I understood when Michael Ignatieff passed the Conservative budget. It was important to get money flowing. Brining down the government one the budget would have delayed for months improvements to unemployment insurance (as slight as they were) and infrastructure dollars. But the budget is done. Todays announcement of layoffs at the CBC was entirely preventable.…
When Did Harper Know About Economy?
November’s GDP Numbers are out now: “Canada’s economy continued its slide in November as the country’s economic output shrank by 0.7 per cent, according to figures released Friday. Statistics Canada said slumping construction activity and an ailing manufacturing sector led an industrial race to the bottom in the month, the third one in four in…
Ignatieff Played it Right
I said yesterday that I thought the budget should be defeated in total, and I still don’t like it, it’s a bad budget. I also know though that I am in the minority in this. Most of Canada does not want an election and does not like the coalition idea. Ignatieff was right in that…
Election Post-Mortem
Well, another Canadian Election is come and gone and while it’s not good news, it could have been much worse. Yesterday Canadians decided to follow the American example and re-elect a neo-conservative despite a terrible record on everything. But thanks to a combination of Newfoundland, Quebec, Northern Ontario, Toronto, Vancouver and multi-partisan groups such as…
Thanksgiving: What Will Future Generation Be Thankful For?
For most people the election will be put on hold tomorrow as everyone sits down for Thanksgiving dinner. It is unlikely though that most dinner tables will totally avoid the taboo topic of politics. If yours drifts in this direction, take a poll around the table. Ask people what your children and grandchildren and great…
Canada: Do The Right Thing
I pointed out yesterday that voting strategically is a win-win-win situation. Today, at least to an extent Elizabeth May has agreed with that assessment and I feel the need to expand a bit on what we gain this time through strategic voting. As I said yesterday, strategic voting means more seats for the NDP than…
The End of Conservative Canada? Help Make it Happen
So far today a group of 80 Economists, and the National Post both attacked Harper’s platform. Even Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach apparently doesn’t think Harper’s economic plan does enough. “Alberta’s Progressive Conservative premier wants to meet with his provincial counterparts to discuss the state of the Canadian economy, even though Stephen Harper called the same…
Impression on Last Nights Debate
If you were watching the Canadian English Language Leaders Debate last night, good for you! If you were watching the Biden vs. Palin debate don’t you feel ripped off? I mean the excuse that ‘what happens in the US deeply affects us’ doesn’t really work. The US Vice President doesn’t affect us very much and…
Vote Swap Group Investigated By Elections Canada
According to the CBC Elections Canada is now investigating the Facebook Group Anti-Harper Vote Swap Canada. “Chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand said Friday that Elections Canada is looking into the scheme.In an interview with Canadian Press, Mayrand said it may be nothing more than “organized strategic voting,” but it could also fall afoul of a…
Vote-Swap: Vote Your Conscience AND Vote to Win
Many Canadians are faced with a dilemma: They don’t like Stephen Harper but who do they vote for? The candidate they like the best or the candidate with the best chance to win? Well now you can have your cake and eat it too. A new Facebook group called Anti-Harper Vote Swap Canada will allow…