August 29, 2019: Reader Tips

Reader Tips 46 Comments

I rolled in early this afternoon after two days of slow ass travel across Hellway 17 in Ontario and US #2. Not fun. As expected, I had nearly no internet access while gone, so I know basically nothing of the last week or so of current events and I’m not sorry about it, either. I had fun showing dogs, and did lots of winning.

That said, the next six weeks holds a heavy work load along with more travel. The blog will be taking a bit of a back seat from time to time, but that’s just the way it’s got to be.

Oh, and Ontario? This is what a 90km highway looks like in Saskatchewan (as seen through the bugs gathered near Devil’s Lake, ND). I think you can let people pick up the pace a little out there.

Tips thread is open.

46 Replies to “August 29, 2019: Reader Tips”

  1. Hey Kate, I drove some of them roads last year and said p.iss on it, gonna just hammer it….and no OPP or nothin’ …then I hit the prairies and drove faster and didn’t see one Roman Catholic Member of Parliament (rcmp) till I got to Maple Crick Sask. Nice Town, near the great watershed of cypress hills and all that.

    1. Kate, your starkly beautiful photo reminded me that the vanishing point and single point perspective is another “invention” of Western civilization. Phillipo Brunelleschi documented the accurate mathematical and artistic representation of 3-dimensional space on a two dimensional piece of paper. Here’s a nice little tutorial by the Khan Academy …

      https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/early-renaissance1/beginners-renaissance-florence/v/linear-perspective-brunelleschi-s-

      Thanks Western Civilization! Thanks Roman Catholic Church which funded the Renaissance!!

  2. I drive the TransCanada across northern Ontario, one border to the other, every summer and I can assure you it’s crawling with OPP, you will get away with 12k and probably 18k over. The regular flow, the big trucks, keep it pretty consistently around 12k over, get past 20k over and you’re asking for trouble. As for the prairies, 12-18k is also ok but don’t kid yourself, Sargent Goofy is on the prowl even if you don’t see him, plenty of ghost cars in all provinces. I also highly recommend slowing down to maybe maximum 8k over in built up areas with more side access roads, there’s more danger and more cops.

    1. ” in built up areas with more side access roads, there’s more danger and more cops”
      With photo radar no cops are required; your extra contribution to society comes in the form of a ticket in the mail.
      Saskatoon is so bad for that I avoid the place. If I do have to drive there I set the cruise 1km/ hr above the posted speed. And remember those construction orange zones where fines can be tripled and a 300 dollar hit can become 900.

    2. Our son just got ticketed yesterday on Hellway 17 (thanks Kate).
      His charge: doing 100 in a 90…
      Just east of North Bay.

    1. And when Alberta loses in the Corrupted SCOC and learns that obviously even when the BNA says you have exclusive jurisdiction over your Provincial Resources what will be Alberta’s next move. Albertans need to demand that Kenney hold a Binding Referendum on a Mandate for a UDI may as well start the process now. Go UDI Alberta.

      1. Bilderberg Kenney is controlled opposition. Him and his UPC Red Tory government aren’t going to do anything for the good of Albertans.

  5. Lilley at the Toronto Sun website has an excellent review on Groper buying the election with taxpayer money. Great Leader Super Socks is mostly throwing money at provinces he can gain seats, Ontario, Quebec, and B.C. Which explains why he is burning jet fuel to B.C. today.

  6. You can go as fast as you like in Saskatchewan. You still have to drive on Saskatchewan roads. Flin Flon to Prince Albert was damn near the end of my motorcycle.

  8. I hear people compare Alberta to Norway in terms of “heritage” funds; $18 billion to $1000 billion.

    Several points:

    a) Norway has a VAT of 25%, Alberta GST is 5%.

    b) Albertans have sent $600 billion more to Ottawa than we’ve received back.

    c) years ago, a Alberta politician told me they were worried about the savings fund getting too big and Ottawa finding more ways to get their hands on it. So they increased public sector salaries (nurses, teachers, etc) to the highest in the country.

    Haven’t done the arithmetic, but I suspect that accounts for much of the difference in heritage fund sizes.

