Kirkland Lake Corner with Chris Malciw - The Conservative Budget
I haven't yet listened to the moot attached but it made me think of another moot point I'd like to bring up. Plus I know how much people on this Blog enjoy a little political debate.
This past Monday the Conservative party of Canada announced it's 2nd annual budget. In it was "something for everyone" according to the media's portrayal. However, not all party's felt that way. I'll get to this in a second, but first I'll provide a few minor details of the budget.
1. Tax cuts for family's with children 18yrs or less.
2. Income splitting for seniors and tax breaks for those who work low paying jobs or who are on social assistant in order to help get them into the work force, etc.
3. Gas taxes placed on people who buy SUV and other "gas guzzlers", while those who buy more fuel efficient cars will receive tax breaks.
4. The provinces who are responsible for education and health care received huge sums. 5. The so called "fiscal imbalance" (mainly whinning from Quebec) was addressed with that province alone receiving almost $1B.
There were other odds and ends but these were the most highlighted. So as you can see things like tax reduction, child-family benefits, health and education, etc were addressed (more environmental measures were included as well such as limiting the benefits to oil prodcers).
The moot point I'd like to bring up is why is it that irrespective of who is in power and no matter how fair the budget appears to be Canada's opposition party's would rather try to defeat it. No opposition party is ever truly interested in working with the governing party in order to pursue the mutual goal of doing what's best for Canadians as a whole. Canadian politics are so partisan it makes me sick, and it's not only on budget issues but on all issues in general. I understand that the Liberal party has just selected a new leader (who by the way cannot speak English, has no political savvy, is not well known throughout the country and has no charisma) and that the budget does not necessarily have a strong focus in any one area. It is nonetheless a step in the right direction. It's a good base to start with. It touches upon many different issues of concern to Canadians. Both the Liberals and NDP have criticized it for being simply a political budget intended to win over voters in the suburbs and othr areas where the Conservatives have not necessarily been strong, but in the end my view is that the opposition Liberals and NDP were more interested in toppling the government and going back to the polls. Ironically, both the Liberals and NDP have stated that they do not want an election anytime soon, but they will still vote against the budget, which could prove to have this effect. Make sense to you?
What the Liberals, or at least their new leader does not understand is that the Conservative budget catered nicely to the Bloc. Therefore, as long as the Bloc votes for in favour of it (they are expected to) the Conservatives will stay in power. Furthermore, the Liberal party is in such dissaray now-a-days that it has fraction within it. For example, 11 members will not seek re-election 9there is no proof however that this is due to it's new leadership, but if you do your research it's not a bad case) and the NDP well... they just follow the party who opposes the governing party and cry socialist nonsense that could never work in the real world.
In the end my point is Canadian politicians need to focus on "getting the job done" rather than remaining partisan. Even more so, if there were to be an election in the next say two months, the government would most likely look the same as it does now with the Conservatives enjoying a minority or fair even worse for the apparently dysfunctional Liberals a Conservative majority. I'll take the latter so that we could avoid the partisan rubbish and get on with business!
posted by The Vitamin's Blog @ 10:38 a.m.
7 Comments:
Liberal MP Joe Comuzzi was kicked out of caucus today beause he is voting for the budget. A vote on the budget is like a vote on the Throne Speech. It's a vote of confidence and therefore voting against your party means you're breaking ranks with themm and cannot therefore be a part of the caucus. Just another blow to the Liberals. Comuzzi will not seek re-election
Agreeing with some of Chriss’ sentiments today nobody should be driving fuel guzzlers without a price. However, I am concerned about penalising drivers who cannot afford to drive more fuel efficient cars. The Australian Labor Party has been developing a policy in favour of more fuel efficient technologies in cars. Promises have been made to companies investing in more fuel efficient technology. Let’s just hope that these incentives are not handed out in a Senator Santoro style. The Government’s contribution to promoting fuel efficient technologies comes from the Hon Joe Hockey (the former Minster for Finance and current Minster for Workplace Relations and Business) who says that the Commonwealth vehicle fleet runs on LPG. This is like saying the farmer has taken their cows out of the paddock or the members of the House of Representatives have started eating chalk to stop farting. Sadly, the current government policies in Australia are inadequate and much more needs to be done. For instance, in Australia you are actually given tax advantages for leasing cars and using an excessive amount of petrol. It is crazy our tax and rulings policies are so inconsistent with environmental policies which are to reduce our carbon emissions.
