As much as I am trying not to sound like side show barker, I would not be good citizen if I did not offer the following warning to all of my readers.
I must warn everyone now that what you are about to hear is not for the faint of heart. If you are hypertensive, have a heart condition, have a weak stomach, are a Liberal, or have any other serious medical issues, we cannot be held responsible for what happens if you choose to listen to the following radio interview. You have been warned!
John Gormley interviews Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff, of The ‘shift’ will transfer wealth from rich to poor, from the oil patch to the rest of the country, and from the coffers of big business to the pockets of low-income Canadians." and Dion's carbon tax is "a green anti poverty plan" fame.
Listen to the interview HERE.
Calling that performance by Ken Boshcoff a train wreck would be putting it mildly; it was a total disaster.
Right from the beginning of the interview Boshcoff is pushing the 'Green Shift is an environmental policy' spin, I guess someone from Liberal HQ has had a little chat with him on this point since his last fiasco, and sounds as if he is reading from a list of talking points mumbling and stumbling around with his spin about how this is a national plan, increased benefits for the country, and about refineries that were NOT built. Listen carefully from around the 7 minute mark as Boshcoff gets knocked of script and falls flat when Gormley asks him the simplest of questions. Ugly; I do not think we will be hearing Mr. Boshcoff do many more interviews in the future.
BTW, to answer Mr. Gormley's question, since Ken Boshcoff had no clue.
Of the 15.4 billion dollars that is expected to be collected with the Dion's carbon tax, the amount that is supposed to go back directly into the environment is zero dollars. Yes that is right, zero. None of the money collected will go directly to environmental measures or technology to reduce CO2. Dion and the rest of the green shift pushers all like to talk about all the money that will flow in to the provinces, universities and business for environmental tech research etc, but Dion's plan provides NO money for this, and the Liberals never say just where that money will come from. They can't say; because the money does not exist other than in the minds of the Liberals trying to spin this pie in the sky nonsense to Canadians and looking like fools in the process.
The facts are the facts and no amount of Liberal spin will change this; the green shift is not an environment plan.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Why we do not hear from more people supporting Dion's carbon tax.
I think I may have figured out the reasons for the almost complete absence of people/groups coming forward to support Dion's carbon tax.
I touched on this before when I asked where most of the Premiers and mayors from the major cities have been hiding on this issue; and here we are almost 2 weeks later, and with a big push(spin) by the Liberals to get the plan out there, we still have not heard from most of this same group. Aside from Edmonton Mayor Mandel, who was not a big fan of the carbon tax, the rest still seem to be absent from the debate. You know things are not going well for the Liberal plan when this normally very vocal group are silent on the subject.
I believe that the same reasons we have not heard much from the other levels of government on Dion's tax, are the same reason we are not hearing from any of the usual Liberal policy supporters; Dion's carbon tax is on all levels bad policy, such bad policy that even the usual suspects cannot support or praise it.
Let's take a look at some areas and see why everyone is so quiet.
The premiers and mayors cannot support it because they know that this tax is going to cost their own governments millions of extra dollars, and that those costs are going to have to be passed on to the taxpayer in the form of added increased taxes or user fees. It is hard to offer support for a plan, not even their own plan at that, where they are going to have tell their own voters that they are going to have to pay a lot more for.
The environmentalists cannot support it because they know that it is not really a plan for the environment. With no real targets, no tax on gas, no guarantees of any real reductions, and the knowledge that the green shift just a wealth redistribution make support difficult.
Poverty groups as well will have a hard time offering support for Dion's carbon tax, even though this tax has been revealed to be another anti poverty Liberal social program but green wrapping. The reasons are very simple; Dion's tax will impact the hardest on the poor than any other group in this country. The promised tax breaks are not going to come close to covering all of the increased costs, that is if some in this category will even get a tax break, with the increased costs for heat, power, food, shelter, property taxes, clothing and just about everything else you can think of going up, those with the least ability to pay those increases will suffer the most. It would be extremely difficult, and obviously two faced, for any advocate for the poor to call for the poor to have to pay even more because of the Green Shift.
Business can be considered a very large and varied group and tough to lump together on opinion, but they hardly could be expected to offer support for something that is going to cost them more right now just to operate, and much more in the future as their employees demand higher wages to deal with their own green shift induced price increases. While as Garth Turner has graciously admitted, "that the ultimate cost will come from consumers", meaning that business will just pass their increases on to us; it will take awhile for that to take place and in the mean time it will cost business' money, and it will kill others completely.
Buzz and the rest of the union leaders are also among those very noticeably absent on this file, and again the reasons should be obvious. The tax will not only hurt business, and business are the ones who employ those that they supposedly represent, but it will also hurt their fellow union brothers and sister with the associated increased costs. Can you honestly imagine Buzz Hargrove standing up and telling auto workers to support a policy that will, if not cost them jobs and seriously harm their industry, it will also take a big chunk out of their salaries to pay for? I don't think most of union members, with their current annual wages and lifestyle, will qualify for the alleged benefits of this poverty plan in disguise, as they will be the ones that will be paying for it.
Child Care Lobby: see poverty groups above.
Economists are another funny group to try pin down for a consensus of opinion on the carbon tax, but there is one thing that 100% of economists will agree on. Dion's carbon tax will cause a noticeable increase to the rate of inflation in Canada, and that can not be considered a good thing by any standards for the economy or individuals. (Liberal spin alert) Finding an economist who praises the green shift without qualifying that praise, is going to be very difficult to find.
Student groups: (late addition) Similar to the reasons that we have not heard from poverty groups; student advocacy groups too are very well aware of the increased costs that students will have to face with the Green Shift. Increases for rent, food, books, transportation, and even tuition hikes can honestly be expected as centres of higher education pass on their own increased costs on to the backs of students.
Your average taxpayer. Well they also have not been heard from much on this issue as of yet, but they will get their chance, and I do not think that Dion will like at all what they have to say.
Did I leave anyone out? Let me know, because with so many silent on Dion's carbon tax, it is hard to be sure I did not miss anyone.
I touched on this before when I asked where most of the Premiers and mayors from the major cities have been hiding on this issue; and here we are almost 2 weeks later, and with a big push(spin) by the Liberals to get the plan out there, we still have not heard from most of this same group. Aside from Edmonton Mayor Mandel, who was not a big fan of the carbon tax, the rest still seem to be absent from the debate. You know things are not going well for the Liberal plan when this normally very vocal group are silent on the subject.
I believe that the same reasons we have not heard much from the other levels of government on Dion's tax, are the same reason we are not hearing from any of the usual Liberal policy supporters; Dion's carbon tax is on all levels bad policy, such bad policy that even the usual suspects cannot support or praise it.
Let's take a look at some areas and see why everyone is so quiet.
The premiers and mayors cannot support it because they know that this tax is going to cost their own governments millions of extra dollars, and that those costs are going to have to be passed on to the taxpayer in the form of added increased taxes or user fees. It is hard to offer support for a plan, not even their own plan at that, where they are going to have tell their own voters that they are going to have to pay a lot more for.
The environmentalists cannot support it because they know that it is not really a plan for the environment. With no real targets, no tax on gas, no guarantees of any real reductions, and the knowledge that the green shift just a wealth redistribution make support difficult.
Poverty groups as well will have a hard time offering support for Dion's carbon tax, even though this tax has been revealed to be another anti poverty Liberal social program but green wrapping. The reasons are very simple; Dion's tax will impact the hardest on the poor than any other group in this country. The promised tax breaks are not going to come close to covering all of the increased costs, that is if some in this category will even get a tax break, with the increased costs for heat, power, food, shelter, property taxes, clothing and just about everything else you can think of going up, those with the least ability to pay those increases will suffer the most. It would be extremely difficult, and obviously two faced, for any advocate for the poor to call for the poor to have to pay even more because of the Green Shift.
Business can be considered a very large and varied group and tough to lump together on opinion, but they hardly could be expected to offer support for something that is going to cost them more right now just to operate, and much more in the future as their employees demand higher wages to deal with their own green shift induced price increases. While as Garth Turner has graciously admitted, "that the ultimate cost will come from consumers", meaning that business will just pass their increases on to us; it will take awhile for that to take place and in the mean time it will cost business' money, and it will kill others completely.
Buzz and the rest of the union leaders are also among those very noticeably absent on this file, and again the reasons should be obvious. The tax will not only hurt business, and business are the ones who employ those that they supposedly represent, but it will also hurt their fellow union brothers and sister with the associated increased costs. Can you honestly imagine Buzz Hargrove standing up and telling auto workers to support a policy that will, if not cost them jobs and seriously harm their industry, it will also take a big chunk out of their salaries to pay for? I don't think most of union members, with their current annual wages and lifestyle, will qualify for the alleged benefits of this poverty plan in disguise, as they will be the ones that will be paying for it.
Child Care Lobby: see poverty groups above.
Economists are another funny group to try pin down for a consensus of opinion on the carbon tax, but there is one thing that 100% of economists will agree on. Dion's carbon tax will cause a noticeable increase to the rate of inflation in Canada, and that can not be considered a good thing by any standards for the economy or individuals. (Liberal spin alert) Finding an economist who praises the green shift without qualifying that praise, is going to be very difficult to find.
Student groups: (late addition) Similar to the reasons that we have not heard from poverty groups; student advocacy groups too are very well aware of the increased costs that students will have to face with the Green Shift. Increases for rent, food, books, transportation, and even tuition hikes can honestly be expected as centres of higher education pass on their own increased costs on to the backs of students.
Your average taxpayer. Well they also have not been heard from much on this issue as of yet, but they will get their chance, and I do not think that Dion will like at all what they have to say.
Did I leave anyone out? Let me know, because with so many silent on Dion's carbon tax, it is hard to be sure I did not miss anyone.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Garth Turner, again doing more harm than good for the Liberals.
Garth is at it again and this time he attempts to come to the aid of fellow Liberal MP Ken Boschoff who let the cat out of the bag the other day with his comments about Dion's carbon tax being a wealth redistribution plan rather than an environment plan, and Garth in his usual manner ends up causing more grief for the LPC in the process.
Here are a few highlights from Garth's blog entry along with my comments. (Highlighting mine)
"So, yeah, I know what Ken wrote. I also know why, and what he meant."
Got that; ignore your own eyes and the words that Boschoff himself wrote, because Garth knows better. He know what Boschoff really meant to say, and he knows more about what Boschoff wrote than Boschoff does. Hey Garth, do you also want us to ignore Boschoff's interview on Adler on Friday, where he called the carbon tax "a green anti poverty plan", as well? Please tell us what he meant Garth, because obviously Mr. Boschoff didn't have a clue about what was coming from his own mouth and got it all wrong again since you say in your blog entry; "And lost in the spray of this regional pissing match is the goal of the Dion plan, which is to tackle climate change, not to redistribute wealth."
And what about these quotes?
From the green shift plan pg 7: "To help low-income Canadians in particular, and as part of the Liberal 30/50 Plan to reduce poverty in Canada by 30 per cent and cut child poverty in half within five years, "
Dion: "We Liberals also have a goal – to fight poverty. Our Green Shift will be especially targeted to decrease poverty with further emphasis on helping children in poverty," an upbeat Dion told Liberals MPs and party supporters."
to redistribute wealth."
"I can also tell everyone reading this that not a single time, not once, has the notion of (a) screwing the West, (b) finding a new NEP, (c) transferring wealth from Big Oil to Toronto, (d) funding lavish new social programs or (e) dreaming up a plan to secure the Eastern vote, been discussed in national Liberal caucus."
Lets see if I have this correct. Garth Turner wants everyone to actually believe that the Liberal caucus has never talked about ANY of the things listed above? No talk about what to do to get the East to vote Liberal? No talk at all about how you guys were going to pay for your 30/50 poverty plan? No discussion about how the green shift may be perceived in Alberta and Saskatchewan? Just what do Liberals talk about in their caucus meetings anyway; last nights big game, how to sit on your hands and not ruin your manicure, the weather, what?
I find impossible to believe that these things have never been discussed in the Liberal caucus, considering the quotes on how this ties to the LPC poverty plan I listed above, but maybe I am reading his spin wrong. Perhaps Ken Boschoff could pop in and explain to us what Garth really meant to say in his blog post. It does seem to be the thing to do in Liberal circles lately. ( "Dion's press secretary clarified the leader's comment, ...)
