Well at least now we know why Stephen Harper was twisting himself into knot, or looking like he was auditioning for the Hunchback of Notre Dame, by refusing to even mention the dreaded 'R' word.
So now that it's official, Canada is in a recession.
He could continue to deny reality.
"We've had a few weak months," shrugged Stephen Harper, who immediately dove into one of the silver linings in the report. The agency found that the economy began to bounce back in June as GDP grew by 0.5 per cent after shrinking over five straight months.
And claim instead that it wasn't bad news it was GREAT news !!!
"Elsewhere there's growth and today one of the greatest monthly growths occurred in June, so it's clear that the Canadian economy is growing," the prime minister said in Burlington, Ont. where he pledged new support for Canadian manufacturers hit hard by the downturn.
And just another reason why him and his Cons should be returned to power. Because only they can manage the economy, the opposition cannot be trusted to govern the country.
And of course because he's a Great Economist Leader...
Who would beat his bony chest on a day when the Toronto stock market lost almost 400 points.
Canada’s main stock index fell close to 3 per cent on Tuesday as the latest disappointing economic data from China spurred another round of selling in global markets and sent commodity prices lower.
A day when the price of oil and other commodities fell again. And it couldn't be clearer that his oily fixation has led us to disaster.
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says there have already been 35,000 jobs lost in the province due to the slumping oil price and subsequent downturn in the economy.
Thousands and thousands of workers are losing their jobs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, and many other places in Canada.
Which must be added to the 400,000 lost jobs in the manufacturing sector, which our Great
Now I would expect Harper to make the best of the minuscule increase in our GDP in June. Or polish it like a tiny turd.
That's normal and acceptable, and who knows what might happen in the next quarter?
But what is not acceptable, and absolutely disgusting, is the way he brags about his dismal record. And lies like a thief.
For his claim that 80% of Canada's economy is growing, and that the energy sector is responsible for what he calls a short lived
Statistics Canada’s GDP analysis shows unequivocally that there is hardship in the industrial and manufacturing sectors – above and beyond the contraction of the energy sector. For these reasons, Harper’s statement – that “80 per cent of the economy is actually growing” – contains “a lot of baloney.”
And so is his oft repeated claim that Canada leads the G7 in economic growth.
As his hapless tool Erin O'Toole found out yesterday when he tried that talking point out on the CBC's Power and Politics show.
As instructed by his ghastly master...
Only to be put in his place by Rosemary Barton.
Armed with this chart...
Which left O'Toole reeling and looking like an idiot or a liar.
You can see that educational moment if you wish, at approximately the 6:26 mark on this tape...
But this is the bottom line: A recession is a recession.
This pointless debate over recession or not-recession should not be allowed to obscure the basic reality lived by most Canadians – that the economy is weak and more of the same from the Conservatives isn’t likely to fix it.
The Con's economic policies have failed.
Slashing corporate tax rates to record low levels, as the Conservatives did, has clearly not done the job. It’s time to consider other measures to encourage capital investment by the corporate sector. We need an infusion of investment in innovation, training and equipment to break the cycle of low growth and weak job creation.
We need to find new and better ways to revive our economy.
And of course, not only is Stephen Harper NOT a Great Economist, he is such a pathological liar and a Con artist, he's unfit to remain in office.
For I believe that only the truth will set us free, and since Stephen Harper is a liar.
We will not be free until the day we defeat him.
And hopefully send that depraved leader, to the place he truly belongs...
Now it's not only a moral imperative.
It's a matter of economic survival...
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Canada's balance of trade went negative during the last recession in 2009 and never recovered. Stevie's oily plan of selling base raw materials and buying in high value added products manufactured with those raw materials has a zero chance of working in the long run. It doesn't take a great economic leader to figure out that when you sell your country to foreign creditors that eventually they will take your assets as collateral and put political security in place to ensure continued ownership. The accumulated deficit is not large because of the surplus years but it is a wake up call that Stevie's myopic divisive vision for Canada has been a total disaster. Unfortunately Stevie has helped further mire Canadians in a "us versus them" mentality that will be very difficult to reverse. There have been some positive signs at the provincial level and perhaps with the right focus at the federal level Canadians will get the country back on track for a better future for all of us. Although each country is unique some of the measures Norway has taken to integrate their resources into their overall economy and avoid the boom bust cycles we have experienced would be worth evaluating.
ReplyDeleteRT
hi RT...please don't mention Norway, it's just too painful. The way they have managed their oil wealth and are still a net exporter of renewable energy makes us look like country of backward imbeciles. And the Harper Big Oil gang look like criminals. As in criminally stupid.If we don't take our country back we really are doomed...
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ReplyDeleteO' Toole is smiling for good reason, The NDP just gave him a pass. Going after the liberals does not make sense. Canadians want Harper gone. It's becoming hard to separate the NDP from the CONs these days. There is no substance in what the NDP is saying only Adhominems.
ReplyDeletehi Pamela...I don't have the energy to get involved in partisan quarrels. The NDP and the Liberals are more alike than they imagine. I consider both of them on my side, and I'm saving all my fight for the Cons....
DeleteThe Economist recently had an article on the Southwestern Ontario Rust Belt.
ReplyDeletehi UU4077....yes I saw it, The New Rust Belt. What the Cons did to our manufacturing sector can never be forgiven...
Deletegoodale and o'TOOL are both lying idiots tripping over their own talking points. the liberoCONS are sounding just like the real CONS...it's impossible to tell them apart! The NDP guy sounds like the only one that even made it past high school let alone attended university.
ReplyDeleteThere is no substance in what the liberoCONS or real CONS are saying...only ad nauseum!
Read any other worthless talking points recently, cow-pammy?
WOW! you don't comment, you just spew venom.
Deletehi anon 2:41...As I told Pamela I have neither the time or the energy for partisan quarrels. All I care about is defeating the Cons. But please if we can't stop quarrelling let's at least try to be civil...
DeleteThe real problem will come about when companies just sit on their money and refuse ot re invest in Canada, expecting the government to use tax dollars. Just like Steve likes to "bail" out these corporations or give them tax money to stay. These corporations make use of our educated population, infrastructure, health care, etc. and then still want more. If they are not going to contribute then they need to have a higher tax rate. We need Revenue Canada to stop going after charities and have a look at corporations who make money in Canada and hide it elsewhere. We need to look at the foreign ownership of houses which cost millions, but the owners claim subsidies for social services because they don't have any money, ya here in Canada. We need to put a stop to the purchase of Canada properties to hide and launder money.
ReplyDeletehi e.a.f...Bif business has been sitting on its money like hens sit on eggs, and they are a big part of the problem. With a few honourable exceptions they have been useless and unimaginative and are more interested in their profits than their people....
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