Hey cannuk...
 

So whats up with Stephen Harper taken the Canadian prime Minister position? I don't know whats going on up there, but I have to imagine its slightly like we felt last year in november. May God take mercy on your soonly contorted nation.

I think it is a better alternative than leaving Martin as PM, he flat out stole from us. I think Harper will be the one to solidify Canada/US relations which needs to be done desperately, the last two cabinets have created a big divide. I am very optimistic about Harper's leadership

You want ties to us for what reason. And I'm not so up on Paul Martin's theft, care to elabrate?

Man i think there is nothing against Stephen Harper....he may be a wee bit uptight as of now but i think he was the man to win this time....him or Layton

took the words right out of my mouth. Harper scares me, he's definitely on the extreme, although to be honest, the liberals were not such a great alternative. This whole election was just awkward, I just didn't feel like there was a candidate that I felt at all comfortable with, which is not a good thing. At least it is a minority government, so there will be some balance of power. Maybe everything will come alright, the liberal/ndp parties will keep harper in check, and hopefully his government wont steal from us. The only thing I'm really worried about are his views on health care, environmental issues and education.

He lost over 200 million of our tax dollars due to a sponsorship scandal, at the time he was our finance minister. If a CEO of a company lost 200 million dollars wouldn't he be fired?

As for solidifying our ties, us not having troops in Iraq was a big piss off for me. If you have troops on the ground so should we, our relationship has suffered since. Our economy needs US business for us to be profitable, now most US business is looking offshore. GM and Ford have announced massive Canadian layoffs, this is not good.

I'm not even gonna TOUCH the iraq war issue. The US has no business being there in the first place, we have even less. That was the one thing I liked about martin, was that he actually stood up to Bush. I really fear the day that martin will start siding with Bush when it comes to the war in iraq. More military spending means less for health care, education, and environmental programs. Have you been to a hospital emergency room lately? If you have I can't see any way that you could argue that we don't desperately need more funding. and education, our public schools aren't exactly in the best state, universities desperately need more funding, tuition costs are through the roof, and it's become rediculously competitive because of the lack of space due to lack of funding. The bottom line is that canada DOESN'T NEED a stronger military, we DO need more funding for health care and social programs, education, and we need to continue the good work we're doing in our environmental programs.

It all boils down to our economy, the more we scratch the US's back the more they scratch ours. I don't want to see big business going off shore, I want it here. More Canadian jobs means more career options and better overall quality of life for me, I couldn't give two shakes of a rat's hairy ass if the US belongs in Iraq or not. I want better options for the Canadian worker

better options for the canadian worker? how about making it possible for anyone to get a good education? I'm guessing you're not a student, because you don't seem to give a rat's a** about the state of our education system. What about health care? he's most likely gonna try and implement a two tierd system, meaning that people who have money will get the best treatment, and everyone else's health care system will be forgotten and left to detereorate even more. I'd actually be curious to know when you last had a serious medical condition that put you in the hospital for an extended period of time. I've had enough stays in the hospital recently to be genuinely scared about the level of funding and that was before harper. I shudder to think of what it's going to be like after he gets his hands on the system.

^ I am sorry but I really don't have a lot of sympathy for the "starving student", I have more sympathy for the blue collared working man/woman. At least a student has the option of OSAP, what does the blue collar worker do when he/she needs some help?

As for health care a two tiered system isn't the worst thing that could happen, why shouldn't I have a choice? Contrary to popular belief our system is not the worst in the world


666 posts = EVIL

no it's not the worst in the world, but we definitely need more funding, not less. With his system, he'll let the rich put in all the funding they want into THEIR health programs, which is great for them, but not so great fo everyone else, because their health care system will get f*ck-all for funding.

when you're hyperventilating in the emergency room waiting room from the pain you're in, and pass out twice, and all they can do for you is lie you on the floor and give you a paper bag, it's not good.

when you're extremely ill and so dehydrated that you're alertatively passing out and halucinating, and the doctors in the emergency room want only to SEND you home and tell you to drink lots of fluids, even though you can't even look at a glass of water without throwing up, and they refuse to admit you, it's not good.

when a nurse gives you a drug which is written specifically on your file that you're alergic to, its not good

when you start to have a severe alergic reaction to it, and she asks you if you want gold bond cream, its not a good sign

when you stop breathing and need a certain kind of nose drops to unblock you nasal passages, and your nurse is checking her e-mail instead of getting them for you, really not good.

