Canadian Politics Thread

[Optimist Prime]

2 hours ago, NoHeart said:

If you’re such a philanthropist. Take the money you save from being taxed less in a conservative government...

How much less do you imagine you will be taxed by poilievre? Lmao... 200 bucks if your lucky, and it will cost some unfortunate soul their lifeblood.

[ArmchairGM22]

16 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

For me, because it pushes folks to choose different outcomes. I am not a fan of paying taxes either, but I don't complain about my share. I decided to invest in a heat pump and hot water on demand to reduce my energy use and do away with a large chunk of my carbon footprint. I did this because the savings in taxes in part helps offset the cost of my upgrades. The next phase of my renovations will be to install solar roofing tiles and convert my old pump house into a battery house. 

 

I won't "break even" with my savings, but they are significant and my reduced carbon footprint is actually a decent chunk. 

 

The idea was to make it costly to pollute. It is a feature not a bug.

But the issue is it does nothing in the grand scheme of things for the global environment 

 

its basically virtue signalling  that hurts the economy 

[NoHeart]

16 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

How much less do you imagine you will be taxed by poilievre? Lmao... 200 bucks if you’re lucky, and it will cost some unfortunate soul their lifeblood.

Dude, you’re an optimist, in your prime. Let’s make that $200 into smiles. 

[Optimist Prime]

1 hour ago, ArmchairGM22 said:

Well given there was no black person involved I decided to google to see if there were other meanings 

 

as context matters and as political parties like to jump on anything they can use for partisan purposes 

 

perhaps the left doesn’t realize there’s another meaning 

 

and it aligns with his usage 

 

 

I am old enough to have read and enjoyed Briar Rabbit an de tar baby, and in context of knowing the original material, I wouldn't use the phrase tar baby outside of maybe the Annapolis Valley N.S. where they use it exclusively to denote whom they will not pick up in their cabs.

[Optimist Prime]

15 minutes ago, ArmchairGM22 said:

But the issue is it does nothing in the grand scheme of things for the global environment 

 

its basically virtue signalling  that hurts the economy 

There is no factual basis for your opinion. In fact it has made enough Canadians choose better futures for their carbon footprint that we have made a huge dent towards reducing the nation's footprint. In fact, the facts just say you are wrong on this.

 

It is an opinion that has nothing to back it up and so can be dismissed just as easily.

[Optimist Prime]

29 minutes ago, NoHeart said:

Dude, you’re an optimist, in your prime. Let’s make that $200 into smiles. 

I smile when someone I know needs some help with mental health and it is covered by a series of funds that originate in taxes. It makes me smile when my home town is getting a brand new hospital 100% funded by taxes and I grin like the joker knowing a dear friend from high-school got grants to retrain and move herself up from a job as a janitor to a career in health care. 

 

The 19k I paid in taxes, after my disability tax credit reduced my amount owing is doing good things for people worse off than me and that makes me grin like an idiot.

 

Yet you just see an idiot.

 

It is a cold lonely planet when 200 bucks means more to someone than a healthy community.

[NoHeart]

1 minute ago, Optimist Prime said:

I smile when someone I know needs some help with mental health and it is covered by a series of funds that originate in taxes. It makes me smile when my home town is getting a brand new hospital 100% funded by taxes and I grin like the joker knowing a dear friend from high-school got grants to retrain and move herself up from a job as a janitor to a career in health care. 

 

The 19k I paid in taxes, after my disability tax credit reduced my amount owing is doing good things for people worse off than me and that makes me grin like an idiot.

 

Yet you just see an idiot.

I don’t want to sound like a douchebag here but I paid over 120k in taxes this year, my view on where 120k went is a little different than someone that forfeited 19k. A much larger % of my time and money is being taken from me and it’s not like I’m some big corporation or a multimillionaire. I make good money but I’m a contractor and my job is volatile. I need to accumulate as much as I can while I can so I can retire and put my kids through college.
Like I have said before, there needs to be a balance between right and left. I’m not denying the importance of social programs and the need for federal spending. It’s just unfortunate that each side of the political spectrum has become more and more extreme. This is why we are seeing and going to see complete wipeouts in elections and then one sided policy. Part of what made Canada great in years past was our diversity in parliament. The liberal party use to be the common ground with the Conservatives and NDP on either side. Now that the liberals have gone left it’s thrown our once balanced policy into chaos. You cannot let social programs outpace your revenue for a decade. There are going to be consequences for that and we are seeing those consequences today. Now that the elastic has been stretched to the max on the left, when it lets go, you’re going to get a huge shift to the right and these swings are not healthy for any country. Once this election is over. I imagine the liberal party will regroup and hopefully go back to their centrist ways to restore the balance.

[Bob Long]

3 hours ago, ArmchairGM22 said:

So you’re admitting the carbon tax is wealth distribution not environmental?

 

good

 

and how is inflation a common good?

 

Inflation affects the poor and middle class the most if you’re not aware

 

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-farmers-argue-carbon-tax-has-cost-them-thousands-1.6830419#:~:text=“According to Grain Farmers of,That's not sustainable.”

