Ignatieff went after the Prime Minister’s absence from both the House and the public scene when it comes to the economy and the value of the economic stimulus contained in the budget. I watched Obama’s press conference last night and found it refreshing to see a politician speaking very frankly about the state of the economy and how he wanted to see it dealt with.

Yes, I know, he was trying to sell a stimulus package which is receiving largely partisan opposition. It was refreshing to hear that opposition being framed not just as partisan game playing but asking the questions and laying out guidelines for what he sees as necessary for the good of the people and the economy and where there is room for bipartisan cooperation and what wont gain traction with him.

The major difference between the leadership of the two countries is that in the US, the leaders recognized and faced the fact that the economy was sliding towards and over the edge while in Canada, the Opposition parties were sounding the alarm while the government was busy telling us that if a recession was going to happen, it would have already taken place. Read the rest of this entry »

Well the budget has been read, what hadn’t already been ‘leaked’ is now known. Ignatieff and his caucuse has had time to review it and made the call on if the government will stand, for now.

From what I saw of the tax cuts, they have hit some areas where tax relief should be like low income earners and seniors. The cuts for the middle income people was more about Conservative idealogy and vote buying than any true benefit. While middle income earners will save a bit (and I do mean a bit) on their income taxes each year, that collective ‘bit’ will mean we stay in deficit longer.

For the most part, Harper brought in the budget he had to bring in if he wanted to stay in office. The Liberals have said they will support the budget but with amendments. The primary part of those amendments is that the Conservatives will have to report to parliament with details of how much of the budget funds have been distributed by specific dates. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, parliament has reopened without a lot of pomp and circumstance. The lack of show was more due to the frigid cold than any austerity move. I’ve been in Ottawa and around the Hill this time of year, it is VERY cold there. The throne speech, written by the government and delivered by the Governor General, was relatively brief as throne speeches go.

The big news of the day wasn’t really the throne speech anyways. The bigger news is the budget that will be delivered tomorrow. Many of the details of the budget has been ‘leaked’, although when the leaking gets done by government officials and ministers, that is deliberate.

It appears there is going to be a $64billion deficit in the next two years. That is a complete 180 degree turn for the Conservatives from just two months ago when they claimed that we first of all were not going into a recession and secondly that we would not be incurring a deficit if a downturn should occur. Read the rest of this entry »

I started this post yesterday but my site went down, then I had to go to work and time shifted by until yesterday’s post is now today’s. c’est la vie!

Well, the world watched as Obama took the oath of office to become the 44th American President. I don’t normally follow American politics beyond the most basic information. The Americans are after all, the next door neighbour to my own country and what happens there has an effect on Canada. Do I hang on their every sneeze, no, as small as our little boys in Ottawa are, they are the ones who truly impact my life.

I watched fascinated and almost unable to believe what I was watching as the first black American took the reigns of power. I’ve said it before in these pages, I never ever thought it would be possible for that to happen in the USA of all places in my life time. This man is a man like no other, of any colour. Read the rest of this entry »