Just watch!
H/t to the Torontoist
11.08.2011
Occupy efforts have 58% approval in Canada
Most Canadians view the #occupy movement favourably according to Nanos.
Perhaps not surprising is that 70% of those under 30 support the protests and people in BC and Quebec are the strongest regions in support of the #occupy movement.
It may be time for the Mayors of Vancouver and Calgary to calm down and leave the protests alone.
The Nanos Research poll conducted for The Globe and Mail and La Presse found that 58 per cent of Canadians who are aware of the protests have a favourable or somewhat favorable impression of them.I'm pleased to see these numbers. It confirms what I thought I was seeing and hearing from people in the course of my day. Canadians are worried about their jobs, or if they will find a job. The poll also suggests Canadians are worried about their savings.
Perhaps not surprising is that 70% of those under 30 support the protests and people in BC and Quebec are the strongest regions in support of the #occupy movement.
It may be time for the Mayors of Vancouver and Calgary to calm down and leave the protests alone.
11.07.2011
Conservatives fairy tale budgeting
Kevin Page, Parliamentary Budget Officer, told us Finance Minister Jim Flaherty could not meet his deficit targets. The NDP and other opposition parties have been telling the Harper Government this for months now. Tomorrow, Flaherty will announce he can't meet the targets. Its is a bit of a shame, okay a lot shame, that this government can not forecast its way out of a wet paper bag.
Remember when just before the last recession Harper said there was no way Canada would have a deficit. Flaherty said the same, not just once but every other day they stated it. It would be funny but for their lack of honesty.
Remember the last election? Flaherty’s governing Conservatives promised to accelerate a return to surplus.
Now they find themselves in a further $12 billion hole. Coincidentally, that 12 billion is about the same amount the GST they cut would bring in annually. Then there's the cuts to corporate income. Corporate taxes are going down on schedule it seems, damn the deficit.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer warned us that the government would have to raise taxes or cut programs and services. We know they won't be raising corporate taxes, nor slowing down the rate of decline of those taxes. They're still planning much in the way of spending cuts (anyone talk to a veteran lately?).
It looks like the government will freeze or even reduce EI premiums for employers. It seems it doesn't matter what the Harper Conservatives put in a budget. Its gonna change, likely for the worse.
Now close your eyes. Pretend you are listening to the NDP Finance Critic Peter Julian. Now pretend he is the Finance Minister in the NDP Government. Imagine the media and Conservative opposition to this statement, "While Julian has declined to say how slowing growth will influence his plans to balance the budget by 2014, he has said the government still aims to balance the budget “in the medium term."
Now I know you are likely to laugh at that one, but t was Flaherty that said it. He said that today. My final question is what the heck is the medium term? four years? five years, maybe seven years?
Flaherty update may retreat from deficit promise
update: Ottawa likely to miss four-year balanced budget target in today's fiscal update
Remember when just before the last recession Harper said there was no way Canada would have a deficit. Flaherty said the same, not just once but every other day they stated it. It would be funny but for their lack of honesty.
Remember the last election? Flaherty’s governing Conservatives promised to accelerate a return to surplus.
Now they find themselves in a further $12 billion hole. Coincidentally, that 12 billion is about the same amount the GST they cut would bring in annually. Then there's the cuts to corporate income. Corporate taxes are going down on schedule it seems, damn the deficit.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer warned us that the government would have to raise taxes or cut programs and services. We know they won't be raising corporate taxes, nor slowing down the rate of decline of those taxes. They're still planning much in the way of spending cuts (anyone talk to a veteran lately?).
It looks like the government will freeze or even reduce EI premiums for employers. It seems it doesn't matter what the Harper Conservatives put in a budget. Its gonna change, likely for the worse.
Now close your eyes. Pretend you are listening to the NDP Finance Critic Peter Julian. Now pretend he is the Finance Minister in the NDP Government. Imagine the media and Conservative opposition to this statement, "While Julian has declined to say how slowing growth will influence his plans to balance the budget by 2014, he has said the government still aims to balance the budget “in the medium term."
Now I know you are likely to laugh at that one, but t was Flaherty that said it. He said that today. My final question is what the heck is the medium term? four years? five years, maybe seven years?
Flaherty update may retreat from deficit promise
update: Ottawa likely to miss four-year balanced budget target in today's fiscal update
Harper should reveal his Donors
The Harper Conservatives want to end to make it harder to get a loan to run for leader of a party. They want to make sure the loan is for $1100 or less from an individual or is from a bank or credit union. Sounds like a smart policy. This way we know some shady business or union leader can't buy the favour of those in power. I like that.
The trouble is that they are changing the rules in midstream. The Liberals are facing huge challenges they did not expect. They ran their leadership under the older rules and then Harper changed those rules, making it much more difficult to pay off those old loans. And those loans are getting older by the day. I suspect that many would not have entered the race and/or spent as much as they did, had they known how restrictive the new donation and loan laws would be.
Unfortunately, Prime Minister Harper has yet to reveal who donated or loaned his campaign money in 2002 when he became leader of the Canadian Alliance. If this is about peeling back the paint to see whats on the wall, then he should be forthcoming as well. He has an obligation of ethical tradition to do so.