 

Why do you think wealth distribution and environmental efforts wouldn't be linked? 

[Optimist Prime]

12 minutes ago, NoHeart said:

I don’t want to sound like a douchebag here but I paid over 120k in taxes this year, my view on where 120k went is a little different than someone that forfeited 19k. A much larger % of my time and money is being taken from me and it’s not like I’m some big corporation or a multimillionaire. I make good money but I’m a contractor and my job is volatile. I need to accumulate as much as I can while I can so I can retire and put my kids through college.
Like I have said before, there needs to be a balance between right and left. I’m not denying the importance of social programs and the need for federal spending. It’s just unfortunate that each side of the political spectrum has become more and more extreme. This is why we are seeing and going to see complete wipeouts in elections and then one sided policy. Part of what made Canada great in years past was our diversity in parliament. The liberal party use to be the common ground with the Conservatives and NDP on either side. Now that the liberals have gone left it’s thrown our once balanced policy into chaos. You cannot let social programs outpace your revenue for a decade. There are going to be consequences for that and we are seeing those consequences today. Now that the elastic has been stretched to the max on the left, when it lets go, you’re going to get a huge shift to the right and these swings are not healthy for any country. Once this election is over. I imagine the liberal party will regroup and hopefully go back to their centrist ways to restore the balance.

I will never begrudge a hard worker their recompense. I am excited for your potential to capitalize on your income. I know what I made in order to owe 19k and so I vaguely know what you have earned, and of course you earned that. My hat is off to you for a great year.

 

Forgive me though in not having any sympathy for your level of taxation. I am in the top 4% nationally, and you are literally in the top 1%. The least you and I can do is pay our taxes.

 

Also, not a D B at all, I wish everyone here was earning as much.

 

I had a lunch with a friend from high-school who left her husband about 10 years ago. Her entire income last year was below my taxes owed. I know I am a fortunate soul. I am intelligent, despite a tbi, and I can generate revenue from residual income rather easily. Most folks though don't even have residual income. Taxes are those folks friend. The only people who don't like taxes or shouldn't like taxes are folks who have more than me, so your position on the subject is natural, but again you gonna be okay, I amngonna be okay, but 50% of those in my grad class need help. My taxes provide that help.

[NoHeart]

2 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

I will never begrudge a hard worker their recompense. I am excited for your potential to capitalize on your income. I know what I made in order to owe 19k and so I vaguely know what you have earned, and of course you earned that. My hat is off to you for a great year.

 

Forgive me though in not having any sympathy for your level of taxation. I am in the top 4% nationally, and you are literally in the top 1%. The least you and I can do is pay our taxes.

The point I’m making is I’m not keen on paying taxes to a government that doesn’t represent me. This is why we vote and why we all have different interests. Imagine if Canada was on the TSX. Would you feel comfortable giving half your money to a company that is performing as poorly as Canada is right now? Looking at their balance sheet and upside as of today, you’d be completely out of your mind to invest in that company voluntarily. For me to feel comfortable investing in Canada I have to see a strong balance sheet and growth upside. 

[Optimist Prime]

3 minutes ago, NoHeart said:

The point I’m making is I’m not keen on paying taxes to a government that doesn’t represent me. This is why we vote and why we all have different interests. Imagine if Canada was on the TSX. Would you feel comfortable giving half your money to a company that is performing as poorly as Canada is right now? Looking at their balance sheet and upside as of today, you’d be completely out of your mind to invest in that company voluntarily. For me to feel comfortable investing in Canada I have to see a strong balance sheet and growth upside. 

I have been to many of those other companies around the globe and none are as great as Canada Corp. I will buy stonks in this all day long.

[NoHeart]

1 minute ago, Optimist Prime said:

I have been to many of those other companies around the globe and none are as great as Canada Corp. I will buy stonks in this all day long.

Hey, I’d love to be right there with you and hopefully come Oct 2025 things will look a little better. I did not want JT to be PM but when it happened I wanted him to do a good job because if he did, the entire country would be better off. IMO and the opinion of the majority of Canada he hasn’t performed to a high enough standard so now it’s time for a change and just because he isn’t the guy you want as PM, you gotta hope he does a good job cause it’s the best case scenario for everyone. 

[Optimist Prime]

4 minutes ago, NoHeart said:

Hey, I’d love to be right there with you and hopefully come Oct 2025 things will look a little better. I did not want JT to be PM but when it happened I wanted him to do a good job because if he did, the entire country would be better off. IMO and the opinion of the majority of Canada he hasn’t performed to a high enough standard so now it’s time for a change and just because he isn’t the guy you want as PM, you gotta hope he does a good job cause it’s the best case scenario for everyone. 

I am not a JT fan as some would believe, but more of a Stephan Dion liberal. I joined the party under his mentorship. JT isn't half bad though, and the better option between the two offerings, and it is just 2, let's not pretend Lizzy or Jag have a chance. I am eyeballing Carney as a replacement eventually, buy his economic theory will be close to the current one, so you may not like it either.  

