The GPC is weak on financial policy.

And of course you think those  things relative or even important as the corruption continues? 

I wont bother with your attempts to side track things .....as no other party really  bothers with what you say and it makes you out as an obvious liberal plant But I can tell you why I do not bother with much here .... Its because they just disappear !!! and the political  groupies ....well....they do not notice ANYTHING !!  EVER!!!!! SO WHY BOTHER ?? I do not bother except on certain things. But have a look below where my combined skills and training were ...Yes...miles ahead of the party... Obama Barack and even Micheal Moore. I care squat to argue my abilities to you as I already said you are merely a planted antagonist.
But its because of things like this below that convince me we are a stupid mess and a mere game players pawn. Even people's own  blog edit pages do not show the dates of their posts ....just so they wont notice certain ones gone...it shows as 5 weeks ago for example. Its so obvious the level of manipulation and corruption here even with in our own ranks... why would I bother giving you any new plans? Here's an example for you ............. A press release replacing one dated the day before January 21 st... (see below for a reprint of what disappeared in its entirety with absolutely no regard to those who contributed !!! ) Now its of course ....NO WHERE  to be seen !! And  YES every one's pages here ... as I said are  just  altered as they slip out good discussions right in front of the sheeple and know they can get away with it. NOWS THERES A PARTY WORTH VOTING FOR ...EH?? I just wonder why? http://www.greenparty.ca/media-release/2009-01-22/green-party-economic-stimulus-package Yes that resulted after those playing games changed this (and its long).....first one and did not like its results I guess??? TAA DAAAA The real blog post or press release now merely a ghost unless you save all like I do!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Green Party Economic Stimulus Package Submitted by Michael Bernard on 21 January 2009 - 5:43pm.    Executive Summary 

The current financial crisis and attendant economic downturn is a grave concern.  Nevertheless, it creates, as do all moments of crisis, an opportunity for innovation and creativity.  It is clear we must not allow speculative bubbles to threaten the real economy.  Real jobs building real things in Canada should be favoured over short-term, speculative and largely imaginary, economic activity, such as, hedge funds, and pyramid schemes.   A "made in Canada" policy should apply to all government purchases--military equipment, Coast Guard vessels, etc.  Shipping government contracts overseas or down south is unacceptable while thousands of manufacturing jobs are being lost here in Canada.

A consensus has emerged among governments around the world that policies aimed to balance budgets will only deepen and protract the economic crisis, and so, many countries are now embracing deficits and government spending.  Canada should embrace this new approach, but the pendulum must not be allowed to swing so far as to allow for structural deficits that will keep Canada in a weakened position long-term.

The stimulus spending should stay within the International Monetary Fund guideline of 2% of GDP to kick-start the slowing economy.   The new economic climate should not be used as an excuse for ideologically driven measures such as those promoted in the November Economic Statement, or to unnecessarily weaken Canada’s environmental regulations and legislation.

Canada anticipates much of what will be in President-elect Barak Obama's stimulus package.  His call for a Green New Deal has been endorsed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Such a Green New Deal will do more than bail out failed industries and will not just throw money at all of our problems.  A Green New Deal will stimulate economic activity while shifting the economy to a more sustainable path. 
In the Green Economic Stimulus Plan, government spending will be an investment in the future of Canada.  Every dollar spent must benefit Canadians today and tomorrow.  This Green Economic Plan will create jobs that are sustainable, increase the health and quality of life for future generations, and help create an economy that is resilient against sudden shocks.

Guiding Criteria for Economic Stimulus Package

1. Create new jobs and stimulate the economy within Canada, emphasizing local and regional economies;
2. Capitalize on the opportunity to build long-lasting infrastructure;
3. Invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency and help shift Canada's economy for the low-carbon demands of the future;
4. Extend Canada’s Social Safety Net and Provide Tax Relief. 

      Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada

Green Party Economic Stimulus Package

The Opportunity Before Us

The economic crisis that started in the United States has permeated most countries of the globe including Canada.  Economic experts tell us it is likely to affect us for at least the next 3 to 5 years-- more if we don't react quickly and intelligently.  We face a great challenge, but with every great challenge comes a great opportunity.

The Green Party believes this is Canada's opportunity to shift from an economic model based on the unsustainable exploitation of our resources to a sustainable and resilient economic model based on conservation and renewable resources, a model that advances the common good and ensures quality of life for all Canadians. Canada can meet this challenge by investing in innovative solutions that are part of a comprehensive vision for our country - a vision rooted in Canadian values.  Responsible budgeting, forward-looking investing, and a concern for those who are least fortunate among us are the principles that guide our economic planning.  

Therefore, under the Green Economic Stimulus Plan government spending will be an investment in the future of Canada.  Every dollar spent must benefit Canadians today and tomorrow.  This Green Economic Plan will create jobs that are sustainable, increase the health and quality of life for future generations, and help create an economy that is resilient against sudden shocks.

Investing Wisely

Although the Conservative government was handed a surplus when it took office, it has managed to create a deficit in a very short time.  This government has led Canada back into deficits through irresponsible spending increases and ineffective tax-cuts in an attempt to gain partisan advantage.  

Canada deserves a more responsible government.  Canada deserves a government that plans for the future and budgets accordingly.  Just as the Green Party believes in living within our ecological limits, we believe in a government that will operate within fiscal limits.  

The Green Party is dedicated to balancing the federal budget, but we also understand that the current economic situation requires immediate investment.  We are committed, however, to refraining from participating in massive corporate bailouts and we are opposed to drastic measures that would involve swinging between heavy economic intervention and widespread deregulation.  

The Green Party will reduce government waste, increase efficiency, and provide tax relief. It will also ensure every dollar invested today provides jobs, helps diversify the Canadian economy, and protects our common wealth: the environment.  The Green Economic Plan will ensure a better quality of life for all Canadians.

Costs and Benefits

Canada cannot afford to continue giving out corporate handouts while depleting its resources.  It is time to invest in rebuilding resources and industries in a way that leads to a resilient economy. 

