Ask Me Help Desk - Canadian politics!

PARTY PLATFORMS
I am not sure if you have seen this or not, but CTV has a thing they put on their website about each of the 5 party’s platforms and stances on the issues. The link is:
http://www.ctv.ca/mini/election2006/...ues/index.html

LEADERSHIP DEBATES
The debates did nothing for me. They were boring, dull, dry. The only excitement was when Paul Martin turned to Duceppe and went on about how Quebec is his home, his Canada and he wouldn’t let Duceppe take it away from him.

I would love to see a Conservative MINORITY government. That way, they won't have the votes to screw up our social policies, but on the same time, can enact their fiscal policies to help change this country for the better. I bet the Libs would support their budget as I don’t think they would bring down the govt after only 2 months.

HEALTH CARE
I don’t believe there is a one-solution-fits-all for this. I think a complex solution is needed on this (as it is needed for gun crime). Here in Toronto, we have had plenty of gun crime. Increasing sentences won't fix the problem. That is just one of the parts to the solution. More youth programs is another part.

I believe that everyone should be able to get health care for free (paid for by the government). But, health care is expensive. In Ontario, 50% of our budget goes to health care, and out health care system is a joke.

What we need to do, is bring in a limited 2-tier system. For example, on diagnostic equipment. If you want an MRI, Cat Scan, or whatever, the wait time is about a year. Allow private clinics to open which allows people to pay to have these tests run faster. Benefits of this are that you can tax these clinics on their revenues, and it reduces the amount of people who then ask the public system for an MRI, Cat Scan, etc.

Also, some communities don’t even have a family doctor. Or some only have 1, who is so overbooked, he/she can’t take on any more patients. The government should pay medical student’s tuition for medical school. In exchange, the medical student, upon graduating, goes and works in a remote location as the family doctor for 5 years. Medical school is expense, and many doctor-want-a-bees would agree to this proposal I think. I know I would.

Surgeries is the tricky one. Because if you bring in privatization to that, then you have to take time away from actual doctors. The lack of operating rooms is always an issue, so what I think should be done is the government should build one huge 10 story building, only for operating rooms. That will create much more operating rooms for doctors to use.

Doctor shortages are also a problem, so we should train more doctors.

You mentioned Newfoundland has stopped covering eye exams. That is sad. Here in Ontario, our right wing Tory govt covered them for years. Then the Liberals took over back in late 2003, and as well, stopped covering eye exams. I found what they did disgusting. If you need your eyes checked, the government should cover that.

Thanks for the link, Captain Forest! I'm just wondering does Ontario cover any dental care? Or Saskatchewan, Orange?

Martin is defianatly a liar. Trying to say that all his government follows the rules. Meanwhile the RCMP keeps coming out with reports about the abuse of the government. Hopefully no scare tactics works this time around about Harper. He needs to be given a chanch to govern. The liberals had 12 or more years. It is time to pass the torch and hopefully the people of Ontario wake up and get rid of the liberals.

Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrs.pennell

Thanks for the link, Captain Forest! I'm just wondering does Ontario cover any dental care? Or Saskatchewan, Orange?

Saskatchewan covers dental care for people of low income, and university or college students. Not for anyone else as far as I know, but a lot of people have dental coverage through their work, and Saskatchewan Blue Cross is pretty good too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrs.pennell

Thanks for the link, Captain Forest! I'm just wondering does Ontario cover any dental care? Or Saskatchewan, Orange?

Ontario does not cover any form of dental care. However, most people in the province have coverage thro their work or post-secondary institution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesushelper76

Martin is defianatly a liar. Trying to say that all his government follows the rules. Meanwhile the RCMP keeps coming out with reports about the abuse of the government. Hopefully no scare tactics works this time around about Harper. He needs to be given a chanch to govern. The liberals had 12 or more years. It is time to pass the torch and hopefully the people of Ontario wake up and get rid of the liberals.

Joe

Martin = liar? I agree.

It saddens me as I see each scandal.

Harper is leading the polls now…if an election was today, we would have a Tory minority. Which I think is a good thing.

Why are Harper and Layton on the rise and Martin on the fall? GUN CRIME.

The Boxing Day shooting here in Toronto was a good thing for all non-Liberal parties. One of the gang members was out on bail on a gun related charge!

When the left-wing Jack Layton is calling for 4 yr mandatory MINIMUM sentence for gun crimes, you know our justice system is crap. And who is to blame for all this? The Liberals.