When a doctor misdiagnoses your cousin's apendicitis and she almost dies as a result, it's not good

when you're friend is involved in a near fatal car accident, and the nurse pushes him to get out of bed and walk around before he's even had recontructive surgury, and he doesnt know any better because he's tripped out on way too much morphine (that the nurse administered), it's not good.

That's really nice that you don't give a sh*t about out health care system. Maybe you'll feel differently if its one of your loved ones that doesnt have the money to pay for decent care when they're in need.

As for the "no sympathy for the starving student" deal, it's not about students starving. Not once did I say that. I said that our universities are so crammed with students from lack of funding that they can't possibly accomidate everyone who should be given the cahnce for a good education. Kids with 89% averages have no chance in getting into the field they want to because their marks arent high enough. Do you have kids? if so, I hope for their sake they're not of the age to be applying to university. It was stressfull enough for me, I can't even imagine how bad it's going to get when harper starts cutting funding to pay for his bullsh*t military plan.

I am sure you will have plenty of time to be stressed about it while skiing and summering in New Zealand. Meanwhile I will be here working, few of us are as fortunate

good for you. yeah I'm going to be skiing in new zealand, but it's because I work my a** off with a job and going to school full time that I can pay for it. That's really too bad that you feel that you're financial situation isn't what you want it to be, but guess what, it'll be a hell of a lot worse if anything happens to you and you can't support yourself or your family. Have fun next time something happens to you and you find yourself in the hospital with sh*tty health care, and no social programs to fall back on once your sick leave from work runs out.

been in the hospital plenty, not much to complain about. At your age I'm not sure you are qualified to lecture me, I have been eligable to vote for 12 years.

maybe where you are the situation is different. here it's definitely something to complain about. Are you really that uncaring that you'd rather spend more on a military that we don't need and leave thousands of people left behind with a system that doesnt feel the need to provide adequate funds for the care they need?

that's a real convenient way to completely avoid my arguments, play the age card. Did you have any actual opinions on the suject? or are you just going to make snide remarks about the fact that I'm moving to new zealand for the summer and that I'm 19? great debating skills there. no wonder you're a fan of harper.

real great attitude towards politics you've got there. Don't listen to any of the younger voters if they're interested in their country's politics, it's not as if we'll be inheriting control of the country when you're a senior citizen completely dependent on the social security programs we decide to implement.

we don't need to spend more on the military we can merely move them from their current occupations. A friend of mine spent a year in Somalia (where we still have soldiers stationed) and spent his time there drinking beer and playing cards, no one even did exercises anymore. We also currently hold occupation in Germany (which I have heard from many servicemen has the BEST whores), what are they doing in Germany???

Our military could probably be more productive in Iraq


As for the healthcare the reason for the shoddy care is simply burnout, the people that occupy these positions which they hate do not have another viable option and the byproduct of this is shoddy workmanship. If there were more career options perhaps these bad apples would seek out other options

or maybe, it's because there's no funding for health care, which means sh*t wages for anyone working as a nurse or nurses aid. I think that's more the problem than the fact that they don't have any other options, as you put it.

I really don't think they are destitute, they are in the upper percentile of a lot of Canadians. I am not trying to come off like a jerk but these are the things I feel strongly about, the thing that I am most concerned about is giving half of my money to the government and I want to know what it can do to better ME. I am sure your attitude will change in ten years when you have a career to speak of and wonder where your money is going

although i have no insight into the state of your health care or education system, i find it hard to believe that it's as bad as you make it out to be, from what i've heard , canada is a pretty wealthy country...you should come here....check out the hospitals and the colleges.....i think you'd feel a bit better about the situation in canada....

other than that, i think you made very good arguments, i actually read through the entire thread....
oh and:
:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

I can only speak about where I am from and Harper's leadership will benefit MY city and MY province. I do not pretend to know what is best for Alberta as I have never been there and have no intention of going, my province relies on industrial business in order to prosper. Harper will be the one to solidify our relations with our US nieghbors and will interact well with both President Bush and Tony Blair.

The healthcare system I do not believe will suffer as badly as you think, we are a long way away from a US style system.

As for student issues these rate very low in my personal politics as I am professionally established, I hope this clears up the way I think for you. These are the items that I weighed up when I checked my ballot, I am sure you had your reasons for yours as well.

You don't have a social security system? How come your elderly don't starve to death.

