To be fair: it wouldn't be hard to leapfrog canada in any number of social ways or means. Call me when you leap frogged france or spain.
Ranting about quebec: newspark edition!
- Thread starter wonko the sane?
- Start date
Possibly, as long as it covered prescription medications.
I don’t quite know the history of why the Canadian system doesn’t cover pharmacare at a provincial or federal level. Presumably the intention was there, but it was never implanted with the rest of it? Or the right-leaning parties never wanted it?
(In defence of the Canadian system, single-payer is Actually Good for the end user. Would rather have that than multi-payer or charge-and-partial-refund, or multi-payer with charge-and-partial-refund!)
Although our system could be better, especially in terms the availability of family doctors, nurses and wait times for things like MRIs and whatnot (these are probably its 3 biggest challenges), I don't have any personal grievances against it on behalf of myself or my immediately family. It always served my grandparents very well, even covering a multi-thousand dollar drug that my grandfather had to take every 4 months for over 10 years to stall his prostate cancer. All of the extensive medications my grandmother takes is covered, even though she has a larger income in retirement than some people do who work.
Whether it'll be there for me or not, who's to say. Most people seem to believe the country is in decline, and won't last to see us to retirement. I'm lucky in that I'm relatively healthy, and have reached 40 never needing any kind of surgery and have ever only had a few prescriptions (mostly for antibiotics when I was younger, or after having my wisdom teeth out) in my life. But if I did need drugs, the insurance plan provided by my employer (which only costs me about $10/month) covers the vast majority of drugs at 90-100%.
Pharmacare would be a great thing to have, but the reality in the here and now is that our government has blown so much money on so much nothing... money that could have been spent implementing Pharmacare and half-a-dozen other programs (with enough left over to completely overhaul our military)... that we really can't afford it right now.
Whether it'll be there for me or not, who's to say. Most people seem to believe the country is in decline, and won't last to see us to retirement. I'm lucky in that I'm relatively healthy, and have reached 40 never needing any kind of surgery and have ever only had a few prescriptions (mostly for antibiotics when I was younger, or after having my wisdom teeth out) in my life. But if I did need drugs, the insurance plan provided by my employer (which only costs me about $10/month) covers the vast majority of drugs at 90-100%.
Pharmacare would be a great thing to have, but the reality in the here and now is that our government has blown so much money on so much nothing... money that could have been spent implementing Pharmacare and half-a-dozen other programs (with enough left over to completely overhaul our military)... that we really can't afford it right now.
Poilievre is going to try to collapse the government today! He's going to fail because there's more liberals and NDP votes against it, but still. All they've got is grandstanding.
It's doubtful to work; but he's trying to force Jagmeet's hand because on April 22nd, new federal electrocal district boundaries are established which actually tilt things more in the Conservatives favor and make things worse for the NDP. Despite their "successes" of late, the NDP continue to suffer a consistent drop in the last 3 or 4 polls performed. In an election called after April 22nd, the NDP are almost guaranteed to do worse than in one called earlier.
Honestly, the longer Justin stays in his position against the will of the people, the more damage he does to his party and the longer they'll end up paying for it. For me it's no longer an issue of ideology. He's proven he's unfit for the position, and I no longer care about left vs right.
In the time I grew up, there was room on both the left and right for debate, in addition to room between the two sides, and that will always be my view no matter how polarized politics appears to be on social media.
Honestly, the longer Justin stays in his position against the will of the people, the more damage he does to his party and the longer they'll end up paying for it. For me it's no longer an issue of ideology. He's proven he's unfit for the position, and I no longer care about left vs right.
In the time I grew up, there was room on both the left and right for debate, in addition to room between the two sides, and that will always be my view no matter how polarized politics appears to be on social media.
He's not in there against the will of the people. There was an election, he won it. He didn't win it by much, but he won it. There is a schedule to elections, and he will probably lose the next one. With the tribalism of the torys (whom will probably barely sweep up a minority government.) nothing will get done for the next mandate.
Just because YOU don't like someone doesn't mean they did anything untowards or illegal. And the liberals: for everything they have promised and failed to deliver actually ARE willing to cooperate and debate. They're in a partnership with the NDP right now. Just because they're incompetent doesn't mean they're tyrants.
