CanPol Megathread: Big Changus

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Furnaceface: Oct 21, 2004

CLAM DOWN posted:

Not strictly canpol related, but Shaw is buying Wind http://www.theglobeandmail.com/incoming/shaw-buying-wind-mobile-for-16-billion/article27791628/?click=sf_globe

God loving drat it.

Nationalize everything to do with phones/cellular/internet.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 01:16

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# ? May 15, 2024 01:41

B33rChiller: Aug 18, 2011

bunnyofdoom posted:

Promise kept!

(Kitsilano Coast Guard base)

Sounds promising, but a little light on the details so far. Is there going to be any extra funding for the CCG to pay for Kits, or is this going to be a case of do more with the same$?
Also of note: With a new government, are the rank and file allowed to speak to the public again? I know our scienterrifics are allowed to speak publicly again, but I wonder about the rest of the public service.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 01:53

Excelzior: Jun 24, 2013

BattleMaster posted:

It's weird as poo poo that we're open about military procurement, but the supplier of some basic consumer goods is being kept secret. What kind of security issue could that possibly be?

the mittens are infected with smallpox :tinfoil:

# ? Dec 17, 2015 02:00

Risky Bisquick: Jan 18, 2008; PLEASE LET ME WRITE YOUR VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT SO I CAN FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THE CALAMITY THAT IS OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM.; Buglord

Excelzior posted:

the mittens are infected with smallpox

Trudeau isn't a cartoon villian like Assad.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 02:07

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

He's just a cartoon

# ? Dec 17, 2015 02:20

yellowcar: Feb 14, 2010

I hope Trudeau-senpai notices me~

# ? Dec 17, 2015 03:06

The Butcher: Apr 20, 2005; Well, at least we tried.; Nap Ghost

bunnyofdoom posted:

Promise kept!

(Kitsilano Coast Guard base)

Closing it was a serious tactical mistake on Harper's part. In the big picture the additional costs were meaningless compared the the benefits (real and optical) of keeping it open.

Pretty much everyone in the city was super pissed about it. It came off as vindictive, petty and dangerous. Great combo.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 03:06

B33rChiller: Aug 18, 2011

The Butcher posted:

Closing it was a serious tactical mistake on Harper's part. In the big picture the additional costs were meaningless compared the the benefits (real and optical) of keeping it open.

Pretty much everyone in the city was super pissed about it. It came off as vindictive, petty and dangerous. Great combo.

Would the PM bother with the minutia of where individual stations are operating? I doubt it was a decision made by Harper. Likely came from within the Coast Guard, either the Ottawa or Victoria office. I don't doubt Trudeau instantly recognised the points he could score promising to re-open it though.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 03:51

The Butcher: Apr 20, 2005; Well, at least we tried.; Nap Ghost

B33rChiller posted:

Would the PM bother with the minutia of where individual stations are operating? I doubt it was a decision made by Harper. Likely came from within the Coast Guard, either the Ottawa or Victoria office. I don't doubt Trudeau instantly recognised the points he could score promising to re-open it though.

It became a big political issue, I agree he wouldn't have been the one to pick it out at first, but once it blew up as an election issue it certainly would have crossed his desk and could have been vetoed.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 03:53

Femtosecond: Aug 2, 2003

Trudeau is visiting Vancouver City Hall tomorrow morning. Maybe he'll just re-announce the opening of the Kits Lifeguard station or maybe something new? Federal cash for the Malkin connection to Clark that is a necessary part of the Viaduct teardown plan would make sense. A rejigging of the typical "1/3 each government" transit funding arrangement in a way such that Vancouver doesn't have to pay as much for the Broadway Line would be a big surprise.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 05:54

Jordan7hm: Feb 17, 2011; Lipstick Apathy

I'm ok with a fourth big player in wireless in Canada.

Wind, like Mobilicity, had some real issues. Their cheap rates have been nice, but as the bigger companies start offering data at saner prices, it's becoming less of a factor.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 06:03

DariusLikewise: Oct 4, 2008; You wore that on Halloween?

