...happy trails...
November 23rd 2010 1400hrs
Aug.3/11
I've unlocked the Board, in case a passerby want to have a look or perhaps drop a comment in..
I can reached at: locarno84@gmx.com
| Tories to freeze MP salaries | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 4 2010, 02:54 PM (31 Views) | |
| xray | Mar 4 2010, 02:54 PM Post #1 |
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March 3, 2010 Tories to freeze MP salaries By KATHLEEN HARRIS, Parliamentary Bureau OTTAWA — The Conservative government will work to slay a record deficit by freezing federal spending and canceling pay raises for politicians — including the prime minister. Outlining the federal agenda in a lengthy Speech from the Throne, Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean said the government will also "aggressively review" all programs and administrative services to cut duplication and ensure money is being well spent. The plan to climb out of deficit will also eliminate "unnecessary" appointments to federal agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. The government will "lead by example" by introducing legislation to freeze salaries of the prime minister, cabinet ministers, MPs and senators, as well as their departmental budgets. "Canadians live within their means and expect their governments to do the same," Jean read from a crimson velvet throne in the Senate. The throne speech also opened the door to a potentially explosive debate, promising to discuss in Parliament the wording of Canada’s national anthem. There has been a push to change the phrasing “in all thy sons’ command” to more gender-neutral wording. The government will also take new steps to crack down on crime, with a special focus on protecting children, women and victims of white-collar offences. Proposed laws will toughen penalties for sex crimes against kids, strengthen the sex offender registry and impose new measures to stop Internet luring and cyber abuse. The government will also aim to cut the number of "long, drawn-out trials," give families of murder victims access to special benefits under Employment Insurance and introduce legislation to make the victim surcharge mandatory. "Justice must be effective, swift and true," Jean read from the speech. "It must also be fair to victims of crime." In speech rich in pomp and ceremony, Jean also outlined the Conservative government's plan to make Canada "the best place for families" — including a strengthening the child care benefit for single-parent, sole-support families. It also reveals plans to make Canada more business-friendly by cutting government red tape and opening Canada's doors further to venture capital and foreign investment in key sectors, including the satellite and telecommunications industries. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff called it a "collection of old stuff" that is void of any real vision. He criticized the "complete silence on the environment, green innovation, energy and the demographic shift. "The cuts are coming, and we'll have to look at the budget tomorrow to see just how severe they are and whether they cut essential services to Canadians," he said. "I don't mind freezing my salary, that's not the problem. But freezing my salary is not a deficit reduction plan." NDP Leader Jack Layton blasted the government for doling out breaks for profitable corporations and doing nothing for the jobless and others suffering from the recession. "There's no comprehensive plan to get people back to work," he said. "It's as though the government has already moved beyond the notion that getting people back to work is the essential." Other highlights of the throne speech: - strengthen Canada's food safety system - work with non-government organizations to launch a national strategy on childhood injury prevention - establish a prime ministerial award for volunteerism - modernize the judicial tools employed to fight terrorism and organized crime - introduce a new biometric passport to "significantly improve" security - implement a cyber-security strategy to protect digital infrastructure - confirms Canada will focus on development and humanitarian aid in Afghanistan post 2011 - will change "unfair rules" restricting access to EI benefits for military families who have paid into the system for years - will ramp up efforts to help solve the cases of murdered aboriginal women - will work to resolve additional aboriginal land claims and improve water quality on reserves - create a world-class High Arctic Research Station ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ A great Throne speech! All good news, and the usual sour grapes from the opposition (well, I guess they couldn't say they supported the efforts from the Conservatives). |
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| Bruce | Mar 4 2010, 03:49 PM Post #2 |
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Didn't these guy's just give themselves a big raise last fall ??????? |
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| xray | Mar 5 2010, 06:43 AM Post #3 |
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Hey.... we can't forget they ARE politicians.
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2:10 PM Jul 11