Fwd: Let's Get Fiscal with Budgetball!

After the Ontario auditors report everyone should be motivated to play budgetball. What could you have done with a Billion dollars in mispent health care money ? Anyone want to play?

Friday, 09 October, 2009   Let's Get Fiscal with Budgetball!

You are receiving this FREE commentary from the Federal division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) because you have received CTF news releases and commentaries in the past.    If you wish to unsubscribe, please use the link at the bottom of this e-mail.

In the United States there is a new game growing in popularity that combines financial learning and physical exercise. It is called Budgetball. Given the state of our federal and provincial finances, it is time Budgetball came to Canada.   Budget Ball. It is more than just a mental game. It is a way to learn how to manage money. Budgetball is an active sport of quick passes, tough defense, and bold comebacks designed to increase awareness of the national debt and reward strategic thinking and collaborative problem-solving around the issues of fiscal responsibility.     The game is played between two teams of 6 to 10 people on an area roughly the size of a basketball court. In order to win, players must use compromise and persuasion to achieve a consensus about debt and savings. During a game, teams score points by passing the ball to a player in the end zone, while strategically managing their Budgetbucks. Budgetbucks may be borrowed, earned or spent by taking advantages such as an extra offensive player or by taking team sacrifices such as wearing oven mitts during play. To win, a team must creatively and responsibly use debt and savings to gain sufficient advantage over their opponents and score more points.   Financial literacy may sound boring but it is an important topic that our federal Finance Minister has chosen to work on – trying to help improve knowledge levels on financial issues. In Budget 2009 he announced that he would establish measures to help consumers of financial products, including launching a task force on financial literacy. The Task Force on Financial Literacy will make recommendations on improving the coordination of financial literacy efforts, outlining a national strategy.     Financial literacy is an important life skill. Canadians make financial decisions throughout their lives, many of which involve significant risks and rewards. Improving financial literacy helps consumers act knowledgeably and with confidence in managing their personal financial affairs. Informed consumer decision-making, in turn, contributes to the maintenance of a well-functioning and stable financial system and a stronger economy.   Simply put, the better one learns to manage one's own finances the better the economy can work as a whole. When people don't do a good job of managing their own finances it can have dire consequences. Look at the recent financial meltdown in the U.S., for example.   One of the large and underreported drivers of the recession in Canada, and especially in the United States, is the large amount of debt taken on by individuals. With stronger financial literacy people would likely assume less risky and less total debt than they have in the past decades. As well, people would better understand the impacts of large government deficits and growing debt loads.     Reversing the trend of growing debt is important. There are numerous initiatives currently underway to improve financial literacy in Canada. All levels of government and many private sector and non-profit organizations are supporting financial education. For example, there are in-school education programs in certain provinces and budget counseling provided by many volunteer organizations.     In typical government fashion the federal Task Force will conduct consultations and meet with experts in order to develop recommendations and to issue a report in the fall of 2010.     In stark contrast to this government approach, Budget Ball is gaining popularity in the United States. It is being championed by a coalition of not-for-profits groups led by the National Academy of Public Administration. There have been tournaments played on university and college campuses across the country. Even Las Vegas junior high school teachers have held a tournament to increase their financial literacy.   By playing Budget Ball students gain financial knowledge while playing a sport. Minister Flaherty should add 'getting fiscal' into his financial literacy plan.    — 30 —   For further information:   Please contact Kevin Gaudet, Federal Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation: 1-877-267-3218 or (416) 725-0501 (cell).     'Let's Talk Taxes' is a free commentary provided every two weeks to media outlets and opinion leaders by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).  The CTF is Canada's leading non-partisan citizens' advocacy group fighting for lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.  Founded in 1990, the CTF has 68,000 supporters and 7 offices across Canada.  The CTF is funded by free-will, non tax-receiptable contributions.      Permission is freely granted to reprint or broadcast this material with appropriate attribution to the CTF and author.    Contact: Suite 1140 - 2255 B Queen St. East, Toronto, Ontario, M4E 1G3 email: kgaudet@taxpayer.com website: www.taxpayer.com

This message was sent from CTF-Kevin Gaudet to backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com. It was sent from: Canadian Taxpayers Federation, 105 - 438 Victoria Ave E., Regina, SK S4N 0N7, Canada. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below. Email Marketing by

