97 Replies to “Budget 2008”

  1. I wonder if the Conservatives will ever bring in income splitting for families.
    Unlikely in this budget I’m afraid. They should have done it when they had more wiggle room, and I’ll never understand why they didn’t.

  2. One hopes Dion will follow advice from his Power Corp marionnette Johnny Critter and bring down the Conservatives over the budget…But with new polls coming out daily that favours Harper on most everything, I won’t hold my breath…Especially from a power at all cost party like the Lieberals. They’ll wait for a recession or other: I say, at their own peril…The longer PM Harper leads the country the more Canucks seem to like him…Even a majority want more tax cuts if needed to stimulate a slowing economy even if a small deficit results: Wow!…I think they forgot to poll Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver on this one.

  3. Canadian Dollar is up 2 cents today. Cant find a headline on it. Markets are all up. Seems investors aren’t biting on the negativity that the media has been pumping in the runnup to the budget. Perhaps a big surplus on the way.

  4. Things that bug me:
    Regarding the grocery store, why do people with forty items stand in the line for ten items or less?
    ATM machines: Idiots who spend twenty minutes putting their purse in order after making a withdrawl. Like I don’t mind standing there waiting while some chick cleans her purse out, it’s not as if I have a life or anything.
    Four way stop signs: Drivers who think it’s always their turn, even if it isn’t. Is ramming into them justified?
    Dogs: People who exclaim oh he/she’s friendly as they are hanging off you or your dogs leg by their teeth.
    Harper: He’s a closet leftard. He is.

  6. atheist quebecois separatiste “More money for Quebec is the only thing I care about”
    You and a lot of others from Quebec. For what it’s worth, you can take out Quebec, and substitute most other provinces though. The difference is, Quebec already gets far more than its fair share.

  7. Things that bug me:
    Standing in line at the convenience store counter while the cashier spends 10 minutes exchanging tickets and game cards with a lottery player.
    People who claim to support tax cuts, but really want tax cuts for themselves, their interest group, or for their friends and family, as opposed to tax cuts for the general population. Like people who always argue for income splitting or who whine about the taxing of income trusts in the same way as other mutual funds or who want tax cuts for one region and not others, or who want tax cuts for some industries and not others. There is always a million and one reasons why their group deserves special treatment.

  8. Rose – people at any checkout who react with astonishment when informed that they have to pay for their purchases and then begrudgingly search through wallets, pockets, bags for means to pay.
    Probably dippers, all of them

  10. This column portends a very difficult time ahead on equalization.
    http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=333897
    What was basically a squabble when Danny Chavez was beaking off is about to go nuclear.
    Why?
    Because the truth will finally be laid bare:
    The only provinces that will be left as haves – BC, AB, SK, and NL – are all significant Oil and Gas producers. Equalization will be simply a confiscation of Oil and Gas income (12 billion or more per year in AB currently).

  11. “The longer PM Harper leads the country the more Canucks seem to like him.”
    Posted by: Grind a Grit
    Hmm, let’s see about that. Three recent polls:
    The Strategic Counsel/CTV poll showed support for the federal parties at:
    Conservatives:39%
    Liberals:27%
    NDP:12%
    Green:12%
    Bloc:10%
    A Harris-Decima/Toronto Star poll showed support at:
    Conservatives:35%
    Liberals:33%
    NDP:13%
    Green:9%
    Bloc:8%
    And, the latest Nanos poll:
    Conservatives:34%
    Liberals:34%
    NDP:14%
    Green:8%
    Bloc:10%
    Yup, getting more popular by the day.

  13. I don’t think the Toronto Star wrote this with the intention of making me laugh so hard I almost pissed my pants, but you got to to do something with this.
    http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/306896
    Premier’s fan accused of death threats
    ******************
    I said, `If she didn’t give it to you, I’ll kill her.’ It’s just slang,” Vir said. “I use this term all the time with my husband and my kids. In Hindi, it’s, `Mein tumarhi jaan nikal dungi.'”-Neelam Vir
    She sent the first of about 200 rambling emails to McGuinty last July. “In India, you can’t even approach a politician. Here, they’re accessible and open to hearing from constituents, so that’s what I was doing,” Vir says
    She sent the first of about 200 rambling emails to McGuinty last July
    Shalini Konanur, the clinic’s executive director, calls the incident an overreaction to an honest mistake.
    “I never meant to harm anyone,” says a tearful Vir, 40. “My Canadian dream is shattered. I just want to go back to India.”- Neelam Vir
    ********
    Yeah all they do is kill each other in India, who knew it was their way of affection.
    Don’t let the gate hit your ass on the way out Neelam.

