Video: Don’t be a FCINO Mr. Prime Minister
Please share this video from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
February 8, 2010
Tags: Canadian Taxpayers Federation, FCINO, Stephen Harper Posted in: Blog Content 
One Comment
Leftist Echos of Harper’s ‘97 Essay “Our Benign Dictatorship”
In 1997, Stephen Harper and Tom Flanagan jointly penned an essay titled “Our Benign Dictatorship” in which they laid out why the Liberal government of the time was essentially undefeatable, as well as what would be required for it’s defeat. Namely, they pointed to electoral co-operation (between Reform and the PCs) in the form of not running candidates against one another in close ridings and a possible coalition government after the fact.
Today, Philip Resnick and Reg Whitaker in The Tyee wrote an open letter calling on the Liberal, New Democratic and Green leaders to make such a deal. While infinitely shorter than the Harper and Flanagan essay, the letter’s tone and suggestions are remarkably similar, especially in its call for electoral cooperation and a coalition government.
Some may cry foul over any coalition government overthrowing a party with a plurality of seats, such as last winter’s ill-fated attempt. While that coalition arrangement was illegitimate in the eyes of most voters, a coalition that is announced before voters cast their ballots – knowing that such an arrangement will follow should no party win a majority of seats – would be legitimate. The quality of such a government is an entirely separate debate.
One cannot help but see “Our Benign Dictatorship” leap off the page of this open letter in both the diagnose of the “problem” (in their respective times) as well as the prescription for what should be done.
February 8, 2010
Tags: Coalition, Elizabeth May, Jack Layton, Liberal Party of Canada, Michael Ignatieff, Our Benign Dictatorship, Progressive Conservative, Reform Party, Stephen Harper, The Tyee, Tom Flanagan Posted in: Blog Content 3 Comments
Neil Young: About 40 Years Late for a Grammy
A damned near travesty of overdue credit it was. Neil Young’s legendary 1972 release, Harvest – including tacks like ‘Old Man‘ and ‘Heart of Gold‘ – and countless other masterpieces have gone for decades without due credit. While I’m probably overlooking several others for a self evident reason, Neil Young may well be the most under-appreciated musician in recent memory. If that was an exaggeration (which it probably isn’t), than at the very least it is true for Canadians (which he generally only refers to himself when wherein).
Young was finally awarded a Grammy, albeit not for his music, but rather the “MusiCares Person of the Year”. Whatever. Some of the reasons cited for Young winning it are laudable by any standard, but much of it was a Hollywood political statement (think Al Gore winning an Oscar, except without any artistic merit).
Young receiving an award for official Hollywood approving of his opinions (can’t we all get an award for that?) actually denigrated a man who has long since deserved honor for his music. Ironically, Young’s music is about as anti-Hollywood as one can possibly imagine, while still actually selling enough records to eat. Throwing Young a left-overs dish for the Grammy’s crew to reassure themselves that they haven’t forgotten this guitar-giant does disrespect to a man that has deserved more than one Grammy in his time.
Young has done himself a disservice at times though. His over the top anti-Bush album ‘Living With War’ was his way of bringing out his lost inner-hippy, and that alright. What wasn’t alright is when on tour after LWW’s release, that’s all he played. That’s all, he played.
As someone who would be tempted to make a little girl cry to listen to Young live for just 5 minutes, it goes without saying that I felt a little let down when he played not a single classic (minus 2 older political rants), and only visceral nonsense in his campaign against Bush’s bid for a 3rd term. Come to think of it, I’ve seen a better show from Star Wars Kid (he’s also great in 2.0). But like Young’s comeback albums – think ‘Decade’ in 72 and ‘Harvest Moon’ in 92 – he came back with me as well, playing an unforgettable concert in Kingston of last summer.
Those who have accomplished great things deserve to be recognized, but if the Grammy’s have overlooked Young for this long and only throw him a mercy prize now, he should take the award as a gentleman, but keep in mind that their vain attempts at self-appreciation aren’t needed for his fans to appreciate his work, and him as an artist.
January 30, 2010
Tags: Decade, Grammy, Grammy's, Harvest, Harvest Moon, Heart of Gold, Neil Young, Old Man Posted in: Blog Content 3 Comments
NDP Gets It’s Talking Points From the Taxpayers Federation
Canada’s main socialist party is now getting its talking points from an organization that attacks the Conservatives for being too big a spenders? Stranger things have happened, but David Christopherson, an MP from the Hamilton-Windsor area and the NDP democratic reform critic attacked the Harper government for its 5 Senate appointments today as a farce” to see “who got the Cash-for-Life lottery tickets this year.”
