This weekend will see the "occupy" protests move north of the border into Canada, despite this "movement" being unable to clarify exactly what their complaints are or propose solutions to fix any of the "problems" they're complaining about. It's coming to Canada despite the Canadian financial system being far more stable and reliable than the United States, with lower debt and better employment numbers. I'm trying to figure out exactly what these people are trying to accomplish, and how those objectives change with big labour jumping into the game. When the protesters start demanding massive increases in government spending, then you know the union leaders are pulling the strings. The last demand you can expect to see emerge from these demonstrations is reducing government spending. That's not why CUPE is paying to shuttle members to the protests by the bus load.
One activist on CTV news today was complaining that a major problem is too many people having an unsustainable debt load. Canada is becoming wealthier, and yet too many Canadians have more debt than they can afford. Clearly the cause of this problem is banks extending too much credit to people who wont be able to pay it back. What's the solution? No more credit cards for low income people. If people can't pay their mortgage, then they should not be issued a mortgage. Banks need to be more uptight about who they loan money to, because regular people can't be trusted to balance their own finances. Should the government pay off everyone's loans? Then you are only shifting debt from people to the state, where sovereign debt is already threatening to collapse the global financial system.
There is a healthy dose of irony in people protesting a financial system that loaned them more money than they could responsibly afford to pay back. I'm mad at you bank! You loaned me too much money and I spent it! As @Dfildebrandt wrote on Twitter "If these freeloaders want free tuition, wealth redistribution, big bureaucracy, and earlier retirement, they should #OccupyGreece"
What demands do you expect to see emerge from the Canadian version of Occupy Wallstreet? This will make for a great weekend poll question; your suggestions (and sarcasm) are encouraged. So far possible demands are income redistribution, government pays off everyone's credit card bills, close the Toronto Stock Exchange, more government spending, retirement at age 40, work less get paid more, 3 day work week, minimum guaranteed incomes, arrest George Bush for ordering 9/11 attacks, etc, etc...
What?
ReplyDeleteWHine, hang out with their homies & if they get lucky make to 6 O'clock news.
Pay everyone's loans eh? Thats some fine leftard thinking right there. I would take out the biggest loan possible and exchange it for something of value before the herd realizes what just happened.
ReplyDeleteWhat do they want to accomplish? Revolution.
ReplyDeleteThe question is what they want to put in place of the old if they succeed.
On Power & Politics (which is so much better when Rosemary Barton sits in for Evan Solomon) Barton interviewed someone who made a documentary about the apparent father of various revolutions: Dr. Gene Sharp.
Interesting read about Sharp here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12522848
"... Dr Gene Sharp the man now credited with the strategy behind the toppling of the Egyptian government.
Gene Sharp is the world's foremost expert on non-violent revolution. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages, his books slipped across borders and hidden from secret policemen all over the world. ..."
IMO, we ignore or scoff at this movement at our peril. Even though the conditions people sought to change in other countries do not exist here in Canada, nevertheless the current government has enough sworn enemies who would like nothing better than to make governing very difficult.
They lack all understanding of what personal accountability and personal responsibility mean. I disagree with Gabby in QC, for this is far from a large representation of the population. Furthermore they have no real cause other than a "happening" much like the Vancouver riots.
ReplyDeleteYes Gabby, just as the Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament was a grassroots protest movement that would cost the Conservatives a majority...oh wait a minute...
ReplyDeleteHere in Victoria the "occupy" protest is about "decolonizing canada". Seriously.
ReplyDeleteAlain & Iceman, perhaps you're much braver & so much stronger than I am. Geez, I can almost picture you guys puffing up your chest & flexing your muscles.
ReplyDeleteBut scaredy-cat me? When any group vows to engage in various forms of civil disobedience, I confess to being alarmed. It's unforgivable of me to want law & order to reign across the land, to hope our government has four smooth years ahead able to focus on the economy rather than having to deal with civil disobedience.
It isn't about puffing my chest or flexing my muscles, I just don't take these clowns seriously. They protest all the time here in Vancouver, it is always the same people and they never accomplish anything. They just annoy normal folk, often turning public opinion against their positions.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly are you afraid of? If you're afraid of the black pajama people running around smashing windows, that's a seperate law enforcement issue unrelated to what's being protested.
What do they hope to accomplish? Bragging rights,I suppose,among their social circle. Beyond that,practically nothing.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't going to improve their lot in life and as posted above,they turn the general population against them. Most working people I know have NO use whatsoever for the protesters,but plenty of contempt for the authorities who seem too chickenshit to take any sensible action.
We have a right to protest in this Country,but that right should not be without limitations. Let 'em protest for a day or even two days,on the weekend so they don't disrupt commuter traffic,then clear 'em out for Monday morning when the working world revs up again.
If there's any further disruption ,build some camps,like they did during the Great Depression,and fill them with these "activists".
IMHO,the people who do the work are a lot higher on the list of priorities than a bunch of idealists and deadbeats. Let 'em make their point,then get 'em the hell off the streets. Give them a taste of what "Fascism" is really all about.
Preparing us for the day there will be kangaroo courts for corporate executives, burning of fat cats homes and a general takeover of all business by government.
ReplyDeleteBut for the moment it keeps the same groups who are out there demonstrating every other weekend mobilized.
Also I notice some anti-Jewish sentiment at some of these anti-Wall Street demonstrations in various cities: "Jewish bankers".
Where is -10C and snow when you need it.
ReplyDeleteFat Tony
AND,if I may add one more point,the protesters can parade all they want in front of the banks and businesses,but the people whom they should be protesting in front of are their elected officials.
ReplyDeleteThe bankers couldn't care less about people in the street, but politicians,who may have to depend on those people in the streets for VOTES, DO care,it's their station at the trough that's at stake.
Take your protests to Victoria or Ottawa,or to your local MP's or MLA's office,IF,and only if, you have a coherent plan for them to consider.
If you don't, f*** off and quit bothering the rest of us.
To no one's surprise Bob Rae has joined the protestors in Toronto and is getting full TV coverage. The questions I have is will Bob Rae once again strip and go naked on national TV and march with the demonstrators? Will the protesters approve and applaud this exhibition from their politicians and is this what they expect from their brand of politician?
ReplyDeleteShould we hide our children?
Bob Rae has joined the protesters? The third place and third rate party interim Leader.
ReplyDeleteThis guy is always looking for a parade to jump in front of.
The Liberals can't win elections, 81% of Canadians did not vote for them.
Now they are trying for the Protest vote, go for it Bob.
Cheers Bubba
See if you can't lock in the Mom's Basement Brigade vote.
Bubba,
ReplyDeleteUNIONS ARE BIG GREEDY COOPERATIONS. Where is the protest.
Unions take unions dues from the very same protesters to pay for political parties like the NDP.
Unions workers have no clue that their own bosses take money (dues)from them to protest.
If protesters want to do a away with big coorperations -DON'Y BUY ANYTHING and coorperations most likely shut down and go elsewhere where sane people want to work.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Have any of you seen protesters protesting against union big bosses for taking union dues from the little guy so that they union bosses can spent it on political parties.
At least, when one works for a coorperation that is not unionized, the salary the workers get is theirs alone (after taxes) and not one penny goes to the union bosses.NOT ONE DIME.