Election Time, April Fools!
Election time in Canada means lots of promises, phone calls galore, signs going up and reporters looking for any candidate who might slip up and say something original. Nothing much is too exciting this week; however, Gilles Duceppe is having the most fun (at the expense of the Tories), firing pointed barbs into the Tory “fundamentalist” base (something about the Flintstones, I think).
Promises will fly fast and furious, and accusations about how all parties will raise taxes if they get elected (interesting how everyone is accused of being over spenders, but no one admits to it, sort of like personal finances and such). How is it that when a government does finally take power (unless it is a minority), the first thing they do is live down to their opponents’ estimations and raise taxes? Inevitably they then blame it on the previous government’s mismanagement of the budgets. How many times we have seen this in the past 50 years is astounding.
- Bob Rae taking over from Tories in Ontario, raise taxes due to Tories leaving a complete mess
- Brian Mulroney taking over from Pierre Trudeau taxes go up to pay for deficit
- Jean Chretien taking over from Brian Mulroney what a mess!
- Dalton McGuinty taking over from Mike Harris in Ontario OMG!
- etc., etc., etc.,
You better hope that the Liberals (or Greens, or NDP) get into Power, they will then have Carte Blanche to jack up taxes and blame it all on Stephen Harper.
More election tom foolery and discussions from me this week:
- There was of course a mention of Lenten Financial Challenge Week #3 where we kept up with our participants.
- I did ask the question is Following the Crowd is Safe? where I pointed out the danger inherent with that tactic.
- I couldn’t take it any more after seeing yet another PayDay Loan place open near my house so I suggested Let’s go buy some money, showing how insidious these businesses are (sucking in repeat customers). This is after rolling over customers was outlawed
- In technology I always fight against The Locked in Factor but you mustn’t do it with your finances as well.
- And for this election week I pointed out that with all problems in Canada C’est La Faute Du Federal! Which is true not just for Quebec. Thanks Bowser and Blue for your guest appearance.
- Random Thoughts: Election Time is a recap of the previous week’s best as the 2011 election had just been called.
As a note, I actually enjoy all comments (even the ones that question my sanity) and will try to respond to most, so please feel free to comment away.
Hopefully, none of my blogging compatriots will not be stooping to cheap April Fools posts:
- Our Friend The Happy Guy (David Leonhardt) asks about The Value of Value, and what is something if it doesn’t have value? Nothing, I guess. Not really a financial post, but still an important concept to remember.
- Michael James complained about the Nonsense about Worker Shortages, a piece he heard on the CBC. He points out that there is a shortage of specific folks, for specific jobs in specific areas, which is true pretty much all the time.
- Sandy at Yes I am Cheap says I Won the Lottery!!!! Which of course can’t be true, because if she had won, there would never have been a post. Trust me folks, if I suddenly disappear of the blogosphere I am either Dead or Fabulously Wealthy.
- Canadian Capitalist discusses a paper by Jack Mintz on Family Taxation, which points out the inequality in the tax system for single income families vs. dual income families. Of course you all remember my rant about the Canadian Tax System Hates Single Income Families, as well.
- Larry MacDonald laments that even good news about Dog Investments must be tempered in his post Portfolio pooch barking this week. Sorry Larry, March Networks may not ever recover to where you want it to end up.
- Echo of Boomer and Echo asked the annual question RRSP or Mortgage: What to do with a Tax Refund. No mention of going out and buying lottery tickets or going to the casino, which I suppose is a good thing.
- Preet points out in the Globe and Mail that It’s Up To You, not Ottawa to Improve Your Spending Habits, what about those of us who live in Ottawa?!? I spend my money in Ottawa, so I am very confused now….
- Mike at Money.Smarts points out that Canadian are NOT Withdrawing from RRSPs at an Alarming Rate, maybe we just can’t figure out HOW to get our money out?
- Sustainable Personal Finance gives us Sustainability Tip #89: Pull Down the Blinds, and that no only saves you money, it can save you embarassment as well.
Carnivals this Week
I also had some submissions accepted to various carnivals, so go have a read of these as well:
- Tom at Canadian Financial Blog hosted the Canadian Finance Carnival #29 which featured my post Budget 2011 (Part 1) .
- The Money Beagle hosted the Carnival of Personal Finance #302 Opening Day which featured my post On Line Banking Security PLAY BALL!
- Miss Fish had an interesting post about Top Ad Revenue Generating Blogs in Ottawa, where I was mentioned (shows how small the Ottawa market it, I suppose).
- Million Dollar Journey posted 65 and No Money, Budget 2011 and Charities, which mentioned my post Bonds are not a Safe Haven Right Now
Remember
"If elected, I will win."
Author: Pat Paulsen
Election idea for our politicians: Gas for $1/liter
150 litres of $1/liter gas per month to each Canadian car owner.
Here’s an election platform idea: gas for $1/liter for all Canadian car owners. Let’s make the big rich Oil Corporations and the Canadian Political Parties work for Canadians – the rightful owners of Canada’s natural resources.
This is a challenge to Canadian political parties to introduce the initiative of helping all Canadians with fairly priced gas: 150 litres of gas per month to each car owner at $1/liter.
With today’s soaring gas prices, Oil corporations are making huge profits from Canadian car owner’s pockets. In the past decade, the cost of producing one liter of gas hasn’t changed nearly as much as prices which have doubled. Oil corporations are doing very well financially while the majority of Canadians are facing hardship and financial challenges. Why should this continue?
Oil companies were granted the rights to exploit the Canadian oil reserves by the Canadian Government, the custodian of all natural resources for all Canadians. It is time for the Oil corporations turn to pay – split some of the profits with the Canadians, the rightful owners of the exploited oil reserves.
The Canadian politicians should work with Oil corporations to help ease the Canadians financial burden by providing them with a Canadian product at a fair price:
150 liters of gas per month to each car owner at $1/liter
300 liters of gas per month to each car owner with small business at $1/liter
If the Oil corporations in Canada can export gasoline products below the market price then they should first reward those who gave them the business of exploiting the Canadian oil reserves – that is, the Canadian people.
canada election means what for quebec…..bunch of talk most lies and harper is a dictator and liberal fraud scandals from past are still in our mind wich makes me think npd or bloc quebecois for quebec the rest has no interest for me and in quebec jean charest that has seens taxes boost up for population are fed up but again the alternative is pq and no one believe in separation anymore so again adq could be a good alternative tired of the same politicians and lies but no ones has the light brain on to wake up time for a real change or more politic party cause voting for the less worst is a joke has option
Thanks for the mention BCM! I hope you had a great weekend…back to the grind tomorrow I guess 🙁
Cheers,
Mark
Thanks for the mention! Happy April Fools’ Day.
Thanks for the mention! Have a great weekend!
Thanks for the mention, we were fortunate enough to have our NDP candidate ring the door bell shortly after our daughter went to bed last night wanting to put a sign on our lawn. Umm, sorry now I’m mad at you!
I’ve changed my vote for less!
Ha ha – thanks for the link. I wrote that article specifically to confuse residents of Ottawa.
How hard is that? We get confused with daylight savings time…
Bacon and blinds, bacon and blinds. Thanks for the mention BCM.