|
Federal Election 2008 Thread (pg. 11)
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Moral Hazard |
| quote: | Originally posted by malek
he's on track with his ideology, less money to the government for a smaller govt... |
I'm not sure how you can say this. Program spending has increased by over 14% (inflation and population growth account for approx 2%) in the two years Harper has been PM... that's not smaller government. |
|
|
| Ania_xox |
(Related!)
I'm translating a news article and after working for so long with transitioning verb tenses, restructuring the setences, and matching up idioms, sometimes it makes total sense to me - but sounds very incoherent to others.
Please read and give your thumbs up or tell me where I have gone FOB
With two intellects at the top of the principal parties battling it out in this campaign, we have the right to anticipate a bit of substantive debating. Well, not just yet. A nasty tone is at work in place of enlightening discourse. Stephen Harper is accusing Gilles Duceppe of having no power, other than his ability to criticize. Yesterday, the Conservative leader also dug up a spectre, reminding everyone of the economic catastrophe that comes hand-in-hand with the sovereignist plan; it has certainly been a while since we last heard that… In addition, honest efforts are being put forth to “work” the candidates. Thus, we are bearing witness to extreme transformations such as Stephen Harper, the good father with the warm, loving family; and Stéphane Dion, the good guy, laid-back and humourous, who is hoping to “have fun” in the coming 37 days. Have fun? This is not what is being heard on the Liberal front, this time around… |
|
|
| smuncky |
Dion commits $70-billion over 10 years for infrastructure
CAMPBELL CLARK
Globe and Mail Update and The Canadian Press
September 18, 2008 at 1:18 PM EDT
TORONTO — Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion took a ride on a Go Train to Toronto to underline his pledge to devote all annual surpluses of more than $3-billion to public infrastructure, but at a time when surpluses are disappearing, he proposed no new funds in the short term.
Mr. Dion has pledged the Liberals would spend infrastructure money differently, with more emphasis on environmentally-friendly projects.
The Liberals say they will create a 10-year, $70-billion "plan" for building infrastructure, although they are not proposing any additional new money in the next four years.
They have proposed one new initiative, essentially lifted from U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama: an infrastructure bank.
That would see the government set up a crown corporation so that provinces and municipalities could borrow at lower interest rates to finance infrastructure projects. Canadians would be able to buy shares in the bank or "green bonds," while the debt would be backed by government guarantees.
In addition, the Liberals said they would devote any surplus over $3-billion to infrastructure, rather than debt.
Mr. Dion said Canada is facing an infrastructure deficit in the hundreds of billions of dollars and he promises to invest “aggressively” to address the problem.
He said government must make investments that will increase competitiveness and create good, well-paying jobs.
Mr. Dion said the Liberals would honour existing framework agreements between Ottawa and the provinces, and adjust the gas tax transfer to help municipalities stay ahead of rising infrastructure costs.
“Canada's cities and towns are the engines of our economy,” said Mr. Dion. “Without significant long-term investments in infrastructure, our economy and environment will suffer.
“This plan will provide Canada's economic engines with the support they need, and is an important part of our efforts to reduce Canada's environmental footprint.”
Mr. Dion made the statements in Toronto, where he appeared alongside Toronto-area candidates and former leadership rivals including Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, Gerard Kennedy, and Martha Hall Findlay.
And at a time when Mr. Harper's minister is under fire – and Mr. Dion's own leadership performance has been criticized – the Liberal Leader did not hesitate to play up his team.
“I have an extraordinary team. He has a lamentable team. I work with a team. He works alone,” he said.
On Wednesday, Green Leader Elizabeth May said she would raise the GST one point to six per cent to pay for municipal infrastructure. |
|
|
| Yohan |
| quote: | Originally posted by smuncky
On Wednesday, Green Leader Elizabeth May said she would raise the GST one point to six per cent to pay for municipal infrastructure. |
Is she an amateur? I guess she is.
Only idiots talk about raising taxes before getting elected |
|
|
| Orko |
| quote: | Originally posted by smuncky
Dion commits $70-billion over 10 years for infrastructure
|
What a in goof. He wants to create a publicly funded corporation to fund infrastructure projects? How about taking actual tax dollars and putting them where they are supposed to be? The only reason he is doing this is because he has promised so many other projects, and there just isn't enough money.
I was listening to the press conference, and I could barely understand what he was saying. I know he was speaking English, but . Get this guy some speech therapy. |
|
|
| Yohan |
| quote: | Originally posted by Orko
I was listening to the press conference, and I could barely understand what he was saying. I know he was speaking English, but . Get this guy some speech therapy. |
Well, Canada was willing to tolerate Cretin (and his speech impediment) for 10 yrs... :stongue: |
|
|
| Wurm |
| quote: | Originally posted by Yohan
Well, Canada was willing to tolerate Cretin (and his speech impediment) for 10 yrs... :stongue: |
Bell's Palsy, I think.
Moreover, his accent was a Quebecois one, a good-ol-boy.
Dion sounds like he's from France; that pisses off Quebec even more. |
|
|
| Skipper |
| The environmental piece of Dion's campaign has got to go. It's turned me off of voting Liberal entirely - get some new material! |
|
|
| Yohan |
| quote: | Originally posted by Skipper
The environmental piece of Dion's campaign has got to go. It's turned me off of voting Liberal entirely - get some new material! |
So, if enviro issues turn you off, who are you going to vote for then? |
|
|
| Skipper |
I'll probably vote conservative if I feel confident he won't re-open gay marriage or abortion.
It seems to me that so many of Dion's policies or proposals have some sort of green slant to them. Like we can't just invest in infrastructure, he has to point out GREEN infrastructure. It almost comes across as an angle he's taking because it's trendy, not because that's what he actually thinks is best for the country. |
|
|
| DigiNut |
| quote: | Originally posted by Skipper
I'll probably vote conservative if I feel confident he won't re-open gay marriage or abortion. |
Out of curiosity now, what is it that's given you cause to believe that he will?
He's stated that the party has no position on abortion (i.e. they won't touch that issue), and they already took a vote on gay marriage, which was all he was advocating even before the last election. I'm not saying I know for sure that he won't re-open those issues, but if he's actually made the suggestion at any point in time, I must have missed it. |
|
|
| Skipper |
| I guess it's more the fact that he hasn't explicitly stated in this campaign what his views on it are. Just last month Dion publicly asked him to declare his stance on abortion but he actually hasn't done so since 2006. And while I don't think his views have changed materially, at that time he was likely expecting to win a minority government. Now we're looking at a majority and I want to be sure he commits again to not reopening the debate. |
|
|
|
|