It was the Liberals, under Jean Chretein, that changed the YOA (Young Offenders Act) back in 2002 to make it even easier for criminals to get off. And I thot the one before was bad.

Harper AND Layton's plan to change the YOA is great.

Harper – Anyone 14-18, charged with a serious crime, would be charged as an adult

Layton – Anyone 16-18 would be charged as an adult (I can't remember if he said for all serious crimes or just gun related crimes). But either way, that is a step in the right direction.

Yes the gun crime is absolutely horrible. I love Toronto... I used to go there a lot as a teenager and hang out wherever I pleased. I explored practically the whole city on my own or with friends, and we never felt unsafe. It's so sad that Toronto has become kind of a Detroit... I agree that the penalities for committing violent crimes need to be a lot tougher.

On a slightly different topic, what are the non-smoking laws like in some of the other provinces? Ontario and Quebec? Newfoundland, mrs. pennell? They are very strict here. There's no smoking in any public place anywhere in the province. There was a lot of protest about it initially, but I just saw on the news that even the bars and casinos are fine with it now. Their business has come back, and people appreciate the clean air.

Quote:

Originally Posted by orange

On a slightly different topic, what are the non-smoking laws like in some of the other provinces? Ontario and Quebec? Newfoundland, mrs. pennell? They are very strict here.

July 1st, 2005 all smoking was banned in public places. For awhile there was talk of the bars losing business but all that seems to have gone away now. I also appreciate the clean air, and I like going out again now. I think the next step should be to ban Video Lottery... but that's just my opinion.:D

Smoking.

Toronto banned smoking in all bars, and a bunch of other public buildings back in June 2004. However, it was like a bunch of different bylaws.

Many cities have different smoking laws or non-smoking laws.

So our province has decided to create one big law to apply to all the municipalities which from what I just checked comes into effect in May 2006. This law will ban smoking from all public places everywhere in the province.

CRIME

Interesting enough, Canada has more crime per capita than the USA does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainForest

CRIME

Interesting enough, Canada has more crime per capita than the USA does.

But who has the higher per capita rate of gun-related crimes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by orange

But who has the higher per capita rate of gun-related crimes?

I do not know.

The election is in 2 days.

I want to remind all my fellow Canadians out there to go out and vote (unless you have voted in the advanced polls).

Harper looked like he would have a majority last week, now it looks like it will be a minority. Either way, its looking like Harper is going to be moving into 24 Sussex Dr.

I for one, have voted for Mr.Harper. The last couple of elections myself and my wife have voted in the advanced polls. Yes, we need to remind everybody about how important voting is. Although there are many non-voters in my family and I think we are worse off because of those people who do not vote and participate in that very important freedom, because it does effect every single person in Canada and everywhere people vote.

Thank you for the reminder.

Joe

Indeed. Voting is important.

I was watching on Canada AM (on CTV), they were talking about mandatory voting.

They said that in Australia, the penalty for not voting is $500 or jail time. In Australia, the law says you must vote.

I think mandatory voting is something we should have here in Canada.

Granted, that is undemocratic.

However, with only 60% showing up, that is disgusting in a DEMOCRACY. If Canadians cannot spend 2 hours of their life to vote every 4 years, then they shouldn't live here.

In a communist country, one does not have all these rights. We need to vote to. We should vote. It is the responsibility of everyone living in a democracy. When one votes, one could spoil their ballot as a protest vote, but they are still voting.

That is an excellent idea, manatory voting for all or you would get fined. If Stephen Harper wins, I along with many others should suggest this to be brought into law. Never know, could happen; eventually.

One other thing I was to say about mandatory voting.

People will complain about having to pay a $500 fine for not voting.

To them I say, what right do you have to complain?

If you choose not to vote, then you are choosing not to participate in who makes the laws of this country.

If you don't vote, you don't care what happens, so you have no say as to what laws are passed.

Those that do vote, and do care, won't be penalized by this law.

I always thought of getting into politics, maybe you should as well. Makes perfect sense what you say and I agree with you 100 percent.

Yeah, I have thought about getting into politics when I get older.

You have thought of it too? Perhaps you should make an attempt one day. The pay is pretty good... 80K for a Provincial MPP here in Ontario, and its what 103K for a backbencer MP in Ottawa?

Yes, Maybe we could work together. We are not that far apart. We live in the same province.