Just because YOU don't like someone doesn't mean they did anything untowards or illegal. And the liberals: for everything they have promised and failed to deliver actually ARE willing to cooperate and debate. They're in a partnership with the NDP right now. Just because they're incompetent doesn't mean they're tyrants.
Current projections put the Cons at around 210 seats, with 170 needed for a majority. That's the current will of the people. I doubt the next government will be a minority. Whether it does well or poorly, who's to say. If they end up being twats, I'll be the first to lambast them. But they've seen the fury and outright hatred coming at Trudeau over the last year, and whatever else Pierre is, he isn't an idiot. If he reneges on promises and ends up serving corporate interests/the wealthy/etc and all the other Tory stereotypes, the fury directed at him will be 100 times worse than anything Trudeau ever dealt with. People are angry, and they're not going to get less angry.
That tends to kinda happen when people see their kids eating at food banks.
And I don't base my assumption of criminality on my dislike of their Leader. I base it on the many scandals this government has been embroiled in, and I'm not talking about the silly ones brought up just to rile certain people up like how expensive Trudeau's vacations are. I couldn't care less. We all take vacations. It'd be tasteful to show some restraint, but whaever; it's drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.
The PM's office is guilty of Obstruction of Justice, at the very least, in the case of Jody Wilson-Raybould, the only competent Justice Minister we've had of late. That's been established in committee, even if charges are never laid. And if his office didn't have the power to essentially dismiss the RCMP it would have come out much sooner.
I used to be as strong a Liberal supporter as any. I voted for them from the first time I was eligible to vote, all the way to 2015 when I voted for Trudeau in his first election. Then I watched as the middle class was further eviscerated by poor policy decisions (and I don't mean the carbon tax; I have nothing against that). The party today is not the same party of even 8 years ago. It's shifted ideologically into something the majority of Canadians don't like, and until it's stripped down to basics and rebuilt, I don't see it as a viable option. I'm not such a slave to ideology as that. They can call themselves whatever they like, but today they're very much more Illiberal than anything.
If you really want to write it off as mere incompetence, so be it. I could post many videos of recent Parliamentary Committee meetings that are looking into matters like SNC Lavalin and ArriveCAN and containing damning testimonies, and it's quite clear this is intentional corruption, not accidental. I won't (well, maybe just one short one), lol, 'cuz I doubt you'd watch them and honestly, they're a slog to get through with the exception of some of the more sarcastic MPs. They're all freely available, though, as is the case with all Parliamentary Committee meetings.
I've been working 12.5 years with my company, and if I were even a tenth as "incompetent" as any of these Ministers, I'd have been out on my ass inside the first year. And I don't make anywhere near what they do, nor do as many people's fortunes rise or fall as consequence of my actions. Being an elected representative of your fellow citizens should be an honor and a privilege, not whatever this current crop of people has turned it into.
And really.. I dunno if this is bullshit or not. It's the National Post, so it's a toss-up, but who knows. I'm sure organizations like CSIS, the CIA/FBI/whoever are always running scenarios like this to plan for one event or another. I heard the US even had some kind of plan for if Quebec had actually voted to separate in the 90s.
nationalpost.com
But IF this is true, I wonder what the RCMP knows that we don't? It's hard to imagine such a passive, complacent group of people like Canadians "revolting", lol.
That tends to kinda happen when people see their kids eating at food banks.
And I don't base my assumption of criminality on my dislike of their Leader. I base it on the many scandals this government has been embroiled in, and I'm not talking about the silly ones brought up just to rile certain people up like how expensive Trudeau's vacations are. I couldn't care less. We all take vacations. It'd be tasteful to show some restraint, but whaever; it's drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.
The PM's office is guilty of Obstruction of Justice, at the very least, in the case of Jody Wilson-Raybould, the only competent Justice Minister we've had of late. That's been established in committee, even if charges are never laid. And if his office didn't have the power to essentially dismiss the RCMP it would have come out much sooner.
