Blacklocks: The Department of Industry confirms it did approve secret subsidies to Volkswagen to build a battery plant in Ontario. Managers under questioning by Conservative MP Brad Vis (Mission-Matsqui, B.C.) promised to divulge the figure to the Commons industry committee: “The number of $15 billion was being thrown around.”
If eastern politicians couldn’t bribe crony corporatists with money stolen from production in the west, there would be little “investment” in eastern industry.
Not just Liberal regimes do it. They all do it. Remember Mulroney giving money to Michelin to modernize its plant? Michelin took the money and closed it down afterwards. Why should the politically-connected crony-oligarch Weston family get a cool billion to modernize their refrigerators? What about western-based Jim Pattison food group? He’s got lots of refrigerators too. Why should he have to modernize with his company’s own capital? Is the reason that he’s not a member of the Family Compact and his customers are westerners?
The eastern economy was designed from 1867 to be a parasite on western production. It will never end until the racket is broken up by dissolution. In other words, it will never end.
This is true. There were even rebellions over it and an attempt at a Republic of Canada. And not just talk.
If VW though this was viable it would have been built in China. Canada just bought another Brickland newfy cucumber plant.
The Canadian Milch Cow
https://i.cbc.ca/1.2950484.1423503747!/fileImage/httpImage/image.gif_gen/derivatives/original_780/the-canadian-milch-cow.gif
Other versions of the picture have the cow taking a dump on the Maritimes.
I can’t seem to find that one with the Maritimes. Yes, I do look for it as it is a more complete illustration of the issue.
I’ve seen a version, (re-drawn by a famous Maritime editorial cartoonist), where his little character, (who always represents the indigent Maritimes), is holding a tiny pail next to the eastern vested interests begging for a few drops of milk as a handout.
Tulips! Tulips are our Future!
I hate it but these crony capitalists shop their business to the highest bidder. VW dangled this plant to the highest worldwide bidder. They have loyalty to no one. If things start to go south and the plant looks like it will become unprofitable it’s, see ya later.
Sooner than that. Once the taxpayers’ money has all been embezzled, VW will be gone.
CPC should announce if they form the next government they will enact a special one-time $15 billion tax on VW.
Do it on each and every corporate welfare announcement.
That’s not a very good return on “investment”….
There should be a 4% surtax for the return, plus an inflation charge to normalize the payment of the tax to the year of the “investment”
Friendly amendment accepted.
Carried.
The elected industrial policy sociopaths in Ottawa believe that in the name of political power derived from offering salvation for manufactured crises, that Canadians should be prevented from “choosing” to buy cheaper goods subsidized by others and instead subsidize risky boondoggles while hampering and eliminating competitively advantageous domestic industries requiring no subsidies. I came across a number of the estimated subsidy cost per job per year was $450,000. Reality in Canada is far too bizarre for fiction writers.
“investment” the government loves to use that word… what they mean is taking taxpayer money, and giving it to their connected cronies in order to promote their preferences, because they know better than taxpayers how to spend taxpayers money.
What Alberta should be doing instead of bitching about selling unrefined product through pipelines that will never happen is to sequester the oil, make energy so cheap here any manufacturers would be stupid not to relocate. You want cheap energy? You come to Alberta. Keep it all and build the most beautiful and most advanced civilization relight here. Call it New Kuwait if you want. It wouldn’t take much to magnetize every industrious individual into this province and beggar the fools in Upper and Lower Canada.
Eljay: I think this is a splendid idea! If you would care to expand on this I would be pleased to read your thoughts. You say we could call it New Kuwait. Sweet!
However, I have recently taken a deep dive on how Dubai manages its affairs and its tax structure is appealing: UAE citizens and foreigners with residence visas are exempt from taxes on income, capital gains, gifts, inheritance, wealth, and luxury. Corporate tax is maxed out at 9%.
“It wouldn’t take much to magnetize every industrious individual into this province and beggar the fools in Upper and Lower Canada.”
Along with every {spit} Prog leech on the continent, looking for a handout and ‘free’ stuff…
Why analyze something that is in every deal between govement and big business. So I’ve moved on and the first thing that comes to mind is who was bending over for whom in these transactions, when they celebrate!
Another green victory / boondoggle that will promptly close the doors after upper management give themselves huge bonuses.. Don’t be sad.. A quick name change and a few fresh faces and they will be back for another green victory / boondoggle..
Its little wonder they want to keep it secret..
Every time a government subsidizes a large corporation, the taxpayers arseholes bleed.
canada is broken.