Canadian politics thread

[Hondaracer]

In searching it looks like the vast majority of that funding has gone to the HNP, Haitian national police force. Facilitated by the UN

This article is from November 2024:

On Wednesday, Ulrika Richardson, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, briefed UN correspondents on the parlous situation, noting the closure of the airport due to gangs shooting at, and striking, commercial aircraft, and an increase in killings over recent days: over a four-day period, over 20,000 people in the Port-au-Prince region fled their homes in search of safety and shelter.

In a separate briefing, Miroslav Jenča, the head of UN peace operations for the Americas, said that the gangs have “encircled the capital and all access roads” and, by some estimates, control around 85 percent of the capital.

On Monday, they even attacked the Petion-Ville suburb, home to international staff, UN offices and the diplomatic corps which was formerly seen as relatively safe.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157246

Good?

[westopher]

What does that tell me about the money funding the police force? Would there be less violence or more? That says nothing other than Haiti is fucked. Not that the money is having no/negative impacts.

[westopher]

Our humanitarian operations have, in fact, continued since the onset of this escalating crisis,” noted Ms. Richardson. “We've provided thousands of meals, healthcare and psychosocial care, and clean water.” The senior UN official added that a UN helicopter used to transport humanitarian supplies, which had been impacted by the closure of the airport, has now resumed flights between Cap Haitien and Port-au-Prince
WFP’s aid is not restricted to the region around the capital, however. The agency and partners are providing daily meals to more than 430,000 school children, 70 percent of which are prepared entirely with locally grown ingredients. Some 97,000 people are also receiving cash transfers, as part of efforts to create a social safety net.

The UN migration agency, IOM, is also maintaining its operations in Haiti, keeping migrant protection centres open, and providing life-saving assistance through mobile medical clinics, rental subsidies for displaced persons, protection of services, psychological support, water delivery to displacement sites and supports at border crossings.

From the article you posted. Thanks for doing my homework for me I guess.

[Hondaracer]

Guess they need it more than every other similar cause globally :shrug:

Pretty much boils down to more virtue signaling make good on shortfalls elsewhere. Poor value for the money spent imo but it’s not PC to say such things.

Also what you highlighted there is the UN general focus, whereas virtually every article says the majority of funding went into the police force in an attempt to maintain order, which has obviously been an abysmal failure.

[westopher]

You still haven't answered the question though, would there be more or less violence if the police force was just left to disappear.
It's like saying chemo doesn't cure cancer so just get rid of it.
There's violence here in Canada. Is money spent to prevent it a waste because it didn't eliminate it? Health care is struggling, should we cancel it?

[Tapioca]

Honda - you sound pretty miserable.

What's keeping you here in Canada anyway? You're not an executive or entrepreneur with a brick and mortar based business, you don't seem to respect people who maybe look differently than you, and you have a detached house that could easily liquidate, which would provide you with an income stream in a lower expense part of the world.

Maybe you would be happier somewhere else?

[Hondaracer]

What cause I don’t respect the TFW who can’t make a sandwich? lol I have a pretty diverse friend group.

I’m happy enough, my general undying sentiment is that Canada should be doing a whole lot better than we are, but that ship has likely sailed for most of us.

My best bet for long term happiness is milk what I have here, retire by 55 or so. It’s comfortable enough and as I’ve said previously, without all the bullshit there aren’t too many better places to be if everything was equal. Just tired of seeing strung out crack heads everywhere and bleeding hearts focused on irrelevant bullshit as the world gets worse by the day. Like a lot of people on here, I’ve exceeded my own expectations of life in almost every way and live worse than my parents did with half the education and a quarter of the wealth.

This is the most discussion I have on politics, if you’re out and about and talking about it in person all the time, you’re likely an uninteresting loser. I have some friends like that who have blamed their circumstances largely on the fed, which is totally misguided at their level and they are truly miserable, trudging through life looking for others to blame.

If I had the resources I’d be out travelling all the time, but alas I’m here. Could be worse, could be better.

[Badhobz]

just get out of the city Honda. Youre more of a langley, Abbotsford kinda guy. You wont see those skidrow idiots there. you'll only see those YA GOOFFFFFF guys.

Living in east van you gotta either be 1) hipster, 2) hipster, 3) old money.