I used to be as strong a Liberal supporter as any. I voted for them from the first time I was eligible to vote, all the way to 2015 when I voted for Trudeau in his first election. Then I watched as the middle class was further eviscerated by poor policy decisions (and I don't mean the carbon tax; I have nothing against that). The party today is not the same party of even 8 years ago. It's shifted ideologically into something the majority of Canadians don't like, and until it's stripped down to basics and rebuilt, I don't see it as a viable option. I'm not such a slave to ideology as that. They can call themselves whatever they like, but today they're very much more Illiberal than anything.
If you really want to write it off as mere incompetence, so be it. I could post many videos of recent Parliamentary Committee meetings that are looking into matters like SNC Lavalin and ArriveCAN and containing damning testimonies, and it's quite clear this is intentional corruption, not accidental. I won't (well, maybe just one short one), lol, 'cuz I doubt you'd watch them and honestly, they're a slog to get through with the exception of some of the more sarcastic MPs. They're all freely available, though, as is the case with all Parliamentary Committee meetings.
I've been working 12.5 years with my company, and if I were even a tenth as "incompetent" as any of these Ministers, I'd have been out on my ass inside the first year. And I don't make anywhere near what they do, nor do as many people's fortunes rise or fall as consequence of my actions. Being an elected representative of your fellow citizens should be an honor and a privilege, not whatever this current crop of people has turned it into.
And really.. I dunno if this is bullshit or not. It's the National Post, so it's a toss-up, but who knows. I'm sure organizations like CSIS, the CIA/FBI/whoever are always running scenarios like this to plan for one event or another. I heard the US even had some kind of plan for if Quebec had actually voted to separate in the 90s.
Secret RCMP report warns Canadians may revolt once they realize how broke they are
The RCMP report authors warn that whatever Canada’s current situation, it "will probably deteriorate further in the next five years."
nationalpost.com
But IF this is true, I wonder what the RCMP knows that we don't? It's hard to imagine such a passive, complacent group of people like Canadians "revolting", lol.
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Okay, then I'll put it this way. If every single minister of Parliament were to actually vote based on the majority opinion in their riding, there's no way this government would have even lasted through to 2024. It certainly wouldn't have survived today.
Eventually, when MPs outright ignore their constituents rather than truly represent their concerns, they face the consequences. About 90 Liberal MPs are currently projected to lose their seats, by pretty wide margins. NDP, as well, if anyone actually cared about them. Their leaders are riding this "coalition" (based on falsehoods, but whatever) straight into the ground. If I were one of those destined to lose my seat, at this point I'd jump ship and try to kiss my constituent's asses, hoping to win as an independent.
No, obviously elections shouldn't be called every time somebody gets pissed off, or even due to a lot of public anger. The level of anger in Canada today feels different, though.
Politics isn't something I generally bring up in the outside world. Certainly not at work, etc. But I can't go anywhere anymore without people talking about it to one degree or another. I can't recall any politician so deeply unpopular that news outlets were incessantly running stories about whether he should step down, with reporters even going so far as to ask the PM directly.
And most of these people don't pay anywhere near the amount of attention that I do. They certainly don't leave Parliamentary Committees on in the background while they make dinner, etc. And they're still furious.
Eventually, when MPs outright ignore their constituents rather than truly represent their concerns, they face the consequences. About 90 Liberal MPs are currently projected to lose their seats, by pretty wide margins. NDP, as well, if anyone actually cared about them. Their leaders are riding this "coalition" (based on falsehoods, but whatever) straight into the ground. If I were one of those destined to lose my seat, at this point I'd jump ship and try to kiss my constituent's asses, hoping to win as an independent.
No, obviously elections shouldn't be called every time somebody gets pissed off, or even due to a lot of public anger. The level of anger in Canada today feels different, though.
Politics isn't something I generally bring up in the outside world. Certainly not at work, etc. But I can't go anywhere anymore without people talking about it to one degree or another. I can't recall any politician so deeply unpopular that news outlets were incessantly running stories about whether he should step down, with reporters even going so far as to ask the PM directly.
And most of these people don't pay anywhere near the amount of attention that I do. They certainly don't leave Parliamentary Committees on in the background while they make dinner, etc. And they're still furious.
