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Homeless, Newfoundlanders Lose in Tory Budget
Recapping the day that was on Election Central.
In the lead up to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's budget speech in Ottawa Monday, the big question was: can it pass? Without the support of at least one opposition party, the budget, and Stephen Harper's government, would collapse, throwing Canada into its third general federal election in four years.
Early on, it did not look good for Harper's digits. Jack Layton was telling reporters he would not support the budget before Flaherty was half done his speech; the Liberals, and Stéphane Dion, weren't far behind.
But, just as the networks were rolling out their campaign 2007 graphics, a reprieve: the Bloc Québécois, after huddling with their provincial counterparts in the Parti Québécois, decided the hundreds of millions of new money for their province was enough; their vote would prop the Tories up.
So no election, at least for now.
But that's far from the end of the story. As readers who followed Election Central's live blogging know, some big issues for B.C. and Canada were addressed in Monday's budget, others, ignored.
Here's a quick recap:
Housing
Advocates for affordable housing in Vancouver were looking for money that was promised when the federal government in 2002 backed the 2010 Olympic bid. They didn't get it. As Tyee regular Monte Paulsen wrote:
"The $300,000 the City of Vancouver paid to (purportedly) well-connected political insider Ken Dobell seems to have yielded absolutely nothing in the way of help from Ottawa.
"There is nothing in this budget (or the related documentation online) about relief for homelessness -- a surging problem not only in Vancouver but in every Canadian metro area. And there is nothing under the health care section for addiction treatment.
"Translation: Vancouver and British Columbia will get no support from Ottawa to build the hundreds of millions of dollars of low-income housing, supportive housing and transition housing needed to alleviate North America's worst homelessness crisis."
B.C.
Before the speech, UBC's David Gillen told Election Central big money was on the way for B.C.'s transportation sector. The reality: an extra $1 billion in the budget for the Pacific Gateway Project.
Equalization
Changes to the federal equalization program were a big story in many parts of the country. To sum it up: Quebec won, Newfoundland and Saskatchewan lost, but in a way no one expected.
"Harper managed to keep his equalization promise and still piss off Newfoundland and Saskatchewan: under the budget plan there are two equalization options. Provinces are slotted into one of the two depending on which results in a higher payment...
"The tricky part comes in when you consider this: if Alberta now affects the standard that provinces are measured against, but their natural resources aren't included, then the entire standard is lowered drastically. In addition, there is a cap in the budget that ensures that no receiving province can have a higher fiscal capacity than Ontario after receiving equalization. So Saskatchewan, for example, is capped at $226 million in equalization payments under either plan. That's a lot less than the $800 million Calvert told me he wanted.
"And B.C.? They get zero, no matter what formula you use."
Quebec
To win Canada, Stephen Harper must win Quebec. So how did his second budget do? Pretty well, all things considered. It will likely pass with the support of the Bloc Québécois, the party against which Harper must compete for the francophone nationalist vote. What's more, all three Quebec provincial parties had positive words for the deal before the day was out. But that doesn't mean Jean Charest and provincial Liberals can now cruise to victory in next week's election.
Political Scientist Eric Belanger told Election Central that he doesn't think the new money will rescue Charest's tanking numbers.
"The campaign has been going on for almost four weeks now," he said, "and from what I see, people's opinions have started to crystallize already and I think it will not be enough to help Mr. Charest."
Tomorrow on Election Central, more on the budget aftermath and a special look at the players in the election game. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
- Bill C-38: the Environmental Destruction Act
- Canada's Economy, Deconstructed (by a 12 year-old)
- Is the 'Living Wage' Enough?
- What About Just Guaranteeing Everyone a Basic Income?
- Van Dongen No Hero to Me
- Republicans, get in my vagina!
- Tories admit to closing enviro research group because they disliked results
- Does BC Stand for Ban Clotheslines?
- 'Cagey' Clark's Pipeline Prevarications
- I Breast-fed My Preschooler. Big Whoop
- Bill C-38: the Environmental Destruction Act
- Seven Ways to Help Folks Fall in Love with Cycling
- It's no yolk: Breakfast crew share $21.4M Lotto 6-49 jackpot in Ontario
- Is the 'Living Wage' Enough?
