If I ran the country ...

[LonelyGhost]

1. Deport any immigrant who breaks a law within five years of entering Canada ... no appeals, no delays, anyone who helps hide the idiot gets deported too.

2. Legalize all drugs and prostitution ... put the police resources to other better uses, like bad drivers.

3. Implement a $1 million dollar life-time tax deduction ... SAY WHAT!?!?! Yup, you can earn a coool million in Canada tax free ... after that, you pay. However, read part 3a.

3a. What stops people in #3 from leaving the country? Simple, do what many other democratic countries have done and implement a law that only allows you to remove $50,000 total assets out of Canada. Make it here, enjoy it here. Decide to close your company and run? Bye-bye but the assets stay here!

4. Get rid of EVERY income assistance program in effect today ... from OAC to CPP to EI to Welfare and instead implement one 'mincome' program ... everyone is entitled to a minimum income administered by one bureaucracy. Anyone on the mincome waives the million dollar tax exemption ... can't have it both ways!

5. Implement consumption tax of a flat 10% on everything ... gets split between the Feds and provinces.

6. Pay every aboriginal person in Canada a one-time $1 million lump sum ... all land claims and programs and IAND is shut down ... savings per year is about $7 billion dollars.

7. Shut down every ministry that is not working on Health, Safety or Education ... Immigration goes to the provinces. But no more Atlantic Opportunities or other idiotic departments.

8. Use the 'notwithstanding' clause in the Charter to make 'the law the law' ... no more deals, no more getting off on technicalities, no more parole or release for dangerous offenders.

9. Within what's left of Government, I would do away with ALL bonuses and incentives unless you have proprietary information that the Govt needs, then we pay you what your're worth. I would also do away with bilingualism.

10. If Quebec wants to seperate then hand them a bill for their share of the debt, for the loss of assets and so on ... shut their borders until they pay.

How's that for a left-leaning, socialist, NDP voting point of view?

Ask me about public flogging for young offenders too!!!

 

[My Name is Mud]

I agree with 1,3,3a,4,5,6,7,8,10.

 

[LonelyGhost]

LG,

you and me buddy....lets run this country the right way!


HFS

hey, maybe I will run in the next election ... or do you want to run and I manage your campaign?

 

[LonelyGhost]

Surrey would lose half its population

yeah, but gain back half its stolen cars!

 

[LonelyGhost]

I'm in on this gov't...

A couple of things though...

I would want to see Foreign aid increased,
and I would want our military beefed up substantially.

unfortunately, I see it this way: we can either pay foreign aid or keep accepting historical numbers of immigrants who come on the family/aid/refugee plan ...

as for the military ... I would like to see a few specialized forces that best represent Canada's interests when necessary and quit trying to be a little bit of everything that accompishes nothing.

 

[Discombobbled]

Yeah, I can just imagine LonelyGhost, hifisex, and other likeminded ilk at their policy convention. Dancing around the neo-con campfire, then stopping to dine on possum and play Spirograph to sharpen their intellects. The newspapers would then come out so they could read the headlines and make legislative and policy decisions based on their emotional reactions to those headlines. What a great country we would have.

 

[Discombobbled]

Actually I think LG's policy suggestions are quite pragmatic and logical..... HFS

Pragmatic and logical? Come on now, have you even considered the implications and consequences of implementing even one of these ideas/proposals? Lets very breifly analyze number 1 as an example:

1. Deport any immigrant who breaks a law within five years of entering Canada ... no appeals, no delays, anyone who helps hide the idiot gets deported too.

An act such as this would require the repeal of certain provisions in the Charter of Rights.... which would in turn effect others in society protected by those rights, unless of course you would like to try and deny Charter Rights to immigrants for five years.... which in turn would be a breach of the fundamental purpose of the Charter itself.... which in turn would require a complete repeal of the Charter.... which in turn would mean that Canadian citizens would not have any Constitutional rights.... which in turn would mean that by definition Canada would no longer be a democracy but an autocracy. I could go on at length, but I think you get the picture.