  14. Ontario as a have not province… brought to you by the McGuinty Liberals, Liberal ideals and progressive mismanagement.

  15. iberia,
    Funny thing about polls is that Tories always poll at rates below what they normally score on the day that counts.
    The opposite is true for the Liberals.
    Do that math.

  16. According to Mothercorp. radio (who would probably know) Dion will likely assume his familiar paws-up position on the budget. Waiting till May to force an election on the issue of who has the biggest weather control plan.
    Harper’s probably ten moves ahead of Dion on that as well.

  17. You know what bothers me about those polls, lberia, is the variation.
    The NDP seems pretty fixed; the Bloc seems pretty fixed. I won’t count the Greens. But the variation in the three polls between the CPC and Liberals is too great to be ignored. I’d have to wonder about their questions and their sample.
    What is interesting about this budget is that its acceptance or not, has zilch to do with the well-being of Canadians and everything to do with the well-being of two political parties: the Liberals and the NDP. Their reactions to the budget will be based on only one value: their political agenda.

  18. On the CTV National News Feb 25, Liberal Party of Canada spokesman Robert Fife accused the Conservative Party of stealing Liberal policies on:
    1. help for auto sector
    2. job creation for infrastructure
    3. permanent gas tax transfer to cities
    Liberal spokeman Fife was clearly upset, mentioning the word “stolen” three times!
    http://tinyurl.com/24hjhc
    Watch LPC spokesman Robert Fife at the video link “CTV News: Robert Fife with exclusive budget details 3:31”

  19. Not until there is a Conservative majority will we see taxes affected in the proper way.

  20. anyone have a website/source for the national deficit / debt by year for Canada for the period 1960ish to current ?

  21. HA! that whole once we get a majority schtick STILL makes me laugh. Once you get it you still gotta pander to keep it.

  22. haha…12 people have already voted on whether this is a good budget for them over at cbc.ca
    4 for, 8 against

  23. Since when is a policy ‘genetically bound’ to a political party? Bob Fife seems to make such a conclusion.
    atheist quebecois separatiste – I understand your indifference to the well-being of the rest of Canada and your focus only on Money For Quebec. What puzzles me is your sense of entitlement to this money. After all, you want MORE money returned to you, than Quebecers pay in taxes. Why do you feel entitled to more than your taxes?
    After all, doesn’t that mean that Quebec is taking money from the tax funds of people in the ROC (rest of Canada)? Do you think that Quebec is entitled to these funds?

  24. Right on!!! $10.2B against the debt. The biggest bitch against this item will come from the NDP who wanted a smaller debt payment and money for social programs.
    From what I see so far, a prudent budget and the right type at this time.

  25. Matt,
    “HA! that whole once we get a majority schtick STILL makes me laugh. Once you get it you still gotta pander to keep it.”
    Correction: In year one you do whatever good you’re going to do by instituting all of the unpopular stuff. In year 2 through 4 you undo what you did in year 1 trying to get a year 5.

  26. ET,
    “Why do you feel entitled to more than your taxes?”
    That’s what makes them french and quebecors and it’s why I can’t stand them or their sh*ty pathetic province. They can separate – the quicker the better – and when they do they can take NFLD with them.

  27. Below is the Toronto Star’s lead:
    “The Conservative government’s third budget sets the stage for a possible election, with promises of tax-free savings, a new passport valid for 10 years, help for the ailing auto sector and transit as well as funding for … ”
    In other words – good things in the budget. Yet the Star’s only interest is in an election.

  28. Dion says on CBC we will not defeat the government on this budget – Goodale says caucus will meet to decide course of action – support or abstain
    Jim

  29. OMG, all the noise of the nattering in the background pisses me off. Why don’t they all shut up!!
    Ugh!

  30. The Grope and Wail not surprisingly calls the budget “stingy” as they’re commies and think we should be running trillion dollar deficits while taxing the eeeeevil corporations at 99% of gross sales.

