Daily Digest October 14, 2008

The DAILY DIGEST: INFORMATION and OPINION from ST. JOHN'S to VICTORIA.
ARCHIVED at http://cdndailydigest.blogspot.com/

EDITORIALs

ST.JOHN'S TELEGRAM -

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
Election day Right to vote hard won

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
There are at least two good reasons to vote

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Exercises in democracy

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
Our election has substance

BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER -
Call inquiry into listeriosis outbreak

NATIONAL POST -
Get out and vote
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=878046

TORONTO SUN -

Remember how Bush got elected?

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
View larger version and recent cartoons
Be proud to have a vote

NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW -
Exercise your right to vote

K-W RECORD -
McGuinty faces tough challenges

SUDBURY STAR -
Time to listen to Canadians

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
It's about time Wall stands up for Saskatchewan

Choose your future

CALGARY HERALD -
Get out and vote!

EDMONTON JOURNAL -
Voting: Best way to show you care

VANCOUVER SUN -
Get out and vote: You are the government

VANCOUVER PROVINCE -
A plague on your houses

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Why not make happiness a goal?


ISSUES

AFGHANISTAN -
A mad scramble over Afghanistan

Wardak welcomes NATO's pledge to boost army
Defence minister says NATO pledged to strengthen Afghan army at summit
http://quqnoos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1799&Itemid=48


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Five steps to prosperity
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=878047

Vindicating overlooked economic doomsayers


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES
Lobbying scandal adds to Liberals' air of arrogance

Ballots keep politicians accountable

Stop and think about $77 oil

Payback time for Albertans: issue some 'Ralph bucks'


OPINION AND INFORMATION
Reason trumped in justice

Before you vote, you must read this (Oct 14)

PM endures touchy-feely backlash

Ontario minorities left standing in Tory game of musical chairs

Nothing to fear in minority governments

Jury's out on system's dedication to secular values

Economics of U.S. bailout mostly wrong

A plan to win drug war

F.D.R. was right: What we have most to fear is fear itself


INFOS 
Les quatre chefs mènent un blitz final avant l'élection
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081013/N101346AU.html

Le ministre Flaherty appuie le plan du G7 pour régler la crise financière mondiale
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081013/N101322AU.html

Le procès d'un soldat canadien accusé de meurtre débute au Manitoba
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081013/N101356AU.html

Duceppe courtise Québec, Dion invite les verts à se rallier aux rouges
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081012/N101232AU.html

Place au suspense électoral
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/10/14/210533.html

Médias - Internet: bilan de campagne

Vingt circonscriptions dans la mire

Retour sur le parcours

Campagnes négatives à l'américaine...

L'échec des meneurs

ELECTION COVERAGE

YAHOO In Depth: Federal Election

TORSTAR http://www.thestar.com/election

G & M http://www.theglobeandmail.com/national/politics/

POST http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/election-2008/index.html

CTV Coverage
CBC Coverage
Canada.com
Sun Media
Canada Votes

Tale of the Tape: A "strange twist", indeed

Ontario Passes Judgment On Harper's Minority Government all 325 news articles »

Stakes high for Williams, ABC campaign during vote

Final poll shows stronger Tory minority
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081014/canada/canada_us_politics_projection_canada

Why I deserve your vote. MORE...

After 5-week campaign, voters have final say

Voters head to the polls after 37-day campaign

Either way, we're in for a rough ride MORE...

Anticipated Tory win likely bittersweet. MORE...

Voter apathy may lead to status quo. MORE...

If it's a minority, let it be one that works MORE...

Be ready for surprises when the votes are counted tonight MORE...

It was all about him. MORE...

No time for policy debates. MORE...

Coalitions of the willing. MORE...

Quebeckers poised to support Duceppe's vision of French Power. MORE...

Which party is ahead on the digital scoreboard?.. MORE...

Our waning democratic impulse MORE...

There are at least two good reasons to vote.. MORE...

No good excuse for not voting.. MORE...

Before you vote, you must read this. MORE...

Right down to the wire. MORE...

Internet in Canada will be going dark to prevent leaks of election results

Ottawa pledges to backstop banks

Ottawa weighs new measures for banks

U.S. to Launch Largest Bank Intervention Since Depression

Microsoft's Gates sees U.S. recession

Leaders face tough fight beyond finish

Harper breaks silence on Cadman

New report casts doubt on Cadman affair tape

Central Nova closely watched

Upbeat May sets her sights high

Races to watch
British Columbia and the North
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
Quebec and Atlantic Canada
Ontario

Greens and Liberals Not Working Together?

