Federal Government & Politics II

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by P'tit Renard

Right now the income threshold before clawbacks start kicking in is ridiculously high, and its consuming so much of the general budget that government can't afford OAS at these levels. So it is too generous a program, and effectively a tax on younger people because they will never get to benefit from these fiscally unsustainable and over-generous OAS provisions.

You are correct, but there's zero chance any politician will actually say this and hope to get elected.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Yes I think this is most likely platform/campaign. There used to be an argument for Conservatives you should telegraph some of the tough medicine during the campaign as well as the tax cuts so you can point to promises made promises delivered. But some provincial examples show that can scare voters back to the" Liberals. PP seems more of a "I opened the books and it's worse than I thought" type of leader. Even so can't imagine him cutting OAS.

Maybe the easiest thing to do would be to gradually decrease the OAS threshold over time. Even just freeze the clawback income level for ~5 years.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Yes I think this is most likely platform/campaign.

Obviously. When all you have to do to be elected in a landslide is point out you can't possibly be worse for the country than the Liberals have been, why would you risk answering tricky questions?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by lio45

Obviously. When all you have to do to be elected in a landslide is point out you can't possibly be worse for the country than the Liberals have been, why would you risk answering tricky questions?

Particularly when you know the media efforts to hold you to account are likely to be feeble.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Particularly when you know the media efforts to hold you to account are likely to be feeble.

Totally typical for a fin de régime, is it not?

[casper]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Maybe the easiest thing to do would be to gradually decrease the OAS threshold over time. Even just freeze the clawback income level for ~5 years.

If the goal was to make it as low impact as possible. Stop increasing OAS value and instead double down on increases to the Guaranteed Income Supplement. That puts money in the hands of those at the margin and reduces the amount of money going to those that can easily afford it.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by casper

If the goal was to make it as low impact as possible. Stop increasing OAS value and instead double down on increases to the Guaranteed Income Supplement. That puts money in the hands of those at the margin and reduces the amount of money going to those that can easily afford it.

No I think the idea is that the max income level you still get OAS is too high. By increasing GIS but not OAS, you are hurting people in the middle with moderate to low retirement income.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

No I think the idea is that the max income level you still get OAS is too high. By increasing GIS but not OAS, you are hurting people in the middle with moderate to low retirement income.

I don't understand. How would increasing the GIS (to the poorest), but leaving OAS as it is, hurt middle to low income retirees?

[kwoldtimer]

So, could PP be refusing to seek Top Secret clearance because he thinks he wouldn't get it?

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

So, could PP be refusing to seek Top Secret clearance because he thinks he wouldn't get it?

What exactly would be disqualifying? I can't think of anything.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

What exactly would be disqualifying? I can't think of anything.

Let the speculation begin!

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Let the speculation begin!

Classic MICE model wouldn't raise flags.

Honestly, in his shoes I'd be a little suspicious of the LPC using clearance rules to muzzle the Opposition too. We really do need more independence for our parliamentary natsec committees.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Classic MICE model wouldn't raise flags.

Honestly, in his shoes I'd be a little suspicious of the LPC using clearance rules to muzzle the Opposition too. We really do need more independence for our parliamentary natsec committees.

There are many things one could imagine being done to PP, but muzzling isn't possible. Like, not in a million years.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I don't understand. How would increasing the GIS (to the poorest), but leaving OAS as it is, hurt middle to low income retirees?

You have to be pretty low income to qualify for GIS. And a number of people only get a very small amount of GIS per month who in my opinion need more of it.

A big problem with GIS is that it goes by one's (or a couple's combined) previous year's income to determine qualification and the amount. So some ultra-wealthy people can qualify for it because it doesn't take current assets into consideration, they retire with lots of money in the bank and don't cash RRSPs for awhile. And some not so wealthy people may have something that drastically increases their income for a year to not make them qualify or qualify for a much lower amount.

[shreddog]

Meanwhile, in an alternative universe

Trudeau says he considered stepping down during marriage difficulties

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a recent podcast that he considered walking away from the job last year as his marriage began to fracture.
...
"These days not at all," Trudeau said, before conceding that the thought crossed his mind last year.

"There was a moment last year as I was facing some difficulties in my marriage where I really wondered, 'OK, is there a path [to step aside]?

"I just realized, that's not me. There is so much to do still."
...

Link

In all seriousness, I am curious as to what JT and The Gang consider that they have to do? I am not aware of any clear mandate from them on what more they want to accomplish during this term?

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Loco101

You have to be pretty low income to qualify for GIS. And a number of people only get a very small amount of GIS per month who in my opinion need more of it.