I don't remember this being posted, but they are following through with the Freedom Road funding.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...lick=sf_globefb

# ? Dec 17, 2015 06:27

The Butcher: Apr 20, 2005; Well, at least we tried.; Nap Ghost

DariusLikewise posted:

I don't remember this being posted, but they are following through with the Freedom Road funding.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...lick=sf_globefb

"That's a pretty swell thing to do after loving those people over so hard for so long. Let's check the comments!"

:smith:

# ? Dec 17, 2015 07:08

Albino Squirrel: Apr 25, 2003; Miosis more like meiosis

The Butcher posted:

"That's a pretty swell thing to do after loving those people over so hard for so long. Let's check the comments!"

Never check the comments.

The Toronto Star has realized this to the point where they're shutting them down, thank Allah.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 07:13

Melian Dialogue: Jan 9, 2015; NOT A RACIST

Melian Dialogue fucked around with this message at 05:33 on Feb 2, 2016

# ? Dec 17, 2015 07:19

bunnyofdoom: Mar 29, 2008; I've been here the whole time, and you're not my real Dad!

Canada's 'Superman' Trudeau praised in Arab media for welcoming Syrian refugees

If you wanna feel good today about Canada and the Government, and how Canada' international reputation is doing.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 15:13

egg tats: Apr 3, 2010

bunnyofdoom posted:

Canada's 'Superman' Trudeau praised in Arab media for welcoming Syrian refugees

If you wanna feel good today about Canada and the Government, and how Canada' international reputation is doing.

I don't know if we've ever actually been the country people thought we were when I was young, but it's at least good to be putting up the front again.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 15:25

HackensackBackpack: Aug 20, 2007; Who needs a house out in Hackensack? Is that all you get for your money?

Paging Ikantski

:siren:

Two former McGuinty aides charged in gas plants scandal :siren:

quote:

Ontario Provincial Police have laid criminal charges against two former Dalton McGuinty aides, David Livingston and Laura Miller, in connection with the deletion of documents related to two cancelled gas plants.

Each is charged with breach of trust, mischief in relation to data and misuse of a computer system to commit the offence of mischief.

Also of note to B.C. Canpol goons, because Laura Miller is executive director of the B.C. Liberal Party, which is also being investigated for deleted emails! Fun!

# ? Dec 17, 2015 15:57

The Dark One: Aug 19, 2005; I'm your friend and I'm not going to just stand by and let you do this!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/gas-plant-charges-1.3369470

The Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff to Dalton McGuinty have been charged in connection with those lovely gas plants.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 15:57

Postess with the Mostest: Apr 4, 2007; Arabian nights
'neath Arabian moons
A fool off his guard
could fall and fall hard
out there on the dunes

Leofish posted:

Paging Ikantski

Also of note to B.C. Canpol goons, because Laura Miller is executive director of the B.C. Liberal Party, which is also being investigated for deleted emails! Fun!

Haha, looks like Christmas came a week early this year. Hopefully their integrity is as flimsy as their party's and they incriminate some of the bigger fish.

quote:

[Laura] Miller, now executive director of the British Columbia Liberal Party, has also not commented, but B.C. Premier Christy Clark vouched for her Monday.

�She is a person of absolutely sterling character, and she works incredibly hard for our party and our province,� Clark told reporters in Ottawa. �She is a person of the utmost integrity and we�re really, really lucky to have her in B.C. . . . of course, you know, she is not the target of this investigation.�

Edit: Niiiice

quote:

The OPP said Thursday they also brought in federal prosecutors to handle the case.

Postess with the Mostest fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Dec 17, 2015

# ? Dec 17, 2015 16:12

bunnyofdoom: Mar 29, 2008; I've been here the whole time, and you're not my real Dad!

Laura Miller responded

So, is this gently caress cops or gently caress OLP to you guys?

