Canadian Politics

[Goalie]

3 hours ago, nate007 said:

PCs pledge to phase out school taxes from property tax bills...

Can't happen fast enough!

Over 12 years he said so.. Gonna be a while considering its actually going up next year. Its all fake promises

[Mark H.]

16 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Over 12 years he said so.. Gonna be a while considering its actually going up next year. Its all fake promises

They need get all school divisions / teachers under one collective agreement with equal salaries across the board - before they can remove local taxation.

[rebusrankin]

1 hour ago, Mark H. said:

They need get all school divisions / teachers under one collective agreement with equal salaries across the board - before they can remove local taxation.

That's going to be a big one to accomplish.

[Mark H.]

43 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

That's going to be a big one to accomplish.

The precedence is already set in every other province. 

[rebusrankin]

14 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

The precedence is already set in every other province. 

True but I see MTS being hesitant to agree to this.

[Mark H.]

23 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

True but I see MTS being hesitant to agree to this.

I can’t say too much, but MTS is not a barrier at all - its been on their books for quite some time. 

[kelownabomberfan]

Not sure if this is true, but if it is, we've got a big problem in Ottawa.

Who would be offended by this T-Shirt?  I'm offended by nimrods wearing Che Guevara T-Shirts but I don't deny a person's right to look like an idiot wearing one.

[Mark H.]

The MB. election:

1. PCs appear very certain that they have it in the bag.

2. Pallister is not participating in very many debates.

3. At a local candidates forum here in Selkirk, only the NDP candidate showed up. 

4. There seems to be a major focus on door to door campaigning. 

5. When Pallister retires, the next election will be there for the taking. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

11 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

The MB. election:

1. PCs appear very certain that they have it in the bag.

2. Pallister is not participating in very many debates.

3. At a local candidates forum here in Selkirk, only the NDP candidate showed up. 

4. There seems to be a major focus on door to door campaigning. 

5. When Pallister retires, the next election will be there for the taking. 

Not until Wab gets ousted from the NDP

[SpeedFlex27]

10 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Not sure if this is true, but if it is, we've got a big problem in Ottawa.

Who would be offended by this T-Shirt?  I'm offended by nimrods wearing Che Guevara T-Shirts but I don't deny a person's right to look like an idiot wearing one.

It's getting so stupid in this country I just ignore **** like this. I know who I'm voting for without question. That's all that matters to me.

[Mark H.]

25 minutes ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

Not until Wab gets ousted from the NDP

Depends on whether the NDP gain or lose seats next week. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

1 minute ago, Mark H. said:

Depends on whether the NDP gain or lose seats next week. 

God Damn it... looks like we are stuck with Wab then.

[nate007]

13 hours ago, Mark H. said:

5. When Pallister retires, the next election will be there for the taking. 

I dunno, if the PCs select a well-spoken female leader and out-flank the NDP somewhat on the 'progressiveness' front, and they don't go into full privatization mode and sell off a bunch of crowns in the next four years, it would take a lot of wind out of the NDP's sails. I've been quite impressed in conversations with my MLA, Rochelle Squires.

If they make Cameron Friesen or Kelvin Goertzen, etc. their next leader, the NDP would be licking their lips come 2023...

[JCon]

6 minutes ago, nate007 said:

I dunno, if the PCs select a well-spoken female leader and out-flank the NDP somewhat on the 'progressiveness' front, and they don't go into full privatization mode and sell off a bunch of crowns in the next four years, it would take a lot of wind out of the NDP's sails. I've been quite impressed in conversations with my MLA, Rochelle Squires.

If they make Cameron Friesen or Kelvin Goertzen, etc. their next leader, the NDP would be licking their lips come 2023...

I have had many, many, many interactions with Rochelle Squires. She is one of the most thoughtful and engaged politicians I have dealt with. That doesn't mean I always agree with her politics or decisions but she would make a good Premier. I also think Friesen is thoughtful and could be inline for the PC leadership. 

Goertzen is a backroom guy. I can't imagine anyone would put him in charge of the party. 

[nate007]

1 hour ago, JCon said:

I have had many, many, many interactions with Rochelle Squires. She is one of the most thoughtful and engaged politicians I have dealt with. That doesn't mean I always agree with her politics or decisions but she would make a good Premier. I also think Friesen is thoughtful and could be inline for the PC leadership. 

Goertzen is a backroom guy. I can't imagine anyone would put him in charge of the party. 