Canada's stimulus spending should stay within the IMF, OECD, G20 and APEC recommendations that governments apply 2% of their GDP to kick-starting the slowing economy. 

A successful economic stimulus should result in long term benefits and move Canada forward into the low-carbon future.  It should help repair our degraded environment to improve the opportunities of future generations and ensure they have access to the resources needed to meet the challenges they will face. It should improve the quality of life of all Canadians and should help redress the inequities faced by First Nations people.

The Green Economic Plan will:

1. Create Jobs in a new sustainable economy, ensuring our domestic economy thrives at the local and regional levels throughout Canada
2. Build Sustainable Infrastructure geared to a low-carbon future
3. Invest in renewable energy production and Initiate a Canada Energy Efficiency Plan     
4. Advance Education and Technology for a new economy
5. Extend Canada's social safety net to help those most in need
6. Lower Taxes to redress inequities

The Green Economic Plan will NOT:

1. Bail out the failed industries
2. Depend mainly on depletion of Canada's primary resources
3. Build more roads
4. Expand the tar sands or its related MacKenzie gas pipeline
5. Continue to hand out corporate subsidies to the oil, gas and nuclear sectors
6. Use deficit financing to entrench an old economy

1.  Create Jobs in a New Sustainable Economy

Canada anticipates much of what will be in President-elect Barak Obama's stimulus package.  His call for a Green New Deal has been endorsed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Such a Green New Deal will do more than bail out failed industries and will not just throw money at all of our problems.  A Green New Deal will stimulate economic activity while shifting the economy to a more sustainable path. 
Our plan for Canada is an immediate economic stimulus package that creates jobs to compensate for the steady loss of the old economy's jobs. To do this there needs to be many small programs and projects delivered at the local community level that can begin in the next few months and be up and fully running by this summer. 

The Green Party will: 

1.1    Support Small Business

• Establish a federally funded Small Cities Green Venture Capital Fund to support viable local green business start-ups.

1.2 Increase First Nations Participation in Canada's Economy

• Facilitate First Nations participation as partners in projects to create sustainable, long-term economic benefits based on real consultation and accommodation.

1.3 Invest in New Forestry

The forest industry is one of Canada's largest employers, operating in over 300 communities and providing nearly 900,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country.  

Canada needs smart spending and decisive economic policies if we are to make sure our forest industry is able to capitalize on the investments it has already made - modernizing its mills, diversifying its markets, and greening its product.  

• Extend the EI Work-Sharing Program and extend EI benefits for seasonally unemployed workers
• Reform federal tax structures to ensure competitive value-added industries.

1.4    Invest in Agriculture and Local Food Economies

Agriculture and local food economies are needed to ensure Canada's food security. With growing concerns over economic and climatic instability, a reliable domestic food supply is essential. Family owned and operated farms of small to medium size constitute the most reliable, high quality and economical food production system.  According to a 2006 report by the University of Essex, organic farming in the UK provides 32 per cent more jobs per farm than comparable non-organic farms. Interestingly, the report also concluded that the higher employment observed could not be replicated in non-organic farming through initiatives such as local marketing. Instead, the majority (81 per cent) of total employment on organic farms was created by the organic production system itself. The report estimates that 93,000 new jobs would be created if all farming in the UK were to convert to organic.

• Provide $500 million in a fund to farmers to transition to organic agriculture (funded through eliminated the GST exemption for agricultural pesticides)
• Provide $50 million for local farmers markets
• Provide assistance to family farms so they can supply supermarket chains by supporting companies or co-operatives which will offer warehousing, refrigeration, packaging, marketing and selling to enable small farms to compete with large farms.
• Shift government-supported research away from biotechnology and energy-intensive research and development farming and towards research into making organic food production commercially viable.
• Invest in wild fisheries and large scale rehabilitation of habitat and spawning rivers.

1.5   Invest in Manufacturing

Our generation has the potential to capitalize on the single biggest business opportunity in human history: the shift to a low-carbon economy.  Whether this is driven by high energy prices, dwindling oil supplies, or the climate crisis, the country that mobilizes resources to develop and commercialize low carbon products and technologies will survive price shocks and emerge with a thriving economy.  Canada can be that country.  

We can diversify our economy with increased value-added manufacturing.  We can increase our ability to compete on the world markets.  We can ensure our economy is second to none.

The Green Party will stimulate Canadian manufacturing by:

• Earmark $1 billion of "bailout money" for the auto industry to retool one or more of the closing auto assembly plants to plants that manufacture hybrid, low emission or electric cars.
• Help capitalize establishment of photo voltaic cell, solar hot water and wind turbine manufacturing plants in Canada.
• Support new capital investment in updated manufacturing equipment, waste reduction, and the production of biofuel from wood waste and new manufacturing  to transition the forest industry into modern value-added industry as opposed to a focus on low value products and raw log exports.

1.6  Arts & Culture have a very high economic multiplier in terms of dollars returned to the economy and jobs created.  Arts and Culture also give us a sense of who we are and what our role is in the world.  

Already in 2003-2004, with an investment of $7.7 billion from three levels of government, the arts and culture sector directly employed 600,000 people and generated $40 billion for the Canadian economy.  Further, exports of Canadian cultural products increased by 80% between 1996 and 2005, reaching $2.4 billion, with great potential for further growth.

The Green Party will:

• Increase funding to all of Canada's Arts and Culture organizations including The Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, orchestras, theatres and publishers. The goal will be to make increases in this sector commensurate with increases in support over the years for other sectors of the economy such as the auto industry, health care, and the oil and gas sector.
• Increasing funding to $300 million for cultural festivals, arts programs and supervised youth amateur sports programs starting in summer 2009 to employ people in the arts and culture field.

2.  Build Sustainable Infrastructures geared to a low-carbon future

Canada's infrastructure needs urgent attention if we are to reduce GHG, ensure delivery of utility services, protect our water, and clear up our clogged and dangerous highways by improving non-vehicular transport options. Therefore, the Green Party will work with provincial and territorial partners to immediately prioritize investments in infrastructure across the country.