Keep spinning Garth, because with each attempt you give Canadians another chance to see just how the Liberal Party of Canada likes to operate, and to what levels they will go to return to power.
Here are a few highlights from Garth's blog entry along with my comments. (Highlighting mine)
"So, yeah, I know what Ken wrote. I also know why, and what he meant."
Got that; ignore your own eyes and the words that Boschoff himself wrote, because Garth knows better. He know what Boschoff really meant to say, and he knows more about what Boschoff wrote than Boschoff does. Hey Garth, do you also want us to ignore Boschoff's interview on Adler on Friday, where he called the carbon tax "a green anti poverty plan", as well? Please tell us what he meant Garth, because obviously Mr. Boschoff didn't have a clue about what was coming from his own mouth and got it all wrong again since you say in your blog entry; "And lost in the spray of this regional pissing match is the goal of the Dion plan, which is to tackle climate change, not to redistribute wealth."
And what about these quotes?
From the green shift plan pg 7: "To help low-income Canadians in particular, and as part of the Liberal 30/50 Plan to reduce poverty in Canada by 30 per cent and cut child poverty in half within five years, "
Dion: "We Liberals also have a goal – to fight poverty. Our Green Shift will be especially targeted to decrease poverty with further emphasis on helping children in poverty," an upbeat Dion told Liberals MPs and party supporters."
to redistribute wealth."
"I can also tell everyone reading this that not a single time, not once, has the notion of (a) screwing the West, (b) finding a new NEP, (c) transferring wealth from Big Oil to Toronto, (d) funding lavish new social programs or (e) dreaming up a plan to secure the Eastern vote, been discussed in national Liberal caucus."
Lets see if I have this correct. Garth Turner wants everyone to actually believe that the Liberal caucus has never talked about ANY of the things listed above? No talk about what to do to get the East to vote Liberal? No talk at all about how you guys were going to pay for your 30/50 poverty plan? No discussion about how the green shift may be perceived in Alberta and Saskatchewan? Just what do Liberals talk about in their caucus meetings anyway; last nights big game, how to sit on your hands and not ruin your manicure, the weather, what?
I find impossible to believe that these things have never been discussed in the Liberal caucus, considering the quotes on how this ties to the LPC poverty plan I listed above, but maybe I am reading his spin wrong. Perhaps Ken Boschoff could pop in and explain to us what Garth really meant to say in his blog post. It does seem to be the thing to do in Liberal circles lately. ( "Dion's press secretary clarified the leader's comment, ...)
Keep spinning Garth, because with each attempt you give Canadians another chance to see just how the Liberal Party of Canada likes to operate, and to what levels they will go to return to power.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
If there was ever any doubt.....
The Liberals have been very kind to the voters of Canada the last couple of days.
First they have admitted that the tax formally known as "green shift" is not really an environment plan as advertised, but rather a tax grab to pay for their social programs. (Is this like attempt number six now, going back to Chretien's Redbook of 1993, to cure poverty for the Liberals?)
And today with the announcement that Reid Scott was leaving the NDP to join the Liberals and confirming to all what most of us already knew; that the left has completely taken over the LPC.
And with this announcement; the last hopes of the few centrist Liberal supporters they had remaining have been dashed as the reality that the party has totally abandoned the middle ground of the political spectrum is inescapable.
Wow; when a hard core socialist, former CCF member, and former NDP MP jumps ship from the socialist NDP to join the Liberals; you realize just how far gone the Liberals have become since electing Stephane Dion as their leader. I wonder how many Liberals, as they watch their once proud Liberal Party veer hard left, now are regretting that decision ?
First they have admitted that the tax formally known as "green shift" is not really an environment plan as advertised, but rather a tax grab to pay for their social programs. (Is this like attempt number six now, going back to Chretien's Redbook of 1993, to cure poverty for the Liberals?)
And today with the announcement that Reid Scott was leaving the NDP to join the Liberals and confirming to all what most of us already knew; that the left has completely taken over the LPC.
And with this announcement; the last hopes of the few centrist Liberal supporters they had remaining have been dashed as the reality that the party has totally abandoned the middle ground of the political spectrum is inescapable.
Wow; when a hard core socialist, former CCF member, and former NDP MP jumps ship from the socialist NDP to join the Liberals; you realize just how far gone the Liberals have become since electing Stephane Dion as their leader. I wonder how many Liberals, as they watch their once proud Liberal Party veer hard left, now are regretting that decision ?
Friday, July 11, 2008
Truth in Liberal Advertising.
Boom! The words of Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff:
"The Liberal Party’s Green Shift announced on June 19th marked the most aggressive anti-poverty program in 40 years. The ‘shift’ will transfer wealth from rich to poor, from the oil patch to the rest of the country, and from the coffers of big business to the pockets of low-income Canadians."
The Green Shift is not an environment plan.
Boom! The words of Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay
"Findlay said it's impossible to calculate the emission reduction numbers at this point, "because energy prices have gone up so much, we don't know how the shift will affect consumption," she said."
And even if it was an environment plan; the Liberals have no idea if it will even work.
Finally some truth in Liberal advertising! I wonder if the dynamic duo authorized those comments?
It has been a little over 3 weeks since the big roll out of Dion's carbon tax and it is becoming more and more difficult for the Liberals to 'sell it' to Canadians. Most are already not buying it and it is only going to get worse from here on out for Dion's plan as the numbers start rolling in that will show the taxpayer just how much this little scheme is actually going to cost them, and how much damage it will do to the Canadian economy.
What will the Liberals be saying a few weeks from now? I think the following taken from this article and attributed Martha Hall Findlay, will be fairly close.
"Findlay, who is also the associate finance critic, commended Dion for putting himself so fully on the line with the sink or swim 'Green Shift' plan."
Update: Garth rides to the rescue and interprets for us stupid Canadians what Ken Boshcoff's words really meant. No interpretation of Findlay's comments yet, but remember spin takes time and even more so when trying to defend a poor plan.
"The Liberal Party’s Green Shift announced on June 19th marked the most aggressive anti-poverty program in 40 years. The ‘shift’ will transfer wealth from rich to poor, from the oil patch to the rest of the country, and from the coffers of big business to the pockets of low-income Canadians."
The Green Shift is not an environment plan.
---
Boom! The words of Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay
"Findlay said it's impossible to calculate the emission reduction numbers at this point, "because energy prices have gone up so much, we don't know how the shift will affect consumption," she said."
And even if it was an environment plan; the Liberals have no idea if it will even work.
---
Finally some truth in Liberal advertising! I wonder if the dynamic duo authorized those comments?
It has been a little over 3 weeks since the big roll out of Dion's carbon tax and it is becoming more and more difficult for the Liberals to 'sell it' to Canadians. Most are already not buying it and it is only going to get worse from here on out for Dion's plan as the numbers start rolling in that will show the taxpayer just how much this little scheme is actually going to cost them, and how much damage it will do to the Canadian economy.
What will the Liberals be saying a few weeks from now? I think the following taken from this article and attributed Martha Hall Findlay, will be fairly close.
"Findlay, who is also the associate finance critic, commended Dion for putting himself so fully on the line with the sink or swim 'Green Shift' plan."
Update: Garth rides to the rescue and interprets for us stupid Canadians what Ken Boshcoff's words really meant. No interpretation of Findlay's comments yet, but remember spin takes time and even more so when trying to defend a poor plan.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Rae Days in Edmonton Canceled
Rae days in Edmonton canceled; local area LPC candidate Indira Saroya doesn't bother to tell anyone.
Background: Bob Rae was supposed to be in Edmonton today to take part in three events to benefit local area Liberals. The "Bearpit with Bob", and the evening "BBQ with Bob" were both postponed due to personal reasons and are tentatively being rescheduled for sometime in September according to information posted on the LPC Alberta wing web site. The third event, a meet and greet with Bob Rae and Indira Saroya, the LPC nominated candidate for Edmonton Millwoods Beaumont , was also canceled but it appears that Saroya did little, if anything, to inform the public about the change.
The story: Well I was at it again today, I guess that I did not get my fill this week of Liberal smoke and mirrors, and decided I would go and hear what Bob Rae had to say since he was going to be almost literally in my own backyard. I may truly be a gluten for punishment.
The event was scheduled to take place 1:30 - 3:00pm at a local community centre very close to my home and I arrived just before the scheduled 1:30 start time only to find a few people milling aimlessly around the parking lot with no Bob Rae in sight. The hall was locked, the lights were off, and there was no notice posted anywhere on the status of the event. As a few more people started showing up, word got around that the evening BBQ may have been canceled, but nobody had read or heard anything about the status of the event that we were all there to attend.
(note: as of this writing Saroya's web site has yet to be updated informing people of the change.) It was just after 2:00pm when a young lady arrived and asked if she was in the correct location for the Rae/Saroya event; when she found out that indeed this was at the correct location, out came the cellphone and she called the candidate herself at home to get an explanation.
Yes, that is correct. Saroya was at home doing who knows what rather than bothering to come to the hall to post up a notice, check if anyone had shown up, or even update her website telling the public about the changes. It is almost as if she is taking a page from Dion's arrogant point men for the tax formally known as green shift as her cue for how to do things. For the record Saroya did manage to show up just as I was leaving; which was well past the scheduled start time and it appears that it was only because that young lady had called her at home as she looked rushed and was not dressed as if she was planning on meeting with the public.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is your candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in Edmonton Millwoods Beaumont.
She is not going to get my vote, that is a given, but if the comment made by an older gentleman just before he drove off is any indication, she may not be getting his as well. His comment: "The least they could have done was stick a damn piece of paper on the door."
Background: Bob Rae was supposed to be in Edmonton today to take part in three events to benefit local area Liberals. The "Bearpit with Bob", and the evening "BBQ with Bob" were both postponed due to personal reasons and are tentatively being rescheduled for sometime in September according to information posted on the LPC Alberta wing web site. The third event, a meet and greet with Bob Rae and Indira Saroya, the LPC nominated candidate for Edmonton Millwoods Beaumont , was also canceled but it appears that Saroya did little, if anything, to inform the public about the change.
The story: Well I was at it again today, I guess that I did not get my fill this week of Liberal smoke and mirrors, and decided I would go and hear what Bob Rae had to say since he was going to be almost literally in my own backyard. I may truly be a gluten for punishment.
The event was scheduled to take place 1:30 - 3:00pm at a local community centre very close to my home and I arrived just before the scheduled 1:30 start time only to find a few people milling aimlessly around the parking lot with no Bob Rae in sight. The hall was locked, the lights were off, and there was no notice posted anywhere on the status of the event. As a few more people started showing up, word got around that the evening BBQ may have been canceled, but nobody had read or heard anything about the status of the event that we were all there to attend.
(note: as of this writing Saroya's web site has yet to be updated informing people of the change.) It was just after 2:00pm when a young lady arrived and asked if she was in the correct location for the Rae/Saroya event; when she found out that indeed this was at the correct location, out came the cellphone and she called the candidate herself at home to get an explanation.
Yes, that is correct. Saroya was at home doing who knows what rather than bothering to come to the hall to post up a notice, check if anyone had shown up, or even update her website telling the public about the changes. It is almost as if she is taking a page from Dion's arrogant point men for the tax formally known as green shift as her cue for how to do things. For the record Saroya did manage to show up just as I was leaving; which was well past the scheduled start time and it appears that it was only because that young lady had called her at home as she looked rushed and was not dressed as if she was planning on meeting with the public.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is your candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in Edmonton Millwoods Beaumont.
She is not going to get my vote, that is a given, but if the comment made by an older gentleman just before he drove off is any indication, she may not be getting his as well. His comment: "The least they could have done was stick a damn piece of paper on the door."
Garth Gets called out
Hey Garth, Jennifer Wright has something to say to you.
The offending Blog post posted June 23 2008. You can see that the Liberals are still trying to use the same spin today as Garth did back in June. Aside from the smear against Ms. Wright, the following part of Garth's post looks to be very interesting and I am sure her lawyers have it all typed up waiting for the court date.
"Actually, here’s the story: Over the months that we worked on this concept of tax shifting, various names were used for the project, the “Green Shift” being decided upon relatively late in the process. Once that happened, a lot of branding quickly took place. One obvious key element was the URL.Within minutes, the existing greenshift.ca site was located, and a strategy discussed for dealing with the commercial company operating it. They would be contacted in advance (which happened)."
