Questions for PM
 

Trudeau is doing a cross-Canada tour of public meetings where anyone can ask him a question. (He won't, of course, give anything approaching a straight answer but we're all used to his ums and ahs and meaningless ramblings.) I'd ask him what he's going to tell the new immigration minister to do to clean up the mess McCallum has left with the ill-planned influx of Syrian refugees left without ESL classes, adequate housing or any alternative but to line up at food banks. I believe the results of this shambles will be dumped on the provinces to deal with but I'd like to hear what Trudeau has to say about it.

Meantime,what question would you ask Trudeau if you could?

Re: Questions for PM
 

Mr Prime Minister your Government is good at projecting figures on savings on legislation you have introduced but will take years.
Im being nice and say you will probably be voted in for a 2nd term in October 2019 when you said you would have the budget balanced by 2019.
When you are voted out of office in 2023 could you tell us what the budget deficit will be?

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Prime Minister, how have you managed to re-establish Canada's reputation as a civilised, caring, progressive nation, when you have people like the two previous questioners to deal with?

Re: Questions for PM
 

Although we may have gained the countries reputation back unfortunately these do not pay for the day to day running of the country

Canada's Federal Debt today
636,551,254,853.91
Your Share today
17,542.41

Any chance you can sub me 18 grand Novo?

Re: Questions for PM
 

I'm a little strapped for cash these days being retired and on a fixed income, somthing both the Province and Feds don't seem to concern themselves with on implemting their 'we are good guys' taxes. Perhaps Novo could sub me too?

Re: Questions for PM
 

The news was making it seems McCallum did just a super duper job on the Syrian refugees that he got a better position as Ambassador or something?

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Ambassador to China. I was somewhat relieved when he was taken out of the Immigration portfolio and thought that the appointment to China was a bit strange until they they mentioned his wife is Chinese.

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Sure no problem. Just send me your bank details.

Did you know that you owed more under Harper?

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Prime Minister, you know the Aga Khan; has he ever sent you a racehorse, for Christmas (or on any other festive occasion)?

Re: Questions for PM
 

Yes I did and I didn't support him either but agreed with a couple of his failed policies. I also agree with some of Trudeaus policies as well so I don't know what that makes me.

I saw this comment on the CBC article about how this woman confronted Trudeau at one of his open town hall forums he is currently embarking on about hey hydro bills in Ontario.
Watch this Ontario mother's powerful plea to Justin Trudeau on soaring hydro bills - Toronto - CBC News

The real problem is that politicians and others in position of power (no matter the party) are wealthy in comparison to the average person.

When energy prices increase by 50 or 100 dollars a month, it is meaningless to most politicians. For them $50, $100 or even $200 extra month is not a budget issue. They can afford the increase and don't understand why people are "anti-environmental" or oppose green energy, Politicians don't have to make a choice between hydro bills and other expenses. Trudeau and other politicians (no matter the party) don't live average lives, don't have average salaries, and don't have average concerns,

I tend to think a lot of us agree with that comment. Justin is a media star at the moment and the honeymoon is not quite over yet. Oh he is good with his speeches and how he understands this and that but as someone else put it he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and since graduating and before coming the PM what was his track record in the outside world?

Justin attended the same school as his father, the Jesuit-run College Jean-de-Brebeuf. He went on to study literature at McGill University, earning his bachelor's degree in 1994. Among many jobs he took on during these years included being a nightclub bouncer in British Columbia, a snowboard and white water rafting instructor, a radio host and math teacher. Justin would go on to pursue a degree in education at the University of British Columbia. He completed his degree in 1998—the same year that tragedy struck his family. His youngest brother Michel died in an avalanche. In the wake of this loss, Justin became involved in promoting avalanche safety.

Actions speak louder than words.

Re: Questions for PM
 

BC Politics even made the NY Times recently. Justin Trudeau is also mentioned briefly.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/13/w...lark.html?_r=0


Based on salaries the Premier makes, and the way they run things in BC for the poor/disabled/etc seems politicians are just not in touch with reality and what policies would help people the most. hint not making disabled live in poverty would be a start.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Justin Pierre James Trudeau PC MP, current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Liberal Party, you could do so much to make the lives of the average canadian so much better.. why don't you do it?

Re: Questions for PM
 

Come on, Canadians knew he was a liberal when they voted for him. They shouldn't be surprised if he's a disaster for the country.

