CanPol Megathread: Big Changus

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > CanPol Megathread: Big Changus

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

cowofwar posted:

The sharps bins are for diabetics, not junkies.

...yes, for diabetics... :ninja:

People freak out enough about sharps bins, they'll poo poo their pants when Edmonton eventually gets a safe injection site.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 03:26

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 8, 2024 20:23

Health Services: Feb 27, 2009

The statistical beast is no longer lean and mean, it's hungry and pissed.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/shared-services-behind-tech-issues-plaguing-statscan-chief-statistician/article30985153/ posted:

One memo from Daniela Ravindra, director-general of industry statistics , said there is a “very real risk” that this year the agency will hit a bottleneck in processing capacity, which will force the delay of “mission critical” releases. “Having to delay their release would be unprecedented and will impact the ability of key users, (e.g. Bank of Canada, Department of Finance, commercial banks, etc.) of making timely decisions, translating into considerable embarrassment to the government of Canada.”

# ? Jul 20, 2016 05:01

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

PT6A posted:

To be fair to the drainage ditch in this simile, drainage ditches are rarely full of racists like London is.

Also re: country music, the classic artists are still my favourites but I prefer some of the newer stuff to some of the classic-classic stuff. Willie Nelson's Countryman and Heroes are some of my favourite albums, gently caress the country music haters.

Hahahahajajajajqhahq

# ? Jul 20, 2016 05:37

Baronjutter: Dec 31, 2007; "Tiny Trains"

Do they make country anymore that is actually about anything meaningful or is it all just trucks and girls and beer and rural pride pop?

# ? Jul 20, 2016 05:40

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

This mother hosed is proud of his rural heritage looooool

# ? Jul 20, 2016 05:41

TheKingofSprings: Oct 9, 2012

namaste faggots posted:

This mother hosed is proud of his rural heritage looooool

Farms are, in fact, cool and good

# ? Jul 20, 2016 05:53

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

Lmao gently caress off you wouldn't loving exist if you didn't suck off the sweet teat of market distortion and manipulation

# ? Jul 20, 2016 05:57

TheKingofSprings: Oct 9, 2012

namaste faggots posted:

Lmao gently caress off you wouldn't loving exist if you didn't suck off the sweet teat of market distortion and manipulation

If we didn't exist your day job would be foraging for nuts and berries

I mean maybe that'd be enjoyable for you, idk there's no judging in CanPol

# ? Jul 20, 2016 06:40

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

McGavin posted:

If I have to pay to park my Porsche SUV in front of my $1,000/sqft apartment in my working-class neighbourhood I'm going to send a sternly worded fax to the mayor!

The National Post, ever accurate. It's been a long time since the residents of the West End have performed manual labour anywhere other than a private gym.

Need a little working class blues to go with that lament:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5roH14R2Yw

# ? Jul 20, 2016 07:13

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

The Globe and Mail posted:

Trudeau�s smooth provincial relations face first test over health care

BILL CURRY
OTTAWA � The Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Jul. 18, 2016 9:06PM EDT
Last updated Monday, Jul. 18, 2016 9:10PM EDT

The Trudeau government�s honeymoon with the provinces risks coming to an abrupt end as premiers push for billions in new transfers for health care.

Since forming government last fall, the federal Liberals have won provincial praise with major new infrastructure spending and also managed to get nine of the 10 provinces to support an expansion of the Canada Pension Plan.

But as premiers prepare to gather this week in Whitehorse, provinces are expressing concern that Ottawa appears unwilling to spend more on health, which is a major budget concern for provinces as the proportion of elderly Canadians rises.

�The table is set to really have a federal-provincial problem, not just with Quebec but with all the provinces,� Quebec Health Minister Ga�tan Barrette said in an interview on Monday. Dr. Barrette said the impression he�s received from Ottawa is that it is not interested in increasing transfers.

Provincial anxiety is coming to a head now because a long planned change to health transfers is about to kick in. A guaranteed annual transfer growth of 6 per cent is ending next year. Instead, transfers are scheduled to increase in line with the rate of economic growth and the guaranteed increase will drop to 3 per cent.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said in an interview that economic growth is unrelated to issues driving health-care costs, such as demographics. He said Ottawa should heed the warnings of the Parliamentary Budget Office, which recently reported that provincial budgets are not sustainable over the long term owing to rising health-care costs, while Ottawa has room to spend.

