Canadian Politics Thread

[Coconuts]

11 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

you're not wrong of course on the ugly parts of our history, and it can be hard to want to celebrate something that has that as part of it.

 

But then I remember the world has horrible things in it everywhere, but at least Canada is trying to get it right. No its not fast enough, and can never really make up for it, but I feel like we're one of the few places on the planet that is at least trying and we are finally starting to see some real changes. 

 

There haven't been many better places for people to end up for creating better lives for themselves and their future generations. 

 

I won't hand the flag over to the dumb dumbs either, they did nothing to earn it. 

 

 

 

That's the best way to approach patriotism imo, by changing things for the better. Canada's got some pretty sordid history, not unlike other colonial countries, but it's also made strides in recent years imo. It's slow going, but it's still further ahead than it was when I was a kid. In order to take progressive steps forward it's necessary to acknowledge that steps are needed in the first place. 

 

That's the other side of it, it's either use the symbolism or let folks use it to further their agendas. All use isn't the same, which is why we still see kids running around with red maple leaves on their faces. 

Edited Wednesday at 09:23 PM by Coconuts

[Optimist Prime]

1 hour ago, Coconuts said:

 

That's a weird thing, honestly. Canada Day itself is weird too, there are things to celebrate but there's also a lot of ugly stuff attached to Canadian history that some folks just don't want to wade through. But the ugly bits aren't just history, they exist in the present as well. 

 

I don't see an issue with being proud to be Canadian, Canada provides a better life to many and plenty of opportunities, but even that is nuanced. I link it back to what I call the gradual Americanization of politics, I question where the line between patriotism and nationalism is for a lot of folks, and it's gotten to the point where I am indeed skeptical when I see folks displaying Canada flags and symbols, because these symbols are often co-opted.

 

I know a lot of folks who are proud to be Canadian, who are happy to live here, but in my experience most Canadians aren't overt about such things the same way that US Americans are. There's a bit of a cultural difference there imo, Americans are much more likely to boast about their patriotism and nationalism, and to engage with physical symbols of such things, whereas when it comes to a lot of things I think Canadians are more subtle. I do think there's been a growing tendency for those who actively boast right wing talking points and so on to engage more like Americans do in regards to symbolism and so on. 

 

It presents itself in bits like Canada Proud, or the Canada Strong and Free Network (formerly the Manning Centre). At face value there's not really anything wrong with the words "Canada Proud" or "Canada Strong and Free", but there are agendas, values, and beliefs attached to the organizations and groups attempting to incorporate patriotism as part of their branding, as a hook with which to fish. I don't think it's a coincidence that I've seen more of these bits popping up on social media more over the past few years, it's just my own observation but I've noticed more of it post-Harper. 

 

But I'm also someone who has grown increasingly wary of patriotism and nationalism in general over time, because concepts can be weaponized and warped for various agendas. Flags are powerful symbols, patriotism is a powerful thing to try and tap into. Sometimes someone driving around with a Canadian car flag is just someone with a car flag, but when I see massive Canadian flags attached to vehicles it gives me pause, because it's become more and more common for such flags to be accompanied by other messaging. 

 

I'd wager that skepticism of the display of national symbolism has become more and more common.

As a vet, I have a lot of flag related clothing. Like i think at last count 5 tshirts and a button down long sleeve all with at the very least a maple leaf on them. I have a vest with the canadian flag and a Finn flag on it too. The funny part is I loathe the Cowboy convoy and its supporters throughout our country but my 'going shopping' attire has usually at least one Canadian Flag adorning my outfit.  People will often unprompted come at me with 'support' like "Yeah brother, fucg Trudoh" or other nonesense and I have so far chosen to stand my ground and let them know how much I support our current Prime Minister and government. Haven't been spat on yet but one guy was visibly disgusted and taken aback with a "wha-well-wa-who the hell wears all that without supporting the REAL CANADIANs in parliament" or something similar...lol

 

I now consider my Maple Leaf adorned tshirts, and vest along with my SOLDIER ON ball cap in camo colours as "urban camoflage". 