Let's see if I have this correct. The Liberals were fully aware that a private company was using the name and the "strategy' worked out was to just call them? (which they did on the night before the plan was rolled out, but after it was all printed up and ready to go) How about checking if anyone owned a trade mark you fools? Did any of the superior minds in that meeting even think of that? Obviously not. Please take a look at this other quote of interest regarding knowledge and timing: Joseph Mayer, the Liberal Party's director of communications, said that although the party realized prior to the plan's launch there was another entity with the Green Shift name he believes "it was too close to shift back."
Got that. It was too late to change the name once the Liberals had found out!
The PR on this is terrible. Maybe someone should have explained to Dion that having a major political party being sued for trademark infringement is not good public relations before having him go out in public and call this woman's defense of her trademark(required by law FYI) as deplorable. Bullying and trying to smear woman entrepreneurs is textbook stupid on so many levels it makes you wonder just who is running the show over there. She told them no when they called, she even sent them a cease and desist order, but the arrogance of the Liberals know no bounds and now she is forced to sue. Maybe the LPC woman's caucus can discuss such examples of courage and leadership at their next meeting. Not Dion's, Jennifer Wright's.
Dion is already failing badly in selling his carbon tax plan to the country, and he is still in the honeymoon period as the real costing to the taxpayer has not yet been completed and exposed to the public. Once that happens his carbon tax will be history, and so will he. It is getting so bad that Dion's own party are leaving him to dangle in the wind on the "tax formally known as green shift". Has anyone seen much of those normally high profile Liberal MP's out there shilling this plan?
Even those that are supposed to be on point for Dion on this are doing him more harm than good by lighting more and more fires. The Garth Turner & David McGuinty show has been a total disaster and if it was Dion who hand picked these 2 to run point on this for him; he deserves all of the consequences that such a poor leadership decision brings.
"Actually, here’s the story: Over the months that we worked on this concept of tax shifting, various names were used for the project, the “Green Shift” being decided upon relatively late in the process. Once that happened, a lot of branding quickly took place. One obvious key element was the URL.Within minutes, the existing greenshift.ca site was located, and a strategy discussed for dealing with the commercial company operating it. They would be contacted in advance (which happened)."
Let's see if I have this correct. The Liberals were fully aware that a private company was using the name and the "strategy' worked out was to just call them? (which they did on the night before the plan was rolled out, but after it was all printed up and ready to go) How about checking if anyone owned a trade mark you fools? Did any of the superior minds in that meeting even think of that? Obviously not. Please take a look at this other quote of interest regarding knowledge and timing: Joseph Mayer, the Liberal Party's director of communications, said that although the party realized prior to the plan's launch there was another entity with the Green Shift name he believes "it was too close to shift back."
Got that. It was too late to change the name once the Liberals had found out!
The PR on this is terrible. Maybe someone should have explained to Dion that having a major political party being sued for trademark infringement is not good public relations before having him go out in public and call this woman's defense of her trademark(required by law FYI) as deplorable. Bullying and trying to smear woman entrepreneurs is textbook stupid on so many levels it makes you wonder just who is running the show over there. She told them no when they called, she even sent them a cease and desist order, but the arrogance of the Liberals know no bounds and now she is forced to sue. Maybe the LPC woman's caucus can discuss such examples of courage and leadership at their next meeting. Not Dion's, Jennifer Wright's.
Dion is already failing badly in selling his carbon tax plan to the country, and he is still in the honeymoon period as the real costing to the taxpayer has not yet been completed and exposed to the public. Once that happens his carbon tax will be history, and so will he. It is getting so bad that Dion's own party are leaving him to dangle in the wind on the "tax formally known as green shift". Has anyone seen much of those normally high profile Liberal MP's out there shilling this plan?
Even those that are supposed to be on point for Dion on this are doing him more harm than good by lighting more and more fires. The Garth Turner & David McGuinty show has been a total disaster and if it was Dion who hand picked these 2 to run point on this for him; he deserves all of the consequences that such a poor leadership decision brings.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
3 from the news.
Lots going on and not enough free time to hit everything in separate posts, but here are a few things of note.
Stelmach commits 4 billion dollars to make Alberta #1 in the battle for CO2 reduction. Commit; now there is a word you can't get Dion to say very often when he is talking about his inflation causing carbon tax. Hunter has the story up here.
The G8 wraps up and it looks like Russia and the US have for the very first time committed to the reduction of CO2. The moonbats will howl because for them there can never be enough, but anyone with a mind knows that if the goal is real reductions in CO2 than the US, Russia, China and India HAVE to be on board. If the real goal is not CO2 reductions but rather punishing Canadians and destroying our economy to redistribute wealth, vote Liberal.
More from Alberta as 8 of the highest paid public health executives get the axe. Normally when you here of layoffs in the health care system it is the nurses or other front line workers who are the ones getting cut, you know the ones that actually do the job of patient care, so you can expect no negative impact from this announcement. In fact you might even see the opposite as moral among the front line staff increases. Trust me, the system is full of very costly dead wood.
Stelmach commits 4 billion dollars to make Alberta #1 in the battle for CO2 reduction. Commit; now there is a word you can't get Dion to say very often when he is talking about his inflation causing carbon tax. Hunter has the story up here.
The G8 wraps up and it looks like Russia and the US have for the very first time committed to the reduction of CO2. The moonbats will howl because for them there can never be enough, but anyone with a mind knows that if the goal is real reductions in CO2 than the US, Russia, China and India HAVE to be on board. If the real goal is not CO2 reductions but rather punishing Canadians and destroying our economy to redistribute wealth, vote Liberal.
More from Alberta as 8 of the highest paid public health executives get the axe. Normally when you here of layoffs in the health care system it is the nurses or other front line workers who are the ones getting cut, you know the ones that actually do the job of patient care, so you can expect no negative impact from this announcement. In fact you might even see the opposite as moral among the front line staff increases. Trust me, the system is full of very costly dead wood.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Stephane Dion in Edmonton
Liberal leader Stephane Dion was making the rounds in Edmonton on Monday promoting the carbon tax formally known as the Green Shift. He had a 45 minute closed door session with Mayor Mandel which according to Mandel Mayor left him with more questions than answers, and afterwards Dion ducked reporters claiming no time due to scheduling issues. Later in the evening Dion held a town hall style meeting where he answered questions about his carbon tax proposal among others.
I happened to have some free time this evening so I thought I would go and listen to the leader of the loyal opposition speak.
Here is my honest take, that will end up being way to long by the time I write it all down, but read on if you wish and if you were there feel free to drop in a comment.
We arrived early to the Polish Hall to be guaranteed of decent seating, but it turned out not to be an issue as there were plenty of seats open throughout the even. I heard someone use the number 400, but I think closer to 300 would be more accurate, still a good turnout by any standards for a Liberal in the west.
Before the event started and while I was waiting patiently in my seat being stared at by the hundreds of posters of Dion that were stuck up on the walls, I did hear an interesting comment from a local LPC organizer who referred to Jennifer Wright's company, and rightful owner of the Green Shift name, as " an environmental crap company". Just a friendly reminder not to get in the way of the big red machine in their quest for power I guess.
Dion arrived a fashionably 15 minutes late and the usual introductions were made. A couple of points; my friend whispered a great piano player joke to me when Tommy Banks was introduced that I cannot repeat here, and while they were calling out the names of local Liberal candidates and they were running up onto the stage to be beside Dion; I noticed that a few were missing when their names were called. I wished I had been paying more attention as to who was not there and who was not, but thought it interesting that all of them would not be there standing in solidarity with Dion.
Dion initial speech contained many of the same well used lines we have all heard in the past and was very heavy on how Albertans would benefit and how we must show the world we care. It was remarkably short and I give him full marks for getting to the floor for questions as soon as possible. Dion's English has improved a lot in my opinion and only a couple of times when he got a bit riled up did he have some difficulty, and I did manage to learn a new word tonight from Dion; "inventicity."
The questions were, as I expected, quite varied, but in my opinion there were no real hardballs thrown towards Dion on this night. I will get to the more serious ones near the end along with how they were spun, but first some others of note.
There was the 8yr old? kid (the comment "plant" was overheard from the chairs a few rows behind me, LPC supporters BTW) who asked about the future.
We had the guy who claimed that the oil he invented made his old Pontiac get 118 miles per gallon (this apparently could be confirmed by a Green Party candidate), but he was cut off by the moderator after he rambled on for too long. Thank you Senator.
Someone asked if the Dion would remove the GST on wind turbines, and couple of others were pushing geo thermal.
One older lady was asking for Dion to remove Premier Stelmach from power, and what Liberal event would be complete without someone calling PM Harper an evil dictator; interestingly enough he complained about the Liberal media strategy. I wanted to cry out call Krista Erickson at the CBC but the good voice in my head stopped me.
There was only one question relating to heath care that I can remember; it dealt with nursing home standards, which is a provincial responsibility, and there was one question about child care where Dion committed to Dryden like childcare plan. Where he is going to come up with the 20 billion for that is any ones guess, but that is for another day.
There was a question from an older fellow asking Dion if he had ever looked at the other side of the issue. I heard the word 'denier' whispered at least twice while he was speaking, and one young lady yelled out to not believe those scientists because they 'were being paid by Shell Oil.' What did surprise me though was Dion seemed unaware that there are many credible scientists out there who do have doubts; stating he did not know where this guy got his numbers from and went for the old majority of scientists line. Agree or not, believe or not, if you are embarking on a plan to radically alter our economy shouldn't you at least be aware of all sides of an issue before making us all take the plunge? Your average Liberal blogger is more aware of the scientific argument than Dion is, and that is very scary if you ask me.
What I found most entertaining was watching Liberal spin live and in person. This really showed itself with a couple of questions that dealt with the added costs that we would be expected to pay, and they were all answered in the same way. Actually the specifics were not answered at all as Dion was working the smoke and mirrors hard avoiding the actual questions.
One was from one of those easy money guys from Fort Mac who didn't care if the price of gas went up $1.00 a litre because he could afford it, but asked how seniors could be expected to shoulder the extra costs. Dion totally avoided the question by talking about how the Liberal loved and supported seniors in Canada.
Another was from a low income student who did not make enough to pay income tax and was renting who wondered how he could be expected to cover the increased costs and still afford to go to school. Dion's answer was classic Liberal BS. Dion acted like he knew more about how the student lived than the student did. He told him that the $400 dollars he would get would easily cover the costs because as was student he would not have to heat a big house, he would be taking public transport and not be driving, and he would not have many tv's or computers so it would not cost him that much. Now that is arrogance at it's best folks. I wish he would have asked Dion if tuition would go up because of the carbon tax, because watching Dion squirm around that one would have been worth the price of admission, but that was not to be.
It looked like a couple of times that Dion might have to actually address the concerns over inflation and the rising costs due to his plan, but instead of addressing the concerns Dion used his pat answer of at least we would be getting something back with his plan. No mention that for most of us, with the poor being hit the hardest, that what we will be getting back will be much less than what we have to pay out in added cost.
Something else that really bothered me tonight was Dion's interchanging the word pollution for CO2. I have noticed this a couple of times in the past with some of his MP's in their summer letter writing campaign to local papers, but Dion, being the self proclaimed environmental hero, should know better. CO2 is NOT pollution because CO2 is necessary for life on this earth to even exist and without it we would simply die. So stop it already.
There is much more as I haven't even mentioned half of the obvious spin, the platitudes, or the rah rah it is up to us to lead and save the world stuff that Dion was trying to sell everyone in the room, and plenty of thoughts about my role as a blogger and what I should or should not do at an event such as this, but this post has already gotten way too long and it is time to shut it down while there might still be someone left who has read this far.
Comments and questions are always welcome.
I happened to have some free time this evening so I thought I would go and listen to the leader of the loyal opposition speak.
Here is my honest take, that will end up being way to long by the time I write it all down, but read on if you wish and if you were there feel free to drop in a comment.
We arrived early to the Polish Hall to be guaranteed of decent seating, but it turned out not to be an issue as there were plenty of seats open throughout the even. I heard someone use the number 400, but I think closer to 300 would be more accurate, still a good turnout by any standards for a Liberal in the west.
