Will the real Pierre Poilievre please stand up?

[PrivatePilot]

Dystopia: Are we there yet?

There is a chain of command between the prime minister who chooses the cabinet and the cabinet choosing the CBC twelve directors. In a convoluted way the PM can censor the news.

The RCMP commissionaire is chosen by the PM. That means the PM can possibly choose a commissionaire that looks left or right. The PM can influence the outcome of federal crimes.

I don't know what system is worse, our privileged appointments or the US system of elected officials, judges, prosecutors, sheriffs etc. Having officials elected by barely literate rednecks scares me.

Having them appointed by a narcissistic PM doesn't make me feel any better.

I there any way of fixing the problem without bloodshed?

Step back. Deep breath. Compara Canada to places like China, North Korea, Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq...Syria....

We don't have it anywhere near as bad as some seem to have convinced themselves, or been convinced by all the ranting and such on social media.

We enjoy one of the highest freedom ratings in the world, with only a small number of other countries ahead of us, and not by that much, and take note, some of those countries are far more restictive on certain things that so many here seem to want to equate to "freedom", so again, deep breath everyone...bigger picture. Reality check.

Freedom Index by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

 

[jc100]

Step back. Deep breath. Compara Canada to places like China, North Korea, Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq...Syria....

We don't have it anywhere near as bad as some seem to have convinced themselves, or been convinced by all the ranting and such on social media.

We enjoy one of the highest freedom ratings in the world, with only a small number of other countries ahead of us, and not by that much, and take note, some of those countries are far more restictive on certain things that so many here seem to want to equate to "freedom", so again, deep breath everyone...bigger picture. Reality check.

Freedom Index by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

The only thing I can consistently whine about here are ****** winters. Everything else is more of an inconvenience/annoyance.

I don’t mind the rate of taxes as long as I know everyone else is paying their share too. We still pay less than Scandinavian countries and they don’t seem to complain much.
Kids aren’t being indoctrinated in the way people think. There’s just more choice and more acceptance of discussion of topics that we didn’t have when we were kids. You don’t have to like it, but it’s not going away…a bit like Taylor Swift.
Politics here are tame. Both parties have their issues. The creeping divisive “Americanism” of politics is disturbing. The tribal black or white/my-team/your team crap is tiring. No one seems to work for the betterment of society as a whole any more, it’s all about the perceived base. Overall, the political situation here is leagues better than the clown show in the south.
Housing is an issue but if you have a capitalist society where a few greedy fucks, both domestic and international, hoard housing like collecting baseball cards that’s what you get. An incentive or regulation to provide adequate affordable housing could be sorted out at the government level but lobbyists seem pretty effective at squashing that. Even something as drastic as qualified first home hunters have priority for purchase of property.
The widening wealth disparity we see isn’t unusual. It’s an issue in a lot of places.

Overall there are many many ******** places to live.

 

[Mad Mike]

Democratic socialism is not totalitarian socialism and you know it.
Oh, the 'do your research' remark - I've been waiting for that one.
Has anyone actually showed up at your house and taken your guns away ? I didn't think so.
My grandfather taught me to shoot. Rule #1 was don't point it or pull the trigger unless you're prepared to kill what you're aiming at. Are you a hunter ?
The top 1% is not paying their fair share, so until they do what's left of the middle class will continue to get pounded.
What this country really needs is major tax reform because them that got don't like to share except under extreme duress.
During WW2 the guv taxed the high earners at 70% to fund the war effort. We're in an economic war now.
For the record - I am no fan of the current federal or provincial governments.
Their business is staying in power and helping out their cronies - nothing more and nothing less.
Join a political party - vote - make your opinions known then maybe we can get some positive, constructive change.
At least here in Canada you and I can agree to disagree without being sent to a gulag...

I don’t think the amount of tax we pay is as big of an issue as the tax we waste.

An ever expanding civil service, lack of taxpayer representation in barganing with PSUs, and the delta In pay between govt and private sector employment.

My home taxes were $1300/year when I bought my home in 2000. Next year they will be $7000.

In 2020 my city would build a 2 rink community centre for $4m. in the last 10 years, building a community centre has cost $60-125m.

Same house for firehalls, police stations, civic centres, school board offices. And that’s just the civic monuments, never mind the staff and maintenance to support them.