- North Island College Cutting Down on Face Time
- Gov't Moving to Keep Farm Disease Outbreaks Secret
- 'The Coca-Cola Case'
- 'Cagey' Clark's Pipeline Prevarications
- Meet BC's 'Changemakers' of Aboriginal Learning
- BC Hydro Management Process Flawed: Internal Audit
- Does Simon Fraser University Need a Men's Centre?
- Seven Ways to Help Folks Fall in Love with Cycling
- Politicians with Hair on Their Faces
- Now Is the Time to Talk up Big Ideas
- BC's Emerging Green Faith Movement
- Why Blackberry's Embrace of HTML5 Is Good Karma
- Is the 'Living Wage' Enough?
- Van Dongen No Hero to Me
- I Breast-fed My Preschooler. Big Whoop
- Gov't Moving to Keep Farm Disease Outbreaks Secret
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maestro
5 years ago
Welcome to the NEW Canada.
"....A round a round the ever - Balkanized States the monkey chased the weasel..."
Welcome to the NEW IMPROVED CANADA ( = the same old sh!te ).
murdock
5 years ago
Same old ~ same old
The CONformers and the LIEberals, same sh!t different stink.
Power in the canada only comes from connecting upper and lower canada.
The CONformers have figured out how to do that for the next few months...
That is all.
flattax
5 years ago
Homeless Newfis do not exist
They all live in a $50,000 house that would cost $1,000,000 in Vancouver and drive F150s. It is a myth they use to milk their EI and welfare payments from the have provinces.
And as for Tories being neo-liberals. Do not blame them. Blame Canadians for wanting it. You get the government you deserve.
Chris H
5 years ago
Why can't Campbell learn?
If you talk to a federal minister in his closed office, does he make a sound? Campbell needs to start making some public noise to get money out of Ottawa. That is the way politics works.
I have to commend the Tories on their $4000 tax on monster SUVs and their rebates on fuel efficient vehicles. It's a start and may make a difference. I know its a great idea because the New Car Dealership Association doesn't like it. Wow, a policy that might get people to buy less costly, smaller vehicles. Ouch, that has got to hit dealers where it hurts most! LOL!
flattax
5 years ago
Chris H
Quote:
If you talk to a federal minister in his closed office, does he make a sound? Campbell needs to start making some public noise to get money out of Ottawa. That is the way politics works.
Response:
Agreed. However, he would have to whine and threaten to leave Canada to get more money. Political suicide anywhere except Quebec.
I say let Quebec leave and good riddance, we will be a richer country without them..As a bumber sticker once said..."My Canada includes Florida".
Chris H
5 years ago
flattax
Please ignore my posts flattax and I will ignore yours. Your past comments regarding the victims in a serious work-related accident were disgusting, and I don't want to associate with you in any way. This is the last post I will make towards you. Thanks for your future cooperation.
Elliot
5 years ago
the charter of rights and
the charter of rights and freedoms guarantees the right to mobility in canada. if newfies can't make a living on the rock they're always able to move out west. i'm tired of supporting them and listening to their whines.
G West
5 years ago
mobility rights!
I'm tired of hearing your whines. Plenty of people from Newfoundland and Labrador have already moved.
You might be surprised to know that salt cod from Newfoundland (which wasn't then even part of Canada) was one of the things that kept prairie farmers and their families on relief (all of them basically) alive during the 30s.
I thought you might know SOMETHING about Canadian social history El. Guess not. You don't think that Canada is a real nation because you seem to think that a nation doesn't mean anything more than your own neighbourhood. Maybe even just yourself and your family. That's sad.
Percy
5 years ago
"Rotten borough" seats keep us all hostage...
I'd be more comfortable with the protests from Saskatchewan and Newfoundland if they were appropriately represented in the House of Commons. Both provinces are grotequely overrepresented in seats, when compared to their small (and stagnant or shrinking) populations. With 21 Commons seats between them representing a mere million and a half Canadians, they have only slightly fewer seats than Alberta, with more than twice the population. If we are serious about equal treatment in the country, we will start with the democratic deficit....
maestro
5 years ago
G West:
C,mon G West..that tired old rant about Alberta being saved in the 1930's is getting worn out. I heard Trudeau-sky mouth it years ago...its the typical thread bare Leftie LIEberal excuse book.
