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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 12:42pm MST
I recently met with a man who has an interest in the franchise to bring Chinese made cars into Canada. He showed me an SUV he was driving -- it was a solid well built, if slightly old-fashioned, vehicle. He told me he could sell it, at a profit, in Canada for about $25,000; which would be about $15,000 cheaper than a comparable vehicle. He told me he could sell a stripped economy car for about $7,500. Finally, he said the cars met California safety and emission standards. Now, do I believe everything he said? Not really, but even with an allowance for exaggeration his story led to a clear conclusion -- North American car makers are in deep trouble. And with that I refer you to today's story about Ford: Ford reports biggest quarterly
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 12:24pm MST
Export Development Canada forecast Thursday at Canadian exports will rise by 4.2% based on high energy prices. EDC is also predicting the Canadian dollar will drop to between US$0.94 and US$0.97 cents in early 2009. “While EDC recognizes that global supply and demand for crude is tight, we sees signs that a large price correction is on the horizon”, Mr. Hall continued. “On the demand front, growth expectations are likely to moderate as the global slowdown spreads and oil price subsidies in emerging markets are scaled back. On the supply front, the Energy Information Administration is already forecasting a doubling of OPEC surplus capacity, to 4 milli
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 12:11pm MST
I'm reading this predictable editorial board piece in the National Post, essentially slamming Dion's idea of a carbon tariff. The piece is really a study in contradiction, first arguing that the Green Shift is toothless without a tariff, then attacking Dion for proposing what the board argues is required. First, this point: In other words, the Green Shift is likely to be a farce unless it is accompanied by some form of protectionism that prevents the replacement of relatively carbon-clean Canadian goods by dirty foreign ones. The NP editorial board acknowledges that this
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 11:51am MST
For someone who seems thrive on diminishing institutions that most Canadians hold dear and considers avoiding public scrutiny as sacred, it's difficult to imagine that the Con's won't appeal this latest ruling . I mean, it would be brilliant if all of this came out during an election, because I really believe the Con's are dead in the water on this, but I cannot imagine Harper a
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 11:50am MST
So I trekked out to Jack's neck of the woods last night for the Kinsella Young Liberal event . First off, full marks to the Lang Gang for another fun event, to follow up their wildly successful time raiser earlier this month. I always like underdog campaigns because you can have some fun with them and it certainly seems like that's
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 10:58am MST
Barack Obama certainly hit all the right notes today at a mass rally in Berlin -- emphasizing cooperation as opposed to the divisive policies of the current US administration . Among other things he cited the success of the European Union. But I'm not the only one asking why his whirlwind world tour does not include a stop in Brussels, where the European Commission is located. You'd think he'd want to press the flesh with the people who make most of the decisions that matter on the continent. Just an observation ... especially now the Eurozone is more powerful economically than the States. Healthy, not destructive, competition is important; but it's also important to know who your allies are a
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 10:37am MST
Here’s a little reminder that if you want to attend a BBQ on Sunday that is potluck, the 3rd Annual Regina SaskBlogs BBQ is noon, July 27 in the park west of the Science Center parking lot. Hopefully you can make it, and meet some other people interested in blogs and Sunday picnics.
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 9:45am MST
There doesn't seem to be much middle ground when it comes to Barack Obama does there? People seem to love him or find him vacuous. I can't say that I fall into either camp, however, given that I really hope McCain does is a transcript of his speech today if you didn't hear it.
