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  #41  
Old Posted Mar 9, 2015, 4:47 PM
displacednewfie displacednewfie is offline
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Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker View Post
That's what I thought as well. I couldn't believe they'd suggested it.

But... as far as the DMV is concerned, at least, it would be a God send.

We have one DMV for about 250,000 people on the Avalon. It's not even in St. John's. And its hours are 9-4, Monday-Friday. You could not design a more annoying system.

In all other provinces, a city the size of St. John's would have many; in most, it'd have dozens. And they'd be open evenings and weekends.

In Manitoba, they have public car insurance but allow private companies to sell it. So even towns of a few thousand have three or four places you can go. And you can get everything in one stop - license, registration, and insurance. Takes 10 minutes.

Here, it kills half a day. And you miss work.
Was the same way in Alberta, not to mention I could go to Costco and purchase wine/spirits. I've been reading the comments that were posted online over past couple of days about this subject, and I have got to say the level of intelligence is almost nil. A lot of the comments had to be made by union workers trying to distill paranoia into the minds of Newfoundlanders, aside from education and healthcare privatize the whole lot.
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  #42  
Old Posted Mar 9, 2015, 4:59 PM
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Privatization talk is always so frustrating. It's a great way to appear to be cutting costs, but it takes it for granted that cutting costs is a good thing, and it really only shifts the costs and profits around.

Taking hospital security, for instance. What are the costs of "saving" there? If the government switches to a private supplier it still has to pay the full cost of security. If that cost is lower, which it may or may not be, it will almost surely be because private employees are paid less. Is it really better for the government to save a few bucks, while employee compensation (which contributes to income tax and spending in our economy) takes a hit, and the owner pockets the difference?

I can see the case for something like motor registration, because it is really hard getting out there for many people, but there are similar problems. Savings have to come from somewhere, and we or our neighbours end up paying more in other ways. A modest increase in spending could probably make all of those services more accessible, but we cry bloody murder at the thought of the government spending more. Privatization's a really great way of shifting public money into the hands of a few private individuals (usually conservatives, who knew!).
There may not necessarily be significant savings on paper when the government privatizes something like security but it can help in the long-term. Less pension costs in the future, there's the human resources work that needs to be done, etc.

You complain private companies getting public money but I think that's a great thing. If a private company receives a longterm government contract they are guaranteed a steady stream of revenue. This can allow them to invest in their business, expand it, or weather any potential downturns.

We shouldn't look at private companies as enemies, we need them to provide us jobs.
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  #43  
Old Posted Mar 9, 2015, 5:03 PM
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Originally Posted by displacednewfie View Post
Was the same way in Alberta, not to mention I could go to Costco and purchase wine/spirits. I've been reading the comments that were posted online over past couple of days about this subject, and I have got to say the level of intelligence is almost nil. A lot of the comments had to be made by union workers trying to distill paranoia into the minds of Newfoundlanders, aside from education and healthcare privatize the whole lot.
NAPE has also started running pathetic ads about how the government is privatizing vital health and education services. Even though anything has yet to happen.
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  #44  
Old Posted Mar 9, 2015, 5:57 PM
displacednewfie displacednewfie is offline
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NAPE has also started running pathetic ads about how the government is privatizing vital health and education services. Even though anything has yet to happen.
I'd even go as far as "some medical" services being privatized or at the very least allow people to have the option to go to a private business for say an xray or cat scan. I like the fact that we can call a private company and have them come to our home or workplace and collect blood instead of having to waste time waiting at the blood collection units.
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  #45  
Old Posted Mar 9, 2015, 6:16 PM
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I also like the idea of allowing more private business in the health care system. However, I think I'd prefer that if you went the private root then you got everything taken care of privately. For instance, you break your arm and go to a private clinic to get an x-ray and a cast. I love that idea. I am wary about being able to pay to get a certain test done in order to get quicker access to the public health system. While this would free up wait times for tests in the public system you can end up in a situation where the person with money gets quicker access to the public system.
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  #46  
Old Posted Mar 9, 2015, 8:30 PM
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You complain private companies getting public money but I think that's a great thing. If a private company receives a longterm government contract they are guaranteed a steady stream of revenue. This can allow them to invest in their business, expand it, or weather any potential downturns.

We shouldn't look at private companies as enemies, we need them to provide us jobs.
Whether the government or private sector is the employer, there is still a steady stream of money changing hands. When the government is the employer, that money goes toward employees and in turn contributes to the tax base. When a service that really should be government provided is privatized, most of that money goes to a small number of business owners. Business owners have a knack for avoiding taxes (or at least paying little more than anyone else). Corporations have a habit of hording and not spending money. Neither is as good for an economy as a healthy group of people with disposable income. Why is it inherently better for a "company" to exist, than to not exist, when the same employees would likely be worse off?