I am pleased to hear that the Conservatives have introduced more family benefits. All I can say is that I hope they are means tested and that the rich are not receiving welfare. For example, last year Joe Hockey’s wife had a baby and he boasted on national television that they had claim the $6,000 benefit. Why a government Minister should need welfare assistance to have a child is beyond me I am afraid.
Finally, our broadband connectivity in Australia is worse than in some developing countries. I laughed the other day when I heard the Prime Minister say that Australia has one of the largest take-ups of broadband in the OECD. Why you might well the reason is that the quality and coverage of broadband in Australia is sub-standard as there is not sufficient. In fact, after the announcement by the Leader of the Opposition that the Future Fund would be used to improve broadband Telstra sent an e-mail out to it’s shareholders insisting that the lack of connectivity in Australia was not their fault and that more infrastructure investment was required to improve the level of services.
Canada has Quebec as Australia has the State Western Australia and both of these states have threatened to secede. In the case of Western Australia it supports it’ argument with the fact that is produces the highest amount of revenue per capita out of all States and Territories in Australia. Forgive me if I am wrong as I understand Quebec is full of people who pretend to be French and have no economic muscle to support their argument to secede. There is an Australian saying “once a Western Australian always a Western Australian” it is like something from the frontiers. My qualifications for making some of these remarks about Quebec is that I have a dog which is half French like my mother’s name.
Your Liberals sound like our Labor Left.
Although voting against your caucus or crossing the floor is regarded as an act of trechary in the ALP. Whereas crossing the floor in Conservative politics while it is not necessarily approved of it isn't exactly the end of your political career. Take the Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock who crossed the floor on migration issues in the early 90s. In the ALP this would have been polticial suicide. Indeed you could end up like Mark Latham.
The ALP has been polling very strongly under super Kev however, some of this is about to fall as their new broadband policy has many floor. For instance, why re-invest money from the sale of a failing telco into IT infrastructure programmes. It sounds like something out of the Soviet Union. Unsuprisingly the idea was dreamed up by a staffer who also happens to be a member of Left caucus. Various Shadow Ministers then complained that there was no consultation.
The budget will be just fine when Nate returns home to contribute to the State coffers via his 'huge' punting.
was that sir alan rothschild?
This past Monday witnessed another interesting twist in the current Canaidan political climate. The Liberal party was re-elected as the government of Quebec. One difference, and to everyones surprise was that the Liberals now form the first minority government in Quebec since 1878. What more is that the Action Demecratique du Quebec, led by a young and vibrant moderate named Mario Dumont have surprisingly formed a large minority, while the Bloc separatist party has sunk to its lowest point since it's conception in 1970.
These results mean a three things. First, people in Quebec appear to be less interested in separatism and more interested in how they can best work at building a strong economy and developing along with both the rest of Canada and the world. Second, it has sparked debate about the current Bloc leader, Andre Boisclair's ability to maintain his posts. This has even raised the possibility of the current Federal Bloc leader, Gilles Duceppe running for provincial leadership of the party. Third, if Boisclair can't do the job, loses his leadership and Duceppe takes over or anyone else will this really change things?
My opinion is it won't. I think Quebecer's are finally realizing that without huge transfer payments and being a part of Canada they couldn't survive. Furthermore, just like the Quiet Revolution which took place in the 1960's it apears that one may be starting again. The difference now is the people of Quebec are no longer quietly denouncing the Catholic Church's control over their society but rather their support for a lost cause - ie: separating from the rest of Canada. I think more and more people, from the newer generations are becoming more open to newer ideas and methods of compatibility with the rest of Canada and see very little, if any, benefit of supporting a party who's only policy is separating from the rest of Canada. When push comes to shove it's hard to support something so uncertain.
Sorry for the long ass political comments but I don't now where else to post my random thoughts haha.. Plus some of you seem to like these debates and I always learn other interesting things from some other comments here.
Post a Comment
<< Home