Election - what does it mean ?
Sep 17th 2008, 9:59 pm
#136
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Sep 17th 2008, 10:57 pm
#137
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
The previous Liberal Governments gun registry program.
Full story at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_gun_registry
The Canadian gun registry
The registry again became a political issue in the early 2000s when massive cost overruns were reported. The project which was meant to cost approximately $119 million ended up costing over a billion dollars to implement. Documents obtained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation now estimate the program cost at $2 billion.
In December 2002, the Auditor-General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, reported that the project was running vastly above initial cost estimates. The report shows that the implementation of the firearms registry program by the Department of Justice has had significant strategic and management problems throughout. Taxpayers were originally expected to pay only $2 million of the budget while registration fees would cover the rest. In 1995, the Department of Justice reported to Parliament that the system would cost $119 million to implement, and that the income generated from licensing fees would be $117 million. This gives a net cost of $2 million. At the time of the 2002 audit, the revised estimates from the Department of Justice were that the cost of the program would be more than $1 billion by 2004/05 and that the income from licence fees in the same period would be $140 million.
The Auditor General's report found other significant problems with the way the project had been handled. These included significant questions around the financial management of the project. In particular, the report stated that estimated project costs often excluded project costs incurred by other agencies, such as the RCMP and provincial governments, giving a false impression of real cost. Problems were likewise reported with how funds were requested from Parliament, with 70% of funds requested through "supplementary estimates," a method intended for unanticipated expenditures and requiring only a one-line statement to Parliament on the purpose of the request. In comparison, only 10% of funds for all other programs in the department were requested in this way over the same period.
The causes of the cost overruns have been blamed on the inexperience of the Justice Department in managing a project of such scale. Especially crucial was that the scope of the project was in continuous flux requiring continuous changes to the basic set-up of the registry. This excuse, however, does not explain the extreme lengths the (Liberal) government went to in order to mislead Parliament about the cost and hide the actual amounts of money being spent
Gun registry effect on public safety
The Auditor General's report also found that there is a lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of the gun registry, or to prove that it is meeting its stated goal of improving public safety. The report states:
The performance report focuses on activities such as issuing licenses and registering firearms. The Centre does not show how these activities help minimize risks to public safety with evidence-based outcomes such as reduced deaths, injuries and threats from firearms.
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino is opposed to the gun registry, stating in a press release:
We have an ongoing gun crisis including firearms-related homicides lately in Toronto, and a law registering firearms has neither deterred these crimes nor helped us solve any of them. None of the guns we know to have been used were registered, although we believe that more than half of them were smuggled into Canada from the United States. The firearms registry is long on philosophy and short on practical results considering the money could be more effectively used for security against terrorism as well as a host of other public safety initiatives."
Full story at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_gun_registry
The Canadian gun registry
The registry again became a political issue in the early 2000s when massive cost overruns were reported. The project which was meant to cost approximately $119 million ended up costing over a billion dollars to implement. Documents obtained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation now estimate the program cost at $2 billion.
In December 2002, the Auditor-General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, reported that the project was running vastly above initial cost estimates. The report shows that the implementation of the firearms registry program by the Department of Justice has had significant strategic and management problems throughout. Taxpayers were originally expected to pay only $2 million of the budget while registration fees would cover the rest. In 1995, the Department of Justice reported to Parliament that the system would cost $119 million to implement, and that the income generated from licensing fees would be $117 million. This gives a net cost of $2 million. At the time of the 2002 audit, the revised estimates from the Department of Justice were that the cost of the program would be more than $1 billion by 2004/05 and that the income from licence fees in the same period would be $140 million.
The Auditor General's report found other significant problems with the way the project had been handled. These included significant questions around the financial management of the project. In particular, the report stated that estimated project costs often excluded project costs incurred by other agencies, such as the RCMP and provincial governments, giving a false impression of real cost. Problems were likewise reported with how funds were requested from Parliament, with 70% of funds requested through "supplementary estimates," a method intended for unanticipated expenditures and requiring only a one-line statement to Parliament on the purpose of the request. In comparison, only 10% of funds for all other programs in the department were requested in this way over the same period.
The causes of the cost overruns have been blamed on the inexperience of the Justice Department in managing a project of such scale. Especially crucial was that the scope of the project was in continuous flux requiring continuous changes to the basic set-up of the registry. This excuse, however, does not explain the extreme lengths the (Liberal) government went to in order to mislead Parliament about the cost and hide the actual amounts of money being spent
Gun registry effect on public safety
The Auditor General's report also found that there is a lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of the gun registry, or to prove that it is meeting its stated goal of improving public safety. The report states:
The performance report focuses on activities such as issuing licenses and registering firearms. The Centre does not show how these activities help minimize risks to public safety with evidence-based outcomes such as reduced deaths, injuries and threats from firearms.