Nothing against Friesen personally (I've actually got in-laws in Winkler who are close with him), but I'm not sure if the best thing for that party is another middle-aged white guy at the helm...

[JCon]

30 minutes ago, nate007 said:

Nothing against Friesen personally (I've actually got in-laws in Winkler who are close with him), but I'm not sure if the best thing for that party is another middle-aged white guy at the helm...

I agree.

[pigseye]

26 minutes ago, nate007 said:

Nothing against Friesen personally (I've actually got in-laws in Winkler who are close with him), but I'm not sure if the best thing for that party is another middle-aged white guy at the helm...

We need the best people in charge period. Sex, race etc. shouldn't make a difference. 

[nate007]

3 minutes ago, pigseye said:

We need the best people in charge period. Sex, race etc. shouldn't make a difference. 

In terms of job performance, I agree, but it does make a difference when it comes to selecting the face of your party and trying to win elections. I'm not saying they should be selecting someone just because he/she checks a box. What I'm saying is that when the next election rolls around, a PC party led by a smart, articulate woman from an urban constituency will be more electable than an PC party lead by an equally smart and articulate middle-aged white guy from a rural riding (particularly a conservative Christian who you know the opposition will try to rake over the coals regarding women's reproductive rights).

[do or die]

If the PC's ever got out of the rut of running these Chamber of Commerce hacks......they might clean up, for some time.

[pigseye]

Progressives are such hypocrites. Would they allow just anyone to manage their investments or retirement funds or their doctors, do you want a doctor based on their sex or race....no you want the best qualified person to treat you. Why would you entrust the running of your country to not the best qualified people. I'm a little tired of the do as I say not as I do attitude the Liberals have instilled in running this country and don't want the Conservatives going down that same path. **** the progressives and their feelings, we're talking about running a country not a ******* student council. 

[nate007]

I'm talking about which of two similarly qualified candidates would make a party more electable, and political parties are in the business of being elected. 

Also, the qualifications for who is 'best' suited to lead a province or country are a little broader and more ambiguous than determining who the 'best' doctor to do your prostate exam is... 

[Mark H.]

45 minutes ago, pigseye said:

Progressives are such hypocrites. Would they allow just anyone to manage their investments or retirement funds or their doctors, do you want a doctor based on their sex or race....no you want the best qualified person to treat you. Why would you entrust the running of your country to not the best qualified people. I'm a little tired of the do as I say not as I do attitude the Liberals have instilled in running this country and don't want the Conservatives going down that same path. **** the progressives and their feelings, we're talking about running a country not a ******* student council. 

That’s hilarious. Speaking from a public education point of view, all any MB. government ever does is copy other provinces.  Need a report card? Use Ontario’s. Need a consultant? Hire the one they used in Nova Scotia. 

Now the Liberals claim to have a plan to make sure everyone can read at the end of grade 2.  WOW. 

[pigseye]

16 minutes ago, nate007 said:

I'm talking about which of two similarly qualified candidates would make a party more electable, and political parties are in the business of being elected. 

Also, the qualifications for who is 'best' suited to lead a province or country are a little broader and more ambiguous than determining who the 'best' doctor to do your prostate exam is... 

We are talking about the Conservatives here, not the Liberals or NDP who would put anyone in as leader just so along as they get elected. Remember Kim Campbell? First female leader of a Federal political party, and she was a Conservative. Why doesn't anyone give them credit for that? Because she was a train wreck, that's why and a Conservative.

If you think there aren't specific qualifications for a good political leader, then just go back and look at what made the successful ones, successful. You seem to think that the most electable is the most important, which clearly that isn't the case, especially in young inexperienced candidates with little or no prior life, business or political experiences to draw on. 

[pigseye]

25 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

That’s hilarious. Speaking from a public education point of view, all any MB. government ever does is copy other provinces.  Need a report card? Use Ontario’s. Need a consultant? Hire the one they used in Nova Scotia. 

Now the Liberals claim to have a plan to make sure everyone can read at the end of grade 2.  WOW. 

Why wouldn't you hire experts with a proven record of turning things around in other provinces? The Liberals believe the budget will balance itself, why would anyone take anything they seriously, because it's what they want to hear, doesn't make it so. 

[Mark H.]

25 minutes ago, pigseye said:

Why wouldn't you hire experts with a proven record of turning things around in other provinces? 

Because it’s a proven draconian approach that just creates more administration and less actual teaching.