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 9:40am MST
"From a government revenue perspective, if we are going into a global economic slowdown they're going to be looking to preserve their revenue base. Income trusts, as they previously existed, were a real threat to that." Tax lawyer Adrienne Oliver, July 16, 2008 Wow, this Adrienne Oliver tax lawyer person is a real winner. I think Diane Francis should interview her. D
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 9:12am MST
Although clearly not as important as the riveting tale of a teenager who felt "used" by the Liberal Party, yesterday's news concerning the Tories ad scheme in Quebec being described as "illegal" is something that should make people sit up and take notice. Unfortunately however, it likely won't and doesn't appear to be doing so such are the benefits (to the government at least) of intriguing stories like this unfolding during the dog days of summer. In a court filing of cross-examination connected with the Conservatives' litigation against Elections Canada it was revealed that: Four-fifths of the cost of the Conservatives' 2006 election-campaign advertising in Quebec was funnelled through local campaigns in a financing scheme that Elections Canada alleges was illegal,
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 9:02am MST
This post should go over like a lead balloon, but given all the lofty praise, another perspective seems entirely appropriate. I remember listening to Barack Obama's victory speech in Iowa, entirely impressed with the verbal virtuoso, thinking a new era had taken flight. While I still believe Obama would make a good president, and he's this foreigners personal choice, I find my enthusiasm waning in one sense. I'm glad I had the opportunity to listen to Obama's speech firsthand today, because the subsequent commentary shows no relationship to my perceptions. I should amend the above, I only listened to a few minutes of the speech, because to be frank, the lofty rhetoric left me cold, bored even. Soaring over the mountain tops, the linguistic gymnastics dazzling the masses, and yet
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 8:42am MST
"We cannot afford to be divided. No one nation, no matter how large or powerful, can defeat such challenges alone. None of us can deny these threats or escape responsibility in meeting them," "The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand. The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Ch
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 8:02am MST
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 7:59am MST
1936: Jesse Owens wins four gold medals in front of an angry Adolf Hitler. 2008: Barack Obama gets the rock star treatment in front of a jam packed berlin crowd.
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 7:35am MST
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 6:46am MST
Today's joint funding announcement is both sensible and welcome. Ontario needs the help. That said, does it, perhaps, make a fall election more likely? Ontario to get $7.8-billion for infrastructure KAREN HOWLETT AND DANIEL LEBLANC From Thursday's Globe and Mail TORONTO, OTTAWA The federal government will announce today that it is inking a deal with Ontario to spend $7.8-billion in the province on public transit, roads and bridges as part of its plan to maintain and expand the country's infrastructure systems, sources say. The Ontario government will sign an agreement under Ottawa's infrastructure plan, called Building Canada, which will see the Harper government spend $33-billion over seven years on infrastruct
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 6:41am MST
This morning my family and I watched CBC Newsworld - transfixed - by the incredibly moving speech Presidential Candidate Barack Obama gave a massive crowd at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin Germany. Words cannot describe the feelings and emotions racing through this liberal's mind as the future President brought back memories of JFK in his moving Berlin address. Of course Mr. Obama did not make the
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 6:23am MST
Here's
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 6:03am MST
I bumped into this recently... The Atlantic Monthly is starting an advice column and is asking for requests for advice "on anything under the sun." Wowee, I thought: I can ask anything! There must be tons of things I want advice on. Haven't thought of anything yet.
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 5:56am MST
Re: Get behind Ontario Premium McGuinty, You are asking for us to get behind you in your fight for a fairer economic relationship with Ottawa. I think this is a fair request considering the Harper government has stated that Ontario should be the last place to invest and they are trying to screw us out pr
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 4:50am MST
In light of the recent attention paid to individuals dying in custody after being by police there. While I do
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 4:43am MST
Adam van Koeverden is an awesome guy. This is a great way to recognize of all his hard work and success. Good luck in China, dude.
