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Syndicate
And who's going to fix it? Has Mulcair promised to reverse this budget in 2015?
That's the declaration I've been waiting for. It's the only one that really represents "opposition". The Harperites have no problem promising to do bad things (cancel Kyoto, build prisons, buy jets, attach the youth, etc.), but everyone else seems to have trouble standing up and saying:
"Don't worry too much about 2024 or 2029 or any of the rest of this stuff. We'll be the government in 2015, and all these attacks against working people, seniors, youth, the environment, indigenous people - it'll be gone. We'll not only reverse it, we'll boldly take Canada in the opposite direction and build a better future than this darkness which looms today."
Let me know when someone says that. Anyone.
The number of environmentally destructive projects that will get quickly greenlighted and underway thanks to this budget is huge. These projects will be mostly funded by foreign investment who have no interest in creating any sustainable infrastructure or permanent jobs. On top of that, the CRA has been given the mandate to go on a witch hunt with respect to ENGOs, the frontline non-profits who act as witnesses on our behalves when it comes to environmental degradation posed by these project.
And cuts to fisheries protection programs and food inspection programs... are these not matters of serious concern?
Then there is Harper's penchent of putting the boot to workers by denying them retirement security and making them pay 10% more for CPP off their pay cheques.
Finally, we will eventually have to attend bake sales to keep our public broadcaster afloat.
Received this evening from Friends of Canadian Broadcasting:
CBC singled out for vindictive cuts
Don't forget to add the potential equally-massive push-back to the Northern Gateway pipeline, from N. Alberta tar-sands to BC's pristine north coast... 'push-back' not only by several Northern BC native tribes, thru whose land it is scheduled to pass, but opposition to the thing is really nationwide... the new, streamlined "environmental review process" announced today (mentioned above) will definitely mean (in Ottawa's oily mind, at least) that the project's a Go!....
Also, I wasn't aware that the Occupy Movement had actually stopped - surely not in spirit....
There is lots wrong with the budget but much of the information is not in the document which was expected to be scrutinized. The more painful details will be left for Friday night press releases.
Scale of the cuts are quite deep, You have to be aware that there are large percentages of budgets that are fixed cuts so a ten percent cut can be hugely significant.
The only reason the NDP doesn't try to predict what Canada will look like in 2024 and make wild election promises as a result is that no one would take them seriously. FPTP dictates that any party with a snowball's chance has to focus on the next four-year term of government. And let's face it, our two oldest political parties in Ottawa have been lucky to keep some small percentage of those election promises past the first year or two in power.
Other than that I think it's a great idea, U.
OTTAWA–The Conservative government has axed a First Nations-led Crown corporation created to fill the statistical “gap” that exists when it comes to getting numbers from First Nations reserves and the urban Aboriginal population.
The First Nations Statistical Institute (FNSI), which was created through legislation passed in 2005 during the Liberal government under Paul Martin, will see its $5 million budget cut in half this year and eliminated next year, according to the federal budget unveiled Thursday.
Keith Conn, the FNSI’s chief operating officer, said the agency was in the midst of 25 projects across Canada working with First Nations communities and organizations.
“Now we have to figure out what we can do for this year,” said Conn.
Conn said he found out about the cut while sitting in the budget lock-up in Ottawa Thursday. The information was buried near the back of the budget document under a section outlining total cuts to the federal Aboriginal Affairs department.
Aboriginal Affairs will see cuts of $26 million this fiscal year, $60 million the next and $165 million the year after for a total 2.7 per cent reduction of the $6.22 billion that was put on the table for review, according to the budget.....
OTTAWA–The federal Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development department will cut millions of dollars in spending, according to the federal budget unveiled Thursday that also committed $275 million toward improving First Nation education and $330.8 million for replacing and fixing water infrastructure on reserves.
The money for education and water, however, falls far short of the numbers recommended by two federal reports on the issues released this year. The investments will cover the gap left by funding delivered through Ottawa’s economic stimulus package which has since expired.
The federal budget, which included more First Nations specific initiatives than previous Conservative spending plans, also highlighted commitments from the federal government to pursue legislation on education and introduce private property ownership on reserves....
quote:
The education report called on Ottawa to invest immediately to close the gap between education on reserve and in provincial schools. The report found that at least 100 schools were in desperate need of renovation or replacement and failed to provide students with a safe learning environment.
The AFN estimate it would cost at least $500 million to begin closing that gap.
What about the fighter jets, do we still get the fighter jets?
