CanPol Megathread: Big Changus

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EvilJoven: Mar 18, 2005; NOBODY,IN THE HISTORY OF EVER, HAS ASKED OR CARED WHAT CANADA THINKS. YOU ARE NOT A COUNTRY. YOUR MONEY HAS THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND ON IT. IF YOU DIG AROUND IN YOUR BACKYARD, NATIVE SKELETONS WOULD EXPLODE OUT OF YOUR LAWN LIKE THE END OF POLTERGEIST. CANADA IS SO POLITE, EH?; Fun Shoe

I think an appropriate memorial would be to put the bike lanes back on Jarvis and name them the Rob Ford Memorial Bike Route.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 14:08

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# ? May 14, 2024 09:14

Reince Penis: Nov 15, 2007; by R. Guyovich

Cultural Imperial posted:

Hahaha I can't believe you dumb fucks in Toronto are letting Rob Ford lie in state.

It's not even pathetic, just profoundly sad.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 14:11

Chair In A Basket: Aug 6, 2005; I'm basically Jesus.; Nap Ghost

He wasn't the mayor Toronto needed, but he was the mayor they deserved.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 14:33

MA-Horus: Dec 3, 2006; I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

Bunch of streetcars rerouting for the memorial today

Mayor McRib; loving over public transit from beyond the grave.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 14:38

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCtaZibVa6w

The Ford legacy

# ? Mar 30, 2016 14:41

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

We are richer for having lost him.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 14:45

MA-Horus: Dec 3, 2006; I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

There's a petition to get a statue made of him and put at NPS

1) There isn't THAT much room
2) I'd rather his statue get put at a safe injection site.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:16

infernal machines: Oct 11, 2012; we monitor many frequencies. we listen always. came a voice, out of the babel of tongues, speaking to us. it played us a mighty dub.

3) We already have a statue of an angry fat man at NPS

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:18

Wistful of Dollars: Aug 25, 2009

I remember Victoria had orca statuettes all over the place. They could put decorated Ford statuettes at transit stations.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:30

Fried Watermelon: Dec 29, 2008

All human behaviour can be explained using science and math

We build computers that use science and math

Therefore we can have a computer explain human behaviour, just have to feed it the correct data!

I'd let a quantum computer tell me what to do

# ? Mar 30, 2016 15:45

Cryptozoology: Jul 12, 2010

would rather take orders from a computer than a capitalist parasite getting paid four times my annual wage no irony, for cereal

# ? Mar 30, 2016 16:10

Ambrose Burnside: Aug 30, 2007; pensive

Cryptozoology posted:

would rather take orders from a computer than a capitalist parasite getting paid four times my annual wage no irony, for cereal

leftist rhetoric, huh. surely you have heard of the HOLODOMOR

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:03

Wistful of Dollars: Aug 25, 2009

Ambrose Burnside posted:

leftist rhetoric, huh. surely you have heard of the HOLODOMOR

Hodor...?

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:03

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.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/03/30/ontarians-warming-to-guaranteed-minimum-income-poll-suggests.html

Ontarians warming to guaranteed minimum income, poll suggests

There appears to be mounting public support in Ontario for a guaranteed minimum income to combat poverty, according to a new poll.

http://poll.forumresearch.com/post/2487/popular-among-young-least-wealthy

Premier Kathleen Wynne is touting a pilot project expected as early as next year over what she calls �a real concern around the way social assistance works in Ontario.�

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/03/17/wynne-touts-basic-income-pilot-project-to-help-poor.html

The scheme would guarantee a basic living income regardless of a recipient�s employment status.

Forum Research Inc. found that Ontarians are open to the idea � if it replaces the myriad of existing �social assistance, welfare and other provincial support payments.�

Of those polled, 41 per cent back the concept while 33 per cent oppose and 26 per cent don�t know.

�Attitudes are changing quickly in North America on certain social issues,� Forum president Lorne Bozinoff said Tuesday.

Bozinoff noted he last polled on the idea of a guaranteed minimum income in 2012 and only 27 per cent of respondents across Canada were supportive.

�Times have changed,� he said.

