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Tiktaalik

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,426
Here's the first blog post by John Horgan. I recognize that this pipeline thing is a tense situation where everyone is trying to get their message out, so I can imagine this being a one off, but it'd be cool to see a lot more blog posts about all sorts of topics going forward.
 

bremon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,853
I can't wait until all this is over. I'm so sick of hearing Andrew Weaver speak; the amount of coverage he gets you might be excused in thinking he's the premier of BC.

Re: Mulcair; that bastard should shut up and focus on hobbies; he's left NDP crippled, so until they have a nickel and a dime to rub together and a leg to stand on they should focus on building a party and not grandstanding the way CPC does. Maybe he could be helpful and focus on fundraising in the background.

Re: marijuana listening to CPC senators talk you'd think they were elected and had a mandate rather than being hacks with lifetime appointments trying to shape legislation according to their minority opinions. Absolutely infuriating.
 

Hycran

The Fallen
Oct 30, 2017
1,494
Here's the first blog post by John Horgan. I recognize that this pipeline thing is a tense situation where everyone is trying to get their message out, so I can imagine this being a one off, but it'd be cool to see a lot more blog posts about all sorts of topics going forward.

JoJoHo is well within his rights to talk about the damage a pipeline can do, but speaking about reconciliation is a bit fraught considering some bands along the path have actually given consent (while some haven't). It begs the question whether reconciliation is actually furthered when you pit bands against each other.

Also the reference which will invariably go to the BCCA is a laugher. There is absolutely no doubt that the feds have the jurisdiction to push this through. A jurisdiction reference of this nature is a stall tactic, pure and simple.
 

Vamphuntr

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,301
A bit OT but we were having an argument the other day about how Youtubers and Toxic Twitter personalities could be dangerous and how the alt-right was starting to recruit and infest over here in Canada. I remember someone saying no one bothered about them. Yet in the Alexandre Bissonnette (QC Mosque Shooter) sentence hearing today they showed a RCMP list of twitters and youtubers he followed




The guy had crippling depression and anxiety and he got totally brainwashed by the morons above. Yet no one want to talk about this problem. They prefer to blame his medication or the firearms.
 
Oct 25, 2017
319
Ottawa, Canada
Quebec's election is shaping up to be insanely close:

2018-04-16-barres.png


It's not Leger, I know, so the polling may be off, but still, that paints a picture of a very competitive race.

Ontario NDP's released their platform.

It's pretty comprehensive and contains all of the kind of policy I want to see.

Just too bad they don't have someone running in my riding :(

The writ hasn't dropped yet! Technically no one has a candidate anywhere. I'd be shocked if all three mainstream parties didn't run candidates in every riding.
 

Pedrito

Member
Nov 4, 2017
2,368
A bit OT but we were having an argument the other day about how Youtubers and Toxic Twitter personalities could be dangerous and how the alt-right was starting to recruit and infest over here in Canada. I remember someone saying no one bothered about them. Yet in the Alexandre Bissonnette (QC Mosque Shooter) sentence hearing today they showed a RCMP list of twitters and youtubers he followed

The guy had crippling depression and anxiety and he got totally brainwashed by the morons above. Yet no one want to talk about this problem. They prefer to blame his medication or the firearms.

Don't forget "the government pushing him to the brink with their identity politics".

What's "nombre"? The number of times he clicked on them? Doesn't mean much. I don't doubt the guy was an alt-right shithead, but if someone looked at my computer, he might think I'm one as well. Only, I look at these things like people look at a car crash. Morbid curiosity.
 

Deleted member 643

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1,365

gutter_trash

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
17,124
Montreal
Quebec's election is shaping up to be insanely close:

2018-04-16-barres.png


It's not Leger, I know, so the polling may be off, but still, that paints a picture of a very competitive race.



The writ hasn't dropped yet! Technically no one has a candidate anywhere. I'd be shocked if all three mainstream parties didn't run candidates in every riding.
CAQ dropping while the Libs are catching up is great news.

I mainly attribute this to the CAQ having NO PLATFORM and Zero Policy Ideas.

just googling CAQ and Public Transit will leave you with little crumbs to ziltch.
They are even a Big Zero when it comes to infrastructure. Big ?????????????