I think that was their plan, to make people expect worse and then not quite deliver. Given that the greatest issue facing Canadians is the threat of environmental catastrophe this is one of the worst budgets in Canadian history, but yes it could have been worse.
Reversing the decision on OAS should be straight forward enough. Canadians may well have moved on in 2015 though. The assumption that life expectancy will remain the same or increase is dubious in the long term, but we may be facing even more immediate concerns in 2015 (and I mean both economic and environmental).
Cons have cut the Elections Canada budget as well - probably in revenge for the bad publicity surrounding them on RoboCalls. Vengeful bastards.
Three more probably horrific budgets to come from the Cons before the 2015 election, and if the Cons manage to steal the 2015 election as well, all hope is lost.
Indigenous Nationhood: Federal Budget 2012 - The Battle Lines Have Been Drawn
excerpt:
I can assure you that I am not seeing monsters where non exist. This assimilation plan for Indians is well-documented in government records and has always been considered by INAC as "the final solution". The Cons are just more aggressive in speeding assimilation along. The budget document focuses on "integration" of Aboriginal peoples into Canadian society - as a labour source, as tax payers and as individual property owners. Even the constitutionally protected right of Indigenous peoples to be specifically consulted and accommodated on their Aboriginal and treaty rights is translated as consultation (no accommodation) that will be "integrated" into current regulatory processes.
But let's look at what is really happening. The Indian Act is staying in place, as confirmed at the CFNG and the current level of federal control over First Nations will not only be maintained, but will be dramatically increased with the suite of legislation it intends to impose on First Nations. This budget confirmed what we already heard in the CFNG:
(1) Non-Indians will gain interests in reserve lands in the matrimonial real property legislation;
(2) Cons will transfer all liability for water and sewer on reserve to First Nations without funding to address the increased standards;
(3) First Nation education legislation will impose increased standards and force provincial partnerships while not providing additional funds;
(4) Reserves will be opened up to privatization (ownership by individuals) to allow mass sales of reserve lands and facilitate extractive industry activities on our lands; and
(5) Accountability legislation to impose standards on First Nations leaders not imposed on Members of Parliament.
Again, I am really confused how any of this screams "reconciliation". In fact, this entire suite of legislation violates our inherent rights to be self-determining and violates our constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights to govern our own affairs. It also threatens our communally-held traditional lands and current reserve land holdings. It will result in a dumping of liability and no funding to cope with a whole slew of additional regulations and standards that Canada itself can't meet in First Nations now.
This morning Bob Rae, when asked by an RDI reporter, said a Liberal government would absolutely reverse the OAS/GIS move to age 67. Whether anyone believes him or not, that's the only possible answer to give.
Tom Mulcair should be saying: "Of course, that's a no-brainer, but don't forget we will be doubling CPP/QPP as well, besides other measures. Just because Harper is serving the richest elites and attacking Canadians doesn't mean that just returning to the status quo is acceptable. It isn't."
Or, he could follow Fidel's advice, and say: "Well, we hate what Harper is doing, but we have to wait till 2015 to see whether to change it or not."
Harper is destroying the environment, noted in links above. More pipelines, fast-tracking of tarsands and uranium mining, with less protection for the environment and water will increase the greatest contribution to carbon emissions and dangerous forms of energy.
Harper is destroying the economy: He did not implement a financial transactions tax, and continues to push 'free' trade deals that give private finance more power. Therefore, the economy (and ecology) are still out-of-control, subject to the whims of private finance. Harper has failed in his duty to provide stability to the economy.
This is a fundamental failure, as is his failure to uphold the Canada Health Act (according to CBC the federal government is getting out of decision-making in this regard) while the federal government is legally responsible to hold provinces to conditions of universality etc., when they spend federal dollars.
We cannot sustain more job losses, for youth, manufacturing (a carbon tax to support domestic green manufacturing would be good), for public servants, for farmers competing with 'free' trade imports, or for anyone else (eg. the potential 125,000 who will lose their jobs if CETA goes through http://www.policyalternatives.ca/afb2012 ).
Harper's 'plan' takes us all in the wrong direction, one which no one can afford.
It would be good if the NDP, Liberals, and Greens worked together now to prevent the country from being destroyed, instead to implement CCPA's Alternative Federal Budget.
The NDP, Liberals, and Greens could work together, thus forming a majority in parliament. They could collectively vote against Harper's budget, vote non-confidence in government, and form government jointly themselves.
I also hope the rallies calling for a full inquiry into the robocall scandal go well.