A big problem with GIS is that it goes by one's (or a couple's combined) previous year's income to determine qualification and the amount. So some ultra-wealthy people can qualify for it because it doesn't take current assets into consideration, they retire with lots of money in the bank and don't cash RRSPs for awhile. And some not so wealthy people may have something that drastically increases their income for a year to not make them qualify or qualify for a much lower amount.

This didn't answer the question. How does the middle class get hurt if GIS is augmented by OAS is left unchanged?

I support cuts to OAS. And I've argued that they should increase GIS.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

What exactly would be disqualifying? I can't think of anything.

I heard on a podcast a couple weeks ago that there is a persistent little rumour going around that his wife could be his issue, but this person said it's been shown that isn't the case (just mud from the left basically) It's just that he doesn't want to get it until he's PM. I think it was Andrew Lawton saying this, who is a PP supporter (and was on promoting his new PP book), but it might have also been someone on Peter Mansbridge's pod.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

I heard on a podcast a couple weeks ago that there is a persistent little rumour going around that his wife could be his issue, but this person said it's been shown that isn't the case (just mud from the left basically) It's just that he doesn't want to get it until he's PM. I think it was Andrew Lawton saying this, who is a PP supporter (and was on promoting his new PP book), but it might have also been someone on Peter Mansbridge's pod.

Social media rubbish never seems to die.

[MolsonExport]

Andrew Lawton. The Islamophobe, Misogynist, and Homophobe of London.

“Why did Bosnia collapse into the worst slaughter in Europe since World War Two? In the thirty years before the meltdown, Bosnian Serbs had declined from 43 percent to 31 percent of the population, while Bosnian Muslims had increased from 26 percent to 44 percent. In a democratic age, you can’t buck demography except through civil war. The Serbs figured that out as other Continentals will in the years ahead: if you can’t outbreed the enemy, cull ’em. The problem that Europe faces is that Bosnia’s demographic profile is now the model for the entire continent.”

-Andrew Lawton

“Regarding the Gay Pride flag being hung from city hall: What has London come to when a flag symbolic of a group representing only five per cent of the population deserves to be hung alongside the Canadian flag — once a symbol of tradition and pride? I support equality among people of all orientations, but I do not think the face of city hall deserves to be tarnished so.”

-Andrew Lawton

“Abortion affects women, but it also affects men. No one can deny that a pregnant woman who chooses to give birth will change two lives forever and create a third. A woman who has an abortion is robbing that child’s father, without question.”

-Andrew Lawton

“Coming up soon is Canada’s annual faux-day of remembrance (no I wasn’t talking about Kwanzaa when I said “fake holiday,” the “National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.” This is the day that remembers the brutal shooting at Polytechnique school in Quebec on December 6th, 1989 — 20 years ago. Observance of this day raises the age-old question of what days we should observe and what should be kept in the history books. All of the victims were women, meaning that this day of remembrance is a prime opportunity for feminazis to accuse anyone who doesn’t take the day off work and hold a candlelight vigil of being anti-woman.”

-Andrew Lawton

Andrew Lawton organizing an event for Ann f*cking Coulter:


Wait, there is so many more gems from Andrew Lawton, read all about it here: https://pressprogress.ca/here-are-pc...oments-so-far/

[MonctonRad]

NDP MP (rarely on Parliament Hill) billed taxpayers for travel with family over Christmas
Niki Ashton billed taxpayers for $17K trip to meet 'stakeholders' over the Christmas break
John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Jun 13, 2024 5:00 AM ADT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp...ebec-1.7233256

An NDP MP who frequently joins parliamentary proceedings remotely from her riding billed the House of Commons for a trip she took to reportedly meet with "stakeholders" over the Christmas holidays in Quebec — travel that included bringing her husband and kids along at taxpayers' expense.

Parliamentary travel records indicate NDP MP Niki Ashton was only in Ottawa on one occasion for four days during the fall 2022 sitting.

But on Dec. 21 of that year, Ashton flew from Thompson, Man. to Ottawa — five days after the House of Commons had already risen for its Christmas break.

Ashton's partner Bruce Moncur, a former NDP nomination candidate, and their two children also made the trip with the MP to the nation's capital.

Then, on Christmas Day, 2022, the family of four travelled to Quebec City. Ashton billed the Commons for some of the expenses they incurred along the way.

Social media posts show Moncur and the children took in some of Quebec City's winter attractions, including an ice slide and snow tubing at Village Vacances Valcartier outside the city centre.

Ashton is also seen in those posts skating with her children and visiting the city's German Christmas Market.

In an Instagram post, Ashton thanked "progressive activists" for sharing their "inspiring work."

Sounds like some "progressives" are living pretty high off the hog. I feel so "inspired" by their dedication to the cause.........