While Coalition Was Playing A Cultural War: Canada's Economy Grew

This is a most stressful period for the Liberals, Democrats and Separtists and their cheerleaders. They have been consumed with playing wedge politics for so long they forgot how to trust Canadians with making the right decision. The elitists are not comfortable with voters picking their government through a ballot. The mainstream media has been busy trying to shape public opinion of what is acceptable behaviour with very little success. Many in the media and in the political class are out of touch with a the average voter. They just don't get us.

Economic Action Plan

Canada is doing the best in the G8. Canada has been successful in hosting the Olympics. Canada is leading the developed economies in their recovery from the Global recession.

There was a budgetary deficit of $0.5 billion in July 2010, compared to a $5.8-billion deficit in July 2009. Revenues increased by $1.9 billion, or 10.5 per cent, to $20.4 billion. - The Fiscal Monitor July 2010

Taxes from persons and corporations are returning as business, employment figures continue to rise from the steep downturn late 2008 and part of 2009.

We can look to our neighbour to the south to see how political decisions can have consequences if the media is cheer leading for one team.

Conservatives did not follow the example of Chretien-Martin Liberals and cut spending in Education, Social Services and Health during a financial meltdown. Conservatives did not target the unemployment benefits by making it more difficult to collect during a recession. That was the Liberals. The Conservatives increased the duration by five weeks and provided tax relief opportunities for employers to participate in work sharing programs.

Conservatives did not punish provinces by downloading costs to produce an 'surplus' for headlines. Conservatives did not tax employers and employees without representation or use $ 55  billion to balance the books. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 7-0 against the Federal Majority led Liberal Government.

Major transfers to other levels of government, consisting of federal transfers in support of health and other social programs (Canada Health Transfer and Canada Social Transfer), fiscal transfers, transfers to provinces on behalf of Canada's cities and communities, and Alternative Payments for Standing Programs, increased by $0.4 billion, or 9.0 per cent, primarily reflecting legislated growth in the Canada Health Transfer and increased gas tax transfers to Canada's cities and communities. The timing of transfers to Canada's cities and communities varies from year to year.  -Fiscal Monitor

Conservative did not abandon the military, send them in harms way without the necessary equipment and use them as punching bags. That was the coalition of MPs.

Trade with China has improved steadily since 2006

Conservatives don't ignore human right abuses,  Conservatives are able to raise the issues of human rights because of our principles and freedoms enjoyed in Canada. Canadians understand an increased commitment to becoming a voice in the global community requires the political will. It requires you to make public statements and deployment if necessary based on principles that may not be held by the herbivores. Conservatives did not cut aid to women, children in the poorest countries to present an accounting surplus for headlines. This government is requiring groups including the UN to be open and accountable for our taxpayers dollars. This is compassionate leadership and good government.

Location location location:

The Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal media did not have the capacity to undermine the Olympics as effectively as they did with the G8/G20. Canadian athletes, Canadians were not obsessed with some preliminary setbacks,  an accidental tragedy, they had no patience for imported protesters including the Black Bloc.

The leadership in Queen's Park and City Hall failed Ontario. An inquiry why 1,100 people were detained and 900 released without charges is in order. Will the Provincial Liberals, including The City of Toronto allow a arms length public inquiry? Rob Ford, PC Tom Hudak, NDP Andrea Horwarth should be asked if  they will support a Public Inquiry in the mass arrests.

We already know how the Liberals stand on the issue of open,  accountable government, no need to ask them as their actions speak for themselves.

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Canadian Political Landscape: Whack-A-Mole 101

 

It is very interesting how the mainstream media ignore the facts in plain sight for their agenda and "gotcha" journalism. Is delivery of Healthcare a provincial, municipal file? Many of us saw this gotcha journalism unfold in the fall of 2008, the hysteria driven media campaign in painting the Federal Government as incompetent, uncaring during the H1N1 outbreak. The Federal government has a smaller advisory role as a result of substantial cutbacks in the 1990's and the Constitutional Division of Powers. Historically Quebec and Alberta have been allies in keeping the Federal Government out of its jurisdiction. The culture war has initiated a divisive debate in parliament on tax funded abortions has been on the National Agenda by the Liberals with full support of the Democrats and Separatists. Why now, is it because the Federal Government wants to restore accountability of the G8 through cost effective life saving programs and policies in Maternal Health?