Manage your subscription

--

Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Fwd: [FAIR Newsletter] Industry Observers Rain Criticism On Transport Canada

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: FAIR (Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform) <newsletter@fairwhistleblower.ca>
Date: Sun, Oct 4, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Subject: [FAIR Newsletter] Industry Observers Rain Criticism On Transport Canada
To: holcrest@worldchat.com

Industry Observers Rain Criticism On Transport Canada The government's oversight of Canadian aviation has come under intense scrutiny this week, as the concerns of industry critics and whistleblowers were aired in the media. Two investigative reports dealt body blows to the repeated reassurances about safety that have been given by Transport Canada and by Transport Minister John Baird. The Fifth Estate The first blow was the Fifth Estate documentary "Riding On Risk", an investigation of several cases that exemplify the government's lax oversight of the industry. The broadcast featured air safety campaigner Kirsten Stevens and whistleblower Hugh Danford, as well as several participants in the Air Safety Roundtable:  whistleblowers Ian Bron, Kevin Gauther and Kirsten Brazier; and Greg Holbrook, former National Chairman of the Canadian Federal Pilots Association. Some memorable quotes: "Whistleblower protection under the federal legislation is a joke and everybody knows it. I would be crucified by the federal government and I'd never get employment anywhere... My life would be ripped apart." – A Transport Canada inspector who has complained internally about air safety violations, right up to the Prime Minister, but is too frightened to speak out publicly. "We cannot say anything about the issues surrounding this event except what is on the public record" – Sam Garito's union representative explains why the security inspector can say virtually nothing on camera. Garito's diligence as an inspector exposed the ineffectiveness of baggage screening in Pearson airport. He was charged with weapons offences and had to spend his savings on legal fees to prove his innocence. His settlement with the government includes a gag order so that he can say nothing about what actually happened. "I'm the minister at Treasury Board who brought in whistleblower protection. You know.. the buck stops here… we do everything we reasonably can to keep airports safe." – Transport Minister John Baird, who told the senate in 2006 that his legislation was the "Mount Everest" of whistleblower protection. See David Hutton's comment on why Mr. Baird has no reason to boast about this. Watch the full documentary on CBC's website: Riding on Risk The Walrus The second blow was a 9-page exposé in the Walrus, which lays out clearly the story of how the government, apparently in an attempt to save money and avoid liability, has progressively handed over its oversight responsibilities to industry. The author, Carol Shaben, has good reason to be interested in air safety: her father, cabinet minister Larry Shaben was one of three survivors of a 1984 plane crash that killed six people, including Alberta NDP leader Grant Notley. Some memorable quotes: "This is an absolute fabrication"– Justice Virgil Moshansky, the internationally-respected aviation authority, commenting on Transport Canada's claim that its implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) adds "another layer of safety". Moshansky, a long-time pilot himself, is the judge who conducted an extensive public inquiry into Canada's aviation system following the 1989 crash of an Air Ontario jet near Dryden, Ontario. His landmark 1,712-page report called for numerous changes and vaulted Canada into the forefront of air safety: a position which he believes has since been severe eroded. "I run into burning buildings now, and I think my new career is much safer" – former air-taxi-service pilot Erik Vogel, reflecting on his new career as a firefighter. Vogel, a rookie pilot at the time, was pressured into flying into dangerous weather conditions in an aircraft with serious known defects, leading to a crash that killed six passengers. Vogel believed that he had to fly or lose his job: thirty-three pilots had quit or been fired by his employer during the previous year. "Transport Canada lied to Parliament" – Hugh Danford, a former safety inspector, commenting on Transport Canada's claim that a $690,000 report commissioned from consulting firm DMR was a comprehensive review of the department's safety oversight program, which had been found to be wanting. In other words, Transport Canada misled lawmakers by telling them that it was addressing the known problems in its oversight system. Read the complete article: Fly At Your Own Risk David Hutton Executive Director FAIR (Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform) http://fairwhistleblower.ca Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform (FAIR) promotes integrity and accountability within government by empowering employees to speak out without fear of reprisal when they encounter wrongdoing. Our aim is to support legislation and management practices that will provide effective protection for whistleblowers and hence occupational free speech in the workplace. FAIR is a registered Canadian charity. Unsubscribe from this newsletter