The Green Party will:

• Address the current infrastructure crisis in First Nations communities, with a particular focus on housing and water systems through the Kelowna Accord
• Facilitate First Nations participation as partners in projects to create sustainable, long term economic benefits based on real consultation and accommodation.
• Change Canada's tax policy to create a new pool of secure, long term municipal infrastructure funding by allowing municipalities to issue new Municipal Registered Retirement Savings Plans Bonds (MRRSPsBs) which can be held in RRSPs and self-directed RRSPs.
• Allocate one cent from GST on an approximate per capita basis to municipal governments for "Green Cities" initiatives, ensuring that the funding is used to reduce sprawl and greenhouse gas emissions, conserve electricity and water, increase densification, expand public transit, and build cycling and walking paths.
• Improve rail infrastructure and intermodal connections, increasing joint federal-municipal light rail investments, as well as improving VIA rail service nationwide. Build separate passenger rail lines where needed from coast to coast in addition to the existing freight rail line and install high speed commuter trains between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa to reduce air travel and assist an efficient workforce. The stimulus incentive for rail will be $1 billion/year for the next three years.
• Upgrade the electrical grid so it can accommodate green electricity production. Commit to better east-west connectivity with a Ontario-Manitoba transmission line.
• Develop broadband throughout Canada will enable rural Canadians everywhere to prepare for jobs by using the Canadian Virtual University (CVR) so that distance education will become increasingly widespread.

3. Invest in Renewable Energy Production and Initiate a Canada Energy Efficiency Plan

The biggest challenge facing our generation is to revitalize our economy in ways that simultaneously combats climate change by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and cutting our greenhouse gas emissions. Countries that improve their energy efficiency and reduce their demand for fossil fuels by utilizing renewable sources of energy will prosper for generations to come.

Buildings in Canada currently waste up to 50% of energy in inefficient heating and cooling.  Therefore, the Green Party will initiate a Canada Energy Efficiency Plan to coordinate efficiency measures across all provinces, territories, and municipalities, in agreement with the standards established by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).    

The new administration in Washington plans to invest $15 billion annually over the next decade in renewable energy production. Canada should be investing an additional $1.5 billlion to deploy renewable energy in Canada with the goal of eliminating coal and nuclear generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Further energy investments must be much more diverse than the traditional mega project approach and be designed to help homeowners, businesses and industry become much more energy efficient and far less polluting.

The Canada Energy Efficiency Plan will include:

• Establishing a nation-wide program to retrofit all low-income rental housing by 2025.
• Provide matching funds to upgrade new and renovated buildings to RAIC standards 60% higher than the 1997 Model National Energy Code as long as verification is provided.
• Shifting electricity generation to renewable energy sources by expanding the ecoEnergy Program for Renewable Power  to cover all forms of renewable electricity production (with the exception of large scale hydro), providing greater incentives provinces that have established renewable energy standards and /or feed in tarrifs and for northern communities and creating new incentives for industrial co-generation.
• For home owners, expanding the present home renovation program by creating a revolving fund to provide loans to pay the full costs of energy retro-fits including insulation, windows, solar hot water, geothermal and other technologies that reduce energy use, incorporate renewable or extremely low emission technologies. The loans are to be repaid based on energy savings, making them in effect no cost to the homeowner.
• Providing homeowners with free energy audits performed by qualified auditors.
• Creating a national solar roof program to promote the installation of installation on homes across Canada similar to the California and British Columbia programs.

4. Advance Education, Technology and Training for a New Economy    

An educated citizenry is essential for a healthy economy in the 21st century.  This is particularly important now, in a time of economic and environmental change. Our post-secondary educational institutions - universities, colleges, trade schools, etc. - are key to our long-term prosperity. 
While education is primarily a provincial matter, the federal government can, through earmarked transfer payments, provide educational funding that is needed to meet the challenges we face.

The Green Party will invest in training and education for a new economy:

• Earmark $200 million to establish additional spaces in technical schools for retraining workers in the installation of solar voltaic systems, geo-exchange home heating and cooling systems, and solar hot water systems and conducting general energy audits and performing minor energy efficiency upgrades.
• A new national environmental service program for youth to voluntarily enroll in to receive training and provide 6 months of service in repairing environmental damage, restoring natural habitats (including, for example, salmon habitat), building park and recreation infrastructure.
• Invest $250 million in an enhanced student summer jobs programme ($ to businesses as well as non-profit organizations who hire and train students in summer jobs)
• Increase to $250 million on-site apprenticeship and coop skills training programs

The Green Party will also launch a comprehensive Access to Education Plan that includes:

• Increasing funding for a needs-based Canadian National Student Loan and Bursary Program with low interest rates and reasonable repayment schedules. This loan program will replace the Millennium Scholarship Foundation.
• Forgiving 50% of a student's federal loan when they complete a degree or certificate program.
• Expand the availability of broadband internet services which can be used with the Canadian Virtual University (CVU) and colleges for education and job training throughout Canada.

5. Extend Canada's Social Safety Net to Help those Most in Need

• Extend Employment Insurance benefits from 1 year to 2 years contingent on recipient entering new job skills training programme or other education programme. Provide full scholarships to those who have lost their jobs in traditional industries which have a poor chance of being revived to enrol in one of these retraining programs.
• When unemployment levels nationally are above 6%, extend EI benefits to start the day after lay-off.
• Establish a fund to provide emergency bridging distress loans to help people avoid foreclosure on their mortgages and enable them to restructure their mortgages.
• Protection for pension and retirement savings

6. Lower Taxes to redress inequities                                           

A responsible federal government will ensure the Canadian economy is stimulated not only through targeted spending, but through targeted tax relief.  The Green Party believes it is important to focus not only upon how many taxes are being paid, but also upon what kind of taxes are being paid.  

It makes sense to lower taxes on things we want - income and employment - and put an end to corporate welfare and big business bailouts.  

