No wonder I don't watch political talk-shows. I just caught Stephanie Levitz (G&M) incorrectly assert that the PM has the power to just go down the road to Stornaway and knock on the door and name FI names to Mr. Poilievre. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ And that was immediately after she asserted that Mr. Poilievre's Chief of Staff - who supposedly has been briefed - could not tell anyone without the needed security clearance what he knows. Mr. Poilievre doesn't have the security clearance to be read in. /3

"Pollster" Darrel Bricker is bragging about how much $ the Conservatives have to flood the airwaves, social media, leaving (he says) the Liberals and NDP in the dust. Here's the thing. With the Reform and FI infestation going on in the Party, its awful leadership,.../2 #cdnpoli 2/...what's going on at the provincial level (hate, stupidity, and incompetence under Conservative banners), the clownvoy, the Manning Centre, the "Prouds" - the Conservatives are *permanently* out of contention for my vote - unlike the former PCs who were always a consideration.

I hope to remind everyone that freaking out over "polls" is a complete waste of time - and is really playing into the desire of a certain party and its US-owned and sycophantic press to *suppress support* for the governing party and its leader. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ If it were a shoo-in for third and fourth opposition parties, they would be falling all over themselves to defeat the government. Two motions have failed, which signals to me that none wants to see either a) an election, or b) the Conservatives prevail. /3

First it was pollster Darryl Bricker co-authoring a 2013 book contending that the "Laurentian Consensus" was dead and he's still at it. Then pollster Shachi Kurl screwed with our federal election debate. David Coletto plumping for Conservatives on political programs. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ Then a flood of polls pretending to be news on Canada's MSM. And now Angus Reid trying to pin the fire of a deconsecrated Catholic ex-church on our Catholic PM. Have some Canadians finally figured it out? It's been clear for at least a decade. /3

I am appalled by the number of people who have a weak grasp of their own finances. I see people (who aren't reeking of wealth) reject receipts in stores. How do they reconcile their accounts? They hire tax-preparers so have no idea what is going on with their taxes. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ Hence they will claim that they don't receive this or that benefit. Carbon rebate? Nope, I don't get that. And then there's the banks. They exact service charges but don't identify what for. I have to maintain a sizeable balance in my business account to be charges-free. /3

The usual Twitter opinion-offerers are piling on, lemming-like, to say that the Liberals need a new leader. IMHO the Conservatives need yet another one, maybe someone the rabble doesn't boo in leadership debates, or who will debate at all. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ The thing they all miss is that no matter who the Liberals were to choose, that person would be subject to third-party, hedge-fund press, foreign $, GOP (also foreign), and corporate self-interest smearing. Fresh would be de-facted and dehumanized in a NY minute. /3

I feel that, in the presence of revived deification of JWR, that our system of government needs to be explained. Again. Our Westminster system involves joint cabinet accountability. Members of cabinet are meant to jointly explore matters freely and privately and.../2 #cdnpoli 2/ ...come to a decision. Once that decision has been taken, our system requires cabinet members to get behind it. This way, the electorate knows ***who is responsible*** and can thus hold a government to account. /3

Mark Mulroney is spreading misinformation. The NDP is *not* in a coalition. A coalition involves *power sharing*, meaning that MPs from both parties to the coalition would be in cabinet. There are no NDP MPs in cabinet, therefore it's not a coalition. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ There is a supply agreement in place. This is an arrangement whereby one of the opposition parties, in this case the NDP, agrees to support the minority government in exchange for some policy accommodations. /3

As far as I have noticed, the punditry on CNN throws around such terms as "socialism", "Marxism", and "communism" with abandon, without offering any definitions. They have become pejoratives that most couldn't define if they tried. So, here goes.../2 @CNN 2/ Socialism advocates for the public ownership of means of production and/or regulation of same by the community. We do have some regulation of means of production - for environmental reasons, usually - but does anyone think that the Democrats advocate public ownership? /3

I know I've made this point before, but here it is again. Pay attention to tweets where the person or bot says things like "Canadians spoke" or "people are saying" or "people are angry". They weren't elected, nominated, or appointed to speak for Canadians or "people". /2 #cdnpoli 2/ This goes for our lame punditry. Without offering any evidence whatsoever, members will arrogate to speak for Canadians. Even "some say" is designed to avoid accountability. Who are the "some"? Vague commentary like that is designed to mislead. /3