[westopher]

I think if you were to take that tone more than once out of every 300 comments about it, people might believe that.
We are all doing well on RS here most likely, and most have had to work way fuckin harder than our parents for it (other than some of the first generation Canadians on here) but what places aren't facing this? Why is Canada such a shithole because they aren't somehow the only country that was already developed during that generation to somehow escape this? This isn't a current government issue. This is decades of unchecked capitalism and globalization changing the world's economy without being able to predict, or put safeguards in place to prevent the massive inequality due to exponential growth of generational wealth.
Money makes money. If it bothers you then you should adjust your political views to search for a party that wants to prevent that rather than accelerate that and hope that corporations will moderate themselves while pushing the belief that trickle down economics is going to magically start working.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

just get out of the city Honda. Youre more of a langley, Abbotsford kinda guy. You wont see those skidrow idiots there. you'll only see those YA GOOFFFFFF guys.

Living in east van you gotta either be 1) hipster, 2) hipster, 3) old money.

I think Hondaracer is originally from Surrey. I want to say Whalley but that would be openly insulting. Fine. Fraser Heights.

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

What cause I don’t respect the TFW who can’t make a sandwich? lol I have a pretty diverse friend group.

I’m happy enough, my general undying sentiment is that Canada should be doing a whole lot better than we are, but that ship has likely sailed for most of us.

What country should Canada be, in your opinion? Which country is doing better in the areas you deem valuable?

My best bet for long term happiness is milk what I have here, retire by 55 or so. It’s comfortable enough and as I’ve said previously, without all the bullshit there aren’t too many better places to be if everything was equal. Just tired of seeing strung out crack heads everywhere and bleeding hearts focused on irrelevant bullshit as the world gets worse by the day. Like a lot of people on here, I’ve exceeded my own expectations of life in almost every way and live worse than my parents did with half the education and a quarter of the wealth.

What did your parents have that you don't? Didn't you grow up in Surrey? And now you live in a detached house in East Van? Did your parents travel as much as you do? Did they eat as well as you do?

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

just get out of the city Honda. Youre more of a langley, Abbotsford kinda guy. You wont see those skidrow idiots there. you'll only see those YA GOOFFFFFF guys.

Living in east van you gotta either be 1) hipster, 2) hipster, 3) old money.

I’m a city boy. Mainly due to restaurants, bars, entertainment.

If I was to go anywhere it would probably be Penticton, and if it wasn’t there, I’d probably move away from BC/Canada.

In regards to the above comment Tapicoa, I’d say growing up that yes, we did more as a family of 5 than my wife and I do as two dinks. We frequently went to whistler, Kelowna, the states, Mexico, etc. and my parents were by no means wealthy, both of them didn’t start making large salaries until myself and my siblings were basically adults. I’d think that is a common theme for a lot of millennials now a days. I definitely see it on social media with people I went to school with who seem like the vast majority are struggling.

Obviously housing costs both rent and ownership handcuff you, especially as a family. But that’s the trade off I guess people perceive for living somewhere “safe”

I’ve been to quite a few places I could move to and be happy. But there are things I’d always miss about here, and none of them are because of the govt. or because of some politician.

Edit* this fucking Apple intelligence makes me sound like even more of an autistic fuck than normal stupid auto fill

[bcrdukes]

I think it's Justin Trudeau taking over your phone.

[MG1]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

just get out of the city Honda. Youre more of a langley, Abbotsford kinda guy. You wont see those skidrow idiots there. you'll only see those YA GOOFFFFFF guys.

Living in east van you gotta either be 1) hipster, 2) hipster, 3) old money.

You couldn't be more wrong........... both those municipalities have their not-so-attractive areas. Conditions right up there with the DTES. Just not as big. Kept from the media for obvious reasons. I've lived in Langley and worked in Abbotsford.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

If I was to go anywhere it would probably be Penticton

What do you like about Penticton? I lived there for a while and it's not a place I'd expect people to want to move to.

[westopher]

Tons of fuck Trudeau flags.

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by underscore

What do you like about Penticton? I lived there for a while and it's not a place I'd expect people to want to move to.

Spent quite a bit of time there in the last 4-5 years as we have friends who moved there. It’s been up and coming for a while restaurant scene improving, few good bars and breweries, plenty of “big city” amenities for a smaller town albeit no Costco. While B.C. wine is generally garbage I do like what Oliver, OK falls, Osoyoos has to offer. And you’re very close to hunting and fishing which id take more advantage of if I was to live in the okanagan. Okanagan ans Skaha lake right there, etc. it’s got its own problems with homeless etc. but I’d live outside of the downtown core obviously.