 

I am more of a globalist than a nationalist, and Carney checks some of those boxes for me, but I have had hours of time eye to eye with our current PM and we agree on a LOT of points. First Nations, Seniors and the disabled.. we fix the lives of those three groups where they are in poverty and we fix most of what is wrong. I don't see P.P. doing that.

[Optimist Prime]

Well the Chianti was tasty and I appreciate the various perspectives today. Have a great week ahead all. 

 

I think we can all agree fuck both these Stanley cup finals teams. Hahaha...next year baby!

[Optimist Prime]

Hey, been toying with this idea all day long... and decided before I retire for the night to just ask:

 

 Anyone here, from either side of the aisle, interested in fantasy keeper league hockey? Our community includes at least one NHL coach(not a head coach lol) the guy who wrote the book "how to be a pro scout" some talking heads amongst the sports shows and even yours truly. Many great hockey minds have graced the CDC fantasy hockey forums and we have carried over the tradition to these Canucksfanforum.com pages  

 

In particular the GFL has 2 openings right away and we have started our entry draft just yesterday. Come on board, it is a satisfying pass time.

 

PM me for info.

 

Night all.

[Boudrias]

10 hours ago, NoHeart said:

Monetary policy is influenced by energy prices as well. You are correct in saying that interest rates are the biggest contributor at face value. 

Prior to Covid the concern was deflation. Government spending and the associated fallout on interest rates and the cost of living are certainly real. I throw out the inverted demographic as our society ages for consideration. Dropping income per capita with fewer earners. The response by government is seizing existing assets instead of creating new wealth.  

[Bob Long]

6 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

Prior to Covid the concern was deflation. Government spending and the associated fallout on interest rates and the cost of living are certainly real. I throw out the inverted demographic as our society ages for consideration. Dropping income per capita with fewer earners. The response by government is seizing existing assets instead of creating new wealth.  

 

Wouldn't our investments in battery tech be considered new wealth? 

[Boudrias]

22 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Wouldn't our investments in battery tech be considered new wealth? 

Perhaps. I question how quickly the technology will be adopted. A huge investment which is likely necessary but obviously the business case cannot be fully made or private capital would be stepping up. I might suggest, considering the times, that those dollars should be spent on the military. Likely the same economic impact. Leave the EV market to shake out their feasibility issues. 

[Alflives]

25 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Wouldn't our investments in battery tech be considered new wealth? 

Sure. But we need to be mining all the minerals needed for these new fangled batteries too. Pump, Dig, Chop, Make. 

[Bob Long]

Just now, Alflives said:

Sure. But we need to be mining all the minerals needed for these new fangled batteries too. Pump, Dig, Chop, Make. 

 

Which is the plan. 

[Bob Long]

1 minute ago, Boudrias said:

Perhaps. I question how quickly the technology will be adopted. A huge investment which is likely necessary but obviously the business case cannot be fully made or private capital would be stepping up. I might suggest, considering the times, that those dollars should be spent on the military. Likely the same economic impact. Leave the EV market to shake out their feasibility issues. 

 

It's pretty simple, if we don't invest in new industries we won't have new industries.

 

There was a time when the oil sands needed tech development investment too.

 

Battery tech isn't just about EVs it's also about storage.

 

If we get back into a mono focus on oil and gas we won't be investing in new areas. To me this appears to be where PP wants to take us, because let's be honest, it's easy for him. 

[ArmchairGM22]

https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/poll-has-trudeau-at-lowest-level-since-2015-election

[Bob Long]

this is just one press release, but its a pretty good overview of the range of new tech that Canada has been investing in: https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2023/02/government-of-canada-invests-in-17-canadian-companies-creating-economic-growth-and-good-jobs.html

 

AI is another big area not on this list.

 

I agree strongly with @Boudrias about investment in military capability as well. 

[Gurn]

18 pics and mini paragraphs on

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/canada-is-preparing-for-us-civil-war/ss-BB1omPSq?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=db55ecea76034b49aa1208d9cc7a7bd2&ei=6#image=18

 

Political polarization is more intense than ever in the United States, and speculation about the potential for civil unrest has crossed international borders, raising concerns among neighboring countries, especially in Canada. But is the Canadian government genuinely worried about the possibility of an American civil war?

[Optimist Prime]

Positive consumer confidence over the past four weeks buoyed up by views on the future strength of the economy, job security and personal finances

 

Quote

Over the past four weeks views on the future strength of the economy, personal finances and job security increased in positivity. Real estate perceptions remain net positive and stable. 

Nik Nanos

Chief Data Scientist

 

The BNCCI, a composite of a weekly measure of financial health and economic expectations, registered at 53.95 compared with 51.74 four weeks ago. The twelve-month high stands at 54.05.

 

The Bloomberg Nanos Pocketbook Index is based on survey responses to questions on personal finances and job security. This sub-indice was at 52.89 this week compared to 50.60 four weeks ago. The Bloomberg Nanos Expectations Index, based on surveys for the outlook for the economy and real estate prices, was at 55.00 this week compared to 52.88 four weeks ago.