The Green Party will:

Lower Taxes

• Eliminate personal income taxes below the poverty line $1.9 billion
• Reduce EI and CPP Contributions by 33% $16 billion
• Introduce Income Splitting for Adults $5 billion

End Corporate Welfare

• End subsidies to the Mining Sector $36 million
• Eliminate subsidies for Fossil Fuels $1.4 billion
• Put an end to subsidies for nuclear energy $104 million

Revenues lost through these tax cuts will be re-couped through charges placed on carbon emissions. New location for Council Minutes ›

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Question on GST exemption for agricultural pesticides (sect 1.4)

Submitted by Murray Reeves on 21 January 2009 - 9:23pm.   

Our policy Chair in CMM has pointed out that since the GST is a value-added tax, the result of eliminating the GST on pesticides is that farmers will pay the tax, then get it rebated. Both the tax revenue assumptions and the reaction of farmers to what appears to be just additional paperwork should be reviewed. Apologies if we have this interpretation wrong.

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Made in Canada Policy

Submitted by Manuel Costa on 22 January 2009 - 12:34am.   

" A "made in Canada" policy should apply to all government purchases...", should be qualified, "if available, within reasonable time and cost".
For instance, there is no computer Operating System made in Canada; does the GPC support not buying any?
Now, if Canada doesn't buy manufactured goods in the US, can Bombardier expect to sell planes and trains there?
Can we reasonable expect to manufacture every single widget here in Canada, and ONLY for Canadian use, without exports?
This statement seems to be an ideological one.
Manuel M Costa

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Where are the rest of the numbers?

Submitted by Ard Van Leeuwen on 22 January 2009 - 9:35am.   

Content aside, I find the format of this package confusing. The package calls for a stimulus to the economy of 2% of GDP per a guideline set out by the IMF, G20 and others. Let’s call it about 30 Billion although that number is not mentioned.

It then talks about various investments but doesn’t show how they would add up to 30 Billion. I can only count about 5 Billion of investments with a dollar figure beside them. When you don’t provide numbers beside the proposed investments you are not being transparent / accountable about their relative importance and your priorities.

How is the other 25 Billion allocated?

The biggest bang is at the end of the report with a 23 billion stimulus from lowering taxes. However, the last line states that these would be offset by increased taxes on carbon emissions. Even though this is the only way to truly create the conditions to stimulate a green economy, this last 23 Billion would be less confusingly characterized as a (green) tax shift, not a tax stimulus.

Ard Van Leeuwen (Dufferin-Caledon, ON)

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Embargo until when?

Submitted by Louis Bertrand on 22 January 2009 - 3:53pm.   

Matthew, Michael,

Please let us know the embargo time and when it's OK to post on local EDA web sites etc.

Thanks
Louis Bertrand
Bowmanville ON
http://durhamgreens.ca/

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My plan or two cents

Submitted by John Shavluk on 23 January 2009 - 2:54pm.   

Greetings:

Sorry.... but just more same old same old will not do what needs doing in my view.
Nor will it get us any attention something we need contrary to the view of the small group leading this almost redundant party.
Who is it that thinks we are so special that we can afford to still sound and look like cowards politically?
We were almost bankrupted a month ago maybe its time we took the blinders off and did something before we are less than the 5 % percent; we now show in the polls.

I mean if we really have this ambition of doing something instead of just keeping our own jobs until we are scrapped for our own ignorance and redundancy.
Who but us should or could say these things?
Wake up Green Party!
We should be building things like the national dream again.
Much much more I could say but for now how about even this to result in massive job numbers.... lower oil energy use...better infrastructure ...better security as a nation and renewed building of our east west country.
We should be building a twin line mag lift transport system with land ferries for cars and trucks and container drop offs set across Canada.
Even 40 year old technology can move people and goods at 400 miles an hour electrically.(Some plans show 4000 miles an hour possible on land)

I would also plan in at the same time things like the east west electrical grid ...and a national energy reserve.
I would build it using current locations with power generated cleanly by thermal energy capabilities we do have and be selling all the extra electricity to the non new idea countries.
All this is possible now and we are the ones who supposedly will mention them ...WHEN ???
You would drive your car on in vancouver and two hours later drive off in calgary for instance.

The point I am making is the greens should be bringing in new ideas as we are not just clones of the same old same old no matter how many think like we are.
New ideas encompassing even old technology that would make us a world leader in the resulting technology breakthroughs.

I find our press release boring and adding very little to offer Canadians who crave some new hopeful party not just afraid of saying the better ideas because they are in bed with the usual suspects.

Become something to offer or shut your doors as just duplication.
Talk is very cheap as you mention all the right groups...but meaningless in the grand scheme.
Throwing money away rebuilding poor infrastructure does very little to train new industries and give us highly skilled relevant industries and workers.

This could be way better in my view and only the tip of the iceberg.
Sounding just like a liberal clone wont win us any seats !!

I want the Green Party ! BUT THE REAL GREEN PARTY !!
Not some safe stepping stone for some others.
I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more requires more than just sending in your $10 dollars to feel like we do have a Green Party ....sorry.
Where's the new ideas that will grow us?
Safe and redundant is a joke.
Cheers

(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)

http://shavluk.com/

juror.ca

endprohibition@telus.net

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foot note for response

Submitted by John Shavluk on 23 January 2009 - 10:20pm.   

"""John, what information I have on very high speed trains says that they
gobble almost as much energy as airplanes and are almost equally
non-viable even on very high traffic routes where the high capital cost
might make sense. Their only advantage is that they don't inject water
vapour into the air at high altitudes, and they don't have to burn
fossil fuels.

If you have reasons to think that magnetic levitation is a proven
technology for large scale use, I'd like to know what they are.

I'd like to see a cost benefit analysis on an east-west national
electricity grid before committing.

"Thermal energy capabilities we do have" involve burning fossil fuels if
not using nuclear power. It's something we have to do much less of, not
more.