�We�ll do everything we can in our jurisdiction and co-operatively with our neighbours to find savings, but we need a partner in Ottawa that is not backing away from its obligations, and that is I think what the premiers are encouraging to happen now,� he said.

The new formula based on the rate of economic growth is already leading to fluctuations in what the provinces can expect.

The 2015 Conservative budget estimated the new formula would lead to a transfer of $39.1-billion to the provinces for health in 2018-19. Yet one year later, the Liberal government�s 2016 budget said the transfer that year will be only $38.5-billion.

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott has been leading the discussions with the provinces on a new health-care accord. Dr. Barrette said Dr. Philpott has indicated that any decisions about money are out of her hands, meaning they must be decided by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and the rest of cabinet.

Prior to entering politics, Mr. Morneau co-authored a 2012 book in which he argued that maintaining health care in its current form would require either extensive spending cuts in other areas, a series of �punishing� tax increases or means-testing certain services so that they would no longer be free to Canadians with higher incomes. He and co-author Fred Vettese wrote that �future increases in government spending cannot do more than track GDP growth if the country is to remain economically and fiscally sound.�

The provinces want Ottawa to commit to funding 25 per cent of the cost of health care. The Parliamentary Budget Office has estimated the federal share stood at 20.4 per cent in 2010-11 and will decline steadily under the new formula that takes effect next year.

Annie Donolo, a spokesperson for Mr. Morneau, said in an e-mail that Ottawa�s focus is on �transformative actions� that will make the health-care system more efficient and produce better health outcomes.

�Once agreement is established on how the priorities will be achieved, decisions on targeted federal funding in support of these priorities will be made,� she said.

Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins, who chairs the federal-provincial health talks, said he remains hopeful Ottawa will announce a transfer increase at some point soon.

�This is an important issue and we�re hoping to see an expression of commitment � including financial commitment � by the feds in the near future,� he said.

Some provinces, primarily those in the east with a higher proportion of older Canadians, also want the federal transfer formula to take demographics into account. That proposal could divide the provinces, given that it would be of less benefit to Western Canadian provinces with younger populations.

�The first criteria should be demographics,� said Dr. Barrette, Quebec�s Health Minister. �I don�t want to start an east-west war. That�s not the idea. The idea is that when it comes to health, above all else, we should be objective. And objectively, there�s no argument against the fact that the main factor in health costs is tied to age and demographics.�

Cindy Forbes, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said all provinces should receive a transfer increase to address the aging population but that provinces facing the most pressing challenges should receive more.

�Seniors� care is the paramount health issue in our health-care system right now,� Dr. Forbes said.

It'll be interesting to see whether Trudeau sticks with the spending framework Harper set up for healthcare transfers.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 07:19

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

TheKingofSprings posted:

If we didn't exist your day job would be foraging for nuts and berries

I mean maybe that'd be enjoyable for you, idk there's no judging in CanPol

Oh yeah like we'd totally be starving because we can't buy all our food from Canadian farmers working so hard to keep us all fed, and not lobbying Ottawa to block imports.

Get hosed shithead

# ? Jul 20, 2016 12:50

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

If there's one thing an ethnic han can give advice on, it's methods of adequate food production.

MA-Horus fucked around with this message at 14:18 on Jul 20, 2016

# ? Jul 20, 2016 14:12

a primate: Jun 2, 2010

I too wish we were more dependent on foreign food supply

# ? Jul 20, 2016 14:16

mojo1701a: Oct 9, 2008; Oh, yeah. Loud and clear. Emphasis on LOUD!
~ David Lee Roth

PT6A posted:

And the burning crosses mean you don't have to pay too much for heating.

I know you get a fair amount of poo poo, but I enjoyed this one.

Edit: speaking as someone who lives in a city of 95,000 people, most of which consider themselves "country", rural culture can go gently caress itself.

(Side note: how the gently caress does a girl I went to high school with hashtag both #redneck and #calvinklein in the same goddamn Facebook post?)

# ? Jul 20, 2016 14:19

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

Helsing posted:

It'll be interesting to see whether Trudeau sticks with the spending framework Harper set up for healthcare transfers.