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 4:37am MST
The only thing that got us sanely through a miserable winter with near-record snowfalls was the weather forecasters promising us a "long, hot summer", starting in April. Well, to be fair, we did have a week of summer-like weather in April, but since then it's been in the crapper. May was just miserable and cold. June, with 22 days of rain, has been dubbed Junuary by some. July, which is when we expect to be basking under hot, sunny skies, has b
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 4:04am MST
One of the obvious aspects of Stephen Harper's income trust betrayal was the "social engineering" that underlay it. How on the one hand could Stephen Harper write an Op Ed in the National
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 3:57am MST
Taking the subway to court, half asleep, thinking of the day ahead. I hear the train coming into the station and then a horn blasting. My thought, 'odd to have a through train in rush hour'. Then cries of 'dear G-d' and 'doctor'. A woman crushed between the train and the platform. She's alive but wailing, an awful sound, a wounded animal cry. Haunting. This will stay with me. The platform is cleared. Buses come to take passengers around the closed station. A life taken? If not gone then changed forever. And the City moves on ... . James Morton 1100 - 5255 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 3:50am MST
Cons Try to Buy Ontario Votes (Random Noise )
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 3:00am MST
So we learn today that Ontario is to get $7.8-billion for infrastructure......from Ottawa........that was sourced in Ontario. Big deal. If so, the question then becomes where's the other $12 billion that Ontario taxpayers will overpay to Ottawa this year? And $20 billion next year? Why are you still planning to shortchange Ontario for 10
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 2:55am MST
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 12:26am MST
2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetoo
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Posted: July 24th, 2008, 12:14am MST
Some Gore bashing gone wrong: Stanley Lewandowski, the general manager of the Intermountain Rural Electric Association, is one of the few utility officials willing to suggest that the prophet of global warming is strutting about like an emperor without his clothes. Secondly, there is actually a difference between the emperor having no
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 11:36pm MST
On July 22nd, the headline appears on Lifesitenews: Massive New Poll: 56% of Canadians Oppose Morgentaler Order of Canada. The poll, commissioned by the Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), gets very little play in the MSM, but JJ and the gang at Unrepentant Old Hippy become a little bit curious, as do some of the players at FreeDominion . Their big question: who the hell are KRLVU polling, the company that conducted the CLC poll?
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 11:34pm MST
From today's Dead wrong. There is no deal on "sharing" oil-and-gas revenues. Oil and gas revenues aren't supposed to be shared. What did happen, recently, was that the two levels of government settled (through arbitration) the issue of the value "crown share" payments owed to Nova Scotia under the National Energy Program. The NEP was in place at the time of the signing of the preliminary Nova Scotia Accord, which contained provisions regarding the crown share. But the NEP
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 11:18pm MST
It pays to know the enemy - not least because at some time you may have the opportunity to turn him into a friend. James Morton 1100 - 5255 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 9:18pm MST
I'm sure somebody will correct me if I screw this up, but I think it was Dief who said new MPs spend their early days wandering around Parliament wondering how they ever got there. And soon after they wonder how everyone else got there. One guy I wonder about is Dean Del Mastro, the Conservative MP for Peterborough. Not just because he sits on the finance committee with me and is the most viciously partisan person in the room. Not just because his mom owns a cell tower back home that the locals hate and Dean defends even though he's in a conflict of interest. Not just because he abuses the floor of the Ho
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 9:00pm MST
OTTAWA - Le plan du gouvernement conservateur pour venir à bout des problèmes d'immigration du Canada manque toujours de perspective et est un échec lamentable. C'est ce qu'a déclaré aujourd'hui le porte-parole libéral chargé de l'immigration, Maurizio Bevilacqua.
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 9:00pm MST
OTTAWA - The Conservative government's plan to deal with Canada's immigration challenges continues to be a short-sighted and abject failure, said Liberal Immigration Critic Maurizio Bevilacqua today.
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 7:46pm MST
Liberal Side Projects (The Liberal Bag )
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Posted: July 23rd, 2008, 7:02pm MST
The European Union is engaged in debate over what to do about aviation and their new carbon trading system. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the discount airlines. I traveled on them extensively when I was in Europe. However, the mere thought that they would be excluded from any sort of carbon pricing system is absurd. Europeans are using discount airlines not only for recreational travel but also to get cheap labour from the poorer East to the richer West without the bother of actual immigration. Work the week in England, fly back to Poland for the weekend. The discount airlines have become a crucial part of the continent's economy. Thus, a tax on air travel might actually force Europeans to change t