    1. The VAT has nothing to do with Norways Fund. It is kept separate from Politics and Public Funding. Norway has about the same population as Alberta, same climate more or less. A Calgary economist forget his name says that since the 1960’s Alberta has actually sent about 1 T to Ottawa. What ALberta lacks in VAT is more than made up for with the other taxes extorted by Ottawa. What has killed Alberta is weak Liberal Premiers that have never kept Ottawa out of Provincial Jurisdiction and programs. Peter Lougheed was one of the worst. He was very big on Liberal programs. He always talked tough but always went to the No Tell Motel with Pierre Trudeau and assumed the position. He was more leftwing than Pierre. Lougheed refused to have Property Rights in Trudeau’s Constitution. The only Premier who wanted Property Rights for Canadians was from Manitoba, Sterling Lyon. What does that tell you about his Communist ways. POS.

      1. Joe here is a list of what Ottawa taxes in Alberta. Every thing that moves in Alberta is taxed. Kenney needs to take Alberta out of the Federal Provincial Financial Arrangements Act. By withdrawing from this he defunds Equalization and all other taxes flowing to Ottawa. All that will be left for Ottawa would be GST and Federal Income Tax. Carbon Tax is only the latest encroachment, allowed by weak Premiers. Somehow Quebec’s revenue from Hydro Projects is exempt. So in addition to their 4B profit from Hydro this year they get most of all Provincial payments under this scam called Federal Provincial Arrangements Act. It is an act not part of the Constitution. It is a contract. It can be rescinded by the Province.
        https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-7.8/page-1.html#h-238911

      2. Watcher.

        The 25% VAT allows Norway’s to divert more money to its heritage fund.

        I didn’t live in Norway, but I have lived in The Netherlands. The Dutch taxes were very high. My Norwegian friends said that prices and taxes were higher in Norway than Holland.

        Don’t know if that’s still the case.

        1. I get that Joe, but remember Alberta already pays way more in total tax than the 25% VAT that was my point. Norway unlike Alberta controls taxation within Norway. Alberta does not and has to fork over BILLIONS each year to Ottawa. Way and above the 25% Vat. In more programs and scams than you can count.

          1. Watcher, if you are arguing that taxes are too high in Alberta, I agree.

            Having lived in Europe, I much prefer Alberta’s taxes to Europe’s

            The cost of living was much higher in Europe too. Cars more expensive, insurance was much higher. Gasoline much higher. Houses and apartments much smaller.

  9. For personnal reasons I just did this through Canada nonstop. Ontario is a killer and so big. 36 hours of driving and waiting at construction sites.

  12. My colleague, Alan Chan, and I just published a study, by AIMS (a conservative think tank) stating that the Canada Summer Jobs program is short-changing Western Canada, particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan. Recall that the CSJ program required a signed “attestation” supporting Liberal social policy.

    Here is the study:
    http://www.aims.ca/books-papers/rethinking-student-job-subsidies-the-case-for-regional-equity-in-the-canada-summer-jobs-program/

    1. Watcher, big thanks for Macleans article.

      I have followed Bercuson and Cooper all along and have their books.
      They would be excellent advisors when we leave.
      Another good advisor would be economist Joseph Stigler who has interesting ideas on limits to government reach.

      I admired Lougheed for his honest efforts to get us ahead but he, along with most of us at the time, did not realize what bunch of corrupt, lying thieves he was dealing with. Took him a while to realize that Pierre and Lalonde were intercepting the calls between him and his energy minister, Merv Leitch. So Trudeau knew ahead of time what Alberta was proposing in the NEP negotiations.

      And here we are 40 years later, with another Trudeau liar. We haven’t moved an inch!

      BTW, we can always sell the Lower Mainland area to the NW Pacific US, so all the wackos could be in one giant group hug.
      LOL

  14. The good thing about driving through Ontario is that you get to LEAVE when you finally get to the end.

    We have to live here and deal with this all day, every day. And the donkeys STILL VOTE LIBERAL!!!

    “What’s it going to take?!” is my favorite question these days.

    1. I was down there in 1998, my Gawd the ignorance and the arrogance of the denizens of southern Ontario was over the top. When they learn you are from Alberta it increases. It is as if you are a foreigner and you are as about as welcome as a pork sandwich at a Jewish wedding.

  15. Did I just hear Trudeau will not be taking part in the first Leaders debate? If true, this is arrogance beyond measure.

  16. the good news Kate now has good insight why ontariowe keeps putting the likes of wynnedfarm in orifice.
    precisely how that is connected required research.
    allow me to suggest a search on ‘propaganda aimed at the ignorant masses’ as a start.

    the other good news is t’day is me birt’day.