But google PLQ and Public Transit; you will get showered with tons of news as early as this morning.
 

Gabbo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,565
It's a good platform that I would feel happier about if it had any shot of winning given that Wynne has run the chances of us not getting Doug Ford into the ground.

Incredibly depressing
Having someone come into our break room this afternoon, not hear a word Horvath said and simply yell "Liar" at the tv is telling of her chances, sadly, because it's a damn good platform.
 

Deleted member 643

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Having someone come into our break room this afternoon, not hear a word Horvath said and simply yell "Liar" at the tv is telling of her chances, sadly, because it's a damn good platform.
Yeah. And now I'm reading that Toronto Star story saying Doug's favourability ratings are higher among minorities than white people and high among immigrants and low-income earners as well.

We are so, so irredeemably screwed here.
 

firehawk12

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,161
Here's the first blog post by John Horgan. I recognize that this pipeline thing is a tense situation where everyone is trying to get their message out, so I can imagine this being a one off, but it'd be cool to see a lot more blog posts about all sorts of topics going forward.
I just wonder if he worked out a deal with Medium, because I don't know why this isn't on some kind of official page. lol
 

mo60

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,198
Edmonton, Alberta

djkimothy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,456
PBO released a report of what it will cost if he ontario UBI were implemented on a national scale.

http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/en/blog/news/Guaranteed_Basic_Income

I'm on my phone so not going to paste quotes. Total cost around 80 billion, subtract the federal assistance programs currently in place and net cost is 43 billion. Report notes that it does not include removing provincial programs so it's not calculated. But a Fed-prov agreement can lower the cost even further.

This would benefit 7.5 million canadians.
 
Oct 25, 2017
319
Ottawa, Canada
CAQ dropping while the Libs are catching up is great news.

I mainly attribute this to the CAQ having NO PLATFORM and Zero Policy Ideas.

just googling CAQ and Public Transit will leave you with little crumbs to ziltch.
They are even a Big Zero when it comes to infrastructure. Big ?????????????

But google PLQ and Public Transit; you will get showered with tons of news as early as this morning.

If the PQ keeps on polling that low they might lose official party status at this point.

How is party support distributed across the province? Just from what Quebecers have posted here, I've had the sense that it's QS in Montreal, CAQ in Quebec City, and the PQ still has some rural strength, though not nearly as much as they once had. Where are the Liberals popular? Does CAQ have any appeal outside of Quebec City?

PBO released a report of what it will cost if he ontario UBI were implemented on a national scale.

http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/en/blog/news/Guaranteed_Basic_Income

I'm on my phone so not going to paste quotes. Total cost around 80 billion, subtract the federal assistance programs currently in place and net cost is 43 billion. Report notes that it does not include removing provincial programs so it's not calculated. But a Fed-prov agreement can lower the cost even further.

This would benefit 7.5 million canadians.

If you squint and tilt your head, you can kind of see how it could take shape eventually. The Canada Workers Benefit is changing the old WITB so that it's now automatically applied to elgible workers, the Canada Child Benefit goes to about 90% of all families, and the OAS/GIS/CPP are essentially basic income for seniors. Because of how income supports are structured, you'd need to get provincial buy-in for anything really substantial, but it wouldn't take much for an enterprising federal party to repackage existing programs into one comprehensive program that's not too far off from what a lot of UBI advocates push for.
 

Deleted member 12950

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Oct 27, 2017
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Canada
PBO released a report of what it will cost if he ontario UBI were implemented on a national scale.

http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/en/blog/news/Guaranteed_Basic_Income

I'm on my phone so not going to paste quotes. Total cost around 80 billion, subtract the federal assistance programs currently in place and net cost is 43 billion. Report notes that it does not include removing provincial programs so it's not calculated. But a Fed-prov agreement can lower the cost even further.

This would benefit 7.5 million canadians.

Interesting. So you just need 5-10 GST points worth of revenue (depending on what programs you cancel).

 

gutter_trash

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
17,124
Montreal
How is party support distributed across the province? Just from what Quebecers have posted here, I've had the sense that it's QS in Montreal, CAQ in Quebec City, and the PQ still has some rural strength, though not nearly as much as they once had. Where are the Liberals popular? Does CAQ have any appeal outside of Quebec City?