I'm led to suspect that your post has no rational basis and that you
don't understand the basics of Green policy."""""

signed ........green member

my response.............

Thanks for your comments green member
I did say it was just my two cents

and I am led to believe you just silly OK?

Whether I am rational or not I guess depends on what flavour you are today green member....good luck with that problem.

I disagree with you on so many points here I wont bother with most but rather explain the point.
Its as significant as all our futures and actually I was trying to get the greens to present one instead of just reading old scripts.

Its about presenting goals with examples.. forward looking models instead of thinking like you are some safe liberal and its all generalities.

And the thermal electricity I refer to is based on heat and steam...outside of manufacturing the plants ...no CO2 is involved
And your water in high altitudes comment I don't know what that's about ? LOL

Gobble all the clean free electricity you want as you sail frictionless to winterpeg and only get faster in the colder areas

Maybe I was too hard in some ways but when I read it and its got natives this and forestry that and no real examples or ideas well sorry ...which auto company does the green party give a billion dollars to..... to retool ??? Come on LOL

Maglev is only an example ...a very good one but not my real point...we could be calling for the same thing electrically in passenger and land ferry travel ..even slower on our old antiquated rail system as well and still as a party present real improvements in our transportation foot print...and with out a doubt a better idea than give Imperial oil 16 billion to give away our oil as they give shovel jobs to our Eskimos for a couple of years work .....that's a no brainer for us and probably going to happen as there is no real opposition is there?

A No Rail Plan in a country like this country will always be a naturally ignorant formula....sorry Son.

lets face it the safe thinking like even this release is partially responsible for the destruction or erosion of own rail system as it presented nothing but the status quo all these years and in my mind going to build zero excitement.

I can post other ideas done in other countries right now...you are nitpicking and being personally offensive actually

that was my point that we as greens should be the ones raising these other points.....as no one is.

I see no excitement ...no new hope ...no change ...no new ideas except pandering to possible new votes in only certain sectors
I am after the Canadian sector actually and have a national plan.

So your email had no new national strategy ....no new hope for new ideas....no Canada arm in maglev train technology for us Canadians !
Just negative cant do it stuff sorry ....if we are to succeed it will be because we present something and don't just mean well.
Again sorry but I think a bit differently and yes have some other ideas.

You only responded here because of my ideas...... not the greens ....remember?

What I described with it being a national plan examining the existing infrastructure and where to develop these things would if the money was spent right take us a hundred years into the future and set us up as experts to the world on many things.

It will be spent anyway
So many things could be explored and suggested in my view and are not .....I don't want green lite thanks.
We can and should do better

a million are counting on us....remember?

johns 2 cent plan for green dummies .... LOL

read my disclaimer again

Maybe look here if you made it down here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev_train

"""The only low-speed maglev (100 km/h) currently operational, the Japanese Linimo HSST, cost approximately US$100 million/km to build.[18] Besides offering improved operation and maintenance costs over other transit systems, these low-speed maglevs provide ultra-high levels of operational reliability and introduce little noise and zero air pollution into dense urban settings.

As maglev systems are deployed around the world, experts expect construction costs to drop as new construction methods are innovated along with economies of  scale.""

(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)

http://shavluk.com/

juror.ca

endprohibition@telus.net

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A few more comments on Ag section

Submitted by Murray Reeves on 23 January 2009 - 5:11pm.   

I'm posting these on behalf of our CMM Policy Chair, Jim McKenzie (who has not set up him GPC account yet). He can be contacted at rond@magma.ca:

-------------------------
Comments on section 1.4 Invest in Agriculture and Local Food Economies.

1. This is heavily targeted to organic - as opposed to local food. In the short-run, we are likely to get more bang for the buck by increasing the consumption of local food. Shifting to organic takes time and the US is well ahead of us - so our guys often find they can't compete with imported organics. Just looking at the time line to raise the funds, and implement the program, I would guess this approach might start to pay off in five to ten years - see also my comments on the taxation approach below. Also, the actual execution of a transition subsidy may prove to be challenging - do we know any place where this works?

2. It is correct that organic will use more labour - but this is both part of the problem and part of the solution. More labour usually means higher cost products and it is only in the supply management area where these can be passed on to consumers - something which is already happening and could be further encouraged.

3. The statement "Family owned and operated farms of small to medium size constitute the most reliable, high quality and economical food production system." should be prefaced by something like "The Green Party believes that ..." or "More and more Canadians - including far-sighted farmers - are coming to realize that ..." Then follow up with something like "But past agricultural policies have thwarted the family farm and encouraged large-scale factory farms that are bad for the environment, bad for our health, and bad for local communities. The time has come to place our emphasis on encouraging long-term sustainable farming and the production of healthy, local food. Omit the UK reference. Citing UK studies is not politically astute - Canadian producers want to hear about the Canadian situation. 

4. Our (GPC) approach to agriculture and food is too often perceived as a negative one Section 1.4 attempts to be positive but lacks substance. It also seems to have some problems with the first point the - $500 million fund - see point #6 below.

5. Pesticides fall into two categories - those used by farmers and those used for other purposes, mainly cosmetic. I suggest that imposing the GST on farm use of pesticides will get a negative reaction and may not be effective anyway. The GST is a value-added tax and farmers would just claim it back when they do their returns since most of their products are zero-rated. This will be a nuisance factor that we can avoid. The cosmetic use of chemical pesticides has been banned in Quebec for sometime; it is now banned in Ontario - (and other provinces?). This will convert the cosmetic part of the industry to mainly a user of organic approaches - do we want to tax organic pesticides?