Before the event started and while I was waiting patiently in my seat being stared at by the hundreds of posters of Dion that were stuck up on the walls, I did hear an interesting comment from a local LPC organizer who referred to Jennifer Wright's company, and rightful owner of the Green Shift name, as " an environmental crap company". Just a friendly reminder not to get in the way of the big red machine in their quest for power I guess.
Dion arrived a fashionably 15 minutes late and the usual introductions were made. A couple of points; my friend whispered a great piano player joke to me when Tommy Banks was introduced that I cannot repeat here, and while they were calling out the names of local Liberal candidates and they were running up onto the stage to be beside Dion; I noticed that a few were missing when their names were called. I wished I had been paying more attention as to who was not there and who was not, but thought it interesting that all of them would not be there standing in solidarity with Dion.
Dion initial speech contained many of the same well used lines we have all heard in the past and was very heavy on how Albertans would benefit and how we must show the world we care. It was remarkably short and I give him full marks for getting to the floor for questions as soon as possible. Dion's English has improved a lot in my opinion and only a couple of times when he got a bit riled up did he have some difficulty, and I did manage to learn a new word tonight from Dion; "inventicity."
The questions were, as I expected, quite varied, but in my opinion there were no real hardballs thrown towards Dion on this night. I will get to the more serious ones near the end along with how they were spun, but first some others of note.
There was the 8yr old? kid (the comment "plant" was overheard from the chairs a few rows behind me, LPC supporters BTW) who asked about the future.
We had the guy who claimed that the oil he invented made his old Pontiac get 118 miles per gallon (this apparently could be confirmed by a Green Party candidate), but he was cut off by the moderator after he rambled on for too long. Thank you Senator.
Someone asked if the Dion would remove the GST on wind turbines, and couple of others were pushing geo thermal.
One older lady was asking for Dion to remove Premier Stelmach from power, and what Liberal event would be complete without someone calling PM Harper an evil dictator; interestingly enough he complained about the Liberal media strategy. I wanted to cry out call Krista Erickson at the CBC but the good voice in my head stopped me.
There was only one question relating to heath care that I can remember; it dealt with nursing home standards, which is a provincial responsibility, and there was one question about child care where Dion committed to Dryden like childcare plan. Where he is going to come up with the 20 billion for that is any ones guess, but that is for another day.
There was a question from an older fellow asking Dion if he had ever looked at the other side of the issue. I heard the word 'denier' whispered at least twice while he was speaking, and one young lady yelled out to not believe those scientists because they 'were being paid by Shell Oil.' What did surprise me though was Dion seemed unaware that there are many credible scientists out there who do have doubts; stating he did not know where this guy got his numbers from and went for the old majority of scientists line. Agree or not, believe or not, if you are embarking on a plan to radically alter our economy shouldn't you at least be aware of all sides of an issue before making us all take the plunge? Your average Liberal blogger is more aware of the scientific argument than Dion is, and that is very scary if you ask me.
What I found most entertaining was watching Liberal spin live and in person. This really showed itself with a couple of questions that dealt with the added costs that we would be expected to pay, and they were all answered in the same way. Actually the specifics were not answered at all as Dion was working the smoke and mirrors hard avoiding the actual questions.
One was from one of those easy money guys from Fort Mac who didn't care if the price of gas went up $1.00 a litre because he could afford it, but asked how seniors could be expected to shoulder the extra costs. Dion totally avoided the question by talking about how the Liberal loved and supported seniors in Canada.
Another was from a low income student who did not make enough to pay income tax and was renting who wondered how he could be expected to cover the increased costs and still afford to go to school. Dion's answer was classic Liberal BS. Dion acted like he knew more about how the student lived than the student did. He told him that the $400 dollars he would get would easily cover the costs because as was student he would not have to heat a big house, he would be taking public transport and not be driving, and he would not have many tv's or computers so it would not cost him that much. Now that is arrogance at it's best folks. I wish he would have asked Dion if tuition would go up because of the carbon tax, because watching Dion squirm around that one would have been worth the price of admission, but that was not to be.
It looked like a couple of times that Dion might have to actually address the concerns over inflation and the rising costs due to his plan, but instead of addressing the concerns Dion used his pat answer of at least we would be getting something back with his plan. No mention that for most of us, with the poor being hit the hardest, that what we will be getting back will be much less than what we have to pay out in added cost.
Something else that really bothered me tonight was Dion's interchanging the word pollution for CO2. I have noticed this a couple of times in the past with some of his MP's in their summer letter writing campaign to local papers, but Dion, being the self proclaimed environmental hero, should know better. CO2 is NOT pollution because CO2 is necessary for life on this earth to even exist and without it we would simply die. So stop it already.
There is much more as I haven't even mentioned half of the obvious spin, the platitudes, or the rah rah it is up to us to lead and save the world stuff that Dion was trying to sell everyone in the room, and plenty of thoughts about my role as a blogger and what I should or should not do at an event such as this, but this post has already gotten way too long and it is time to shut it down while there might still be someone left who has read this far.
Comments and questions are always welcome.
Monday, July 07, 2008
That Was Then This is Now.
(cue host) Hello, and welcome once again to That Was Then This is now. The show where we look at the Liberal Party of Canada and their much varied positions over the years.
You may remember past episodes such as our top rated show on the GST.
Then: Abolish "We have put in writing that the GST will not be there and will be replaced by a system that will be a better one." Jean Cretien
Now: Increase "We will consider if in our plan we need to revisit the decision of the government about the GST. We'll consider it." Stephane Dion
Ha, ha, ha, it was one of our favorite shows as well, but tonight this episode will deal with a topic on many of your minds lately; the environment.
Who here can remember back just a short time ago to December 2007 in Bali?
Well, that was..
Then: Liberals of all shapes and sizes as well as various other lefties were screaming at the top of their lungs that Canada's position in Bali, to get China and India to commit to reducing CO2, was wrong & would be hardship on those "developing" countries.
This is Now: Punishing China, India, and all of the other developing countries with a carbon tariff on their goods. "We will build carbon pricing into our strategy for international trade, endeavouring where possible to ensure that goods from countries that are not pricing carbon will face a tariff reflective of carbon content."
I guess that this confirms that Mr.Bairds position, that China and India must be on board for any meaningful reductions to happen, was right from the beginning. I wonder how China now feels after their Bali buddy Dion went out of his way to let them off of the hook of carbon reductions and now sideswipes them with a punishing tariff for not having a plan for those very same reductions. I hope they don't get mad.
Still on the environment we have this little contradiction in logic for you.
Then: Liberals claiming that the conservative $100/month per child universal child care benefit would not do anything to help with childcare and the money would be wasted.
Some quotes: "Don't give people $25 a day to blow on beer and popcorn."
“The Conservative approach is one-dimensional, lacks vision, and fails to address the tax system’s bias against single-earner families with one parent at home,” & "‘little more than a symbolic gesture’ toward stay-at-home parents. Let’s be honest, the Conservative approach is just your basic tax cut in disguise and is one that undermines families who use organized day care for their children.”
Well it certainly uh uh, the approach to child care is just spiteful its its its canceling the supplement for our most vulnerable uh children. There is actually no plan for early learning and childhood education. So its a good job there putting more money for prisons in the budget because we're gonna need them if we don't get this early childhood right.
"My understanding of what he's talking about is a program that will probably give you roughly $25 a week. What are low- and middle-income Canadians going to do for the rest of the week?"
Well right back at ya Liberals because
Now: The Liberal are claiming that the small cheque from Greenshift tax cuts will not only pay for and solve climate change, but cure poverty, provide social justice, and will somehow cover the increased costs on EVERYTHING from Dion's carbon tax.
It seems that the Liberal Party of Canada change their policies and ideas more often than they change their clothes; as is shown in this last example we have for you today.
On a carbon tax.
Then: Against (Dion isn't the only one either) "I've always been against it. I will have other ways to get there." and "A carbon tax is less effective than a carbon market at reducing emissions. Some of my opponents for the Liberal leadership have suggested that a carbon tax would be the most effective measure to curb climate pollution. This is simply bad policy...." More of the same here.
Now: For "More precisely, we will tax fossil fuels, like coal and natural gas, according to the amount of carbon dioxide they emit when they are burned. This carbon tax will be....."
It looks like our time is up for today, but we will be sure to return in the near future with another episode of That Was Then This is Now.
Good night everybody, and a big thank you to our sponsor, the Liberal Party of Canada. Who without their constant changing of positions this show would not be possible. (wave to audience)
(Cue theme music, fade out.)
You may remember past episodes such as our top rated show on the GST.
Then: Abolish "We have put in writing that the GST will not be there and will be replaced by a system that will be a better one." Jean Cretien
Now: Increase "We will consider if in our plan we need to revisit the decision of the government about the GST. We'll consider it." Stephane Dion
Ha, ha, ha, it was one of our favorite shows as well, but tonight this episode will deal with a topic on many of your minds lately; the environment.
Who here can remember back just a short time ago to December 2007 in Bali?
Well, that was..
Then: Liberals of all shapes and sizes as well as various other lefties were screaming at the top of their lungs that Canada's position in Bali, to get China and India to commit to reducing CO2, was wrong & would be hardship on those "developing" countries.
This is Now: Punishing China, India, and all of the other developing countries with a carbon tariff on their goods. "We will build carbon pricing into our strategy for international trade, endeavouring where possible to ensure that goods from countries that are not pricing carbon will face a tariff reflective of carbon content."
I guess that this confirms that Mr.Bairds position, that China and India must be on board for any meaningful reductions to happen, was right from the beginning. I wonder how China now feels after their Bali buddy Dion went out of his way to let them off of the hook of carbon reductions and now sideswipes them with a punishing tariff for not having a plan for those very same reductions. I hope they don't get mad.
Still on the environment we have this little contradiction in logic for you.
Then: Liberals claiming that the conservative $100/month per child universal child care benefit would not do anything to help with childcare and the money would be wasted.
Some quotes: "Don't give people $25 a day to blow on beer and popcorn."
“The Conservative approach is one-dimensional, lacks vision, and fails to address the tax system’s bias against single-earner families with one parent at home,” & "‘little more than a symbolic gesture’ toward stay-at-home parents. Let’s be honest, the Conservative approach is just your basic tax cut in disguise and is one that undermines families who use organized day care for their children.”
Well it certainly uh uh, the approach to child care is just spiteful its its its canceling the supplement for our most vulnerable uh children. There is actually no plan for early learning and childhood education. So its a good job there putting more money for prisons in the budget because we're gonna need them if we don't get this early childhood right.
"My understanding of what he's talking about is a program that will probably give you roughly $25 a week. What are low- and middle-income Canadians going to do for the rest of the week?"
Well right back at ya Liberals because
Now: The Liberal are claiming that the small cheque from Greenshift tax cuts will not only pay for and solve climate change, but cure poverty, provide social justice, and will somehow cover the increased costs on EVERYTHING from Dion's carbon tax.
It seems that the Liberal Party of Canada change their policies and ideas more often than they change their clothes; as is shown in this last example we have for you today.
On a carbon tax.
Then: Against (Dion isn't the only one either) "I've always been against it. I will have other ways to get there." and "A carbon tax is less effective than a carbon market at reducing emissions. Some of my opponents for the Liberal leadership have suggested that a carbon tax would be the most effective measure to curb climate pollution. This is simply bad policy...." More of the same here.
Now: For "More precisely, we will tax fossil fuels, like coal and natural gas, according to the amount of carbon dioxide they emit when they are burned. This carbon tax will be....."
It looks like our time is up for today, but we will be sure to return in the near future with another episode of That Was Then This is Now.
Good night everybody, and a big thank you to our sponsor, the Liberal Party of Canada. Who without their constant changing of positions this show would not be possible. (wave to audience)
(Cue theme music, fade out.)
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Garth keeps making Dion look foolish.
Not only did Garth make Dion look like a fool with his original comments, he did it again when he turned Dion into a liar by not apologizing to anyone in Alberta or Quebec as Dion had already stated to the press that Garth had done.
Way to go Garth! I hope you have Elizabeth May on speed dial.
For the record:
Garth's comments: "You might not agree with everything he says, but you have to admire this about him. He stood up once to the self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing separatist losers in Quebec. I guess he can do it again in Alberta. "
"Not there are any similarities."
"Quebec or Alberta, saparatists are losers, ten times out of ten."