# ? Dec 17, 2015 17:28

Kafka Esq.: Jan 1, 2005; "If you ever even think about calling me anything but 'The Crab' I will go so fucking crab on your ass you won't even see what crab'd your crab" -The Crab(TM)

bunnyofdoom posted:

Laura Miller responded

So, is this gently caress cops or gently caress OLP to you guys?

A pox on both your houses.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 17:35

Morroque: Mar 6, 2013

Not either or, but both and.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 17:36

Postess with the Mostest: Apr 4, 2007; Arabian nights
'neath Arabian moons
A fool off his guard
could fall and fall hard
out there on the dunes

gently caress the cops for taking so long

quote:

“FOI This. Mantha is an absolute rear end in a top hat,” Ms. Miller wrote to Mr. Livingston.

“LOL! This one will never get the Double Delete,” he replied.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 17:46

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

LOL! WAIT UNTIL I POST THIS DUM CONSTITUENT'S EMALE ON COMEDY 4UMs.com

# ? Dec 17, 2015 18:10

Do it ironically: Jul 13, 2010; by Pragmatica

axe falling at my company tough to see good people go, if you albertans want to help out donate to the food bank, they're extremely short this year in supplies

# ? Dec 17, 2015 18:27

Ron_Jeremy: Sep 29, 2003

B33rChiller posted:

Would the PM bother with the minutia of where individual stations are operating? I doubt it was a decision made by Harper. Likely came from within the Coast Guard, either the Ottawa or Victoria office. I don't doubt Trudeau instantly recognised the points he could score promising to re-open it though.

I'm still of the belief that there's only one rational explanation for this; that station was smack dab in the middle of the last 2 Liberal ridings in BC after 2011. Simple example of moving funding from a Liberal riding to a Conservative one. Of course Harper didn't make the decision, I'm sure it was some low level lacky in the PMO, like most of these types of decisions.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 18:41

Ron_Jeremy: Sep 29, 2003

Jordan7hm posted:

I'm ok with a fourth big player in wireless in Canada.

Wind, like Mobilicity, had some real issues. Their cheap rates have been nice, but as the bigger companies start offering data at saner prices, it's becoming less of a factor.

Wind was totally crippled by the protectionist requirement that telecom companies needed to be Canadian owned. With Shaw owning it, there's a chance they might actually provide some competition.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 18:44

Dallan Invictus: Oct 11, 2007; The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes, look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.

Ron_Jeremy posted:

Wind was totally crippled by the protectionist requirement that telecom companies needed to be Canadian owned. With Shaw owning it, there's a chance they might actually provide some competition.

That requirement has not applied to Wind (or any other company with less than 10% market share, or one that grew organically from below 10% rather than buying their way up) since 2012 and it basically now only means an incumbent can't sell out to Verizon.

edit: I agree that getting bought means they might actually be a viable competitor, but in the sense that having actual money behind them that is willing to invest means they might actually be able to solve their actual problem: by building sufficient infrastructure and buying sufficient spectrum to not provide awful service even in downtown Toronto/Vancouver that (not enough) people only barely tolerate because it's cheap.

Dallan Invictus fucked around with this message at 18:58 on Dec 17, 2015

# ? Dec 17, 2015 18:52

Juul-Whip: Mar 10, 2008

Ikantski posted:

[Laura] Miller, now executive director of the British Columbia Liberal Party, has also not commented, but B.C. Premier Christy Clark vouched for her Monday.

�She is a person of absolutely sterling character, and she works incredibly hard for our party and our province,� Clark told reporters in Ottawa. �She is a person of the utmost integrity and we�re really, really lucky to have her in B.C. . . . of course, you know, she is not the target of this investigation.�

Holy poo poo :shepface:

# ? Dec 17, 2015 19:27

Rime: Nov 2, 2011; by Games Forum

Ikantski posted:

[Laura] Miller, now executive director of the British Columbia Liberal Party, has also not commented, but B.C. Premier Christy Clark vouched for her Monday.