--

Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Fwd: National editorial praises Canadian Taxpayers Federation

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Canadian Taxpayers Federation <taxaction@taxpayer.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 2, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Subject: National editorial praises Canadian Taxpayers Federation
To: backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com

You are receiving this e-mail because you have either signed a CTF-sponsored petition on-line or contributed financially to the CTF in the past. If you do not want to receive further information from the CTF please click "Manage my Subscription" at the bottom of this e-mail. Otherwise, please add taxaction@taxpayer.com to your address book. Our privacy policy is available here. We are a non-partisan citizens' group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

 

National editorial praises CTF's warning on deficit spending Hey: we're really excited to share the following editorial that appeared in Sun newspapers across Canada October 1st! We've got a long way to go before politicians get he message that deficit spending does not work; but the message is getting out there! Thanks for your support. Seeing red over debt? Canadian Taxpayers Federation says politicians painting too rosy a picture By GREG WESTON A national taxpayers' group is sounding the alarm to man the dikes against a growing tidal wave of government debt that threatens to swamp the country in a sea of red ink. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation suggests federal politicians of all stripes should give their heads a shake for government running up record deficits with no apparent end game. Federation director Kevin Gaudet takes a slap at Prime Minister Stephen Harper for "boasting that Canadians need not worry about the massive debt being racked up -- Canada is better positioned than other nations to weather the storm."     The taxpayers' watchdog takes an equally critical swing at Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff who "deplores that the money isn't being spent fast enough." Gaudet's main criticism is the Conservative government's painting a rosy picture of so much red on the national balance sheet is misleading. For instance, the Harper government gloats that the current federal debt of about $500 billion, relative to the size of the overall economy, isn't any worse than most industrialized countries. But add in all the debt of the provinces, territories and municipalities, and Canadian taxpayers are on the hook for close to $1 trillion, or roughly $33,000 for every man, woman and child in the country. What does all that mean to the average Canadian family? $50 billion It means Canadians this year will pay somewhere around $50 billion in interest on the total debt so far accumulated by all levels of government. That works out to an average interest charge of about $1,400 per person. Put another way, a third of all the personal income tax collected by the feds this year would barely cover the interest payments on the national debt the Harper government says is nothing to worry about. If all goes to current Conservative plan, the situation is only going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. Since 2005, Canadian taxpayers have paid down about $37 billion of federal debt. This year alone, the Harper government is projecting it will wipe out all those gains and then some. Over the next four years, most analysts are predicting annual federal deficits could easily add $200 billion to the national debt, an overall increase of about 40%. For nice round numbers, think about cutting cheques for a couple thousand bucks for each member of your family -- all just to pay the interest on public debt. Unfortunately, the end of the recession and a return of the good times will also inevitably mean interest rates rising again, hitting taxpayers with even higher borrowing costs on all that public debt. If all that doesn't ruin your day, the taxpayers' fed has another timely reminder: "Today's borrowing binge is taking place just before an inevitable budget crunch caused by pension and health care costs of an aging population." But, hey. We're better off than most countries. Honest.

TaxAction is an issues and action update sent to supporters of the CTF. For inquiries or changes: e-mail us at admin@taxpayer.com, phone 1-800-667-7933, fax 1-800-465-4464, or write 105-438 Victoria Ave. E., Regina, Sask. S4N 0N7. Visit the CTF's website at www.taxpayer.com for additional material and daily updates.

This message was sent from Canadian Taxpayers Federation to backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com. It was sent from: Canadian Taxpayers Federation, 105 - 438 Victoria Ave E., Regina, SK S4N 0N7, Canada. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below. Email Marketing by

Manage your subscription

View this message in the iContact Community:   View message   Comment on this message   Receive as RSS

Share this message with others:   del.icio.us   Digg   reddit   Facebook   StumbleUpon

--

Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Here's to Us pass it on

 

 