�The whole country � and Ontario, too � has kind of moved to the left and the Liberals have moved with it.�

In last month�s provincial budget, Finance Minister Charles Sousa said the �pilot project will test a growing view at home and abroad that a basic income could build on the success of minimum wage policies and increases in child benefits by
providing more consistent and predictable support.�

�The pilot would also test whether a basic income would provide a more efficient way of delivering income support, strengthen the attachment to the labour force and achieve savings in other areas, such as health care and housing supports,� Sousa said Feb. 25.

Two weeks ago, Wynne pointed out that a 1974 federal government basic-income test in Dauphin, Man., led to fewer hospital visits, reduced mental health problems, and higher school grades and graduation rates.

�That was in the �70s � I want to see what, in 2016, it would look like to actually set up a project and see if we could get some better outcomes,� she said in a CBC Radio interview broadcast on March 17.

�We�re already paying billions of dollars in terms of social assistance. So are we using that money in the best way possible? That�s the question that I have for a project like this.�

Using interactive voice-response phone calls, Forum surveyed 1,225 people across Ontario last Wednesday. The results are considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Where appropriate, the data has been statistically weighted by age, region, and other variables to ensure that the sample reflects the actual population according to the latest Census data. Forum houses its poll results in the Data Library of the University of Toronto political science department.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:05

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

quote:

�The whole country � and Ontario, too � has kind of moved to the left and the Liberals have moved with it.�

Oh turns out I do hate the left, just when I thought we were cool.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:09

MA-Horus: Dec 3, 2006; I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

Mike Harris is speaking at Ford's funeral

Noted piece of poo poo talking about noted piece of poo poo.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:10

Reince Penis: Nov 15, 2007; by R. Guyovich

Cross posting from the Toronto thread because lol. Double lol that he said it to a black journalist.

https://twitter.com/RoysonJames/status/715184382152155137

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:10

Do it ironically: Jul 13, 2010; by Pragmatica

May god bless Mr Ford

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:19

Helsing: Aug 23, 2003; DON'T POST IN THE ELECTION THREAD UNLESS YOU JOE BIDEN

I briefly considered trying to dig up an old post I made predicting that something like this was happening behind the scenes but then I realized there was nothing impressive or noteworthy about predicting "the Ontario Liberals are probably doing something sketchy here".

quote:

Hydro One players paid for exclusive access to Ontario cabinet ministers

ADRIAN MORROW

TORONTO � The Globe and Mail

Published Tuesday, Mar. 29, 2016 10:06PM EDT
Last updated Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2016 9:35AM EDT

One of the banks that ran the lucrative privatization of Hydro One promoted a $7,500-per-person fundraiser for the two Ontario provincial cabinet ministers in charge of the sale, The Globe and Mail has learned.

The event on Dec. 7, 2015, which featured Finance Minister Charles Sousa and Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, appears to have raised about $165,000 for the Liberals.

The fundraiser was promoted by Bank of Nova Scotia, one of the lead underwriters for Hydro One�s initial public offering. In an e-mail last fall encouraging other financial executives to attend, John Sherrington, vice-chairman of global investment banking for Scotiabank, wrote that he was �honorary chair� of the event and described it as a chance for �a small group of senior executives to spend an informal evening with the Ministers of Energy & Finance.�

Other e-mails obtained by The Globe indicate at least 22 people agreed to attend, including executives representing other members of the Hydro One syndicate: RBC, TD, CIBC, Goldman Sachs, Barclays and Raymond James. One e-mail makes explicit reference to the Hydro One IPO.

Collectively, banks in the syndicate made nearly $29.3-million from the Hydro One privatization.

The fundraiser took place a little more than a month after the IPO, in which 15 per cent of the government-owned electricity company was sold on the TSX for $1.8-billion. Premier Kathleen Wynne plans to sell 60 per cent of the company to raise $4-billion to pay for new transit lines � which critics argue will cost the province in the long run in lost dividends and take crucial energy infrastructure out of public control.

Mr. Sousa�s and Mr. Chiarelli�s offices referred questions on the fundraiser to Ms. Wynne�s staff. The Premier�s spokesman, Jean-Simon Farrah, would not answer questions on the appropriateness of companies that are doing business with the government being involved with big-ticket fundraisers for the Liberal Party. In an e-mail, he described such activities as �part of the democratic process. It is how some people or entities engage themselves.�

In a statement, Scotiabank spokesman Rick Roth said the bank �abides by political donation rules� and gives money to politicians of all stripes. �Scotiabank participates and supports the democratic process through all political parties. Business and community leaders regularly host political fundraisers,� he said.