If by-elections are held in close ridings then perhaps Harper wouldn't have a majority, and opposition parties could stop Harper's destructive actions if Harper only had a minority. However, more is needed now than suffering another four years of even a Harper minority.
We need to protect the environment and turn the economy around now.
Although Harper has a majority, it would at least send a warning to Harper if all of the Opposition MPs voted unaminously against this budget. It'll pass, but only with the governing party voting for it.
Next: General Strike? One can hope.
I thought that if a majority of parliamentarians vote non-confidence in the government, and are able to present the Governor General with a plan to form the next government, then a new government can be formed.
How is that going to happen when Harper has the majority?
You are aware that the Conservatives have more seats than all other parties put together - aren't you?
numbers - Harper got 166, all others 142, http://www.elections.ca/scripts/ovr2011/default.html, a difference of 24.
200 ridings were affected in the robocall scandal.
7 are being contested in court by the CofC www.canadians.org
What if more ridings are contested?
If 13 affected ridings held by-elections and it turned out those seats were lost to Harper, and gained by others, Harper would have 153 seats and others- 155. Harper would have a minority only.
Ah, I see where you're going with this. You're assuming there will be byelections and that the Cons will lose them. That's well in the future, if at all - the Cons have already indicated they will fight any court challenges to their electoral results - and that could drag past the next election in 2015! And definitely well past the voting on this budget.
ETA: Dean Del Maestro called the C of C a bunch of extremist left wingers who have a known anti-Conservative bias.
"and that could drag past the next election in 2015" -says who?
all opposition parties ought to vote against Harper/Flaherty's 'plan' in any case.
Those who support Harper's destruction of the environment and his handover of government to private finance are extremists.
Look how long it took for the Cons to be found guilty in the In and Out scandal - I think it was five years. They rely on having the money to finance appeal after appeal. As it stands, there's zero possibility that the budget will be defeated.
The best action now will be mass protests in the streets and on the Hill.
True. And if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a tractor.
ETA: Anyway, if your scenario came true, either the Liberals or the NDP or the Bloc or the Green (or any permutation or combination thereof) would vote dutifully with the government (especially on a budget like this one, where all the media are clamouring to say that it's "moderate" and "not as bad as it could be"), so Harper would carry on. Then, when the timing couldn't be worse, they'd vote non-confidence, and Harper would be back with a bigger majority.
Don't believe me? Read some history books about 2006-2011.
unionist wrote:
True. And if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a tractor.
..just got up a short while ago. txs for my 1st laugh of the day.
I can't take the credit though. I got it from Gilles Duceppe.
People are not realizing the legal test involved with the robocalls.
In order to order a new election the court has to find that the robo calls affected the result -- not the election. In other words the court has to find that were it not for the robo calls the Cons would have lost the seat that they in the end won.
I don't think that there will be enough proof that this in fact happened.
The election is tainted but we cannot meet the burden of proof that this number of seats would have gone to the opposition had the Cons not done the robo calls.
There are simply not enough razor thin seats that went to the Cons and their majority is quite large-- you would need to flip some 7 seats to overturn a 13-seat majority.
quote:
— Production of the penny to cease this fall, saving an estimated $11 million a year.
— Deficit projected to fall $8.5 billion, to $24.9 billion for 2011-12, to decline to $21.1 billion next year and to disappear by 2015.
— More than $5 billion in cuts to annual federal spending by 2014-15.
— Job cuts: 19,200 federal positions to be eliminated, or 4.8 per cent of the federal workforce.
— Age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to gradually move to 67 from 65, beginning in 2023.
— $5.2 billion over 11 years to renew and refit the Canadian Coast Guard's fleet of vessels and helicopters.
— Eligible Canadians to be allowed to defer old age security for a maximum of five years, beginning in 2013, in exchange for higher benefits.
— $1.1 billion in research and development over five years, plus $500 million to encourage venture capital investment by the private sector.
— First Nations reserves: $275 million over three years for schools and education, $330.8 million over two years to improve water systems and water quality.
— CBC to lose 10 per cent of annual funding.
— Return $130 million in fees to nearly 300,000 would-be Canadian immigrants to eliminate backlog in skilled-worker applications;
— $482 million over two years to improve the effectiveness of the employment insurance system, including incentives for accepting work and ensuring benefit levels align with local labour market conditions.
— Cap on annual increases to employment insurance premiums until operating budget is balanced.
— $205 million for a one-year extension of a temporary hiring credit for small businesses.
— $50 million over two years to provide job skills training for young people.
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Federal-Politics/2012/03/29/Budget-Highl...