Monday, February 14, 2011

Why is Stephen Harper Offering to Build a Bridge For Michigan? Doesn't he Know We're Broke?


The Canadian media has provided extensive coverage of the new "secret" perimeter deal with the United States, which for them is akin to buying Manhattan island. They get everything, we get absolutely nothing.

On the other hand, the U.S. media has given it a big yawn, suggesting that nothing will be done to beef up the borders until they can afford it. But not so with our free spending prime minister. Hell, he's even offered to pay Michigan's share of a new bridge to the USA. From the Detroit Free Press:

No mention was made about the possibility of a second Detroit River crossing, which the Canadian government has offered to pay Michigan's share of, but the agreement did call for "effective solutions to manage the flow of traffic between the United States and Canada."

What?

Where is he getting the money for that? He has already spent us into a record deficit and accumulated a record debt. Why is he offering to give money to Michigan for a bridge to help the corporate sector destroy more jobs? And shouldn't he run it by taxpayers, who will be footing the bill for this little fantasy?

We really need to get his hands off our money, what little we can still borrow. These are things you do when you've got lots of cash lying around. And are on crack. "The Canadian government has offered to pay Michigan's share"? What the hell?

And to top it off we learn that this government has been helping to finance the NHL, in another self-promotion blitz.
The Harper government may not be putting up money for a new arena in Quebec City, but it supports the National Hockey League through multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns. The federal government has paid nearly $10 million for advertising during hockey games since the Conservatives were elected in 2006, newly-released documents revealing government advertising spending show.

Spending on hockey advertising reached a peak with the government's ad blitz to promote its economic stimulus package, with the Department of Finance spending $588,000 on ads during hockey games since 2008-09.
Someone needs to give these guys a reality check.

2 comments:

  1. Yes, a check right into and over the boards, followed by a permanent stint in the pealty box of history.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can think of something much harsher than a reality check.

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    Harper buying national ads is nothing more than cash bribes to a desperate MSM… translation: I’ll purchase thousands of dollars of ads AND in exchange you will write positive articles about me and my kingdom that I am trying to rule but those damn gay immigrant females won’t STFU.





    Harper’s bribes to corporate owned media

    snip snip: Meanwhile, a huge amount of taxpayer money is flowing to a cash strapped corporate media for this propaganda barrage. This largesse of advertising dollars is both a taxpayer bailout of Canwest-Global, CBC, and CTV and a bribe to the corporate media to mute its criticism of the Tory government. Criticize too loudly and the rich flow of government advertising can arbitrarily be cut at a time when private business has dramatically cut advertising.

    http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/content/steve-harper-and-end-days-canada-we-know-it







    Harper’s uses billion dollar “communication” budget as a loophole for campaigning

    Federal departments have spent nearly $42 million promoting the Harper government's economic stimulus programs. Documents introduced in Parliament detail the massive wave of print, radio, TV and online advertising intended to highlight the Economic Action Plan launched in January 2009.

    The advertising blitz includes everything from $110,000 in newspaper ads for the Agriculture Department's slaughterhouse improvement program to the $44,000 spent to wrap two Go Transit commuter trains in the Toronto area with the distinctive green and blue EAP logo.

    Critics charge the promotion of the unprecedented government spending is a form of political advertising.

    http://www.globalnews.ca/money/feds+spent+promoting+stimulus+spending+documents+show/2958107/story.html


    While the effectiveness of the billions in stimulus spending in creating jobs is being debated, the government's advertising splurge has at least provided a short-term boost to the media industry (in exchange for favourable news articles and polls).

    Read it on Global News: Feds spent $42M promoting stimulus spending, documents show

    ReplyDelete