Ikantski prediction: they're going to phase out health transfers altogether and implement a dozen different feel good programs that cost them 1/10th of the transfers' price. It'll be fun to see the "payroll glitch" strategy being applied to seniors' health care.

quote:

According to the budget, the health transfers will increase by $1-billion, or 2.8 per cent in 2017-18, to $37.1-billion. That is below even the 3-per-cent minimum increase promised by the Harper government. With annual increases henceforth tracking nominal GDP growth, Ottawa will be transferring about $5-billion less a year in health-care cash to the provinces by 2020 than it would have under the 6-per-cent escalator.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/provinces-will-feel-the-bite-in-health-transfers/article29388708/

quote:

The healthcare sections of the Trudeau government�s first budget is a grab-bag of short-term fixes that lets Health Minister Jane Phillpot tick three items off from her mandate letter as promises kept.

But it kicks the big-ticket items the Liberals had promised to address � like provincial health transfers, home care and palliative care � further down the road.

From the Liberals� Real Change campaign platform document, the budget includes $25 million in funding for the Public Health Agency of Canada over five years for a strategy to boost vaccination rates, and $1.4 million over two years for harmonizing concussion management guidelines with the provinces. That spending is being stretched out and comes to slightly less that promised; the platform had promised $15 million for the agency in each of the next two years.

Nutrition North, the controversial program that provides food subsidies to residents of Canada�s North, is getting $64.5 million over five years, plus an additional $13.8 million a year to expand the program into isolated communities. That�s actually more money than the platform promise of $40 million over four years.

Under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the budget outlines the government will be �taking steps� over the next year to include added sugars and artificial dyes in processed foods in food labeling in the hope it will help in the fight against obesity.

The budget leaves blockbuster items � like changes to the Canada Health Transfer, which has been left as business-as-usual for now � to the new Health Accord, currently under negotiation with the provinces and territories, and to future budgets.

At a budget news conference, Finance Minister Bill Morneau boasted that health transfers were at historic highs in the budget. But when he was challenged by reporters pointing out that the CHT rates were established by the previous Conservative government, Morneau tracked his message back to the Health Accord negotiations, saying the only way to get things done in health care in Canada is through lots of discussions.

�The health transfers as you know went up this year,� he said. �What we�re trying to say is we recognize health care is a critically important issue for Canadians.

https://ipolitics.ca/2016/03/22/budget-kicks-the-health-spending-can-down-the-road/

# ? Jul 20, 2016 14:30

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

Sjws defending supply management lol of course you are

# ? Jul 20, 2016 14:48

namaste friends: Sep 18, 2004; by Smythe

I can't think of any historical examples where a closed economy ever led to our exacerbated a famine so this could totally work. Self reliance should become our state ideology.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 15:08

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.

A Juche if you will

# ? Jul 20, 2016 15:27

Ambrose Burnside: Aug 30, 2007; pensive

namaste faggots posted:

I can't think of any historical examples where a closed economy ever led to our exacerbated a famine so this could totally work. Self reliance should become our state ideology.

agreedo

# ? Jul 20, 2016 17:02

Fluffy Chainsaw: Jul 6, 2016; I'm likely a pissant middle manager who pisses off IT with worthless requests. There is no content within my posts other than a garbage act akin to a know-it-all, which likely is how I behave in real life. It's really hard for me to comprehend how much I am hated by everyone.

Managing Ontario straight into a brick wall

Financial watchdog warns Ontario�s debt will grow to $350 billion in four years posted:

TORONTO � Ontario's financial watchdog warns the province's net debt will grow by another $50 billion to $350 billion in the next four years, and predicts a return to deficit budgets even if the books are balanced next year.

The Financial Accountability Office said Tuesday that the net debt will keep growing largely because of the Liberal government's $160-billion, 12-year plan to invest in infrastructure and public transit projects.

The FAO said the debt will also grow because it predicts a return to annual budget deficits in 2018-19, even though the Liberals promise to eliminate a $5.7-billion shortfall next year.

This year's provincial budget forecast Ontario's net debt would hit $326.8 billion in 2018-19, which was as far out as its projections went, so the FAO's prediction of a $350 billion debt by 2020-21 is not a big stretch.

The Opposition said the FAO's report is proof that "the Liberals' mismanagement and reckless spending" is causing Ontario's debt to spiral out of control.

"This morning, the Financial Accountability Officer confirmed ... that Ontario will continue to be the largest sub-national borrower in the world," said Progressive Conservative finance critic Vic Fedeli.

"He also confirmed what we've been saying for months, that the government is using one-time money from asset sales, contingency funds and tax increases to artificially balance the budget in an election year."

