Nobleton Clear

I have listened with some relief that the CRTC did not give the cable companies what they wanted and will continue to regulate the industry. However, the packages will now be a la carte with a minimal 51% majority having to be Canadian. Maybe packages should have been 66% or more. On the other hand the increase in funding for Canadian productions to support local markets is a step in the right direction. The CRTC is to be applauded for this.

The recent elections showed us that the support and fostering of Canadian culture is a priority with Canadians. We have seen what deregulation has done to other sectors and in my view greater regulation and enforcement by the CRTC to promote Canadian would be most acceptable.

Some of the dust has settled after the election and we now have a very clear picture of Harper's answer to Danny's ABC it is ABT (Anything but the TRUTH). Harper said the economy was sound and now he uses the "R" word. Harper said he would never have a deficit and now Flaherty tells us we can expect one. Harper ridiculed Mr Dion's plan for the economic crisis and then steals it for his plan. Note his meeting with the premiers and the bail out to the banks at the end of the campaign.

This man can not be trusted. His Government impemented massive tax cuts and went on a huge spending spree. This demolished the $12 billion surplus he inherited. The two moves undermined the ability of his Government to react in a non deficit way to the global economic restructuring without using programme cuts. I expect his ideology to lead the way with extensive social programme cuts when the country could have used intervention through extended social programmes, ie. retaining, and targeted infrastructure funding like social housing, water purification and pubic transit. Just imagine how many MIR machines we could have had for the $300 million spent on an election he legislated to be next year.

But then again this is Harper's ABT.

To stand up for ones beliefs and principles in the face of a constant bi rage of criticism takes tremendous courage. Mr Dion's proposed carbon tax was such an action.

Canada needs a new environmental direction amidst the current economic restructuring. To do nothing on the emissions side is not a zero risk. It is a huge risk. If we are going to handle the challenge of climate change we need to think differently than we have up until this time.

I applaud Mr. Dion for having taken up the challenge.

Canada is worse for the loss of Green Shift. Mr Dion's honesty, integrity and vision was a becon and insiration to all enviromentalists. We had an opportunity to move forward and leave our country in better shape for the next generation. Now with Harper at the helm our beautiful country is at risk of further rape and plunder.

I hope we have a Liberal leadership race soon and a fresh commitment to the environment that sustains us all

The Just Society of the liberal party has got lost in the last 2 decades. Through out the 20th century the liberal Party readily took social polices under its wing and made them part of the Canadian social fabric. King brought in UIC, Family Allowance, and pensions. then Pearson brought in universal heath care and public housing and Trudeau a women's right to chose and the Charter of Rights. The party in the 90's became very fiscally conservative to bring back the needed fiscal responsibility. The result was a number of essential social programmes were cut or gutted or underfunded and we got use to an idea that smaller government assistance to the less able was alright. This allowed the public to support a hard line conservatism and legitimised Harperism.

In the past we took good CCF/NDP ideas and adopted them. This allowed the Liberals to maintain a centrist position keeping the left in a more fringe position. As the Liberals moved more right we have lost the centre left support in regions with a high social consciousness, such as, Sask, Man. and BC. The party needs to take the progressive centre left view with regards to the environment because the is obviously a strong public sentiment there. At the same time we need to be more socially conscientious continuing with things like universal daycare, a catastrophic drug plan, social housing,court challenges programme, literacy and a high minimum wage.

I see in today's Star that another wind power project is halted in Ontario due to the delays by intergovernmental red tape. If the McGuinty government was really serious about conservation and green house gas emissions they would clear the bureaucratic blockages so all Government Ministries put environmental preservation first. It is just another example of saying one thing and doing the other. It is just like the Zen cars they won't allow on Ontario's city streets which may mean a Canadian invention with Canadian manufacturing will leave to more amenable location ie. NY.

One of the reason the Liberal Party has been in disarray Since 2001 is the group that was around Martin and the vindictive nature of their purging of others views. This took place with the blessing of the Senior members of the party and we wonder why there is a disconnect for the voter base.
David Herle was part of that Martin inner circle that lead us to the slippery slope decline toward minorities and opposition. For him to be pronouncing on the party problem further undermines it credibility of that group when you can't see you are the causes of part of the problem.

I just don't get it If the price of crude has dropped in half since summer to less that $70.00 why an I still paying over a $1.00 at the pumps? I should be paying only about $.64 a litre. This is a ripe off!!!

I am sure that the Harper Government will do nothing to regulate the price gouging of the oil companies. This is the new government looking out for ordinary Canadians.

In my riding, Oakridges Markham, we lost a good MP in Lui Temelkovski. He worked hard for his constituents and always supported the community events. There was slippage and a no show in Liberal vote and he lost by a mere 430 votes. Lui we thank you and wish you and your family all the best.

Now is a time to look at the range of parties in opposition and ask ourselves how do we re energize our Liberal base to encompass and unite those with inclusive, Canadian oriented, progressive policies opposed to the belligerent, divisive, Conservative right.

We have seen a myrid of polls and today we get the only one that counts. For it to be a good poll acurate to the needs of Canada we need all Liberals to come to the aid of their party. Strategic voting is a very real reality this time with internet swapping we have seen. With the three alternatives it is important to make sure our votes count to stop Harper and his band of yes people. Lets get out the vote for the Liberals In some ridings it is better to vote NDP or Bloc to stop the liberals. I understand if you check on line at the following site you can see which party has the best chance to stop Harper. democraticSPACE's strategic voting guide.
GO VOTE!