You used to be able to get waterfront in Naramata for like 1.2-1.5 now it’s all over 2. Even OK falls is starting at a mill for anything decent

[unit]

heyyy i went to school in fraser heights and it was actually fucking awesome

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

just get out of the city Honda. Youre more of a langley, Abbotsford kinda guy. You wont see those skidrow idiots there. you'll only see those YA GOOFFFFFF guys.

Living in east van you gotta either be 1) hipster, 2) hipster, 3) old money.

or 4) brokie wage slave

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by unit

heyyy i went to school in fraser heights and it was actually fucking awesome

It’s a nicer neighborhood but even there they are seeing homeless encampments and shit now

[unit]

wow really? thats sad... when i was going there it was fucking spotless. not so much as a single beggar at the gas stations. i was there a few times last year and it still looked pretty clean to me.

[68style]

Originally Posted by Harvey Specter

Is the Realtor from Calgary? Lol.

One reason I’m supporting PP is the absurd federal luxury tax. Sure, it affects the 1%, and I get that it’s a first world problem, but it’s essentially a luxury tax on top of another luxury tax. That’s just one of the reasons I’ve decided to switch sides.

And let’s be honest, most voters are self-interested and focus on issues that directly affect them. It’s no surprise, then, that the typical luxury or supercar buyer is backing PP. We’re anticipating tax cuts, and for many, that’s reason enough to make the switch.

Dude that's the ONLY tax that's working the way it's supposed to. Taxing people extra on extavagant purchases they can definitely afford to make that other people can't AND potentially making people who are reaching and making a bad financial decision think twice about it.

The only thing I can say bad about the luxury tax is that the threshold is a bit low for today's pricing on vehicles, $60k is a pretty low bar nowadays. It should be discretionary at under $80k-ish and not include things like minivans or obvious family mover vehicles and only include car like my Supra at $73k because that's such an obvious personal luxury purchase.

It's crazy that you're for the "fiscal responsibility" party but you want to get rid of the tax that taxes exactly who should be. I don't regret for even a second that I had to pay more on my car, I didn't need it to survive and I can afford it easily so I should pay more than some person scraping by on $50k a year trying to buy a RAV4 to drive their kids around.

PS: You're never going to get your tax cuts no matter what PP says. Tell me one time in your lifetime that your tax contributions have ever gone down? The only thing I can think of even remotely like that, and due credit to the conservatives on this one -- Jim Flaherty's creation of the TFSA.

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by SkinnyPupp

What will replace that revenue?

The luxury tax isn't bringing in the revenue the Liberals were hoping for and was more virtue signalling...

OTTAWA — Canada’s new luxury tax on luxury cars, boats and private planes brought in $137 million in its first year, but it cost $19 million to collect those taxes.

Conservative MP Scot Davidson tabled an order paper question demanding information about the new tax in the spring and received answers from the government when Parliament returned this month.

According to those answers, the tax was levied against 72,000 cars sold in Canada, 398 boats and 71 planes. The tax applies to cars and planes with a purchase price of more than $100,000 and leisure boats with a price tag over $250,000.

The tax was calculated as either 10 per cent of the total purchase price or 20 per cent of the amount above the $100,000 and $250,000 thresholds, whichever is less.

At the time it was introduced, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters she thought it was entirely reasonable to ask someone who has $100,000 to spend on a car to pay more taxes.

“It’s also fair to ask those who have prospered in this bleak year to do a little more to help those who still need help. That is why we are introducing a luxury tax on new cars and private aircraft,” she said in her budget speech.

Although the tax was mentioned in the 2021 budget it was not implemented until September 2022.

The $137 million collected fell just short of the government’s estimates, which projected $140 million per year, slowly rising to $145 million. The Parliamentary Budget Officer reviewing the tax projected the levy would bring in slightly more, estimating $163 million.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by Harvey Specter

The luxury tax isn't bringing in the revenue the Liberals were hoping for and was more virtue signalling...

The numbers you posted say it was short by 2.1%. That's pretty dang accurate of an estimate.

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by underscore

The numbers you posted say it was short by 2.1%. That's pretty dang accurate of an estimate.

It’s still below the estimate, even during the peak of the luxury car market. As the market slows, so will the revenue. Plus, the tax costs $19 million a year just to implement and manage, which eats into what it brings in.

Before this tax, they were already pulling in decent revenue from GST/HST on high end car sales.