A full moon election

From puffins to portfolios

Campaign low-lights

Financial woes trump gaffes, parties' plans

Can't wait for results? Ask Nadia

Reform spirit recalled as retiring MPs clear out their offices

Race comes full circle

Experts turn eyes to voter turnout

Fellow Grit refers to Dion as tortoise in the race

Harper contrasts 'risk,' 'certainty'

Dion makes pitch to NDP, Greens

Quebec will deny Tories a majority, Duceppe says
..
Experts weigh in on why we vote
.
Online vote swaps climb into thousands

Ex-newsman fends off Grits

Liberal Leader Ujjal Dosanjh? A Dosanjh-Rae alliance?

Elections are big business for sign makers

P.E.I. soldier's court martial begins today

Reversal of fortune leaves Kabul under Taliban's thumb

BELOW(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)

4 PARTIES' 2008 ELECTION PLATFORMS FOR CHILDREN'S CARE AND WELL-BEING

Make no headlines but are of vital importance to the future

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From: Ron Thornton
Subject: Re: C/C/NET EXTRA: Responses to 10.45 P.M.

Joe:

Just a quick note to say how interesting I have found the answers to your question. While there are some I agree with and views I find that are almost a polar opposite of their own, I think this has been a wonderful exercise. I have truly enjoyed going through the responses. My thanks to all those who have taken part.

Ron.
=====
Me too
===================================
From: " Sean Barnett"
Subject: Re: C/C/NET EXTRA: Responses to 10.45 P.M.

hi
 
 I encourage everyone to vote for Harper as he has shown himself to be one of the best Prime Minister this country has ever seen. His performance in a minority government situation was nothing less than stellar. He has shown willingness to adjust his positions to actual events and the strength to stand firm in the face of difficulty. Harper presents a rational and intelligent choice for Canadians and has earned the right to lead Canada into the next decade.
 
 Sean Barnett

===================================
From: "Jim Calvert"
Subject: RE: C/C/NET EXTRA: Responses to 10.45 P.M.

Joe:
 
Some predictions.
 
A conservative minority and (at least) 3 leadership conventions on the horizon.
 
Mr. Harper will consider himself a failure, three kicks at the can and no majority.
Mr. Duceppe because he's just tired of the whole mess.
Mr. Dion because he should never have been given the job in the first place.
 
Plastic Jack will hang on until they drive him out.
 
Elizabeth May will (and should) stay on as the voice of the Greens as she has done the best job yet.
 
And the next Federal election in 2 ½ years.
 
Jim Calvert
 
(I voted weeks ago)

===================================
From: "Russell Fisher"
Subject: Re: C/C/NET EXTRA: Responses to 10.45 P.M.

I am happy to be able to cast my vote tomorrow for Bill Casey, the man with guts enough to stand up to  Harper. I have voted Conservative for fifty odd years, but with Harper at the helm it will never happen again.

===================================
From: "Greg Butler"
Subject: Re: C/C/NET EXTRA: Response anyone?

In my view, the country would be best served by both the Liberal and Conservative leader being replaced.
 
Dion is no leader. He can not relate to the average Canadian nor they to him. He probably is honest and intelligent, but he is not comfortable or engaging and he has difficulty in front of crowds. I am not talking about charisma - I dismiss out of hand any candidate whose primary quality is charisma. Remember Pierre Trudeau?
 
Stephan Harper? Simply put - I do not trust him.
 
Greg Butler
Calgary

===================================
From: Roger Buxton
Subject: C/C/NET EXTRA

Hi Joe,
All I can say is wow. Congratulations Anne Dickinson, you have assessed Stéphane perfectly. It has stirred up all of the hateful people on your network Joe, but that is OK as someone needed to do it. I have met Stéphane Dion and spent time with him. He is not only a brilliant mind but he is a very decent man as well. He has a strong team and he takes input unlike Harper who runs a one man show. I used to support the Progressive Conservative party, as you well know, Joe. There is nothing Progressive about Harper and I really doubt that he would ever make the grade in any of the Conservative parties of the past with the exception of Mulroney's Conservatives. Canada could do a lot worse than electing Dion's Liberals tomorrow.

                 Roger C. Buxton
                   Millet, AB.

===================================
From: "Real Gagne"
Subject: (no subject)

Joe:

I've spent the past weekend visiting with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  Great stuff,  highly to be recommended.  As an added bonus, it was nice to forget about politics for a bit.

I came back today to catch up on the DD.

I could go on an on about what I read of the past three days' "contributions" but a short note will have to suffice.

I was told once that if you throw a stick at a pack of dogs and hear a yelp you've hit something. Given the many vitriolic responses to Ron Thornton's latest contribution, he must have hit the whole pack, hard!

I am appalled to see that individuals who profess to loathe anything American resort to the kind of vicious style of politics practiced there.

I'm of an age to remember when politics was still a civil affair, even though there was also then real differences of opinion and real political passion.