6. I don't see where the $500 million fund comes from. The sales of pesticides in Canada in 1994 were about $1 billion - according to the Crop Protection Institute. (I haven't got up-to-date information on these - but it is available. In fact, Canada has a very extensive Pesticide Sales Reporting system - so much so that when one googles for this one gets all sorts of reports on how it has been set up, modified etc - but numbers don't jump out at you!) If one excludes sales of pesticide for farm use (because they can't generate net revenue) and organic pesticides for non-farm use, the figure will likely be a lot less less, even to-day. 6% of $1 billion (or even $2 billion)does not come anywhere near $500 million in one year - is this over a five or ten year period or what? In 2007, Canadian farmers spent $1.9 billion on pesticides but I have no idea how much of this is organic vs chemical pesticides. Total pesticide sales would now be significantly higher than this so we can see that the industry has been growing since 1994. I expect that quite a lot of the growth comes from expanded organic pesticide sales.Also, it is not clear how effective the GST (if not refunded) would be in discouraging pesticide use. The actual effectiveness would depend on the elasticity of demand for pesticide products and pesticide pricing policies. This would require special

7. I am fully supportive of increased research on organic methods and shifting funds away from other areas. But this would also take time to produce results and it is not the only way to encourage organic agriculture - other ways may be more effective - see attached. study.

7. I would like to see this converted into a four point plan to "re-vitalize Canada's rural economy by focusing on food, energy, environmental stewardship, and marketing the country atmosphere." This is essentially what I have been talking to Mike Schreiner about as he launches his campaign in the Haliburton by-election - where everybody agrees that the main local issue is "jobs, jobs, jobs". I could go a bit further on each of these but we need to emphasize (i) that federal-provincial co-operation is needed and (ii) the essence of the real solution is to build partnerships between government and small-scale industry. An example is Ontario where the mandate of the Ontario Power Corporation would have to change in order to create the "internet" of electricity suppliers and users. (If done properly this should also create a pricing mechanism that would make the market for electricity work - for example, high priced solar would likely come on stream in summer when air conditioner demand is high). Instead of OPC running the show, we could see it just being a service to producers and consumers of electricity. The real partnership would be between Government and a new "Small-scale Energy Producers of Ontario"

8. In the past governments have been lazy and developed their partnerships with big business - and creating big government agencies to do big things. Now we are saying "hey take a chance on me" - i.e. the little entrepreneur and the Green Party candidate. In the area of food, this fits well with the concept of food sovereignty which Eastern farm organizations support. In the energy area, the move to renewable sources would stimulate lots of small small business activity; for environmental stewardship the ALUS type program works - our challenge is setting up a funding mechanism; for marketing the country atmosphere, there are a multitude of things that are happening but could be enhanced e.g. encouraging more tourism in rural areas instead of flying off to faraway places using lots of fuel in planes that spit out green house gases like crazy.

9. This approach would complement the other sections of the Economic Stimulus Package. For example, by creating a distributed energy supply system throughout rural Ontario with solar, wind, small-scale hydro, methane, geothermal, and biofuels we would create a demand for the manufacture of the components needed to put this in place. We would also create the capacity to power all those electric cars with electricity from local renewable sources.

10. The $50 million for farmers markets may not be adequate for an all-Canada program. It probably should be targeted to facilities that would allow them to operate year-round and store products for the off-season. It might be handled as low interest loans administered by FCC and made to registered farmers market associations. (This would mainly assist local food - as opposed to organic.)

11. The nature of the assistance to family farms and co-operatives in not clear - but it appears to be loans (or subsidies). I would suggest a much stronger emphasis on support for marketing and the removal of regulatory barriers. Also, we should be thinking about an environmental levy on imports and better labeling. Co-operatives used to be more popular in Canada but they are not perceived to be as effective as the used to be. There is no need to talk about encouraging them per se.

12. Perhaps one of the most effective ways to stimulate the local food supply system quickly is for federal and provincial governments to shift their food buying practices to local food. Collectively, federal, and provincial Departments and agencies must buy a lot of food for their cafeterias, special occasions, etc. Just think of the effect on the entire food supply system if the message went out "buy local food" in order to keep our farmers, processors, caterers etc busy. If this was gradually extended to hospitals and schools across Canada, wow!

13. We could also explore the idea of linking low-income support to local food. There are already organizations that link local food to food banks - perthaps we should be advocating support for them.

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energy

Submitted by Tyson Keith England on 26 January 2009 - 3:05am.   

hey I am a new member, but honestly I have never been much invloved with politics as per say, but realize politicians have much effect on the country and world even at the times where they are just mainly a symbolic leader.

As far as energy, my opinion is of as long as our energy is still at a point where we can keep a sustainable economy (a recession is not a big problem if proper reactions are taken) and continue with progress economically without the forecast of total diruption of transportaion or heat, and we are constraining the amounts of pollution and ensure good preservation of our lakes, forest and actual habitat we are good.. This is how it should be...we, the green Party are at a great spot to continue to make this happen...and should work with other countries on this issue... We still have a tonne of unused land in Canada... and now with these points being obvious.. and we know other powerful and non-powerful countries are running into problems with land habitat and energy materials... We MUST keep a Strong, sustained, Well trained and prepared and Efficeint armed forces, to allow us to protect our resources everyone in the world would love to have, and this army in turn allows us to negotiate socially acceptable and profitable trade and usage of our wonderful abundance of energy minerals....

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*Update*

Submitted by John Shavluk on 23 February 2009 - 5:33pm.   

Maybe check out # 1 on Obama's list !

http://www.alternet.org/story/127848/5_great_progr...

$10 Billion for High-Speed Rail

If one day in the next decade you find yourself rolling silently through the cornfields of Wisconsin at over 200 mph, on your way from Chicago to Minneapolis, you might spare a thought for Rahm Emanuel, who last week at the president's behest,instructed Democrats to insert $9.3 billion into the stimulus bill for the long-delayed development of high-speed rail in America.

Of all the examples of this country's outdated and crumbling infrastructure, none have been as glaring, persistent or shameful as the neglect of rail transport. While the Europeans and Japanese developed affordable bullet trains that allowed easy travel between regional hubs while producing five times less pollution as planes and cars, the United States remained stuck in the '40s -- the 1840s. The one exception is the successful (if expensive) high-speed Acela train running on the Boston-Washington corridor.