  17. anybody see this episode of the series?
    http://www.cnbc.com/live-tv/american-greed/full-episode/paul-manafort/1593726019507
    what a despicable BASTARD.
    like the narrator said, he traded american democratic principles for cash.
    25 million to be exact, in earnings from his time in ukraine, paid for by the russkie oligarches via caribbean banks.

    reaallllll good at manhandling elections there manaFART, not so good at hiding the money trail eh?
    rot you pryck rot rot rot rot.

  18. Totally agree about the state of our highways in Northern Ontario where most of the Trans Canada is a two lane death trap.
    It’s rather simple. We’re the deplorables of Ontario and aren’t worth it or worthy of any type of recognition as equals with our all-knowing overlords in the GTA and Ottawa.
    This despite the fact that a large chunk of our population is indigenous.
    I’m all for Northern Ontario becoming a new province/territory but everyone says we don’t have the population. Meanwhile, PEI (152,000), Nunavut, NWT and Yukon (110,000 combined) is barely over 1/4 of our population of almost 800,000.

  19. The # 2 hi-way in the USA… In 1957 I drove that NEW Cement super hi-way from Minot -to–Bemidji on the way to International Falls & Kenora….Pipe line…. It was an alternative Route for Canada # 1 (two lane widow maker) for more than 30 years….X over @ the Sioux Saint Marie. Nice easy route

    In 2000 I drove the # 2 Hi-way again… Grand forks through Devils lake to Minot… It was full of Holes (lots of BIL signs warning of Holes)… Totally destroyed, lacking any sign of Maintenance….I have avoided # 2 ever since… .
    (BIL= Brother In law of the Governor)

    BTW: I have driven the Hanson lake Road (106) PA- Flin Flon back when Tires were destroyed by the sharp rocks…

  20. Toronto Sun reports that 26 of those damn Christian groups were denied summer grants because they don’t support abortion.

    1. The best way to deal with this climate emergency is to convince all the Shreekers of The Church of Man Mae Global Warming and Taxation is to all get together for a Jim Jones Cocktail. They need to do the right thing for Gaii or whatever in the hell they call it. And well the greasy politicians just find a lamp pole and well you get the rest of the idea.

    2. 1. We should immediately shut down Edmonton’s airport.
      2. Edmonton should implement a gasoline tax of $3 a litre, raising it every month until it reaches $10/litre.
      3. All stores, shops, restaurants should close on Sunday – to reduce heating and lighting requirements.
      4. All new construction must stop. Concrete is just too carbon intensive.

      Come on Edmonton, it’s an emergency!

      1. I agree Joe only you don’t go far enough. All street lights out by 9pm, all government buildings thermostats lowered to 65F in the winter and raised to 90 in the summer. Ban all private vehicles. No taxi’s walk or use a rickshaw. All traffic cops and parking officers walking or bicycle only. No foremans or special vehicles for any city employees. No more road repairs or construction. Ban all aircraft except emergency flights. All public parks turned into allotment gardens so the serfs can grow their own food. What did we miss.

  23. Its amazing the difference between how Trudeau’s media treats Hitler Scheer and Wonderful Trudeau at press conferences. I watched the Scheer press conference a few minutes ago, and Trudeau’s loyal media were almost throwing chairs at him. Lots of nasty smear questions. Meanwhile Groper will soon be giving a press conference in B.C. to throw money around. I bet the media will ask insightful quiet questions on how wonderful he is. And of course Trudeau’s CBC was trashing Scheer after the press conference. Because nothing is more important to Canadians this election than anal sex and abortion.

  24. Just watched the press conference for Groper in B.C. Totally different from the press conference with Hitler Scheer. Reporters applauded when announced he would allow questions. First question was to explain how wonderful his funding announcement was today. Followed by questions on how homophobic and anti abortion Scheer is. He ranted that no Liberal MP is allowed to not be pro abortion, at which time he got more applause. Then more questions on how wonderful he is. He explained that the evil Conservatives don’t care about the environment and instead will focus on silly things like the deficit. And of course lots of talk about evil Harper. He also ranted about the threat of populism. He refused to answer a question on whether he will participate in leadership debates, and didn’t answer the question of why he is removing duties on Chinese steel for the LNG project, instead of using Canadian steel. CBC followed with a discussion on how wonderful he is.

  26. I got busted once driving well over the speed limit on the Queen’s Highway 11 in Ontario by the OPP. They complained that it took them 5 Km to catch me. Interestingly enough their point was not that I was going to hit another car or run off the road – their concern was that a moose might take it into his head to ignore me while walking across the road. I had to concede the point – those damn things are huge and if I’d have hit one of those at even legal highway speed I would likely not survive.

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