A furor has erupted recently over Ontario�s lax campaign finance laws and the Liberals� practice of selling access to Ms. Wynne, her cabinet and high-ranking political staffers at events that are not made public.

Earlier this month, The Globe revealed that Ms. Wynne and Mr. Chiarelli teamed up with lobbyists at Sussex Strategy Group to hold a $6,000-a-person cocktail fundraiser at Toronto�s posh Four Seasons Hotel targeted at energy-industry insiders. The evening was billed to the people invited as an opportunity for �one-on-one� access to the politicians. On Tuesday, The Toronto Star reported that Ontario cabinet ministers each have fundraising targets of up to $500,000 a year.

Some lobbyists who deal with the Ontario government told The Globe that Liberal operatives regularly tell people who want to discuss policy to attend party fundraisers to get their issue heard. The lobbyists, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they would actually welcome stricter campaign finance rules to stop the Liberals from constantly shaking them down for donations.

On Tuesday, the Premier tried to quiet the storm by promising �significant changes� to the law.

�The government will bring forward a plan in the fall,� she told reporters. �And that will include new rules on third-party advertising. We talked about that. It will also include transitioning away from corporate and union donations, lowering the annual donation limit.�

Ms. Wynne provided no details, and said many of the reforms will not come into effect until after the next election in 2018.

Under Ontario�s current rules, corporations and trade unions can donate at the provincial level despite being banned from doing so federally. The donation cap is $9,975 annually, and loopholes allow donors to give several times that amount. A corporation can donate the full cap amount through each of its subsidiaries � or a union through each of its locals � and donations during a general election or by-election period do not count towards the annual cap.

Third parties face few restrictions on what they can do to influence an election. One union umbrella group, Working Families, spent nearly $2.5-million in the last campaign, mostly on ads attacking the Progressive Conservative Party.

Campaign finance expert Robert MacDermid said the trend toward smaller, unpublicized, more expensive fundraisers is �alarming.� At a large-scale public event, for instance, an individual donor is unlikely to get a chance to lobby the Premier or cabinet ministers. But more exclusive events effectively provide access to politicians for a price.

�This is very wealthy people buying access to influence government about decisions that may be of value to them. When somebody pays $7,500 to have a meal with somebody, they�re obviously not talking about the Blue Jays,� said Dr. MacDermid, a political science professor at York University in Toronto. �Government should not be selling influence in that way, and companies should not be paying for it if they respect the democratic process.�

Donors could also use such events to skirt lobbying rules: Usually, lobbyists must register with the province�s integrity commissioner and have their name and their lobbying topic posted online. But Dr. MacDermid said the rules are vague enough that a lobbyist could instead go to a fundraiser, talk to politicians there and not register.

�You can buy a ticket for a fundraiser and not be classed as a lobbyist, and in that way, it�s a huge loophole,� he said.

Campaign finance has been front and centre across the country in recent weeks. The Globe revealed Tuesday that the B.C. Liberal Party sometimes charges up to $20,000 for admission to Premier Christy Clark�s fundraisers, as the province has no limits on what people can donate. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley banned corporate and union donations last year � but jetted to Toronto in February to host a $9,975-a-plate fundraiser for Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

And in Quebec earlier this month, two former cabinet ministers were arrested and accused of receiving illegal donations in exchange for political favours for construction companies.

The significant difference is that many campaign fundraising practices that are illegal in Quebec � the province bans corporate and union donations, and imposes a $100 annual cap on contributions from individuals � are allowed in Ontario.

Dr. MacDermid said the difficulty in imposing stricter campaign finance laws in Ontario will be finding an alternative source of funds for the parties. One option is a per-vote subsidy, although that could prove unpopular with voters. Another would be imposing a tighter cap on campaign spending to make it feasible for parties to raise the full amount through small donations from individuals.

At the very least, Dr. MacDermid contends, the government must bring the $9,975 cap down and close loopholes to ensure rich people are not unduly influencing politics.

