$8 Billion Surplus to be announced

[Goober]

Wow 9.1 billion surplus... I think that just might be enough to complete the gun registry.

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

Matthew

I'm sorry to disagree with your last comment there. I as a Canadian Citizen didn't rack up that debt. I know how to budget my income and expenses including paying more than my fair share of taxes too. I'm sure that most ( not all though) of my 30+ million countrymen are equally fiscally responsible too.

That debt was run up by years of government neglect and mismanagement a list of example of which would probably use up all the available band width on this site. Also remember that is just the Federal Debt, 9 out of 10 Provinces also have debts some of them massive, as do several large municipalities and for the same reasons.

By the way that 150 billion was racked up in slightly less than 40 years. There was a time when this country was run by responsible grown ups and actually had regular year end surplus and a strong military too come to think of it. Care to guess who was in power for most of that 40 odd year period?

8 Billion eh, That should be good for 2 or 3 new weapons registry programs to make us safer (swiss army knives, nail clippers, and/or salad forks perhaps), a dozen odd canoe museums and fountains, a round dozen polar champagne and caviar trips by the champagne socialist set, and a few hundred bribes er excuse me advertising contracts.

Sorry to take so long to respond Danjanou, but I missed your reply.

My bottom line is this....
1)   My preference would've been for a balanced budget clause in the constitution so that it would've been impossible to accumulated such a huge debt load in the first place.
2)   I think it's fair to say the debt was accumulated while spending on many frivilous, wasteful and generally corrupt things.
3)   That being said, the government was following the wishes of a stupid electorate that voted them in for the specific purpose of providing them with more services than they were actually paying for in taxes.   Ergo, because of my birthright as a Canadian I inherit this debt whether I want to or not and now have to decide in real terms how I want to deal with it.   I personally hate debt and as previously mentioned would target it aggressively and just to put this in context although $9.1 billion seems like a big number, realize it we only reduced our total debt level by 1.9%.   If that doesn't scare the shiiiit out of you, I don't know what will, because it certainly scares the shit out of me.

Cheers Danjanou....



Matthew.    

 

[Bograt]

Ottawa Citizen
http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=ab2a195c-3d9e-423f-8556-d658ba7bee1d

More bad news for Forces

The federal government is looking to claw back $144 million it gave the Canadian Forces in its latest budget and plans to take another $184 million next year.


Please contact your member of parliment and let them know how you feel about this.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/PostalCode.asp?lang=E&source=sm

 

[Bograt]

This is the letter I sent my MP, and the Liberal Newfoundland Caucus.

Dear Mr. Mathews,

It has come to my attention that your government is planning to claw back 144 million dollars this fiscal year and a further 184 million planned for next fiscal year from the Canadian Forces. This comes a week after the tragedy of HMCS Chicoutimi and just days after your government announced a 9.1 billion dollar surplus. Can you please explain to me your rational for supporting this abhorrent fiscal decision.

I can not adequately articulate my frustration with you and your party regarding its policies toward our military. Our fine men and women are serving their country everyday with substandard equipment while you and your government colleagues spin and cheat the truth. I am ashamed of you as my representative, as a Canadian, and more over as a man. I implore you to ensure that this ridiculous demonstration of leadership is reversed. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate a quality that our soldiers, sailors, and airmen regularly exude- courage. Is this too much to ask from a politician? I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Guardian]

:crybaby: :rage:  :'( :crybaby:

The hits just keep coming....

 

[Chewy]

Now, does everybody Know who's government we are going to be voting for when the next election comes around. 

 

[rw4th]

Anoying, but predictable. I don't see why anyone should be surprised.

 

[Bograt]

This is the response:

Dear Mr. XXXXXXX,

On behalf of the Honourable R. John Efford, I wish to thank you for your correspondence sent via electronic mail today.

Rest assured your comments have been brought to the attention of the Minister.

Again thank you for taking the time to contact our office on this important issue.

