I Do Not Want Canada to be Americanized!

Great commentary from The Globe and my favourite part:
"At the same time, voters will have to decide what they make of today’s Americanized Conservatives as represented by Mr. Harper, Mr. Hudak and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford – all men who yearn for a simpler, long-vanished society that no longer represents today’s Canada."


I for one do not want our fine country to resemble our neighbours to the south.  As much as I respect and admire them and look at them as brothers and sisters I don't want anything to do with their government or policies.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/second-reading/gerald-caplan/hudak-conservatives-lose-as-progressives-take-ontario/article2194869/

Hope you are having a great weekend

Ontario Votes Today!!

I don't have much else to say right now but if you are still unsure today, take a look through my blog entries over the past month or so and I think you'll find the out who's the best candidate to vote for in Ontario.  With the team that will help us all move forward together.  JUST VOTE!

I'm off to my polling station now.  See you there maybe and hope you have an amazing day.  Stay tuned upcoming entries on Canadian Politics and Current Events.
Cheers

How to find your pollling station:
http://faq.elections.on.ca/faq/performsearch.do?type1QuestionId=1

Real Change to Help Ontario Alternative

It's actually feels cold in Toronto today for the first this this fall.  Nuit Blanche is tonight which is always a great event but it is also a reminder to me that summer really is over.  But I look forward to fall sweaters, bundling up in the winter and embracing Canada's seasons.  Can't wait for snowboarding!

Everyone is looking for change in this election.  The NDP and PC have been trying to get votes by creating platforms that exploit voter fears with band-aid solutions but no real vision into the province's future which leads me to believe it's negative change. I don't really think this is providing the change that is needed.  I question the motive of the members of the NDP and PC.  I don't feel they have given enough thought to the future of Ontario. It's as if they just want to get the job and be in control because they may not agree with the current political situation in Ontario.  The Liberal platform seems to offer more real change than theirs.

Latest change from Howarth has been trying to create more health scandals that aren't scandals at all..  As well, there's orange pumps all over the place.  I think the pumps are cute but wouldn't ever vote based on cuteness.  I would take this into consideration however:
http://www.votesoowong.com/Document/455?l=EN


Latest change from Hudak is his promise of a war on the unions,  public sector workers and wage freezes.  REALLY?!  I foresee service interruptions and failure in health, education and service across Ontario period. Not to mention our resources wasted in negotiations that will add no value and if avoided, make up for the cost of keeping these workers happy.  I am not one to really like the idea of unions either but if I had a nice union job, I probably wouldn't be complaining.  The public service workers really work in thankless positions but provide really good services for us.  We need to stop attacking these poor people.

Oh and here's the latest change with the Liberal front.  Our only hope to bring real lasting change and a brighter future to Ontario:
http://bit.ly/qLrZFJ


Hope everyone is having an amazing weekend!




My Own Alternative Idea and Some Info You Should Know
There's been allot of talk of taxes in this election campaign but I wanted to point something out:
This is a fact! Ontario has the 2nd lowest income tax rates out of all the Canadian Provinces.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html#provincial
Notice also that we don't have a 4th income tax bracket like many other provinces, federally and many places around the world?  This brought me to think of something.  Why not introduce a fourth tax bracket in Ontario for those who are doing well?  Say those who bring in more than $180K pay a percent or so more. The distribution of wealth is becoming less spread out in Canada and it would actually be beneficial to those with greater incomes to help out rather than blame the government for everythhing.  In turn, the economy picks up and the assumption is that so would the income and value of investments for these high bracket earners. 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/daily-mix/income-inequality-rising-quickly-in-canada/article2163938/

Just a thought.  Rather than pick on the public service workers and cause grief to everyone in the province I think this would be a much better alternative to help with Ontario's current revenue problems and economy woes.

Andrea Howarth and Ontario NDP Only After Political Gain?

