Gee Canada Drops $1 Billion on G8 & G20

Property taxes in Canada’s largest city are rising, the country’s largest province is implementing a new combined federal/provincial tax in July, and many are still getting over the effects of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

Yet today’s estimate of security costs to protect the G8 and G20 world leaders which will be in Canada for a mere 48-hours have topped the $1CDN billion mark.

The Canadian federal government says it’ll cost at least $930CDN million, but won’t release final dollar amounts until after both events, which are being hosted in Toronto, Ontario, and “cottage country” just north of Toronto, in Muskoka, Ontario.

It is expected security costs will actually be higher than estimates, due to threats and allegations from protest groups.

That’s more than double what it cost Canadian taxpayers to secure the entire 17 days of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

Yes, it is important that world leaders have clear and concise communications – but can Canada afford to spend a billion dollars for a mere 48 hours, to keep these people safe?

At least with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, much of the costs to secure it were recouped through tourist dollars – if anything tourists are being discouraged to come to Toronto during the G20 and G8 summits.

Much of the downtown core – the heart of the largest city’s entertainment and tourism industry – will be shutdown and off limits due to security concerns during the G20 and G8 summits. Just yesterday, the country’s largest university – The University of Toronto – announced it was ordered to close its downtown campus for the duration of the two-day summit, because it represented a security risk. At great expense to the educational institution, they will be putting students who live on the downtown campus up at hotels, as the campus will be sealed off tighter than Fort Knox.

Other tourist attractions, such as the CNTower, the Rogers Centre, First Canadian Place, numerous theatres, clubs, restaurants, bars, hotels, the major banking skyscrapers, and many other places right in the downtown core will be off limits to anyone who either doesn’t work there, have the right security clearances, or both.

Getting around Toronto and “cottage country” will be hell in late June, when the summits are to occur – roads and highways will be sporadically closed to ferry the high ranking world leaders to the various venues of the two summits.

That and the thousands of people expected to flock to both areas to protest the summits, the leaders, and their policies, don’t make for a tourist-friendly environment.

Would you want to take your next vacation amidst the screams and chants of an angry mob?

Well, maybe the protesters will at least spend some money while at the summits, to help offset the costs?

Wait a sec . . .

Aren’t most protesters twenty-something unemployed students with too much time on their hands?

Guess not.

Oh Canada – what a country.

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Beware of End of Year Job Numbers

Today, Canada’s federal government released the latest unemployment rates for the country – painting a rosy picture if you believe ‘em.

According to Statistics Canada, the country’s unemployment rate dropped last month by a tenth of a point since October. Canada’s official unemployment rate now stands at 8.5 percent.

The government claims this is because the number of full-time jobs increased by 39,000 in November, which is the third straight m

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onth of an increase. Part-time jobs also increased by 40,000 – previously they had decreased in the past two months of October and September.

That means we saw 79,000 new jobs created in Canada – if you believe all the media hype. For most of us, the worst global disaster since The Great Depression of the Dirty Thirties is still rampaging its wrath. I personally know many families which continue to struggle to put food on the table, despite the constant headlines hollering that the economy is improving.

Chances are if you aren’t one of the millions looking for work, you know someone who is. So as you hear the network news anchors boast about our country’s new low unemployment rate, you may ask yourself: “so how come my friend is still out of work?”

Truth is the unemployment rate just doesn’t take into account the very basis for real value employment in this country – or any country for that matter.

The federal government’s statistics do not take into consideration the largest area of employment for the past twenty-years – self-employment.

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Over the past two decades, companies have been hiring fewer and fewer on staff, favoring the more cost effective approach of bring in people on contracts.

Also, as the economy shrank in the recessions of the 1990’s and today, many people were let go, at times when there were no jobs. Many simply gave up looking for work, and went into contracting as they were unable to find anything else.

Last month’s self-employment numbers fell sharply by 32,000 self-employment jobs according to Statistics Canada. These numbers are not considered in the unemployment rate calculations, the government thinks of them as more of a wild card which indicates the volatility of the job market.

Not only do the unemployment rates not consider one of the largest sectors of jobs in the country, they also fail to take into account the real money maker for most people – hours worked. The Canadian government only compares full and part-time positions – they don’t take into account the actual number of hours people work, and that’s what really affects most pay cheques.

The total hours worked actually declined last month by 0.3 percent according to Statistics Canada. This means although more people were being hired, they were working fewer hours, so in the end, were being paid less.

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When people don’t make as much as they once did, they cut back on spending, and that means less money being distributed into the economy, which fuels economic downturns such as a recession or depression. Statistics already are indicating that most Canadians plan to spend 40 percent less on holiday gift purchases this year than last year – and last year at this time we were well into the worst economic decline since The Great Depression.

And to add some vinegar to a widening wound, most of the increases in employment were in the education and service sectors.

In the education sector, this increase could be due to budgets needing to be spent before year-end, otherwise the money is gone for good. Meaning next year at this time, we could see a sudden loss of jobs in this sector, as everything eventually balances out.