Certainly I can't imagine how he's possibly going to stand up to President Trump. He'll cry if Trump doesn't let Trudeau take a selfie with him.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Would you rather live in a country where the head of government was Trudeau or Trump?

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I'd rather live in a country where people voted for Trudeau, than one where they voted for Trump. The intention
Is everything. I might not agree with every action that Obama or Trudeau took/take, but I will never agree with the intention of Harper/Trump. In the end though what every country in the world needs, in the age of 'populism' is a government where no group feels left behind.

Re: Questions for PM
 

I'm not considering foreign policy or how he behaves on the world stage, it's how he addresses the problems that affect normal people. I appreciate he might find it difficult the understand why some people find it difficult to heat and eat at the same time, but the man has influence and I see no evidence of it's being used for the common good.

Re: Questions for PM
 

I agree completely.

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The people as a whole didn't vote for Trump exactly. More people voted for Clinton but of course the popular vote unfortunately doesn't win presidential elections.

Re: Questions for PM
 

What is frightening is that a person, any person, voted for Trump.

Note that I write as the irritated owner of a LL Bean jacket which although passers-by assure me must be "piss proof" will now have to go to Goodwill.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Or even admits to it.

Re: Questions for PM
 

I'd prefer neither, but if those were the only two choices, I'd take Trump. I think it's pretty clear that America will be much better off after eight years of Trump than Canada will be after eight years of Trudeau.

On the plus side, Trudeau may make the Liberals as unelectable here as the Democrats now are in America. If he's going to be the Canadian Obama, I guess we have to wait a few years to find out who's going to be the Canadian Trump.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Yeah, but many of them were dead or illegal.

Not long before the election, some American liberals were saying that Trump might win the popular vote, but there was no way he could win the electoral college, and that's what counts.

The Narrative changed very quickly after Trump proved them wrong.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Lets have some fun and change it around rather than have it become a thread on Trump V Trudeau or Canada V USA.

This question could be asked of a number of leaders of G20 countries who are not exactly the flavour of the day in charge of their own countries

Australia are now on their 4th Prime Minister since 2010
Of course the UK has no problems with Theresa May at the helm.
Is Angela Merkel as popular now as she was when she swept to victory in Germany?
France will be choosing a new leader this year Marine Le Pen for PM anyone?

I dare say there are others who their citizens are not happy with for a variety of reasons. How did Greece become such a basket case? Terrible leadership maybe but the citizens voted for them thinking they would do the right thing and ended up suffering because like a lot of politicians these days they will say things to get elected but fail to deliver on promises made.

Leading up to being elected Trudeau and the Liberal Government made 223 promises/announcements or whatever you want to call them.
He has been in office for 439 days. Lets look at his record so far

28 broken promises
38 promises achieved
67 in progress
90 not yet started.

Now as with any promises some are harder than others. Some will say but he has achieved 38 which is good. But if you look at the 38 achieved you might go mmm not that great or that was a no brainer and easy to do like

Eliminate all fees associated with the Access to Information process except for the initial $5 filing fee.
Increase the Northern Residents Deduction residency component by 33% (to a maximum of $22 per day).
Introduce a new Teacher and Early Childhood Educator School Supply Tax Benefit for the purchase of up to $1,000 worth of school supplies each year.
Make the Compassionate Care Benefit more flexible so that those who care for seriously ill family members can access six months of benefits.
Immediately double the number of applications allowed for parents and grandparents to 10,000 each year.
Meet with the provinces and develop a plan to fund a gradual enhancement of the CPP’s defined benefit plan.

Full list here
https://www.trudeaumetre.ca

Now what didn't he do
Create a common, quarterly, and more detailed parliamentary expense report.
Run short-term deficits of less than $10 billion in each of the next two fiscal years (2016 and 2017).
The 2016 middle class tax cut combined with the new 33% tax bracket will be revenue neutral. They just recently announced a 1.2 billion dollar shortfall.
Immediately start to invest $3 billion over the next four years to deliver better home care services (including in-home caregivers, financial support for family care, and palliative care).
Provide $100 million each year to the provinces and territories to support guns and gangs police task forces.
Invest an additional $775 million per year for job and skills training.

Full list here
https://www.trudeaumetre.ca

So yes depending where you live and what circumstances you have I guess there are a few questions others would like to ask the PM.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Not following Canadian politics much. Has Trudeau had any positive impact yet ?

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Yup I think the picture of him and Sophie on the cover of Vogue sold a few more copies than it normally would have done.