 

[LonelyGhost]

Yeah, I can just imagine LonelyGhost, hifisex, and other likeminded ilk at their policy convention. Dancing around the neo-con campfire, then stopping to dine on possum and play Spirograph to sharpen their intellects. The newspapers would then come out so they could read the headlines and make legislative and policy decisions based on their emotional reactions to those headlines. What a great country we would have.

hey! I quote Marx in my sleep! didn't you notice my 'mincome' policy? Money for everyone! AND, I said my govt would concentrate on HEALTH, SAFETY AND EDUCATION ...

However, I do believe in Law and Order ... I had to drive up island recently because a bunch of school age punks are harrassing my 70 something father! ... the guy is just trying to grow his own food and they come through and stomp his garden to pieces for a laugh!

My bottom line is that govt has a responsibility to protect people that cannot always help themselves ... but that doesn't extend to blowing billions on stupid social programs that do not help anyone and then taxing everyone into poverty in the process.

And my problem with the BC liberals was that they did stomp on people who couldn't protect themselves just out of spite, not to make anything better.

Lets see their record over the next four years ...

 

[LonelyGhost]

which in turn would mean that by definition Canada would no longer be a democracy but an autocracy. I could go on at length, but I think you get the picture.

funny enough that Canada survived just fine for over a 100 years on the BNA act ...

btw: my parents both immigrated to this country and both had to work in indentured jobs until such time as they had paid off their passage ... and both were told that if they got into trouble they would be on the first boat back home ...

neither one of them has had so much as a parking ticket in over 50 years they have been here ...

 

[Discombobbled]

funny enough that Canada survived just fine for over a 100 years on the BNA act/QUOTE]

Actually Ghost, the BNA Act, 1867 was a Constitutional statute that implicitly provided rights and freedoms for Canadian citizens. Apart from the few amendments made and the change of title to the Constitution Act, the provisions in the BNA Act remain in force and effect. The addition of the Charter is the explicit recognition of personal rights and freedoms. Now that we are in the 21st Century, a constitution and the personal rights and freedoms inherent therein are the backbone of democracy.

 

[LonelyGhost]

funny enough that Canada survived just fine for over a 100 years on the BNA act/QUOTE]

Now that we are in the 21st Century, a constitution and the personal rights and freedoms inherent therein are the backbone of democracy.

what about the right of safety and security? seems to go out the window pretty fast with the Charter ...

 

[Discombobbled]

However, I do believe in Law and Order ...

I understand your feelings on the law and order issue and what happened to your father's garden should not have. However, your punitive ideas regarding law and order, especially in relation to immigrants, seems very reactionary, like someone feeling victimized and lashing out.

I have read some of your political opinions, which do seem leftist/socialist /Marxist, but some of your other posts seem exactly the opposite. Your values and beliefs seem somewhat paradoxical. No disrespect intended.

 

[Discombobbled]

what about the right of safety and security? seems to go out the window pretty fast with the Charter ...

I'm not sure what you mean. The Charter's purpose and application is to protect personal rights and freedoms from state and state agency violations of those rights and freedoms.

 

[GoWest]

If I ran the country...

LG,
Given that we are here on Perb, I most here would be pretty liberal regarding the pooning laws... maybe even allow some things in the legislature... brings new images to mind when I think about Stronach "crossing the floor"...

aarghh.. my eyes!!!!

 

[niteowl]

Any current people having their refugee status on hold will be heard but onced denied their are sent on the next flight out to their country. What happens to them in their country is not our problem. No appeal for commpassionate stay. Unless willing to pay for the hearings.

Anyone arriving here illegally will be sent back to their country with their gov't footing the bill for our trouble.

 

[Discombobbled]

my own views on punitive justice have nothing to do with being victimized but rather an opinion that our legal system has spun out of control to provide far more rights and respect to the criminals (both charged and convicted) then the victims of crime. Far too many people live in fear because the criminals who committed heinous acts of violence. Insofar as immigrants are concerned the system is that much more fucked up. It pisses me off to no end when I hear about gang members from ANY foreign county who come to Canada and openly break our laws and when claim refugee status to avoid getting deported. If they are a ligit refugee then play by the rules & follow the process and things will work out fine.