Fiesty reality lesson   of why we are not politically correct      Here's to US!!!!     No matter what our kids and the new generation think about us,  WE ARE AWESOME !!!! OUR LIFE IS LIVING PROOF !!!!     To Those of  Us  Born   1930 - 1979     At the end of this email is a quote of the month by Jay Leno.. If you don't read anything else, please   read what he said.   Very well stated, Mr. Leno..     TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE                    1930's, 40's, 50's,               60's and 70's!!    First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.     They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.   Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.     We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.     As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.     Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.   We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.     We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.     We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight..   WHY?   Because we were always outside playing...that's why!   We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on..   No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OKAY.     We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem     We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms.     WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!       We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.  We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse.       We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.       We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.         We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.      Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.  Imagine that!!         The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!    These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.   The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas..   We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.     If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS!    You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.     While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.       Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ? ~  The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:   'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'    For those that prefer to think that God is not watching over us...go ahead and delete this.  For the rest of us...pass this on..    Internet Explorer 8 makes surfing easier. Get it now! Attention all humans. We are your photos. Free us.

--

Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Fwd: Taxpayer Double Feature

a  new cause  another avenue to voice your opinion

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Canadian Taxpayers Federation <taxaction@taxpayer.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Subject: Taxpayer Double Feature
To: backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com

You are receiving this e-mail because you have either signed a CTF-sponsored petition on-line or contributed financially to the CTF in the past. If you do not want to receive further information from the CTF please click "Manage my Subscription" at the bottom of this e-mail. Otherwise, please add taxaction@taxpayer.com to your address book. Our privacy policy is available here. We are a non-partisan citizens' group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

 

Taxpayer double feature While the genre of the documentary has recently been dominated by the likes of Al Gore and Michael Moore, a couple of new films hope to challenge the big-government types. In each instance, there are opportunities for CTF supporters to participate. The Tax Man - An Expose of Canada Revenue Agency Filmed in hi-def for international distribution this brilliant new film will shed light on taxpayer battles, both big and small, with the Canada Revenue Agency. Filmed in the style of a Michael Moore documentary the producers are looking for horror stories, success stories, stories of abuse and points of views from politicians, lawyers, accountants and above all – taxpayers! If you have a story to tell for this new film The Tax Man please contact: theproducer@thetaxmanmovie.com. Your generous financial contribution allows the CTF to support important film projects like these, challenging the big-government folly being played in our theatres and force-fed to our children in schools. Click HERE to donate. Not Evil Just Wrong The Canadian government has been "Turning The Corner" into an economic nightmare ever since it released the plan by that name to impose "one of the toughest regulatory regimes in the world" on greenhouse gas emissions. The plan is a global warming tax that will send energy prices soaring and potentially leave thousands of Canadians without jobs. Not Evil Just Wrong: The True Cost Of Global Warming Hysteria is a new documentary exposing the flawed science and alarmist fantasies about dying polar bears and melting arctic ice that radical environmentalists spread to scare politicians into passing draconian legislation. Climate fear-mongering has dire consequences as the film reveals by recounting the story of the pesticide DDT. Governments banned it when environmentalists wrongly cried "cancer," and tens of millions of poor people died of mosquito-borne malaria as a result. Today's hysteria about carbon dioxide, an essential compound for life, will impact even more people. Economic progress will be stunted in Canada and around the world. Join the resistance by becoming part of the premiere of Not Evil Just Wrong. Al Gore and Hollywood don't want the world to see this movie, so filmmakers Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney have a unique and fun-filled distribution plan. Homes across Canada and the United States will be invited to hit play at 8PM Eastern (5PM Pacific), October 18th, 2009, and participate in the largest simultaneous film premier to date. Here's what you need to do to join the premiere: STEP 1: Order your premiere pack today by clicking this link. The CTF is an affiliate and will benefit from your purchase. STEP 2: Make plans for your own premiere party October 18th. Invite your family and friends, especially those who buy into the global warming hysteria. This movie will open their eyes! STEP 3: Forward this e-mail to your contacts across Canada so they can host their own parties.

TaxAction is an issues and action update sent to supporters of the CTF. For inquiries or changes: e-mail us at admin@taxpayer.com, phone 1-800-667-7933, fax 1-800-465-4464, or write 105-438 Victoria Ave. E., Regina, Sask. S4N 0N7. Visit the CTF's website at www.taxpayer.com for additional material and daily updates.

