[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Grey Fox]

I like the principle of the Senate.  I'd much prefer a reform to an abolition.  I think it's important that something else than pure numbers speak, like in the US, Germany, and many other places.  That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Canada is already significantly decentralized.  What's left to decentralize?

Federal Income Tax & Defense?

[Malthus]

I like the principle of the Senate.  I'd much prefer a reform to an abolition.  I think it's important that something else than pure numbers speak, like in the US, Germany, and many other places.  That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Canada is already significantly decentralized.  What's left to decentralize?

Federal Income Tax & Defense?

Decentralized defense makes no sense.

[Grey Fox]

I like the principle of the Senate.  I'd much prefer a reform to an abolition.  I think it's important that something else than pure numbers speak, like in the US, Germany, and many other places.  That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Canada is already significantly decentralized.  What's left to decentralize?

Federal Income Tax & Defense?

Decentralized defense makes no sense.

We could decentralized it by contracting it to the US Armed Forces?

[Jacob]

We could decentralized it by contracting it to the US Armed Forces?

Paying foreigners to look after your defense, historically does not work out that well.

[Malthus]

We could decentralized it by contracting it to the US Armed Forces?

Paying foreigners to look after your defense, historically does not work out that well.

The Delian League. 

[Barrister]

I like the principle of the Senate.  I'd much prefer a reform to an abolition.  I think it's important that something else than pure numbers speak, like in the US, Germany, and many other places.  That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Canada is already significantly decentralized.  What's left to decentralize?

Federal Income Tax & Defense?

Uh, Quebec already collects its own income tax.

Decentralize defence and you no longer have a country. 

[viper37]

I like the principle of the Senate.  I'd much prefer a reform to an abolition.  I think it's important that something else than pure numbers speak, like in the US, Germany, and many other places.  That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Canada is already significantly decentralized.  What's left to decentralize?

   
• The Federal government has the right to spend in a province's field.  Recent examples are the Canadian SEC project instead of the provinces and the new program to educate workers.  There's the Liberal way: sending checks to specific students instead of increasing provincial transfers, blocking Quebec's international relations, starving the provinces, etc, etc.
• Right now, the Feds perceive taxes and give what it wants to provinces.  Provinces should perceive all their taxes and give a share, per population, to the Feds.
• Federal has shared power in forests & other natural resources, communications, culture, many others.  Provinces should have sole jurisdiction in everything touching their natural resources and culture (including communications).  If Alberta wants to drill for oil and Quebec doesn't want to, then Alberta should drill and Quebec should not drill.
• Health care: it should be solely a province's choice what to do with its health care system.  The Federal government should have no say in this, no taking hostages by threatening to cut funding.  My point #2 would solve that problem though...
• these are but a few sample choices.  Ideally, the Federal governement would be very minimal and non obstrusive, kinda invisible.  It's the only way a large country can be managed.

[crazy canuck]

That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Now what are you on about?

[Jacob]

Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea Viper.

[Grey Fox]

I like the principle of the Senate.  I'd much prefer a reform to an abolition.  I think it's important that something else than pure numbers speak, like in the US, Germany, and many other places.  That or massive decentralization.  But Canadians hate that word, apprently.

Canada is already significantly decentralized.  What's left to decentralize?

Federal Income Tax & Defense?

Uh, Quebec already collects its own income tax.

Decentralize defence and you no longer have a country.

Yes but aren't we the exception?

And you know I am an advocate of a reversal of Canadian Government funding. Provincial gov collect taxes & give them to the Fed gov instead of the current way.

[crazy canuck]

Yes but aren't we the exception?

Yes, Quebec is the exception. But not for the reason you suggest.  Any other province could do it as well.  Its just the no other province would take on the added administrative cost of setting up a separate tax collection system for purely symbolic purposes.

[Grey Fox]

It's what we do

[viper37]

Now what are you on about?

well, a majority of Canadians were against Meech and Charlottetown because it removed power from the Federal government and gave Quebec (as well as other provinces) more power.  And I've discussed this before, here, I think, and was told by BB that it would never work in Canada.

[viper37]

Yes, Quebec is the exception. But not for the reason you suggest.  Any other province could do it as well.  Its just the no other province would take on the added administrative cost of setting up a separate tax collection system for purely symbolic purposes.

they don't need to.  Whenever they talk about it, they Federal government rushes in and gives them more money.  See Ontario with their tax deal.  They didn't wait for 20 years to receive their 1Billion$ compensation.  They talked about how unfair it was, they were providing for Canada, so now, they got money to "harmonize their sales tax" and they are also receiving equalization payments, plus various government grants to help the auto-industry restart.

[crazy canuck]

Viper you are beyond the pale.  I give up.