�She is a person of absolutely sterling character, and she works incredibly hard for our party and our province,� Clark told reporters in Ottawa. �She is a person of the utmost integrity and we�re really, really lucky to have her in B.C. . . . of course, you know, she is not the target of this investigation.�

I can't post about what I wish some brave citizen would do the BC Liberal party, because the bleeding hearts in here will get me probated again. :tipshat:

# ? Dec 17, 2015 20:42

Dr. Stab: Sep 12, 2010; 👨🏻‍⚕️🩺🔪🙀😱🙀

Rime posted:

I can't post about what I wish some brave citizen would do the BC Liberal party, because the bleeding hearts in here will get me probated again.

Stupid bleeding hearts tricking you into posting racist things.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 20:55

Baronjutter: Dec 31, 2007; "Tiny Trains"

Bleeding hearts????

I can think of a few people deserving of their heart plugs getting pulled.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 20:58

Postess with the Mostest: Apr 4, 2007; Arabian nights
'neath Arabian moons
A fool off his guard
could fall and fall hard
out there on the dunes

bunnyofdoom posted:

Laura Miller responded

Just got to read the statement, busy creating jobs today.

drat that chafes my nuts. The presumption of innocence is only guaranteed by law during a criminal trial. The police don't have to presume everybody is innocent, it'd make it pretty hard for them to do their job.

"Boohoo, the OPP hate me because I filed a complaint"

Lady, you fuckin' lied under oath at the first committee investigation. Not just lied but got smug as hell.

quote:

Mr. Victor Fedeli: So what you�re saying is you deleted your emails to do with the gas plant? That�s why you have none�

Ms. Laura Miller: I would delete political, personal and transitory emails.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Okay. These are not political or personal. There are emails that I�ve brought forward to you that are clearly gas-plant-related documents, including your Outlook calendar. Is it systemic through the Liberal associates to delete their email? Is that why we don�t have any from you? You deleted them and felt safe to tell the freedom-of-information people, �I don�t have any,� because you did tell the truth: You didn�t have any; you�d deleted them all? All 1,000?

Ms. Laura Miller: When I delete emails, I do not have the ability to go back. Perhaps it�s a lesson learned that the government can take back, in terms of maybe it shouldn�t be political staff who search their emails; maybe it should be an individual in the civil service who has access to inboxes and sent-mail folders and deleted archives�whatever it is�to conduct the search. But at the time�

Mr. Victor Fedeli: You know the lesson learned? The lesson learned is, you thought you deleted your emails permanently and they weren�t deleted permanently. Only when the Ministry of Government Services looked �under the hood� did they find your emails that you thought were safely deleted. Is that true?

Ms. Laura Miller: And I�m glad that they found them. I�m absolutely glad that they found them.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: I�m glad they found them, too, because you told the freedom-of-information request you had no responsive records.

Ms. Laura Miller: Well, let�s be frank. If I had those records�

Mr. Victor Fedeli: You had none because you deleted your emails.

Ms. Laura Miller: If I had those records, I would have provided them to the freedom-of-information request.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: I have the records now; don�t worry. We have them now. We know you�re in this up to your forehead in this gas plants scandal.

Ms. Laura Miller: I don�t really feel that I am, but thank you for that.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Well, the 1,000 times you�re mentioned�you�re one of the pivotal people in this gas plant scandal, in the spin of it all.

Ms. Laura Miller: �Pivotal�?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: You�re organizing meetings about it.

Ms. Laura Miller: Can I quote you for my bio?

Mr. Victor Fedeli: Yes, you can.

Ms. Laura Miller: That�s great.

Mr. Victor Fedeli: It won�t be a very impressive bio when you�re talking about gas plant scandals�

Then a year later we learn that Livingston gave Miller's boyfriend unauthorized access to wipe government hard drives and paid him out of Liberal caucus purse. The only reason we know that is because the OPP was following due process and needed to reveal it in an ITO in order to get a warrant to access all the backups.

Now that they have the backups, they charged Miller too, presumably because she's exactly the piece of poo poo she sounds like. You'd have to be brain damaged to think the OPP was charging her unfairly after seeing what she's said and written.