The government shouldn't be responsible for all employment, of course. As things are, there are many things we love that the government simply wouldn't provide. Privatizing things intertwined with core and desirable government services and revenue streams, though, isn't doing the public any favours.
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  #47  
Old Posted Mar 10, 2015, 10:47 AM
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So Earle McCurdy is now leader of the NDP.
Don't everyone get too excited at once!
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  #48  
Old Posted Mar 10, 2015, 12:00 PM
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No one called in to Open Line about it on Monday. Lorraine had to call in herself and bring it up.
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  #49  
Old Posted Mar 10, 2015, 2:16 PM
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The Liberal government in Ontario is planning to sell shares in their hydro company.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/po...service=mobile

I believe the NDP in New Brunswick considered a similar plan for their liquor corporation last year.
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  #50  
Old Posted Apr 12, 2015, 2:21 PM
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Had meant to put this here.
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Originally Posted by PoscStudent View Post
The new 40 seat electoral map was released yesterday. The island will have 36 seats, 18 on the Avalon and 18 for the rest of the island.

I wasn't expecting to see much change for St. John's but there was a major shifting of boundaries. If these changes go through it could make the election even more interesting.

Here's the link with all the different maps. http://www.nledbc.ca/proposal
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  #51  
Old Posted Apr 15, 2015, 12:29 AM
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Today's Pad-cast of Open Line is worth a listen. Paddy and Jim Bennett going at it over the new district borders was one of the most confrontational calls in a while.
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  #52  
Old Posted May 13, 2015, 2:46 PM
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The Liberals finally announce their "economic project" and it's a plan to try and develop a plan.

Quote:
Liberals economic plan 'last shot' at fixing N.L. finances

Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberals announced Wednesday they'll hold a series of consultations to determine policy and strategy, promising not to "repeat the mistakes" of the Tory government.

Opposition Leader Dwight Ball announced LEAP — Liberal Economic Action Plan — during a news conference in St. John's Wednesday morning.

Paul Antle, a businessman and the current Liberal candidate for St. John's East, will chair the committee.

...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...nces-1.3072128
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  #53  
Old Posted May 13, 2015, 4:57 PM
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The Liberals finally announce their "economic project" and it's a plan to try and develop a plan.
Yup....a lot of talk with no action. As you said, a plan to make a plan. Led by a has-been MP and a guy who has never been elected to anything. And another guy I've never heard of.
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  #54  
Old Posted May 13, 2015, 8:16 PM
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Yup....a lot of talk with no action. As you said, a plan to make a plan. Led by a has-been MP and a guy who has never been elected to anything. And another guy I've never heard of.
A defeated MP and a guy who couldn't defeat a Conservative in Newfoundland and Labrador to become an MP.
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  #55  
Old Posted May 29, 2015, 6:47 PM
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Quote:
No conflict of interest in bank-debt writeoff, Dwight Ball says

Liberal Leader Dwight Ball is defending a deal to erase the party's debt that includes a write-off of $371,000 in interest charges by three major lending institutions.

Ball confirmed Friday that Scotiabank, CIBC and the Royal Bank has forgiven the interest payments on debt accumulated since the 2003 election campaign.

Critics have charged that the party is now in a conflict of interest with any decisions that may involve those companies, and that the party may have violated Elections NL rules by accepting such a large "donation."

But Ball said that's not the case.

He said Elections NL has signed off on the deal, and as for any perceived conflict of interest, Ball said most decisions relating to the banking industry are made at the federal level.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...says-1.3092930


And here I am trying to pay off my credit card before I'm charged interest. I'll just let it rack up from now on and ask RBC to forgive it!
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  #56  
Old Posted May 29, 2015, 8:22 PM
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Something's very strange about this deal.
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  #57  
Old Posted May 30, 2015, 1:05 PM
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Originally Posted by PoscStudent View Post
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...says-1.3092930


And here I am trying to pay off my credit card before I'm charged interest. I'll just let it rack up from now on and ask RBC to forgive it!
Maybe if he becomes premier he can negotiate a deal to rid the interest on the province's debt. I would vote for him then!

Last edited by J_Murphy; May 30, 2015 at 3:19 PM.
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  #58  
Old Posted May 31, 2015, 1:57 PM
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Maybe if he becomes premier he can negotiate a deal to rid the interest on the province's debt. I would vote for him then!
I don't even know if the lower debt would be worth it.
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  #59  
Old Posted Jun 4, 2015, 4:01 PM
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The provincial election will be held the final week of November. Likely Tuesday the 24th.
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  #60  
Old Posted Jun 9, 2015, 6:51 PM
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So the NDP surged at the expense of the Liberals and Tories according to CRA's most recent poll. Liberals are down to 50%, PCs at 27% and the NDP are up to 22%. Interesting few months ahead.
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