I concur.

We have the Canada Pension Plan, it is pretty much the same thing

I guess that's it then, we just have COMPLETELY different views on what's important and what's not. Looking on the bright side, hopefully harper will live up to the conservative reputation, and do good for the country financially. Since it is a minority government, i'm hoping the liberals and ndp's can keep him in check and prevent him from doing too much damage (well, what I'd consider damage) to our healthcare, education, social programs and environmental programs. Maybe after a few years, the liberals will get their act together, and reform as a party with someone who can be a good leader, because I do agree with you that martin was by no means a good alternative to harper.

I agree with you that a minority government is a good thing, I just hope that it is a short transition period and they can come to some quick resolutions instead of long arduous bitch sessions

yeah, hopefully it won't be like the last minority government with the liberals in power, that was just a complete waste.

I agree, it was a fiasco

although when you think about it, theoretically, a minority government is probably the most fair and equal representation of the country, as long as the different parties can learn to actually work together and get things done. A huge number of european governments work very well on minority government systems, so hopefully we'll eventually stumble across a configuration where the parties can actually work towards something without letting their own egotistical power trips get in the way.

that is the way I see it as well, perhaps we should have covered this in our first conversations to establish some common ground

true, although, if I'm being completely honest, I don't see how this government will be any more productive than the last. The campaigns themselves were such gong shows, each side slinging just as much sh*t at the other. Harper does not seem to be a man who will compromise easily, so it will be very interesting to watch the progression of this new government.

It is the same basis for any government: HOPE

good point. I'm gonna hold my tounge and hope for the best with the federal government. I hold no such claims for klein's administration though. Apart from doing well for alberta financially (which is not that great of an acheivment, with all the money from oil we have, it's almost as if it's running on auto-pilot). The healthcare and education system is undoubtedly better in ontario than it is here. Just today there was a huge news story about an 83 year old woman left lying on a guerny in the middle of the hallway in the hospital because there wasn't enough beds. A few years ago the hospital with the bussiest trauma center in the city by far was imploded, for no apparent reason, just a lot of vague and dismissive explanations that "we didn't need it". nice going klein, incompetent f*cktard.

^I'm sorry about that, again I am afraid that I am pretty ignorant to what goes on in Alberta. It is sad but I know more about what is going on in Michigan than other provinces

IMO there was no good choice in this election. i am glad the liberals are ousted, but i'm none too happy about the conservatives in power either. frankly, i voted green party, solely because none of the other parties represented me, either does the green party but its the best i could do. about growing closer to the united states, i dont see the problem with it. economically its a positive step. the only issue i'm concerned about is americanisation and social change that might be an effect of closer ties. i don't want to lose what shred of diversity we have left. also, harpers proposal to have a free vote in the house of commons about a womans right to choose is complete and utter bull****. i dont understand the reason for unearthing the issue again, you can't please everyone no matter that outcome. but point is we needed a change, and we got one. no more criminals, well, at least no more criminals that got caught. but give it a few years

no worries, i'll explain the situation briefly, mind you, my views on it will have a HUGE anti conservative bias, but still, the facts speak for themselves.

Alberta is the only province in canada that actually had a budget surplus, which is nice, except klein is letting it go to waste. We're by far the richest province in canada, and yet university fees this year went up by 6%. He blew up the bussiest hospital in the city, and the health care system has been in absolute dire condition ever since, I think i've given enough examples to make that situation quite clear. Now, instead of improving the health care system, or helping out university students, he decided to give every albertan $400. I know most of you probably think i'm a spoiled brat for complaining about this, but it's absolutely useless. It's f*cking easy to get a job in alberta, we don't need $400 from the government. That money would be FAR better used improving our hospitals. Putting even HALF that money into health care would help. I guess I shouldn't be surprised about any of this, you can't expect a high shcool drop out to be sympathetic towards students looking for a higher education.

that is when you can tell an election is near: you start getting cheques and rebates from the government. Gratuitous vote buying

no kidding. the only reason I'm living here is because I'm going to school here. I realize that it's the easiest province to live in, and I know that my financial situation will be a hell of a lot better if I continue living here, but I definitely don't fit in here.

Where is the alternative?

^so far the plan is BC, but that's only because of the good skiing. Incredibly fickle reason I know, but what can I say, I have a one-track-mind. although, I can't really make any kind of decision right now, seeing as how I most likely won't settle down anywhere for years yet.