Throne Speech: Analysis outside the Ottawa Bubble

CPAC

Our GG is expected to deliver the Government's Broadstrokes in 6,000 words during her ninety minute monologue. What is more depressing our kids thinking about returning to school after summer break or adults realizing our Parliament is Open for 'politics' again?

Do any of us believe the games in Ottawa will change?


Sour Grapes from three opposition leaders first:

• Expect Jack Layton to rush out and denounce something, Bank Profits are proof for raising taxes.
• Follow up with Liberals calling the CPC mean, right wing idealogical agenda is too little too late.
• The Bloc will again remind us why Quebec is the victim, the annual $ 8 Billion in equalization is too low.

Broadstrokes:

• Economy - domestic, international lower barriers, costs
• Jobs - continue with support, retraining,
• Measures to support families - more credits
• Hold line on taxes, look for efficiency, spending cuts, restrain growth of programs
• Measures to leverage growth in private investment and reduction of public money
• Crime Social Justice Agenda
• Immigration Agenda include skills training and certification
• Regional Economic Development Partnership
• Protect Territory with regulation, investments in border surveillance

 Our media will provide superficial coverage, biased reporting and NOT follow up informing us about the details Throne Speech and how it impacts our lives.

Our MSM:

• Reduce ninety minute Throne Speech to 45 secs soundbite for TV.
• Invite experts who will attack or praise broadstrokes for what is included or missing
• Ask critics from the opposition if they will trigger an election after their criticism of the TS
• Ask government spokespersons if Throne Speech/Budget will repair the "damage" they caused.

Canadians won't be watching or paying attention to the political games in Ottawa. We already had our Games last week. The politicians games in Ottawa are NOT ours.

Sunday’s gold-medal Olympic men’s hockey game became the most-watched TV broadcast in Canadian history, with an average audience of 16.6 million viewers.

The peak viewership was estimated at 22 million people — or two-thirds of Canada’s population — who watched when Sidney Crosby scored in overtime as Canada beat the United States 3-2.

Nearly half the Canadian population watched the entire game on average, while 80 per cent of Canadians watched some part of the game (26.5 million).

Beyond Canadian households, the ratings also factored in Canadians who watched the game in bars, according to CTV. - Vancouver Sun

Jim Flaherty 1 - Kevin Page 0

The economy boomed back in the fourth quarter of last year, pushing well past expectations and raising the likelihood that the Bank of Canada will start to raise interest rates by summer.
Real gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 5% in the fourth quarter, a full point above what analysts had expected and the largest quarterly increase in nearly a decade.
It outstripped the Bank of Canada’s forecast of 3.3% growth on an annual basis. The central bank has its next scheduled announcement on key lending rates on Tuesday but observers expect its overnight rate will remain where it is, at an all-time low of 0.25%.
The Bank of Canada and other central banks, particularly the U.S. Federal Reserve, have kept their key lending rates at, or near, the lowest levels possible in order to reduce the cost of borrowing and stimulate spending.
Canada’s economy grew by 1.2% in the fourth quarter, the largest jump since the third quarter of 2000, Statistics Canada reported.
Real GDP, a closely watched inflation-adjusted measure of economic performance, increased 0.6% in December alone, a fourth straight monthly advance.
Economist Douglas Porter of BMO said the data marked a clean break from the recession that began to be felt in Canada in October 2008.
The Bank of Canada essentially declared that the recession ended last summer -- a stance that was hotly debated in the months that followed, particularly because unemployment remained high and GDP increased minimally.

Background:
Kevin Page issued a Economic and Fiscal Assessment on November 2008. Report here
Kevin Page predicted a small deficit and laid out three options.

1. Stay the course offer NO big spending increases.
2. Auction off Crown assets or increase taxes or both to return to a balanced budget.
3. Increase spending to stimulate the economy in the short term. The report says this could provide a buffer if a slowdown is expected to be "particularly severe," but would weaken the government's fiscal position in the short and long term.
   His worst case scenario has a meltdown around $ 14 Billion.
   
   

Some of us disagreed with the third option in a massive stimulus budget suggesting it was NOT a conservative budget and betrayed the conservative principles. Some of us were concerned the significant increase of spending, 

speed would creat problems.
 
The Budget 
( December 2008 G8 and Canadian Premiers Advocated)

In March 2009 the Liberals allowed the largest budget to pass which was "Option 3" as proposed by the CPC led government. The only condition from the Liberals was to have the government provide quarterly reports. The NDP had already promised to vote it down before reading it, so in keeping their word the NDP did. The Bloc did not feel it had enough money for Quebec and also voted against the massive stimulus.

