“Canada urgently needs to pivot back towards sound money principles and adopt policies with respect to the real estate market that puts the interests of all Canadians, including future generations, first. Most importantly, the next government in Ottawa has to stop relying on a buildup of household debt as a means to keep our economy going. There is no point in chest pounding over central government balanced budgets during a period in which financial risks are merely being moved onto family balance sheets.”

Harper economics: running on debt and easy money

https://canadianinsider.com/blog/harper-economics-running-debt-and-easy-money

So when are the local candidates going to get around to specifics?

I would like to know their positions on the investor state resolution process and how any that support this process can justify its prominence over our constitution.

I would also like specifics in what they would do to bring federal dollars to this rising? What are the infrastructure and other spending priorities they will champion for this region while in Ottawa?

Do they support a South Fraser crossing?

Do they support funding for a PAC and if so at what levels?

Do they support an Ospika (PG’s main thoroughfare) overpass of highway 16 at Walmart? Highway 16 being a trans Canada gateway to the Pacific.

Do they support a highway 16 overpass at the bottom of Peden Hill in light of the congestion and safety issues of that intersection and in light of the demand of a new subdivision that will add roughly 1500 trips a day through that intersection?

Is there any specific funding for forestry, or any other local industries that they will be advocates for?

We seem to have a lot of generalities and not a lot on specifics for this region.

(Aug. 11, 2013)

“Three-quarters of all Canadian mortgages are insured by the federal government, up from only 30 per cent in 1988. Ottawa guarantees a total of $900-billion worth of mortgage insurance.”

After decades of stoking mortgages, Ottawa in a mess of its own making

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/housing/after-decades-of-stoking-mortgages-ottawa-in-a-mess-of-its-own-making/article13705668/

Glad you finally wrote a short post Eagleone! Yes to all the above, just take it off our cheques.

Have a great weekend everyone.

The infrastructure shortfall has really accumulated over the last ten years and the lack of highways and bridges to handle increased traffic is severely affecting the economy and working population especially in the large urban centers all across Canada. PACs and sports arenas are another matter altogether as they are wish list items, quite different from must have infrastructure. Municipalities will identify what their priorities are and the issues of another bridge and highway improvements are great examples. Two of the local candidates explained the basic intent of immediate large infrastructure funding in detail already.

Roads and highways out of municipal boundaries are the responsibility of the province. Which isn’t to say that they can’t approach the feds for funding. But judging how long it is taking to twin Hwy 97, I wouldn’t hold my breath. It’s the lower mainland that gets the bulk of the federal transportation dollars.

Highways are the responsibility of the Provincial Government. They can use money they receive from the Feds for different projects, however at the end of the day its the Province that decides where this money is spent.

Municipalities can make application for funds for various projects under the Build Canada Fund, or the Gas Tax Fund. This money is available from the Province through the Federal Government. Again it is the Province that decides who gets what when. We can however make application for various projects which includes roads, and guess what?? Performing Arts Centres. There is a limited amount of funding based on population number so be careful what you wish for. You could end up with a nice PAC, and lousy roads, water, and sewer.

Terrace, Kitimat, Highway 37, and to some extent Prince Rupert will be the growth areas for the near future. So upgrading the highways to these areas is a good idea. Certainly more so, than spending money on 97 South which has no growth projections that I have ever heard of. At least not between Prince George and Hope. Same thing applies to 16 East, no growth projections. Could use some upgrades to 97 North, however that would be in conjunction with Site C and once that’s built, not much going on North.

So spend the money on 16 West.

City has put up no parking signs on Ospika between Rainbow and the south side of Lac Des Bois school. It makes my cycling commute past there in the morning much safer. I don’t have to dodge cars parked in the lane by going out into traffic and I don’t have to worry about drivers opening their doors suddenly beside me.

I agree Prince George, two candidates at the Forum on Wednesday discussed infrastructure funding in detail – they were the two liberal candidates, Tracy Calogheros and Mark Shaw. I don’t know the Conservative position on this issue because the Tory candidates did not attend the forum (or even respond to the invite). At the forum I thought Tracy Calogheros and Sheldon Clare presented themselves extremely well, they stood out as the best of the bunch. If they continue in the same way, one of them will get my vote.

@akanemo – that is complete BS! Someone posted yesterday that the Conservatives did not respond to the invite, I was concerned that it was poor manners so I called their campaign office to check. They did in fact respond and also sent me the email that was sent to Peter Ewart and the Stand up for the North committee. Anyone looking to confirm this and other stupid lies spread by no minds like Akanemo should call their campaign office directly.

I agree with all the posters who are asking for something, lets have it all. I am sure that the fairy godmother will show up to pay for everything. Lets get real, we can have anything we want as long as WE are prepared to pay for it.

One can make applications for all kinds of things! This absolutely does not mean that approval will be given to non-urgent wish list projects!

Veritas, the Conservative’s candidates responded by email! So what? What matters is that they did not show up! I attended this (almost all)candidate forum where all made great presentations – with enough time to answer to every question from the standing room only crowd – it might have been a blessing in disguise.

The cons didn’t show up . How could they ? They would probably be booed out of the hall . Pretty lousy debates on YouTube . If it wasn’t for Liz on Twitter calling Stevie on his incessant lies it would have been useless . Either the NDP and lib were asleep or they don’t know the truth . No wonder they don’t want her there . She’d be not only the senior of them all but also the most educated .

The Conservative candidates did indeed respond to the request from the Stand up for the North Committee . The email, ( sent on Sept. 5th) indicated Mr. Doherty had other committments in other communities in the riding, but will attend the October 8th debate at the Canfor Theatre.

