Imagine What It Would Be Like Without M&M's

Not the candy. I'm talking about McGuinty and Miller. While either an Ontario or Toronto election are in the distant future, signs in the last few weeks seem to indicate that both the people of Ontario and Toronto are finally starting to pay attention to how poorly mismanaged both the Premier and Mayor have done their respectful jobs.

In McGuinty's case, Ontario has seen a steady decline since he first came to office. OLC scandals, the ongoing eHealth debacle, and the loss of jobs at a pace never seen before in the province all have McGuinty's fingerprints all over them. And Ontario has done the unthinkable, falling in to have-not status. That alone should be enough to make voters take notice. But McGuinty has gained and remained in office due to a weak opposition party and leader. With the election of Tim Hudak as new leader of the PC that should change. While John Tory is a decent man and excellent businessman, provincial politics just didn't seem to be the appropriate role for him.

Which takes us to mayor David Miller. Toronto has been on a greater downward spiral than the province thanks to Miller's socialist ideas, which consist mostly of overtaxing residents of the city, and then blowing that tax revenue on policies that bring no bang for the buck. And Miller now has a Pandora's box opened with the trash strike (name seems appropriate). Miller has been successful in getting both elected and re-elected by kowtowing to the unions, and is now caught in the position of doing what's best for him or the city. Toronto has far worse problems than a garbage strike, but it has just magnified the city's problems under Miller's leadership. The fact Miller just cost the people of Toronto federal stimulus funds by making only one application that didn't meet guidelines shows his ignorance of doing things properly.Ironically enough, polls show John Tory would beat Miller in an election for mayor. Is it possible voters now realize the made a boo-boo by not voting for Tory when he ran for mayor before? I think Tory would run the city in a way similar to Mel Lastman. Say what you will about Mel, but he always put the city first, and the residents of Toronto reaped the rewards of his time in office.

Imagine a time with no McGuinty or Miller. We can all dream of those days ahead.

Conservative Home Reno Tax Credit Deserves An A+

Just saw on CP24 that a survey done on the Home Reno tax credit in January's budget shows 1 in 3 have or plan to take advantage of this program, which was designed to help stimulate the Canadian economy. A few weeks ago, the CEO's of both Rona and Home Depot publicly stated that the home reno chains had seen "tens of millions" in revenue as a result of the tax credit. Both companies now promote the plan in their weekly flyer's to help further increase sales.

I myself have taken advantage of the credit, doing some home improvements that I wasn't planning on doing for a few years. The plan is also green friendly, with many taking advantage to install new windows, more energy efficient things such as a/c or furnaces. Private contractors are booming. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, drywallers, have all seen an increase in business. Those installing decks, fences, sidewalks and patios are also reaping the benefits of this smart initiative.

For all the talk about the lack of stimulus getting out the door, this is noteworthy in that it has stimulated the economy, the government puts out no money for the program until tax time next year, and at the same time receives increased tax revenues from income taxes as well as gst on sales. It also helps get people off of EI and social assistance when finding a job in the reno industry, putting all levels of government in a win-win situation, now getting revenues in instead of going out.

If I were Professor Ignatieff, I would give this stimulus program an A+.

An Economic Recession Like None I've Seen Before....

In my 49 years, I've experienced a few recessions. In 1990 I was laid off for almost 18 months. Job searching proved futile. Nobody was hiring, unemployment was rising as were the number of people on the welfare rolls here in Ontario. In the early 2000's another recession hit, albeit a smaller one than in the past. I survived this one with some down weeks at work but no long term layoffs. I know people who also struggled at this time to find an employment opportunity.

Flash forward to today. I see daily in the media that this is an economic recession like no other. Well, I have to agree. Unemployment is at 8.4%, still relatively low during a global recession. This in no way is meant to disrespect those who have lost their jobs due to the current economic conditions, but I have noticed something different this time around. There are jobs out there. Quite a few actually. Those who follow my blog know that I started a new position a little over a week ago, after completing a college course in April. Of the 26 fellow students in my class, all but two have started full-time jobs with promising futures.

