Tracking the Liberal government's record of keeping promises (a.k.a. Trudeaumeter 2)

355 posts / 0 new

Sun, 2016-03-06 21:17

Arthur Cramer Arthur Cramer's picture

Pondering wrote:

Arthur Cramer wrote:

Pondering wrote:

quizzical wrote:

Justin wants 600,000 more to run his own PMO personal webite for a total of 1.6 million in budget allocations. first millions more to run Liberal constituency offices and now this.

1.6 million to run a website? i guess he needs 6 staffers to bs the public on how wonderful he is.

but no money for Aboriginals cut from reparations for destroying their lives.

Do you have a link to prove he has refused to pay reparations to aboriginals? Will you apologize and start supporting the Liberals when they pay it?

Damanding more apolgoies. Would you demand G-d apologize to you if he didn't put you at his/ber right hand? Why should Quizzical support he Libs if they do the right thing here? Theyr'e supposed to do the right thing; they promised. So now, if they get pressured into acually doing somethig they promsied, that means they deserve every lefties unwavering allegience?

THAT, frsnkly, is some of the secrewiest logic I've ever seen posted as argument on this webiste. Who's your writing this stuff for you Pondering? Or is this, REALLY, what you believe? Nonsense from you, once more, At least you never dissapoint!

Wow!

I didn't demand anything, I asked a question. More to the point, if you accuse someone of something, say, theft, and they didn't do it, then yes I do think they are owed an apology. Quizzical is condemning the Liberals for things that haven't happened.

Pondering, Pondering, Pondering. You wrote in part "Do you have a link to prove he has refused to pay reparations to aboriginals? Will you apologize and start supporting the Liberals when they pay it"?

You didn't say would you apologize. You said will you apologize. You're demanding. You're always demanding something of someone, and insisting everyone bow down to you and Junior.

I stand by what I said, you're use of language CLEARLY implies a demand for an apology. And besides why should anyone on here apologize for anything? You never do.

Sun, 2016-03-06 21:41

#253

quizzical

Michael Moriarity wrote:
That New Yorker piece "From Justin to Bernie" is absolutely hilarious. I highly recommend reading the whole thing. My favourite quote:

faux Justin wrote:

Consider it from my perspective: you spend years preparing for a federal election, you defeat the once powerful Conservatives, and then, instead of getting to defend your voting record in Parliament, or explain why modest government spending isn’t the worst evil, all you read and hear about is how you’re the best-looking world leader, probably in history.

i know heh!

have you heard what's up with all the Harper appointees Justin allegedly wrote letters to asking them to step down? i'm really concerned about the NEB ones.

seeing as how we've heard nothing in the media about it, i think they're quietly wanting Canadian to forget we're still operating with a Harper majority.

Sun, 2016-03-06 22:42

#254

Pondering

Arthur Cramer wrote:

You didn't say would you apologize. You said will you apologize. You're demanding. You're always demanding something of someone, and insisting everyone bow down to you and Junior.

I stand by what I said, you're use of language CLEARLY implies a demand for an apology. And besides why should anyone on here apologize for anything? You never do.

I'm referring to an event I expect to happen which is the Liberals paying reparations to all the victims. "would you" implies something that is not going to happen. "will you" was an expression of my certainty that the Liberals will pay all those who were harmed in residential schools.

I have apologized but the apology would be due to the Liberals not to anyone here and it was a rhetorical question. Obviously she won't. The Liberals could institute basic income, withdraw completely from Iraq, put in pharmacare and she would still condemn them. I can't even remember her ever mentioning a reason why.

Sun, 2016-03-06 22:57

#255

quizzical

speaking for me pondering? please don't.

and what about all the Committees and Boards Harper stacked, is Justin getting rid of them or not?

i know he's trying really really hard to be empathetic but it's not working to well....

....hiring nannies while denying Canadians national childcare,

.....taking photo ops in Vogue while denying FN's access to their rights and dignity,

.....signing away workers rights by signing trade agreements,

.....spending a million on propaganda for his office,

... giving millions away in operating costs and staffing for his MP's thereby essentially giving the Liberal Party millions.

