Chretien begins forming his fascist dictatorship

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
Whatever happened to BC's Premier?

Last I heard he was charged, but not convicted.

EDIT: Or where you talking about the Socred premier?

Originally posted by Asher
What a wonderful thing Douglas gave us.

You must be one of the few Canadians who would criticize what Douglas did.

Originally posted by Asher
2) My dad's appendix burst and he had to wait nearly 12 hours WITHOUT PAINKILLER before they could operate. People who have had an appendix burst know how PAINFUL it is. This was in Ontario, before you blame it on Klein.

Once an appendix bursts the pain goes away, but it then becomes fatal unless an operation is done within 24 hours. At least that's what my doctor told me when I had my appendix out. An inflamed appendix (the step before it bursts) is quite painful.

Originally posted by Asher
3) The public healthcare doesn't include dental care. I just coughed up $1500 for wisdom teeth removal. Thankfully my dad's company covers dental insurance...

So you think that public healthcare is a terrible thing and then you complain that it doesn't cover dental costs.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Asher
I've already shown you the figures.

No you haven't. You have confused "fiscal capabilities" with contributions to equalization payments.

The number you need to provide is how much of federal revenues comes from each province.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
Last I heard he was charged, but not convicted.

EDIT: Or where you talking about the Socred premier?

Oh, I'm sorry, his conviction is pending so it doesn't matter.

You must be one of the few Canadians who would criticize what Douglas did.

Douglas' idea is fine and good as long as the government can support it.

Canada is proving it cannot, so it's time to reform healthcare instead of dinking around and buying private jets like Chretien is doing.

Once an appendix bursts the pain goes away, but it then becomes fatal unless an operation is done within 24 hours. At least that's what my doctor told me when I had my appendix out. An inflamed appendix (the step before it bursts) is quite painful.

Tell that to the people who have had to suffer a burst appendix. You make it sound like it hurts like a ***** but as soon as it bursts all the pain is gone, then you have a 24 hour stopwatch until the time you die in which you can lounge around in the hospital waiting room watching the game...

So you think that public healthcare is a terrible thing and then you complain that it doesn't cover dental costs.

I never said it was a terrible thing. There you go with the NDP strawmen.

I said the public healthcare in Canada sucks. Mostly because Chretien underfunds it, and it's a complete mess. Instead of allowing people the option of private health care in addition to it (like Germany does), Canada forces you to stick with sub-standard treatment, or you can go to the states.

I'm all for public health care. I think it's a critical service the government provides. I don't see why it's a problem to allow people to opt out and use private if they wish, though. Germany does that and it works perfectly fine.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Tingkai
No you haven't. You have confused "fiscal capabilities" with contributions to equalization payments.

The number you need to provide is how much of federal revenues comes from each province.

No, Tingkai, that's not how it works.

The federal government skims tons of money off of Alberta's energy revenue for the explicit purpose of putting towards equalization payments. This vast amount of money isn't shown when you just look at GROSS revenues from each province.

You're changing what we're arguing so you can win.

Of course Ontario is going to be providing the most money as a GROSS figure. It's by far the largest province.

When you start looking at net and per capita figures, like what I've been doing this whole time while you still argue gross, Alberta clearly pays far more than any other province.

That much is clear to anyone with basic arithmetic and reading skills.

I find it amazing you keep trying to break this down into a discussion about income tax, as if that's the only source of revenue for equalization payments.

[Hobbes]

Oh, I'm sorry, his conviction is pending so it doesn't matter.

Not any more, he got away with... well whatever he did. As Lionel Hutz would say "Case Closed".

[David James]

Originally posted by Tingkai

What is your problem with the numbers I listed. The equalization payments equal about $10.7 billion. If Ontario taxpayers provide 44 per cent of federal income tax revenues then Ontario finances $4.7 billion of the equalization payments (10.7 x 0.44). Albertan taxpayers provides 11 per cent of federal income tax revenues so Albertan taxpayers finance about $1.2 billion of the payments (10.7 x 0.11).

The remainder of the transfer payments would come from taxpayers in other provinces.

Something here doesn't make good sense Tingkai; Equalization isn't like any other federal program; it's explicitly designed as a transfer program from "have" areas to "have-not" areas so the entire sum of the transfer must be coming from the "have" provinces, eg Alberta and Ontario (and for a long while BC until the NDP finally managed to turn that around). I think what you're confusing is the notion of 'gross' and 'net' - the $10.7B is a net transfer. This has to be the case because if it wasn't there would be little point to the equalization program (there's little enough point as it is constituted anyway, but I digress).

It is an attempt to ensure that all Canadians receive the same level of services from areas controlled by the provincial governments, e.g. education.

This is something I've never been able to figure out ... if this is the case then why aren't per capita transfers to the provinces for these things equal? The only form of equalizing taking place should be through the equalization program itself. ie suppose each Canadian needs $2000/yr in health services (avg). The feds transfer $1000 per capita to each province. Some provinces can afford the remaining $1000, others can't. Those that can't get the difference through the equalization program. But how it really works is that some provinces get more than $1000 in their health transfer, and correspondingly *less* in their equalization grant, which makes it look like the equalization program is smaller than it really is, thus helping to hide the poor job the feds and those provinces are doing with respect to the economies of those provinces.

[Hobbes]

...said the stripper to the bishop.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by DanS
Canadians are mean to each other when it comes to politics. You guys should learn to get along with one another.

Nothing unites us faster than when Yanks intrude in matters they don't understand.

[Asher]

yay, David James, finally someone who makes sense.

[KrazyHorse]

I love how every Can. political thread you're involved with turns into an Albertan whinefest, Asher...

[Asher]

I love how every Can. political thread turns into an Alberta-bash fest from you and Tingkai.

I don't think either of you really understands how the government works, and the economies behind a lot of it. That would make sense, considering how you back the NDP or liberals.

On the brightside this thread gave me a new sig!

[Hobbes]

Don't forget about me, I don't really like Alberta either. It's the Bible Belt of Canada.

[Asher]

Religion isn't nearly as common here as you might think.

None of my friends, save for a couple Muslims and Sikhs, are religious, for example.

And Hobbes: You don't like Alberta, but you've never lived here. Your dislike is based upon what you've heard, and most of what you've heard is, quite frankly, bull****.

[Hobbes]

I don't think either of you really understands how the government works, and the economies behind a lot of it

For God's sake, what's the obsession with right wingers and their bloody economies?! Where's the love? It's not enough! Just give it up! It's what makes the world go round and round and round!!

[Asher]

UGH HANSON.

And economics make the world go 'round these days. Welcome to the 21st century.

Step 1: NDPers take power
2: Taxes rise
3: Economy slows down
4. Tax revenues decrease
5. Taxes rise more
6. Economy slows down more
7. Taxes rise more
ad naseum until what you're left with is current-day BC.

I mean, let's face it, the NDP has proven to be clueless time and time again. How about the rent ceilings they put in place while in power?

NO concept of how economics works, which is a major part of being a government.