But what has really struck me this time is the fact the job market is quite resilient right now. The manufacturing sector has taken a major hit, particularly in Ontario and Quebec. Some of this is obviously related to the current recession. But the fact is manufacturing really started to bleed jobs beginning in 2002, long before the financial meltdown in the U.S. And for all the doom and gloom I see reported daily, since starting my new job a week ago Monday, I have had four more job offers come my way. All good jobs, decent pay and benefits.

Which is why I say an economic recession like none I've seen before.

Jack Layton: Politically Irrelevant and Too Dumb to Realize It.

Jack Layton sure seems to be bouncing all over the map. Just yesterday, he called a news conference to warn the PM he won't support the government in the fall. Today he says he is willing to compromise on EI reforms. Of course that comes just days after he ridiculed Michael Ignatieff for also willing to accept compromise on EI. Layton boasted that he got $4 billion out of Paul Martin in exchange for supporting the Liberal's. Because of this Layton has lost what little credibility he had. He's flailing around trying to stem the bleeding of NDP votes to all parties. In doing so, he has completely undermined his supposed hard-line stance with the government.

On EI reform, his about face is pathetic, having just ridiculed the Liberal leader for doing the same thing. His boasting about getting $4 billion in social spending is where the most damage to his reputation will be done. The difference between him supporting the Liberals is that he was willing to allow a government who had just been found in a federal inquiry to have been involved in an illegal kickback scheme, to remain in power. Compare that to today, where he and his party vow to vote against anything put forth by the Conservative government without even reading it. It's even more ironic when he repeatedly states that he doesn't support the government because the PM can't be trusted. So to recap, he thought enough to give a Liberal PM a lease on government, despite the governing party found to, and admitted to, scamming Canadian taxpayers for their own benefit. I wonder how many kitchen tables Layton sat around and discussed Adscam.

But Layton's hypocrisy is much much worse. And I must say I am completely dumbfounded that not one supposed journalist has called him on it. The January budget, the one Layton decided to vote against without so much as reading the title page, shows exactly how irrelevant he and his party really are. Layton bringing up the $4 billion he managed to get from Paul Martin shows just how much of a showman he thinks he is, and how absolutely incompetent he is as leader of the NDP. Aside from the fact that the money he supposedly negotiated from Martin never ended up being spent, the January budget is a better example of why the NDP would be lucky to get even 30 seats in the next election.

The January budget included $1.2 billion for affordable housing. Layton's deal with Martin called for $1 billion for affordable housing. The January budget included spending on aboriginal housing, as well as improving such things as drinking water. Again, the amount was more than Layton's deal with Martin. During the coalition tripe, Layton pointed out the need for stimulus funding. The January budget provided $22 billion in stimulus. Layton demanded help for the auto sector, and demanded worker pensions be saved. Yet he hasn't mentioned the auto bailouts since the federal and provincial governments said they were providing help to the sector.

Despite a budget that provided things he and the NDP have rallied for over the years, he and his MP's voted against the budget. They just last week voted against the means motion to allow the stimulus funds out the door. I'm thinking Layton is the one who can't be trusted. And come next election, when the final votes are tallied, Layton's wikipedia entry will be revised to state he was the former leader of the NDP. That's what happens when you vote against what you demand. You quickly make yourself irrelevant. A party that thinks winning 37 seats out of 308 is an electoral victory, tells you all you need to know.

How About Downsizing The Price Too!!!

It's been going on for quite some time now. And yet I have seen no consumer groups complain, nary a peep from any politician, nor have I heard a reasonable explanation from any manufacturer. What am I talking about? This incredible new trend to downsize the items we buy, while at the same time maintaining the original price of the larger size.

