Windy day, with perhaps some sun. Possibility of a hike at Two Trees (where there is more than two trees!).Reading the news this AM, I am very disturbed by our Federal government's actions. The omnibus "Budget Bill," which will surely be passed because the Conservatives have a solid majority of the votes, contains buried within it a number of small Bills which cannot or will not be debated because of the size of the whole bill to be voted on. Some of these measures are actually sneaky ways of sliding in policies that would infuriate many Canadians, but will not come to light until after they become law.
For example, the Fair Wages Act will be repealed. This act, born in the 1930's, guarantees that workers on construction sites must be paid wages commensurate with the going wage in the community where the construction is taking place. With this repealed, the government is supporting the hiring of foreign temporary workers at substandard wages, while cutting out unionized construction workers. Big business will love it: screw the locals, it's called.
This Act also brings in the change in retirement age, from 65 to 67 years, although this won't come into effect for a few years - long enough down the road that people will have forgotten about it. Harper and Co maintain that the current system is "not sustainable." The Canadian Council on Policy Alternatives published a paper on the economics of it that demonstrate that sustainability is not the issue. The move threatens those who become vulnerable seniors with two more years of mandatory work. "Plan to take care of yourself," says Flaherty (Finance). But what about minimum wage workers, or those periodically unemployed? Adding to an RRSP is out of the question for them. It surely won't bother MPs with their fat pensions, or the PM, but thousands of Canadians will face hardship and perhaps welfare while they wait to retire!
The oil spill in Alberta last week (Jackson Creek near the Red Deer river) underlines the gutting of our environmental protections act. Oil companies need only slight environmental reviews, and then Cabinet support, to move ahead with controversial projects. Surely this deserves long House debate? It won't happen. Democracy be damned!
Spending time in a National Park also underlines the gutting of the Park system. Staff cuts make the service of the public very difficult, and compromise the integrity of the system. This also was slipped through in budget cuts. By constantly crowing about the importance of supporting the economy, Harper keeps everybody distracted to getting or staying wealthy, and allows the democratic process, and the well-being of many Canadians, to be eroded and even destroyed. These are not relaxing thoughts to harbour on vacation, but they fill my mind, so here they are. Sorry!
For example, the Fair Wages Act will be repealed. This act, born in the 1930's, guarantees that workers on construction sites must be paid wages commensurate with the going wage in the community where the construction is taking place. With this repealed, the government is supporting the hiring of foreign temporary workers at substandard wages, while cutting out unionized construction workers. Big business will love it: screw the locals, it's called.
This Act also brings in the change in retirement age, from 65 to 67 years, although this won't come into effect for a few years - long enough down the road that people will have forgotten about it. Harper and Co maintain that the current system is "not sustainable." The Canadian Council on Policy Alternatives published a paper on the economics of it that demonstrate that sustainability is not the issue. The move threatens those who become vulnerable seniors with two more years of mandatory work. "Plan to take care of yourself," says Flaherty (Finance). But what about minimum wage workers, or those periodically unemployed? Adding to an RRSP is out of the question for them. It surely won't bother MPs with their fat pensions, or the PM, but thousands of Canadians will face hardship and perhaps welfare while they wait to retire!
The oil spill in Alberta last week (Jackson Creek near the Red Deer river) underlines the gutting of our environmental protections act. Oil companies need only slight environmental reviews, and then Cabinet support, to move ahead with controversial projects. Surely this deserves long House debate? It won't happen. Democracy be damned!
Spending time in a National Park also underlines the gutting of the Park system. Staff cuts make the service of the public very difficult, and compromise the integrity of the system. This also was slipped through in budget cuts. By constantly crowing about the importance of supporting the economy, Harper keeps everybody distracted to getting or staying wealthy, and allows the democratic process, and the well-being of many Canadians, to be eroded and even destroyed. These are not relaxing thoughts to harbour on vacation, but they fill my mind, so here they are. Sorry!
No comments:
Post a Comment