 

How strange that a movement that once came dangerously close to treasonous and trying to stage a coup at one point feels they now own our nations pride and heritage. 

 

edit: all for free speech, but the minute the short dicked assholes put FUCK on our flag, let alone Fuck the sitting Prime Minister: they lost me for life. Fuck em right back. Scuse my language. 

[Coconuts]

3 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

As a vet, I have a lot of flag related clothing. Like i think at last count 5 tshirts and a button down long sleeve all with at the very least a maple leaf on them. I have a vest with the canadian flag and a Finn flag on it too. The funny part is I loathe the Cowboy convoy and its supporters throughout our country but my 'going shopping' attire has usually at least one Canadian Flag adorning my outfit.  People will often unprompted come at me with 'support' like "Yeah brother, fucg Trudoh" or other nonesense and I have so far chosen to stand my ground and let them know how much I support our current Prime Minister and government. Haven't been spat on yet but one guy was visibly disgusted and taken aback with a "wha-well-wa-who the hell wears all that without supporting the REAL CANADIANs in parliament" or something similar...lol

 

I now consider my Maple Leaf adorned tshirts, and vest along with my SOLDIER ON ball cap in camo colours as "urban camoflage". 

 

How strange that a movement that once came dangerously close to treasonous and trying to stage a coup at one point feels they now own our nations pride and heritage. 

 

edit: all for free speech, but the minute the short dicked assholes put FUCK on our flag, let alone Fuck the sitting Prime Minister: they lost me for life. Fuck em right back. Scuse my language. 

 

Very interesting to hear the perspective on this from a vet, appreciated 

[Optimist Prime]

1 minute ago, Coconuts said:

 

Very interesting to hear the perspective on this from a vet, appreciated 

I need two hands to count the people I knew whose last flight home was under this flag, and it tears me apart seeing it used by the Canadian Hillbilly Association to spread nonesense.

[Bob Long]

17 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

As a vet, I have a lot of flag related clothing. Like i think at last count 5 tshirts and a button down long sleeve all with at the very least a maple leaf on them. I have a vest with the canadian flag and a Finn flag on it too. The funny part is I loathe the Cowboy convoy and its supporters throughout our country but my 'going shopping' attire has usually at least one Canadian Flag adorning my outfit.  People will often unprompted come at me with 'support' like "Yeah brother, fucg Trudoh" or other nonesense and I have so far chosen to stand my ground and let them know how much I support our current Prime Minister and government. Haven't been spat on yet but one guy was visibly disgusted and taken aback with a "wha-well-wa-who the hell wears all that without supporting the REAL CANADIANs in parliament" or something similar...lol

 

I now consider my Maple Leaf adorned tshirts, and vest along with my SOLDIER ON ball cap in camo colours as "urban camoflage". 

 

How strange that a movement that once came dangerously close to treasonous and trying to stage a coup at one point feels they now own our nations pride and heritage. 

 

edit: all for free speech, but the minute the short dicked assholes put FUCK on our flag, let alone Fuck the sitting Prime Minister: they lost me for life. Fuck em right back. Scuse my language. 

 

I typically don't wear flag stuff, just don't own much, but I do wear the old white dude "uniform" of a golf shirt and cargo shorts pretty much all the time unless I have a meeting.

 

Stupid dudes feel like they can get a high five from me as well with dumb comments like this. 

 

I like to fuck with them by saying how much I like doug ford and Trudeau working together on mining projects. I get the confused puppy look back most of the time. 

[Ghostsof1915]

I just hate it when people hide behind the flag and think it somehow makes it ok to be assholes.

I would like to see Vets get a lot better benefits, and care. Be it physical or mental, or financial.

We have a lot of things to work on in this country. But we shouldn't try to tear the system apart. We should be looking at ways to make things better.

 

[The Arrogant Worms]

B.C. municipalities get $1.6B in federal infrastructure funds over five years

Under the new Canada Community-Building Fund deal, local governments in B.C. will receive $300 million in federal infrastructure funding in 2024-2025.