Mon, 2016-03-07 00:15

#256

Pondering

Concerning the appointments made by Harper, Trudeau will have to follow the law. I too would like an update.

Trudeau having nannies has nothing to do with national childcare. He has a chef too. He hasn't denying anything to First Nations people. The trade deals haven't been ratified yet and no political party will oppose them. TPP was negotiated to benefit the west. He didn't spend any money on "propaganda" for his office. The offices of all MPs are there to serve the constituents. It's an important part of democracy for citizens to be able to contact their representatives. MPs not having offices would undermine democracy.

Mon, 2016-03-07 05:11

#257

NDPP

Liberals Sunny on the Surface, Much Fudgier Underneath

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-sunny-surface-macdonald-1.3462885

"Liberal Ottawa just as capable as predecessors of making promises it knows it can't keep."

Mon, 2016-03-07 10:05

#258

quizzical

good article NDPP we've all been saying this here since November, except for the Liberal voice overs. this says it all:

Quote:
It's probably time to dispense with the notion that the Trudeau government is really much different from its predecessors.

Granted, it's done a good job of portraying itself as sunny, transparent, inclusive, optimistic, diverse, affectionate, decent and just fundamentally different.

It may even believe it is all those things.

But on matters of policy, and governance, it appears just as capable of blithely making promises it knows it can't keep, and then blithely breaking them.

It is capable of speaking out of both sides of its mouth — it can voice concern about the Saudi human rights record, then proceed with sending the Saudis billions more in military equipment .....

And pretty clearly, it is capable of running a tightly-controlled, centralized, non-transparent operation.

Thin-skinned?

You don't need to speak to many of the people in the Trudeau government orbit, for example, to realize that he knew very well his economic agenda, and his promises, didn't square with national finances.

(Some of those people have asked me not just to keep them anonymous, but to avoid using any phrasing that those closest to the prime minister might recognize. Those aides are apparently just as capable as the Harper crew was of punishing those perceived of disloyalty or dissent. Thin-skinned, one Liberal told me, does not begin to describe them.)

in other words thin skinned lying liars who set out to deceive Canadians so they could feed off tax payers from the beginning.

shame shame shame.

eta: my points stand about the hypocrisy of Justin getting tax payers to pay for his child care while denying all other Canadian families the same, his office demanding 1.6 million to run his website a year while they continue to deny Aboriginals their right to have recompense, and giving MP's millions more for staffers and offices, which really only benefits the Liberals themselves, while no infrastructure planning and economy building is happening at all

Fri, 2016-03-11 16:03

#259

quizzical

Quote:
Critics want public hearings into Canada Revenue amnesty for KPMG offshore tax dodgers....

The federal government should call public hearings into why the Canada Revenue Agency offered amnesty to the high net worth clients of KPMG who were involved in an offshore tax avoidance scheme, prominent tax groups, politicians and other legal experts said in the wake of a CBC News/Radio-Canada exposé.

In fact, Laval University tax professor Andre Lareau says the new revenue minister, Diane Lebouthillier, should undo the deal as soon as possible.

"The offer should just be withdrawn right now," Lareau said. In effect, he says, the CRA is saying to these wealthy clients "we're giving you absolution."

...Dennis Howlett, the head of Canadians for Tax Fairness, also wants the new Liberal government to hold public hearings into CRA's "no-penalties" deal with KPMG's multi-millionaire clients.

"I would like to call on the new government to launch a full investigation," Howlett said, after reviewing the leaked document, obtained by CBC News/Radio-Canada, about what had been a secret deal .....

Howlett also pointed out that the Liberals campaigned on a platform to overhaul the Canada Revenue Agency, pledging an additional $80 million over four years to crack down on tax avoiders and evaders.

"So here's the opportunity to show us that they're serious about those promises and that they will deliver. And boy oh boy is there ever a need for that now."