Loaves of bread now have 6-8 fewer slices, yet bread costs the same, if not more than the larger size. Cheese used to come in 680 gram blocks, now it's 500 grams. Yet I'm lucky if I can get it on sale for the old price of 680 grams. Some soft drinks are smaller. Yogurt single servings are the same size single servings if you eat two. Laundry detergent is now coming in boxes with less loads, yet at the same or higher price of the previously larger size.

But now they have pushed me too far. Shopper's Drug Mart had Pringle's chips on sale Saturday for 99 cents a can. That's not a great deal but what they normally go on sale for at No Frill's and Wal-Mart. So I go to Shopper's Saturday and what do I see? Pringles cans are roughly half the size of the old ones, which also used to go on sale for 99 cents. So to put it in perspective, I now have to pay $1.98 to get 2 cans that will equal the size of the old one, that used to be on sale for 99 cents.

Oh the humanity....

p.s. Feel free to add any examples you have experienced in comments.

The Week In Review Through Bob Fife's Eyes

What most people saw:

• NDP and Bloc vow to vote against budget spending motion
• Ignatieff and Liberals vow to bring down government unless they get concessions
• PM says no to concessions
• Ignatieff begins to backtrack on firm stance to bring down Conservative government
• PM reiterates he won't concede 360 hour EI qualifying standard
• Pm and Liberal leader meet
• Ignaiteff concedes Isotopes, stimulus spending, 360 EI qualification
• PM agrees to a "blue ribbon" EI panel, all other Liberal demands abandoned
• Ignatieff backs down on 4 supposed conditions for continued support
• Duceppe says Ignatieff sees Dion when he looks in mirror
• Layton ridicules Ignatieff for settling on blue ribbon panel, bragging he got billions
• Election avoided, Conservative government gets summer to make spending announcments
• Conservative government should see increased polling due to rebounding economy
• Vast majority see this as win for PM, Ignatieff diminished

How Bob Fife saw it:

• Ignatieff and Liberals were the winners for avoiding an election they supposedly would have won.
• Ignatieff ignores hand-picked strategist Warren Kinsella, also David Herle's advice in forcing an election. Brilliant
• Libloggers unhappy with Iggy capitulating on demands, sign Iggy made the right move.
• Prime Minister the big loser for avoiding an election he would have supposedly lost
• Conservatives give in to none of the Liberals demands, standing firm on EI qualifying rules, yet Ignatieff won the staredown.

I'll have some of whatever Fife is smoking please.

Top Liberal Strategists Advice Means Nothing....

Man, I love the memory of the internet more and more. Just recently top Liberal strategist Warren Kinsella wrote a Top 10 list on his blog on why Michael Ignatieff must force an election now. For weeks WK boasted about looking for a place to stay in Ottawa, Harper bad, Iggy great, blah, blah, blah. The last opportunity for the Liberals to bring down the government would be this coming Friday, by either tabling a non-confidence motion or by defeating the budget implementation bill.

Conservatives were toast Wk boasted. He mentioned possible Liberal cabinet ministers. Strategy to destroy the PM in the campaign. Of course he mentioned a few times how great he did his job for Chretien, never mentioning the vote split on the right. Glossed over the fact Liberals won a bare majority in '97 when Adscam was at it's height. But that's all meaningless now anyways.

The thing to pay attention to is the fact WK advised Iggy to force a summer election, and Iggy never took his advice. It could be because we learn now there are some discrepancies with Elections Canada audits from a previous election, and that the Liberals have not received their rebate cheques, so funding an election could be an issue. Or perhaps internal polling showed a different dynamic than the media pollsters. Maybe Iggy was worried about a stream of good economic data appearing in the media during a 37 day campaign swinging votes to the Conservatives. All valid arguments.

Or maybe Iggy just realized what many people already think. WK's days as a top-notch war room strategist are like Pontiac's. You still see them around, but you know their best years are over. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm hungry and feel like some take-out Chinese food.