.
Montreal Island: Liberals dominate, PQ and SQ compete in the Central-Eastern portion of the city for the Lefty vote, CAQ is supplanting PQ support among Francophones in the in-island suburbs.

Quebec City and Beauce: CAQ domination. Liberals 2nd, PQ dropping.

Regions: CAQ leads, PQ still has support in the regions, Liberals struggle in these areas.

Suburbs: CAQ is taking the lead in the burbs, Liberals come 2nd, PQ get replaced by CAQ.

Liberals dominate Non-Francophones but are losing support among Francophones
 
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killerrin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,237
Toronto
Income tax is the accepted way of paying for it, I think, since everyone would be earning more.
Also business taxes, since really the main problem that BI solves/tries to solve is one to do with the looming aspect of AI-based job automation. And in that scenario it would have to be businesses since a good percentage of people wouldn't be able to contribute to it

Also, I'm not sure if they cover it in the report. But the true cost would almost certainly be lower since people who make over the minimum threshold would either
- Get a reduced amount, or;
- Not get it, or;
- Get it, but then pay it back in the form of an increased tax that specifically covered clawing it back.
 

Deleted member 12950

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Oct 27, 2017
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Also business taxes, since really the main problem that BI solves/tries to solve is one to do with the looming aspect of AI-based job automation. And in that scenario it would have to be businesses since a good percentage of people wouldn't be able to contribute to it

Also, I'm not sure if they cover it in the report. But the true cost would almost certainly be lower since people who make over the minimum threshold would either
- Get a reduced amount, or;
- Not get it, or;
- Get it, but then pay it back in the form of an increased tax that specifically covered clawing it back.

These calculations are already taking into account the 50% clawback rate in the Ontario plan that means individuals making $30k or above and couples making $48k combined wouldn't receive money. However you do it, you're going to need broad tax increases on the upper, upper-middle, and middle class to do it. You can raise a few billion by taxing the rich some more and and increasing the corporate rate but you can't come anywhere close to that large of an amount without broad increases to most people who pay taxes.
 

firehawk12

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,161
Wouldn't it be easier to go full socialist/communist and have government run grocery stores and whatnot that provide food, clothes, and other basic essentials to everyone? There's also the problem of housing, which UBI doesn't solve unless you make it based on geography as well as personal income.
 

Deleted member 12950

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Oct 27, 2017
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Canada
The principles behind BI are pretty sound - you want to get rid of the welfare trap, poor people are made better off when they have more money and generally know best how to use that money. You occasionally get the "and it's less costly to administrate!" argument but at least in Canada admin overhead is pretty low.The first time I read about it was in a Coyne column and it was such an obviously brilliant idea to me. It wasn't until I saw the astronomical costs that I started to think it isn't feasible at this time. Maybe AI and robots take over the world and nobody can work but we're nowhere near that point.

Meanwhile:Notorious gangster Nick Chan walks free from Calgary court after murder charge stayed. When the Trudeau government announced their justice reform recently I saw a bunch of law types pointing out that even though the government's talking about speeding up the justice system with their reforms they've been as slow at appointing judges to vacancies as they are with all their other appointments. I believe I saw someone say the judicial vacancy rate in Alberta is 16%.
 

Saucepan Man

Member
Oct 27, 2017
122
Wouldn't it be easier to go full socialist/communist and have government run grocery stores and whatnot that provide food, clothes, and other basic essentials to everyone? There's also the problem of housing, which UBI doesn't solve unless you make it based on geography as well as personal income.

For food and clothes, there can be a case be made for distribution of excess of both since there is a problem of food waste and the flooding of donated clothing in developing countries. Although, this possible government-backed distribution system is most feasible in well populated municipalities, areas that have these problems with this excess. Also, the subsidization of agriculture can reach its logical conclusion to aid in the food problems up north.

As for housing, Singapore model for public housing with Canadian characteristics.
 
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Deleted member 12950

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Oct 27, 2017
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The Standing Committee on Health has tabled their Pharmacare report.

Skimming at the summary, they're recommending actual universal Pharmacare instead of reforming the current public-private system.
My selected, skimmed excerpts from the summary:

Unlike most member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canada does not have a national pharmacare program – that is, a single system of public insurance coverage for prescription drugs. Rather, Canadians obtain prescription drug coverage through a patchwork of public and private drug coverage plans. Within this current framework, it is estimated that more than one in five Canadians forgo taking their prescription drugs because of cost considerations.