It's becoming more and more clear that the Andrea Howarth led NDP party is NOT the NDP of the past fighting for social injustice. In fact, I think this NDP's new direction seems like a deceptive representation of the NDP brand and almost right leaning.  Some claim Andrea Howarth and Ontario NDP are only after political and personal gains.  I'm not the only person that is seeing this trend.  It is also found to be somewhat offensive that the Ontario NDP has been using Jack Layton's name and honour to make these political gains in this Ontario election when they aren't representing the NDP brand properly. Layton isn't even around to endorse them.  What does the 2011 Ontario NDP party really stand for and what is their motive?  Check out these links:

More thought on how their plan lacks any real strategy and is simply formulated to attract votes:

http://theopposition.ca/2011/09/12/dodich-ontario-ndp-platform-filled-with-little-progressive-substance/

Thought that the NDP and PC have a relationship that is a little too close.  What historic NDP party would ever work with a Conservative party?

http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/news/provincial_scene/2011/09/26/885.html

Example of Jack Layton's honour being disrespected by NDP candidates and I've heard Anrea mention him several times as well.

http://freedomnation.blogspot.com/2011/09/ontario-ndp-using-jack-laytons-name.html

Some are even implying some sort of secret alliance with the NDP and PC party in Ontario.  If you look at Andrea Howarth's voting record, she hardly seems in favour of traditional NDP causes.  Over half of the party is made of completely new members as well.  Did you know that most of the MPs, about 60 of them, were only hired in the past couple of months?  Can any of them be trusted? We are about to face some really tough times and a bunch of rookie politician with no vision are not what we need running our fine province!!

It's seems as thought in this Ontario election NDP really does stand for Never Developed a Plan!

Make sure you vote wisely in this election.  With the world about to head into turmoil, we need an experienced team at Queen's Park.  I can only think of one party that has the experience needed.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Related Posts

Ontario Jobs Anyone? a brief analysis

Another Promise from NDP Lacking Vision

Ontario Party Supporter Stereotypes

Ontario Election Underway

Ontario Jobs Anyone? a brief analysis

I think one of the biggest issues in the upcoming provincial election is JOBS! I've seen it all over the media and it's also of personal interest to me as I'm looking for work right now.

So I thought I would do a little analysis of each of the major party's platform strategies for job creation.  Here goes:


PC PARTY
Looking at the PC platform there isn't much there regarding any plan or strategy towards job creation except for this statement:

"A Tim Hudak government will focus on letting the job creators – not the government – drive new job growth."

Since when has that ever worked???!!  We've been seeing unemployment rates soar while businesses post record profits and rich shareholders make gains.  It's obvious that the job creators aren't going to use any gains towards driving new growth as shareholders are more important to them.
Anyhow, the PC platform goes on about:

• Lowering family tax rates
• Cutting red tape for businesses
• Lowering corporate tax 
• Updating the apprenticeship system (however it's unclear and poorly written as to how or why)

PROS

-If you are rich, you might get a break on taxes.

-I honestly don't see any other pros.  With all the promises of tax relief(aka lowering government revenue), I don't understand how they will make any of these promises without drastically changing existing services or raising taxes.

CONS

-I can't believe people are such suckers for lower tax promises and ideas that privatization will make things like energy, health and education better.  There's no proof of privatization being successful anywhere and all you have to do is look south at their education and health system for proof.  As for privatizing energy, every state(or other governing entity) that has attempted this has failed miserably(most recent is California)

-The only people that benefit from any tax cuts are the rich because for middle-lower incomes, small percentage cute are barely noticeable.  Look at Harper's ridiculous 1% cut off GST! It made very little difference and now the feds are going to have a revenue shortfall to go along with their massive public debt.  see Debt Clock

-Belief that the private sector would ever put people and jobs first is flawed.

NDP PARTY

The NDP platform has a few ideas around job creation such as:

• Raising corporate taxes
• Tax breaks for businesses that provide training for employees
• Tax breaks for businesses that buy Ontario goods
• Freezing tuition rates for post secondary education

PROS

-The idea of a tax break for business that empowers their employees with training is a great idea

CONS

-The world is changing and competition is strong and global.  Although a tax break for businesses buying Ontario sounds like a good idea, it doesn't make sense in the new emerging global market.

-A tuition rate freeze sounds great for students but how are Ontario universities and Colleges supposed to remain competitive and provide the level of education required with less revenue???  They will need more revenue and where are they going to get it?

