[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Valmy]

Canada's fertility falls to an all-time low of 1.33 children per woman.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/statistics-canada-total-fertility-rate-2022-1.7100404

Damn. Starting to approach East Asian numbers. Come on Canadians, what else are you going to do all winter but make babies?

[Valmy]

Conservatives raise a total of $35 million dollars in 2023, a record for the party.

Liberals on the other hand raise $15.6 million, and the NDP $6.8 million.

But really those - all those numbers seem quite miniscule compared to what gets spent in the US.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservative-party-record-breaking-fundraising-haul-1.7100305

I was about to say. That would be the catering budget for our parties.

[HVC]

Canada's fertility falls to an all-time low of 1.33 children per woman.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/statistics-canada-total-fertility-rate-2022-1.7100404

Damn. Starting to approach East Asian numbers. Come on Canadians, what else are you going to do all winter but make babies?

Winters are getting milder. A lot less fall babies

[crazy canuck]

The inability to have a home in which to raise a family might be having some impact.

[viper37]

Canada's fertility falls to an all-time low of 1.33 children per woman.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/statistics-canada-total-fertility-rate-2022-1.7100404

Damn. Starting to approach East Asian numbers. Come on Canadians, what else are you going to do all winter but make babies?

Winters are getting milder. A lot less fall babies

Quebec (1.49)

It's still cold over here.

[viper37]

The inability to have a home in which to raise a family might be having some impact.

Didn't bother our ancestors that much.  At the space we use for 4 people, they would be 40.

[HVC]

The inability to have a home in which to raise a family might be having some impact.

Didn't bother our ancestors that much.  At the space we use for 4 people, they would be 40.

Yeah, but kids are status symbols now. You actually have to treat them fairly well. No more of that seen and not heard stuff anymore

[crazy canuck]

The inability to have a home in which to raise a family might be having some impact.

Didn't bother our ancestors that much.  At the space we use for 4 people, they would be 40.

Yeah, but kids are status symbols now. You actually have to treat them fairly well. No more of that seen and not heard stuff anymore

None of my recent ancestors lived with their parents after their teens (and don't know about further back in time).  And I certainly did not.  I left home at 18.   Has nothing to do with status symbols.  It's hard to find a life long partner, get married, and have kids while still living in your parent's spare room.

[HVC]

I was agreeing with You in the past you could be poor and cram a bunch of kids into a room, kind of ignore them and no one would think it was odd. Multigeneration homes were also the norm. It's not done now so kids are expensive and harder to keep (for lack of a more eloquent word )

[crazy canuck]

I was agreeing with You in the past you could be poor and cram a bunch of kids into a room, kind of ignore them and no one would think it was odd. Multigeneration homes were also the norm. It's not done now so kids are expensive and harder to keep (for lack of a more eloquent word )

That is not how multigenerational homes typically work though.  The kids make something of themselves, get married, find a home, raise kids and the parents/inlaws live with them. 

This is the first time since perhaps the 1800s that children continued to live in their parent's home into adulthood in large numbers.

[viper37]

I was agreeing with You in the past you could be poor and cram a bunch of kids into a room, kind of ignore them and no one would think it was odd. Multigeneration homes were also the norm. It's not done now so kids are expensive and harder to keep (for lack of a more eloquent word )

That is not how multigenerational homes typically work though.  The kids make something of themselves, get married, find a home, raise kids and the parents/inlaws live with them. 
This is the first time since perhaps the 1800s that children continued to live in their parent's home into adulthood in large numbers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanguy_(film)

When he was a newborn baby, Edith Guetz thoughtlessly told her son Tanguy : "If you want to, you can stay at home forever". 28 years later, the over-educated university teacher of Asian languages and womanizer leads a successful and wealthy life... while still living in his parents' home. Father Paul Guetz longs to see his son finally leave the nest, a desire that his wife shares. Edith finally agrees and the pair unite to make Tanguy's life at home miserable. However, they don't know that Tanguy isn't the type of guy who easily gives up.


That movie was so popular, it became a noun in French, a "Tanguy", to describe youngsters who stayed at their parents place long past their early 20s while working.


Seriously, I think it's been a gradual process since the early 1990s.  I've had someone in my family doing this until her father died and her mother sold the house.  She was working full time, a good job, earning more than her mother most likely, but living in Montreal.  I've known a few people doing this.  My ex's brother used to live in his dad's house, later moved to an apartment upstairs after his mom died.

Prices have always been a bit crazy in Montreal.

[Valmy]

The solution is to work from home and move to Cape Breton.

[Barrister]

Premiere Danielle Smith announces sweeping changes for youth trans medical care and schooling:

-surgery banned for those under 18 (so called "top" or "bottom" surgeries)
-hormones/puberty blockers banned for under 16.  Available ages 16-17 with parental consent
-any change of name or gender under 16 must have parental consent.  Ages 16-17 consent not required, but parental notification is
-if gender identity, sex orientation or sexual identity is taught in school, there must be parental opt-in

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/danielle-smith-unveils-sweeping-changes-to-alberta-s-student-gender-identity-sports-and-surgery-policies-1.7101053

Both sides are going nuts on Twitter - because of course this is right following the culture war playbook.

So look - there have been some very troubling stories coming out of other jurisdictions (UK and US most notably) about some very shoddy standards of care for youth transition.  So I'm worried we don't have good practices here.  But I honestly don't know either way.  I would much rather the government try and study the issue rather than announce the ban.

Not also a big fan of a blanket ban.  While we may be too quick to prescribe blockers and hormones, that doesn't mean they're not appropriate in some cases, even under the age of 16.

The one thing I'll say is in announcing this Premiere Smith posted a lengthy video on Twitter (because of course she did) but went on at lengths about being sympathetic and supportive of trans youth.  Which is something - she could have just gone on an anti-trans screed.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/danielle-smith-unveils-sweeping-changes-to-alberta-s-student-gender-identity-sports-and-surgery-policies-1.7101053

[Barrister]

In happier news the Liberals have delayed (for the second time) the application of MAID to those suffering solely from mental illness.  This time to 2027.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-delay-expanding-maid-1.7101560

[Grey Fox]

Speaking of MAID.

My GF's uncle has very late generalized cancer & is quickly deteriorating. Doctors original assessment from last fall was death within 6 months.
He has a ask about MAID and if he is eligible. He is. Where this gets interesting is that my GF's family is extremely religious and her uncle is the OG #1 of faith & fervor. Considering their original opposition to MAID when it was 1st introduced, I fell off my chair when I heard that story.

Such hypocrisy.