Kai Nagata

How refreshing it is to see that idealism still exists in this world of ever-growing cynicism, which cynicism has been well-earned through disappointment after disappointment, by the way.

This young man of 24 years recently quit his job as CTV Bureau Chief in Quebec after becoming disillusioned with what he realized was the difference between important news reporting vs. reporting fluff for the masses in the hopes of attracting more advertisers and a wider viewership.

This is a huge problem in mass media today. Newspapers, radio and TV stations are vying for the "lowest hanging fruit" creating a race for the bottom. What can you say when the visit of a young and photogenic couple trump every other news story in the world? And what better example of the rot in the media can there be than the reporters for the "News of the World" tabloid in the UK hacking telephone conversations of ordinary citizens and celebs alike to create their own news? (This is surely happening in other media and in other places.)
The mainstream reporting today is in a sorry state. The vast majority of "journalists" and "reporters" have abdicated their solemn duty to hold "[...] decision makers to account [and] are instead broadcasting useless tripe, or worse, stories that actively distract from the massive projects we need to be tackling instead of watching TV."

Kai Nagata's blog is well worth a read. It is clearly written, well thought out and a breath of fresh air in a room that is becoming increasingly oppressive. And... he hits all the bases:

Kai Nagata

Conservative Party Front Group Releases “Study” Promoting Privatization of Healthcare

Dear readers, I just came across a posting on an excellent blog, The Sixth Estate, which caused me great alarm. I paraphrase from the post:

A new "survey" purports to show that Canadians are unanimously enthusiastic about the privatization of healthcare and Harper’s welcoming stance toward the business sector.

This "survey", which has received appallingly credulous coverage from our nation’s media, was created by a firm called Ensight. Ensight is a lobbying firm; and it is a specifically Conservative one, with a staff chock full of Tory veterans and Harper loyalists.

This sort of report is plainly not trustworthy. This is it, folks - the opening shots of the final battle for public healthcare have now been fired.

Please click on the link to read more on this shameful shilling for the Harper Government™ by a firm disguised as a “pollster”.

Shit Harper Did

As Health costs Soar, business seeks a remedy

This article from the Globe and Mail further perpetuates the idea that health care costs are unsustainable. (See "The "Unsustainability" Myth"). Note also that the ones who say they want to help, i.e. banks and insurance companies have a vested interest. They are the ones who would make massive profits, (as if they don't already), from either complete or partial privatization of health care in Canada.

What do you wanna bet that the resulting report from Bay Street will recommend at least partial privatization or the sky will fall?

Oh, and of further note is that even before Harper entered politics he headed up the National Citizen's Coalition, whose sole raison d'etre was to privatize health care in Canada.

The "Unsustainability" Myth

This is a very interesting article from The CCPA Monitor, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The author, Robert Evans, is a University Killam Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of British Columbia and a member of that university’s Centre for Health Services and Policy Research. He is an officer of the Order of Canada, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Services.

"The central fact is that apart from periods of recession, spending on Medicare - hospitals and physicians' services - has remained fairly steady, fluctuating between 4% and 5% of GDP since 1975."

Mr. Evans says the appearance of escalating Medicare costs has been manufactured by substantial cuts to personal and corporate income taxes by the federal and most provincial governments. Governments have deliberately, and unnecessarily deprived themselves of the revenue they need for all the social programs they fund, not just Medicare. Most of the benefits have gone to high-income individuals and highly profitable corporations, and not to needy Canadians. This is otherwise known as taking from the poor and giving to the rich.

Read more:
The "Unsustainability" Myth

Pension Panel, Part 1 & 2

Only 1 in 10 Canadians is financially secure at retirement age.

Watch this video  from the CBC News web site:
CBC.ca Player (Part 1)
CBC.ca Player (Part 2)

Pooled pension consensus reached

Finance Minister Flaherty continues talks with his provincial counterparts in Kananaskis in Alberta. Flaherty says he won't support any CPP expansion because not all provinces are on board, despite the plan being strongly supported by six provinces.

Instead Flaherty says he and his provincial and territorial counterparts have agreed to create a pooled private pension plan for small businesses, employees and the self-employed. The pooled pension plan "will make well-regulated, low-cost, private-sector pension plans accessible to millions of Canadians who have up to now not had access to such plans," he said.

