Governments think they can do anything. IMO it is up to the people of Canada to make the economy work no matter what the government does. Remember, it's up to the people. Now get out there and....spend.

How is it that Initiatives Prince George knows best as to the requirements of the north, the simple answer is they don't, but they are the loudest voice the Gov has in the north.
It appears that the Gov has figured out how to play to the mass's, simply by feeding the most vocal like Initiatives Prince George to gain brownie points in the media.
The Gov has no concern what so ever for the families that have been hard hit......some are losing everything, 30 years of built up dreams gone in one single year.
Meanwhile entities like Mr Bell and Gordo continue to get paid, continue to build pensions and go home at the end of the day to to drink their priceless brandy and smoke their Cuban cigars.
This is not their fault, it is the fault of the people, that's right us. We seem to have forgotten that we are the reason these people continue to be employed.....that makes us their boss.....lets start holding these guys accountable.
I read an article on here a bit ago about a Mackenzie resident named Rick Berry who went to Prince George council and asked for their help. My hat goes off to this man, he has been hurt just like others have but he is not hiding, he is out trying to make change. What about the rest of us....we disagree once in a rally and then fade into the dark never to be seen or heard from again when we need to continue to fight, fight and fight som more. It may not make a difference but at least we can say we tried.

5 measly weeks added to EI claims? Why not have the length of your EI elegibility be determined by the length of time you paid into the program without drawing anything out? The family that has paid into EI for 30years gets the same as the one that has paid for 2years.......that would help laid off forestry workers more than any program that is going to be significantly eaten up by administration costs.

Doesn't seem fair to pay into the EI scheme for 30 years and then get bumped out in five weeks. The problem stems from the government the people elected in the past. It's exactly the kind of government that Windigo says we should elect, that stole the EI money and spent it on feel good things for Windigo in the past. The problem is you only get to elect bleeding heart socialist like Trudeau once, then you pay for the rest of your life.

You don't like Gordon Campbell and Pat Bell, fine then. Elect the NDP. In 6 months the province wouldn't be able to borrow a dime, and you will be hooking up a horse to pull your out-of-gas car to go get your ration of a can of beans and hay.

It's better to have a responsible people that you don't like in power than the NDP socialists that promises you the world then steals your future and starves you in your old age. The Feds can not get the money back from the grand social engineers politicians for your EI claim because the socialists spent it.

Blaming the conservatives we elected today for the socialist spending in the past is ridiculous. Remember the "Rage of Fire"? It's a painting with three stripes on it that the Liberal Party of Canada bought in Ottawa for a cool million dollars. That's where your EI money went. Try eating that.

The whole concept of trying to solve any country's economic problems through means of a Government budget is ridiculous to start with.

There is no proper National accounting that properly reflects the physical realities of the economic structure of the country as a whole.

There should be a National Balance Sheet, on which are listed an approximate financial value of all the physical "Assets" of Canada, regardless of their ownership.

And, on the opposite side of that Balance Sheet, the total of all the "money" or financial "Liabilities" held against them.

The difference between the two is an approximation of the citizens's "Capital" or equity in Canada as a productive entity. And it is likely an enormous figure.

If such a statement were prepared it would show that the actual "Assets" of Canada are not only vastly in excess of the financial "Liabilities" held against them, but that those "Assets" are normally continually appreciating at a faster rate than they are depreciating, and continually increasing the citizen's equity or "Capital Account" faster than the "Liabilities" are increasing.

In any business, such ongoing increases to the "Capital Account" would be periodically distribued to the shareholders as a dividend.

And there is absolutely no reason whatsoever why a country could not do the same.

Rather than trying to "prime the pump" by indebting all of us further with a rise in the National Debt on which we'll be paying tribute to the Banks for ever and ever in the form of interest charges; while at the same time inducing a renewed 'inflation' that will further filch the purchasing power of every dollar the still employed and newly re-employed earn, why do we not demand what is our just due?

An ongoing National Dividend paid to every Canadian citizen unconditionally, and tax free. This 'dividend' could be paid in part directly, by cheque from the Bank of Canada, and, to forestall any increase in 'inflation' such an infusuion of new money might induce, by 'compensating' or "rebating" Consumers a portion of the price paid for all retail purchases.

Such a move would do far more to restore Canada to a condition of prosperity and meaningful re-employment than any of the current Budget's inanities that our over-paid politicos are going to waste further time arguing about.

So, Harper has the second largest cabinet in history, the largest civil service, $ 13 Billion deficit before stimulus and manages to wipe out 8 years of debt payment.
In my life I have noticed that right wing governments talk about small government, transparency, and being fiscally conservative and then they do the complete opposite. They don't pay down debt, they enlarge it, while pushing all the wealth to the top 1% of the citizens. This has been the case on both sides of the border for quite some time.

I agree with govsux!!!

Have you all heard about the "Inconvenient truth" by Al gore? Well the economic crisis that we are in right now is being used as the "Convenient Truth" by governments and Industry as we speak. By this I mean, industry and government have the tool ("Economic Crisis") they need right to make changes within the mass's that they have always wanted to make but couldn't without damaging their careers. When comments are made to individuals by their employers and governments, like "I know its a tough thing to have happen to you but this is not about you it's about economics and the economic crisis we are in right now", how are people supposed to feel?
These types of words weigh very heavy on the persons who are no longer employed. They perceive that because of this statement they as members of the human race possibly do not matter any more, but what does matter most is power and money.

Oh....and for the record I do not hate Pat Bell nor do I hate Gordo and at no juncture in my earlier statement did I elude to re-electing the NDP or Trudeau loving liberals. You as people will vote for who you wish to vote for, I can not and will not try to convince you otherwise.
To hold people accountable does not mean that there needs to be a termination or a re-election or a linching. It does mean however that people in general and not just in leadership roles, need to be chalenged to do better.
One of the most important things that seems to help people perform better is developed through how they feel. It helps if you own and feel the pain of your constituents.....I do not think that Pat Bell and Gordo really feel the pain that their constituents feel just yet.