It is clear to the Committee that it is time to move forward. Witnesses proposed two main policy options that were carefully considered by the committee:

1. a universal single payer public prescription drug coverage program;
2. reform of the existing system of public and private prescription drug coverage through closer collaboration between the public and private sector and targeted efforts to address gaps in coverage.

The Committee believes that the best way to move forward in establishing a universal single payer public prescription drug coverage program is by expanding the Canada Health Act to include prescription drugs dispensed outside of hospitals as an insured service under the Act

A study by the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, which was commissioned by the Committee, examined this approach and found that it has the potential to reduce total annual prescription pharmaceutical expenditures by $4.2 billion, based upon prudent estimates. Such an approach would also ensure that all Canadians have equitable and affordable access to life saving prescription drugs. In short, it will save money and lives.

However, the Committee recognizes that in moving towards a single payer universal publicly funded prescription drug coverage, governments will be assuming significant costs from the private sector in the order of $10.7 billion before potential savings are realized.7 Given our federated state, the Committee believes that the program should be cost-shared between federal, provincial and territorial governments. It will also be necessary for the federal government to undertake consultations with employers unions, private drug plans and Canadians at large to identify the best possible approaches towards financing this new program.

There's also a dissenting opinion from the CPC that I'm not going to read because it will probably enrage me. Implementation is going to be difficult because of jurisdictional issues and provinces won't want to have all the costs shoved onto them but this is good policy. It saves money overall, decoupling health insurance from employment makes it easier for people to change jobs or take entrepreneurial risks, and it would lead to better health outcomes.
 

gutter_trash

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
17,124
Montreal
this whole Pipeline stalemate is only helping to boost Conservative support.

It looks bad on Trudeau for not being able to put on his leadership hat and resolve the issue.
It looks bad on Horgan for being hostage to the Greens.
It looks bad on Notley because it empowers to more hardlined UCP

Horgan better fuck right off.
 

firehawk12

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,161
For food and clothes, there can be a case be made for distribution of excess of both since there is a problem of food waste and the flooding of donated clothing in developing countries. Although, this possible government-backed distribution system is most feasible in well populated municipalities, areas that have these problems with this excess. Also, the subsidization of agriculture can reach its logical conclusion to aid in the food problems up north.

As for housing, Singapore model for public housing with Canadian characteristics.
Singapore is an interesting situation actually. The way they've managed their housing is a sign of its success, considering how fucked up Hong Kong is now when it comes to being young and essentially forever homeless because you are priced out of even the renter's market.

this whole Pipeline stalemate is only helping to boost Conservative support.

It looks bad on Trudeau for not being able to put on his leadership hat and resolve the issue.
It looks bad on Horgan for being hostage to the Greens.
It looks bad on Notley because it empowers to more hardlined UCP

Horgan better fuck right off.
Naw, fuck Trudeau. He should really shit or get off the pot, because you don't get to cry about the exploitation of indigenous peoples and then build a pipeline through their land.
 

gutter_trash

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
17,124
Montreal
Singapore is an interesting situation actually. The way they've managed their housing is a sign of its success, considering how fucked up Hong Kong is now when it comes to being young and essentially forever homeless because you are priced out of even the renter's market.


Naw, fuck Trudeau. He should really shit or get off the pot, because you don't get to cry about the exploitation of indigenous peoples and then build a pipeline through their land.
the pipeline already exists, it just doubling it next to an existing one
 

Pedrito

Member
Nov 4, 2017
2,368
Man, that poll saying that 18-34 favour the PLQ has really stung the nationalists. Many "kids these days are so dumb/ignorant" op-eds all of a sudden...
 
Oct 25, 2017
319
Ottawa, Canada
A PC leadership candidate in Nova Scotia said something incredibly stupid about pot legalization:

"I have a best friend in Amherst who is from Jamaica," she said, as recorded in Hansard transcripts. "She said to me, 'Elizabeth, smoking marijuana in Jamaica is completely accepted and there's a completely different work ethic and very low productivity in Jamaica.' I think we already have a productivity problem here in Nova Scotia. We do not need something else making it worse."