If the Liberals, Democrats, Separatists were worried about this provinces funding abortions should they not be attacking the governments that have delisted the service in Canada first?

Indeed, the government of the day apparently did not intend for abortion to become an insured service: when asked if Section 251 would require provincial health plans to pay for abortions, the then Minister of Justice John Turner exclaimed, “Oh no.”(2) Provincial health plans did, however, insure “therapeutic” abortions that were approved by hospital committees in order not to risk contravening the Canada Health Act’s Requirment that all “medically necessary services” be covered. -Hansard April 28, 1969

In 1989 the federal government under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney introduced Bill C-43 as a compromise on the abortion question. It failed to pass and left Canada without any law regulating abortion. When the legislation failed, then Justice Minister Kim Campbell said that it would be up to each provincial government “to draw a distinction between abortions which are medically necessary and those which are not, and to fund only those which are medically necessary, drawing on their own criteria.”(6) 1996 Backgrounder on Public Funding For Abortion.

Justice Minister Campbell confirmed that the reasons for pro-life groups opposing Bill C-43 were entirely justified. The government is completely hypocritical when it says the bill strikes a balance between the rights of the woman and the rights of the unborn. Mrs. Campbell made it perfectly clear that the baby has no protection at all: abortion does not have to be performed for a serious reason. The government deliberately left the definition of health vague; there are no possible grounds for accusing a doctor of performing an abortion for insufficient reasons. There are grounds, in other words, for taking the life of the unborn child into account at all. -The Interim May 31, 1990.

No Abortions on P.E.I. Soil, says Premier- July 2008

Despite criticisms from pro-abortion organizations, the Chronicle Herald has reported that Premier Robert Ghiz has maintained that he has no plans of re-addressing the province's policy on abortion because of its "controversial" nature.

Abortions in Canada are provided on request and funded by Medicare, to Canadian citizens and permanent residents (as with most medical procedures) in hospitals across the country. Abortion funding for hospitals comes from the various provincial governments (their overall health expenses are however paid for in part by the federal government). One-third of hospitals perform abortions, and these perform two-thirds of abortions in the country. The remaining abortions are performed by public and private-for-profit clinics.

Janet Bagnall is an editorial writer and columnist with The Gazette. Her column appears Fridays, commenting on issues of social justice and human rights.

Pope on the ropes-If crimes have been committed, there must be an accounting. And if it takes the arrest of Benedict as the head of the church, so be it.

Janet writes in the Gazette the following:

• It took a while for Canada's abortion opponents to seize the opportunity Stephen Harper opened up..
• Suggests an impressive large number of people showed up for March For Life Rally in Ottawa, a few weeks after funding abortions for the Congo is not the highest priority by Harper.
• The Quebec's Cardinal Marc Ouellet helpfully lit a firestorm on abortion.
• According to the federal Liberals, the Harper government has cut funding to about 20 women's-rights groups. The government's decision to not include abortion in maternal health care abroad is seen as being of a piece with these cutbacks.
• The Conservatives' promise not to fund abortion services to poor women in Third World countries was a signal to its supporters..
• As a move, it was cynical, clever, and unfortunately for the government, painfully transparent.
• In fact, abortions in every age category in Canada have dropped, from an average ratio of 32 abortions per 100 live births in 2002 to 25.7 in 2006. There were 91,000 abortions performed in Canada in 2006, an estimated 90 per cent in the first trimester.
• There are no abortion services in Prince Edward Island. Prince Edward Island women - or those who can afford to - travel to New Brunswick to get an abortion. Rural women in general must travel, sometimes long distances, to have an abortion. But they can still get a safe, legal abortion.

Janet when you did your research, did you pick a specific date on purpose?

Between 1988 and 2005, almost two million babies lost their lives to abortion. The recorded total from Statistics Canada is 1,811,707, a partial record which excludes roughly 10% of the actual number of abortions performed between 2000 and 2005, due to incomplete reporting. After 1997 the number of reported abortions gradually dropped back down to 96,815 in 2005. Because the 1988 court decision also struck down reporting requirements, it is difficult to know how accurate the figures are.

1. Let's give Janet the benefit of doubt  after all we don't have proof you are cynical or clever in selecting her date range, it might have been accidental ommission.
2. The position of the Catholic Church is abortion is consistent. They are old school Janet, nothing has changed.
3. Liberals say CPC are anti-women, the 20 NGO groups cut is proof  they hate women narrative.  Hey Janey did you miss this:  they were told this week by Status of Women Minister Bev Oda that they would no longer be able to receive funding for projects that involved advocacy work, lobbying of the government or general research, as part of new terms and conditions for grants. or this?