HFS

hifi, I would suggest that your consistent expressions of rage through the symbolic use of red frown figures and colourful language is not simply an opinion. Opinions are thoughts and beliefs, rage is an emotion. You read or hear about some person's behaviour, become angry because you don't like that behaviour, then express that anger in the guise of an opinion. Seems pretty reactionary and emotionally driven to me.

 

[LonelyGhost]

I have read some of your political opinions, which do seem leftist/socialist /Marxist, but some of your other posts seem exactly the opposite. Your values and beliefs seem somewhat paradoxical. No disrespect intended.

none taken ... as i have said many times, my views are such that we have an obligation to protect those who need out help, whether seniors, women, disabled (or any combination) and animals! if that means that some punk born here or imported to here causes problems then merde on their rights!

explain to me why i should tolerate the tamil tigers; the reactionary sihks; the tirads; the neo-nazis; the south american drug dealers ...

i am not 'down' on immigrants, i am DOWN on criminals and bullies and if they immigrated here then why should they have the luxury of staying here?

if we could deport out home-grown punks then i would be even happier!

so if i am full of contradictions then I am also more than willing to admit it ...

I support many of the BC Liberal Policies but voted NDP ... so how's that for a contradiction!

 

[Discombobbled]

wow....I really must be an ogre

Yes, I get your point, but quoting Disney doesn't address the issue you are responding to, it's simply a diversion tactic. Again, no disrespect intended.

 

[David in Van]

I have a better idea

Turf the notwithstanding clause in the consitution. What is the point of having a consititution if 50% + 1 can vote to kill Jews, Chinese etc.

Have an upper and lower house.

The lower house's job would be to bring in new laws. Any law would require a 2/3rd majority to pass.

The upper house's job would be to repeal laws. Any law except the constitution would be a candidate. A repeal would only require a 1/3rd minority to pass.

Tha basic idea is that if any law cannot garner the support of 2/3rds, it is probably not worth having. If a law offends more than 1/3rd, it should probably be ditched.

 

[chiefwiggum]

frightening how much we have in common


Not wanting to put words in LG's mouth but my own views on punitive justice have nothing to do with being victimized but rather an opinion that our legal system has spun out of control to provide far more rights and respect to the criminals (both charged and convicted) then the victims of crime. Far too many people live in fear because the criminals who committed heinous acts of violence. Insofar as immigrants are concerned the system is that much more fucked up. It pisses me off to no end when I hear about gang members from ANY foreign county who come to Canada and openly break our laws and when claim refugee status to avoid getting deported. If they are a ligit refugee then play by the rules & follow the process and things will work out fine.

HFS, you seem like an intelligent thoughtful (though petulant) man.

But it's too easy to trot out the "too many rights for the criminal" argument when our thirst for retribution and revenge cloud the things we as human beings value (regardless of political stripe).

If we are to establish a society where fundamental concepts of justice include due process, presumption of innocence, and meaningful AND MORAL forms of punishment and/or rehabilitation, we will need to acknowledge the possibility that there will be those who will try and/or succeed in abusing the system. But the fact still remains that the system is in place to protect basic rights, to prevent the innocent from being convicted, and to ensure those accused of criminal acts are afforded full opportunity to defend themselves.

Anyone out there who's been wrongfully accused of a crime will attest to the necessity for those things in the justice systems that victims' rights groups are so periodically outraged by.

The one beef I have is how judges and crown prosecutors so regularly fail to use the existing penalties in the Criminal Code appropriately, eg. drunk drivers. But even in those cases, I can see why courts are unwilling to force someone to prison for the rest of their lives for a one-time mistake. Repeat offenders, now that's a different story.

In the end, though, I appreciate the complexities in our justice system, and the reasons why they exist. Is it easier for me because I've never had a loved one become a murder victim, or drunk-driving victim, etc? Perhaps. But it doesn't change the fundamental principles.

There are countries where LG would get much of what he wishes for. North Korea, Communist China, Zimbabwe, and Iran come to mind. Get the picture?

Respectfully,
CW