If all goes according to plan, the Acela won't be unique for much longer. Obama has long promised to make the development of a national high-speed rail network a priority. And so he has. Emanuel told Politico that the last-minute addition to the stimulus bill was the president's "signature issue," signaling a serious and sustained commitment. On top of the $9.3 billion, the administration will seek an additional billion each year. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has been tasked with coming up with a spending plan for the funds by late April.

Building a 21st century rail system will still take years, and controversies remain over how best to organize and fund the regional networks (especially in California, where plans for high-speed rail have divided even fierce proponents). But we are at least finally grappling with the technicalities and specifics of the challenge, as opposed to dreaming about one day catching up with the rest of the developed world. To update an old saying, the regional bullet train has finally left the station.

cheers

delta bc

(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)

http://shavluk.com/

juror.ca

endprohibition@telus.net

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Michael Moore agrees as well

Submitted by John Shavluk on 2 June 2009 - 10:47pm.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings

this says it all...........       http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php    

Monday, June 1st, 2009
Goodbye, GM ...by Michael Moore

 

I write this on the morning of the end of the once-mighty General Motors. By high noon, the President of the United States will have made it official: General Motors, as we know it, has been totaled.

As I sit here in GM's birthplace, Flint, Michigan, I am surrounded by friends and family who are filled with anxiety about what will happen to them and to the town. Forty percent of the homes and businesses in the city have been abandoned. Imagine what it would be like if you lived in a city where almost every other house is empty. What would be your state of mind?

It is with sad irony that the company which invented "planned obsolescence" -- the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete. It refused to build automobiles that the public wanted, cars that got great gas mileage, were as safe as they could be, and were exceedingly comfortable to drive. Oh -- and that wouldn't start falling apart after two years. GM stubbornly fought environmental and safety regulations. Its executives arrogantly ignored the "inferior" Japanese and German cars, cars which would become the gold standard for automobile buyers. And it was hell-bent on punishing its unionized workforce, lopping off thousands of workers for no good reason other than to "improve" the short-term bottom line of the corporation. Beginning in the 1980s, when GM was posting record profits, it moved countless jobs to Mexico and elsewhere, thus destroying the lives of tens of thousands of hard-working Americans. The glaring stupidity of this policy was that, when they eliminated the income of so many middle class families, who did they think was going to be able to afford to buy their cars? History will record this blunder in the same way it now writes about the French building the Maginot Line or how the Romans cluelessly poisoned their own water system with lethal lead in its pipes.

So here we are at the deathbed of General Motors. The company's body not yet cold, and I find myself filled with -- dare I say it -- joy. It is not the joy of revenge against a corporation that ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with. Nor do I, obviously, claim any joy in knowing that 21,000 more GM workers will be told that they, too, are without a job.

But you and I and the rest of America now own a car company! I know, I know -- who on earth wants to run a car company? Who among us wants $50 billion of our tax dollars thrown down the rat hole of still trying to save GM? Let's be clear about this: The only way to save GM is to kill GM. Saving our precious industrial infrastructure, though, is another matter and must be a top priority. If we allow the shutting down and tearing down of our auto plants, we will sorely wish we still had them when we realize that those factories could have built the alternative energy systems we now desperately need. And when we realize that the best way to transport ourselves is on light rail and bullet trains and cleaner buses, how will we do this if we've allowed our industrial capacity and its skilled workforce to disappear?

Thus, as GM is "reorganized" by the federal government and the bankruptcy court, here is the plan I am asking President Obama to implement for the good of the workers, the GM communities, and the nation as a whole. Twenty years ago when I made "Roger & Me," I tried to warn people about what was ahead for General Motors. Had the power structure and the punditocracy listened, maybe much of this could have been avoided. Based on my track record, I request an honest and sincere consideration of the following suggestions:

1. Just as President Roosevelt did after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the President must tell the nation that we are at war and we must immediately convert our auto factories to factories that build mass transit vehicles and alternative energy devices. Within months in Flint in 1942, GM halted all car production and immediately used the assembly lines to build planes, tanks and machine guns. The conversion took no time at all. Everyone pitched in. The fascists were defeated.

We are now in a different kind of war -- a war that we have conducted against the ecosystem and has been conducted by our very own corporate leaders. This current war has two fronts. One is headquartered in Detroit. The products built in the factories of GM, Ford and Chrysler are some of the greatest weapons of mass destruction responsible for global warming and the melting of our polar icecaps. The things we call "cars" may have been fun to drive, but they are like a million daggers into the heart of Mother Nature. To continue to build them would only lead to the ruin of our species and much of the planet.

The other front in this war is being waged by the oil companies against you and me. They are committed to fleecing us whenever they can, and they have been reckless stewards of the finite amount of oil that is located under the surface of the earth. They know they are sucking it bone dry. And like the lumber tycoons of the early 20th century who didn't give a damn about future generations as they tore down every forest they could get their hands on, these oil barons are not telling the public what they know to be true -- that there are only a few more decades of useable oil on this planet. And as the end days of oil approach us, get ready for some very desperate people willing to kill and be killed just to get their hands on a gallon can of gasoline.

President Obama, now that he has taken control of GM, needs to convert the factories to new and needed uses immediately.

2. Don't put another $30 billion into the coffers of GM to build cars. Instead, use that money to keep the current workforce -- and most of those who have been laid off -- employed so that they can build the new modes of 21st century transportation. Let them start the conversion work now.

3. Announce that we will have bullet trains criss-crossing this country in the next five years. Japan is celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first bullet train this year. Now they have dozens of them. Average speed: 165 mph. Average time a train is late: under 30 seconds. They have had these high speed trains for nearly five decades -- and we don't even have one! The fact that the technology already exists for us to go from New York to L.A. in 17 hours by train, and that we haven't used it, is criminal. Let's hire the unemployed to build the new high speed lines all over the country. Chicago to Detroit in less than two hours. Miami to DC in under 7 hours. Denver to Dallas in five and a half. This can be done and done now.

