The housing market in Canada as a whole does register though. Still, we can debate whether or not the effect on the housing market is intentional all day (it is), but it won't change the fact that the effect is there. The real estate market is being propped up by government policy and the central bank, whether it's deliberate or not is immaterial.

God you lot are daft. If it's a Liberal government, it's against the west. If it's a Reform-PC Alliance Crap or whatever, it's against the west too?

How do you figure that? And if it's true, why tf did you vote for them? We didn't.

I may be daft at times but I'm not stupid, I didn't vote for them ffs, I can say what I like.

Please don't insult what little intelligence I do have. Someone has already had a good go at that today, haven't they Iain.

FFS right back at you. I know you didn't vote for them. But this anti-western paranoia out of Alberta is just a teensy bit boring (although you're not guilty of it).

but, why is it paranoid to say that the go'ment has to pay attention to where most of the population is/votes are?

I think you read far too much into some westerners comments. Johnboy stated that it's a "a notoriously eastern centric federal government." That is a fact plain and simple because the majority of the votes are there. It doesn't matter who is power liberals, conservatives even if it were NDP ffs. Whoever is in power is going concentrate on winning the hearts and minds of those they need the most and they would be the residents of the two most populous provinces.

Besides it's not necessarily anti-western paranoia just stating that the west is not high on the list of priorities especially the Reform/Conservatives right now because they take western votes as a given.

They (the Harperists) take western votes as a given, I agree. But only because the west votes for them believing the Liberals are the devils incarnate who tried sanity in the past on a national energy policy.

If you (Albertans et al) really believe that the rednecks are going to sell out your interests once they get a toehold in Ottawa, then why vote for the c***ts?

Once again don't ask me. Yes I know it wasn't directed at me personally.

I keep asking the same question.

Dare I say it, most 'bertans are idiots.

At least we're on the same page now.

No matter who you vote for, how pure and full of Western-ness they are, once they get to Ottawa it's like they get bitten by vampires and turned.

And actually, our Steven does seem kinda like one of those sparkly vampires from Twilight. He would look good in a forest with drizzly rain.

Your Stephen, IIRC, was born in Ontario (Toronto indeed) and only adopted western credentials as a convenience while prez of the National Citizens Coalition after serving half a term as an MP in the Reform Party.

Please don't blame me if he screws you guys as royally as everyone else.

yes, I know. I was being tongue in cheek.

As, no doubt, is your Stephen.