Last night I was listening to the Charles Adler Show where there was a discussion on the prospect of the federal government partially funding the construction of a hockey arena in Quebec. While Chuck was taking phone calls on the issue there were several comparisons to the Western anger at Mulroney that led to the creation of the Reform party, splitting the right in two. There were even suggestions, if not threats, at a Reform type party splitting away again if this goes forward. Seriously??? The west was angry at Mulroney, they split the Tories in two, and the end result was a decade of Jean Chretien. The Reform party accomplished nothing. It in fact damaged Canada by handing the Liberals 3 easy majority governments. Do you really want a decade of Prime Minister Ignatieff? Will that fix anything?
I listen to callers say that they have been a Conservative for 30 years, but will vote for Ignatieff if this goes forward. That doesn't make any pragmatic sense, considering that the Liberals are not opposing the initiative. Even if you are fiscally conservative and don't want the government funding this economic development, this is like fighting fire with gasoline. Saying you are against spending by supporting a party that will spend more is a scorched earth strategy that will not benefit the country. Canadians love hockey. Last season 100% of Canadian NHL tickets were bought by hockey fans. Each franchise provides the government with millions of dollars in tax revenue each year. It is not a sunk cost, it is an investment.
I understand the argument that if private investment can't cover 100% of the cost then it shouldn't be done, I just don't agree with it in the case of an NHL franchise. There is a 0% chance that the NHL will return to Quebec City without a new arena, and there is a 75% chance that it will with a new barn. In this economic climate private investors do not have significant disposable income and are risk averse. You may not support the government injecting stimulus money into the economy, but the Prime Minister did not advocate a stimulus until it was demanded by the opposition in our minority Parliament. Now the money has to be spent, so let’s at least spend it on something that will provide a return on the investment.
If you build it, they will come...
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ReplyDeleteWe need a western party to promote western interests. Harper has completely lost his way by spending to attract votes. We cannot go back to Mulroney style politics.
ReplyDeletePromote western interests......from opposition....where our interests will not just be ignored by a liberal government for another 13 years we will also be squeezed dry by them with brilliant ideas like cap and trade, and guys like Stelmach would sit back and let it all happen, great idea anon....
ReplyDelete100% of all NHL tickets were bought by fans. That's a good thing. If these fans want hockey that bad "LET FANS BUILD THE ARENA" (user pay)
ReplyDeleteMaybe a separated right and another stretch of corrupt,lying, thieving socialists lieberals will finally wakes this country up.
Rob C
10 years of liberals will definately make Canada more Conservative . And MaDD Max is sooooo photogenic and the press loves him because he'll talk about anything to them , and there'll be an influx of Russian , Asian , Chinese North Korean women all sporting brand new DD's and some second hand and they'll all be inviting MaDD Max over for tea . Definately .Just think of the parties and all those free little canned sausages all nicely chopped up We must do this . If nothing else , Adler will have something to talk about . He may be able to cut that irritating Menzoid down to twice a year .
ReplyDeleteI think Harper needs to make an announcement that he listened to his supporters, and they don't want the government to spend money on a hockey arena. It may actually work in his favour.
ReplyDeleteHow much of taxpayer’s money did Calgary get to build its arena? How about Vancouver and their Olympics? And what about all the other places that have received public financing for similar type facilities.
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer that they use private money to build this building but that's not the way it is usually done. And I'm not just referring to Canada.
This project will produce long term economic activity that will eventually reimburse the taxpayers money. Just like Calgary’s Olympic Saddeldome did.
I say “Go for it!” Besides, it would be a good political move and it would stink to high heaven if they didn't.
Boob Rae just stated he's all in on the Quebec arena. So the Coalition is a thumbs up for the arena in Quebec.
ReplyDelete'We need a western party to promote western interests.'
Should we call ourselves Bloc West?
So is that how we beat the Bloc, by becoming them in perpetual opposition?
Been there, done that.
Manitoba gets more equalization per capita than Quebec,
does that mean our Western Canada doesn't include Manitoba?
Stop getting sucked into this media driven antiQuebec culture war crap.
Equalization needs to be fixed, not Quebecers.
My first comment was a bit over the top. No more federal money should go into this arena than would otherwise go to any other arena in any city.
ReplyDelete"Do you really want a decade of Prime Minister Ignatieff?"
ReplyDeleteOr worse: A BOB RAE LEAD COALITION.
Even with only minority powers it would be abject catastrophe.
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I'm with Wilson on his comment about culture war baiting.
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People, relax. Theres a lot worse things the gov is having to spend money on that it really shouldn't be, but alas, such is minority powers in the presence if socialist opposition parties.
No need for a 2nd reform party when half of the first one is still making progress...(slowly but surely). It's waaay too soon to be even having this discussion seriously.
It's the fringe infiltrators and dogmatic ideologues who are pushing this tripe.
If anything they would be suggesting such things at the various other levels of government before making such a huge fuss federally.
I'm sorry folks but paying for some arena is not gonna break the tax payer piggy bank like a whole host of other things.
There are bigger battles to win. I real fiscal conservative would let this one slide and focus on the macro issues... not the micro ones.
I may be ideologically opposed to the funding but not so much to get bent out of shape that I'd "crusade off" and "start my own party".
There is still such thing as being too "libertarian" if it means sacrificing the reality of the situation. An incremental* pragmatic conservative libertarian is the general flavor we should aim for.
Purist of any stripe are just over passionate idiots. They may have smart things to say but their lack of calm hands leave them incapable of steering the ship safely.
They would a accomplish a whole lot more of what they really want if the ditched the dogma for pragmatism.
By pragmatism, I don't mean political expediency.
*We're not in a situation like in the U.S. where a (vastly) more dramatic shift and cuts are clearly needed. We can afford to take things slower so as to avoid extremes as some dependencies must be weaned to avoid "withdraw".
Not every cut can be made cold turkey.
The equivalent to skipping straight to the shock-pads when a few vitamins, rest and an I.V. drip will suffice. Such jolts aren't without consequences...
Unfortunately for the U.S. they don't have a much of a choice.
Good governments listen to the people and we are going to get the chance to see how Harper reacts.
ReplyDeleteThere's a world of difference between openly musing about the possibility of funding some arenas versus robbing the West of fairly won contracts and handing them over to Quebec.
The Conservatives are in a minority situation and likely to be in a minority again after the next election. Floating some ideas and holding some public discussion is a good thing. Hopefully the idea can get canned and they can move on to some other ideas.
As pissed off as I would be if they go ahead with it I would not be able to vote for Count Puffinula, I'd abstain or eat my ballet first.