Sat, 2016-03-12 13:21

#260

mark_alfred

Re: post #258. Hopefully the Libs will crack down wealthy tax cheaters. I'm skeptical, but we'll see.

Sat, 2016-03-12 13:52

#261

mark_alfred

Marijuana:

Mr. Guy Caron (Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, NDP) wrote:
The police and now judges are wondering why charges are still being laid for the personal possession of marijuana if the government intends to legalize it.

The NDP suggested that it is confusing to continue to prosecute people for simple possession of marijuana when the government intends to legalize it. But the Liberals oppose decriminalization of simple possession of marijuana, out of concern for "protecting our kids".

See the exchange here:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=hansard&Lan...

Sat, 2016-03-12 13:52

#262

mark_alfred

First Nations education:

There was some question about the Liberals possibly backing away from their pledge to close the funding gap in First Nations education. Their platform promised "$2.6 billion new investment in helping First Nations students learn and succeed", but also stated, "This will include money committed by Stephen Harper that has yet to flow". The Liberals stated that this money from Harper wasn't actually there, so the promise of $2.6B new money may not be fulfilled. The NDP pounced on this in question period, and it does seem that the government will in fact live up to the $2.6B figure.

See the exchange here:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=hansard&Lan...

Sat, 2016-03-12 22:19

#263

mark_alfred

First Nations education:

Just to add to post #260, here's the NDP statement on it:

http://www.ndp.ca/news/liberals-must-not-break-their-promise-to-first-na...

Sat, 2016-03-12 22:27

#264

mark_alfred

Re: Post # 258, KPMG tax evasion scheme

NDP statement on it: NDP to call minister to testify at Finance committee about KPMG tax evasion scheme

Sat, 2016-03-12 23:16

#265

quizzical

tks mark_A

Quote:
“In times of growing inequality, to see people caught hiding millions from the government get off without even a slap on the wrist is simply appalling,” said NDP Finance Critic Guy Caron. “Failure to act on this case would send a message to the wealthy that they can get away with tax fraud without penalties—the Liberals need to act now.”

Sun, 2016-03-13 14:02

#266

mark_alfred

Liberal promise re: Bill C-51

Lib Platform wrote:
We will repeal the problematic elements of Bill C-51, and introduce new legislation that better balances our collective security with our rights and freedoms.

To my knowledge, so far, nothing has been done. See http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-federal-liberals-shou...

Quote:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on fixing the problematic elements of the bill, and he promised to engage Canadians in broad public consultation. However, Trudeau made no mention of Bill C-51 in his throne speech, and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has yet to implement public consultation, amend any aspect of the bill or provide a concrete timeline for the review.

Saturday’s keynote speaker for the Liberal convention will be Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, whose mandate letter included instructions to “support the minister of public safety and emergency preparedness in his efforts to repeal key elements of Bill C-51, and introduce new legislation that strengthens accountability with respect to national security and better balances collective security with rights and freedoms.” Yet, she has been quiet on this issue.

Sun, 2016-03-13 14:16

#267

quizzical

they doubled down on Bill C 51 with Justin agreeing to give Canadian private info to the USA. something Harper didn't even do.

guess this why Justin had to come into power. Canadians would've freaked if Harper did it.

Sun, 2016-03-13 14:39

#268

mark_alfred

Yeah, increasingly it's looking like Trudeau is simply a better puppet for the corporate power brokers than was Harper.

Sun, 2016-03-13 17:19

#269

quizzical

yup, no changes to the NEB or any other appointments Harper made signaled the deal for me. Justin Trudeau = Stephan Harper with a smile and actors training.

Tue, 2016-03-15 16:16

#270

kropotkin1951

Here is the latest example of lies from the campaign.

Quote:

Some Canadian charities are reviving a campaign to get tax auditors off their backs after the Liberal government delivered what the charities say is a half-measure in ending "political harassment," a promise from the 2015 election campaign.