�Right now, the caps are so high that, really, people can influence to their heart�s delight,� he said. �People who�ve got the money, they can�t really exhaust their willingness to spend. It�s a system in Ontario now that doesn�t control influence in any meaningful way.�

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:50

Hexigrammus: May 22, 2006; Cheech Wizard stories are clean, wholesome, reflective truths that go great with the marijuana munchies and a blow job.

PK loving SUBBAN posted:

Cross posting from the Toronto thread because lol. Double lol that he said it to a black journalist.

https://twitter.com/RoysonJames/status/715184382152155137

If he's not going to be embalmed and left in a glass case in the City Hall foyer it's good that we still have his brother around to remind the rest of Canada about what's infesting the CPC.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 17:57

CLAM DOWN: Feb 13, 2007

Do it ironically posted:

May god bless Mr Ford

"He's the mayor of heaven now"

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/breaking/ford-funeral/

# ? Mar 30, 2016 18:06

Helsing: Aug 23, 2003; DON'T POST IN THE ELECTION THREAD UNLESS YOU JOE BIDEN

Rex Murphy: "Mr. Ford was one of the most remarkable ordinary people Toronto has ever produced."

It never fails to amuse me when Murphy or Blatchford or other wealthy media elites who roleplay as populist conservatives make comments that inadvertently reveal their utter contempt for the "common man" they pretend to be advocating for.

In Ford's case the fact that he was born rich and regularly behaved in ways that would have gotten him fired from a normal job is irrelevant to his credentials. All that matters is that he was fat and racist and homophobic and sounded like a rube as soon as he opened his mouth. This makes him a commoner. And then Murphy and Blatchford can shock all their liberal friends at the next cocktail party they attend by praising this guy, even though by claiming he's a champion of the commoners they're not-so-subtly implying that they think ordinary Canadians are just as stupid and biggoted as Ford was. It's a bit like Redskins fans trying to claim that their hilariously racist caricature mascot is actually about respecting natives rather than appropriating their image.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 18:22

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

http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/ontariotoday_20160330_23186.mp3

Radio call in show about Rob Ford :yum:

e: Just to clarify (34:30), one woman equates the media bullying Rob Ford to pushing him into drug use, and how most people would commit suicide in the same situation.

Risky Bisquick fucked around with this message at 19:30 on Mar 30, 2016

# ? Mar 30, 2016 18:28

BattleMaster: Aug 14, 2000

I've seen that a lot from people, that you can relate to him, that he was just an average Joe, he's not perfect like those ivory tower elites etc.. I mean drat, who are these people who actually believe that? That's an incredibly low bar to set for merely being "not perfect"; in fact, I'd say that the guy rarely exhibited what I'd describe as acceptable conduct.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 18:34

Arc Hammer: Mar 4, 2013; Got any deathsticks?

They should leave his corpse on display like he's Lenin.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 18:36

cheese sandwich: Feb 9, 2009

CLAM DOWN posted:

"He's the mayor of heaven now"

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/breaking/ford-funeral/

Wouldn't he technically be like district councillor of heaven or something he hasn't been a mayor for a little while

Unless we're just assuming whatever afterlife frat he made it into liked him enough to arbitrarily make him mayor

# ? Mar 30, 2016 18:56

Count Roland: Oct 6, 2013

Helsing posted:

Rex Murphy: "Mr. Ford was one of the most remarkable ordinary people Toronto has ever produced."

It never fails to amuse me when Murphy or Blatchford or other wealthy media elites who roleplay as populist conservatives make comments that inadvertently reveal their utter contempt for the "common man" they pretend to be advocating for.

In Ford's case the fact that he was born rich and regularly behaved in ways that would have gotten him fired from a normal job is irrelevant to his credentials. All that matters is that he was fat and racist and homophobic and sounded like a rube as soon as he opened his mouth. This makes him a commoner. And then Murphy and Blatchford can shock all their liberal friends at the next cocktail party they attend by praising this guy, even though by claiming he's a champion of the commoners they're not-so-subtly implying that they think ordinary Canadians are just as stupid and biggoted as Ford was. It's a bit like Redskins fans trying to claim that their hilariously racist caricature mascot is actually about respecting natives rather than appropriating their image.