The New Democrats said the reason Ontario's net debt is increasing is because Premier Kathleen Wynne's choices are more about politics than about what's best for Ontarians.

"The FAO reported that Kathleen Wynne's decision to sell Hydro One doesn't pay for infrastructure, but will actually increase the debt," said NDP finance critic Catherine Fife.

"Instead of asking profitable businesses to pay their fair share, the Liberals have cut Ontario's corporate tax rate so it's lower than Alabama's."

The FAO report said Ontario's net debt "increased significantly" during the 2008-09 recession, and grew by $139 billion between then and 2015-16.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa said the Liberals made a deliberate decision during the recession to stimulate economic growth, which he insists meant the downturn was not as deep or as long as it might otherwise have been. The government is making capital investments to promote long-term growth, he added.

"We know that investing in infrastructure spurs economic growth and increases GDP, which is why we've decided to make a historic $160-billion investment in roads, bridges, schools and hospitals across Ontario," Sousa said in a statement.

"Through prudent debt management, we have consistently kept interest on debt costs below budget projections."

Interest on Ontario's debt is expected to be $11.75 billion this year and $12.45 billion in 2017-18, both lower than forecast in the 2015 budget.

On Monday, Ontario announced first quarter results showing 0.8 per cent growth, or three per cent on an annualized basis, the strongest among all G7 countries.

"Ontario remains firmly committed to eliminating the deficit by 2017-18, and will do so in a way that is fair, equitable and protects the valuable programs and services that Ontarians rely on," Sousa said Tuesday.

Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press
http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/07/19/financial-watchdog-warns-ontarios-debt-will-grow-to-350-billion-in-four-years/#.V4-lbBUrLid

# ? Jul 20, 2016 17:25

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

To be completely fair, there was already $132b in debt when they took power.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 17:42

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.

Fluffy Chainsaw posted:

Managing Ontario straight into a brick wall

Oh no! What if we default, like Greece?

What do you think the endgame is here? Higher borrowing costs are bad, but it seems unlikely we're going to see higher interest rates anytime soon, since that will tank the entire rest of the Canadian economy.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 17:48

McGavin: Sep 18, 2012

mojo1701a posted:

Side note: how the gently caress does a girl I went to high school with hashtag both #redneck and #calvinklein in the same goddamn Facebook post?

Just lol if you make your cut-offs out of Levi's like a peasant.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:00

Gorau: Apr 28, 2008

infernal machines posted:

Oh no! What if we default, like Greece?

What do you think the endgame is here? Higher borrowing costs are bad, but it seems unlikely we're going to see higher interest rates anytime soon, since that will tank the entire rest of the Canadian economy.

My understanding is that the federal government is liable for all provincial debt ultimately. I know section 111 of the Constitution Act, 1867, specifically made Canada liable for all debts provinces had on entering confederation, but I've been told that courts have interpreted this to mean that Canada is liable for newer debt too. If anyone can speak definitively on this I would be very interested.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:08

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

Gorau posted:

My understanding is that the federal government is liable for all provincial debt ultimately. I know section 111 of the Constitution Act, 1867, specifically made Canada liable for all debts provinces had on entering confederation, but I've been told that courts have interpreted this to mean that Canada is liable for newer debt too. If anyone can speak definitively on this I would be very interested.

I will tell you definitively that government debts aren't meant to be paid off.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:15

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.

No, but you see, my household budget...

Borrowing to build infrastructure while money is relatively cheap does not seem like a particularly bad idea.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:19

Fluffy Chainsaw: Jul 6, 2016; I'm likely a pissant middle manager who pisses off IT with worthless requests. There is no content within my posts other than a garbage act akin to a know-it-all, which likely is how I behave in real life. It's really hard for me to comprehend how much I am hated by everyone.

infernal machines posted:

Oh no! What if we default, like Greece?

What do you think the endgame is here? Higher borrowing costs are bad, but it seems unlikely we're going to see higher interest rates anytime soon, since that will tank the entire rest of the Canadian economy.

quote:

What are the risks associated with Ontario�s level of debt?

Based on the characteristics of Ontario�s debt discussed above, interest rate risk is the most important risk that the Province currently faces. The interest paid by the Province depends on its existing stock of debt but also on new debt it issues. For newly issued debt, interest payments reflect both the level of interest rates prevailing in the market and Ontario�s credit risk. This means that Ontario�s interest payments on new debt issued could increase if lenders view Ontario as a more risky borrower, even in the absence of changes in market interest rates.[16] In contrast, the Province�s interest payments could fall if lenders come to view Ontario as a less risky borrower.