At least 14 charities, including the Sierra Club Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund, launched a letter-writing campaign and petition this week calling on the Liberal government to stop all political-activity audits started by the Harper Conservatives in 2012.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/charities-push-back-against-liberals-on-...

Tue, 2016-03-15 16:39

#271

mark_alfred

Re: Post #269

Yeah, another of the 'Meet the new boss, same as the old boss' examples that are creeping up.

Wed, 2016-03-16 10:45

#272

mark_alfred

Child care is now noted as a broken promise on the Trudeaumetre.ca site: https://www.trudeaumetre.ca/promise/2211

Specifically that the Liberal's own 100 day deadline to begin this has not been met.

Quote:
TrudeauMetre note: Technically, the 100 day deadline to start working on this promise expired on February 11, 2016. We didn't get any news as to the progression or work made so far on that framework yet. This will be revised if we missed something or if we can see the government started working on this before February 11, 2016.

Tue, 2016-03-22 12:05

#273

epaulo13

With Site C, LNG Trudeau govt already breaking promises to First Nations, environment

It all started off so well. Justin Trudeau launched his career as Prime Minister with big promises to First Nations and the growing number of Canadians concerned about the environment. He installed indigenous MPs in key portfolios like Justice and Fisheries; vowed a new respect for Aboriginal people and their rights; re-introduced the climate to Environment Canada.

But five months later, it appears former New York Governor Mario Cuomo was right when he famously said, “You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.” And the prose Justin Trudeau is authoring these days tells a very different story than it did on the campaign trail.

quote:

Can’t have your cake and eat it too

He cannot, for instance, ignore the pleas and court challenges of Treaty 8 First Nations on the catastrophic and treaty-breaking Site C Dam and still claim to be respectful of First Nations.

He cannot approve LNG projects and pretend to care genuinely about climate change.

He cannot keep approving and subsidizing heavy oil pipelines and pretend to champion the green economy.

These, unfortunately for Justin, are not grey areas. There is no room for “balance” or a “middle path” – simply because of a stubborn little thing called facts.

quote:

In other words, you cannot sign off on Site C – or refuse, in this case, to revoke illegitimate permits issued by your predecessor on the eve on an election, literally – and declare yourself a friend of First Nations. These two realities are utterly and completely incompatible.

quote:

Wilson-Raybould between a rock and a hard place

And this is where it gets very messy for even the best-intentioned, brightest young stars of the Trudeau Cabinet. I’m talking specifically about Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould. The former BC leader of the Assembly of First Nations has run smack into a wall of political reality. She claims no conflict between her current role and her former. But here we must go back to what she to said to me and others 4 years ago at the Paddle for the Peace, where she took a passionate, unequivocal, legal, treaty-based stand against Site C. See for yourself here....

Tue, 2016-03-22 14:17

#274

mark_alfred

Liberals release their budget today at 2PM. Interesting article by Karl on Parl on the makeup of Finance Minister Morneau's advory council: Morneau goes corporate with his new advisory council

Quote:
It is, all in all, an eminent group, and will no doubt give the minister some useful and interesting advice.

No environmentalists, poverty specialists or labour people

But it is a very corporate group, and somewhat tilted toward non-Canadian corporations at that.

There is nobody from the Canadian labour movement, nobody from Canada's Indigenous communities except for one business consultant, nobody from social action groups that speak for the poor, the homeless, the unemployed, the marginal, and, aside from the Ecofiscal man, nobody whose prime interest and expertise is in the environment.

During the election campaign, the Trudeau Liberals made a big point of portraying themselves as the progressive choice, and many voters bought in.

Now, those who invested so much hope in the Liberals on election day might want to keep an eye on how this new corporate-dominated Council works and what influence it has on policy.

ETA: apparently this Advisory Panel on Economic Growth is not only full of corporate bagwomen and bagmen, it also features a lot of very big donors to the Liberal Party. http://www.ndp.ca/news/ndp-reality-check-liberal-majority-appoints-liber...