This message was sent from Canadian Taxpayers Federation to backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com. It was sent from: Canadian Taxpayers Federation, 105 - 438 Victoria Ave E., Regina, SK S4N 0N7, Canada. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below. Email Marketing by

Manage your subscription

View this message in the iContact Community:   View message   Comment on this message   Receive as RSS

Share this message with others:   del.icio.us   Digg   reddit   Facebook   StumbleUpon

--

Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Re: Lets talk about moving Canada forward

I appreciate this positive message -with undisputed third party facts.We have the natural and people resources to be number one in a competitve world . We are indeed moving forward!

 

My concern is that we do not frittter away our advantages to special interest or garbage strike entitlement  groups. It can be said that it is not how much you spend - but the effectiveness and delivery of the spending that counts. How do we delayer the overhead,reduce the restrictions to real market business growth or real economic growth?

 

Food for thought- USA example  given by David Galland in Casey's Daily Dispatch

 

Given the conservatively estimated $50 trillion in obligations the government has saddled future taxpayers with - much of it linked to well-intentioned Social Security and Medicare programs - I remain steadfast in my view that expanding medical coverage should wait until we as a nation have addressed the overarching question of what to do about the unsupportable size and weight of the government we already have. Or, at the very least, the conversation over universal healthcare should be part and parcel of that broader debate.

 

Sorry, but if you want universal healthcare, you can't also have your Amtrak subsidies, or car company bailouts, or troops in 130 countries, or your war in Afghanistan, or your FDA, OSHA, FCC, your Head Start programs, food stamps, winter fuel subsidies, etc., etc., ad infinitum.

 

There is a real world and a fantasy world. And while people suffer painful and difficult health-related issues in the real world, you can't make those problems go away simply by pulling out the Monopoly game and handing out pretty bits of paper. Well, I guess maybe you can - but not without dire consequences to our society and our heavily indebted economy.

 

I like to think of myself as a caring and even sensitive person, and given the choice of, say, keeping troops in Iraq or paying for health insurance for a lot of needy people, I will certainly opt for the latter.

But we as a society can't have it all. It is your right to disagree with my argument that the nation is stone-cold broke and that asking for universal healthcare at this point is like being unable to afford a bicycle but demanding a Rolls Royce.

A number of you also wrote challenging me to come up with a fix-all solution so we can have universal healthcare. Okay, here it is.

Tomorrow morning, or as soon as possible thereafter, begin the process of closing down at least half of the current government. Simultaneously, wipe away any laws deemed to be anti-business or anti-wealth accumulation. Starting by slashing corporate taxes to zero (companies don't pay taxes, consumers do), adopt a flat income tax starting at 20%, but with a clear path to lower it to 10% over the next decade. Do away with capital gains and let the world know we're happy to have them invest in American companies. Further, institute the British system whereby if you bring a lawsuit and lose, you pay for the other guy's legal costs. While that will result in some additional challenges for small guys who want to sue big guys, it will also dramatically clear out the legal system and radically reduce the burden businesses now bear in fighting off frivolous suits brought against them by lawyers working on contingencies.

Maybe, once you accomplished all of that - and then made some even deeper cuts - we could afford the price of universal healthcare. We would certainly dramatically increase the wealth and prosperity of this nation, as the world's entrepreneurs would fall all over themselves to do business here and not elsewhere.

On Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 8:12 PM, Mike Duffy <mikeduffy@conservative.ca> wrote:

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.

Hi Siegfried, it's Mike Duffy I want to talk to you about the positive changes and exciting future we have going for us as Canadians. That is why I am sending you a link to your personalized video. I hope you will take a few moments to view the video and then tell me about your priorities and what you want Canada to achieve next. Please click on this link to view your personalized video: http://movingforward.conservative.ca/vb/101/e2aft/siegfried-holle Thanks for your time. Sincerely, Mike Duffy   Conservative Party of Canada #1204 - 130 Albert Street Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4 Toll free: (866) 808-8407      Phone: (613) 755-2000

This email was sent to siegholle@gmail.com. To ensure that you continue receiving our emails, please add us to your address book or safe list. manage your preferences | opt out using TrueRemove®. Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.