Ultimately, higher interest rates would lead to greater interest expense for the Province on both new and existing debt (the variable portion). According to the 2016 budget, a one percentage point increase (e.g. from 3.6 to 4.6 per cent) in interest rates would increase interest payments by about $350 million in 2016-17, more than the budgets of the Ministries of Labour and Aboriginal Affairs. This risk is in part affected by the amount of existing debt maturing. For instance, a significant share (38 per cent of the outstanding amount, excluding interest) of the Ontario�s debt will mature by 2020.[17]

Key Messages

The Government of Ontario�s debt burden is one of the highest among provincial governments in Canada.
The Province�s market debt consists of publicly held bonds, treasury bills, and US commercial paper issued in Canadian dollars and foreign currencies. The effective interest rate on the publicly held debt is 3.6 per cent.
There is uncertainty surrounding the future level of interest rates due to market fluctuations and Ontario�s credit risk. All else equal, an increase in interest rates would lead to higher interest payments, which would reduce the Province�s fiscal flexibility.

http://www.fao-on.org/en/Blog/Publications/Ont_Prov_Debt

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:46

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

infernal machines posted:

Oh no! What if we default, like Greece?

What do you think the endgame is here? Higher borrowing costs are bad, but it seems unlikely we're going to see higher interest rates anytime soon, since that will tank the entire rest of the Canadian economy.

Canada isn't completely in control of interest rates though? If US bonds are at 4% and Ontario is at 2%, we won't be able to raise very much money.

Not that it matters much, we'll figure out some regressive consumption tax to help make up the difference. I've come around, this province actually rules. Ultralow corporate tax makes it feel so nice to dividend profits out to a holding company and distribute via family trust. Fire some nurses, bribe some unions, sell off some utilities, delist OHIP services, delete emails and charge as much as you like to talk with the ministers, don't care, viva la Wynne. As long as Ontarians are cool with it and think that someone else is paying for everything, we're good.

infernal machines posted:

Borrowing to build infrastructure while money is relatively cheap does not seem like a particularly bad idea.

They're selling off infrastructure we already have to build new stuff, they aren't just borrowing. "Balancing" the budget is such a farce and I never gave the cons credit for it either. Ontario is particularly annoying because they're counting Hydro One selloff and Shrodinger's increased federal infrastructure transfers which was why they released it the budget in loving February instead of the usual April. Instead of owing $2b provincially, we owe $2b federally thanks to Wynne taking a loan out with Justin's political capital as collateral. $1.9b is a high estimate for cap and trade too but who cares our debt/gdp is fine and will continue to be as long as our dollar keeps crumbling and Toronto housing keeps soaring.

quote:

[We'll balance the budget if...]

Ontario�s continued receipt of Equalization payments, estimated to be $1.6 billion by 2020-21;

$1.3 billion by 2017-18 in new revenues from federal transfers continuing over the medium-term;

$1.9 billion by 2017-18 in new revenues from the cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

http://www.fao-on.org/en/Blog/Publications/EFA_Spring_2016

Ontario isn't going to default. They are going to continue to cut services and raise money through regressive taxes (and it'll hurt if they invest in stupid things while other countries invest in smart things and global interest rates rise).

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:47

mojo1701a: Oct 9, 2008; Oh, yeah. Loud and clear. Emphasis on LOUD!
~ David Lee Roth

McGavin posted:

Just lol if you make your cut-offs out of Levi's like a peasant.

You joke, but for an entire city full of nothing but "country boys," most of the trucks I see are suspiciously new and without a speck of dirt.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 18:58

CLAM DOWN: Feb 13, 2007

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/crime-rate-increase-statistics-canada-severity-index-police-1.3686871

quote:

A "notable" uptick in police-reported crime in Alberta contributed to the first increase in the national rate in 12 years, Statistics Canada says.

The national Crime Severity Index (CSI), which measures the volume and severity of police-reported crime, jumped five per cent from 2014 to 2015, the federal agency said Wednesday.

An 18 per cent increase in Alberta, combined with smaller increases in British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan, contributed to push the CSI up.