Sincerely,
XXXXXX

 

[winchable]

I'll give out 2-1 odds If I send the same e-mail I'll get the same automated response.

Computers have allowed ministers to actually automate their ignorance of the public at large.

 

[dutchie]

Didn't the PM, through the GG and the speech from the throne, just state a renewed commitment to the forces? If I recall, investment in the CF was a major theme.

I posted a 'I'll believe it when I see it' message following the GG's address, because of the Liberal Party's track record of underfunding the CF.

All those (not necessarily on this site) who thought Martin was the second coming, or even any different than his predecessor were fooling themselves. This guy is a Liberal with a capital 'L'.

The sad thing is that I don't expect an uproar from the pubilc at large.

Shame on them.

 

[dutchie]

Now, does everybody Know who's government we are going to be voting for when the next election comes around.  

Gee, let's see:

Liberals: Look at our last decade's PMs. Cretin and Martin. One's a crook, the other a liar.
Conservatives: racked up huge debt, weren't much more 'CF Friendly' than the Liberals.
NDP:yeah, right. Might as well disband the CF right now.

I'll probably vote Conservative. The lesser of 3 evils, IMHO.

 

[kruger]

Strange country where citizens critiscize the gov't for having money. Paying down the national debt is a national priority, a multi-generation effort. I believe that is far more important than throwing the money away on artillery shells...But I wouldn't object to a Leopard 2A6 with 120 mm L55 cannon, latest thermal sights and...(drooling caused keyboard to malfunction).


Cheers.

 

[Goober]

Yes, its very strange when a countries citizens criticises the govt for saying it doesn't have enough money for this program, or not enough for that program, while they tax us through the nose and then announce a 9.1 billion surplus.

The national debt is a priority, but in these times there are far greater priorities. Like artillery shells.

 

[canuck101]

They give with one hand and take away with the other sad to say it will always be that way i think under any government.  Tell the people they are giving the military more money and later take away under the cover of darkness.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Can someone post the rest of this story please.

 

[pbi]

I agree with CFL here. What's the rest of it? Cheers.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Liberals ask for military cuts

STEPHANIE RUBEC, Free Press Parliamentary Bureau    2004-10-16 02:31:55   

OTTAWA -- The Liberal government is set to take an axe to the cash-strapped Canadian Forces' $13.2-billion budget. Revenue Minister John McCallum, who chairs the federal re-allocation committee, said despite its cash crunch the Defence Department must come up with a five-per-cent savings within days -- about $700 million.

"Defence is no exception, it applies to every department. Even the Governor General has been asked to do this," McCallum said yesterday.

McCallum said each department must find the savings so the Liberal government can fund priorities such as health care and day care.

"It may be that some departments will be asked to cut little or anything, it may be that other departments will be asked to review their expenditures by more than five per cent," he said. "This is a starting point to give us a menu of choice."

Prime Minister Paul Martin launched the expenditure review, looking for $12 billion in savings during the next five years.

The Liberals have been criticized for slashing the military's budget through the 1990s by $3.5 billion to $9.3 billion. Since then, they have boosted military spending to $13 billion, but some of that is one-time money earmarked for specific equipment or initiatives.

McCallum said the upcoming budget clawback doesn't preclude handing the military more money in the next time.

Martin committed in his throne speech this month to boost the size of the military by 5,000 regular force and 3,000 reservists.

The opposition raked the Liberals in the House yesterday, saying they shortchanged the Forces when buying equipment such as subs.

***********

JM strikes again...

 

[canuck101]

so the 800 million the military got in new money now they have to give back 700 million back and that does not even help the military since they have a 1.2 billion dollar shortfall in funding nice really nice.

 

[brin11]

Great, so they are screwing the military to have cheap daycare?  Excellent. 

 

[Infanteer]

Wow, National Defence is being compromised so young girls and boys can make babies and not have to worry about the consequences and the responsibilities involved.  Good job Mr McCallum, I always figured you for a twerp, even when I met you.