Hopefully, she has a good long time to work on her bio from a jail cell that wouldn't be in such deplorable condition if the province had an extra billion dollars in their corrections budget.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 22:17

Jordan7hm: Feb 17, 2011; Lipstick Apathy

Ikantski posted:

Just got to read the statement, busy creating jobs today.

drat that chafes my nuts. The presumption of innocence is only guaranteed by law during a criminal trial. The police don't have to presume everybody is innocent, it'd make it pretty hard for them to do their job.

"Boohoo, the OPP hate me because I filed a complaint"

Lady, you fuckin' lied under oath at the first committee investigation. Not just lied but got smug as hell.

Then a year later we learn that Livingston gave Miller's boyfriend unauthorized access to wipe government hard drives and paid him out of Liberal caucus purse. The only reason we know that is because the OPP was following due process and needed to reveal it in an ITO in order to get a warrant to access all the backups.

Now that they have the backups, they charged Miller too, presumably because she's exactly the piece of poo poo she sounds like. You'd have to be brain damaged to think the OPP was charging her unfairly after seeing what she's said and written.

Hopefully, she has a good long time to work on her bio from a jail cell that wouldn't be in such deplorable condition if the province had an extra billion dollars in their corrections budget.

I like Mr. Victor Fedeli.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 22:21

Risky Bisquick: Jan 18, 2008; PLEASE LET ME WRITE YOUR VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT SO I CAN FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THE CALAMITY THAT IS OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM.; Buglord

quote:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-grower-food-fight-bill6-1.3368376?cmp=rss

Alberta's NDP government in local food fight over Bill 6, carbon tax and minimum wage
Calgary food grower says Alberta's NDP government is putting him out of business after 23 years

It's �7 C with a blanket of new snow covering the bald Alberta prairie. But in Paul Hotchkiss's greenhouses, a riot of pea shoots, wheat grass, green beans and the stripy heritage tomatoes � for which Hotchkiss is known � luxuriate under a plastic dome of sky.

A tomato at Hotchkiss Herb and Produce
A tomato at Hotchkiss Farm. The local food grower says it will close its doors next year because of Alberta's higher minimum wage. (Kate MacNamara/CBC)

In deep December, his operation is still feeding fruit and vegetables to local restaurants, shops and grocery chains � rubbing shoulders in the produce section with the competition from Mexico and California.

"I've been doing this 23 years," Hotchkiss said.

"We've come through labour shortages, when energy was booming, and all the growing pains of bringing guys up from Mexico. About nine years ago, tobacco mosaic virus nearly wiped us out. We came through, but we're not going to survive this government."

Hotchkiss closing down

On Monday, Hotchkiss notified his customers that 2016 will be his last year in business. Come October, he'll hang up his gloves, clean out his sheds and greenhouses, and hold an auction. He cites the provincial NDP government's contentious Bill 6 as the primary reason.

'I've been doing this 23 years ... but we're not going to survive this government.'
- Paul Hotchkiss of Hotchkiss Herb and Produce
The farm and ranch workplace legislation has already provoked considerable opposition from the agricultural industry over the extension of Worker's Compensation Board and Occupational Health and Safety coverage.

Answers to common questions on Alberta's controversial farm-safety legislation
Bill 6 is still a hot button issue for farmers in Alberta
But the province's greenhouse operators have different concerns. In their labour intensive industry, employers fear that the bill will extend employment standards that will require them to pay staff overtime, vacation pay and statutory holiday pay � rules from which they are currently exempt.

Hotchkiss's labour bill amounted to $900,000 last year. Under the old regime, food growers like him � whose operations often see summer work days stretch to 12 and even 14 hours � were exempt from the requirement to pay overtime, levied at 1.5 times the hourly wage. He reckons paying overtime would have pushed that bill to $1.2-million, more than his gross annual revenue.

Other greenhouses worried as well

It's a worry that's shared by his peers.