We need to re-learn how to discuss important and controversial issues without resorting to demonizing those who happen to disagree with us. 
If we continue to practice this kind of politics of vitriol, we will bequeath not a strong and united country to our children and grandchildren, but rather a squabbling and unstable collection of groups intent on doing nothing better than calling each other names.

Real

===================================
From: TDB Ward
Subject: C/C/NET EXTRA: Responses

Thanks, Joe, for your years of service.  To reply:

Mr Harper can indeed do things that seem pointless except as reinforcing his
base -- the arts-funding cuts, declining to give Ontario full representation,
etc.  These serve to make it harder to win the voters and seats that aren't yet
Conservative but might swing that way, and indeed these gestures sometimes seem
to follow the Liberals' script for him. 

But the socially-conservative Mr Harper's no Bush clone.  He supports
single-payer medicare and same-sex civil union, unlike any known US Republican,
and unlike many US Democrats he accepts both abortion choice and same-sex civil
marriage.  He has apologized and made amends for for ancient racially
discriminatory residential schools and Chinese head taxes. 

Besides, an expanded Conservative caucus would add urban-oriented members
outside the current, socially-conservative core. 

So chill the hysterics.  Republicans vote on fear.  Canadians know better.


Ward Vancouver

===================================
From: Nancy Clarke
Subject: Re: C/C/NET EXTRA: Responses to 10.45 P.M.

To Michael Watkins: You might be surprise who is thinking about the long term effects of cutting the Federal government's fiscal capacity to the bone. The people that are around me are what you would call the blue-collared workers, making reasonable and good wages. They are very worried what will happened when they retire. Even more so, due to the latest economic crisis. As for people who think tax cuts or funding cuts are great, can anyone tell me why companies increase their price by 2 to 5 cents, when the 2 % decrease in the GST took place? Lowering taxes on goods, business will fill in the void, and rarely do they pass on the savings to the consumers. That is why, I rather pay a little extra tax to the government, in return for services that I and my family might need in the future.

 As a stay-at-home Mom, my household budget has been torn to tatters due to factors of businesses grabbing the 2 %, inflation, oil prices and the federal government increasing the ferry transportation fees by 300 % , the value of the dollar and other factors that have risen the price of goods.  Will I see a drop in prices as the price of a barrel of oil is dropping? Not likely. What I did see prior to Thanksgiving, the prices went up to anticipate the notion people are going to buy food and more of it because of the holiday.

We certainly need a overhaul of our economic system. From where I am sitting, basic needs and those are the needs necessary for living are barely being met by our governments. IF we do not change our ways, our children will certainly bear the brunt of it, after the baby boomers leave this world.

===================================
From: Ron Thornton
Subject: Re: Daily Digest October 13, 2008

Hello Joe:

I just thought I might drop a line or two to assist my friend James (Jimmy) Christian Parsons on a few points, but first I would like to thank him and Nancy Clarke in clarifying why our buck has sunk in comparison to the American dollar. As they pointed out, those selling off our currency are speculating (which caused the whole mess in the first place) that we'll tank due to our close association with the Yanks, without the reserves to bail our financial institutions out of the mess. It makes sense, though I hope the speculators are wrong. Time will tell, but so far, so good...at least, not totally bad.

Jimmy congratulates me on not referencing the NEP or the Crow Rate anywhere in my last post. Well, I do admit that the National Energy Program has popped up from time to time, but I don't think I've ever even touched on the Crow Rate. Honestly, I don't think the latter was any longer necessary, something that needed to be punted. Maybe the Canadian Wheat Board can be next.

Not being a farmer, I really have no allegiance to the Canadian Wheat Board, but I do for my country. Jimmy seems to be under the impression that even after attacks by past governments and the present opposition parties against my home province, which has caused me to feel more an Albertan and western regionalist than a Pan-Canadian, that I am somehow bereft of any allegiance to my nation.  No, it is just that I am closer to those who are closer to me and my values. For the record, my first loyalty is to my family, with all else secondary. The reason is the same.

As for Toronto becoming a province, I have no problem with that. Hell, I'd even give them control over their natural resources while we are at it. 25 MP's? Why not. Then while we are at it, we can subdivide both Ontario and Quebec so that each of those "regions" become four separate provinces, each with 6 Senators. I can be real accommodating to a good idea.

Now, as my views differ from Jim Bob's, he now considers me a bigot. By definition, I apparently am intolerant of any opinions that are not my own. Actually, my rather low regard for Jim is due to the fact that he cries about how I upset his breakfast, forgetting that he was the one who initially pissed in my cornflakes. I don't mind those who have differing views than my own. I do mind those who are unable, incapable, or unwilling to outline and debate their views without attempting, even in an infantile fashion, to marginalize others who disagree. Funny, wouldn't that make Jimmy a bigot?
This is truly unfortunate, as there are times James can put forth arguments that do give one cause to ponder.