Most of 2009 we had the pleasure of watching the political parties create an industry of photo-ops, publicity stunts to attack each other without debating serious issues.

• Exit strategy Afghanistan Mission?
• Plans for Deficit Reduction, Balanced Budget for adopting "Option 3" in 2009?

The Budget March 2010
As the Olympic Games ends, we are going to be witness to the political parties in Ottawa provide further evidence why Canadians in larger numbers continue to tune them out.

Iffy's Worst Nightmare

Throne Speech March 2010, are you going to support another CPC Agenda in 2010?

Why Are The Angry Left Undemocratic?

If you spend anytime reading or watching the speeches from the 'Angry left' a disturbing pattern develops that is dangerous to our freedom and our privileges that we as Canadians have taken for granted. Our system depends on people who share our values of our institutions and respect the limits of their office.

We are witness to leaders, politicians who are not interested in the results of general elections. Who will benefit from the transfer of billions of taxpayers dollars to despots, dictators and undemocratic governments?

Something to think about regarding Copenhagen.. Canada is one of the "good" guys 

Some in the Angry Left are blindly following the left leaning CBC-The National as their gospel. This is the same battle in the U.S. of Fox News versus other liberal media news programs.

In 2010 we will see the three political parties enabled by our TMZ style media pundits again paint our democratically elected government as despotic, dictatorial and corrupt. The CBC can't save the Liberal Party of Canada, the viewers have tuned out CBC News.

Why did the Prime Minister chose CTV this year to give his Christmas address?

Faith vs Facts Part One

The angry left believe in the transfer of billions to solve Global Warming and The CBC News, The National has viturally ignored the controvery of Climategate regardless of the truth. Where is the balance on reporting both sides?

The CBC top shows are Hockey Night in Canada, Christmas Specials from the 70's and American Shows Jeopardy and The Wheel of Fortune. Is this a good use of our taxpayers dollars?

The CTV News is the most widely watched News by Canadians. The CBC News does not break the top 30!


2008-09 National Top Program Reports Archive
 
Faith vs Fact Part Two

The Accord has been signed by all three political parties and leaders may change their mind again.

Dec 2008: Ignatieff echoed his words, saying the coalition deal is economically responsible, preserves Liberal ideals and upholds Dion as party leader until May.
"We are at one, the three of us, that the only person who can lead the party is the duly elected leader of the party Mr. Stephane Dion," Ignatieff said.

I could have been the Prime Minister today but I turned it down.-Michael Ignatieff

Really?
Our recovery being ignored by our angry left.
Companies have raised a record amount of money on the Toronto Stock Exchange this year, the latest sign of how strongly markets have rebounded from the global financial crisis.

Will Gilles Duceppe stick around if the Throne Speech and March 2009 Budget finds ten supporters? Will the Bloc allow a weakened Michael Ignatieff to lead the Coalition in 2010? The Bloc supported a humilated Dion as Prime Minister six weeks after the General elections in 2008. The Bloc are not interested in a strong united Canada. They are interested in Quebec's independence, pretending the separtists are anything else is dishonest. If the Bloc can enter into an agreement to weaken the Federation again, without hesistation they will. What is the legacy for Gilles Duceppe who entered politics in 1990? Who will replace Gilles if he loses more seats to the CPC in Quebec as they did in the November by-elections?

The NDP have recovered from their historic lows in the 2000 General Election 8.5% to stabilize around their historical base of 16-19%. Many believe they would do any deal if it mean more power and prestige. What legacy will Jack Layton leave behind if the Coalition does not take over the Parliament in 2010? Jack had no problem supporting the Martin Liberals on his budget. Jack had no problem in supporting Dion six weeks after a General Election that saw the Liberals lose 19 seats and reach a historic low of 26.3% for six spots in the Cabinet. The NDP platform was put on hold for 18 months as per the ACCORD.

Will he stick around? Will Bob Rae and his supporters allow the current leader to keep his job?

Did Michael Ignatieff use up his fifteen minutes of fame?

The Liberals will lose their Senate Majority and control of the committee's as a result of a prorogue delaying the opening of the business of government by 28 sitting days.

This has sparked the angry left in calling our democratically elected government a dictator, undemocratic and a despot.

May 10, 2009 In Montreal on Sunday to promote his most recent book, the federal Liberal leader also said the coalition came at a time when the party's right to govern would have been called into question after one of the worst election results in its history. His judgement and support regarding the coalition (political arrangements FR).


When did he write this book?  Priorities?


When will the Angry left return to a balanced democratic value system instead of a lust for power and their political agenda?



(Happy New Year's Day!)-CS