Don't get me wrong. I like the new rules. It does eliminate a good deal of the money in the system. So if Harper is pushing this new openness one needs to ask what is behind this new paint. The only leader in Parliament to get there on the old rules is Harper. The NDP and Liberals are electing leaders under the new rules.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper clawed his way to the top, using the rules he now says are a threat to democracy. He is disguising change as a step toward accountability and openness. That of course does not apply to the man making the rules.
The trouble is that they are changing the rules in midstream. The Liberals are facing huge challenges they did not expect. They ran their leadership under the older rules and then Harper changed those rules, making it much more difficult to pay off those old loans. And those loans are getting older by the day. I suspect that many would not have entered the race and/or spent as much as they did, had they known how restrictive the new donation and loan laws would be.
Unfortunately, Prime Minister Harper has yet to reveal who donated or loaned his campaign money in 2002 when he became leader of the Canadian Alliance. If this is about peeling back the paint to see whats on the wall, then he should be forthcoming as well. He has an obligation of ethical tradition to do so.
Don't get me wrong. I like the new rules. It does eliminate a good deal of the money in the system. So if Harper is pushing this new openness one needs to ask what is behind this new paint. The only leader in Parliament to get there on the old rules is Harper. The NDP and Liberals are electing leaders under the new rules.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper clawed his way to the top, using the rules he now says are a threat to democracy. He is disguising change as a step toward accountability and openness. That of course does not apply to the man making the rules.
Lift the Ban on Gay Blood
The UK has gone a step closer to allowing gay men to donate blood. I am not sure how successful it will be as Gay men can only donate blood if they have not had sex for a full year. That seems almost as stupid as the ban itself. People will either not donate blood or will state that they have not had sex in a year. Just get rid of the ban.
As gay man I believe I am as responsible as the next person. Im not going to donate if I have something wrong with my blood. It is just one more way that the larger society discriminates against us. H/T to Joe My God.
As gay man I believe I am as responsible as the next person. Im not going to donate if I have something wrong with my blood. It is just one more way that the larger society discriminates against us. H/T to Joe My God.
Activist and lawyer Doug Elliott told CityNews, "the rule is so outdated, and many gay men he knows donate anyway."
“I know a lot of people, well-informed people, people in the medical field, who give blood anyway and they just ignore the question….I think if you asked the average person on the street ‘Would you tell a lie to save a life?’ the answer would be yes.” - City News November 2, 2011
11.03.2011
Stop Online Spying
STOP ONLINE SPYING
DOES STEPHEN HARPER THINK ITS 1984?
How far is the Conservative government planning on going with its "Lawful
Access" online snooping bill?
Think police should have access to YOUR internet and cell phone records
without a warrant?
Come join the fight to stop this invasive legislation and protect our
privacy rights. If enough of us speak out now the government will have no
choice but to stop this mandatory online spying scheme.
Sign the petition by openmedia.ca at http://stopspying.ca/ and come out to our
Hosted by Andrew Cash, your MP for Davenport
With guest speakers: Ron Diebert from Citizen Lab/Canada Centre, UofT, Steve Anderson from openmedia.ca, MP Charlie Angus and Jesse Hirsh
Sign the petition by openmedia.ca at http://stopspying.ca/ and come out to our
(Un)lawful Access Townhall Meeting!
Friday, November 18
7:00pm - 9:00pm
99 Sudbury
Toronto Ontario
Hosted by Andrew Cash, your MP for Davenport
With guest speakers: Ron Diebert from Citizen Lab/Canada Centre, UofT, Steve Anderson from openmedia.ca, MP Charlie Angus and Jesse Hirsh
Kinsella and I Agree on Dean Del Mastro
 |
| Kinsella on Sun TV |
If he's your team-mate you can put up with him, if he's against you, look out as anything could happen, usually something dirty. Today however he is right on the mark.
 |
| Del Mastro 'What's that noise, sounds like a train?' |
Del Mastro also a Catholic supports Capital Punishment. The Catholic Church has long been against this form of punishment. Does that make him a bad Catholic too?
Del Mastro or Del Scumbag as referenced by Kinsella, is a bully and someone who should be replaced in the next election.
I take up Warren's call to make the defeat of Del Mastro a priority in the next election. And since the NDP candidate finished second in the last election, I hope Warren can muster the troops to elect the NDP candidate to be sure we defeat the less than honourable member from Peterborough.
See election results below...
 |
| Election Results from Peterborough, May 2, 2011 Click to enlarge |
400 wealthiest Families in US could pay ...
Just how wealthy are the 400 richest families in the United States?
They could pay...
The richest 400 could pay your rent, and the rent of every single renter in the entire United States for three years.
The richest 400 could pay the mortgages of every house in the whole country for 14 full months.
The richest 400 households can pay off every student loan for every single student in the entire United States. No more paying for an education, so that you can get a good job so that you can... well, pay off your education.
The richest 400 households can afford to give a $10,000 bonus to every single worker in the entire country. What would a hardworking person like you do with that extra money?
Read more here at Fair Economy
They could pay...
The richest 400 could pay your rent, and the rent of every single renter in the entire United States for three years.
The richest 400 could pay the mortgages of every house in the whole country for 14 full months. 
The richest 400 households can pay off every student loan for every single student in the entire United States. No more paying for an education, so that you can get a good job so that you can... well, pay off your education.The richest 400 households can afford to give a $10,000 bonus to every single worker in the entire country. What would a hardworking person like you do with that extra money?
Read more here at Fair Economy
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