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino is opposed to the gun registry, stating in a press release:
We have an ongoing gun crisis including firearms-related homicides lately in Toronto, and a law registering firearms has neither deterred these crimes nor helped us solve any of them. None of the guns we know to have been used were registered, although we believe that more than half of them were smuggled into Canada from the United States. The firearms registry is long on philosophy and short on practical results considering the money could be more effectively used for security against terrorism as well as a host of other public safety initiatives."
Sep 18th 2008, 1:04 pm
#138
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
Well, thats ten minutes of my life I will never get back...
Sep 18th 2008, 3:42 pm
#139
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Hotter than hell
Posts: 2,545
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...hreadgoing.jpg
Well, thats ten minutes of my life I will never get back...
Well, thats ten minutes of my life I will never get back...
Sep 18th 2008, 4:01 pm
#140
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
Given the turmoil down there at the moment, I can't see why anyone would even contemplate voting for one who clearly idolizes the far right laissez-faire ideology (not to mention the social repression) prevalent down there these days.
Sep 18th 2008, 4:05 pm
#141
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,606
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
An interesting choice of phrase. I think it was dbd upthread who described Steve Harper as un-Canadian. Very apt.
Given the turmoil down there at the moment, I can't see why anyone would even contemplate voting for one who clearly idolizes the far right laissez-faire ideology (not to mention the social repression) prevalent down there these days.
Given the turmoil down there at the moment, I can't see why anyone would even contemplate voting for one who clearly idolizes the far right laissez-faire ideology (not to mention the social repression) prevalent down there these days.
Sep 18th 2008, 4:06 pm
#142
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
At least, until the tax payers have to find $180BN in loose change or whatever it is the US government is commited too now. Thats almost 100days of iraq war costs or so
Sep 18th 2008, 4:11 pm
#143
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 120
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
For all you Harper haters, I see our next Prime Minister wants Canada to join the European Union and is currently in serious negotiation with the EU. So much for him being a puppet of the USA. Stephen Harper is best leader this country has had in decades.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
What's Celine going to do for Canada, beside (Green) shaft everybody?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
What's Celine going to do for Canada, beside (Green) shaft everybody?
Sep 18th 2008, 4:15 pm
#144
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
Hes going to NOT be Harper. Thats enough for many.
You seem to enjoy ridiculing the carbon tax plan, what do the Conservatives have to offer, other than the current record of "do nothing and hope for the best"?
You seem to enjoy ridiculing the carbon tax plan, what do the Conservatives have to offer, other than the current record of "do nothing and hope for the best"?
Sep 18th 2008, 4:22 pm
#145
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
For all you Harper haters, I see our next Prime Minister wants Canada to join the European Union and is currently in serious negotiation with the EU. So much for him being a puppet of the USA. Stephen Harper is best leader this country has had in decades.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
What's Celine going to do for Canada, beside (Green) shaft everybody?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
What's Celine going to do for Canada, beside (Green) shaft everybody?
Sep 18th 2008, 4:22 pm
#146
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Hotter than hell
Posts: 2,545
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
For all you Harper haters, I see our next Prime Minister wants Canada to join the European Union and is currently in serious negotiation with the EU. So much for him being a puppet of the USA. Stephen Harper is best leader this country has had in decades.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
What's Celine going to do for Canada, beside (Green) shaft everybody?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
What's Celine going to do for Canada, beside (Green) shaft everybody?
Sep 18th 2008, 4:25 pm
#148
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Sep 18th 2008, 4:26 pm
#149
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Hotter than hell
Posts: 2,545
Sep 18th 2008, 4:27 pm
#150
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 120
Re: Election - what does it mean ?
Well he's not going to be the next Prime Minister of Canada either. Dion will be consigned to the trash can of history by his own party after the Election; the knives are out already.
If you think Stephen Harper is scary, hes' got nothing on Michael Ignatieff, the next leader of the Liberal Party. Mr. Ignatieff, spend 30 years of his adult life in the USA, is on record as supporting the war in Iraq and also believes the use of torture is justified.
You will also note that Mr. Ignatieff has been suspiciously quiet on Dion's Green Shift plan as he knows it's an election loser and hes quite happy about that.
You Liberals are so gullable.