Tue, 2016-03-22 14:51

#275

quizzical

same old song and dance. we knew it would be though.

and now the election is over and Liberal supporters here are desperately trying to justify again why they voted for the Liberals i find it nasty all day.

it goes beyond naivety.

Wed, 2016-03-23 00:20

#276

mark_alfred

http://www.pressprogress.ca/sorry_folks_liberals_break_campaign_promise_...

Quote:
The Liberal government has broken a campaign promise to "immediately" invest new money in home care.

The platform mentions it on pages 9 and 85:

https://www.liberal.ca/files/2015/10/New-plan-for-a-strong-middle-class....

There's a mention of the home care commitment on page 178 of the budget:

Quote:
The Minister of Health has begun discussions with her provincial and territorial counterparts to enhance the affordability and accessibility of prescription drugs, improve access to home care and mental health services, and support pan-Canadian innovation in the delivery of health services.

As these discussions are ongoing, this budget provides immediate investments to support pan-Canadian progress on accord priorities in the form of support for innovations within the health care system.

From the above, maybe the promise is going to be kept. But there's no other mention of home care or listing of the $400 million that is supposed to be committed to it in 2016/2017. So, until I learn otherwise, I feel it's a broken promise.

Sat, 2016-04-16 15:59

#277

quizzical

let's do a tally.

no movement on the legalization of marijuana

signed the tpp

signed to allow the saudis to have lav's even though our laws forbid it

Justin a fake feminist as above and by his and Sophie's "royal" behaviour

moving forward on pipelines

leaving FN communities behind while speaking platitudes by a FN MP

no childcare

nothing positive in the budget for struggling families

and on we go lying liar Liberal

Sat, 2016-04-16 17:07

#278

Unionist

That pretty much sums it up.

Though I'd add:

No change to Harper's "best friend of Israel" pandering.

Trying to undermine the medically assisted dying decision (as Harper did before).

Are we still killing Iraqis and Syrians?

How do you like them amendments to Bill C-51?

And much more.

Sat, 2016-04-16 17:11

#279

kropotkin1951

I will say that the Liberals are doing exactly as I expected them to do. Which is of course why I would never vote for them in a million years.

Sat, 2016-04-16 18:12

#280

mark_alfred

http://canadians.org/blog/liberals-veto-national-pharmacare-more-canadia...

Quote:
Yesterday was the first meeting of the Commons Standing Committee on Health to study how Canada might create a national pharmacare program.

It came as a major disappointment this week that Canada’s Health Minister, Jane Philpott, indicated pharmacare is not part of her mandate.

Sun, 2016-04-17 02:00

#281

jjuares

I suspect all these broken promises mean nothing. So, our PM who is also Minister of Youth misses the debate on the rash of suicides on one of our FN and attends a former Liberal MP book launch. So what does the media cover? His inane talk about computers. Thst was even picked up by the international press. It was sooo cute.

Sun, 2016-04-17 13:33

#282

quizzical

Quote:
The NEB is set to deliver its final recommendation to Cabinet on the pipeline proposal by May 20. Cabinet has the final say on whether the pipeline will be built. Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said he was surprised to read the details of the story, but questioned whether it was true. He said he’s giving the prime minister the benefit of the doubt, adding he’s not prepared to prejudge him on the basis on a newspaper article. “I just can’t believe that someone would be so foolish as to come out with statements like that after having promised there would be review that would take into consideration much more than the NEB has taken into consideration,” Corrigan said. “Trudeau, if he does do that, he does so at his own jeopardy.” The mayor did suggest it was possible Liberal insiders are floating the idea to see what the response will be publicly, but added based on what he’s heard locally, a lot of people will be disappointed. Burnaby South NDP MP Kennedy Stewart called the story “distressing” and argued the move would go against an election promise by the Liberals to have Kinder Morgan reapply under a new set of rules.

- See more at: http://www.burnabynow.com/news/burnaby-politicians-react-to-pipeline-sto...

Fri, 2016-04-22 11:38

#283

quizzical

Justin promised to do things differently than Harper. not so much. let's go illegal. is the motto.