This government has been reviewing, making priorities that affect funding of advocacy groups as have previous governments in the past. Do you think it is reasonable to expect NGO's obtain funding indefinately, If not why suggest the defunding is ideologically driven without conclusive proof or reference of opposition political parties opinions the proof?

I understand Jean Chretien also had an interesting take on Proof. Did you subscribe to the same school of logic?

CIDA's Canada Making a difference in the World: A Policy Statement on Strengthening Aid Effectiveness
CCIC’s Summary Highlights and Implications September 2002 

There is no acknowledgment of strongly dissenting civil society and southern government views on the efficacy of these policies to contribute to poverty-reducing paths to development. New approaches arising from the donor consensus remain linked to conditionalities and pressure for trade and investment liberalization as well as to strict accountability regimes to donor-prescribed policies of privatization, good governance etc.

My last observation on those poor rural women in PEI having to travel long distances.
Are you kidding me!

Having traveled throughout many provinces Prince Edward Island. is not only the smallest province but with the addition of the Confederation Bridge your statement of far is just plain silly. I used Charlottetown as the starting point.

Driving directions to Morgentaler Clinic at Fredericton, New Brunswick 334 km – about 4 hours 5 mins. Halifax, Nova Scotia is same time. A few more minutes I found the service available in Moncton, New Brunswick 127 min 165 km.

Janet  fees are around $ 600 - $ 800 and available in  130 minutes 165 kilometers. Is this long distance? Should we regulate 30 minutes or free next?

Will the Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest ask for a boycott in the National Assembly against PEI potatoes until the Liberal Premier allows tax funded abortions?

Mr. Charest's stunt is emblematic of the juvenile sloganeering that substitutes for debate about abortion in this country. Shame on the Premier. And shame on those who voted with him

I get it, Quebec Liberal Premier is having some problems at home regarding corruption and beating up on the Prime Minister makes sense. It is a pity Janet you, the Gazette can't remove those rose coloured glasses long enough to see your own hypocrisy.

The matter is not settled.

In an Angus Reid poll conducted in January, 31% of Quebec respondents thought abortion should remain legal but subject to greater restrictions than currently exist; 17% thought abortion should only be permitted in the case of rape or incest, or to save a woman's life; while 3% thought abortion should be outlawed completely.

Free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly is a part of the right the social justice advocates repeatedly ignore in our democracy. Only their voice is allowed or respected.

Jane this is not Africa and I am not Tarzan.

If You Tax & Spend It: They Will Come

Federal Support to Provinces and Territories

In 2010-11, provinces and territories will receive $65 billion through major transfers (Canada Health Transfer, Canada Social Transfer, Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing), direct targeted support and trust funds – an increase of $976 million from the previous year.

Major Transfers

In 2009-10, provinces and territories received $53 billion in major transfers – an increase of $13.1 billion since 2005-06. These transfers were estimated to account for about 19 % of provincial and territorial revenues in that year.

Direct Targeted Support

Provinces and territories also benefit from significant investments in targeted areas such as labour market training, infrastructure and short-term policy priorities.Department of Finance

 

I have NOT graphed, highlighted any program or detail in spending. It is available on the website. In my recent drives from Toronto to Oakville via the 401, 403, QEW the amount of signs popping up for the beginning of the "construction" season makes me cringe in traffic jams!

The Economic Action Plan Website.

We have seen our opposition parties complain about our deficit in 2008 and within the same breath demand more spending. The opposition are upset the government has leaked no big changes planned for the budget in March 2010. EAP was a major shift to produce the largest deficit budget ever created in partnership with the Provinces and G20 to help us through this Global Recession. In the plan, the tap has not been shut off for stimulus until the recovery is well underway. 

Our opposition parties have suggested we have a "do-nothing" budget, will they introduce their alternatives to EAP in parliament? What specific program is underfunded and needs more Federal Support.

or 

Will the opposition champion the pensions of our Public Unions, we fund abortion in the third world as their priorities?  What is in the Field of Dreams for the opposition parties for Federal Spending in March 2010?

 Empty Suits - Reuters Photo Credit Ognen Teofilovski