Dion's comments: "He retracted and it's not something we want to do. We want to have a respectful debate." source and "It's unacceptable, we don't discuss this way. He said he was sorry, he said what he had an obligation to after what he said." source
Garth's non apology:
And for fun this little excerpt: (note he leaves out the words "separatist losers in Quebec. I guess he can do it again in Alberta" in this version) "The issue is a single sentence in my last post in which I drew comparisons between those who wish to separate from Canada, whether they live in Quebec or Alberta. I called such separatists, who put regional and self-interest ahead of the national cause, “self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing.”
Hey Garth, you put a quote around the period following the word balkanizing. You would almost think that was done on purpose to deceive, but you would never try to hide the truth from Canadians would you Garth?
Way to go Garth! I hope you have Elizabeth May on speed dial.
For the record:
Garth's comments: "You might not agree with everything he says, but you have to admire this about him. He stood up once to the self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing separatist losers in Quebec. I guess he can do it again in Alberta. "
"Not there are any similarities."
"Quebec or Alberta, saparatists are losers, ten times out of ten."
Dion's comments: "He retracted and it's not something we want to do. We want to have a respectful debate." source and "It's unacceptable, we don't discuss this way. He said he was sorry, he said what he had an obligation to after what he said." source
Garth's non apology:
So, why should I even try to justify my words? My attempt to show the Liberal leader has the stones to face down those who think of themselves first, and the country second – no matter where they hail from – succeeded only in making his task more difficult. That was not my intention. Nor do I have anything but respect for my fellow citizens in Quebec and Alberta.
But there’s no way I, as a federal member of the Canadian House of Commons, am going to lay down before people who openly advocate ripping the country apart. Moan all you want about money, or lament those who don’t share your culture or language. But don’t expect me to roll.
And for fun this little excerpt: (note he leaves out the words "separatist losers in Quebec. I guess he can do it again in Alberta" in this version) "The issue is a single sentence in my last post in which I drew comparisons between those who wish to separate from Canada, whether they live in Quebec or Alberta. I called such separatists, who put regional and self-interest ahead of the national cause, “self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing.”
Hey Garth, you put a quote around the period following the word balkanizing. You would almost think that was done on purpose to deceive, but you would never try to hide the truth from Canadians would you Garth?
Friday, July 04, 2008
We are from the Alberta Government....
We are from the Alberta Government, and we are here to help you.
So it goes lately in Alberta as theLiberal Stelmach Government feels that we are not capable of looking after ourselves so they are now going to do it for us by law.
Today the Stelmach Government announced that they are going to be taking away the rights of a certain group of private business owners to price their own wares in their own establishments.
"The Alberta government announced Thursday it will introduce minimum drink prices...."
How very Stalinesque Eddy. Don't bother enforcing existing laws dealing with alcohol sales, public drunkenness, or rowdy and violent behavior; just take away the rights of business owners because that is easier than really dealing with the situation at hand. Taking away anyone's rights should never be the first option Mr Premier, but looking at how you are ignoring the abuses at the AHRC, why am I not surprised by this.
Speaking of the government helping us out by legislation, I noticed that sellers of tobacco products now have to shell out cash to buy new displays that hide the product from our view. Well thanks again Ed, I didn't know smokes were bad for me and now that I cannot see them I will not be tempted to buy them. What would I ever do without you.
The same however may not be correct when we are talking about kids though. I may be wrong but it seems that the harder you try to keep something from kids the more that they seem to want it. Think about it; there are many examples from something simple as staying up late like the adults do, or wanting to drive, to the more off limits 'adult only' stuff like sex, and booze. By making it even more taboo you may just enhance that already curious teen to see what all of the fuss is about with these smokes that he is now forbidden to see. I might be way off base here but the existing laws did not seem to stop kids from smoking if they wanted to and I cannot see how this will help.
h/t Right from Alberta
So it goes lately in Alberta as the
Today the Stelmach Government announced that they are going to be taking away the rights of a certain group of private business owners to price their own wares in their own establishments.
"The Alberta government announced Thursday it will introduce minimum drink prices...."
How very Stalinesque Eddy. Don't bother enforcing existing laws dealing with alcohol sales, public drunkenness, or rowdy and violent behavior; just take away the rights of business owners because that is easier than really dealing with the situation at hand. Taking away anyone's rights should never be the first option Mr Premier, but looking at how you are ignoring the abuses at the AHRC, why am I not surprised by this.
Speaking of the government helping us out by legislation, I noticed that sellers of tobacco products now have to shell out cash to buy new displays that hide the product from our view. Well thanks again Ed, I didn't know smokes were bad for me and now that I cannot see them I will not be tempted to buy them. What would I ever do without you.
The same however may not be correct when we are talking about kids though. I may be wrong but it seems that the harder you try to keep something from kids the more that they seem to want it. Think about it; there are many examples from something simple as staying up late like the adults do, or wanting to drive, to the more off limits 'adult only' stuff like sex, and booze. By making it even more taboo you may just enhance that already curious teen to see what all of the fuss is about with these smokes that he is now forbidden to see. I might be way off base here but the existing laws did not seem to stop kids from smoking if they wanted to and I cannot see how this will help.
h/t Right from Alberta
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Killing our exports: By Stephane Dion.
"Since the tax will be imposed at the wholesale level, Dion said, the level of taxation will depend on consumption of energy, not on production. He noted that 46 per cent of industrial emissions in 2002, the last year calculated by Statistics Canada, were on goods and services exported from Canada. That means a lot of carbon tax would be passed onto foreigners, not Canadian consumers, he said." source alternate source
It is not as if our high tax rates, the high dollar, stiff foreign competition, protectionism and unfair subsidies were enough of a hurdle for Canadian exporters to deal with; Dion's plan would make all of those exports even more expensive.
This guy really has no clue.
It is not as if our high tax rates, the high dollar, stiff foreign competition, protectionism and unfair subsidies were enough of a hurdle for Canadian exporters to deal with; Dion's plan would make all of those exports even more expensive.
This guy really has no clue.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
More questions that the Liberals will not answer
More questions that the Liberals will not answer. Alternate title: The oil spot was right.
So far the Liberals and their supporters have been keeping a low profile when it comes to answering specific questions regarding the so called Greenshift* plan. They can give plenty of generalizations and they like to talk a good game about how big the hearts of Canadians are, but when it comes down to actual costs of the carbon tax for individuals, business, other levels of government etc, or even with specifics of CO2 reductions targeted or otherwise, the Liberals are awkwardly absent about any of these important details. All the while claiming to anyone with a microphone just how badly they want an honest debate on the carbon tax.
So in the interest of honest debate I offer up yet another simple question to the supporters of Dion's carbon tax.
Can any of you give me a list of things, or even just 1 thing, that will NOT be going up in cost as a result of Dion's carbon tax should it, (insert deity here) forbid, ever be implemented.
This should be an easy one to answer so have at it, but I personally think that the oil spot was correct . This will be a tax on everything.
* it's not enough that the Liberals want to steal your hard earned tax dollars, they stole the name as well.
So far the Liberals and their supporters have been keeping a low profile when it comes to answering specific questions regarding the so called Greenshift* plan. They can give plenty of generalizations and they like to talk a good game about how big the hearts of Canadians are, but when it comes down to actual costs of the carbon tax for individuals, business, other levels of government etc, or even with specifics of CO2 reductions targeted or otherwise, the Liberals are awkwardly absent about any of these important details. All the while claiming to anyone with a microphone just how badly they want an honest debate on the carbon tax.
So in the interest of honest debate I offer up yet another simple question to the supporters of Dion's carbon tax.
Can any of you give me a list of things, or even just 1 thing, that will NOT be going up in cost as a result of Dion's carbon tax should it, (insert deity here) forbid, ever be implemented.
This should be an easy one to answer so have at it, but I personally think that the oil spot was correct . This will be a tax on everything.
* it's not enough that the Liberals want to steal your hard earned tax dollars, they stole the name as well.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Does anyone else find it odd...
Does anyone else find it odd that not one single reporter has of yet managed to stick a microphone in the face of Danny Williams, Gary Doer, Shaun Graham, Robert Ghiz, David Miller or any mayor from one of Canada's major cities, to ask them their opinions of Dion's carbon tax or how much they figure it will cost those they represent?
Considering that those on this list seem more than happy to voice their thoughts on almost anything and everything, even when not asked, their silence on the carbon tax has me a bit confused.
Maybe all of the above listed have been too busy to bother with reporters, out of the spot light, or perhaps the media itself might have figured that the multi million dollar increases, as a result of Dion's tax scheme, to the cost of running their respective levels of government would not be of any interest to the public.
Whatever the reasons I just do not know, but today we have a golden opportunity to find out for ourselves what the media can't seem to do for us. Because today they all will be out and about doing what countless other Canadians will be doing; celebrating Canada Day.
So while you are out celebrating Canada Day today and you happen to see any of the above mentioned politicians out schmoozing the public, or perhaps even others like Buzz Hargrove or any other union boss, do yourself and your country a big favour and take the opportunity to ask them for their thoughts on Dion's carbon tax and the subsequent costs.
You will be glad you did.
Considering that those on this list seem more than happy to voice their thoughts on almost anything and everything, even when not asked, their silence on the carbon tax has me a bit confused.
Maybe all of the above listed have been too busy to bother with reporters, out of the spot light, or perhaps the media itself might have figured that the multi million dollar increases, as a result of Dion's tax scheme, to the cost of running their respective levels of government would not be of any interest to the public.
Whatever the reasons I just do not know, but today we have a golden opportunity to find out for ourselves what the media can't seem to do for us. Because today they all will be out and about doing what countless other Canadians will be doing; celebrating Canada Day.
So while you are out celebrating Canada Day today and you happen to see any of the above mentioned politicians out schmoozing the public, or perhaps even others like Buzz Hargrove or any other union boss, do yourself and your country a big favour and take the opportunity to ask them for their thoughts on Dion's carbon tax and the subsequent costs.
You will be glad you did.
Monday, June 30, 2008
What Global Pressures was Dion talking about?
After being bombarded with reality Stephane Dion is finally admitting that the price of gas at the pumps would go up with his proposed carbon tax. This after claiming for so long that this would not happen.
What I find interesting though is that with the admission that gas prices will rise, comes this little caveat saying why they will not go up much. (highlighted area below)
Source: "Dion held firm on his pledge not to hit consumers with a new gas tax, but conceded yesterday his the carbon tax might indirectly lead to higher prices at the pumps.
Perhaps the global pressures that Dion was speaking about were comparisons of the price of gasoline in other countries. Maybe the fact that Venezuela, Iran, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and even Turkmenistan pay less than 25 cents a litre for gas at the pumps would put the pressure on big oil to stop them from passing on those costs in Canada. Or maybe it is the other end of the spectrum he was speaking about such as in most EU countries where the price of gas is well over $2.00/Litre that would keep our pump prices from going up.
Ether way, I do not really see how the price of gas in another country would cause much pressure on big oil to keep the price down in Canada, but I am not an academic like Dion. SO please dear Liberal friends, I would really like to understand what "pressures" Dion was talking about.
It should be an easy one to answer, so lets hear some examples to back up your fearless leadersBS words.
Thank you in advance.
What I find interesting though is that with the admission that gas prices will rise, comes this little caveat saying why they will not go up much. (highlighted area below)
Source: "Dion held firm on his pledge not to hit consumers with a new gas tax, but conceded yesterday his the carbon tax might indirectly lead to higher prices at the pumps.
"We know that they will pass on part of their costs to their consumers because they cannot eliminate the emissions overnight, with all the goodwill of the world. We know that," he said.
Big polluting oil companies would pay a hefty price for emissions, but the Liberal carbon tax plan projects any costs passed on to consumers at the pump would be minimal as global pressures would keep prices from Canadian companies competitive."
Ok Liberal spin meisters, what exactly are those global pressures that Dion spoke about, and how will they keep that evil big oil from passing their increased costs for the production and sale gasoline onto us consumers?Perhaps the global pressures that Dion was speaking about were comparisons of the price of gasoline in other countries. Maybe the fact that Venezuela, Iran, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and even Turkmenistan pay less than 25 cents a litre for gas at the pumps would put the pressure on big oil to stop them from passing on those costs in Canada. Or maybe it is the other end of the spectrum he was speaking about such as in most EU countries where the price of gas is well over $2.00/Litre that would keep our pump prices from going up.