Read more on CBC News:
Flaherty: Pooled pension consensus reached

Boomers put health at top of retirement priorities

From CTV News

"The first of the baby boomers hit the official age of retirement in 2011 and many are wondering whether they’ve saved enough, according to RBC’s most recent RRSP poll. But this cohort is dedicating as much thought to their medical files as to their portfolios. Health and wealth are closely connected for the generation on track to live longer, healthier lives than any generation before."

Read more:
CTV News Boomers put health at top of retirement priorities

Harper Government Kills Bill C311 and Funding For Canadian Climate Research

The most anti-science Prime Minister this country has ever had has not only killed Bill C311, but Harper has also cut funding for the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences.

From the Vancouver Sun:
"The budget crunch at the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences comes on the heels of revelations that the government is leasing out the coast guard breaker CCGS Amundsen – Canada’s most advanced research ship for the study of climate change – to none other than BP and Imperial Oil so they could study the impact of drilling in the delicate Arctic ecosystem."

Harper got the Liberal dominated Senate to kill  bill C311, something virtually unheard of in this country after MPs had voted overwhelmingly in favour of the bill and it had passed second reading! Once again Harper thwarts democracy in order to further his own agenda: promoting his home province's oil industry.

This comes just before the UN Climate talks in Cancun! I'm ashamed to be a Canadian - once again Canada has been awarded the "Fossil of the Day" award for lack of action on climate change.

Read more: Harper Government Ends Funding for Climate Research Organization
Read more: Harper Government Kills Funding 

URGENT ATTENTION about Our OAS pensions

Bill C-428 An Act to Amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirements)

This bill had first reading in the house on June 18, 2009. MP Ms. Ruby Dhalla, who introduced the bill, represents the riding of Brampton whose population is mainly South Asian. At present one must have resided in Canada for 10 years in order to qualify for Old Age Security. This bill will reduce that 10 years to 3 years; thousands could come to Canada at age 62, having never worked or contributed to this country's tax system, and 3 years later qualify for full Old Age Security benefits. 10 years minimum is reasonable - 3 is not!

This bill should never have seen the light of day... and yet it will receive second reading at the next sitting of parliament.

It is time that Canada looked after its vets and long-term citizens before handing OUR hard-earned money over to people who have no right to this money, having never paid taxes or contributed to our economy. There are too many people abusing the generosity of the Canadian people. We need to stop this NOW.

Now READ THIS…

The Government of Canada allows a monthly pension of:
$1,890.00 to a simple refugee
Plus: $580.00 in social aid
A grand total of $2,470.00 monthly X 12 months = $28,920.00 annual income.

By comparison, the Old Age Pension of a senior citizen who has contributed to the development of our country for 40 or 50 years, CANNOT receive more than:
$1,012.00 a month in Old Age Pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement X 12 months = $12,144.00 annual income.

This is a whopping difference of $16,776.00 per year! Perhaps our senior citizens should apply for Refugee Status instead of applying for Old Age Pension.

INCREDIBLE NONSENSE! OUR CANADIAN SENIOR CITIZENS DESERVE BETTER!!
What Can You Do?

1. Spread the message to family, friends and colleagues.
2. Write letters, send e-mails to friends, and call your Member of Parliament.
3. Sign the online petition STOP Bill C-428.

It is time Canada looked after its vets and long-term citizens before handing OUR hard-earned money over to people who have no right to this money, having never paid taxes or contributed to our economy. If a family wishes to bring elderly relatives here and are willing to waive their own right to collect these funds in order that the elderly relatives can receive them... fine. Otherwise, do not expect the Canadian taxpayers to provide for them.

Zoomerism

You may have heard the phrase, "Growing old is not for sissies." I recently read another phrase that made me stop and think: "Embrace getting older; many people do not get the chance."

Recently the CBC radio program, "Q" with Jian Ghomeshi, aired an interview in which he spoke to Suzanne Boyd, editor of Zoomer Magazine, the magazine published by CARP (Canadian Association of Retired People). Moses Znaimer, Executive Director of CARP had rebranded the CARP magazine with the name "Zoomer", defining a "zoomer" as a "boomer with zip".

Suzanne said the new definition of a boomer was someone over the age of 45. Hmmmm, I'm not sure a lot of people that age would enjoy being lumped together with people a whole generation older.