When a $25 billion is not a bailout is when the fundamentals are good. I would hate to see what he would give away in tax payers money to the profit gouging banks who won't pass on the interest rate cuts if there was a problem.

This is strong leadership????

Last night on CBC national Harper was interviewed by Peter Mansbridge. Now this was instead of Your Turn where everyday Canadians get to ask the questions. Mr Harper didn't want that so he would only come for and interview (Control ).The gist of the first question was how do you relate to everyday Canadians in the current circumstances. It struck me as ironic he would explain how he related when he didn't wan the Your Turn format to answer Canadian voters directly.

The icing was his comment about bargains and buying opportunities. He obviously has not been to the smaller manufacturing centres in Canada where the lead plant has down sized or shut down causing major economic and social upheaval.

I was reading the story about the number of endangered mammals in the world on cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/10/08mammalsthreatened and shocked by the number of mammals at risk of extinction. The main cause is human behaviour from habitat destruction to insecticides. It speaks clearly to the immediate need for a strong environmental plan to address all aspects of conservation. We must not be just concerned about the climate rming but our water supply the chemical we use daily that go into the worlds habitat. If that number of mammals are vulnerable then what about the many many smaller forms of life that make up our personal habitat.

When I see governments like the McGunity here in Ontario say they will take 15 year to come up with a plan for Northern Ontario's boreal forest while the habitat for thousands of song birds and many mammals like the woodland caribou are being decimated. You realize they just don't get it.

I bet the Conservative platform to be realsed tday will not address the enviroment satisfacrially to revese the desigration of Canada's environment.

The advanced polls have been open and we have seen many voters take advantage of them. These Canadian citizens had to vote without knowing the details and cost of what the Tories would do. Now tomorrow Mr. Harper will release the Tory platform.

I ask "Why so Late?" Maybe he will give another new date for the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Then again it maybe his new social programme focus is coming: cutting funding for social housing, employment training, UIC benefits, more of the arts, infrastructure and transit to cities, training programmes for new immigrants, firring public health officials and food inspectors, copping welfare payments and cutting health transfers to the provinces.

This seems like a solid Citizens Coalition programme to me, one Harper would early endorse.

What kind of people is it who would attack Liberal supports by cutting break lines. this is a very dangerous act putting lives at risk. I only hope the authorities catch the people involved before someone is injured!

As I reflect on the debate I realize how scary it is that Harper and the Conservatives have no plan for the current economic crisis. The financial credit tightening has resulted in the American consumer being unable to buy our goods and our manufacturers as not able to get the line of credit to hire and expand. At the same time the commodity prices are falling so we lose as the $ tumbles. Harper relies on the his laissez-faire attitude as the Canadian economy unravels. It is time to vote with your mind and heart. Protect ordinary Canadians and elect a Liberal Government.

In last nights debate Mr. Harper made the statement that the tax credit that parents can get on their income tax for children enrolled in dance lesson or sports activities etc. is a form of cultural support. The concern I have with the credit is that not all parents can afford such activities. their is a current Canadians Tire add that claims that 1 out of 3 parents can't afford to enrol their children in hockey so they have the Jump Start programme. It seems to me that all tax payers end up subsidizing those parents who have the money to enroll their children through the GST, Gas taxes or excise taxes plus income taxes. If instead of giving the credit the government took the $s the credit costs in revenue and gave it to municipalities then the costs for programmes could be reduced and more could afford to go. As is is now the poor and those of us who are retired or without children are making a cash transfer to those who are wealth enough to have children in programmes. This seems the wrong way to have wealth redistibution.

In last nights debate Mr Harper stated his Governments intensity emission control plan would work and all other plans would be bad for the economy. We know that the climate change currently taking place is creating an economic cost to us now.

In the October edition of the Canadian Geographic www.candiangeogaphic.ca on page 28 ,the Discovery section, there is an article about the town of Salluit in northern Quebec. The town has had to move 20 homes, the floor of the fire station has collapsed and the 2 year old road to the airport is twisted with dips all as a result of the thawing permafrost.

As a Canadian this is an economic cost to me. The only really viable plan is that put forth by the Liberal part to start to arrest the dramatic changes taking place.

Mr Harper claims the fundamentals of the Canadian economy are good and that a change will lead to a recession. I contend that the fundamentals are good because of the solid capability of economic management of the previous Liberal Governments.

I also believe the recession is already hear and we are seeing it unfold. For example yesterday another multi-national, Volvo, announced it is closing their heavy machinery plant putting an additional 500 people out of work. In the last 18 months under the Tory watch credit has tightened making the cost of reinvestment more expensive for the private sector. Also under the Harper Government he has promoted tax subsidies to the oil sector and refused to implement a realistic environmental plan to cut emissions which has fueled the oil sector pushing up the value of the Canadian $ removing the competitive edge our manufacturers had on the world stage. This has resulted in massive unemployment in the manufacturing heartland with the parallel loss of revenue to all levels of government coffers. Harper has announced that he did not like the price for the new ships for the armed forces from Canadian manufacturer so he will look off shore. This will lead to higher unemployment which will cost us UIC payments,. We will also loose tax revenue from the manufacturers who would build the ships. We loose the income taxes from the laid off workers. The personal and corporate taxes will go to the country where the ships will be built. Harper economics is forcing us into a recession. He must go!