The December holiday shopping season always boosts employment in the service sector at this time of year, as those in this sector make most of their profits during this time. Many companies in the service sector hire part-time temporary workers to fill the holiday rush, only to be let go either at the end of the year or early in the New Year. So again, these numbers are not a good sign of more jobs and a better economy.

So, how will you know when the economy really is booming again? You’ll know from your own experiences, and the experiences of the people in your life, long before the Canadian government’s statistics confirm what you and your family and friends experience.

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Toronto Proud – Thanks Santa

Tomorrow, the longest running parade runs again. One-hundred-and-five-years later, Toronto’s annual Santa Clause Parade takes to Canada’s largest city Sunday.

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Over 25 animated floats, 100 celebrity clowns, 1,500 participants dressed in costume, about 2,000 spectators on the street, and millions worldwide watching the live broadcast in countries across North America, Europe, and the former Soviet Union, the annual tradition does Toronto proud.

That and the estimated $100,000 annually the parade raises for children’s charities – not only makes me proud to call Toronto home, but feel warm inside knowing kids are having fun, and helping other kids, of all ages.

The Toronto Santa Clause Parade has an amazing history too. Origin

Image by Sherlock77 (James) via Flickr

ally started by one of the founders of our great country – Timothy Eaton – or at least his family. Eaton’s department store was the original sponsor of the parade and for some time stopped at nothing short of spectacular to make the parade the best in the world.

In 1913, Eaton’s brought in live reindeer from Labrador to pull Santa’s sleigh. They even got a veterinarian on call all day and night to look after these animals, ensuring their special diet of moss was followed.

Also in 1913, children were allowed to march alongside the parade, d

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ropping letters to Santa in baskets. Every letter with a proper mailing address received a personal response from the jolly old elf.

Incidentally, Canada Post Employees continue to volunteer their time, personally responding on behalf of St. Nick, to all the letters addressed to Santa at Canada’s North Pole (yes you American’s – Santa is Canadian, eh.)

In 1919 Santa was flown in on the Aerodome blimp, landing right on Eglinton Avenue amidst a huge crowd.

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During The Great Depression, Toronto radio station CFRB began broadcasting dramatic stories following Santa’s trip from the North Pole down to Toronto a month before the 1929 parade – this was the era of radio plays, long before television would rule the home entertainment world. Children and adults followed the stories with excitement, building anticipation leading up to the parade. This gave many hope during one of the worst financial disasters in human existence.

During World War II, as materials were scarce, most of the parade costumes in 1939’s parade were made of paper. To allow more people to see the parade, businesses allowed people to go up high and follow the parade route below.
Office towers, including the Park Plaza Hotel (now the Park Hyatt) allowed children and adults to go to the upper floors, and look through the windows, and watch from balconies, as Santa made his way through the city’s downtown.

It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the Santa Clause Parade made Canada’s national broadcaster – the CBC. The parade was first carried on CBC in 1952, and was later filmed and packaged for schools across the country with famous Canadian broadcasters Byng Whitteker and Don Harron providing commentary.

Then, in 1982, the original founder of the parade, Eaton’s withdrew its sponsorship of the now 77-year-old annual event. Within three-days, 20 companies had signed on to sponsor the floats, and the following

Image via Wikipedia

year, the tradition of Celebrity Clowns began, when over 60 business executives each donated $1,000 to hand out balloons, march and entertain kids along the route.

In 1985 the lights around Queen’s Park Circle were lit for the parade, starting the annual tree lighting ceremony which traditionally takes place just days before the parade.

In 1989 two broadcasters from Russia provided live coverage of the parade to over 250 million viewers in the Soviet Union. As a way of saying “thank you,” Russia placed a float in the 1991 parade, carrying well-known fairy tale characters.

Now, Toronto’s annual Santa Clause Parade is the oldest parade in the world, carried on television stations locally in Toronto and across Canada. It is also one of the few parades carried live on television around the globe.

Who would have thought that a kid’s parade can make Toronto so proud?

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The Great Recession - What a Load of Hooey

Last month we told you how despite the continued faltering of the global economy, Canada’s national fiscal regulator, The Bank of Canada, boldly declared the recession over. At the time, we disagreed, because of the lack of supporting evidence presented by the nation’s bank.

Last week, the Canadian and American governments released their unemployment figures July - and just as we told you last month - the so-called recession isn’t over yet, at least not in Canada.

Statistics Canada said there was no sign of economic recovery last month, with a loss of over 45, 000 Canadian jobs, despite the Bank of Canada’s previous claim.
Though the American economy did do a tad better, showing a slight i

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ncrease in jobs - the first such increase in over 15-months.

This whole economic meltdown has government deception written all over it.
Instead of declaring it what it really is - a depression - economists at major private and public financial institutions continue to refer to as a “recession.”

