Friday, December 15, 2006
Canada's Revered Expertise Under Attack
I can't believe that the Conservative government does not want to redirect $100 m of allocated funds of the Canadian Space Agency so we can participate in Europe's robotics programme for a Mars space rover. This smacks of Black Friday when Diefenbaker scarped the Avro Arrow. As a child in Malton I remember that day clearly. We lost many of our best aerospace brains to NASSA. The scientist currently working on robotics in our space programme are world renowned. If we lose the potential to be on the cutting edge of development they will go where the corporations offer the chance to work on such projects. We need these men and women to be our mentors in a knowledge world. The Conservative must not be allowed to devastate our aerospace industry like they did 50 years ago!
I can't believe that the Conservative government does not want to redirect $100 m of allocated funds of the Canadian Space Agency so we can participate in Europe's robotics programme for a Mars space rover. This smacks of Black Friday when Diefenbaker scarped the Avro Arrow. As a child in Malton I remember that day clearly. We lost many of our best aerospace brains to NASSA. The scientist currently working on robotics in our space programme are world renowned. If we lose the potential to be on the cutting edge of development they will go where the corporations offer the chance to work on such projects. We need these men and women to be our mentors in a knowledge world. The Conservative must not be allowed to devastate our aerospace industry like they did 50 years ago!
Friday, December 08, 2006
Two Reports Show the Conservatives are Wrong
The first one by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. This report shows that people in high tax countries live with less poverty, have higher incomes, are more competative, have better health, have higher post secondary levels of education , have lower rates of drug use and they have more spending on R&D. Countries that have higher taxes provide the social services to ensure that a larger percentage of the population are postive contributers.. This flies in the face of the plan to cut cut taxes and cut services.
The second report by the Canadian Council on Learning. Reports on the importance of the role of government in funding education. Again this report plainly states the government has vital role to play in strongly funding all levels of education and in countries where this takes place the productivity and competitveness improves. One specific recommendation was to fund adult literacy programs. This again flies in the face of recent announcements by the Conservatives as they cut federal funding for adult literacy.
Thank goodness we will soon have a new government led by Mr Dion who understands that the state has a postive role to play to ensure social justice is more that just words. A new government will then improve our economic productivity and more Canadians will have opportunities to live healthy productive lives.
The first one by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. This report shows that people in high tax countries live with less poverty, have higher incomes, are more competative, have better health, have higher post secondary levels of education , have lower rates of drug use and they have more spending on R&D. Countries that have higher taxes provide the social services to ensure that a larger percentage of the population are postive contributers.. This flies in the face of the plan to cut cut taxes and cut services.
The second report by the Canadian Council on Learning. Reports on the importance of the role of government in funding education. Again this report plainly states the government has vital role to play in strongly funding all levels of education and in countries where this takes place the productivity and competitveness improves. One specific recommendation was to fund adult literacy programs. This again flies in the face of recent announcements by the Conservatives as they cut federal funding for adult literacy.
Thank goodness we will soon have a new government led by Mr Dion who understands that the state has a postive role to play to ensure social justice is more that just words. A new government will then improve our economic productivity and more Canadians will have opportunities to live healthy productive lives.
