-- A national child-care program calling for 220,000 spaces annually in the fourth year. It would cost $1.4 billion in the first year.

-- Raise $2.5 billion a year in carbon auctions and reinvest the money in public transit and other green initiatives.

-- Re-introduce a national minimum wage and immediately set it to $10 an hour.

-- Direct one cent per litre of federal excise tax on gasoline into public transit; $400 million a year.

Alright, most of these promises have to do with the economy, something that is starting to get more notice as the American economy starts to fall and ours is impacted. Anyway, I'm off to eat loads of turkey and other delicious food. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and make sure to get out there and vote on Tuesday.

Wow, I really wasn't that cynical this time around, guess it's the desire for food and the overdose of information.

Crime and legal mumbo-jumbo

2008-09-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well, though this may be my first time blogging I still plan to make the best of it. And what with the up and coming Canadian election the potential joy of looking at the various promises made by the five parties during the campaign is enough to make a cynic like me chortle with barely concealed mirth. So without further ado here are a few of the parties campaign promises dealing with crime and punishment.

The Conservatives pledge to get tough on crime, again, by hiring another 1000 RCMP officers and 2,500 more provincial or regional officers. This begs the question as to how the Conservatives will go about hiring police officers in the provinces, since I'm pretty sure that would be the provinces job. The Harper crowd also pledges $20 Million in anti-gang initiatives and youth protection programs. This would actually be great, providing a decent system is in place to make proper use of the money. Finally, Harper plans to do away with the firearms registry. While I must admit that the firearms registry has been a blatant waste of money so far and has all the tracking ability of a blind, deaf and anosmic bloudhound it would be ridiculous to simply scrap something that cost millions of tax payers dollars to set up.

Now for the Liberals. Again with the idea of gun control but this time coming from the other side. Rather than do away with the registry, the Liberals want to ban guns. Mind you, they only want to enforce a ban on military semi-automatic assault models that are currently on sale. I can see the value of outlawing something that was meant to kill people. I mean, you don't need armour piercing rounds to go deer hunting so why sell them at all. That's pretty much it from the Liberals so far.

The NDP completely ignore any issues with the gun registry and go straight for the real problem: Illeagal firearms. Layton wants to stop illeagal firearms sales and imports from the United States and want's to set 2,500 new police officers on such a job. This would actually help limit crime as for the most part, criminals don't worry too much about registering their weapons in the first place. The NDP also want to strengthen the Witness Protection Program, another move that makes good sense.

Now for the Bloc Quebecois. Duceppe and his party wants to alter the firearms registry to actually make it effective. While this sounds like a great idea in theory I think we need some more details as to how he wants to change it before I'm sold on the matter. Once more, the fight against street gangs is heralded by the Bloc.

The Green party adds to the Gun registry debate by proposing an eventual ban on handguns adn semi-automatics while at the same time eliminating fees for long gun registration. In another note they also want to legalise Marijuana. This is more in an effort to put a tax on the billion dollar revenue that weed makes in an average year than for any real desire among the greens to smoke up while in parliament.

And there you have it. Until I somehow get my hands on some more election promises/laws best of luck to you all and vote safe.