-With all the other promises of reform and cuts for "struggling families" (that really will benefit the rich more than anyone else) 

-Their ideas are too simple and might appeal to voters but how does the NDP expect to pull any of this off???(all these promises, tax relief, a deficit and a global recession)?  THERE IS A SERIOUS GAP AND FLAW WITH THEIR PLATFORM.

LIBERAL PARTY

The Liberal platform appears to have been thought out and has actual strategy and theme.  Here are some details:

• Make Ontario more competitive globally to attract jobs
• Education
• Increased early childhood education
• Summer learning for struggling students
• Changes to teacher's education programs to increase "hands-on" experience
• Grants for low-mid income family's post-secondary education
• Relief with loan payment for post-secondary graduates
• Incentives for job creators
• Doubling trade missions to attract global investment in Ontario
• Promoting innovative businesses in Ontario
• "Green" energy incentives
• Lowering taxes on new business investment
• Continued support of apprenticeship programs
• Continue to make Ontario people healthy and healthcare more accessible
• Leadership in Northern Ontario mining jobs and industry

PROS

-There is strategy in this plan and it's not shortsighted like the others.  These aren't "band-aid" remedies. Everywhere you look nowadays, you see reference to the global market and Ontario needs to keep up.

-"Green" energy incentives, although controversial, will more than likely make Ontario a leader and innovator in this field.  Oil and coal are going to run out soon and prices are going to keep getting higher.  As we gain efficiency with new "Green" energy technology, it will only get cheaper and attract investment in Ontario expertise.

-The education and employment incentives are targeted where they are needed.  Some might call this "unfair" however I would argue they will make things fair.  The wealthy don't need a break and this country is great and wonderful because of taxes and Canadians who are happy to contribute to one of the best countries in the world.

CONS

-There is some amount of risk associated with this plan.

-Criticism (misunderstanding) over "Green" energy will create resistance to change.


FYI - A recent article proving value in "green" energy.
http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LRVKJ207SXKX01-47415GF9HK7FC3OEN2S2K17J5P

Embrace Innovation People

I think conservatives are just scared that the clean energy act might be successful. Any educated person knows new technology costs start off high and go down as inputs required for output go down and efficiency is gained. This type of efficiency is already happening in Germany.
It would truly be a shame for Ontario to benefit from this project and become world leaders and innovators at producing clean renewable energy. Yah! It makes more sense to keep burning coal and gas until prices skyrocket even more and all the oil and coal are gone.
Quality journalism and editorial at it's best below in the National Post! Cover one side of the story and barely that.
I seriously can't believe people buy into this.

I believe it to be true that every really successful innovative person/idea has had to go through relentless, senseless criticism such as this.

Kelly McParland: McGuinty determined to bet Ontario’s money on energy gamble | Full Comment | National Post:

'via Blog this'

Very little changes on the Hudak rampage....I mean campaign

Is Tim Hudak a masochist or something?  Every day it seems like the same thing.  He finds some convoluted way to try and slam the Liberal campaign with allegations out of nowhere.  It's kind of like he's trying to win Clue the board game by making accusation after accusation with no clues just hoping he'll get it right out of chance.  This is hurting his campaign and he must know this by now so why does he keep doing it??  I guess he doesn't really have a platform to stand on.

In case you didn't know, today's rant from Hudak is about these two ads created by the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association.  He alleges that the Liberals funded those ads but it appears it's not the case if you get the full story.  The Globe and National Post did a good job of getting both sides in their story.

The ads urge Ontarians to vote for a party that won't try to scrap the Clean Energy Act, contracts and clean energy jobs and sustainable renewable energy sources.  If you want to take a look, I've embedded them here to see.

Best wishes to you today and for the WEEKEND!!!

Another Promise from NDP Lacking Vision

I'm beginning to think that Hudak's time wasting, appalling attack and misleading interpretation of the Liberal's very minor platform idea to help newcomers to Canada has perhaps scared the NDP into this "fairness for everyone" theme in their latest announcements such as their proposed tuition freeze.