Now where have I heard that before? Try flipping to page 13 and 14 of The Taxpayer, the flagship publication of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). In the article on those pages, I researched and wrote about “Cash-For-Life” pensions that Senators receive for their democratic service to Canada, which at times can total more than $200,000 annually. In the very first sentence, a real “Cash-For-Life” example of the lottery is used for an unnamed man near Windsor.
I for one am pleased that an NDP MP from the Windsor-London-Hamilton corridor would be using what the CTF has to say in his talking-points as they regard the Senate. One can only hope that the NDP will also start reading what t CTF has to say about taxation and spending.
January 29, 2010
Tags: Cash-For-Life", David Christopherson, NDP, New Democratic Party Posted in: Blog Content 2 Comments
Published in The Taxpayer ~ “Cash for Life” vs Retirement in the Senate
An edited version of the following article appears in the Fall 2009 edition of The Taxpayer.
On September 4th, 2009, an unnamed man near Windsor, Ontario (let’s call him, George) scratched his lottery ticket and won $1,000 a week guaranteed for the rest of his life. The ticket was part of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s popular “Cash for Life” contest.
However, as popular as the scratch game is, few Canadians realize that a different type of scratching – political back scratching that is – can actually be far more lucrative. You see, just a few weeks prior to George’s windfall, nine Canadians were appointed by Prime Minister Harper to Canada’s Senate; one of the most lucrative and relaxing government bodies in the country.
While the Ontario Cash for Life contest is quite popular, its winnings pale in comparison to the benefits of being a Senator.
Consider that while George’s weekly cheques add up to $52,000 each year, Canadian senators collect a minimum salary of $132,000 annually. In addition, while George’s weekly winnings remain constant at $1,000 per week for the rest of his life, a Senator’s earnings increases annually. In fact, a senator’s pay is tied to a complex civil service formula which has averaged 3.3% increases over the last 3 years. Beyond a Senator’s minimum salary, he or she can also qualify for additional pay based on added responsibilities. Not to mention, senators also enjoy expense accounts, free air travel and yes, even a pension plan.
If we stand back and look at the big picture, the numbers are mind numbing. If George and a Senate appointee both “won” their windfalls on their 30th birthdays, and lived as long as the average Canadian (80 years), the senator would win by a country mile. According to CTF calculations, while George would bring in a not so insignificant sum of just over $2 million during his lifetime, the senate appointee would end up with a grand total of over $16 million.
While Canada has never seen a senator serve for 45 years, there is nothing under the current rules to prevent someone from doing so. The only rule that caps the amount of time one can serve in the Senate is the provision which requires a senator to retire by the age of 75. Assuming someone entered the senate today at the age of 30, his or her pay would rise to a whopping $570,000 by the age of 75; at which time an annual pension of $414,470 would kick in.
Alternatively, if a Senator wished to retire at the ripe age of 54, he or she would walk away with an annual pension of more than $202,900, growing every year for the rest of his or her own “Cash for Life” prize.
But what will the lucky nine new senators cost taxpayers? All nine appointees have publicly promised to resign their leather seats eight years from now and either retire or run for “re-election” – that is, if elections are allowed in their respective provinces by that time. If this is the case, the bill will come to a bare minimum of over $17 million for salaries and pensions alone. Again, that includes no additional compensation, perks, or the other office costs; let alone the Senate itself.
A gambler would be hard pressed to bet on their resignations in eight years. One can consider the excuses that would come forward:
- Continued failure to pass Senate reform legislation in either house, due either to continued minorities or a change in government,
- A future Liberal or coalition prime minister that refuses to ‘appoint’ senators from those elected by the provinces, even if reform legislation is passed, and
- The imbalance that would be created if only Conservative senators resigned to run for election, while all Liberals remained in their places.
One may then wish to hedge their bets and consider putting money on their staying right where they are until the mandatory retirement age of 75. If that is the case, the cost in salaries and pensions soars to $35 million.
While even the Roman Senate of more than 2000 year ago was more democratic than Canada’s in the 21st Century, at least it didn’t cost the taxpayers of the empire quite so dearly.