Oh, I forgot the 2 stall public bathroom on Main St, the 16x12 building cost $250k to build. My pool house is about the same size, it was $6k.

 

[nobbie48]

Step back. Deep breath. Compara Canada to places like China, North Korea, Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq...Syria....

We don't have it anywhere near as bad as some seem to have convinced themselves, or been convinced by all the ranting and such on social media.

We enjoy one of the highest freedom ratings in the world, with only a small number of other countries ahead of us, and not by that much, and take note, some of those countries are far more restictive on certain things that so many here seem to want to equate to "freedom", so again, deep breath everyone...bigger picture. Reality check.

Freedom Index by Country 2024

worldpopulationreview.com

Just think what we could be.

 

[jc100]

Just think what we could be.

The biggest first step would be changing the national economic focus from digging crap out the ground or chopping stuff down to sell to (much, much) more investment in high tech industry.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Just think what we could be.

For a moment, step back and think about what we are.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

Does the minister of immigration ever talk to the minister of agriculture?

Does the Minister of Agriculture know anything about agriculture or did he just tick the right inclusive boxes? He's been back as the Minister of Agriculture for 5 months now after serving 4 years as the Minister of Veterans' Affairs, getting shuffled as the debacle involving Veterans Affairs Canada case workers were offering to cover the cost of MAID to veterans seeking coverage for medical issues was under his watch (nothing to see here, folks). He does identify as a farmer. There's that. Then again, our Minister of Finance has a degree in Russian history and literature, but does tick several inclusive boxes as well. Seems to be a theme with the LPC.

 

[nobbie48]

For a moment, step back and think about what we are becoming.

I have. That's what's bothering me.

 

[nobbie48]

Does the Minister of Agriculture know anything about agriculture or did he just tick the right inclusive boxes? He's been back as the Minister of Agriculture for 5 months now after serving 4 years as the Minister of Veterans' Affairs, getting shuffled as the debacle involving Veterans Affairs Canada case workers were offering to cover the cost of MAID to veterans seeking coverage for medical issues was under his watch (nothing to see here, folks). He does identify as a farmer. There's that. Then again, our Minister of Finance has a degree in Russian history and literature, but does tick several inclusive boxes as well. Seems to be a theme with the LPC.

One of the best Ministers of Agriculture was Eugene Whelan. IIRC he was a farmer. Unfortunately he would make un-Woke comments suggesting the problems in Latin America were because they didn't wear hats and the sun did things to their brains. Can't win.

Whelan's English was rough-hewn, and his French was non-existent. He openly acknowledged this, exclaiming:

Canada has two official languages and I don't speak none of them.[4]

Ministers of Anything are usually dependent on staffers, researchers and speech writers.

I know one of the staffers and let's say she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Image is everything.

Civil servants are SERVANTS to the 99% of the population who are their collective masters. She only dines at quaint bistros. McDonalds isn't on the list. Sixty percent of the population does eat at McDonalds so she is out of touch with 60% of the people in the country that don't have the time and or money to go elsewhere.

How do you govern the masses if you don't know what they're going through?

 

[TK4]

The biggest first step would be changing the national economic focus from digging crap out the ground or chopping stuff down to sell to (much, much) more investment in high tech industry.

We (rightly or wrongly) have always been a nation based on rocks, trees, wheat and fish. And will likely continue to be until they all run out.

 

[nobbie48]

Do you think or political leaders aren't entitled to vacations? Do you suggest that if they are OK to take vacations they should go stay at the Super8 and eat McDonalds, especially if they're paying their own way? Do you think they don't need security? Do you think they should take commercial airlines?

Do you think Poilevre won't take vacations if he's the next PM? And do you think he'll stay at cheap hotels without security and travel on commerical airlines in cattle class with the peasants?

Just a bit of an aside. Now that the list is being made public I wonder about all the vacationers to Epstein land and the association to the activities. The spin doctors will be busy.

 

[TK4]

Just a bit of an aside. Now that the list is being made public I wonder about all the vacationers to Epstein land and the association to the activities. The spin doctors will be busy.

Speaking of which, where's JT for the holidays - Moose Jaw ? Nope....

 

[PrivatePilot]

Does the Minister of Agriculture know anything about agriculture or did he just tick the right inclusive boxes?