Prince George. There may have been standing room only, but that was because it was a small room, with very few chairs. Not because there was a big crowd. I seriously doubt that there were 150 people present. Mostly friends and relatives, and supporters of the various candidates. Not many from the public at large.

Candidate(s) ? What about Bob ?

Lynton Crosby hard at work . Old stock Canadians is race baiting . It means multigenerational white Europeans . Kind of makes my skin crawl . Divide and conquer tactics .

This lengthy election campaign is definitely providing a great opportunity to see how inept Trudeau is and how oafish Mulcair is!

The more that we see, the worse these two look! And people wonder why Stephen Harper called a lengthy campaign? Our Prime Minister is no dummy and I thank him for giving Trudeau and Mulcair many weeks of opportunities to put their feet in their mouths!

As far as Liz May is concerned, who cares?? Give her a drink or two and the opportunity to spout off in foul language and she’s happy!

Ataloss. Do you really believe anyone (other than you) was paying any attention to Liz May’s tweets???

The number one thing that is becoming more and more clear in this campaign is that a. People don’t trust Mulcair. and b. Trudeau is out of touch with reality. c. Of course is the fact that May and the Greens are bit players only and will probably get less votes than the Bloc.

What pleases me is the Liberal candidate doesn’t have a hope in hell of getting the seat. Do some research , wrong at so many levels.

Liz a bit player ? She’s already had Tom take one part of her platform . Universal Phamacare . Thanks Liz .

May earned over 1.7 million Twitter impressions, was retweeted over 14,000 times, and received the most mentions on Twitter at the beginning of the debate.1

“Canadians rejected Stephen Harper’s bogus corporate debate strategy,” said May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada. “Debates are about Canadians. It’s not about me, the Green Party, or Harper’s strategy.”

“Canadians deserve the opportunity to hear from all party leaders. It is critical that the English National Television Broadcasters’ Debate (CBC News, CTV News, Global News) on October 8 goes forward as planned.

See righties I was one in 1.7 million Canadians that participated .

How many veiwers did the G&M debates get ? Were they so low that they are ashamed of the number of veiwers ? I’ve searched . If voting didn’t do anything ,Stevie wouldn’t be making it harder for Canadians to vote .

According to YouTube the debate only had 313k veiwers . That means the majority of veiwers were Greens .

For all you big oil haters, that carbon trading scam is leaving big oil in the dust. All the big money houses are in. Hang onto your wallets.

We all need election sideshows. The US has the Donald and we have May. Everyone watches to see what they have to say next, only thing is Trump isn’t usually tipsy when he comes out with ’em

I sort of wish some of our “Old Stock Canadians” would be deemed obsolete and thrown in the trash heap.

Palopu:”Municipalities can make application for funds for various projects under the Build Canada Fund, or the Gas Tax Fund.”

Those are the existing Funds. If you had been at the meeting you would have noticed the fact that the new Liberal Infrastructure Fund will be handled by a new entity – in fact, a new bank. It is in addition to what you identified!

BTW, the hosts of the event (which had way more than 150 in attendance, they were standing in the two entrances and the side door!) will move the next event to the foyer, as an even greater turn out is expected!

Ataloss:”According to YouTube the debate only had 313k viewers.”

It was only on CPAC!

All the news channels announced the debate and the time but failed to mention that! (They do not wish to lose their viewers for an entire two hours, of course).

Who cares what anyone says, the Voters will have the final say!

I want to send a great big THANK YOU to the USA for allowing Trump to run as hopefully the rest of the world can now forget Rob Ford. 😉

Ataloss. May picked up 3900 new followers the morning after the debate. She picked up a total of 7700 new followers overall.

So lets see what we have.

May. Total followers 186,000 English 2,290 French.
Harper. Total followers 894,000 English 20,200 French.
Trudeau 746,000 bilingual followers
Mulcair 173,000 bilingual followers

So looks like the M&M’s are running neck and neck.

Have a nice day.

Princegeorge I watched it live on YouTube on one device and Liz on Twitter on one of the others . How many cpac viewers were there ?

So one real estate agent that lives on Ferry Ave thinks he is going to end truck traffic on that section of road does he? Good luck pal. Do you realize how congested that will make the intersection of 16 and 97? I’m thinking a horn honking campaign on Ferry in the location of the whiner is in order. Don’t like it? Then move to where trucks don’t travel. Trucks have used this corridor long before you lived there.

Ataloss May had how many imaginary followers? You must be imagining things like your imaginary solar system.

I agree with Dumbfounded to a certain extent but what we all recognize is that Ferry Ave is a mess. I was traveling southbound on Ferry last Saturday and a very confused person stopped in the middle of the road to let a vehicle traveling northbound from Ferry and wanting to turn left onto Upland. This is not the first time, people are always stopping when they shouldn’t on Ferry. It’s the “nice” Canadian way to drive. It’s one thing to be “nice” but it’s another when I’m held responsible for rear ending the car that stopped unexpectedly. Time to start ticketing people that stop illegally.

I wonder what ICBC would say about an accident? “Why didn’t you stop in time?” My response “It was the weekend so I wasn’t expecting a Monday to Friday moron to be stopping when on coming traffic didn’t have the right of way.”

City FIX FERRY!

Prince George wrote:- “If you had been at the meeting you would have noticed the fact that the new Liberal Infrastructure Fund will be handled by a new entity – in fact, a new bank.”
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That won’t make it any less inflationary, Prince George. It’ll drive up the prices of all consumables. And the money distributed building the infrastructure, when it starts to flow, will be spent meeting those higher prices. And be long gone by the time all the additional taxes and tolls are levied to pay for it. But what the heck, there’s nothing like ‘working’ your way into poverty, is there?

Heard the words “Old Stock” on the cbc radio today,
brought on fond memories of a beer I once had.
metalman.