Ether way, I do not really see how the price of gas in another country would cause much pressure on big oil to keep the price down in Canada, but I am not an academic like Dion. SO please dear Liberal friends, I would really like to understand what "pressures" Dion was talking about.
It should be an easy one to answer, so lets hear some examples to back up your fearless leaders
Thank you in advance.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Line of the week
Lorne Gunter lets loose on Stephane Dion in an article in todays Edmonton Journal, and has IMHO the MSM line of the week.
"Dion never, ever gives details about how his Green Shift plan will produce the beneficial results he has promised, leaving me to wonder whether he has discovered a wand or philosopher's stone or bag of magic beans he is relying on."
Read the entire article here
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Marlene Jennings. Why smear one when you can smear them all.
Marlene Jennings, the Liberal MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine expresses some of that well known Liberal love, trust and respect to many in the Canadian civil service in another lame attempt to smear the government.
Marlene Jennings said this: "Mr. Speaker, this whole sad story looks like an attempted cover-up involving Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Public Safety, Transport, the Privy Council, the Prime Minister's Office, CSIS and the RCMP. Why such a cover-up? " source
The Liberals are about only one thing; returning to power, and they smear anyone and stop at nothing in their efforts to regain that power.
In this case Jennings just smeared for political gain 1000's of honest hard working Canadians working in Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Public Safety, Transport, the Privy Council, the Prime Minister's Office, CSIS and the RCMP as corrupt and somehow involved in a cover up to protect the PM and his government. In another recent example the Libs usurped the wishes and trampled on the legal rights of a private company in their attempt to camouflage the true nature of Dion's carbon tax proposal by stealing its name. Not cool for the self proclaimed 'party of the charter' and so called champion of social justice and human rights. But using the name against the wishes of the owner was not enough for the Liberals. When the rightful owner dare not fall in line with what the Liberal Party of Canada wanted they found it in their interests to attack the owner of this company, a private citizen.
Unbelievable, and yet they expect this type of thing will somehow get them voted back into power. Well at least some of their supporters feel that way.
FYI, some more of Jennings antics can be found in these links here, here, and here.
Marlene Jennings said this: "Mr. Speaker, this whole sad story looks like an attempted cover-up involving Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Public Safety, Transport, the Privy Council, the Prime Minister's Office, CSIS and the RCMP. Why such a cover-up? " source
The Liberals are about only one thing; returning to power, and they smear anyone and stop at nothing in their efforts to regain that power.
In this case Jennings just smeared for political gain 1000's of honest hard working Canadians working in Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Public Safety, Transport, the Privy Council, the Prime Minister's Office, CSIS and the RCMP as corrupt and somehow involved in a cover up to protect the PM and his government. In another recent example the Libs usurped the wishes and trampled on the legal rights of a private company in their attempt to camouflage the true nature of Dion's carbon tax proposal by stealing its name. Not cool for the self proclaimed 'party of the charter' and so called champion of social justice and human rights. But using the name against the wishes of the owner was not enough for the Liberals. When the rightful owner dare not fall in line with what the Liberal Party of Canada wanted they found it in their interests to attack the owner of this company, a private citizen.
Unbelievable, and yet they expect this type of thing will somehow get them voted back into power. Well at least some of their supporters feel that way.
FYI, some more of Jennings antics can be found in these links here, here, and here.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
One thing that all economists can agree on
I keep reading Liberal spin about how some economists are praising Dion's carbon tax proposal, but the numbers are very few and it should be obvious that not all economists out there agree with their colleagues on this question. After all the PM is an economist and he certainly does not think that the plan is a good one, so it goes without saying that there are divisions of opinion among economists about Dion's carbon scheme.
However, I do believe that I have found something that 100% of economists will agree on with regards to Dion's carbon scheme and here it is: Dion's carbon tax will increase the rate of inflation in Canada.
They may differ on just how much it will rise( I bet once the numbers get crunched it may well be double digit inflation), and they differ on just how much this will effect Canada's already fragile economy, but without a doubt they ALL will agree that prices will rise and so will the rate of inflation.
Find one who doesn't, and you have found yourself an incompetent economist or a liar.
However, I do believe that I have found something that 100% of economists will agree on with regards to Dion's carbon scheme and here it is: Dion's carbon tax will increase the rate of inflation in Canada.
They may differ on just how much it will rise( I bet once the numbers get crunched it may well be double digit inflation), and they differ on just how much this will effect Canada's already fragile economy, but without a doubt they ALL will agree that prices will rise and so will the rate of inflation.
Find one who doesn't, and you have found yourself an incompetent economist or a liar.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Dion's Carbon Tax Revenue Neutral? Impossible!
As per usual the Liberals are playing fast and loose with the facts in trying to sell yet another of their big ideas to the Canadian electorate in order to get themselves elected and back into power.
Heard this one before? The Green Shift will be revenue neutral and ALL of the money collected will go back to the taxpayer. It will not make money for the government, and it will NOT cost the government any other money to run. FYI directly from the green plan: "This shift will be done in a revenue neutral way –putting it in law that every dollar that is raised from carbon pollution will be returned to Canadians in tax" cuts."
Well I am calling BS to that and to all of the great minds in the Liberal Party of Canada who are, with a straight face, claiming this to be true.
Aside from the fact that no one believes this claim to be true, as governments have never been able to pull it off before in spite of their promises, and forgetting totally the truly ridiculous notion that that NO extra people or new bureaucracy will be needed to run such massive taxation scheme, there are a couple of other reasons why the carbon tax cannot possibly be revenue neutral as claimed by the Liberals.
The first reason I dealt with in an earlier post and as of yet it really has not been refuted by Garth or the rest of the LPC spin machine which is currently in overdrive selling Dion's plan.
If this plan is a success and our CO2 emissions do manage to go down, where will the money come from to pay for the already promised income tax cuts and tax credits? Those tax credits rise in the forth year of the carbon tax by an already determined amount, but if there is less carbon use to tax, there WILL be a shortfall and that money has to come from somewhere. Where?
The second reason I have not yet seen touched on anywhere else, as everyone has been busy trying to figure out what it is going to cost individuals and business, but it is something that makes the revenue neutral claim a totally fraudulent one.
Just how are all of the cost increases that the Government of Canada are going to have to pay out because of the Green Shift going to be paid for?
That's right. The millions of dollars extra that it will cost the Canadian Government, to heat all of those massive buildings across this great country of ours, to power the computers & office lighting in those buildings, , keep the RCMP, Coast Guard & armed forces moving, idle the PM's parked limo, keep Dion's night light powered up, or just about anything else that you can think of that is required just to operate a government on a daily basis will have to be paid for. But if every dollar collected is going back to the taxpayer as a tax cut or credit as claimed by the LPC; just how do all of these increased costs, which are directly the result of the green shift, going to be funded?
Revenue neutral my ass. Just how do you Liberals figure you will slip these costs past the AG?
Spin away.
Heard this one before? The Green Shift will be revenue neutral and ALL of the money collected will go back to the taxpayer. It will not make money for the government, and it will NOT cost the government any other money to run. FYI directly from the green plan: "This shift will be done in a revenue neutral way –putting it in law that every dollar that is raised from carbon pollution will be returned to Canadians in tax" cuts."
Well I am calling BS to that and to all of the great minds in the Liberal Party of Canada who are, with a straight face, claiming this to be true.
Aside from the fact that no one believes this claim to be true, as governments have never been able to pull it off before in spite of their promises, and forgetting totally the truly ridiculous notion that that NO extra people or new bureaucracy will be needed to run such massive taxation scheme, there are a couple of other reasons why the carbon tax cannot possibly be revenue neutral as claimed by the Liberals.
The first reason I dealt with in an earlier post and as of yet it really has not been refuted by Garth or the rest of the LPC spin machine which is currently in overdrive selling Dion's plan.
If this plan is a success and our CO2 emissions do manage to go down, where will the money come from to pay for the already promised income tax cuts and tax credits? Those tax credits rise in the forth year of the carbon tax by an already determined amount, but if there is less carbon use to tax, there WILL be a shortfall and that money has to come from somewhere. Where?
The second reason I have not yet seen touched on anywhere else, as everyone has been busy trying to figure out what it is going to cost individuals and business, but it is something that makes the revenue neutral claim a totally fraudulent one.
Just how are all of the cost increases that the Government of Canada are going to have to pay out because of the Green Shift going to be paid for?
That's right. The millions of dollars extra that it will cost the Canadian Government, to heat all of those massive buildings across this great country of ours, to power the computers & office lighting in those buildings, , keep the RCMP, Coast Guard & armed forces moving, idle the PM's parked limo, keep Dion's night light powered up, or just about anything else that you can think of that is required just to operate a government on a daily basis will have to be paid for. But if every dollar collected is going back to the taxpayer as a tax cut or credit as claimed by the LPC; just how do all of these increased costs, which are directly the result of the green shift, going to be funded?
Revenue neutral my ass. Just how do you Liberals figure you will slip these costs past the AG?
Spin away.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Some thoughts for the first day of Summer
I saw one of these earlier tonight while out for my evening stroll. Is this the future of transportation in Canada post Green Shift?
Kind of cool looking and as a bonus it's Canadian made! Even those not so motorcycle inclined might just give this a look. Nice work Bombardier, but perhaps you might want to consider applying the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle to your website. I couldn't get the site to load properly and annoying potential customers is never a great idea if you are trying to sell me something. No link for you!
I still think that they will give him his one election, but the party brass are going to be calling the shots and Dion will be just a lame figurehead.
By the way, great job Bob! Writing a policy that was sure to fail with the voters but yet was so appealing to the ego of the leader that he would run with it was pure genius. You will be getting another shot at the title when the dust settles.
.
Kind of cool looking and as a bonus it's Canadian made! Even those not so motorcycle inclined might just give this a look. Nice work Bombardier, but perhaps you might want to consider applying the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle to your website. I couldn't get the site to load properly and annoying potential customers is never a great idea if you are trying to sell me something. No link for you!-----------
Fearless prediction: By the end of July, Dion will be fighting off his own party over the blow back his MP's are going to receive from the public over the Green Shift. With the open revolt Dion will be unelectable and effectively done as the leader.Lots of spin from the Libs on the Green shift but the facts are what they are and it is a dud. I will post more on why I think this at a later date but the carbon tax and Dion are toast.
I still think that they will give him his one election, but the party brass are going to be calling the shots and Dion will be just a lame figurehead.
By the way, great job Bob! Writing a policy that was sure to fail with the voters but yet was so appealing to the ego of the leader that he would run with it was pure genius. You will be getting another shot at the title when the dust settles.
.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Sir Dion the Courageous
Or at least that is how he is going to be presented, and later spun, today as he presents his 'brave and courageous' plan to shift into gear and save the earth.
Watch for it soon in the MSM near you.
You cannot claim he is not a leader anymore people, because only a real leader would be brave enough to destroy our country's economy, increase inflation, and divide the country all for his own party's political gain.
That takes guts. Well guts, and a bunch of back room Liberals encouraging you to walk the plank so they can get their own guy in the OLO.
Follow up June22: Aside from the Lib bloggers doing their best to try to spin the carbon tax and Dion in a positive light (with those that do not agree tossed out of the club) there has not been as much fake praise for Dion in the MSM as I expected; Gary Nichols has an example here.
Want some spin, read this. Wow.
Watch for it soon in the MSM near you.
You cannot claim he is not a leader anymore people, because only a real leader would be brave enough to destroy our country's economy, increase inflation, and divide the country all for his own party's political gain.
That takes guts. Well guts, and a bunch of back room Liberals encouraging you to walk the plank so they can get their own guy in the OLO.
Follow up June22: Aside from the Lib bloggers doing their best to try to spin the carbon tax and Dion in a positive light (with those that do not agree tossed out of the club) there has not been as much fake praise for Dion in the MSM as I expected; Gary Nichols has an example here.
Want some spin, read this. Wow.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A Few Quick Questions on Dion's Carbon Tax
If someone has to pay $1000 a year more because of the carbon tax, but get back $1000 through the proposed 'shifting'; where exactly is the incentive for anyone to decrease their carbon use? Or is that not what this tax is supposed to be all about?