--

Back to Eden communities
Sunridge -261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford
New Beginnings -23 Richards Ridgetown

backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
www.backtoeden.bravehost.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -quality 24/7 care

Privatize City Hall

Privatize City Hall It’s time to shed the dead weight of the bureaucracy
Lawrence Solomon, National Post, August 8, 2009

Provocative food for thought PR

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Toronto’s municipal strike is over. Some 30,000 garbage and other workers are back on the job. That’s at least 15,000 too many. If the strike has taught Torontonians anything, it’s that the city does precious little for its residents. Now that the garbage is finally being picked up, Torontonians want to clean up the mess at City Hall. Most hold the Mayor in low regard, most hold the councillors in low regard, most hold the strikers in low regard, and most want to privatize garbage collection.

But why stop with outsourcing garbage services? Private firms can and should take over the many other functions that city workers have grabbed from privatesector firms who would treat city customers with more respect, and at lower cost. Striking 15,000 to 20,000 workers from the city payroll will not only improve the quality of city services, doing so will also lower taxes and create jobs throughout the wider city economy.

In the case of garbage collection, private-sector workers, who tend to be fitter and better managed, collect two and a half to three times as much garbage per person per hour as city workers. With garbage collection in private hands, not only would strikes disappear but streets will be cleared of garbage more quickly and traffic will be less disrupted. Exit 6,000 workers. Bonus: Toronto will also pocket a small fortune by selling its trucks and other garbage infrastructure.

The case for privatizing Toronto’s bloated water and sewage operations is also a slam dunk — other cities that have done so saw savings as high as 50%. CUPE has not only opposed water privatization in the past, it even objected to the city applying its Works Best Practices Program to its water and sewage operations. Little wonder — this program found that the city’s sewage system would run better without 400 of its 907 workers. By placing the city’s water and sewage works under the management of the most efficient operators, Toronto taxpayers not only stand to save $100million, according to an estimate from United Water in 2001, but the unjustifiable hikes that we’ve seen in water rates would be staunched, along with many of the 1,500 water-main breaks the city suffers each year. Exit 1,500 workers.

Next, privatize the hugely inefficient Toronto Parking Authority. Although it is the largest in the continent, with 20 parking garages and 140 surface parking lots, it provides a pittance in revenue to the city, partly because it subsidizes parking for neighbourhoods that are politically well connected at the expense of neighbourhoods that aren’t. And partly because of its featherbedding and its wage levels — more than one-third of the monies that Torontonians pay in parking tickets or feed into parking machines feeds the parking authority’s payroll. Privatizing the parking authority would also help public transit compete against the car, because the parking authority subsidizes lots near subway stations. Exit 400 workers. Another bonus: The city would pocket hundreds of millions of dollar through the sale of the parking authority’s real estate and other assets.

The list of city-run enterprises that have no business being in municipal hands — and whose privatization has been urged by urban advocates such as Toronto’s own Jane Jacobs — goes on and on. They include the inefficient cityowned power company that gouges city customers with unjustifiably high fees, the city-owned transit company that has failed to provide the citizenry with affordable service, the city-owned houses and apartment blocks that so often become centres of despair, and the city-owned district heating operation that for decades has failed to use energy efficiently.

Privatizing these operations would lead to a more humane city, a more prosperous city, and a more environmentally friendly city. But why stop there?

The city’s own Prosperity Agenda and the Blueprint for Fiscal Stability and Economic Prosperity laments its underutilized real estate holdings, which it conservatively values at $18-billion. It knows these holdings must be properly employed, in order to create employment and “regenerate Toronto.” Sell these off, too, and use the proceeds to cut taxes and provide the services that more suit cities, such as providing libraries, parks, policing and fire protection.

During Toronto’s 39-day strike, and garbage services aside, many remarked on how surprisingly well the city seemed to run, given that it lost so much of its vast workforce. The city didn’t much need its Mayor and councillors either — and Torontonians didn’t get many services from these “leaders” — because of these politicians’ reluctance to cross picket lines to attend municipal meetings. The city, in truth, is its citizenry. And the citizenry generally does best when it doesn’t need to carry the dead weight of the bureaucracy.

--------------
Lawrence Solomon is executive director of Energy Probe and author of Toronto Sprawls: A History.