The Wild Rose Express coming round the mountain

Conservatives are mantra chant economics by introducing the false idea that this isn't a real recession. Two quarters of productivity decline is only one single number. There are other numbers that point to a reality that they know is just around on the other side of the mountain. Never dismiss just the statistic, begin by observing the economic problems in the People's Republic of China. Witness the numbers of ships sitting at anchor waiting around the globe, for cargo any cargo. The currency has declined. Stock markets kiss the bear. Interest rates are artificially too low. Take it all together. 

The 2008 recession was short and quick simply because it begun in the financial sector in the American, Fanny Mae debacle. The only reason that Canada appeared to do better was that the last set of banking regulations preserved economic stability. Harper took credit for it. In reality Paul Martin was the Liberal architect.

Thirty six thousand Albertans have been laid off. Small businesses will go belly up. Houses will stream onto the market, and worse a rapid rise in bankruptcies guaranteed early next year. Three Lake Freighters, are laid up in Toronto Harbour, you can see them from Sugar Beach. Its the first time since 1989, another stock market driven that ships were tied up. I've experienced the 1974 recession, the 1981 Reagancession, the 1988 recession which stretched through 1993 eliminated when Clinton took over the White House, 2008 blowup Fanny Mae Bushcession. I worked in pulp and paper during a localized industrial recession. That's the economic history.

I know something about recessions. And this one is far more serious than the Conservatives are willing to admit before the election. Its the same bunch of economic knuckle heads in Alberta who put that province into a very poor economic condition to line pockets by totally depending on the performance of a single natural nonrenewable resource. Worse still the incoming government is left holding the bag for a total economic disaster. It didn't matter which political party came into power in Alberta. The Harper type Conservatives literally raided the pantry and left everyone else holding the bag.

The only reason that things appear stable is because the Harper government is deliberately controlling the artificially low interest rate which shelters most people. Mark this... And mark this well. After October election, when the foppish Joe Oliver is no longer Finance Minister, regardless of which party wins the election, the base interest rates have to start rising, then that is when the real hardship on you is going to be felt for at least three probably four years.

Statistically, we are in recession but that interest rate has to come up to support, to stabilize the currency. Paul Martin is on the Liberal staff to encourage deliberate deficit spending. And that would be the same regardless. Why? Its because the Harper government rode the oil pony without making any effort to support the manufacturing sector in central and maritime Canada.

Harper has got it totally wrong. The next government has to be interventionist no matter who gets in power. He knows that the interest rates are going to rise after the end of October coming. The level of private debt in Canada is obscene right now. No politician is dealing with that as yet. The reality is that the Bank of Canada is protecting Harper by suppressing interest rates.

Raising interest rates does something to the economic situation. First it does support and stall the currency from going into a tail spin. Second it will only have positive results in the artificially obscene real estate market by causing a decline in housing prices, the correction that is coming like a locomotive pulling a train through a tunnel - you can hear it and very soon you will see it. Combined with the artificially low interest rates, the astronomically high housing prices, the collapse of the dollar, the recent downturn in stocks globally, the downturn in international industrial output, that train is coming. This isn't the end, what you are looking at is the cow catcher

Sunday mourning humor and phone communications

Due to the lack of any comedy shows on Sunday mornings, the Fox News planked some thoughtless, self absorbed fool, to anchor their Sunday morning programming. They are egregiously pro-Republican neo-Conservative. And they highlight just how screwed up modern right wing Conservatives are. Its a feel good program. They are so stupid anything and everything they say makes me look spectacularly intelligent.

Observation
This segment of the political spectrum are gung-ho about applying blanket unfocused electronic surveillance to deter terrorism. The Conservatives are all for the spending of money on trying to do that. It looks good on paper. Just how cost effective it is, can be and should be questioned.

It makes intelligence agencies lazy, however that's a sidebar issue. Every time that there is a large failure of intelligence gathering, there has been a previous period where that particular intelligence service has lived a period wholly dependent on electronic fact gathering. Everything owns some sort of side bar.

Paradoxically, the Conservative types also dive into an Olympic sized pool of liquid apoplexy when they find out that blanket includes them. They are outraged. In the future, Conservatives should change the law determining the coverage of the blanket. Anyone who voted Conservative should be exempt from that blanket coverage because it is an invasion of the privacy of the good.

Stand up

Northern Ontario lost its voice. Northern Ontario residents are not equal citizens in Canada. Northern Ontario needs a new political movement, and a new spirit.

Repetition focuses on this persistent problem. Its been stated here in this blag more than once. However, some readers might forget. For a long time, this place, this person advocates strongly, passionately for an independent Northern Ontario.

Importance comes from the symbolism of neglect and patronizing attitude demonstrated by southern Ontario government and people. The arbitrary decision to cancel the spring bear hunt demonstrated that callous attitude. The loss of political power in all political parties and caucus symbolizes that fact. Promises made by the provincial government to replace the lost income to the business people involved in that tourist sector never ever materialized.

The economic incompetence of the central governments ruling Northern Ontario wrecked its economy. The woods industry wrecked. The tourist industry wrecked. The electrical supply wrecked. The education system wrecked.

Symbolizing this enslavement of Northern Ontario emerges from its favorite recreation which is Curling. Participation of Northern Ontario people in curling surpasses any other Canadian region yet the elitist sports associations of curling located in the very distant urban centres wish to deprive Northern Ontario curlers of their chartered rights.

Northern Ontario curling memberships went to pay for the growth of curling in Canada. Now when NOnt is down economically those same curling associations are going to deprive it of this recognition and its right to contest for the Brier Tankard.

If NOnt curlers really had any stones, if this happened all of these curling associations must cede themselves from the central curling associations. Since there is still enough curlers in NOnt more than all the European Associations, they should demand the right to compete in the world curling championship, even if it must compete as association for a country like Jamaica or Turks and Caicos or Nuuk.

The loss of curling rights only symbolizes the dilemma confronting peoples of Northern Ontario face. It matters little whether they possess a First Nation or a European heritage, this effects all equally. And it is important that the urban area, the rural area, and the First Nation communities recognize this increasing discrimination from other Canadians. It is time to take control of those rights.