The interesting comparision is the Feds back then kept pre 1930's Alberta like a modern day Newfoundlandie BACKWARDS and a Non -equal member of Confederation.
Alberta did NOT have control of its Mineral etc rights till after 1930's unlike Eastern Provinces who had these rights since Confederation ..we already discussed this several weeks back...(BTW always interesting how these points not only re-cycle but also faster).
Alberta lobbied and finally acquired these rights...the rest is history and they never looked back. I am suprised our Maritime brethren haven't started a revolution by now on how they have been treated by both incompetence and insidious social engineering to cover this up.
The only reason there is no Maritimer revolution is the contrarian logic...keep them addicted to handouts, which I discussed earlier via the Federal pogey programs for the Maritimes outlined in a TV documentary.
Thus , they are too weak and unmotivated to revolt . Regardless, its pathetic, dehumanizing and an embarrasment...and in my view it is the Gov'ts fault why the Maritimers are in this "boat" in the first place. Only Gov't can "F" up what is effectively a RENEWABLE resource etc.
Vicious circle. Pathetic Joke...and typically Canadian at the Feds level, yet many lap it up or misinterpret it.
G West
5 years ago
maestro: Baloney
You don't know what you're talking about.
You never write or say anything remotely sensible and discussing anything with someone who sometimes thinks it's fun to add '-sky' to every other noun in his text leads me to believe you have the mental age of 12. Is this some sort of ethnic thing?
I feel kind of sorry for you, but you know virtually nothing about the history of this country so please don't be offended if I don't waste any more time on your nonsense than the 45 seconds it has taken to type this.
Sometimes I wonder if you’re really Canadian at all.
Carry on!
maestro
5 years ago
No ....YOU carry on G West:
Carry on with your typical surficial patronizing BS.
You are the UBER delusional ideologue. Typical Leftie...
You either have a short memory , economic use of the truth or no memory....more likley all of the aforementioned.
Your history is whatever you choose to bless us with...and further revisionist interpet.....err " You " and "Alciabides".
G West
5 years ago
You don't know what you're talking about.
Just proved it again, thanks.
maestro
5 years ago
Sorry : G West
I erred re: carry on
I meant "carrion" as in you usual carrion luggage
I mean carrion " baggage " .
Again short ,filtered ideological memory.
"Your Canada G West style" is a Lefties dream, and that is NOT a compliment.
morechatter
5 years ago
OH CANADA OUR HOMELESSNESS IN OUR NATIVE LAND
lIKE TO START A CAMPAIGN FOR THE FORGOTTEN CITIZENS OF CANADA LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES-i VISULIZE CITIZENS WEARING THE FLAG CRACKED DOWN THE MIDDLE REPRESENTING HOW THEIR COUNTRY HAS LET THEM DOWN
"The flag is the symbol of the nation's unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion."
G West
5 years ago
more proof
I meant "carrion" as in you usual carrion luggage
I mean carrion " baggage " .
Again short ,filtered ideological memory.
"Your Canada G West style" is a Lefties dream, and that is NOT a compliment.
The elliot treatment is apparently the only thing for you.
maestro
5 years ago
G West:
So...let me get this straight.
You fear Elliot TOO ?
G West
5 years ago
fear him?
The point, which was obvious for anyone with an IQ above room temperature (Fahrenheit), is that you and Elliot aren't worth the trouble to even respond to.
When someone leaves nothing but garbage (as Elliot always does and you are more and more tending to do), the only thing to do with the mess is wrap it carefully and place it, figuratively, into a rhetorical garbage can.
That's what I do with most of Elliot's posts and what I'll start doing to yours if they are directed toward me and fail to rise to the intellectual level of warm oatmeal.
Club takes a different approach. Both have their merits.
The last things I fear are folks like you and Elliot - the persons most likely to suffer from both your and his pathology are the two of you. Sometimes you provide something interesting to toy with - a kind of intellectual yo-yo so to speak. Most of the time you just aren't worth the effort.