How do Canadians feel about PM Steven Harper? (taxi, taxes)

[Waterlooson]

Originally Posted by ajau

Seems to me that the Anglo's of Quebec and the Maritimers like to be coddled by big government. They like to have government dictate the economy to them and they like government corporations dictating the terms of business in the region. Stephen Harper represents moving away from that suffocating mentality. Look what public corporations in the US have done to the mortgage markets!

Entrepeneurs need not move to the Maritimes I suppose with that attitude.

That "culture of defeat" Stephen Harper was referring to in the Maritimes a few years back does have some truth to it. Many Maritimers now in Calgary agreed with Harper and that culture was one of the reasons they moved here. Maritime and Quebec population is shrinking! Western population (Harper support area) is increasing. People vote with their feet.

And AIG, Citibank, Bank of America, Country Wide and WaMu were prudent in the mortgage market? Let's see, Country Wide and WaMu are history... Citibank may be insolent according to analysts, and AIG lost $61 billion - just in the last quarter! Bank of America is another disaster, and you complain about government interference??? The problem is due to a lack of government oversight - not due to an excess of it.

Neither the Maritimes nor Quebec is declining in population. Please, make it a practice to check the facts before posting.

[LeJeremy]

One of the problems I have with conservatives is that they don't stick to their promises; they say they aren't going to influence private business, and they say they will keep taxes to a minimum, but then when companies like GM (no offence to any employees who are getting laid off; this is a jab at the corporation, not the little guy) make cars that people don't need/want (like SUV's), and there's an economic downturn, and nobody wants their cars anymore, the conservative government would come around and decide to "bail them out"...hey! I can't pay my mortgage, because I lost my job! Are you gonna help me out? Nope! Only corporations! And now you're doubly screwed because we don't have unemployment or welfare! ha!

[ajau]

Originally Posted by LeJeremy

Yes, in a sense we like to be "coddled" by big government. We like to know that things like medicare, welfare, and pension will be paid or, and we like public services, like transit, and cultural infrastructure to be supported.

Here in the West we prefer choice. Choice in medicare is growing all the time. Welfare here is considered a good job and EI is not a lifestyle. Most people here take care of their own pensions and don't look to government for a top up. Cultural institutions are primarily privately funded but yes, transit could be improved here. We even have choice with private liquor stores in Alberta and some in BC unlike the East.

Not disregarding the East, just highlighting why Harper might be more popular in the West than the East.

[ajau]

Originally Posted by Waterlooson

And AIG, Citibank, Bank of America, Country Wide and WaMu were prudent in the mortgage market? Let's see, Country Wide and WaMu are history... Citibank may be insolent according to analysts, and AIG lost $61 billion - just in the last quarter! Bank of America is another disaster, and you complain about government interference??? The problem is due to a lack of government oversight - not due to an excess of it.

Neither the Maritimes nor Quebec is declining in population. Please, make it a practice to check the facts before posting.

Read this article from Stats Canada... http://http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/060927/dq060927a-eng.htm (http://http//www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/060927/dq060927a-eng.htm - broken link) Population stagnant at best. Population losses in all Maritime provinces except PEI.

As for the mortgage market in the US, most residential mortgages in the US were underwritten by Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac, quasi-public institutions.

[umtiki]

helps the rich stay rich, winning him many votes in the west.

[LeJeremy]

Originally Posted by ajau

Read this article from Stats Canada... http://http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/060927/dq060927a-eng.htm Population stagnant at best. Population losses in all Maritime provinces except PEI.

That's partly due to the fact that the Atlantic ocean is running out of fish, so many Maritimers who make their money fishing, no longer have an income, and have been moving out west mainly to Alberta where the economy has been booming...

[sunshineleith]

Originally Posted by ajau

Read this article from Stats Canada... http://http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/060927/dq060927a-eng.htm (http://http//www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/060927/dq060927a-eng.htm - broken link) Population stagnant at best. Population losses in all Maritime provinces except PEI.

Population is stable right across the country.
http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/demo02a-eng.htm
Only NWT went down from 2007, and that was only by a little wee bit. Alberta showed the most growth, but it will be interesting to see what happens now that the oil industry is tanking. I have three siblings that moved back to NB the last three years - two are accountants, one is an engineer. All have good jobs here.

[RinaG]

Stephen Harper is the lesser of the 3 (4, if you count the Greens) evils.
I'm a Ron Paul supportin' hardcore libertarian myself and I think Stephen Harper is an idiot, but at least he's better than Ignatieff.

[zoran]

He is a total idiot. And if you look closely at his eyes they resemble the cold dead look of a shark's eyes.

[~NeonFire~]

I hate Stephen Harper. With that being said, the other choices aren't that great either.