 

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/bc-municipalities-get-16-billion-in-federal-infrastructure-funds-over-five-years-9172122

[Optimist Prime]

55 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

I just hate it when people hide behind the flag and think it somehow makes it ok to be assholes.

I would like to see Vets get a lot better benefits, and care. Be it physical or mental, or financial.

We have a lot of things to work on in this country. But we shouldn't try to tear the system apart. We should be looking at ways to make things better.

 

I should really be clear when I say I feel well supported by Veterans Affairs Canada. 

Back when the video clip was in the news of Trudeau saying "vets are asking for more than we can give right now" it was a bad spin on a poorly worded live answer. 
At that time vets could only get a small one time lump sum payout for our injuries. That rule was put in place by the Harper Government to reduce the gov liability of wounded veterans needing care and cash. 
The Liberal Government was trying to reverse that and go back to lifetime benefits, which cost the gov more but help vets out much much more for life in some cases. 

My first claim was my largest issue, and i don't mind sharing i got a one time lump sum payment of 127k for my injury. No benefits aside from that other than 10 psychological visits a year, just like your health card gets you. At that time, my buddy who jumped off the Bison to take a piss and lost his leg and other important bits to a landmine every single year had to 'prove' he lost his leg and still didn't have it. That was insane. 

 

I was waiting on four other specific claims...which were adjudicated late due to a backlog kind of thankfully due to Harper laying off 1/3rd of Veterans Affairs staff..(we have to apply for each one at a time) SO my other injury claims came in after the lifetime monthly medical awards were put back in place AFTER that terrible sound bite saying we were asking for more than canada could give (which was true by law..but the law was being changed)...and I am feeling well supported. I have guaranteed income from each verified injury claim and was in vocational rehab and have as many psych visits in a year as i and my medical team think I need, among other supports. 

It is night and day. Some of my buddies got their lump sums in the Harper years and it was gone in less than 18 months and they have nothing now. I am lucky only one of my claims was done that way, the rest came in the new 'lifetime benefits' timeframe, which is similar to the way it was before the Harper years. 

 

Anywho..just wanted to clarify. 

[The Arrogant Worms]

Criminal trial of 'Freedom Convoy' organizer Pat King adjourned to July 15

OTTAWA — The criminal trial of "Freedom Convoy" organizer Pat King was adjourned this morning without proceeding to the defence case.

 

https://www.timescolonist.com/national-news/criminal-trial-of-freedom-convoy-organizer-pat-king-adjourned-to-july-15-9174723

[Bob Long]

1 minute ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

Criminal trial of 'Freedom Convoy' organizer Pat King adjourned to July 15

OTTAWA — The criminal trial of "Freedom Convoy" organizer Pat King was adjourned this morning without proceeding to the defence case.

 

https://www.timescolonist.com/national-news/criminal-trial-of-freedom-convoy-organizer-pat-king-adjourned-to-july-15-9174723

 

is the racist scumbag taking a plea?

[Ricky Ravioli]

Canada's unemployment rate rose to its highest level in more than 2 years last month

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/business/canada-s-unemployment-rate-rose-to-its-highest-level-in-more-than-2-years-last-month-1.6952618

 

The Canadian economy lost 1,400 jobs in June as the unemployment rate climbed to its highest level in more than two years, Statistics Canada said Friday.

[Bob Long]

3 minutes ago, Ricky Ravioli said:

Canada's unemployment rate rose to its highest level in more than 2 years last month

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/business/canada-s-unemployment-rate-rose-to-its-highest-level-in-more-than-2-years-last-month-1.6952618

 

The Canadian economy lost 1,400 jobs in June as the unemployment rate climbed to its highest level in more than two years, Statistics Canada said Friday.

 

Is that missing a zero or am I supposed freak out over 1400 jobs? 

[Ricky Ravioli]

[Warhippy]

1 minute ago, Ricky Ravioli said:

People, corporations and companies are absolutely gouging renters to the teeth.

