NDP Have BIG plans in BC again!!!

[insignificant]

please keep in mind that the liberals were originally planning on a very small surplus - not the extremely large one they ended up with - I think it originally was supposed to be along the lines of 150mil - we all no that the big part of that surplus came from our have-not status which has now been removed (which I think is a good thing) There's no reason we should be classified in the same boat as the maratime provinces

 

[peapod]

I think you are wrong there sig, but I will look up the information as soon as I have time. One thing I would like to make really clear tho, no matter who gets voted in, we need to have a oppostion, and one with some influence and power.

 

[insignificant]

I agree with the spending - I am very right wing when it comes to tax dollars, and I dissagree with a lot of the spending announcments. I think the liberals may be trying to make a lot of left wing voters happy. i think that they should hold the course and work on paying down our debt and looking at reducing our taxes even further.

 

[insignificant]

"One thing I would like to make really clear tho, no matter who gets voted in, we need to have a oppostion, and one with some influence and power."

I agree with that 100% - even if I can't STAND the NDP

 

[peapod]

See most of us bc'er are reasonable people. I got another novel idea as well, I won't call the liberals names or any other party. Why don't we just examine the facts of each one. :wink: So how should be do this?? Anyone got a plan?

 

[insignificant]

easy - completely ignore posts with name calling

 

[crit13]

Not to mention that Alberta has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada also.

 

[peapod]

No I don't think so, I want this to be a real discussion, so I do have the go ahead to delete trolling. :wink:

 

[no1important]

RE: NDP Have BIG plans in

If Alberta did not have all that oil and if oil was not at record prices Alberta would be in a diferent boat. Remember the early 80's? All it would take is oil to tank and Alberta and Klein would be crying poor.

Also Since Campbell got in there are a lot more people making $6 bucks an hour.

I am not saying Campbell did everything wrong but remember he cut and cut to get where we are now.

Increased msp fees, increased prescription costs for seniors. Most of the new jobs are low paying service jobs. Most of the jobs in the newspapers are minimum wage or just above.

When I renewed my drivers license in 2000 it cost $45 for five years, when I renewed it last September it cost $75. We have the highest liquor taxes in North America hence thats why our beer, whiskey are the highest priced anywhere in all of North America.

He let those fish farmers off on hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and warned them about upcoming inspections, he re instated the Grizzley hunt (when he knew the numbers were in conflict and declining) so his rich buddies could have fun.

Closing hospitals and downgrading a great many as well. Ripping up contracts, conttacting out good paying jobs of hospital workers to mainly forgein owned companies that pay half as what they were making with almost no benefits.

Campbell is really only a friend to big business who exploit workers by paying low wages and very few if any, benifits.

 

[no1important]

RE: NDP Have BIG plans in

there seems to be 2 topics with same name and 3 topics that have same conversation here. Anyway to put them in one?

 

[insignificant]

What percentage of the 200,000 jobs is construction then? Of that, what percentage will be out of work if interest rates rise?

Remember, YOU NEED AN INCOME IN ORDER TO BORROW $$$ FROM A BANK FOR A MORTGAGE!!! If interest rates rise, people will still be buying homes, builders will continue to build, and carpenters will continue to work - AS LONG AS THE ECONOMY IS STRONG!

I just don't visualize a strong economy with an NDP gov't. I base that on prior performance. Its the same old faces in the NDP - how would they be any different this time around?

As for the $6/hr thing - thats crap! Find me one ADULT (with work experience) who is earning $6.00 per hour! The "Training Wage" was brought in to help get high school students jobs in the summer time! As a small business manager, I have hired 16 y.o's under this wage. I hired them for positions I simply wouldn't have offered otherwise. Once these people were competent in my company, I gave them a raise. They gained valuable work experience.

The avaerage wage in BC is over $16/hour - THATS AN AVERAGE! Obviously in order to make an average there will be many people who make much less than that, there will also be many people who make much more than that. Overall, I'd say that that is very good.

 

[no1important]

RE: NDP Have BIG plans in

Well Campbell really lucked out. The world economy effects us as much if not more than what Campbell could of done.

Further more until Liberals got in no one was making six bucks an hour.

 

[insignificant]

If thats the case then why was it that the BC economy was so bad in the 90's when the rest of the world was booming?

 

[no1important]

RE: NDP Have BIG plans in

The economy was not bad. The greedy "business people" outsourced or moved to other Provinces where they did not have to pay a fair descent wage.

Btw. I was making more than the average of 18.04 twentey years ago. I make over 30 now closer to 40 with benefits. The construction workers who are mostly non union now don't make knowhere near what they would or should if the NDP were in.

What did Campbell do? He got rid of the fair wage policey so his business buddies can exploit workers. Why do you think there is a skill shortage? Because tradespeople have left BC for better pastures where they make what they deserve not what Campbell and his cronies think they deserve.

I would not get out of bed to do construction for 15 or 20 an hour with no benefits.

The avaerage wage in BC is over $16/hour - THATS AN AVERAGE! Obviously in order to make an average there will be many people who make much less than that, there will also be many people who make much more than that. Overall, I'd say that that is very good.

So tell me how someone living in the GVRD can afford to buy a house with the house prices the way they are on those kind of wages? Maybe in some remote area of BC like where I was living before(Fort St. John) but not down here.