Horwath vows to freeze Ontario tuition, nix interest on student loans

This all around "fairness"  just doesn't make sense to me, just like NDP plan to cut taxes on gas at the pumps in Ontario.  I wonder if any analysis is done to realize any benefit/cost/waste on these ideas?  Take a look at this chart, easily found at Stats Canada, with regard to allocation of family income that is used by various income brackets for savings of retirement and post secondary education.

Notice the large amount of lower and middle class families that don't save for retirement or post secondary education (PSE) at about 40% for the lowest group.  Also infer from this that the actual percentage of income it requires from those families to save for PSE is much greater than those in the higher brackets.

Families with higher incomes don't need a freeze on tuition but they would get it with this NDP idea that should have been left in the "brainstorm" sessions where it was concocted.   Higher income families will have no issue sending their children through PSE.  Do voters really want to pay for these well off families?  

It's very important that everyone in Canada has easier access to PSE but without unnecessary expenses.

Hudak and his PCs promise $2 Billion in funding for PSE but don't add any details as to where this is coming from or how it will be used.

The Liberals have a much better idea in their platform to help lower-middle income families with a reduction of tuition fees by up to 30%.  That makes allot more sense to me and doesn't waste resources on families that don't need the assistance.

Is it the weekend yet?  Hope you are all having a great day!

Ontario Party Supporter Stereotypes

This may be nothing but I have come to notice some commonalities with the Canadians that support the various political parties in Ontario. I'll elaborate a bit below.

The Green Party

A bunch of stoners who seem to think that the green party wants to legalize marijuana.

The PC Party

Rich selfish people who want to privatize everything because they can afford it and want to control it, buy shares of it and sell the shares and make more money they can admire miserly. There is also a large amount of rednecks(aka Ontario Landowners Association aka Canadian Tea Party)that seem to have been brainwashed somehow into thinking that cutting government services so their mid-level income family can get tax breaks will do them any good with their assumed debt load. A note to this 2nd group of supporters: Small tax breaks only help the rich who put all their money in banks and earn interest off your debt that you will likely pay off with funds from any tax break you might get. Is $10-20/ month going to make a world of difference when you will have to spend more time in waiting rooms after PC health reforms??

The NDP

Really, really, really nice people that want to help everyone, including those that don't want any help. Also many who converted over in the federal election to Jack Layton's NDP. These converted NDP supporters, don't get that Layton has nothing to do with the Ontario NDP. The Ontario NDP platform doesn't really make long term sense. It looks like similar promises of tax cuts like the PC Platform and changes to programs that are already working but were in some consultant's market research report that was produced 3 years ago.

The Liberals

Quite often the Canadian guys and girls who have drank more beer that anyone else on any given night. They don't mind paying government for programs that they likely won't use themselves because they see the province and country as a whole and understand that we need government to run certain programs. These Canadians are either very and shy and pretend they are undecided because they don't like talking politics or very are passionate about the good balance of social and economic policies the Liberal party offers. They ignore name calling and realize there's allot more to an government than making changes to personal taxes and finding ways to cut programs rather than investing in making things better so that they will benefit all Canadians in the long run.

I'm not sorry if I offended anyone in this post.

Seriously though I would like to urge everyone going to vote in Ontario to actually read through all the party platform documents and cast a vote that makes the most sense for you and your family's situation. Make your vote count and don't just listen to what you see in the media. You can't make a good decision by simply reading or watching the news. Also understand that whoever is elected will likely have to take back or change one or two of their plans because economic, social and other conditions will change.

Here are links to the platforms for each party! READ THEM ALL! PLEASE!

PC Platform

NDP Platofrm

Liberal Platform

Ontario Election Underway

The Ontario election for Premier is well underway! It looks like it's going to be an exciting race for sure. Last, and I think most accurate, poll has the Liberals ahead by 11 points.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/second-reading/andrew-steele/mcguinty-hudak-and-drunks-on-lampposts/article2159989/

There's been much mud slinging, name calling and the fences are already up! Who do you currently support and why??

Anyhow I have to run to a BBQ right now but expect me to be updating this new blog often with my thoughts and opinions on the race. I'm currently undecided but leaning towards the team of FRed because the other 2 don't make any sense to me and in my opinion, the rest are just a waste of a vote!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.