Sunshine List

The list of people working for the government making over $100,000 was published today on a C.D. instead of paper. The premier says its an effort to save paper, oppositions say its an effort to make the list look smaller. What ever the case there are over 10,000 more names than last year of people making over $100,000. This is a lot of extra money that is being spent in an economic recession. The premier says that the people with the names on this list says that it is an achievement that most people think that $100,000 is a lot of money to be making in one year. So what did the list say? Well at the top is Ontario Power Generation CEO and president Jim Hankinson making 2.5 million a year. While the reporter did say that the people that are making this much money have very important jobs, after all you can't leave a nuclear power plant in the hands of just anyone.

While I didn't know such a list existed but probably could of figured it out, I think that the this is an interesting thing to recognise people that make so much money. It is a good thing to know where our money is going, especially large amounts of it. The way I see it is that the C.D. is a way to save paper, It's a good thing that more people are making more money, although this is questionable in this economy. When this report came out I even wondered how it was possible that people are making more money than this time last year, and haven't felt anything due to the recession. Now I sort ok know where some of the Defecate dollars are going, this is the only thing that I don’t agree with. The government can have an infinite amount of money and doesn't care as much as some people do about where that money should be spent.

Reference:

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090331/sunshine_list_090331/20090331/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Chrysler - threatening to leave

Yesterday chairman of Chrysler spoke to a parliamentary committee, regarding the economic crisis. The bottom line is that if Chrysler does not get the money that it wants from the government that it will pack up and leave Canada and go to the states. Of course this will affect tones of jobs and unemployment will probably hit another high. The details are as follows: seeking 2.3 billion in loans, break on taxes, and major sacrifices from the Canadian auto workers. The government is willing to help Chrysler but has to be assured that the investment will be returned. The Chrysler has cut 1,200 jobs just last week in Windsor, and is sounding like blackmail for some people.

The Decision that Chrysler is making is a huge decision for the government. Because there are ups and downs depending on what they do. But no matter what they do some people will disagree. I think that the government should give Chrysler the money that they want, because it isn't worth having so many jobs being taken of the market. I don't totally agree with Chrysler because I don't think that black mailing the government is a good way to get money from them and if the government doesn’t accept than things will get worse in this already unstable economy.

A kick start to Afghanistan

Prime minister Harper says that his version of victory is to push back all the Taliban until the point that NATO can take over the crisis. He said at a news conference on Friday that the situation should be in the hands of Afghanistan's themselves. This message even made it to the major CNN station in the states. The other parties didn't like this and basically said that they wanted to do the opposite. The article goes on to say what has happened in the past years in Afghanistan; Harper said in 2006 that the war would be extended until 2011 two years more that the original date, and that over 2000 soldiers are in Afghanistan and 111 of them have died since this date.

This whole war isn't a good thing, war is never a good thing. When Canada decided to get involved in this situation I though that it was a bad idea, and why should we fight a war that isn't ours. Since then I have understood that we have a relationship with the us, it is an unwritten code. I think that Harper has the what but not the how. Recently I have noticed that for a lot of politicians and other people that are high up there. They will say what they are going to do but never mention anything about the important part of how it is going to be implemented and the what happens if, they are never truly honest which is why In my opinion that the only time that I get into politics is when there is an election, because most of the time it is just a bunch of babbling kindergartens.

Reference:

http://www.thecanadianpress.com/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=n030635A&newsitemid=636529025&languageid=1

Second best ally

According to a recent survey Canada was ranked the second best ally to the united states, Great Brittan being the first. About 29% of Americans in this survey said that Canada was the top ally. The rest that made the top five were Israel, Japan, and Germany. The poll was released yesterday when the British prim minister visited Barack Obama since he was inaugurated. Among the article more democrats said Canada is their most important ally than republicans.

I think that this is a good thing for Canada because to have one of the most powerful countries at your side is a very good thing. I think that Canada could of made it to the #1 spot if our population was only a bit bigger. I think that the relations between Canada and the us have been getting stronger over the years. And now the us is wanting to have a similar health care system, more tax, "free" health care. I think that the more that we help the us the more they help us and the more similar we become. Although I do like Canada's way of doing things better that the U.S., they are a solid neighbour.

Reference:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090304/gallup_poll_090304/20090304?hub=Canada

Hospital wait times

Hospital wait times in Toronto are some of the longest in Ontario, reaching up to 32 hrs. At Toronto East General Hospital, there is one person coming into the hospital every eight minutes. Wait times are great because most of these Problems are minor and can be fixed easily by their family health care provider or a Walk in clinic. This isn't the only problem but the rehab centers that the doctors need so that the patients can get out of the hospital and get some specialized care. One man was emitted to hospital and had to wait for a month to be emitted to a rehab center, this one hospital bed could have been used over and over during that time.

So the obvious thing that I think that everybody will agree on is that the hospital wait times are way too long. This is caused by a few things which I think need a solution. A person comes into a hospital every eight minutes, this is unbelievable. Most of these people are suffering nothing more that a cold or something that it treatable at a walk in clinic. even thought we do have one of the better health care systems a 32 hr wait is simply not right. I think that we should start to use some of the computer systems that our society has to offer, so that we would be able to check the wait times online. I think that some of these things could drastically improve out health care system.

Reference:

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/589793

The new RCMP says that Tasers are lethal.

The taser is a very good alternative to a real gun, shocking you with 10,000 volts and immobilizing you. The RCMP has now claimed that these tasers can cause death, especially to the "acutely agitated" Now all uses by an rcmp or any threat to use have to be reported on, and provide a reasonable reason for doing so. The taser training for the rcmp is now to be done every one year instead of every two. The taser is a growing safety device and is a new technology that has to be used with caution.

Earlier this year I was hearing that the rcmp was using the taser a lot more often than they should have been. I think they did this is because they wanted to take the easy way out instead of trying to handle the situation normally. In my opinion the taser is a weapon and should only be used when it HAS to be used, like all weapons. I think that some people have things in there system that have different things in there system that can make the taser even more controversial when they are used. The taser is a good idea, and I think that it is a good idea for the officers to be trained more often. One mistake by someone using this device could end up in death as now known and these training sessions should be held to the highest standard.

Reference:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090212/rcmp_taser_090212/20090212?hub=TopStories

Helmets Not Mandatory

The Ontario premier is not going to allow the proposal to go through about having to have helmets on ski slopes in Ontario. This comes after a 13 year old crashed into a tree at snow valley last week, and later died. McGuinty says that after the accident he has bought himself a helmet but is not going to go as far as forcing others to do the same. Helmets are getting more and more common and even though parents force their children to wear them they often don't do as they are telling their kids. The urge for more people to wear them is becoming apparent, these accidents are just more wake up calls of what we should be looking for.

I my self wear a helmet when I am skiing, even though I'm better than most, I still do. I have been skiing for almost all of my life and in the past few years have started racing, I see people on the weekends with and without helmets, often the people that don't know how to ski, or are beginners are not wearing them. I think that people have the right to not wear helmets but it is strongly recommended. But why wouldn’t you wear a helmet? There comfortable, affordable, warm, and not to mention look good and most importantly are safe. I'd personally wear a helmet than anything else when I am skiing. This is the advise that I would give to all people weather they ski or not, wear a helmet in what ever sport where it is advised, and who knows it might even save your life one day.

Reference:

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090224/McGuinty_helmets_090224/20090224/?hub=TorontoNewHome