CanPol: May(?) 2011 Election. Vote today!

[Asher]

On a related note, you might be aware that talks in the EU to impose tariffs on carbon (i.e., allowing too much carbon = unfair subsidy) are increasingly serious.

Yet another bit of help from Alberta to Quebec. p

Huh?

In the meanwhile, Harper's foreign policy has been either
1) coffee at Tim Horton's
2) lobbying to buy time against carbon tariffs (which are inevitable anyway, at least from the EU, given their lack of fossil fuels).

It may be an interesting exercise to see how much energy Canada exports to EU. Hint: virtually zero.

In more relevant news for Canada, Obama last week identified Canada as a priority source for future oil. He wants to decrease or eliminate imports from the ME.

[notyoueither]

Sorry, do you have an article that doesn't spend half its time explaining that governments shouldn't have to abide by the contracts they sign?

It's the background that a lot of people are not going to be aware of.

I labour over this history to place in context the astounding, even outré, comments offered by Canada’s First Separatist, Gilles Duceppe, on hearing of the proposed arrangement — which, I hasten to mention, is merely a $4.2-bilion loan guarantee from Ottawa, not some massive outright subsidy. Mr. Duceppe, with a logic that can only belong to a man who gets paid to be a separatist by the government he’s trying to extinguish, called the deal “a direct attack on Quebec.”

[Fake Boris]

Asher, your claim is that equalization has been tampered with to benefit Quebec is ludicrous.

This doesn't make any ****ing sense. Subsidizing Quebec = political suicide.

The English media can VERY WELL do the job of pointing out every unfair penny of help flowing from Ottawa to Quebec.

BTW, separatism didn't even exist in the 50s. The first time we had separatist MPs in Quebec was '72.

What is your point? There's no ****ing reason Quebec deserves $8B a year. How destitute is that province? There's no reason to be at all.

More like $4B (a little lower than that I think).
Don't forget we bring in 4 and then get out with 8.

Quebec has a GDP of $300B. $4B sounds big, but in reality it's only 1,3% of our economy. It's a modest transfer.

[Fake Boris]

It's the background that a lot of people are not going to be aware of.

I labour over this history to place in context the astounding, even outré, comments offered by Canada’s First Separatist, Gilles Duceppe, on hearing of the proposed arrangement — which, I hasten to mention, is merely a $4.2-bilion loan guarantee from Ottawa, not some massive outright subsidy. Mr. Duceppe, with a logic that can only belong to a man who gets paid to be a separatist by the government he’s trying to extinguish, called the deal “a direct attack on Quebec.”

NYE, Duceppe calls it a "direct attack" because Ontario got its car industry saved, and now NF gets a massive subsidy that will allow them to circumvent dealing with Hydro-Quebec.

In the meanwhile we got nothing for the failing lumber industry, and Quebec's plan to develop new hydro projects isn't getting anything from the federal government.

Now don't take me wrong, I don't want any of that money. Let's just take our marbles out and handle them on our own.

[Fake Boris]

Huh?


It may be an interesting exercise to see how much energy Canada exports to EU. Hint: virtually zero.

In more relevant news for Canada, Obama last week identified Canada as a priority source for future oil. He wants to decrease or eliminate imports from the ME.

They mean a universal tariff on anything that comes from a country with emissions higher than Kyoto.

[Asher]

Asher, your claim is that equalization has been tampered with to benefit Quebec is ludicrous.

This doesn't make any ****ing sense. Subsidizing Quebec = political suicide.

The English media can VERY WELL do the job of pointing out every unfair penny of help flowing from Ottawa to Quebec.

BTW, separatism didn't even exist in the 50s. The first time we had separatist MPs in Quebec was '72.



More like $4B (a little lower than that I think).
Don't forget we bring in 4 and then get out with 8.

Quebec has a GDP of $300B. $4B sounds big, but in reality it's only 1,3% of our economy. It's a modest transfer.

How ****ing disingenuous can one man be? Christ.

http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/eqp-eng.asp

In 2010-2011, Quebec is receiving $7.8B in equalization payments.

The comparison isn't to your province's GDP, but as a portion of your government revenues.

Quebec has a provincial budget of $62B per year. Charity from other provinces makes up 12.5% of your provincial revenue. How the ****? That's $8012 per person per year in spending total, $1000 of which comes from other provinces.

[Asher]

NYE, Duceppe calls it a "direct attack" because Ontario got its car industry saved, and now NF gets a massive subsidy that will allow them to circumvent dealing with Hydro-Quebec.

In the meanwhile we got nothing for the failing lumber industry, and Quebec's plan to develop new hydro projects isn't getting anything from the federal government.

Now don't take me wrong, I don't want any of that money. Let's just take our marbles out and handle them on our own.

Quebec gets $8B a year. They get more than enough subsidies as is.

[Asher]

They mean a universal tariff on anything that comes from a country with emissions higher than Kyoto.

I hope Europeans enjoy their even more expensive merchandise then. I can see that going well for them.

Again, I fail to understand your point. I'm sure Alberta's export industry to Europe is reeling by this potential news.

[Fake Boris]

Cretin.

[Asher]

Leach.

[Krill]

Quebec sounds like it is full of douches.

[Hauldren Collider]

Don't you have some chads to hang in Florida, or something?

Florida's not a real place. Don't let Dave Barry fool you.

[notyoueither]

They mean a universal tariff on anything that comes from a country with emissions higher than Kyoto.

I'm thinking they'll have a problem with WTO on that, but if it comes down to it we import far more from the EU than we export to them. I think that means they would be harmed more by governments engaging in stupid tarrif games.

NYE, Duceppe calls it a "direct attack" because Ontario got its car industry saved, and now NF gets a massive subsidy that will allow them to circumvent dealing with Hydro-Quebec.

In the meanwhile we got nothing for the failing lumber industry, and Quebec's plan to develop new hydro projects isn't getting anything from the federal government.

Now don't take me wrong, I don't want any of that money. Let's just take our marbles out and handle them on our own.

You have heard of Bombardier? The feds have been heavily subsidising high tech in Quebec for a very long time.

It is absurd to call aid to a province to encourage development an attack on another. Hydro Quebec (who owns the lines?) had the option of accepting reasonable tarrifs for transmitting power through their grid. Instead, they opted to attempt to screw the Newfs, again.

[Asher]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/majority-wont-spur-change-on-abortion-or-same-sex-marriage-harper-says/article1970073/

Majority won’t spur change on abortion or same-sex marriage, Harper says

Stephen Harper is flatly ruling out restricting abortion laws or eliminating same-sex marriages should he win a majority government.

Asked whether he’d make changes in these areas if he gained control of the Commons, the Conservative Leader said no.

“We will govern on the platform we are elected on,” he told reporters during a campaign stop in the Niagara region.

Mr. Harper said the Tories would proceed to scrap the gun registry if they win a majority because this is long-held party policy.

“The position of the party is the position of the party,” he said.

“The other subjects you brought up are not the positions of the party,” he said.

“They’re not in the Conservative platform. I have no intention of opening up those issues.”

Canada legalized same-sex marriage under a former Liberal government.

In December of 2006 the Harper government introduced a motion asking whether Ottawa should reopen the matter. It was defeated 175-123.

Hope he keeps his word.

[Wezil]

Yeah, he's been good for keeping his word.