It's just so dumb on so many levels. Calling Jamaicans potheads is one thing. Calling Nova Scotians lazy is another. But both in one go? That's a special kind of stupid.

And speaking of dumb on multiple levels...

Maxime Bernier a few weeks ago: "I will never again say the opposite of what I believe and pretend this is a good system just for the sake of party unity."

Maxime Bernier today:
Maxime Bernier says he is indefinitely suspending publication of his new book in order to preserve unity in the Conservative Party.

Real man of his principles, that Mad Max.



For food and clothes, there can be a case be made for distribution of excess of both since there is a problem of food waste and the flooding of donated clothing in developing countries. Although, this possible government-backed distribution system is most feasible in well populated municipalities, areas that have these problems with this excess. Also, the subsidization of agriculture can reach its logical conclusion to aid in the food problems up north.

As for housing, Singapore model for public housing with Canadian characteristics.

1) "Give poor people second-hand clothes and wasted food!" probably isn't the kind of anti-poverty measure that poverty activists are looking for.

2) Public housing for all is a lot easier when you've got a small, concentrated population. Singapore's population density is nearly 8,000 people per square kilometre. Outside of Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, there's not the density (or the demand) for massive public housing projects.
 

Tiktaalik

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,426
this whole Pipeline stalemate is only helping to boost Conservative support.

It looks bad on Trudeau for not being able to put on his leadership hat and resolve the issue.
It looks bad on Horgan for being hostage to the Greens.
It looks bad on Notley because it empowers to more hardlined UCP

Horgan better fuck right off.

Folks are sadly mistaken if they think that this issue is going to be resolved at all once Horgan is satisfied with whatever goodies he extracts from the Federal government and backs off. This is just the start.

The next phase is indigenous and environmentalist protest, both of which have been quite effective in BC.
 

Hycran

The Fallen
Oct 30, 2017
1,494
Folks are sadly mistaken if they think that this issue is going to be resolved at all once Horgan is satisfied with whatever goodies he extracts from the Federal government and backs off. This is just the start.

The next phase is indigenous and environmentalist protest, both of which have been quite effective in BC.

There have already been environmental protestors, many of whom are now before the courts in contempt proceedings. Whether that will escalate remains to be seen.

Many of those arrested are of aboriginal descent, but as I noted before, many aboriginal groups signed off on this. Some are even beginning to speak out more clearly in favour of the project. All in all, it's just a big mess.
 

djkimothy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,456
http://nationalpost.com/opinion/and...ike-a-good-deal/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Coyne penned a column doing some roughs estimates of the real costs when taking Ontario benefits into account and a few assumptions.

He finds total cost could be as low as 23 billion. That's assuming Ontario is on board to roll its programs into a federal UBI. He keeps pushing the GST angle which would be 3 points higher.

Too bad we're about to elect Ford and every political party will insist on doing it their way ala electoral reform.
 
OP
OP
Caz

Caz

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
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Oct 25, 2017
13,055
Canada
It wouldn't surprise me if Scheer got Bernier to pull his book so as not to give the image that the CPC hasn't been tearing itself apart since the party's leadership results came in.
 

djkimothy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,456
It wouldn't surprise me if Scheer got Bernier to pull his book so as not to give the image that the CPC hasn't been tearing itself apart since the party's leadership results came in.

But but free speech! Are the conservatives going to withdraw funding on themselves?

As for Kenney. He's taking a page from Raz Al-ghul. Theatricality are powerful agents.
 

bremon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,853
"And what path can Jason Kenney offer?" "The path of a man who shares his hatred of the left and wished to serve corporations; the path of the united Conservative party".

And count me as one of the people bewildered at the amount of pressure Weaver is able to extend. He's almost on the same level as Geppetto; unless you look closely, it almost looks like Premier Pinocchio is dancing of his own volition.
 

djkimothy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,456
Horgan knows this is his only chance at power. Ironically, he has no power. He's the all powerful Oz.

PS

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4625861?__twitter_impression=true

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled provinces have the constitutional right to restrict the importation of goods from another province, as long as the primary aim of the restriction is not to impede trade.

The stupid inter province rules LEAD to the impedance of trade! Ugh. Still won't stop me from buying beer in quebec.
 
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