"The main concern that we have with our business, and I guess you could probably say industry wide, within our greenhouse sector, is just the changes that may happen in regards to overtime and holiday pay," said Paul Doef, co-owner of Doef's Greenhouses in Lacombe, Alta.

The government has been playing its cards close to its chest. Although Bill 6 has received royal assent, regulations and the question of whether growers will be subject to broad employment standards, including overtime pay, have yet to be fleshed out.

Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier promises to consult the industry over the next 12 to 18 months before making further changes. He also notes an exemption for food producers from some employment standards is still a possibility.

Higher minimum wage

What farmers and greenhouse growers definitely won't get, he says, is any relief on the rising minimum wage. The minimum wage hike to $11.20 an hour earlier in the year caused some ripples among employers in the province.

But it was the promise to push it to $15 by 2018 that really raised hackles. Particularly since produce from Alberta competes with imports from warmer climes with much lower labour costs like B.C., just across the border where the minimum wage is $10.45, and California, Florida and Mexico where labour costs are generally much lower still.

Alberta's minimum wage earners rejoice over raise, but worry about long-term impacts
Alberta minimum wage hike happening too fast, says business group
Albert Cramer who runs two greenhouse operations in Medicine Hat points to the overall effect of the new government's changes.

"It's cumulative, right? All of these things are going to hurt our industry," he said.

He cites the hike to minimum wages, which would become especially damaging if magnified by an overtime provision that multiplies the base. He also voices another industry concern: the carbon tax.

'You know what kind of local produce we're going to be eating here in winter at this rate? Rocks and sticks.'
- Paul Hotchkiss of Hotchkiss Herb and Produce
Natural gas is most commonly used to heat greenhouse operations, and the new carbon levy of $1.68 per gigajoule will add tens of thousands of dollars to fuel bills by 2018.

Eating rocks and sticks

Joel Beatson speaks for the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association. He says many of his members will see their natural gas costs, which already account for roughly 20 per cent of expenses, "almost double by 2018."

Ultimately, he says "if oil stays at such a low level, it becomes cheaper to ship the product than to produce it locally."

Minister Carlier says it may be possible for growers to tap a fund the government promises to establish to help businesses adjust to the changes.

But Hotchkiss calls that cold comfort.

Paul Hotchkiss
Paul Hotchkiss, the owner of Hotchkiss Herb and Produce, says he will close his business after the next growing season. (Kate MacNamara/CBC)

He says a tractor trailer travelling from the Mexican border to Calgary burns about as much energy as he uses in his greenhouses over just a couple of hours at this time of year, and it'll carry more produce than he grows in months.

"You know what kind of local produce we're going to be eating here in winter at this rate? Rocks and sticks."

Notley is going to ruin my business :qq:

# ? Dec 17, 2015 22:26

sitchensis: Mar 4, 2009

That horrible memorial to the victims of communism in Ottawa is likely being moved (thank god)

I hope the next one is a memorial to victims of populism shaped like a vaccine syringe

# ? Dec 17, 2015 23:01

Stretch Marx: Apr 29, 2008; I'm ok with this.

Rime posted:

I can't post about what I wish some brave citizen would do the BC Liberal party, because the bleeding hearts in here will get me probated again.

Maybe you should step up and go do it yourself. Then you won't have to worry about either situation!

# ? Dec 17, 2015 23:04

DariusLikewise: Oct 4, 2008; You wore that on Halloween?

jm20 posted:

Notley is going to ruin my business

Sounds like a lovely business model that has skirted by on lax regulations for years.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 23:07

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# ? May 15, 2024 01:41

Risky Bisquick: Jan 18, 2008; PLEASE LET ME WRITE YOUR VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT SO I CAN FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THE CALAMITY THAT IS OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM.; Buglord

DariusLikewise posted:

Sounds like a lovely business model that has skirted by on lax regulations for years.

Don't forget instead of trying to make his business more efficient (Conservative dogwhistleeeeee) he is simply throwing his hands up and blaming a politician.

# ? Dec 17, 2015 23:10

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