[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Malthus]

It's an impressive looking cabinet. So far, Trudeau appears, I must admit, far more effective than I had feared.  We are, however, still in the honeymoon phase. Most of his early decisions have, naturally enough, been the easy stuff - announcing reinstating the long-form census, for example. We will have to see how his cabinet handles doing the hard stuff, once all the euphoria has worn off. I'm cautiously optimistic. 

To my mind, and as I mentioned a few times during the election - far more important that the specifics of any particular decision is that this government appears energetic and like it actually wants to govern. Forget all the election-time Con silly moves, far more damaging was this: they just looked worn out as a party, tired after a decade in office.

[Martinus]

Been reading on the elections now - gotta love the conservatives' slogans:

"Proven leadership for a strong Canada."
"Proven leadership for a Safer Canada/Stronger Economy"
"Protect our Economy"



They should have just gone the whole hog and do "Strength Through Unity, Unity Through Faith".

[Barrister]

Been reading on the elections now - gotta love the conservatives' slogans:

"Proven leadership for a strong Canada."
"Proven leadership for a Safer Canada/Stronger Economy"
"Protect our Economy"



They should have just gone the whole hog and do "Strength Through Unity, Unity Through Faith".

And those are somehow worse than "Ready for change" and "Real change" for the NDP and Libs respectively?

[Valmy]

How is say you will bring a stronger economy Orwellian?

[Martinus]

How is say you will bring a stronger economy Orwellian?

Read between the lines - coupled with "protect our economy" it's very anti-immigrant/isolationist.

[Valmy]

How is say you will bring a stronger economy Orwellian?

Read between the lines - coupled with "protect our economy" it's very anti-immigrant/isolationist.

Pretty sure that was less anti-foreigners and more "protect our economy from all the ways the left wing nutballs will fuck it up once they get elected"

[Malthus]

How is say you will bring a stronger economy Orwellian?

Read between the lines - coupled with "protect our economy" it's very anti-immigrant/isolationist.

Nope - he was attempting to drum up fears about socialists screwing up the economy. In matters economic, he wasn't an isolationist - he was a big plugger of free trade agreements.

As to the anti-immigrant thing - he did plenty during the election to raise that bugbear, but these slogans weren't intended for that. 

[Barrister]

How is say you will bring a stronger economy Orwellian?

Read between the lines - coupled with "protect our economy" it's very anti-immigrant/isolationist.

It would help if you knew a little bit more about Canadian politics.  While there was an anti-refugee sentiment in the campaign, limiting immigration was mentioned by no one, ever.  Harper was also proudly touting his trade deals like the TPP, and his involvement in the fighting against ISIS.

"Protect our economy" is about protecting the balanced budget / not increasing taxes on business.

[Jacob]

It would help if you knew a little bit more about Canadian politics.  While there was an anti-refugee sentiment in the campaign, limiting immigration was mentioned by no one, ever.  Harper was also proudly touting his trade deals like the TPP, and his involvement in the fighting against ISIS.

"Protect our economy" is about protecting the balanced budget / not increasing taxes on business.

Yeah, I concur with BB here.

To the extent that Harper tried to capitalize on anti-foreign sentiment, it was all in the "terrorists!!!" and "weird Muslim things are weird and foreign and shouldn't be allowed, right?" veins.

Protect our economy was "the other guys are crazy socialists and dilettantes, they'll probably cost you big money and wreck everything."

[Barrister]

I think Marty was doing the same thing I find myself doing at times - projecting local political understanding and belief to foreign elections.

I tend to root for the right-wing party in whatever country's election, but I do have to remind myself that those parties are often quite different from home-grown Canadian conservatism.

[viper37]

It's an impressive looking cabinet. So far, Trudeau appears, I must admit, far more effective than I had feared. 

To my mind, and as I mentioned a few times during the election - far more important that the specifics of any particular decision is that this government appears energetic and like it actually wants to govern.

Let's take a look.
Innovation, science and economic development
Science
Environment and Climate Change
Small Business and Tourism
Families, Children and Social Development
Status of Women

All of these overlap one another.  It is unclear where one area would fall under one department, it will be chaos and hard to manage.  Take Innovation, science and economic development.  Why do we need another for science specifically?

That means 2 ministers, 2 deputy ministers, 4 assistant deputy ministers, 6 regional assistant deputy minister for each of the 4 assistant deputy minister (BC, Prairies, Ontario, National Capital, Quebec, Maritimes) all with the required staff.  That's a minimum.  Then we need to find seperate rooms for all of these.  The deputy ministers and their staff usually occupy one floor to themselves.  Then we need to do seperate accounting for all these managers, even more staff.

Small business and tourism could have been merged with Economic development, it's not like they're going to do much good for us anyway, given Trudeau's characterization of us.

It is totally inefficient and sends the wrong signal.  It means that it's open bar for public workers and there will also be endless conflicts to solve between the various departements and departmental sections.

And there are many others like that.

far more damaging was this: they just looked worn out as a party, tired after a decade in office.

to maintain power, a government should present change year after year.  That was the failure of the Conservatives, insisting they must maintain anchored in the past and avoid making waves instead of looking toward a New Canada.  Now, Trudeau has managed to channel the hopes of everyone who believe Canada needs changing and many of these changes may be detrimental to vulnerable minorities like French Canadian groups accross Canada struggling to survive and SMB owners who are now seen as public ennemy #1.

[Valmy]

What was the attack on SMB owners again? That all you were basically tax havens for the rich or something?

[viper37]

As to the anti-immigrant thing - he did plenty during the election to raise that bugbear, but these slogans weren't intended for that. 

and yet, the facts were that we allowed more immigrants and refugees than under the Liberal's rule.

[viper37]

What was the attack on SMB owners again? That all you were basically tax havens for the rich or something?

Yes.  It is reflective of the attitude of this government to treat us all like criminals.  As if dealing with a provincial government that thinks the same (guilty until proven innocent by all court levels) wasn't bad enough.

[viper37]

While there was an anti-refugee sentiment in the campaign,

the anti-refugee sentiment was simply hype from the opposition parties and the medias.

Now, we're opening refugee camps on military bases.  That's improvement.  From refugee camps in Turkey to refugee camps in Canada.

The government had legitimate concerns about our security, our capacity to integrate immigrants and the resources needed, human&financial.  It's as if people like CC and Jacob thinks money and people come from thin air and bureaucrats can just be reassigned from one department to another while nothing changes anywhere.