January 29, 2010
Tags: Cash-For-Life", Senate, Senate Reform, The Taxpayer Posted in: Published 2 Comments
Human Rights Commission Found in Breach of ATIP for CTF Requests
The Canadian “Human Rights” Commission (CHRC) has “placed itself in a position of deemed refusal” according to the Information Commissioner of Canada in response to complaints filed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). After months of wrangling with the federal government’s chief censorship body, the CTF was able to obtain records from the CHRC revealing that Chief Commissar Jennifer Lynch spent much more on flights and hospitality than she revealed online, and that what she disclosed was at times nearly half of the actual cost.
The CTF filed three separate Access to Information Requests in August of 2009 to obtain details on Lynch’s expenses. The CHRC refused to provide information within the legally allotted time frame as it would “unreasonably interfere with the operations of the [Commission],” but finally bowed to pressure and released the documents more than a month late.
In the Information Commissioner’s rulings dated January 27, 2010, the CHRC was deemed in all three cases to have failed to comply with the law and provide the required and complete information within the proper time frame.
The CHRC’s respect for Canada’s access to information laws should hardly be a surprise given its respect for Canada’s constitution and legal inheritance.
January 28, 2010
Tags: Access to Information, ATIP, Canadian Human Rights Commission, CHRC, Human Rights Commision, Jennifer Lynch Posted in: Blog Content 11 Comments
Senate Reform Interview on the Gary Doyle Show – 570 News
The following radio interview was broadcast live on the Gary Doyle Show, January 26, 2009
Click Here To Listen and go to the halfway point.
January 27, 2010
Tags: 570 AM Kitchener, Gary Doyle Show, Radio Posted in: TV & Radio No Comments
Published in the National Post ~ Derek Fildebrandt: Make Senate reform a confidence vote
The following article appears in the January 25, 2010 edition of the National Post, & Canada Free Press.
Few politicians are thought to have Senate reform in their blood the way Prime Minister Stephen Harper does. Having campaigned for it beginning in the late 1980s and winning two general elections with it as a significant part of his platform, it is time for the Prime Minister to invest the political capital necessary to reform Canada’s upper house of Parliament.
By some accounts of legend, around AD 40 Roman Emperor Caligula attempted to appoint his favourite horse to a senior government position in the Senate as a way of showing contempt for the office. While Caligula may have been a mad tyrant, one would be hard pressed to find many Canadians with a more positive view of their own appointed Senate.
One hardly needs to make the case for why it should be reformed anymore, but rather how it should be. As a young MP serving as the Reform Party’s constitutional affairs critic, Harper passionately championed a wholesale makeover in the form of a “triple-e” Senate. Pushing his more modest, but still hugely positive, proposals during the last Parliament, he became the first sitting Prime Minister to appear before a Senate committee. Few then doubted the Prime Minister’s sincerity about finally bringing the needed change he had promised.
January 25, 2010
Tags: Canada Free Press, Emperor Caligula, National Post, Reform Party, Senate Reform, Stephen Harper Posted in: Published One Comment
New Brunswick Leading the Way on Tax Relief
Yes, you heard that right. Traditionally uncompetitive, have-not New Brunswick is leading the way in 2009 and 2010 on both lowering income taxes and, wait for it…flattening them. Not a full flat tax mind you, but a dual rate, which would make its marginal rates second only to Alberta.
New Brunswickers will see by far the most tax relief of any Canadians in 2010. For example:
o A single individual making $60,000 will save $488
o A family with a single earner and two children making $80,000 will save $922
o A family with dual earners and two children making $100,000 will save $614
Liberal Premier Graham has sounded decidedly anti-tax in recent interviews, recognizing that lowering taxes will provide actual stimulus to the economy and within reason, (see Laffer Curve) increase tax revenues, as will flattening taxes to remove disincentives to work and invest more.
That being said, deficits threaten to undue these positive moves if spending is not brought under control. In any event, formerly competitive Ontario is looking rusty and past its prime by comparison, where it faces all-time record deficits, and its very modest tax relief in the lowest bracket will be offset by a hike in surtaxes.
January 21, 2010
Posted in: Blog Content 2 Comments
Day-Oh?
The announcement today that Stockwell Day is moving to Treasury Board is an interesting move for the feds. While the finance minister has repeatedly fended off legitimate questions about how savings will be found to balance the budget, Stockwell Day brings a great deal of credibility to this important portfolio as seen by his time as Alberta’s treasurer (finance minister).
As yet, there has been no real plan put forward to get spending under control and balance the budget within the decade. That being said, the symbolism of Day moving to TB might be cause of cautious optimism.
January 19, 2010
Tags: Deficit, Stockwell Day Posted in: Blog Content 3 Comments