4. Initiate a program to put light rail mass transit lines in all our large and medium-sized cities. Build those trains in the GM factories. And hire local people everywhere to install and run this system.

5. For people in rural areas not served by the train lines, have the GM plants produce energy efficient clean buses.

6. For the time being, have some factories build hybrid or all-electric cars (and batteries). It will take a few years for people to get used to the new ways to transport ourselves, so if we're going to have automobiles, let's have kinder, gentler ones. We can be building these next month (do not believe anyone who tells you it will take years to retool the factories -- that simply isn't true).

7. Transform some of the empty GM factories to facilities that build windmills, solar panels and other means of alternate forms of energy. We need tens of millions of solar panels right now. And there is an eager and skilled workforce who can build them.

8. Provide tax incentives for those who travel by hybrid car or bus or train. Also, credits for those who convert their home to alternative energy.

9. To help pay for this, impose a two-dollar tax on every gallon of gasoline. This will get people to switch to more energy saving cars or to use the new rail lines and rail cars the former autoworkers have built for them.

Well, that's a start. Please, please, please don't save GM so that a smaller version of it will simply do nothing more than build Chevys or Cadillacs. This is not a long-term solution. Don't throw bad money into a company whose tailpipe is malfunctioning, causing a strange odor to fill the car.

100 years ago this year, the founders of General Motors convinced the world to give up their horses and saddles and buggy whips to try a new form of transportation. Now it is time for us to say goodbye to the internal combustion engine. It seemed to serve us well for so long. We enjoyed the car hops at the A&W. We made out in the front -- and the back -- seat. We watched movies on large outdoor screens, went to the races at NASCAR tracks across the country, and saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time through the window down Hwy. 1. And now it's over. It's a new day and a new century. The President -- and the UAW --  must seize this moment and create a big batch of lemonade from this very sour and sad lemon.

Yesterday, the last surviving person from the Titanic disaster passed away. She escaped certain death that night and went on to live another 97 years.

So can we survive our own Titanic in all the Flint Michigans of this country. 60% of GM is ours. I think we can do a better job.

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com 

 

(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha) http://shavluk.com/ http://whyprohibition.ca/ juror.ca

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Another view on this plan

Submitted by Kris Oud on 3 June 2009 - 1:34am.   

The foundation of a strong Canada is strong Canadians. Now what can we do to actually help the Canadian people in these hard times? Well first off I would suggest ignoring the IMF guidelines on how much we should allocate towards stimulus. Improving this nation takes what it takes, why should we paint ourselves into a corner at 2%, aside from that look at the IMF track record on actually helping nations improve their economy (Brazil for example). So here's some ideas that I'd like to throw out there:

1)Universal post-secondary education. As a student and a full time worker I know how hard it can be to fit both onto a single income, I got notice that next semester the tuition is rising. joy... One of the things we can be proudest of in this country is that we have universal health care, if we recognize that the body has needs which must be met why not recognize the same truth for the mind. With capitalizing on the power of the internet it only becomes easier to make this a reality. A person could then be a full time student, a part time worker and survive comfortably without building up massive debts.

2) Reduce spending on areas which have no value. How much a year do we spend on the Senate? Is a senate in the best interests of democracy... unelected, long  term seats with the ability to shoot down acts of parliment (even though they never have in their history which makes one question their funtion even more so) I think it is time to update our democracy, remove the senate and save a lot of cash in the process. Legalize marjuana and instead of having billions of dollars a year flowing into the hands of criminal organizations tax it and use the money to make this world a better place. Legalize prostitution BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS, to think that any law will eliminate this is silly, there's a reason it's known as the world's oldest profession. At the same time it would allow our police to spend more time stopping exploitive prostitution and allow sex trade workers to have a safer working environment, better access to health benefits and prevent the spread of STD's with better screening of both john's and workers. Plus again the tax monies which give us more to invest in this nation which benefits everyone.

3) Debt immansipation: With all the money that has been spent on the unpopular Afghanistan mission, corporate bailouts and unneccisary subsidies, how many time over could we have paid off every single credit card debt, personal/student loan and mortgage in Canada? If we have the kind of economic power to give a dead industry $7.5B on the same day it declares bankruptcy then why not give a bailout to the Canadian people and free them from the shackels of debt. Right away this gives the average person more power with each paycheck as large amounts are not going to pay off these debts. The industries are still being paid the money they are owed so they too are getting a bailout by extension and the average person having more money is sure to stimulate the economy.

4) Buy up large areas of old run down buildings in Canadian cities and build modern affordable housing. Make these landmark green projects by making them as sustainable and energy efficient as possible while still giving more people a comfortable and safe place to live? Sounds win-win to me.

5) Impliment new laws mandating the recyclability of packaging and products that are second to none in the world and invest in the science to find new and better ways to recycle everything. We have a world wide problem of eWaste, why is Canada not on the forefront of solving this problem? Instead of these products being shipped to poor nations to rot in the open they could be shipped here to be recycled, reused and resold to the world.

6) Provide interest free (or marginal interest) small business start-up capital loans to grow more jobs.

7) Invest not just in wind and solar power, but all forms of renewable power. Atlantic Canada could be building tidal power plants rather then oil platforms, geothermal power plants could be built in many areas. At the same time invest in the science to find ways to do the things we currently can with using even less power, clean generation and frugality of usage go hand in hand.

8) Build completely electric cars and conversion kits to make fossil fuel cars into hybrid/full electric. Work with communities to setup shared transportation designs and to redesign transportation infrastructure to be more friendly for biking and walking.

These are just a few good ideas and I'm sure many more are out there. This may be expensive in the short term but the long term benefits and profits are too valuable to ignore.

THE END OF REPOSTED POLICY THREAD .......... NOW COMPLETELY GONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get educated than maybe you can help if you really are Green 
-- 
johnshavluk@gmail.com

 

Bram, just a quick one. We support Flaherty's efforts in pushing for a single securities regulator. See our press release here http://greenparty.ca/media-release/2009-05-23/green-party-supports-creat...