[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[crazy canuck]

At least, however, I hope we can agree that the Conservative government is acting directly against my interests, and that that conclusion is based on the facts not fear mongering or misunderstandings.

On the contrary, from the most recent article you linked your family likely will benefit from the new policy if means testing is involved in deciding which family reunifications are given priority.  Your family situation is one of those in which it appears the government would wish to save from the current situation.

[Jacob]

On the contrary, from the most recent article you linked your family likely will benefit from the new policy if means testing is involved in deciding which family reunifications are given priority.  Your family situation is one of those in which it appears the government would wish to save from the current situation.

You'll never agree on the internet, will you?

Anyhow, on a personal level I hope that you're right and that however the policy turns out there'll be shorter rather than longer waiting times in our case. If that's true, then this just becomes an issue of disagreeing with the Conservatives rather than being personally fucked over by them, and that's obviously an improvement.

As an aside, I wonder if there's ever been any thorough investigation of the economics of family reunification. Yes, there are potential health care costs (though I understand that that's addressed in a variety of ways already), but how do the benefits pan out (spending savings, consumption in the local economy, providing free child care and so on)?

[crazy canuck]

You'll never agree on the internet, will you?

Anyhow, on a personal level I hope that you're right and that however the policy turns out there'll be shorter rather than longer waiting times in our case. If that's true, then this just becomes and issue of disagreeing with the Conservatives rather than being personally fucked over, and that's obviously an improvement.

As an aside, I wonder if there's ever been any thorough investigation of the economics of family reunification. Yes, there are potential health care costs (though I understand that that's addressed in a variety of ways already), but how do the benefits pan out (spending savings, consumption in the local economy, providing free child care and so on)?

Yeah, it would be interesting to know.  On a quick google search I couldnt find anything but assertions one way or the other, however of interest I ran across an article which indicated that the admissions from China were up at the expense of admissions from other parts of the world.  So hopefully things work out for you.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

I think what Buddha was saying is that the line between legal drug sales and illegal drug sales is somewhat arbitrary.  But where I think he goes wrong is suggesting the drug companies are the cause of that particular problem.

I am pretty sure that if the drug companies had access to those other markets they would not complain very much.

There's plenty of blame to go around as far as addiction issues are concerned.... though...I'm pretty sure that if big pharma ran pot and meth and all that, there'd be far more side effects from all those "drugs", just like all these things you see advertised on TV that may make your sex life better except for all the vomiting, hair loss, and rectal fissures.

[Neil]

I think what Buddha was saying is that the line between legal drug sales and illegal drug sales is somewhat arbitrary.  But where I think he goes wrong is suggesting the drug companies are the cause of that particular problem.

I am pretty sure that if the drug companies had access to those other markets they would not complain very much.

There's plenty of blame to go around as far as addiction issues are concerned.... though...I'm pretty sure that if big pharma ran pot and meth and all that, there'd be far more side effects from all those "drugs", just like all these things you see advertised on TV that may make your sex life better except for all the vomiting, hair loss, and rectal fissures.

If the pharmacoms ran meth, they'd never get it through approval from Health Canada.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

I think what Buddha was saying is that the line between legal drug sales and illegal drug sales is somewhat arbitrary.  But where I think he goes wrong is suggesting the drug companies are the cause of that particular problem.

I am pretty sure that if the drug companies had access to those other markets they would not complain very much.

There's plenty of blame to go around as far as addiction issues are concerned.... though...I'm pretty sure that if big pharma ran pot and meth and all that, there'd be far more side effects from all those "drugs", just like all these things you see advertised on TV that may make your sex life better except for all the vomiting, hair loss, and rectal fissures.

If the pharmacoms ran meth, they'd never get it through approval from Health Canada.

I disagree. it'd be packaged as a toy for urban youth.

[Neil]

If the pharmacoms ran meth, they'd never get it through approval from Health Canada.

I disagree. it'd be packaged as a toy for urban youth.

You might disagree, but you're wrong.  I'm sure the pharmacoms would love to sell any product they dream up to as many people as possible, but we have regulators and bureaucrats to prevent them from running wild.  Health Canada wouldn't approve something so terribly harmful, especially since there are no useful medical or psychological effects.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

If the pharmacoms ran meth, they'd never get it through approval from Health Canada.

I disagree. it'd be packaged as a toy for urban youth.

You might disagree, but you're wrong.  I'm sure the pharmacoms would love to sell any product they dream up to as many people as possible, but we have regulators and bureaucrats to prevent them from running wild.  Health Canada wouldn't approve something so terribly harmful, especially since there are no useful medical or psychological effects.

Have you read/heard the side effects for Lipitor? it's worse than unchecked heart disease.  Also cigarettes. complete poison, yet meh nice tax gouge.

[garbon]

Yes but we all know that side effect warnings cause people to think the side effects are more prevalent than they actually are - as well as the fact that some listed side effects aren't actually side effects but simply conditions that happened to occur concurrent with medication usage.

[Neil]

If the pharmacoms ran meth, they'd never get it through approval from Health Canada.

I disagree. it'd be packaged as a toy for urban youth.

You might disagree, but you're wrong.  I'm sure the pharmacoms would love to sell any product they dream up to as many people as possible, but we have regulators and bureaucrats to prevent them from running wild.  Health Canada wouldn't approve something so terribly harmful, especially since there are no useful medical or psychological effects.

Have you read/heard the side effects for Lipitor? it's worse than unchecked heart disease.  Also cigarettes. complete poison, yet meh nice tax gouge.

You do realize that not everyone gets all those side effects, and that many people don't get any of them?  And as for cigarettes, tobacco is grandfathered in.

[Jacob]

Yes but we all know that side effect warnings cause people to think the side effects are more prevalent than they actually are - as well as the fact that some listed side effects aren't actually side effects but simply conditions that happened to occur concurrent with medication usage.

I don't think we all know that.

[garbon]

Well you should. Not that one should ignore side effects but they are likely to be overly cautious labels...well here in America.

[crazy canuck]

Well you should. Not that one should ignore side effects but they are likely to be overly cautious labels...well here in America.

Yeah, duty to warn legal obligations have gotten a bit crazy with class action lawyers looking for any chance they can get.

[crazy canuck]

There is a report being released today by a group comprised of ex judges, academics, police officers and lawyers calling for the decriminalization and regulation of pot.  I cant find an online story on it to link for you - which is a bit surprising.

BB, one of the ex judges was a special prosecutor for drug offences back in the day...

[Jacob]

Apparently there was a fire at a duplex a few blocks from my house the other day.

The fire fighters, upon entry, discovered that it was a grow op.

Then they discovered that it was a Health Canada Government Sanctioned Medical Marijuana Grow Op.