  31. Why doesn’t the rest of Canada hold a referendum on whether Quebec should be kicked out of Canada, I mean, secede?

  33. “What puzzles me is your sense of entitlement to this money”
    If the province of quebec was a panhandler, would it be the guy that sits passively with a cup and a sign, or the guy that gets in your face?

  34. Ottawa unveils tax-free savings plan
    (reuters)
    For all Canadians! From a Conservative government.
    Long live Canada.
    Vive le Canada.

  35. Sorry to interject, but with respect to the budget… I noticed that some nit wits on the ctv website were complaining that the Tories were spending so much attention to crime reduction. I suppose they would like further gun control and social workers to solve the problem. God bless Harper!

  36. How many of you have ever been to QC? Experienced the warmth of the people, seen the delights of the Charlevoix, the majesty of the Chic-Chocs, the splendour of the north.
    C’mon, guys:
    It’s the 400th anniversary of Kweeebec ciiity
    Eeevrybooody sing.
    All in all, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in Canada.

  37. Hey Separatiste – can’t you at least get off the teat long enough to take a deep breath? The next time you province (country) decides to have another referendum (neverendum?) I say that the rest of Canada has one too. Just to see if we want to keep you. I will campaign my heart out to let you go. And this, Quebecois is coming to you from one whose all four grandparents came to Saskatchewan as pioneers in the early 1900’s. And someone who could have a conversation with you in your first language. C’est le temp que vous partiez! Bon debaras!!!!

  38. I’ve just read through the budget notes.
    WHERE. ARE. MY. ENTITLEMENTS?!
    I’m in TORONTO. It is SNOWING at the moment. I expect some ENTITLEMENTS!
    Humph.

  40. That’s what makes them french and quebecors and it’s why I can’t stand them or their sh*ty pathetic province. They can separate – the quicker the better – and when they do they can take NFLD with them.
    Posted by: Warwick at February 26, 2008 4:23 PM
    Warwick, I thought you supported national unity? Oh well, it doesn’t matter – in just a few short years, NL will be a have province while it appears Ontario will not. The difference is, we probably won’t be bitching about having to share with our countrymen.

  41. But what about the climate emergency? Is it not a matter of great urgency to defeat this government which is ignoring science?

  42. ‘Watched Puffy Duffy a while ago on MDL, interviewing the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance (who acquitted himself admirably). This was the CTV headline:
    FEDERAL BUDGET FALLOUT
    ‘Negative spin?
    Why not:
    REACTIONS TO FEDERAL BUDGET or just FEDERAL BUDGET
    ?

  43. WRT polls:
    I’ve heard enough blather from Nanos to know he’s a cheerleader for the Libs, so I don’t trust his polls.
    So Dion backtracks again. Wimp.
    Duffster wonders if they will vote for the budget or abstain, and laughs heartily.

  45. Quebec City is beautiful. My wife and I went there last year for our 30th anniversary. It was the first time we felt any interest in visiting Quebec. The people were warm and friendly. All in all a great experience.
    Montreal was a dump and a disappointment.
    I would go back to La Belle Province again.

  46. So let’s get this straight…you get to keep the interest off of a $5K savings account tax free?
    Hmmm…you’re very lucky to get 5% interest on a savings account these days, which means that at best you’ll be “saving” the tax on $250. Hell, the banks don’t even issue T5s until the interest reaches $50!
    And encouraging saving in a time of economic slowdown? We want consumers out in the malls spending, and driving the economy upwards…

  47. You’re right about Nanos, bluetech, he’s starting to show his colors. He’s a fav of the Liberal MSM.
    One of theses days he’ll have a poll question that will give Dion a majority, it’s closing in now.

  48. If all quebecers were like atheist quebecois séparatiste, Québec would have separated a long time ago,
    please do not think all quebecers are like him,
    at least more than half of French speaking quebecois do not hate the rest of Canada and do not want to separate from it.
    Believe me I know, I am a French Speaking quebecois.

  50. Well thank you very much, Friend.
    I have to admit, that is one reason I detest “seperatiste” is because I lost all faith in the French as there was overwhelming evidence that they are so uniform and predictable and march in lockstep with the other Utopian Fascists of the world.
    You are a refreshing exception to the rule.

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