Quote:
The recent Liberal-approved export permits to allow the shipment of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia should be declared illegal, according to a new submission to the Federal Court.

A group of lawyers are arguing that Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion should not have approved the permits on human rights grounds, and they should be declared illegal based on the federal government’s own export rules

Fri, 2016-04-22 11:52

#284

mark_alfred

quizzical wrote:

Justin promised to do things differently than Harper. not so much. let's go illegal. is the motto.

Quote:
The recent Liberal-approved export permits to allow the shipment of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia should be declared illegal, according to a new submission to the Federal Court.

A group of lawyers are arguing that Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion should not have approved the permits on human rights grounds, and they should be declared illegal based on the federal government’s own export rules

That's great. Hopefully these lawyers will be successful.

Fri, 2016-04-22 11:54

#285

quizzical

let's hope this gets Canadians attention.

it's getting ugly in the hinterland the bs is so thick.

Mon, 2016-04-25 14:41

#286

epaulo13

Enbridge’s Gateway Resuscitated as Trudeau Wavers on Tankers

Enbridge Inc.’s Northern Gateway pipeline may get a new lease on life as the Canadian government wavers on a planned tanker moratorium that was previously thought to spell the end for the project.

Officials are weighing what types of petroleum products may be exempt from any moratorium, and whether certain tankers could be allowed, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are private.

quote:

Changing Stand

Notley changed her skeptical stand on Northern Gateway after seeing progress on some of the project’s hurdles and speaking to people involved who are “optimistic” about the pipeline’s chances, said the premier’s spokeswoman Cheryl Oates.

quote:

The clock is ticking. Enbridge must file shipping agreements by the end of June and begin construction by Dec. 31 to avoid losing its permit. Amid the uncertainty, the company believes Trudeau doesn’t have the legal authority to implement a blanket ban, according to people familiar with the company’s thinking.

Thu, 2016-04-28 16:55

#287

mark_alfred

Human Rights Tribunal puts liberals under third party management

Quote:
After months of delays in protecting indigenous kids, the Human Rights Tribunal has now ordered the Liberal government to take immediate action – essentially putting them under third Party Management.

After the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal landmark ruling that found that the Canadian government discriminates against Indigenous children, the tribunal is now calling out the Liberal government for failing to take action to protect these children.

Fri, 2016-04-29 02:32

#288

NDPP

Andrew Coyne: Government Needs To Follow Through on Vow to Not Pay Ransom to Terrorists (and vid)

http://www.canada.com/news/andrew+coyne+governments+have+follow+national...

"When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 'Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorists, directly or indirectly,' he was either lying or announcing a change in policy. Because we most certainly have been paying ransom to terrorists until now, by one means or another, under governments of both the Liberals and Conservatives. And what is more, we have usually lied about it.."

Gil Pard is right, Coyne is wrong. And Trudeau probably lies.

I suspect that what really happened, is that unlike a Robert Fowler or Louis Guay, John Ridsdel was considered unimportant and thereby expendable. Especially when contrasted with the political opportunity for JT to talk tough, grab even more favourable media coverage and keep those prime ministerial ratings high. So, Ridsdel loses his head but our Drama Teacher and his ever-vigilant image makers score once again.

Should a Canadian of stature get snatched by terrorists, just watch the supposedly superceded 'always pay' practice return.

Fri, 2016-04-29 06:23

#289

montrealer58 montrealer58's picture

The Liberals have always been the natural resources party. Liberal policy will be geared more to the price of oil than what people are saying about sustainability, despite their rhetoric. Oil is now up to $46.50 and abandoned projects are becoming profitable again.

Fri, 2016-04-29 11:52

#290

kropotkin1951

Here is a good read on the foreign policy of our new government that is the same as our old government. Liberal Tory same old story is once again showing its ugly face. Unfortunately in this last election the Canadian mice where given a choice between Black cats, White cats and Orange cats. The Orange cats, who we all know are the best of the cats, came in behind the White cats and Black cats.