Well the hospitals workers only make 9-10 an hour now since Gordo cut up their contract and contracted out. He opened up many contracts when he said he would not. Teachers, nurses etc. Hell he even legislated forestry workers back.(not to mention ferry workers, Nurses, what he did to teachers and the list goes on and on) No more freedom to strike in BC, just a dictatorship under Campbell.

But what can you expect from conservatives/social credit people who disguise themselves as Liberals when they are neo-cons.

 

[insignificant]

Times are changing no1, you are going to have to adapt to the way the world is going! Maybe you should become self-employed. That way YOU could be one of gordon campbell's buddies! Last time I checked, I have never met the man, but at least he is trying to get BC to compete with the rest of the world. I know MANY contractors who make more than $100K/year. With that kind of income you can build your own BENEFITS package. Being ANTI-BUSINESS is not going to get you ahead anymore - the days of big unions are behind us!

If you look at how big contractors make money, you might try it yourself:
- Hire a couple of people and mark up their hourly wage (now you profit on their wages too)
- Mark up the materials you are using
- Make a contract price and do the job quickly

This is the NEW ERA (GLOBALLY) Like it or not

BTW - you won't have to worry about getting out of bed if the NDP get back in, because the economy will be so bad that you won't have a job to worry about!

 

[no1important]

RE: NDP Have BIG plans in

I got an "A" welding ticket I can work anywhere. I actually worked in Papua, New Guinea (mines)for a year back in the 91. There were actually quite a few people from BC there, because of the Social Credit (now Liberal) anti worker policies.

It was big money but shit conditions, but I know I have the freedom to basically work when and where I want.

I was also making only 20 an hour in 89 when I only had a "B" ticket.

Many contractors make over 100,000 a year is true but they pay employees shit.

THe Liberals now are all old social credit and federal conservatives and they lucked out with world economy. When they were in in the 70's and 80's the economy here was the shits.

 

[insignificant]

So you are a SKILLED worker! You should take a couple of night courses on business, and become a contractor! There's WAY more money in that. You are letting people profit off of you when you should be the one making the profit. THAT'S FREE ENTERPRISE!

 

[MMMike]

The construction workers who are mostly non union now don't make knowhere near what they would or should if the NDP were in.

I don't get it.... how do you figure out what someone "should" be making. What's your yardstick? Is a business allowed to still make profit?

People "should" be making a sum related to the value that they create. The free market is the only way to determine this. The only regulation involved should be the minimum wage - set at a liveable wage. This should be tied to the city in which you work. $7.00/hr may be ok in a small town, but it doesn't cut the mustard in a big city like vancouver or toronto.

 

[peapod]

Blah! to much going on around here hard to keep up First I have to find time to check those numbers out sig and compare it to the lost employment. I will get back to it tho.

I also know lots of tradespeople who have had, or have their own business, for most, to much red tape to much government interference.
Anyway, I have a feeling the liberals will win, with a large opposition. But than today someone pointed out to me that if you consider the amount of people that lost their jobs because of his cuts, and consider that all these people have familes, friends, community connections etc..that adds up to alot of people. This does not include the senior population that he has alienated, and I work with seniors and I can tell you nearly every senior I come into contact with hates him. Than you have the people involved with mental health, not only patients but their familes, but the workers as well. Than you have the teachers, these people also have familes etc. And than you have union people and students, all these people have familes, friends, community connections, etc.
Than you have the people who care about the enviromental issues.
You also have people that work for the government, I know lots, they are not happy campers.
This adds up to alot of people as my friend pointed out. And regardless of the media blitz, well you know BC, grassroots is second nature and word of mouth is better than any media blitz. So now I do wonder if there will be a real surprise with this election. You also have to include the present scandal federally the liberals are in. I have lived in BC all my life, I thing I know, nothing is what it appears to be, politically anyway. So it should be a interesting electon. Oh I forgot the MADD group won't be voting for him either. You must also include professional people as well, legal aid was shredded by campbell.

 

[no1important]

RE: NDP Have BIG plans in

If Campbell gets in again he will really push to lift the off shore drilling moritorium.

Campbell like all right wing governments around the world only care about about making money for their business buddies by exploiting workers and environment. Gordon Campbell. Ralph Klein, Stephen Harper and George Bush are all the same.

Money money money. Rape the land for all its worth, use the cheapest labour possible and to hell with the average person, seniors, students and the environment. Stole BC rail from the people, stole BC ferries from the people and the list goes on. Ripped up legal signed and agreed contracts, just to screw people after he said he would not tear up any contracts.

don't get it.... how do you figure out what someone "should" be making. What's your yardstick? Is a business allowed to still make profit?

People "should" be making a sum related to the value that they create. The free market is the only way to determine this. The only regulation involved should be the minimum wage - set at a liveable wage. This should be tied to the city in which you work. $7.00/hr may be ok in a small town, but it doesn't cut the mustard in a big city like vancouver or toronto.

Who are you or Campbell to say people working in hospitals and care homes make to much and need their wages and benefits cut in half? How would you like it if tomorrow Campbell decided you make too much and cut your pay from $20 - $9 or $10 an hour with no benefits?

The fact also is we have a convicted criminal running the province.(Not to mention a liar and thief) Convicted criminals should not be allowed to run for office if you ask me.