[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Jacob]

I've been stockpiling them, just for that purpose. They make great (and cheap) bases for individual 15mm infantry miniatures.

Other than that, they're pretty pointless.

[Josephus]

They also expect to cut spending by $5 bil, including some 19,000 public service positions.

Perhaps it was a good move to leave the federal public servcie when I did.

You with the province now?

[Barrister]

They also expect to cut spending by $5 bil, including some 19,000 public service positions.

Perhaps it was a good move to leave the federal public servcie when I did.

You with the province now?

Yes, when I went back to Alberta almost a year ago.

[Jacob]

Rates are going up too. Seems like I picked a good time to refinance.

[Malthus]

Biggest news of the day:

Ottawa kills the penny!!!!!11111

I hate those little copper fuckers.

Woah. I never thought they'd actually do it.

[Neil]

Rates are going up too. Seems like I picked a good time to refinance.

Excellent.  Inflation must be prevented at all costs.

[crazy canuck]

This bit from the Globe pretty much sums up my reaction to the budget.

Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty can, and do, truthfully say that the federal government's finances are on track. A small surplus is expected in 2015-2016, and the small deficit for the previous year may magically metamorphose itself into balance. The projections for 2016-2017 plausibly show a return to wholesome pre-recession debt-to-GDP and spending-to-GDP ratios.

Like its predecessors, this government has not solved the conundrum of the country's overreliance on natural resources and its comparative deficit in entrepreneurship. At any rate, Ottawa's books of account are headed in the right direction. This is why the Conservatives were elected, to prudently manage public finances in a tumultuous time. In the end, it is up to Canadian firms and individuals to make this a more innovative country.

[Jacob]

Yeah. I haven't delved into the budget too far, but so far it seems reasonable.

I do reserve the right to be outraged if the media whips up some sort of scandal about it, however

[Josephus]

bah..doesn't take any money from the rich and give to the poor.

[crazy canuck]

The sign of a good budget - It has essentially become a non story by the start of the next week.

[Barrister]

So today in the Alberta election campaign:

The Liberals promised free tuition by 2025, and a tax onanyone earning over $100,000.
Wildrose promises dividend cheques of $300 to every Albertan once the deficit is gone.
NDP promises to raiseoil royalty rates. 
And the PCs said something "family care clinics". :

[Neil]

What's wrong with raising the royalty rates?

I remain totally undecided, although the bribe has turned me even further against the Wildrose.  Then again, they're the deregulators, so I'm already pretty much totally against them.

[Barrister]

What's wrong with raising the royalty rates?

Ask Ed Stelmach.

I still don't know what to make of Wildrose.  I am hardly enamoured with the PCs, but they need to show me they can be somewhat sensible if in government.

[crazy canuck]

Wait a minute BB, in one thread you complain about not being able to find a family doctor and then in this thread you think a solution to that problem is boring?  The more I learn about the Wildrose the more I dislike them.  Also, what is wrong with raising royalties on the oilsands?  In the past royalties had to be kept low because it was otherwise uneconomical to exploit that resource.  But the extraction and refining methods of progressed to the point that justification may not be valid anymore.

[Barrister]

Wait a minute BB, in one thread you complain about not being able to find a family doctor and then in this thread you think a solution to that problem is boring?  The more I learn about the Wildrose the more I dislike them.  Also, what is wrong with raising royalties on the oilsands?  In the past royalties had to be kept low because it was otherwise uneconomical to exploit that resource.  But the extraction and refining methods of progressed to the point that justification may not be valid anymore.

The problem with the PC proposal is it lacks absolutely any details on how they will be funded and, more importantly, staffed.  We already have a doctor shortage - where are they going to get doctors to fill these 140 clinics?

As for raising royalty rates, as I implied it was tried in 2008.  It lead to an immediate massive decrease in activity in the oil industry.

As I understand Ft. Mac it isn't so much the royalties, but that a whole series of tax breaks were put into place to promote development.  From what I understand many of those are scheduled to come off in the coming years.