Quote:

But the stunningly stupid decision to go ahead with a $15-billion sale of light-armoured vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia has the potential to expose Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a phony.

You could hardly design an issue so perfectly fitted to reveal a government with a progressive public face contradicted by a ruthless disregard for human rights. It raises the question of whether the spin doctors simply misjudged the extent of public revulsion or whether there is something deeper going on. Is it really just about jobs or is there a hard-nosed commitment, inherited from the Conservatives, to a backward Middle East foreign policy?

Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion has been severely damaged by his performance on the Saudi arms sale file. First he said the government couldn't get out of the contract, claiming it was legally committed by the Conservative government's actions. That was not true.

Dion compounded his credibility problem with another misleading claim that he was following Canadian law in signing the export permits.

http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/04/29/Canadian-Saudi-Arms-Deal/

Fri, 2016-04-29 19:33

#291

mark_alfred

NDPP wrote:

Andrew Coyne: Government Needs To Follow Through on Vow to Not Pay Ransom to Terrorists (and vid)

http://www.canada.com/news/andrew+coyne+governments+have+follow+national...

"When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 'Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorists, directly or indirectly,' he was either lying or announcing a change in policy. Because we most certainly have been paying ransom to terrorists until now, by one means or another, under governments of both the Liberals and Conservatives. And what is more, we have usually lied about it.."

Gil Pard is right, Coyne is wrong. And Trudeau probably lies.

I suspect that what really happened, is that unlike a Robert Fowler or Louis Guay, John Ridsdel was considered unimportant and thereby expendable. Especially when contrasted with the political opportunity for JT to talk tough, grab even more favourable media coverage and keep those prime ministerial ratings high. So, Ridsdel loses his head but our Drama Teacher and his ever-vigilant image makers score once again.

Should a Canadian of stature get snatched by terrorists, just watch the supposedly superceded 'always pay' practice return.

Not sure what I think of this ransom thing. Nathan Cullen speaks of a time in his youth when he was kidnapped in Equador.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/676588611780

Mon, 2016-05-02 12:35

#292

epaulo13

Vancouver coast guard base reopens without 24/7 rescue ability: union spokesman

Kitsilano station opened on Sunday with two rigid inflatable vessels, one pollution-response vessel and three crew members, said Bill Tieleman of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees.

"The government promised in the election campaign that it would be restored to a full 24/7 search and rescue centre. That's what the union expects to happen. This is not it," he said.

The Canadian Coast Guard has described the opening on Sunday as "soft launch," with a full launch planned for June, but it isn't clear whether it will increase the number of staff or vessels....

Sat, 2016-05-07 09:05

#293

quizzical

lying liar Liberals. they let the rich have tax helters and are now gouging small buiness AGAIN after supporting this measure before they got into government!!!

Quote:
That budget called for the first half-point cut to 10.5 per cent to occur on January 1, 2016. The rate would then be lowered a half a percentage point annually until it reached nine per cent on January 1, 2019.

Both the NDP and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals endorsed the measure in their 2015 election platforms.

But Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced a retreat in his 2016 budget, saying this year’s cut to 10.5 per cent would be allowed but the others would be “deferred.”

The 2016 cut, according to the finance department made public Monday, is saving small Canadian businesses $50 million this year.

Not going ahead with subsequent cuts will cost the sector $2.2 billion – starting with $125 million in 2017-18, $475 million in 2018-19, $770 million in 2019-20, and $825 million in 2021, according to Morneau’s department.

The Liberal budget accepted the argument that low taxes are good for small businesses and therefore good for the economy.

A tax-friendly regime “allows them to retain more earnings that can be reinvested to support growth and job creation,” according to Morneau’s first economic blueprint.

Sat, 2016-05-07 13:15

#294

kropotkin1951

Here is another example of how voting Liberal only got Canadians more of the same corporate agenda no matter how destructive it is. The new government is doubling down on the Tory law suits to prevent citizens from using the courts to stop destructive corporate practices. Liberal Tory same old story. The photo-op king is just another shill for the oligarchy in this country. The new government is just like the old government in aiding and abetting environmental degradation.