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“The will of the people” is what the Tory government(s) here have been shrieking for the last nearly eight years, using it to justify xenophobia, austerity and draconian laws. Absolutely hateful phrase.
When individuals use statements like "the will of the people" I find it often helpful to ask "how do you define people?". Because I've seen, and been victim of, entirely too many politicians who don't count me as a person when they speak and make policy.
So is that what you're accusing me of? Because I used some words a political entity in an entirely different country used?
If you want draconian laws, I've already referenced one our ostensibly left-wing government has tabled. A law that empowers the government to punish someone based on the fear or suspicion that they may do something in the future. That's peak authoritarianism, and only belongs in crappy Tom Cruise films.
But I guess since they pretend to be on the correct side, they can do no wrong and be endlessly excused.
You aren't being accused of anything.
But you sound a hell of a lot like my friend in saskatchewan who's completely abandoned critical thinking and given into tory outrage politics. You are entitled to your beliefs, opinions and points of view: but critical thought is a hard requirement. And I say this because you said...
No one is excusing the liberals of anything. No one is excusing politicians in general of anything.
Why are you saying what you are saying, where did you hear what you are saying, and who benefits from telling you what you are saying. Use your brain; politicians in general, regardless of leaning or affiliation are to be questioned on EVERYTHING. When you dislike them, and especially when you do like them.
You're sounding extremely jaded and burnt on this stuff, but that leaves you open to be extremised. You need to know when to walk away, and you need to understand why.
Don't fall into the trap of not thinking, and don't fall for the trap of hating without cause.
But you sound a hell of a lot like my friend in saskatchewan who's completely abandoned critical thinking and given into tory outrage politics. You are entitled to your beliefs, opinions and points of view: but critical thought is a hard requirement. And I say this because you said...
that.
No one is excusing the liberals of anything. No one is excusing politicians in general of anything.
Why are you saying what you are saying, where did you hear what you are saying, and who benefits from telling you what you are saying. Use your brain; politicians in general, regardless of leaning or affiliation are to be questioned on EVERYTHING. When you dislike them, and especially when you do like them.
You're sounding extremely jaded and burnt on this stuff, but that leaves you open to be extremised. You need to know when to walk away, and you need to understand why.
Don't fall into the trap of not thinking, and don't fall for the trap of hating without cause.
Nobody's "told" me anything. As I said, I've been following the investigations via the televised and streamed Parliamentary committees. Certainly nobody benefits, because my opinion is only important to myself. If other been a cardv carrying member of any party, and certainly don't donate.
But it's my conclusion the PM's office did indeed engage in obstruction of justice. And pretty much got away with it. They're not nearly as incompetent as they sometimes look, at least not in that arena.
My frustration is admittedly growing, because I'm getting older and closer to being weak and old and vulnerable. In 20 or 25 years, when I retire, I don't want to retire in a banana republic.
Especially not one that isn't even warm enough to grow actual bananas. At least then I could live in an SUV, lol.
But it's my conclusion the PM's office did indeed engage in obstruction of justice. And pretty much got away with it. They're not nearly as incompetent as they sometimes look, at least not in that arena.
My frustration is admittedly growing, because I'm getting older and closer to being weak and old and vulnerable. In 20 or 25 years, when I retire, I don't want to retire in a banana republic.
Especially not one that isn't even warm enough to grow actual bananas. At least then I could live in an SUV, lol.
Are you a lawyer with parliament, or the RCMP?
Cause if you aren't, and you know about it: then they didn't get away with it. It was either investigated and dropped because it wasn't obstruction, or it's being investigated because it is, and active investigations aren't subject to public announcements.
In your OPINION, they got away with obstruction, but that doesn't mean that's what happened.
critical thought my dude, 99% of what happens in government is completely invisible due to scale and region.
Edit: and turn off Cspan man, unless you're there for a specific debate or vote: it has failed in its mission to add transparency to the actions of the government. Sure, it's broadcasting, but gives very little useful information without having the parliamentary rule library up your browser. Put on YTV and listen to cartoons, put on the CHOM 97.7 stream and listen to some music, turn off the tv and enjoy your tinnitus.
Cause if you aren't, and you know about it: then they didn't get away with it. It was either investigated and dropped because it wasn't obstruction, or it's being investigated because it is, and active investigations aren't subject to public announcements.