Mireille Silcoff, a journalist for the National Post was on the line with Jian and Suzanne. Her position was that the new Zoomer magazine was schitzophrenic - trying to attract a wider demographic that really didn't have a lot in common. Mireille wrote in her National Post column a piece called, "Against Zoomerism". I quote:

Moses Znaimer’s Zoomer is a glossy magazine for “boomers with zip.” It is also the most depressing magazine I have read in a long time. Flipping through the pages of Zoomer is the magazine equivalent of watching an unmedicated schizophrenic have a conversation with himself about aging. With manic speed it seesaws from ads and articles which call one to “accept aging” and “enjoy age for all its riches” and be “pro-age,” to those about “stopping the clock” and “defying aging,” and, of course, “anti-aging.”

You can read more at: http://www.nationalpost.com/Mireille+Silcoff+Against+Zoomerism/2944021/story.html
Have a great day!

He's done it again

I noted in a previous post that my MP, the Hon. Ed Fast voted against Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act. Thankfully, the bill passed second reading. But the honourable member has done it again - voted "Nay" to Bill C-469, an Act to establish a Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights. Thankfully, this bill also passed second reading in the house on June 16, 2010.

Clearly, this guy has demonstrated little concern for the environment and very likely doesn't believe such a thing as global warming exists. What is it with the Conservatives that the majority of them do not believe in science? Is it because some of the more fundamentalist of them believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old and man coexisted with the dinosaurs?! In my opinion, the Hon. member has permitted Conservative ideology to trump any intellectual (read "scientific") consideration; and the Conservative ideology has much to do with the fact that the prime minister comes from a province where oil is king.

This is a quote from openparliament.ca representing the Conservatives' view on the bill.

"The bill [C-469] raises problems with respect to new spending in two areas. First, part 2 would authorize environmental protection action against the government by enabling Canadians to seek recourse in the Federal Court to protect the environment in relation to any action or inaction by the government, which has resulted in significant environmental harm."

- Tom Lukiwski, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government.

Does this mean that another reason for Conservatives to oppose the bill is because members of the general public would be able to sue the federal government for its action or inaction resulting in environmental harm?! I can scarcely believe my eyes when reading this! The government wants no responsibility for anything to do with the environment!!! And I thought they had an opportunity to lead the country in their stewardship/guardianship of our environment?!

Again, I urge any and all of you who vote, to follow the actions of your MP (on openparliament.ca) whomever that may be. It might make a difference in your vote when election time comes around again.

PEI Meeting on Pension Reform

I've said before that the time for pension reform is NOW. Politicians have known for a very long time that this pension crisis was coming, yet they have done nothing to prepare for it. Their only longterm planning extends as far into the future as the next election. Here's hoping some agreement can be reached in Charlottetown between the federal and provincial finance ministers over the next few days.

I particulary like the last paragraph:
"They should put their foot on the gas pedal because we're in a crisis now and it's going to get worse unless they do something," he [Canadian Labour Congress president Ken Georgetti] said. "They should have done something 20 years ago, so Minister Flaherty has got a lot of catching up to do."
_________________________________________

Start.shaw.ca - National News Article

Moving Closer to Pension Reform

From CBC News, this story moves us one step closer to pension reform. But not everyone is in agreement:

CBC News - Politics - Pension reform gets mixed reaction

Fill end-of-life care gaps: cancer group

(To read the complete story click on the above title.)

This article on the CBC News web site is directly related to my earlier post regarding my niece's co-study on the Compassionate Care Benefit. So we can see from this that the Canadian Cancer Society is one agency advocating for changes to this program. In order for the CCB to become a genuinely useful program, we all need to follow the Cancer Society's lead - lobby your MP! It's easy to look up your MPs' email address and send a short message: Members of Parliament Complete List.
_________________________________________

CBC News - Health - Fill end-of-life care gaps: cancer group

Climate change bill passes Parliament‏

I recently participated in an email campaign to the party leaders regarding the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311).

The only response so far has been from the Hon. Jack Layton and it's good news. It is personally very satisfying since it represents a victory over the Hon. Ed Fast's opinion on the matter. He had said during debate of the bill that, if passed, it would mean many jobs would be lost and it would damage our economy.

Here is the email from the Hon. Jack Layton:
_____________________________________________

Thank you for your previous email outlining your concern for the environment. I am taking this opportunity to provide an update on recent developments in Parliament.

Recently our Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311) came up for final vote and was passed by Parliament. Our Act means checks on big polluters, practical measures to fight climate change, and cleaner air to breathe.

