….and none in the media are saying it.
Harper’s oil-centric and Scrooge-like economics is the root cause of our current economic problems.
The economy does not really ‘run’ on 3-months quarters. Everyone knows that. The economy really runs on a rolling five year or longer cycle. Government policy IMPLEMENTED in year one has it’s major effects by year five if we are lucky. The reports are quarterly but they are reporting on actions taken years prior.
So, there we had our idiot past prime minister campaigning on his party’s business acumen that too-soon saw our economy plunge into the toilet mere weeks after the election that ousted the ten plus year Conservative reign. Why isn’t the media reporting on that? Why aren’t fingers being pointed?
I know, I know, I was NOT going to do politics for awhile. And that nauseating Trudeau posing and speaking in cliches has beckoned me frequently to do so but I resisted. Even that puke-inducing Vogue photo shoot will go largely uncommented on because, well, it speaks volumes in itself. But Harper was wrong. Harper was destructive. Harper was a bad economist and his gang of thieves and liars are likely to STILL claim that they ran the country well and “look at it now!”
They haven’t even said it yet (well, Ambrose implied it in the House of Commons last week) and I am mad just in anticipation of what they will say as soon as they get up the chutzpah. So, for the record: our economic woes are a direct result of Harpernomics and don’t forget it. The voting public has a tendency to short memory and that has resulted in the Cons getting re-elected now and again. And they screw up every time because their basic economic philosophy is wrong.
“Dave, that battle has been fought and won! Give it a rest, old boy. Calm yourself.”
You are right. I am sorry. I should go back to #@$%! whales and ravens. But part of the reason for my anger is that I do not see much of a change in the business as usual model even though Harper has been sent to the showers. “Just-in, get your head out of the Vogue centrefold and get it into the game!”
Canada needs a built-in-Canada approach to the economy. NOT a built-by-trade agreements version modeled on a global economy, the world bank policies and other major corporate-backed shill organizations like the World Trade Organization.
Of course, we have to trade internationally. And, of course, we will adjust to common practices. But we need not be bound by their system. We can trade when it suits us and we should be able to NOT trade when it suits us. So far, these trade pacts are like bondage and servitude to us and they are NOT serving Canadians. They are not in our overall best interests.
But that is not my main complaint. I know corruption is part of the system and systemic corruption is what we have. My main complaint is that we do not trade within our own borders as if we were friends and neighbours. We do not have a domestic plan. We have accepted the modern and international interpretation of Capitalism as our own and we are simply not in a position to do so. We need a built-in-Canada plan.
Put in a way that everyone understands: gasoline in the US is $2.00 a gallon. Yes, there is a currency adjustment. Yes, there is difference in the measured gallon. But, here in BC, we pay C$5.00 a gallon or $3.60 cents for a US gallon. Almost TWICE as much. And the irony to this observation is that most of US imported oil comes from Canada (a bit more than OPEC) and it is all SUPPOSED to be somehow equalized under trade agreements. Really? It should NOT be equalized. Canadians (since we live greater distances) should pay less for OUR OWN resources than do those we export to.
Just-in? Are you listening?
Our Off the Grid Home 
The oft made claim that ‘the right’ understands the economy is code for, ‘It’s time to make like a bandit.’ Under Harper in the last ten years Canada’s national debt increase by 150 billion dollars give or take. Harper had high oil prices but somehow was unable to balance the budget while giving tax cuts to the most affluent Canadians. Now oil prices are falling fast and the prospect of a deficit has Haperites apoplextic.
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OK…YOU know that. I know that. Many Canadians know that. So, why is there no hue and cry over it? Why can the Bank of Canada suggest that ‘maybe we’ll use negative interest rates to boost the economy’ without hair being set on fire and other forms of political histrionics? Why are they getting a free pass on this?
