How Canadian Politics Is Done – Temper tantrums and Name Calling

Federal Canadian Liberal Party Leader Michael Ignatieff is doing what he and the other opposition parties have been doing ever since the minority Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, took office – throw a temper tantrum.

Ingatieff isn’t kicking and screaming on all fours on the floor – but the rest of his – and that of the other opposition parties – is just like that of a spoiled child in need of a smack to the head.

Ignatieff claims he and his party are at odds with the Conservative led government, so much so, that Parliament has become unworkable, and he will be forcing Canadians back to the election polls to deal with the situation.

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What situation?

Ignatieff and the other political leaders can’t play nice-nice in the political sandbox, so they ask us to cleanup their mess? How grownup is that?

Ignatieff is playing old cards – the economy, unemployment and government spending. He says the current government hasn’t handled the economic slump well: "I think the economy is still struggling," he said. "A million and a half Canadians are looking for work, bankruptcies are up 50 per cent and we're staggering along with a $50 billion deficit."

He said this last week, just as figures were released saying the Canadian economy created more than 27,000 new jobs, which helped boost the Canadian dollar 1.38 cents to 92.02 cents US.

But Ignatieff questions who can lead Canada into the new economy, without many of the jobs lost and gone for good.

The election he wants to call would be about a government that will lead the country into full economic recovery – but he didn’t clarify exactly what he means by that, or how long or how much it will cost Canadian taxpayers to put his plans into action.

Ignatieff’s issues are personal not political. He’s been on this war path before – it seems all the opposition leaders are. The second they are odds with each other, instead of engaging in the debate and discussion which they are supposed to, as part of the political process, they throw their hands up in the air, call the other a bad name, claim the other is being unreasonable, and walk-off in disgust.

Canadians should be the ones walking away in disgust – that sort of childish behavior shouldn’t be tolerated by those footing the bill. Why should our taxes fund the salaries of spoiled children?

Yes, we need an election in this country, to clean out the rift-raft that have taken up residence in our political houses. But before that election is called, we need new names on the ballots. Those currently vying for office shouldn’t be allowed to run again – else we’ll just end up with the exact same mess we have now.

We need adults willing, ready and able to do the job we ask of them. And it isn’t as if we’re asking for anything out of the ordinary for our political leaders. All we ask is that they take on the role of governing our country with the seriousness and dedication it deserves.

Canada once was one of the greatest countries in the world to live. It still can be, if – and only if – we boot the children out of Parliament Hill, and bring in real leaders.

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Economists Nowhere Near Reality

Today, the Canada’s federal financial regulator – the Bank of Canada – boldly declared the recession over.

The national financial regulator – which sets the stage for how other financial institutions across the country will operate – estimated that the Canadian economy will advance by 1.3 per cent during the current July to September period and three per cent in the final fourth quarter of the year.

The optimistic view of the economy had an immediate effect on the Canadian dollar, which jumped 0.97 cent to 92 cents U.S.

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However the Bank of Canada is still concerned about the slumping American and European markets, and says they may contain more unpleasant surprises, which could affect the global economy just as it did back last October.

Wait a sec . . . the Bank of Canada says we’re out of the woods, but we’re still in the forest?

Doesn’t make sense – Canada isn’t the only country affected by the global economic downturn, Canada is very much tied to the American and European markets.

So how can the country’s national fiscal institution declare the recession over?
One word: posturing.

The stereotyped image of the tight-wad, highly cautious, nerdy banker-type rings true. Those in positions to influence world economies are easily spooked by even the tiniest of teeny-tiny things.

Just look at how fast most of the major trading indexes of the world fell when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center on the infamous “9-11” – trade indexes in Canada, Europe and Asia all dropped, even though they all were many hundreds – if not thousands – of miles away.

The same holds true when good news spreads from reputable sources, such as the Bank of Canada – even though it may only be a prediction, estimate, or the result of someone holding out on his or her lucky rabbit’s foot for luck.

Despite the numbers released by the Bank of Canada, this sounds very much like political posturing, in an attempt to stimulate the economy. By claiming the country is out of the recession – or will be by the end of the summer – investors will have more confidence to put their money back into the market, and that influx of dollars should help the wheels of the economy.

In theory, that sounds great – but just how realistic is it, given the dependence on most nation’s economies by the big American financial machine?

Don’t be fooled by premature statements, driven by lucky rabbit’s feet. Just look at what is still going on around you and ask yourself if we really are out of the woods.

Almost 400,000 Canadians have lost their jobs since October – and just how many of those people are still out of work or working in underemployment situations, just to make ends meet?

Many businesses are still suffering – just go to your local mall and count all the empty and gone out of business stores.

More people in Canada are depending on food banks to feed themselves and their families than ever before – simply because they can’t afford the basic

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needs for themselves.

Canada’s economic recovery may be taking place, but clearly we have a long way to go before declaring the recession a done deal.

And that economic recovery could be stalled or even halted suddenly, if the economies of the States and/or Europe continue to tumble, as they presently are.

The financial stimulus package American President Barack Obama launched in the spring is meeting with mixed results. On the one hand, it is providing some movement of funds in the economy, but on the other hand, people are still losing their shirts – or worse – their homes.

Until the American economy is stable and once again prosperous, the Canadian economy won’t be.

Keep stroking that lucky rabbit’s foot – but I’m waiting for more evidence before considering the recession over.

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