[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[viper37]

I agree with CC on this.

Of course BC and Quebec think they can veto a national project that benefits Alberta.

I am not against the pipeline project.  I can even potentially benefit from it as it passes through lands one of our company holds.
But I think it's gotta be sold right to the people of Quebec who've been fed anti-albertan cowboy propaganda for years.

Or you could do it you way and then lament the PQ holding a 3rd referendum on sovereignty.  The British sure tought like that around 1776-1783.

[crazy canuck]

BB if you are so sure the Feds can dictate to the Provinces, why do you think Wall and you keep saying BC has a veto

[Josephus]

Meanwhile back to the election.

An interesting commentary about why Harper is attacking Trudeau and not Mulcair.
The second point, has been my consistent thesis so far, that the NDP surge will likely die before the election, and the third point is interesting that Harper plans on destroying the Liberals once and for all in this election.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/07/18/why-harper-attacks-trudeau-but-not-mulcair-hepburn.html

[Barrister]

BB if you are so sure the Feds can dictate to the Provinces, why do you think Wall and you keep saying BC has a veto

Because the Feds seem reluctant for political reasons to push for what is otherwise a legally crystal-clear issue of jurisdiction - and because Notley seems willing to give them a veto for politically inexplicable reasons.

The more interesting question is to what degree First Nations have a "veto", but not the provinces.

[Barrister]

Meanwhile back to the election.

An interesting commentary about why Harper is attacking Trudeau and not Mulcair.
The second point, has been my consistent thesis so far, that the NDP surge will likely die before the election, and the third point is interesting that Harper plans on destroying the Liberals once and for all in this election.

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/07/18/why-harper-attacks-trudeau-but-not-mulcair-hepburn.html

I don't buy it - ascribing the Conservatives strategy to personal animus by Harper just doesn't ring true to me.  Harper is smarter than that.

[crazy canuck]

BB if you are so sure the Feds can dictate to the Provinces, why do you think Wall and you keep saying BC has a veto

Because the Feds seem reluctant for political reasons to push for what is otherwise a legally crystal-clear issue of jurisdiction - and because Notley seems willing to give them a veto for politically inexplicable reasons.

The more interesting question is to what degree First Nations have a "veto", but not the provinces.

BB, the question was rhetorical.  There are about 60 or so permits Enbridge needs from BC to construct the Northern Gateway.  It might be good internal politics for Wall to play to the people who don't know any better.  But, as I said, Notley's approach is a lot more likely to get something built.

Josephus - It been a two party race for a while now.  We will see if the Conservatives try to appeal to more than just their core vote.  If not I predict the NDP will win a majority or at the very least control a majority if they can work with the Libs.

[Josephus]

Well, it's a two party race NOW. The second point of that column is that things may very well change come October and don't rule Justin out yet.

[Valmy]

Judging by how those other Liberals in the UK did by allying with the Conservatives I would caution the Canadian Liberals doing the same with the NDP. If they are going to do that why wouldn't people just vote for the NDP? What purpose do they serve other than the reasonable alternative to the right wing jackbooted fanatics in the Conservatives or the left wing bomb throwing Stalinists in the NDP?

[crazy canuck]

In this election the NDP have become more centrist and the Liberals appear to have moved to the left of the NDP.  The result has not worked well for the Libs.

[viper37]

In this election the NDP have become more centrist

Really?

[crazy canuck]

Really.

[viper37]

Really.

I mean how so.  What has changed since their last electoral platform.

[crazy canuck]

Really.

I mean how so.  What has changed since their last electoral platform.

When I read through their respective platforms the LIbs are the only ones who talk about increasing taxes on the "rich" to pay for their spending on social programs.   As I stated a bit upthread, the NDP proposals, which include a small business tax reduction, will mean I will actually pay less tax.   

[viper37]

Minimum wage at 15$/hr.  That's pretty much a leftist platform, right there.  And it imposes a federal rule on provinces.
Child care services from coast to coast.  Worst idea ever.
And I can't seem to find their official program, so I can't really tell you what has changed in the official facts.  Discourse wise, Mulcair is pretty much to the left as was Jack Layton.

[crazy canuck]

Minimum wage at 15$/hr.  That's pretty much a leftist platform, right there.  And it imposes a federal rule on provinces.
Child care services from coast to coast.  Worst idea ever.
And I can't seem to find their official program, so I can't really tell you what has changed in the official facts.  Discourse wise, Mulcair is pretty much to the left as was Jack Layton.

The Federal Minimum wage rate only applies to employees within Federal jurisdiction.  As a result the $15 wage is really only symbolic since only a very small percentage of federally regulated employees earn less than 15 bucks an hour.  There is no imposition on provincial jurisdiction.

The NDP child care policy will likely be less expensive than the Liberal plan.  Remember we are comparing the NDP and Liberals here.  Not the NDP with the Conservatives.

The biggest threat with the NDP are not their immediate spending promises.  Those are fairly moderate.  It is the escalating amount over time.  The biggest single budgetary threat is health care.  The agreement between the Feds and Provinces had Federal health care spending (ie transfers to the provinces) increase at 6%.  But that agreement lapsed and now the Conservatives will only increase that spending with the rate of growth in the economy.  The NDP want to return the 6% spending increase but over time that rate of spending is going to mean cuts to other budget items.  The NDP has yet to identify what they would cut or what taxes they would increase in order to implement that larger amount of spending.  It doesn't sound like a lot up front but it will snowball quickly.

Hard to say with the Liberals will do on this issue.  I don't think they have gone much beyond slogans.