In your OPINION, they got away with obstruction, but that doesn't mean that's what happened.
critical thought my dude, 99% of what happens in government is completely invisible due to scale and region.
Edit: and turn off Cspan man, unless you're there for a specific debate or vote: it has failed in its mission to add transparency to the actions of the government. Sure, it's broadcasting, but gives very little useful information without having the parliamentary rule library up your browser. Put on YTV and listen to cartoons, put on the CHOM 97.7 stream and listen to some music, turn off the tv and enjoy your tinnitus.
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Yerwot, mate? Not accusations. Just pointing out that phrase you repeated is as sinister as it comes. And I’ve seen it used in some awful ways by the crooked lot in charge of my own country to justify the unjustifiable.
(Left wing government, though? Really? Aren’t the Liberals just another big business neoliberal party, just more interventionist and culturally liberal than the other lot?)
Okay, it's my opinion they're guilty. But an opinion that corresponds the the RCMP's own list of conditions necessary for it to be the case, all but one of which were confirmed to be positive. They were unable to confirm the last condition someone refused to be questioned.
What bothers me is that would happen to any one of us if the RCMP showed up to question us, we told them to get lost and slammed the fire in their face.
They're not quite even that. They're (certain) big business friendly, as long as you're among the chosen. The aforementioned SNC is in the club because Quebec's provincial pension plan is deeply invested in the company. But if they think it'll garner a few votes, they'll gladly demonize big business, like Canada Big 3 grocery chains, who are deeply unpopular right now. Ultimately, I doubt hauling the 3 CEOs will lower for prices, but it's a good "show trial" to put on for the plebs.
I call them left wing because that's their brand, what they sell themselves as, and it's why the majority of Canadians (who are left leaning centrists) tended to vote for them, myself previously included. The NDP are too far left for many, and the conservatives (ostensibly center right) have had a hard time shaking the stigma of their opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage from 35 and 20 years ago, respectively.
What bothers me is that would happen to any one of us if the RCMP showed up to question us, we told them to get lost and slammed the fire in their face.
They're not quite even that. They're (certain) big business friendly, as long as you're among the chosen. The aforementioned SNC is in the club because Quebec's provincial pension plan is deeply invested in the company. But if they think it'll garner a few votes, they'll gladly demonize big business, like Canada Big 3 grocery chains, who are deeply unpopular right now. Ultimately, I doubt hauling the 3 CEOs will lower for prices, but it's a good "show trial" to put on for the plebs.
I call them left wing because that's their brand, what they sell themselves as, and it's why the majority of Canadians (who are left leaning centrists) tended to vote for them, myself previously included. The NDP are too far left for many, and the conservatives (ostensibly center right) have had a hard time shaking the stigma of their opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage from 35 and 20 years ago, respectively.
Honestly, I think of the Canadian Liberals as more like the US Democrats: Big corporate neoliberal party, but more progressive-friendly than their main rival. They’ve both enacted social and political reforms that have raised living conditions of the regular people, but also not really done enough in many areas. And they’re both corrupted. Then again, had the CCF/NDP had replaced the Liberals, like their respective counterparts in European and commonwealth countries did, it probably wouldn’t be massively different today to the current Liberals, other than perhaps gotten more social reforms achieved, past-tense.
So the caq are currently toying with the idea of screen time legislation for youths.
I mean... I don't disagree that most toddlers and kids are spending entirely too much time on devices. I wouldn't disagree that adults are as well. My question is: how would you enforce this... without violating the publics right to privacy?
Oh right, this is the same party that wants to know who is speaking french at home and how much: so they very much intend to violate my right to privacy.
I mean... I don't disagree that most toddlers and kids are spending entirely too much time on devices. I wouldn't disagree that adults are as well. My question is: how would you enforce this... without violating the publics right to privacy?
Oh right, this is the same party that wants to know who is speaking french at home and how much: so they very much intend to violate my right to privacy.
Hah, that’s like when Tories here publicly float the idea of banning under-16s (or under-18s) from social media. Completely unenforceable without creating the most authoritarian surveillance state in world history.