Sunday, June 29, 2008

Call a Meeting!

We have some Premiers who are not on board with the Green Shift. In addition to that article you can add Stelmach and Wall. What a surprise.

Fair enough there is opposition, but what is never mentioned in these articles, and there have been many written, is if the critic's have actually done the work to measure it's impact on their jurisdictions. They blithely jump on the tax issue but never balance it with the relief the plan will provide. They also completely ignore the fact that both the Con and NDP plan will also have a cost associated with it, albeit hidden, but has no counter balance, such as tax relief.

Isn't that astonishing to anyone? Why haven't journalists asked either Layton, Harper or Baird, what the price of carbon will be under their plan and where that cost will go? Both parties claim they will ding the "big" polluters, but 'regular' Canadians are safe. In the next breath they say the Lib plan will make it necessary for industries to pass the Green Shift tax onto the consumer. Why would their impositions on industry not produce that same result? No one ever asks.

The Lib plan kicks in on day one, while the others require time to be put into place. Is that why some politicians are bucking? Ya think?

I'm surprised by the Northern premiers because clearly they are savvy on this issue as are their constituents, so I wonder if they really studied the plan versus what the Con's are offering?

Here's what I'm thinking and I have absolutely no idea if this is possible, but given that Harper isn't about 'meeting' and collaboration and has really ignored getting together with the Premiers, wouldn't it be a good idea for Dion to set up such a meeting to explain the plan and have an honest debate about what he is proposing?

Before you call me naive, think about the impact of that. Whether or not he can convince them all to join him, it would speak to another strength of his, which is collegiality. Separate and apart from the optics and the PR, it may actually bring this conversation/debate to where it needs to be in this country. I know that Premiers love to be the masters of their own domain, but there has to be a national conversation about this.

Obviously you could not allow it to be reduced to a pro Dion or anti Harper conference, but it would be nice to elevate the discussion to what Canada as a whole should go forward with. I'd invite speakers on all sides of the issue to present their case. It would give us, for the first time in this country, a real debate and an honest discussion.

Thus far it has been all about straw men. Journalists and columnists (junk mail for the latter in the most part, imo), presenting only half of the story.

We deserve more intelligent thought and discussion in this country and while I'm grateful that this conversation has dominated much news, I'm dismayed at how inaccurately it's being presented.

Could a meeting work? Is it feasible? I don't honestly know. I do however think it's an idea to be considered. Do you?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another Ontarian telling the west what to do. It really is NEP II.

Anonymous said...

Red Tory says "So, Northern premiers say they're not buying the Liberal proposal. What a surprise!". Then this blog chimes in with "In addition to that article you can add Stelmach and Wall. What a surprise."

Glib meets glib. What a surprise.

Anonymous said...

I have not read the Liberal Green Plan.......but..........I have heard there are other non-carbon-tax items in it. It would be smart for Dion to announce those, or hype those up a bit, and draw attention away from the C-Tax.

Karen said...

Well, what a great start to the conversation.

Nonsense meeting nonsense.

Is it possible to have a logical, factual, discussion in this country?

Probably, but these 2 anon's won't be involed in the debate.

Karen said...

babylonian, Dion does speak to various other parts of his plan, but the media chooses not to report on that.

You're right though, announcements in a cleaner sense are due.

Anonymous said...

Knb you have in the past accused our P.M. of dividing our Country against each other.

Now let us see who is doing the dividing here. We have all 3 territories,Alberta,
Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. In my calculation that is 6 premiers who have problems with Mr.Dion's plan.

The only one that came close to approving Dion's plan publicly sort of was the Premier of Ontario.

You noticed the Premier of Ontario didn't jump with joy about Dion's plan. Because if he would have then the question would have been,why hasn't Ontario adopted Mr.Dion's plan? Hummm!

Anonymous said...

Is it possible to have a logical, factual, discussion in this country?

Sweet crap. You Libs have been doing SFA for the last 24 months other than sitting on your hands when it comes to voting if your party shows up in the house at all, and trying to trump up empty scandals to divert attention from the obvious. (I have never seen so many empty seats as amongst the Libs in the House.)

Now that summer is here and ol' Dion has a new "plan" he thinks will get him back into power, now it's time for action and debate, is it? You won't mind if the Territories and Provinces outside Ontario tell you and your leader to go back under the rock you have been living under for the last year or so.

wilson said...

Why would the Premiers agree to a national meeting with someone who is not in government?

Dion is NOT the PM, he will have to meet with them one on one so he can offer them vote buying exemptions.
which is likely why McGuinty was against a carbon tax before he was for it.
But then Dion was against a carbon tax before he was for it too.
Must be a Liberal thing, eh.

p.s.
how do you know PMSH will not offer tax relief, increase the credits and child tax benefits ... in the next election campaign?

RuralSandi said...

Alberta,
Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. In my calculation that is 6 premiers who have problems with Mr.Dion's plan.

....oh right - 3 premiers who are conservative and who jump when and how high Harper orders them to...right.

I see this "Wilson" person spends all her time going around the blogosphere sayin NOTHING - obviously doesn't understand issues.

By the way - the Northern Premiers:

NWT - Floyd - non-affiliated.
Nanuvit - Okalik - non-affiliated
Yukon - Fentie - Yukon party.

....no reason in the world for Dion not to meet with these guys - they owe it to each other to understand - that's the "adult" thing to do.

ottlib said...

I doubt Mr. Dion could get all of the Premiers together in one sitting. He just does not have the clout to do so.

However, I am certain that he can arrange to meet with as many Premiers as who want to meet with him on a one-on-one basis

Anonymous said...

Happy Canada Day,

What a great and diverse country we live in. Whatever our political leanings, we are all in our own way wanting to make Canada a better country.

Karen said...

Happy Canada day to you too Jarrid!