While Pierre Poilievre and his party pretend to be on the side of the non-elites, they vote *for* the privileged. They oppose an increase in the capital gains tax (more in replies on that), which they want people to think applies to the everyday taxpayer. It doesn't. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ They complain Liberal taxing. The latter have raised taxes on luxury cars, airplanes, and boats, *and* on taxpayers earning > $200k/year in *taxable income*. They dropped the 2nd bracket marginal tax rate and made the CCB non-taxable. All breaks helping everyday taxpayers. /3

The business punditry in this country is...well...A pundit claims that declining GDP/capita gives the Bank the opening to cut the "restrictive" 5% overnight rate. Another pundit notes that Canada's productivity GDP/capita is less-than-stellar. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ With Canada's aging population, we absolutely need increases to the labour force - aka, immigration. But, more immigration = less GDP/capita in the short-medium run. They do a great job of contradiction. I think I forgot that more immigration = a tight housing supply.../3

While I'm addressing some incorrect AB opinions, I'll tackle another, which is the mistaken view that Alberta pays for or into equalization. The province does not. Taxpayers do and they pay the same taxes across Canada. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ The sources of equalization funds are *federal* personal and corporate taxes, GST, EI, excise, duties, federal rents, etc. One can go to any provincial balance sheet and see inflows of federal transfers but no outflows to the federal government. /3

Back at the time of the PM's promise to end FPTP, the federal government undertook a survey to see how Canadians might feel. Instead of asking respondents about "alphabet" systems, which most Canadians haven't waded into (PR, STV, etc.).../2 #cdnpoli 2/ ...the survey used solid five-factor design to assess how people feel about consensus-building versus authoritarianism. Of course, this was ridiculed by the RW because they definitely wanted the status quo. The PR fans/NDP were so enamoured of PR (for NDP reasons).../3

RBC Economics stated in an email this a.m. that the CDN $ is weakening, but failed to add "vis-a-vis the US $". The US $ has been strengthening, as indicated by a higher US dollar index (against six peers including Canada). The US $ is the world's reserve currency. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ There has been some discussion about the "de-dollarization movement." This refers to an attempt by some nations to reduce the role of the US $ in trade by setting up trade channels in currencies other than the US $. /3

Speaking of federal political donations. Much is being made by the NDP of CEOs donating to the party or candidate of their choice. Um, this is a democracy. Citizens have the right, even obligation, to vote and to donate. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ Are they going to fuss about a union official donating to their party? Probably not. The donation limits at the federal level are so low - and corporate and organization (union, for example) donations are not permitted - that influence via $ is unlikely. /3

Janyce McGregor is on CBC (I'm told, I've stopped watching CBCNN for erroneous reportage reasons.) fear-mongering about Canada's debt, equating it with a credit card account. This is standard austerity porn flogged by Conservatives. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ Public debt is not the same as credit card debt. The latter has a limited horizon. A working life. Qualifying for the card. Ability to contract with lender, etc. A nation, OTOH, has an indeterminate horizon. We do not anticipate that Canada will have an end-date. /3

OK, here we go again. A correspondent on BNN/Bloomberg erroneously suggests that the tax-cut on fuel oil program "primarily benefits Atlantic Canada", when there are 350,000 fuel-oil users in Ontario alone. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ The federal program is for all Canadians currently using fuel oil for heating, not just Atlantic Canadians. The spin is endless and it's sad to see it on Bloomberg @Bloomberg. /3

What a surprise that a member of the press wonders why Mark Carney is asked about his leadership plans. It's not as suggested - that the press is asking because the PM is in difficulty. It's because the press needs a constant stream of click-bait conflict to survive. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ And the Conservatives freak out about everything, because they need a constant stream of targets for hate in order to get up in the morning. And, as for the comment about fiscal acumen in cabinet.../3

To reiterate a number of points I've made earlier...fiscal management is not the same as a credit card account or a kitchen table household budget. The latter two have fixed horizons. A working lifetime, the life of the account-holder, etc. /2 #cdnpoli 2/ No one can inherit a credit card account. One can inherit a house, yes, but whoever inherits it is bound by the future costs involved and so new budgets are fashioned. Whereas a nation's horizon is indeterminate. We don't expect that Canada will sunset at any point. /3

Contrary to Danielle Smith’s stupid assertions, Canadians’ contributions to CPP do not go to “Ottawa” to be spread across the country, or the PM. They go to the CPP Investment Board, a Crown Corporation at arm’s length of the federal government. /2 #cdnpoli #abpoli #DenialSmith 2/ The federal government does not decide how CPP funds are invested, nor does it have access to those funds, which are directed by *professional managers*. We can thank Liberal Paul Martin for this (1997 legislation). /3