I dunno where you guys are from but yeah those terrible qualities are pretty well the norm where I grew up, including his problems with alcohol and drugs.

A lot of people seem to vote on "would I want this guy at my bbq" kinda question, as absurd as that is. But Ford passes this test with flying colours. Even if he's an rear end in a top hat he's definitely the life of the party.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 19:34

velvet milkman: Feb 13, 2012; by R. Guyovich

Nothing livens up a backyard BBQ like ol' uncle Rob blazing a crack pipe behind the shed

# ? Mar 30, 2016 19:41

Newfie: Oct 8, 2013; 10 years of oil boom and 20 billion dollars cash, all I got was a case of beer, a pack of smokes, and 14% unemployment.
Thanks, Danny.

At a tpp lecture with the parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade. If you have any questions now is your chance.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:20

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)

Newfie posted:

At a tpp lecture with the parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade. If you have any questions now is your chance.

Ask him if he thinks Canada was too late to the game on TPP by joining in the 13th round, and whether he agrees that the only real gain for Western countries is homogenized IP law.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:23

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

Newfie posted:

At a tpp lecture with the parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade. If you have any questions now is your chance.

Something about ketchup

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:25

EvilJoven: Mar 18, 2005; NOBODY,IN THE HISTORY OF EVER, HAS ASKED OR CARED WHAT CANADA THINKS. YOU ARE NOT A COUNTRY. YOUR MONEY HAS THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND ON IT. IF YOU DIG AROUND IN YOUR BACKYARD, NATIVE SKELETONS WOULD EXPLODE OUT OF YOUR LAWN LIKE THE END OF POLTERGEIST. CANADA IS SO POLITE, EH?; Fun Shoe

Ask if there are any markets the TPP is actually going to open up for Canadian exports where we can actually compete without drastically lowering wages and slashing environmental protections and workplace safety standards.

Then punch him in the loving face.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:28

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

Please congratulate him with a hearty handshake for me.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:30

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

Ask what the difference in tarrifs will be and see if he has a number, and follow up why we are throwing away our sovereignty to 'reduce tarrifs' that are basically zero already.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:30

EvilJoven: Mar 18, 2005; NOBODY,IN THE HISTORY OF EVER, HAS ASKED OR CARED WHAT CANADA THINKS. YOU ARE NOT A COUNTRY. YOUR MONEY HAS THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND ON IT. IF YOU DIG AROUND IN YOUR BACKYARD, NATIVE SKELETONS WOULD EXPLODE OUT OF YOUR LAWN LIKE THE END OF POLTERGEIST. CANADA IS SO POLITE, EH?; Fun Shoe

TPP, it's not about trade, it's about making all of us pay more for less! Brought to you by PM Selfie and the Lib gang!

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:30

Helsing: Aug 23, 2003; DON'T POST IN THE ELECTION THREAD UNLESS YOU JOE BIDEN

Ask him why the Liberal government is talking up the idea of granting government contracts to local venders as a way of encouraging Canadian innovation when his government just signed onto a treaty that will make it possible for a company in Vietnam to sue us for not letting them bid.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:33

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

Harper and Trudeau at this point. Our only hope right now is the next president goes with protectionism and kiboshes the entire thing.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:34

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

Ask whether increasing the amount of time before companies can produce cheaper, generic versions of a drug will be a positive outcome for Canada.

# ? Mar 30, 2016 20:41

Newfie: Oct 8, 2013; 10 years of oil boom and 20 billion dollars cash, all I got was a case of beer, a pack of smokes, and 14% unemployment.
Thanks, Danny.

As with any consult it was a complete crap shoot. People not understanding what it means to sign an international treaty, people yelling for no reason, some Asian kid reading a page about nothing and asking if the TPP will get us cool tech faster. At least my friend got to ask an interesting question on standing for individuals with grievances against states in the isds (answer is lawl get fukt). Overall I'm with ci, :gas:

the thread and this nation

# ? Mar 30, 2016 22:00

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# ? May 14, 2024 09:14

InfiniteZero: Sep 11, 2004; PINK GUITAR FIRE ROBOT; College Slice

CLAM DOWN posted:

"He's the mayor of heaven now"

(membership in Church of Satan spikes)

# ? Mar 30, 2016 22:31

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