This is because technically, it hasn’t lasted long enough to be a depression. But the affects of the current economic crisis are far worse than they were during the Great Depression of the “dirty thirties,” so doesn’t it make sense to call this fiscal mess what it really is - a depression?

Some clever financial analysts have come up with ways of describing the astronomically bad nature of the current economy, without using the “d”epression word.

I heard one the other day call it the “Great Recession” linking it to the nature of the Great Depression, but without using the word “depression.” Some just refer to it as the “worst economic slowdown since the Great Depression.”

Far more just talk about the effects on jobs, people’s homes and saving instead of actually talking about what we really are in. They talk around the issue, describing the situation, without actually defining it. Clever - and possi

Image by State Library of New South Wales collection via Flickr

bly scary - would you want this type of person responsible for your finances?

Truth is, we are in something far worse than an economic depression. It’s so bad, economists don’t have a word to adequately describe it. The economy will never be the same - we’ve lost jobs that will never come back, companies that were fiscal powerhouses in their business and industry sector have disappeared completely, more people have lost their jobs, their homes, their cars, and in the most literal sense of the word - their way of staying alive - than at any other point in history worldwide.

Governments have had to bailout mega-big businesses including the auto sector and various airlines. People have cut back on once thought normal, every day activities, like going to the movies, eating out, or having that morning coffee, just to scrounge up enough savings to have some money for the basics.

More people go without the basics everyday than ever before - things like food, clean drinking water, clothing, and a roof overhead.

The economy will get better, it has too, that’s the nature of the Capitalistic system. But we are far from out of the worst economic . . . or f*ck it - we are far from being over this global economic depression.

Before it is a distant memory, more people will lose their jobs, millions more will lose their cars, and homes, and governments will continue to forecast the end.

Well, eventually they will get it right. If you keep calling the cars passing by a “bus” eventually, when a “bus” passes by, you’ll be right.

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Megacity A Megamess – Toronto is on Strike

Canada’s largest city is facing its second city-wide strike in under a decade, as both inside and outside staffers walked off the job as of 12:01 this morning.

Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 6,200 of the City of Toronto’s outside workers went on strike, as labour negotiations with the city failed.

The union representing the city’s additional 18,000 inside workers – CUPE Local 79 – also went on strike, in part to support their outside colleagues, and also – as it so happens – their union talks also hit a brick wall.

Both unions have been in negotiations for over six-months to renegotiate their collective bargaining contracts, which expired December 31, 2008.

The last time city employees went on strike was back in 2002 – also in the midst of a summer heat wave. A day after the first day of summer, Toronto is experiencing its first taste of real summer-like weather, with temperatures about 27C, but with the humidex it makes it feel more 31C.

The hot and humid weather will only add to the misery of the strike, as trash piles bake. Garbage collectors, parks and recreation employees, paramedics, city run pool staff, and the ferry service between Toronto’s mainland and it’s neighbouring communities on the islands all ground to a halt.

Inside workers on strike mean the city’s daycare centres are closed as are municipal offices – though local politicians should still be on the job.

Toronto police and fire services are not affected by the strike, nor is the city’s public transit system, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Ambulance services are reduced due to the strike, and so are low priority calls to 9-1-1.

What an irresponsible and completely avoidable mess for one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

In an economy worse than the Great Depression, people with good paying jobs which not only provide them with a solid and steady income, but benefits most private-sector employees could only dream of, should be humbled by the very fact that they have jobs, let alone going half-cocked over a measly 18-unpaid sick days (which is one of the big burning issues for the outside workers).

The world’s largest company, General Motors, has slashed its workforce by thousands, and continues to announce layoffs on an almost regular basis. Other major companies around the world have had to let go of valuable, long-term employees because of the failing economy.

Unions do good things for their members. They fight the good fight; ensuring workers are compensated fairly, treated equally, and have safe and secure places of employment. However, sometimes, unions make unreasonable demands which fail to take into account the whole picture. They see bigger and better things for their members, without really considering the consequences to their member’s employers, the company’s customers, and the public’s safety.

Where has CUPE been these past few months – a Turkish prison? They should be thankful that employment slashing hasn’t hit their members the way it has hit the auto sector (which is also highly unionized).

And although they are in a legal strike position, isn’t it just as equally irresponsible to put people in harm’s way by stopping the collection of garbage during a heat wave? Garbage collection at any time of the year is a vital service, but becomes all the more of an issue as the humid conditions create a more hospitable environment for cockroaches, rats, seagulls, pigeons, racoons, and infestations not as common in the winter months. And all of these become a real health risk as they can spread disease.

Labour leaders aren’t solely to blame – part of the problem lies with the city as well. History has a tendency to repeat itself – just as in 2002 we had a summer of heat, humidity and garbage piling up on city streets. The city saw this coming. They know when their contracts end. The city knew from the strike of 2002 what negotiations are like what some of the key issues would most likely be, and what tactics the union would deploy.

Both the union and the city failed to act responsibly, and now Canada’s largest city is a city without the basics most modern civilizations enjoy.

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