 

The only way to fix this is direct government intervention which is tantamount to socialism or authoritarianism.

[Ricky Ravioli]

12 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Is that missing a zero or am I supposed freak out over 1400 jobs? 

The overall loss in the number of jobs in June came as the economy lost 3,400 full-time positions, offset in part by a gain of 1,900 part-time jobs.

 

What exactly about that is good for Canadian's?

[Ricky Ravioli]

2 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

People, corporations and companies are absolutely gouging renters to the teeth.

 

The only way to fix this is direct government intervention which is tantamount to socialism or authoritarianism.

We need to bring the vacancy rate up. It is currently 1.5%. Nothing will change until that is brought up significantly 

[Warhippy]

14 minutes ago, Ricky Ravioli said:

We need to bring the vacancy rate up. It is currently 1.5%. Nothing will change until that is brought up significantly 

So are you suggesting that the government now directly interfere in the housing marking by subsidizing builders with tax money?  or outright using tax dollars to build units for people?

[Ricky Ravioli]

4 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

So are you suggesting that the government now directly interfere in the housing marking by subsidizing builders with tax money?  or outright using tax dollars to build units for people?

I'm suggesting the vacancy rate needs to increase before rents will ever decrease. What the government does to get to that solution is out of my control. Something needs to change though 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

55 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

Is that missing a zero or am I supposed freak out over 1400 jobs? 

 

Neither.  You're supposed to rage because the pastafarian expects you to.  

[the destroyer of worlds]

8 minutes ago, Ricky Ravioli said:

I'm suggesting the vacancy rate needs to increase before rents will ever decrease. What the government does to get to that solution is out of my control. Something needs to change though 

And what is that something?  Because most people can agree that the something is policies that are nowhere near to typical conservative policies.   

 

I would love for the posters with hate boners for JT to actually spell out how we change things.  Posters like myself have ideas, but we would LOVE to see posters like yourself actually spell out how you'd like it to be done.  Give ideas that PP is likely to enact.

 

So how do we increase the inventory of affordable rentals and housing?  

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

18 minutes ago, the destroyer of worlds said:

I would love for the posters with hate boners for JT to actually spell out how we change things.  Posters like myself have ideas, but we would LOVE to see posters like yourself actually spell out how you'd like it to be done.  Give ideas that PP is likely to enact.

 

This is probably their official gameplan:

 

1. Fuck Turdope

2. Instill rage

3. ???

4. Profit!

 

Or something like that.  

And that "???" is unlikely to be clarified.  Ever.

[4petesake]

1 hour ago, Warhippy said:

People, corporations and companies are absolutely gouging renters to the teeth.

 

The only way to fix this is direct government intervention which is tantamount to socialism or authoritarianism.

 

Wouldn’t hurt either if BC or other provinces would launch lawsuits against Realpage like DC and Arizona alleging that the company’s rent-setting software is effectively colluding with large landlord companies and amounts to price-fixing.

 

https://www.propublica.org/article/doj-backs-tenants-price-fixing-case-big-landlords-real-estate-tech

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Ricky Ravioli said:

The overall loss in the number of jobs in June came as the economy lost 3,400 full-time positions, offset in part by a gain of 1,900 part-time jobs.

 

What exactly about that is good for Canadian's?

 

Dunno, talk to me next month when the job number goes up 

[the destroyer of worlds]

9 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

This is probably their official gameplan:

 

1. Fuck Turdope

2. Instill rage

3. ???

4. Profit!

 

Or something like that.  

And that "???" is unlikely to be clarified.  Ever.

Or the ???? is some privatization or sell-off scheme that ends up costing the taxpayer.  See Ford's Ontario beer store boondoggle.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

Just now, the destroyer of worlds said:

Or the ???? is some privatization or sell-off scheme that ends up costing the taxpayer.  See Ford's Ontario beer store boondoggle.

 

It could be, but I doubt even they know exactly what's on the chopping block.  None of the raging right's leaders seem to have any inkling of what that ??? might be, otherwise they'd have shared it by now.