And, why the hell is our PM posing in Vogue as a pretty boy? Aren’t there more pressing issues? How can there be time in his schedule for that? Is it me? I have to tell you that I would never pose for pretty boy pictures (don’t say it……we all know why)
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Jim Prentice was turffed out of office when he told Albertians that the party was over and higher taxes were in their futures, as were lay offs and sales taxes. ‘We thought Alberta was a tax free province?’ Prentice remained Albertans that they had been part of the spendthrift ways of his government and now that the government policies had failed the pain was to follow. Harper’s tax cuts defunded the Canadian government to the extent Canada was too cash strapped to invest in the navy, airforce etc. Harper’s vision of smaller government has left Canada with aging infrastructure and many Canadians with the impression that taxes are bad. Do we want a revitalized navy then it will take taxes to pay for it.
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I used to think my taxes went for the good of all Canadians and so I never complained, never begrudged any of it. But, over the years, I have seen the corruption and the waste and so I now begrudge paying taxes on taxes on taxes. Bugs me. But, if the government spent the money properly and for the people (instead of the corporations), I would pay double without a whimper. I do not even have to agree with every expenditure – if I agreed with 60% and they didn’t spend money on advertising the government to us serfs, I would be happy enough.
Oooohhhh………….I am gonna have to get back to ravens.
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I paid EI for over forty years and never ever collected EI but never begrudged it. Tax breaks to corporations do not generated jobs only dividents to stock holders. I am as confused as you as regrding some of the priorities like hunting pirates in the Indian Ocean. The tar sands are subsidized why? So Alberta gets no provincal sales taxes?
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Not even Victoria’s Secrets?
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I have already subsidized Victoria’s secrets.
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Recently Prime Minister Trudeau was honoured with a blanket. Some of the media described the ceremony as, “Trudeau was swaddled in a blanket.” Swaddled as on would do with a new born child. This continues the “Just not ready” narrative. The past ten years have been ones of vitriolic attacks upon the Cons rivals which the media, as you say,was complicant. The Rex Murphys and the Andrew Coynes of the media piled on. The Con narrative that they had a handle on the economy, Global Warming was false, taxes killed jobs, liberals will ruin the economy and as their policies have played out we have Canada on her knees and the Cons say it was not their fault. The media drank the koolaide. Canadians drank the Koolaide of low taxes. But sadly the baby Trudeau narrative continues. Poor baby Trudeau.
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I don’t think he is ready but, then again, I don’t know how anyone could be ‘ready’ to fix all that ails us. I am more than willing to give the little toddler a chance. What the hell!? It is not like I can run and jump and play like I used to……….so, why not give Baby True-dough a shot? My real concern is that he tries to steer the ship in the direction in which it has been heading. Not good. It is time for a bearing change, “Port helm! Hard over!” Even all a-stern! would be better. Typically, leaders are NOT leaders. They are followers of all things status quo and why not? The status quo has been good to them.
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Which direction is that? The Cons have staked out deficit territory. Canada is on its knees already. The Vogue pictures were taken before the election? Do you mean stop the refugees? Keep flying the F18s in desert conditions at the cost half a million per plane per sorti until the planes become unserviceable? Not reach out to First Nations? Not invest in infastructure?
.
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No. None of that, really. I am talkin’ economy only this time. I am in favour of refugees. I am in favour of taking the planes out of the sky over Syria. I am in favour of reaching out to First Nations. Hugely supportive of infrastructure spending. Basically, I am a smidge pink, supportive of the have-nots and not much of a hawk. Having said that, I also believe the FNs have to do some moving on their own (and they are), we need a modern (but small) military and I am not in favour of SNC Lavalin-type monster contracts or giant art museums in Nunavit. I am sorta back-to-basics on a lot of that. I don’t think the Transcanada highway should be a two lane road anywhere, for instance. I think rural Canada needs a hand. I think we have to go BIG on green and I think the small economy is the way to go. You want my platform?
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I’m with you one hundred percent on the aims for Canada.
It ought to be a criminal offence to be able to wear a sprayed on Versace gown. No man should have his arms around that.
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EVERY man should have his arms around that!
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