Re: Questions for PM
 

When I arrived in Canada as a child-1968-Canada's national debt was about $78billion. There was no deficit. From Lester Pearson on to the present day, the debt increased relentlessly and deficits became the norm.

Re: Questions for PM
 

compare that to the UK national debt in 1968 ~£ 33 billion to today's £1.8 trillion or ~£28.989/person.

Now, compare the UK debt to Canada 1968 $78 billion to 2017 $636 billion or ~$17,000/person.

Canada is a good place to be eh!

US national debt today is huge, yet in 1968 it was $348 billion, but is it really all that bad living in debt?

US national debt (changing fast by the second) is ~$20 trillion or $64,000/person & you cannot blame that or any of the historical debt on Trump, maybe the last 8 years Obama really screwed things up.

https://www.thebalance.com/national-...events-3306287

Australia national debt

$519 billion or $21,848/person

.

Re: Questions for PM
 

A question, the answer to which depends on whether you intend to repay the loan.

Broadly speaking debt is borrowing from your future income.

National debt is incurred by political policy making, for example: Schools are falling apart, as PM it would make me look good if I rebuilt a few but the provinces won't pay so I'll borrow from the international community and give the procedes to provinces to do just that and splash my generosity across the TV news. I look good, my party looks good, the public feel as though I care about them and the national debt ticks up. So what? The man in the street doesn't care, understand or want to understand what the national debt is. My smile on the TV is my best feature.

Do I intend to repay the loan? Of course not.. it'll still be there when I'm out of office and when that happens it'll be someone else's problem, someone else will always pay, they always pay for my mistakes.

Re: Questions for PM
 

The Americans seem to be unconventional when it comes to debt IMO

Borrow, live for today, screw the future for others to take care of

Some 318 million people, low unemployment rate, most Americans would rather drive a new expensive flashy car than have medical insurance, not bother going to the dentist, not own a home & if they did would walk away from it if they couldn't pay the mortgage.

Trump, the financial community, those huge conglomerates leverage to death. Many like Trump go bankrupt, then start all over again.

Live for today & cash flow, screw the debt :nod:

Imagine small scale Canada, someone has an income property that they've managed to get it to 100% mortgage. Its all about cash flow.

Borrow to pay for whatever Mr. Trudeau, it wont be your problem a few years from now, after all you'll have your pension, write a book or two, sit on the board of directors of a few corporations, stash your money offshore - like so may ex politicians have done & will continue to do - Canadians being no different than the rest around the globe

Re: Questions for PM
 

It's also hard hard to find anyone in Ontario who proudly says they voted for Wynne

Re: Questions for PM
 

or that vote a in municipal, provincial or federal election ;)

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Congress is just as guilty if not more so when it comes to budget issues and debt in the US. It's not solely the presidents issue/decision.

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You have an odd fixation with this Wynne person. Tomorrow I shall ask people around me in the office "did you vote for Wynne?". I'm close to certain that no one will recognize the name. I'd do better to ask "what about that Harry Kane?". Three or four percent of people will know who Harry Kane is and be interested in what he does.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Of course I don't think America will have eight years of Trump. The question for me is "will America have eight years after electing Trump?".

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Everyone should know the name of the Ontario Premiere if they live in Ontario, surely?

Re: Questions for PM
 

I suppose it's a civic duty but I only know from your posts. I don't know who the Mayor is, nor the dog catcher.

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I think it depends on what he can do for jobs. If by tearing up the rule book he can improve that aspect of the US economy, I think Americans will overlook his numerous other faults. Indeed, they already have.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Seeing so much moaning from foreign immigrants towards a PM of a political party that kept the laws so laxed for them to immigrate to Canada in the first place is so hilarious. I bet Canada's national debt wasn't on your mind back then, nor would most of you qualify to be here under that Harper guy's profound immigration laws. Just saying :p

Re: Questions for PM
 

True but Canada was built on Immigration and immigrants are constantly being told we are a valuable asset to Canada and contribute enormously to the economy etc etc. We then become citizens so we now have the right to vote and moan the same as anyone who was born here which was probably to parents who were immigrants themselves or their parents were or their great grand parents :p

FYI I was sponsored by a Canadian wife in 1988 and her parents were immigrants.

Re: Questions for PM
 

Fair enough

Even Canadians moan about their PM, as do immigrants in the UK as well as Brits born in the UK moaning constantly about the 'state of affairs'

Edo, are you an immigrant to Canada?