Quote:

Last year I won a legal decision (thank you Ecojustice) prohibiting further transfer of farmed salmon carrying diseases into marine net-pens on the BC coast.

While common sense suggests putting diseased Atlantic farm salmon in the Pacific ocean is a bad idea, the Harper government and Marine Harvest appealed the decision.

We came to expect this kind action from Harper, but here's the shocker.

The Trudeau government is actually going through with this appeal! Is it in the interests of Canada to spend our tax dollars to assist the salmon farmers to put diseased fish in the ocean?

Furthermore, they are in such a rush that they can't wait for a Vancouver court date so have arranged for this to be heard in a court in Calgary May 26th!

http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2016/05/why-is-dfo-t...

Sat, 2016-05-07 22:42

#295

quizzical

moved it to Calgary too!

Wed, 2016-05-11 09:06

#296

quizzical

so another day another lie by the Liberals. no more votes in Vancouver or the west coast in 2019.

Justin and the Liberals are continuing the Conservative trend of closing Coast Guard stations as they sneakily are closing Comox's base before they even get their own ordered review of whether they should or not..and they did it leaving marine vessels without coverage for several hours.

https://www.facebook.com/Comox-Coast-Guard-934424383273069/

Tue, 2016-05-17 01:11

#297

kropotkin1951

Here is an article about the closure of an emergency Marine Communications and Traffic centre in Comox on May 10. Jim Abram is quoted as saying he talked personally to Trudeau during the election and he is now going back on his word. Jim is a well respected local politician who is a ferry and marine safety expert and advocate.

Another case of Trudeau promising in big style and delivering in half measures.

Quote:

Abram, vice-chair of the Strathcona Regional District, said the prime minister has broken a “face-to-face” promise he made to Abram concerning commitments to marine safety on the West Coast.

“I truly believed Justin Trudeau when he said he would take care of our safety concerns,” said Abram, a onetime lighthouse keeper at Cape Mudge who served as president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities in 2000-01.

The talk with Trudeau occurred in an Edmonton restaurant last June when the Liberal leader was hosting a reception to seek support for his election campaign.

Abram said there was “no doubt” that Trudeau was promising support for the ferries, marine safety and marine communications.

“As far as I’m concerned Trudeau promised the West Coast he was going to look after us, and he’s not,” Abram said.

Critics say Liberal cuts to maritime safety include the closure of an emergency Marine Communications and Traffic centre in Comox on May 10; reducing the number of “safety” desks at the remaining Canadian Coast Guard centres in B.C. from five to four; cutting the number of supervisors and trimming the national budget for the centres from $49 million to $42 million.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/trudeau+accused+breaking+promise+west+co...

Wed, 2016-05-18 08:57

#298

mark_alfred

Liberals move to ban politician’s taxpayer-funded ‘vanity videos’ -- good to see the Liberals keep this promise. Good work by Brison.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2696842/liberals-move-to-ban-politicians-taxpa...

Thu, 2016-05-26 20:42

#299

quizzical

marijuana busts all over Toronto.

Global National just changed the frame of reference stating the Liberals have promised to decriminalize. no mention of legalize!!!! lololol

Fri, 2016-05-27 14:56

#300

mark_alfred

http://globalnews.ca/video/2725848/if-this-is-legalization-then-justin-t...

Above is a video of Jodie Emery expressing dismay. I do recall that she supported the Liberals over the NDP during the last election. Which brings to mind this saying: fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me (and with Liberals, well, never mind twice, it's just over and over and over again). However, who knows, perhaps they'll still come through and legalize marijuana for recreational use. I'm not holding my breath, though.

Fri, 2016-05-27 19:43

#301

quizzical

yup, and they're now trying to reframe teir promises by having the media use decriminalize and i guess letting "legalize" drop away.

Tracking the Liberal government's record of keeping promises (a.k.a. Trudeaumeter 2)

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