In all, eight out of 13 provinces and territories reported an increase in the CSI by the end of last year.

Calgary had the highest increase in the crime rate of all cities, at 25 per cent, followed by Moncton, N.B., at 21 per cent and the Abbotsford�Mission area in B.C. at 15 per cent.

I mean obviously Alberta is poo poo, but I'm just tickled that Abbotsford is in this category too lmao what an awful suburb

# ? Jul 20, 2016 19:08

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.

Ikantski posted:

... who cares our debt/gdp is fine and will continue to be as long as our dollar keeps crumbling and Toronto housing keeps soaring.

For ever and ever, amen.

Edit: In Canadian manufacturing news: Bombardier continues loving the dog as another transit agency threatens to sue.

New strategy: "We'll bring the manufacturing chain up here, we promise"

infernal machines fucked around with this message at 19:16 on Jul 20, 2016

# ? Jul 20, 2016 19:13

peter banana: Sep 2, 2008; Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.

mojo1701a posted:

You joke, but for an entire city full of nothing but "country boys," most of the trucks I see are suspiciously new and without a speck of dirt.

Another Barrie goon?

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:12

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

Ikantski posted:

Ikantski prediction: they're going to phase out health transfers altogether and implement a dozen different feel good programs that cost them 1/10th of the transfers' price. It'll be fun to see the "payroll glitch" strategy being applied to seniors' health care.

That would clearly be consistent with their choice of finance ministers and with the Trudeau government's unbridled enthusiasm for means testing but presumably provincial governments are going to cry bloody murder.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:18

Meat Recital: Mar 26, 2009; by zen death robot

This country is so hosed. I can't think of a single province that isn't a total shitshow.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:21

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

What I find remarkable about Canada right now isn't the dysfunction of our various levels of government or the moribund economy, because those conditions are shared by the entire first world. What I find a bit surprising, in spite of myself, is the persistent smug complacency that permeates polite Canadian society. You at least have a sense that Americans or Brits are conscious of the dangerous and unstable time we live in. They might not be reacting in a very inspiring manner but there's a real sense in other countries that something important is at stake. Canada feels like the one country still entirely living in the End of History mindset that most of the rest of the world woke up from eight or nine years ago.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:28

vyelkin: Jan 2, 2011

Helsing posted:

What I find remarkable about Canada right now isn't the dysfunction of our various levels of government or the moribund economy, because those conditions are shared by the entire first world. What I find a bit surprising, in spite of myself, is the persistent smug complacency that permeates polite Canadian society. You at least have a sense that Americans or Brits are conscious of the dangerous and unstable time we live in. They might not be reacting in a very inspiring manner but there's a real sense in other countries that something important is at stake. Canada feels like the one country still entirely living in the End of History mindset that most of the rest of the world woke up from eight or nine years ago.

It's because Canada is so insignificant that other countries can't even be bothered to include us in their era-defining crises.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:33

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

Manitoba is the shining beacon of prosperity for Canada in 2016.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:34

Baronjutter: Dec 31, 2007; "Tiny Trains"

Helsing posted:

What I find remarkable about Canada right now isn't the dysfunction of our various levels of government or the moribund economy, because those conditions are shared by the entire first world. What I find a bit surprising, in spite of myself, is the persistent smug complacency that permeates polite Canadian society. You at least have a sense that Americans or Brits are conscious of the dangerous and unstable time we live in. They might not be reacting in a very inspiring manner but there's a real sense in other countries that something important is at stake. Canada feels like the one country still entirely living in the End of History mindset that most of the rest of the world woke up from eight or nine years ago.

Yeah I encounter this all the time. I was just on vacation and chatting with people and they'd smugly read the news about trump in the US and the coup in turkey and say things like "sure makes you happy to be a canadian" and poo poo like that. I was trying to talk about how our economy is hosed and they were having none of it. Canada is stable and rich and we have great natural resources and we're just so safe and stable and our people are nice and polite and not extreme and violent like americans we just dont have problems here and global problems can't really affect us.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:39

CLAM DOWN: Feb 13, 2007

We should form Cascadia imo

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:39

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 8, 2024 20:23

Meat Recital: Mar 26, 2009; by zen death robot

EvilJoven posted:

Manitoba is the shining beacon of prosperity for Canada in 2016.

As I said, the country is hosed.

# ? Jul 20, 2016 20:53

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > CanPol Megathread: Big Changus

«‹›2341 »