Thanks, Joe.

Ron Thornton

===================================
KIDS FIRST PARENT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
www.kidsfirstcanada.org
election items:
http://www.kidsfirstcanada.org/current-issues.htm#elections2008

4 PARTIES' 2008 ELECTION PLATFORMS FOR CHILDREN'S CARE AND WELL-BEING

 
Kids First is a non-partisan charitable organization, therefore we do not endorse any particular political party. We  support any party taking steps that will improve children's well-being, and support recognition and equitable treatment of parental child care.
At this time no party has a policy that treats  families that do not use daycare centres equitably.

However, all parties have taken significant steps to improve direct financial support for parent regardless of their child care preferences, including parental child care. That is a welcome change.

Every family is unique. Different situations – health, disabilities, type of paid work, finances, housing, schedules, preferences, children's ages, beliefs - may mean different parties positions better meet your family's concerns.

And there are many other issues. Different voters will have different priorities. Many of these issues at least indirectly affect children and their parents also, but Kids First takes no position on them at this time: war, environment, medicare, corporate taxes,  etc.
Here – in alphabetical order - are the parties (other than the Quebec–only  Bloc Quebecois) child-related platforms.
View platforms on website at www.kidsfirstcanada.org/parties-2008.pdf
 

4 PARTIES' PLATFORMS – we regret any errors or omissions.

 
 
 CONSERVATIVE
 
http://www.conservative.ca/EN/4739/
 
GREEN
 
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/policy/visiongreen/partfour#_Toc180047632

LIBERAL
 
http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/platform/2008lp_action_plan_e.pdf
 
 NDP
 
http://www.ndp.ca/platform
 
FUNDING FAMILIES
 
2006-NOW
 
* initiated a tax credit worth $310/child for each dependent child 0-18

* initiated a tax credit for children's sports

* initiated the 'Working Income Tax Benefit' for low income families

* increased the amount of the 'spousal' and 'eligible dependent' exemption, and made them equal to the 'personal' exemption
 
* initiated 'income splitting' for pension income

NEWLY PROPOSED POLICIES
 
* self-employed parents can contribute to EI and then receive maternity/parental benefits
 
*maintain $1200/yr UCCB, index it to inflation, and make it non-taxable for single parents
 
* income splitting for families caring for a disabled family member

* tax credit for children's sports to be extended to arts programs
* income splitting for all

* "Value the decisions of parents who choose to stay home with children."
 
 *  maintain the $100/month taxable UCCB

* a new additional benefit for low income families worth up to $1225/child/yr age 0-18

* a new universal refundable tax credit worth $350/child/yr ages 0-18
* a new Child Benefit of up to $400/month modelled on the Child Tax Benefit combining existing benefits and credits including the UCCB and the CTB

* get provinces to stop clawing back National Child Benefit supplement to families on
welfare 

FUNDING DAYCARE CENTRES
 
2006- now
 
* extended several agreements with the provinces that allow provinces to spend on daycare/preschool and increased funding to over $2 billion/yr

* business tax-credit for creation of daycare 'spaces'

* gave the provinces $250 million in new money to spend on daycare 'spaces'


* revamp 2005 Liberal daycare plan emphasizing 'workplace child care'
 
* "creation of workplace child care spaces through a direct tax credit to employers (or groups of employers in small businesses) of $1500 tax credit/child per year"
 
* spend $1.25 billion each yr creating daycare 'spaces'

* pass the NDP's Early Learning and Childcare Bill C-303
 
* $1.5 billion/yr to create 150,000 daycare 'spaces' in the first yr and 220,000 by 4^th yr.

*Goal of a daycare space for every child who 'needs' one
 
 CHILD WELL-BEING and OTHER FAMILY RELATED POLICIES

* banned baby bottles made of a toxic plastic

* $5,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers
* eliminate corporate tax write offs for advertising targeting children

* stress importance of time parents spend with children and mothers' care
 
* mention
of breast feeding in platform
 
* "Promote and facilitate access to Roots of Empathy Programme to every Canadian child at some point in their elementary school years."
* reduce child poverty by 50% in 5 yrs [how would this be measured and accomplished?]
* a Bring Canada Home program to increase affordable housing 
 
*a new home care benefit (to help pay for in-home non-family care of seniors)
 
* limit children's exposure to 'junk food' promotion to reduce obesity
 
* a Children's Nutrition Initiative to increase school food programs
 
* Implement new legislation to require all Canadian Internet Service providers to prevent the publication or proliferation of child sexual abuse content on the Internet.

* Poverty Elimination Act: a commitment to reducing child poverty by 50% in 5 yrs, and develop a measurement of poverty  [how would this be measured and accomplished?]