Just how exactly are the many thousands of people who pay NO income taxes in this country going to benefit by tax breaks? How about those who do not even have a SIN#? Or are all of these people somehow magically exempt from paying the increased costs that are going to be passed on by business to the consumer as a result of this tax?
If this tax somehow does what it was intended to do and decreases our country's carbon output; wouldn't it be IMPOSSIBLE for the tax to remain revenue neutral? You cannot give back 14 billion in tax credits or through some type of creative tax shifting if there is not 14 billion coming in via the carbon tax. In theory the carbon tax revenue should decrease every year as we produce less CO2, but yet the tax credits are to remain the same or are to even increase to low income earners and those that pay no taxes. How can this ponzi scheme be maintained? Revenue neutral does not only mean that the government will make no money off of it, it also means that it will not cost the government any money as well.
Good luck with that.
And lastly, is it still part of the grand plan for a Liberal government to purchase carbon credits for us to reach our Kyoto targets?
Just how exactly are the many thousands of people who pay NO income taxes in this country going to benefit by tax breaks? How about those who do not even have a SIN#? Or are all of these people somehow magically exempt from paying the increased costs that are going to be passed on by business to the consumer as a result of this tax?
If this tax somehow does what it was intended to do and decreases our country's carbon output; wouldn't it be IMPOSSIBLE for the tax to remain revenue neutral? You cannot give back 14 billion in tax credits or through some type of creative tax shifting if there is not 14 billion coming in via the carbon tax. In theory the carbon tax revenue should decrease every year as we produce less CO2, but yet the tax credits are to remain the same or are to even increase to low income earners and those that pay no taxes. How can this ponzi scheme be maintained? Revenue neutral does not only mean that the government will make no money off of it, it also means that it will not cost the government any money as well.
Good luck with that.
And lastly, is it still part of the grand plan for a Liberal government to purchase carbon credits for us to reach our Kyoto targets?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Dion now wants to kill that very same milk cow.
My MP, Mike Lake, reminds Stephane Dion about some of the things Dion has said in the past about carbon taxes and cows.
And here are a few more things Dion said previously about a carbon tax.
And here are a few more things Dion said previously about a carbon tax.
Be nice to your murder victims...
or be held accountable by the great Canadian justice system.
By: Dean Bennett, THE CANADIAN PRESS
By: Dean Bennett, THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON - Thomas Svekla treated his murder victim like so much stuff - trussing her up nude, bending her like a pretzel and cramming her in a hockey bag - and for that he must pay, his sentencing judge said Monday.
Justice Sterling Sanderman ordered that while Svekla is automatically sentenced to life in jail for the second-degree murder of Theresa Innes, he can't ask for parole for at least 17 years.
"We don't treat the dead with the utter contempt and utter disregard that you exhibited to Miss Innes," Sanderman told Svekla, who sat intent but impassive in the prisoner's dock.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Another example of why the YCJA needs overhauled.
On March 29th 55-year-old Antonio Lanzellotti was killed when the taxi he was driving was struck by a stolen vehicle.
A girl ,who was arrested and charged in the incident, repeatedly told police during a taped interview that she “didn't care” Lanzellotti had died and said he “was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The girl laughed and giggled and said Lanzellotti “had to die sometime.”
Sounds like the perfect little princess doesn't she?
Source
And by the way; in case you were not aware, the girl cannot be identified under the rules of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Thanks again Liberal Party of Canada.
A girl ,who was arrested and charged in the incident, repeatedly told police during a taped interview that she “didn't care” Lanzellotti had died and said he “was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The girl laughed and giggled and said Lanzellotti “had to die sometime.”
Sounds like the perfect little princess doesn't she?
It’s the second time in as many weeks the girl has wound up in the Manitoba Youth Centre just days after being released. She got out of MYC on Thursday after she ignored a probation order, while wearing the bracelet, June 9 by hanging out with her best friend, a fellow car thief she was ordered to stay away from.
The probation order was handed down four days earlier when the girl was sentenced for her role in the fatal crash and then released.
The girl’s latest breach is at least her third in connection with this case.
A day after she got bail in April, she was arrested for breaching her curfew and disappearing for a day.
Source
And by the way; in case you were not aware, the girl cannot be identified under the rules of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Thanks again Liberal Party of Canada.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happy Fathers Day
For all those out there who are lucky enough to be called Dad, Happy Fathers Day!!!
.
And for fun here is a little comparison, or tip if you will, about gift buying for Fathers Day vs Mothers Day.
While it is generally acceptable to buy Dad any of the numerous types of tools available for Fathers Day; guys please don't ever consider buying your better half anything that could be considered a tool for Mothers Day.
It is a mistake that you will only make once, as I am sure countless men out there can tell you from experience.
Enjoy the day, and call your Dad.
.
And for fun here is a little comparison, or tip if you will, about gift buying for Fathers Day vs Mothers Day.
While it is generally acceptable to buy Dad any of the numerous types of tools available for Fathers Day; guys please don't ever consider buying your better half anything that could be considered a tool for Mothers Day.
It is a mistake that you will only make once, as I am sure countless men out there can tell you from experience.
Enjoy the day, and call your Dad.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Global's Tera Nelson; Just Making Stuff Up.
Does Global National's weekend anchor Tera Nelson know something that the rest of us do not?
Or is she just making stuff up?
Decide for yourself.
From the Sunday June 8th edition of the Global National Evening News with anchor Tera Nelson.
(emphasis mine)
"An opposition plan to bring down gas prices and offset emissions is prompting political attacks tonight."
Interesting, as this is the first I have heard of this. Just what 'plan' is Tera referring to in her lead up to a story on the latest CPC ads? Is there something out there that I missed on this 'plan' to lower prices at the pumps? I have read a few stories in the MSM on this subject and I have even read some of the more partisan Liberal blogs; yet nowhere have I read that Dion's carbon tax would reduce the price of gas at the pumps. Not even Garth or Cherniak have claimed such a thing and they both have been leading the spin on Dion's carbon tax from the very beginning.
So please help me out here as I am at a loss for words. When a news anchor says something like this on a 'trusted' national news program, where they charge advertisers big bucks for commercial time, I have to wonder if I am blinded by partisanship or perhaps just misinformed on all of the details.
Or is she just making stuff up?
Decide for yourself.
--------
From the Sunday June 8th edition of the Global National Evening News with anchor Tera Nelson.
(emphasis mine)
"An opposition plan to bring down gas prices and offset emissions is prompting political attacks tonight."
-----
Interesting, as this is the first I have heard of this. Just what 'plan' is Tera referring to in her lead up to a story on the latest CPC ads? Is there something out there that I missed on this 'plan' to lower prices at the pumps? I have read a few stories in the MSM on this subject and I have even read some of the more partisan Liberal blogs; yet nowhere have I read that Dion's carbon tax would reduce the price of gas at the pumps. Not even Garth or Cherniak have claimed such a thing and they both have been leading the spin on Dion's carbon tax from the very beginning.
So please help me out here as I am at a loss for words. When a news anchor says something like this on a 'trusted' national news program, where they charge advertisers big bucks for commercial time, I have to wonder if I am blinded by partisanship or perhaps just misinformed on all of the details.
Because a news anchor wouldn't just make stuff up would they?
My apologies about the poor quality of the video
Update June 13th: Global has acknowledged receipt of my email. Auto responder.
Update July 4th: Nothing else back from Global and my questions remain unanswered, but Global is back in the spotlight again. h/t Hunter
Update June 13th: Global has acknowledged receipt of my email. Auto responder.
Update July 4th: Nothing else back from Global and my questions remain unanswered, but Global is back in the spotlight again. h/t Hunter
Friday, June 06, 2008
Going Green.
A conservative confesses.
Over the last 2 years or so I have slowly but surely been heading towards a greener lifestyle, and although it was not something that had I really set out to do initially; lo and behold this "neocon" has greatly lowered his footprint on mother earth.
So far:
I have replaced my old furnace with a new one which is at least 40% more efficient.
All light bulbs are being changed out as they die with CFL type bulbs.
Edmonton has one of the best recycling programs around, and while I have been using the program since the blue box days, I have become much more aware about what I am throwing away and what I am recycling recently.
New and much more efficient windows have been installed in my home.
As my appliances all seemed to die about the same time, all of them have now been replaced with more energy efficient units.
OK, the new washing machine might eat up a bit more power than the old one, but having a house full of kids with the huge volume of laundry easily justified the much larger capacity machine. I think it may work out in the end though as just by cutting down on the number of total washes with the new machine should make up that difference, and if not, the savings from the new refrigerator and range will easily make the difference.
The car I recently bought is supposed to get 50 miles to the gallon, or use just over 8 litres per 100 kilometers on the highway.
It is too early to tell if the above mileage will be accurate, but compared to the truck I was driving and just using basic 'in my head math', it appears that I have decreased my fuel consumption by over 66%. This is easily an under estimate as I did not include the fact that I am not driving the kilometers that I did even a couple of years ago to come up with the 66% decrease.
There are probably a few more little things that I could list but I think my point has been made.
I have gone greener.
But why you ask?
It sure wasn't any Liberal tax, newly proposed or otherwise, or even some grand vision style lefty policy initiative that did turned this so called"neocon" green. In fact it was the thing that many lefties detest that actually made the difference. It was the free market that did it. Well, as free as it gets in Canada anyways.
Imagine that. The market has seemed to do on it's own, and without any 'help' or manipulation from government, something controlling lefty governments have all failed to do in the past. It has made myself and countless others go greener.
I expect someone to pipe in and say that this is how a carbon tax is supposed to work and why one is still needed. This might be true if nothing was progressing, but the reality is that that we are already seeing positive results* of what is happening because of the market. And all without the help or manipulation of government. I would also add that judging from the long history of government manipulation in the markets, or even looking to just about anything else the government has ever done/planned/or touched as examples; Dion's carbon tax would not only follow along with most other big government visions/plans and not work as intended, it would cost us all way too much in the attempt. Trust me, it's a long list of expensive failures and I doubt that this time it would turn out any different.
Now the political stuff. Take heed Liberals. In my opinion to pile on ANY type of carbon tax now would be political suicide. I feel it would be looked at as another tax grab by your average Canadian; one that would not only hurt Canadians financially but also one that punishes the poor unfairly and will end up creating even more poverty along the way. Like it or not, most Canadians still have to heat their homes in the winter, wash their clothes, buy and cook their food, commute, or even be able to see in the dark in our northern part of the world. These are the facts and adding additional costs to these necessities of life are not going to be looked at kindly by an already cash poor and overtaxed electorate. You will be paying a price at the ballot box if you propose to raise those costs even more for Canadians with a carbon tax.
* This occurred in 2006 under a Harper government. Something that the Liberals cannot claim even though they signed on to Kyoto and had Dion as the "greenest environment minister ever" running the show. Not that you heard much about this reduction in the MSM, but that is another topic.
Over the last 2 years or so I have slowly but surely been heading towards a greener lifestyle, and although it was not something that had I really set out to do initially; lo and behold this "neocon" has greatly lowered his footprint on mother earth.
So far:
I have replaced my old furnace with a new one which is at least 40% more efficient.
All light bulbs are being changed out as they die with CFL type bulbs.
Edmonton has one of the best recycling programs around, and while I have been using the program since the blue box days, I have become much more aware about what I am throwing away and what I am recycling recently.
New and much more efficient windows have been installed in my home.
As my appliances all seemed to die about the same time, all of them have now been replaced with more energy efficient units.
OK, the new washing machine might eat up a bit more power than the old one, but having a house full of kids with the huge volume of laundry easily justified the much larger capacity machine. I think it may work out in the end though as just by cutting down on the number of total washes with the new machine should make up that difference, and if not, the savings from the new refrigerator and range will easily make the difference.
The car I recently bought is supposed to get 50 miles to the gallon, or use just over 8 litres per 100 kilometers on the highway.
It is too early to tell if the above mileage will be accurate, but compared to the truck I was driving and just using basic 'in my head math', it appears that I have decreased my fuel consumption by over 66%. This is easily an under estimate as I did not include the fact that I am not driving the kilometers that I did even a couple of years ago to come up with the 66% decrease.
There are probably a few more little things that I could list but I think my point has been made.
I have gone greener.
But why you ask?
