All Purpose Politics and News Thread

[TaraF]

Ahhh the Robocalls scandal. Could it be that we'll get some answers soon? Andrew Prescott has been offered immunity from prosecution in the case, but if the Conservatives are as innocent as they claim, why does he need immunity? Sing birdie. Sing!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/robo...cott-1.2497625

[Natalka]

Popularity of premiers - survey between Dec. 3-13 2013

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s job approval rating remains the highest among the country’s provincial leaders, according to a new poll.

The Angus Reid Global online survey asked adults in nine provinces about the job performance of their premiers.
Saskatchewan’s premier earned a 66 per cent approval rating, the country’s highest, while Newfoundland’s Kathy Dunderdale bottomed out at 24 per cent.



Saskatchewan: Brad Wall 66%


Nova Scotia: Stephen McNeil 57%


British Columbia: Christy Clark 42%


Ontario: Kathleen Wynne 35%


Québec: Pauline Marois 32%


Alberta: Alison Redford 31%


New Brunswick: David Alward 31%


Manitoba: Greg Selinger 28%


Newfoundland and Labrador: Kathy Dunderdale 24%

http://globalnews.ca/news/1083523/sa...-premier-poll/

Brad's done an amazing job for our province!

[Patty Smyth]

Well what can I say about Pauline.............

[TaraF]

Patty are you sure that isn't Rob Ford? Nevermind, he's just a wreck.

[gryphon]

Patty are you sure that isn't Rob Ford? Nevermind, he's just a wreck.

Who 47% of Toronto says they will re-elect

[Patty Smyth]

Who 47% of Toronto says they will re-elect

If George W. can get re-elected anything is possible.

[Patty Smyth]

Yeah we're number .......what???? Last!! Yay thanks Stevie!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle15484134/

Canada “has the dubious honor of being the only CDI country with an environment score which has gone down since we first calculated the CDI [in 2003],” the report said. “This reflects rising fossil fuel production and its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only treaty governing the emissions of heat-trapping gasses. Canada has dropped below the U.S. into bottom place on the environment component.”

[DaveP]

Yeah we're number .......what???? Last!! Yay thanks Stevie!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle15484134/

Canada “has the dubious honor of being the only CDI country with an environment score which has gone down since we first calculated the CDI [in 2003],” the report said. “This reflects rising fossil fuel production and its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only treaty governing the emissions of heat-trapping gasses. Canada has dropped below the U.S. into bottom place on the environment component.”

That's because our oil sector is developing now, whereas other nations developed theirs earlier and have been going at full production for years. They're not increasing production because they can't. Yet the US still produces 3 times the oil we do, Russia and Saudi Arabia both produce 4 times what we do. They have been at these levels for more than a decade so they aren't seen as getting worse even though they produce and release far more carbon than we do. We produce and emit far less than they do but because we're producing more than a decade ago we're seen as worse. And that oil we export? Gets burned in the US. If we stopped producing oil then the US would burn more Venezualan and Saudi oil. What's that old saying about lies, damn lies and statistics? Seems apt in this case.

[Natalka]

How dare we have low gasoline taxes and subsidies for fishing!

Note - "Countries such as Russia, China, India and Brazil are not included in the survey because they are not members of the OECD group."

But there's also good news!

"Canada scored best in trade and migration, where it finished fourth and third respectively. On trade, the centre cited Canada’s low tariffs on agricultural imports as helping poorer nations. And on migration the centre said Canada is among the leaders in welcoming immigrants and students from developing countries."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle15484134/

Much much more here

http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/canada/

[TaraF]

Who 47% of Toronto says they will re-elect

I couldn't care less if 99% of Toronto said they would re elect him, the man is a cocaine addict with a temper and a proven liar, if that doesn't constitute him being a wreck I don't know what does.

[TaraF]

Our oil sector is indeed developing. Into a catastrophe for us and the environment.

Hiroshima on the left, oilsands on the right. Disgusting.

[DaveP]

Do you drive a car Tara? Use the bus? Do you buy food in grcocery stores that has been trucked from distant locations? How do you heat your house? What do you wear? Do you buy anything made of plastic? Do you buy anything made in China and steamed across the ocean in gigantic oil guzzling superships?

That computer you just used to post your message about how disgusting this all is, did you know Chinese companies get the rare earth elements necessary to build it by strip mining vast areas in Africa?



^^there's where your computer and your smartphone came from!

And guess where it goes when you're done



Thousands sacrifice their health recycling toxic components so you can type your disgust at it all.

I'm sorry, but until you have given up all the advantages of modern life and go back to a subsistence living on your own little plot of land you have absolutley no moral high ground to stand on. You are raping the earth just as much as any of us.

[TaraF]

Well Dave, if our Government would take the environment and our well being seriously and put it ahead of the almighty dollar they would realize that things need to change. I can't use anything but the services available to me and since Harper & Co worship oil that's all we will be dependent on while he is in office. When we get someone in office that realizes the impact that oil production has on us and the environment and gives grants to companies to produce clean products and develop clean machines then I will be more than happy to rely on those instead.

P.S Don't get me started on "made in china and everywhere else". NAFTA was the worst thing ever for Canada, (infact most Free Trade agreements have lead to what is starting to become the demise of Canada.) That is until Harper gets his way and FIPPA goes through. Selling Canada off to the highest bidder.

[Natalka]

Our oil sector is indeed developing. Into a catastrophe for us and the environment.

Hiroshima on the left, oilsands on the right. Disgusting.

So, how is the Neil Young koolaid?

Absolutely horrid analogy for him to trivialize the deaths of so many who perished in Hiroshima - so disrespectful.

Good read from Rex Murphy -
http://www.cbc.ca/news/neil-young-s-...rphy-1.2501131

[Natalka]

Well Dave, if our Government would take the environment and our well being seriously and put it ahead of the almighty dollar they would realize that things need to change. I can't use anything but the services available to me and since Harper & Co worship oil that's all we will be dependent on while he is in office. When we get someone in office that realizes the impact that oil production has on us and the environment and gives grants to companies to produce clean products and develop clean machines then I will be more than happy to rely on those instead.

P.S Don't get me started on "made in china and everywhere else". NAFTA was the worst thing ever for Canada, (infact most Free Trade agreements have lead to what is starting to become the demise of Canada.) That is until Harper gets his way and FIPPA goes through. Selling Canada off to the highest bidder.

The 'blame Harper for everything' stuff is getting really old - oil production didn't just start once he got into office.

Just what would change with your usage and consumption of things made from petroleum products should another party be in power?

Would you really be happier if things were different, and taxes went up by 30% in order to fund health care, education, etc.?

You really have to think of how your life is benefited by all of this now.

"The standard of living we enjoy in the developed world - where we're statistically better fed, healthier and more long-lived than at any other time in the planet's history - depends in large part on oil-powered transportation and energy infrastructures.

It's a standard aspired to by increasing numbers of people around the world, and a standard that increasingly is within their reach.

They're looking to us, in part, to fuel their futures.

We're looking to them, in part, to fuel our economies."



http://www.leaderpost.com/business/w...154/story.html