Now, for our climate change plan to become law, it must pass through the Senate. For more information on how Bill C-311 works and how you can help get C-311 through the Senate, please visit:
www.ndp.ca/C311-adopted.

I also invite you to check out the following links that outline our ideas on how to protect our environment:
www.ndp.ca/platform/environment/aplanthatwillwork, and www.ndp.ca/platform/environment/newenergyeconomy.

Again, I appreciate the time you have taken to make your voice heard. Feel free to share my email with your friends and family. All the best.

Sincerely,

Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada's New Democrats

Canada's banks push for fair playing field in pension reform

This article is from the Vancouver sun newspaper. To read the entire article, click on the above title.
___________________________________________

OTTAWA —  Canada's banks are warning federal and provincial governments against creating any new supplementary pension plans that would give them an edge over their private-sector competitors.
The Canadian Bankers Association says any public or quasi-public plans should have no regulatory, legislative or "artificial cost" advantage over the retirement-savings vehicles offered by the financial-services sector.

"There should be no reputational advantage to such plans," the association said.
"They should not enjoy any implicit or explicit government seal of approval and it must be made clear that the government is not providing any guarantees with respect to portfolio balances, rate of return or income stream," it added.

The association made clear in a brief to the federal government that it takes a dim view of proposals to establish one or more pension plans to supplement the Canada Pension Plan as a means of encouraging Canadians to save more for retirement.

Instead, the association calls for strengthening retirement savings through the private sector by, among other things, revising federal regulations to allow multi-employer pension plans.

Four in 10 Canadians retiring with debt

Yet another survey indicates that many seniors are financially vulnerable after retirement. (You can read the complete story on the CTV News web site by clicking on the title above.)
_________________________________________________

A new survey suggests many Canadians are entering their golden years in the red.

The survey from RBC finds that four in 10 Canadians over the age of 50 who have assets of at least $100,000 have retired with some form of debt.

As well, one-quarter have entered retirement still carrying a mortgage on their primary residence.

The survey, which RBC calls its first annual Retirement Myths and Realities poll, was conducted by Ipsos Reid to examine Canadians' expectations and experiences in retirement.

It also found that 17 per cent of retirees had consumer debt or credit card debt. In total 7 per cent had other kinds or debt or were co-signers on loans, while 5 per cent had mortgages on investment properties or cottages.

The survey found that 70 per cent of retirees feel it is still important to be able to save part of their income, yet more than one-quarter have acquired new credit products since they retired.
The survey found that many retirees are worried about how their savings will hold out over their retirement. Inflation and taxes are among the top concerns, with more than one-third (35 per cent) worried that inflation will negatively impact their retirement income, compared to 43 per cent of pre-retirees.

As well, 62 per cent of retirees worry about taxes on their income, with two-thirds believing the percentage of their income required for taxes will rise in the next 10 years.

"It's not uncommon to be concerned about maintaining a sustainable level of income in retirement, but costs you never counted on may also arise," said Davies. "For example, our poll found that almost one-in-five retirees spend over $1,000 annually on prescription drugs."

The poll, conducted from March 10-19, 2010, surveyed online 2,143 adults aged 50 and over with household assets of at least $100,000. About half the group said they were retired.

Caring for Seniors

This topic was featured on CBC's radio program, "The Current" with Anna Maria Tremonti, on Thursday, April 22, 2010.
___________________________________________________

"As life expectancy goes up, the people taking care of the elderly are often seniors themselves. We look at the ups, the downs, and the complications of caring for your loved ones for longer than either of you might have planned."

Click on the link to go to the Current's web site, and then scroll down to "Pt 3: Caring for Seniors" (the program is available as a podcast).

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2010/04/april-22-2010.html

Open Parliament

I learned of this web site while listening to a recent CBC radio program, "SPARC", hosted by Norah Young. The site allows you to keep track of what your MP is doing or not doing in the House of Commons, including any speeches made and how she or he voted on past bills or those currently before the House.

I was furious at learning that my MP, Ed Fast, had recently voted AGAINST Bill C-311, (an Act to ensure Canada assumes its responsibilities in preventing dangerous climate change). His position was that the bill would be devastating for industries and hence the economy. There have been any number of studies that have shown that initiatives designed to protect the environment actually stimulate the economy and certainly save us all a lot of grief and money in the long term.

Visit the site to see what your MP is doing: Open Parliament http://www.openparliament.ca/