I'm reasonably convinced none of the ministers have the slightest clue about the jobs they're thrown into until the day they first sit at the desk, and accordingly, it's actually all the underlings in those departments who DO actually know what's going on (as they've probably worked there for decades) and are the ones actually making the decisions, with the big-fat-paycheque ministers are basically just taking their advisements, rubber stamping them, and then crowing about "look what I did!" to everyone else.

Speaking of which, where's JT for the holidays - Moose Jaw ? Nope....

Would you go to Moose Jaw for vacation in the dead of winter? When the overwhelming majority of Canadians go away for a winter vacation, do they go somewhere colder, or do they go somewhere nice and warm with palm trees?

Again, I'm no fan of JT, but I also tire of the double standards. If PP is the next PM, he too will take vacations as well, on government jets, to nice warm places in the winter.... Of course, the left will conveniently be quiet about it then.

 

[FullMotoJacket]

When the overwhelming majority of Canadians go away for a winter vacation, do they go somewhere colder, or do they go somewhere nice and warm with palm trees?

That needs to be corrected to 'When the overwhelming majority of Canadians who DO go away for a winter vacation'. The majority of Canadians that I see don't go anywhere for a vacation, let alone chose between a hot or cold one in the winter (I do know people that have gone to one of the big three ski resorts in BC or QC for vacation, so cold is not unheard of).

 

[PrivatePilot]

That needs to be corrected to 'When the overwhelming majority of Canadians who DO go away for a winter vacation'. The majority of Canadians that I see don't go anywhere for a vacation, let alone chose between a hot or cold one in the winter (I do know people that have gone to one of the big three ski resorts in BC or QC for vacation, so cold is not unheard of).

Sure, but of the percentage of Canadians who do go away, I don't think it needs to be said which way the majority go.

 

[GreyGhost]

Sure, but of the percentage of Canadians who do go away, I don't think it needs to be said which way the majority go.

An infitesimal number go to a place that is 9k a night and book a half dozen rooms using our money.

 

[Evoex]

The only thing I can consistently whine about here are ****** winters. Everything else is more of an inconvenience/annoyance.

I don’t mind the rate of taxes as long as I know everyone else is paying their share too. We still pay less than Scandinavian countries and they don’t seem to complain much.
Kids aren’t being indoctrinated in the way people think. There’s just more choice and more acceptance of discussion of topics that we didn’t have when we were kids. You don’t have to like it, but it’s not going away…a bit like Taylor Swift.
Politics here are tame. Both parties have their issues. The creeping divisive “Americanism” of politics is disturbing. The tribal black or white/my-team/your team crap is tiring. No one seems to work for the betterment of society as a whole any more, it’s all about the perceived base. Overall, the political situation here is leagues better than the clown show in the south.
Housing is an issue but if you have a capitalist society where a few greedy fucks, both domestic and international, hoard housing like collecting baseball cards that’s what you get. An incentive or regulation to provide adequate affordable housing could be sorted out at the government level but lobbyists seem pretty effective at squashing that. Even something as drastic as qualified first home hunters have priority for purchase of property.
The widening wealth disparity we see isn’t unusual. It’s an issue in a lot of places.

Overall there are many many ******** places to live.

Isn’t Scandinavia the land where 8 week vacations are the norm? Much better work/life balance in Europe.

 

[PrivatePilot]

An infitesimal number go to a place that is 9k a night and book a half dozen rooms using our money.

Well, lets revisit this thread in 5 years if PP becomes PM and we'll see how he's doin' with his vacations and travel.

There's a long, long track record of political candidates harping on others about their expenditures and vacations, only to do the exact same things if they reach office, and completely failing to care about the hypocricacy at that point. More yet don't seem to understand that there's a certain level of expenditures that those above them *must* spend simply as a matter of the realities of the position. Again, the PM can't travel in cattle-class along with others flying on Flair Airlines when he/she wants or needs to go somewhere.

(Reminder link added to my calendar to revisit this thread 5 years from today...)

 

[WestBrantKid]

I hear PP saying a lot of good things over the last year, but I'm concerned he's a WEF Trojan Horse. Anyone else wonder about this, or am I being paranoid?

 

[FullMotoJacket]

I hear PP saying a lot of good things over the last year, but I'm concerned he's a WEF Trojan Horse. Anyone else wonder about this, or am I being paranoid?

Sorry I missed you at christmas. Here, have a meme.