It sure wasn't any Liberal tax, newly proposed or otherwise, or even some grand vision style lefty policy initiative that did turned this so called"neocon" green. In fact it was the thing that many lefties detest that actually made the difference. It was the free market that did it. Well, as free as it gets in Canada anyways.
Imagine that. The market has seemed to do on it's own, and without any 'help' or manipulation from government, something controlling lefty governments have all failed to do in the past. It has made myself and countless others go greener.
I expect someone to pipe in and say that this is how a carbon tax is supposed to work and why one is still needed. This might be true if nothing was progressing, but the reality is that that we are already seeing positive results* of what is happening because of the market. And all without the help or manipulation of government. I would also add that judging from the long history of government manipulation in the markets, or even looking to just about anything else the government has ever done/planned/or touched as examples; Dion's carbon tax would not only follow along with most other big government visions/plans and not work as intended, it would cost us all way too much in the attempt. Trust me, it's a long list of expensive failures and I doubt that this time it would turn out any different.
Now the political stuff. Take heed Liberals. In my opinion to pile on ANY type of carbon tax now would be political suicide. I feel it would be looked at as another tax grab by your average Canadian; one that would not only hurt Canadians financially but also one that punishes the poor unfairly and will end up creating even more poverty along the way. Like it or not, most Canadians still have to heat their homes in the winter, wash their clothes, buy and cook their food, commute, or even be able to see in the dark in our northern part of the world. These are the facts and adding additional costs to these necessities of life are not going to be looked at kindly by an already cash poor and overtaxed electorate. You will be paying a price at the ballot box if you propose to raise those costs even more for Canadians with a carbon tax.
* This occurred in 2006 under a Harper government. Something that the Liberals cannot claim even though they signed on to Kyoto and had Dion as the "greenest environment minister ever" running the show. Not that you heard much about this reduction in the MSM, but that is another topic.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Just a normal day in Dion Land.
It just keeps getting worse for troubled Liberal leader Stephane Dion. First this poll comes out showing that Dion is about as popular ants at a picnic, then more knives come out calling for his replacement as leader. Wow!
The left side of the blogosphere is full of comment on Dion's carbon tax along with the political ramifications of running with this type of policy, and some of it isn't pretty. Take this example between Kinsella and Cherniak. Both are at odds with each other over Dion's tax and it has gotten even more bizarre with each new post. To quickly bring you up to speed; Kinsella posted his opinion on Dion's tax. Cherniak, being the ever true Dion supporter that he is, posted his response by saying Kinsella is biased because of his client list. Kinsella rips into Jason for his post, with a little bit of libel thrown in for good measure, and Cherniak responds by playing the race card.
I somehow doubt that this little battle is ending there, so stay tuned as this is sure to be very entertaining to follow and well worth the price of admission.
The left side of the blogosphere is full of comment on Dion's carbon tax along with the political ramifications of running with this type of policy, and some of it isn't pretty. Take this example between Kinsella and Cherniak. Both are at odds with each other over Dion's tax and it has gotten even more bizarre with each new post. To quickly bring you up to speed; Kinsella posted his opinion on Dion's tax. Cherniak, being the ever true Dion supporter that he is, posted his response by saying Kinsella is biased because of his client list. Kinsella rips into Jason for his post, with a little bit of libel thrown in for good measure, and Cherniak responds by playing the race card.
I somehow doubt that this little battle is ending there, so stay tuned as this is sure to be very entertaining to follow and well worth the price of admission.
Friday, May 16, 2008
How many times did Dion say...
that there would be no carbon tax?
For at least two years now, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has been clear -- emphatic even -- there will be no carbon tax if his party wins the next federal election with him at the helm.
For at least two years now, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has been clear -- emphatic even -- there will be no carbon tax if his party wins the next federal election with him at the helm.
Of course, he was being disingenuous about that sometimes. For instance, last spring he suggested that instead of a carbon tax, the country's 700 largest carbon emitters might be charged a carbon fee.
On a practical level, there would be no difference. A gouging, punitive, regressive tax by any other name would still be a gouging, punitive, regressive tax.
Still, on a dozen or more occasions, Dion has pledged never to introduce a carbon tax.
In June 2006, during the first Liberal leadership debate, Dion scoffed when Michael Ignatieff said a carbon tax "would do more to address climate change and help us be good stewards of our environment than any other measure." Then, as now, Dion was a passionate defender of the Kyoto accord and even he rejected the notion that a carbon tax could help reduce emissions to the levels mandated by the UN's global-warming accord.
Weeks later, when he released his campaign platform it referred to a tax on the production or consumption of fossil fuels as "simply bad policy."
Also, Dion told the National Post's editorial board in November 2006 (just weeks before he was selected as Liberal leader), if he ever became prime minister he would not even consider a carbon tax, because "for Albertans it's a non-starter."
He claimed in the Globe and Mail to have "always been against" a carbon tax. He had "other ways" to achieve emission reductions -- mostly investment in new energy-saving technologies and tax incentives for individuals and businesses that reduced their carbon footprints.
Dion did say he wanted to establish a link between Canadians' pocketbooks and the environment -- between "your wallet and the planet," in his words -- but not by taking money out of those wallets, but rather by fattening them up with government cash.
Within weeks of becoming Liberal boss, Dion rushed to Alberta to assure the Journal's editorial board, among others, that there would never be a carbon tax if he had his way.
I wrote at the time that I didn't believe him. His plan, regardless of what he was going to call its components, would hit Alberta disproportionately hard and as such amounted to a carbon tax. Dion wrote our editors insisting "the plan I will reveal soon to decrease Canada's industrial greenhouse gases will not include a carbon tax. I have said that I will be the best partner for Alberta and I mean it."
Even this past winter, speaking to an Alberta audience, Dion assured the crowd he had two "bottom lines": "there will be no carbon tax" and the profits earned by Albertans in the current energy boom "will stay in Alberta."
So, of course, what has Dion proposed this week? A carbon tax.
Elizabeth May: Destroying the Green Party for her friend Dion
From the sounds of this, Elizabeth May looks to be well on her way to destroying the Green Party of Canada from within.
“Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party of Canada, says she’s ready to contemplate a strategic debate with the three opposition parties in Ottawa to work out new forms of electoral co-operation to block the re-election of Stephen Harper’s party.
“She would even be ready to imagine a strategy which is being discussed by some environmental groups, which would consist of calling in every region on people who are aware of the environmental stakes to put aside their party preference at the next election to support, in each riding, the candidate likeliest to beat the Conservative if the latter has the slightest chance of winning power.
“…She wouldn’t hesitate to make strategic alliances with the Bloc Québécois, as she admires the rigorous work of several of their MPs, even though she does not share their vision of Canada’s future.Elizabeth, I have a question for you. In how many ridings in Canada would the Green Party candidate be "the likeliest to beat the Conservative" candidate? Since Ms. May is unlikely to respond and answer my questions, lets try to put a realistic number to the above.
For the sake of argument lets use 50? You can look at the results from the last election and see how many Greens finished in the runner up spot yourself, but I think I am being REAL generous by using this figure.
So based on her comments above, now what?
By May's own proposal it appears that over 250 candidates, their EDA's, and the various workers and supporters (you know, the grass roots) would be forced to put aside their efforts and countless hours of work they have dedicated toward THEIR candidates and party to vote for someone else. And judging by her bizarre alliance with Dion, it is safe to say that she wants her party to vote Liberal.
Not having respect for your own party and it's supporters, and folding before the hand is even dealt. What a way to invigorate those Green Party supporters Liz, your leadership ability astounds.
Monday, May 12, 2008
It made me want to send in 20 bucks*
I just finished watching this clip of Stephane Dion trying to raise funds for the LPC.
What a performance! If I was a Liberal supporter I would be worried about the next election.
Very worried.
* to the Conservative Party of Canada that is.
What a performance! If I was a Liberal supporter I would be worried about the next election.
Very worried.
----
* to the Conservative Party of Canada that is.
Friday, May 09, 2008
This story sounds very familiar.
Here we go again.
Cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon finds himself facing the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, and the Halifax police, over a complaint about this cartoon published April 18th in Nova Scotia's leading newspaper, the Chronicle Herald. (cbc)
Zia Khan, director of the Centre for Islamic Development in Halifax, said the cartoon goes beyond what can be considered free speech. He said the group also filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, and Khan's group also called police on April 21.
Another offensive cartoon; oh the humanity of it all.
I am not the biggest fan of Bruce MacKinnon and his work as he has taken more than a few shots at the Prime Minister and other conservatives in the past. Although to be fair, I must admit that once in awhile he does get it right. But whether or not I like his work is irrelevant, because Mr. Mackinnon has the right to express his views and opinions and any threat to those expressions is not only an assault on his rights, but also to my rights, and YOURS as well.
Mr. Mackinnon, I may not like or agree with what you draw, but you damn well have my support in the fight to keep on doing it. I wonder on which side Mr. Kinsella will find himself to be supporting this time?
Updated: I was thinking earlier today that since I posted the 'offensive' cartoon on my blog that I might be opening myself up to the same kind of thing that happened to Ezra. Remember he did not draw the cartoons, but only published them in the Western Standard because they were newsworthy, which is kind of what I have done above. Oh oh!
Does anyone else find it strange that the person depicted in the cartoon is not the one who is bringing forward the complaints? How the hell can a 'group' be offended by the depiction of an individual?
For reference here is a news photo showing Cheryfa MacAulay Jamal.
I think that MacKinnon did a real good job with his drawing, but now I am left even more confused as to what the actual problem is, and why someone other than Ms. Jamal would take issue.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Watching the wheels fall off the big red machine.
Is there anyone out there who is really surprised by this? Dion is again backing away from forcing an election.
When the wheels are falling off the Liberal Party machine, what else is he to do?
The latest attempt to smear the government, this time with the "in and out" fiasco, is blowing up in their faces as their own hypocrisy is exposed, and more of the story makes it's way to the public.
On the policy front the Liberals are a mess. Trying to convince Canadians that having them pay more money for taxes so the Liberals can spend it on big expensive programs of very dubious nature is going to be an very difficult, if not impossible, task. Their past record speaks for itself, and Canadians To make matters worse for the Liberals, the Conservative Government is passing real legislation that that matters to Canadians.
Internally things are not any better for the LPC. The knifes continue to be sharpened, and those doing the sharpening are not even bothering to try to hide it. What does this say to the voting public about the leadership of Dion as these types of stories become even more frequent in the pages of the MSM?
Financially things are not going that well for the LPC, and the same can be said for Dion's repayment of his own personal debt from his leadership campaign. I guess Dion should thank Bob Rae after he successfully took Elections Canada to court in order to get back his "non refundable" deposit paid for the leadership race, as Dion sure could use the money. Come to think of it, so could the LPC.
The wheels are falling off the big red machine, and I predict that it is going to get worse before it gets better, but then again, there is always the environment issue to run on. Good luck with that.
When the wheels are falling off the Liberal Party machine, what else is he to do?
The latest attempt to smear the government, this time with the "in and out" fiasco, is blowing up in their faces as their own hypocrisy is exposed, and more of the story makes it's way to the public.
On the policy front the Liberals are a mess. Trying to convince Canadians that having them pay more money for taxes so the Liberals can spend it on big expensive programs of very dubious nature is going to be an very difficult, if not impossible, task. Their past record speaks for itself, and Canadians To make matters worse for the Liberals, the Conservative Government is passing real legislation that that matters to Canadians.
Internally things are not any better for the LPC. The knifes continue to be sharpened, and those doing the sharpening are not even bothering to try to hide it. What does this say to the voting public about the leadership of Dion as these types of stories become even more frequent in the pages of the MSM?
Financially things are not going that well for the LPC, and the same can be said for Dion's repayment of his own personal debt from his leadership campaign. I guess Dion should thank Bob Rae after he successfully took Elections Canada to court in order to get back his "non refundable" deposit paid for the leadership race, as Dion sure could use the money. Come to think of it, so could the LPC.
The wheels are falling off the big red machine, and I predict that it is going to get worse before it gets better, but then again, there is always the environment issue to run on. Good luck with that.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Dear BC Human Rights Tribunal:
Are you sure you want to go toe to toe with this guy? It was bad enough a funny little guy with glasses beat up on your Alberta counterparts, but given the chance, I think Mr. Steyn will make you look even more foolish, so proceed at your own risk.
Free speech is worth fighting for.
Free speech is worth fighting for.
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