Red Coffee Pot Party

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Best Countries For Doing Business

Source: Bloomberg

10: Sweden
Total score: 76.2

2013 rank: 12

9: Spain
Total score: 77.0

2013 rank: 16

8: Netherlands
Total score: 78.0

2013 rank: 4

7: United Kingdom
Total score: 79.4

2013 rank: 10

5 (tie): Germany
Total score: 79.9

2013 rank: 5

5 (tie): Australia
Total score: 79.9

2013 rank: 6

4: Singapore
Total score: 80.1

2013 rank: 8

3: United States
Total score: 80.2

2013 rank: 2

2: Canada
Total score: 81.5

2013 rank: 6

1: Hong Kong
Total score: 83.4

2013 rank: 1

Facts About The Oilsands

Fort McMurray, a.k.a. 'Oilsands City'

Stunning Population Growth
Fort McMurray, Alberta, has seen its population grow from 926 in 1951, to more than 60,000 today -- a growth rate of 70,000 per cent over 60 years. The city grew by 14,000 people, or 29 per cent, in just the 2006 to 2011 period.

Source: StatsCan

Far More Men Than Women

Whereas in Alberta in general there are approximately 99 to 104 men for every 100 women, in Fort McMurray, where male-dominated oil jobs dominate, that ratio is skewed well towards men. There are 110 to 140 men for every 100 women in Fort McMurray, depending on the neighbourhood.

Source: Kevin Correia

Arm And A Leg For Housing

The average price of a two-bedroom apartment in April, 2011, was $2,152 -- comparable to major Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver. For those rates to be affordable, you'd need to earn at least $80,000 per year. But given that oil workers can earn as much as $120,000, that is, actually, affordable by Fort McMurray standards.

Source: Wood Buffalo Regional Municipality

Third Largest Oil Reserves In The World

Fort McMurray sits at the centre of what is now recognized as the third-largest proven supply of oil in the world. Alberta has 170.8 billion barrels of oil in the ground, about 12 per cent of the world's total. By comparison, Saudi Arabia has 260 billion barrels, and Venezuela 211 billion. The oil sands' share of that total continues to grow, and with it, Fort McMurray's importance to the industry. The city is expected to quadruple in size, to about 231,000, within 20 years.

Source: Government of Alberta

Giant Job Machine

There are 140,000 people employed in Alberta's oil and gas extraction industry -- a very large number, considering the province's total population of 3.6 million. In all, energy counts for 23.4 per cent of Alberta's economy.

Source: Government of Alberta

Now That's Cold

Classified as a sub-Arctic zone, Fort McMurray is bitingly cold, even by Canadians' standards. The average night-time low in January is minus-24 Celsius, or minus-11 Fahrenheit, though the average daytime high in July does reach a decent 23 Celsius (73 Fahrenheit).

Source: The Weather Network

Celebs Against The Oilsands

Actress Neve Campbell

Rocker Neil Young

Actress Daryl Hannah

Musician Gord Downie
Lead singer for the Tragically Hip

Musician Jim Cuddy
From Blue Rodeo

Dr. David Suzuki

Musician Sarah Harmer

Canadian author and social activist Naomi Klein

Thursday, 16 January 2014

The 7 Most Overused Tory Talking Points

7. Strong, Stable Majority Government
Majority governments are by definition strong and stable, so this talking point essentially means nothing. Do the Tories really think they'll win another majority by reminding us they already have one?

6. The NDP's Illegal Union Donations
Curious about the questionable campaign fundraising done by Tory ministers Peter Penashue and Dean Del Mastro? Well the Conservatives have an answer for you. The NDP is much, much worse. While the New Democrats did pay back nearly $350,000 in sponsorship money from unions after Elections Canada found the party guilty of violating campaign finance laws, that doesn't give the Tories the right to ignore legitimate questions about their own fundraising practices. Then again, why answer questions when you can just blame the other guy?

5. Alexandre Boulerice's Separatist Past
When NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice asks the government something in question period he usually already knows the Tories' answer. 'Remember when you were a separatist?' Boulerice has long since admitted he used to sympathize with separatists and it's time for the Tories (we're looking at you Pierre Poilievre) to let this one go.

4. Liberals Are The Only Ones To Be Found Guilty Of Misleading Robocalls
Instead of answering questions about allegations of misleading robocalls during the 2011 election, the Tories generally pivot and remind people the Liberals are the only party that has actually been found guilty of phone-call shenanigans. While this is true, it doesn't erase the fact that Elections Canada's investigation seems to have a fair bit to do with the CPC. Canadians deserve to know what really happened on election day, but the Tories seem content to remind us of their rival's misdeeds. Let's hope all that ends in 2013.

3. No Money Has Been Spent On The F-35 Acquisition
No answer regarding the now-scuttled acquisition of the F-35 is complete without reminding the audience that no money has been spent on the purchase. Well, as long as you don't count all the cash spent on the flashy press conference in 2010 when Peter MacKay got to sit in the cockpit right? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say plenty of money has been spent trying to replace Canada's ageing CF-18s, it's just that none of it has actually been on new planes? The Tories aren't fooling anyone here. It's time to admit mistakes were made.

2. One Of The Strongest Economies In The Developed World
Concerned about a housing bubble? Worried about Canada's shift toward a more resource-based economy? Put those fears to rest, things are much worse everywhere else. At least, that's what the Tories keep telling us. But are they really? Two problems: 1. Were the Tories responsible for the relative stability of Canada's banking system after the crash? Not so much. The IMF has credited regulations introduced by former Liberal finance minister Paul Martin in the 1990s. 2. Things are now better in the U.S., at least in terms of GDP growth, than they are here. The U.S.'s GDP grew nearly 5 times faster than Canada's in the third quarter of 2012. It's time for the Tories to admit that while Canada weathered the economic crisis well, the country now faces new problems that will require new solutions and not more tired talking points.

1. Job-Killing Carbon Tax
Even though the NDP has never proposed a carbon tax, the Tories continue to hammer this talking point home every chance they get. Got a question about the F-35? Remind them about the carbon tax. Allegations of misleading robocalls? Did we tell you about the carbon tax? The phrase has become such a predictable refrain that it has inspired one of the most dangerous drinking games in Ottawa's history. Let's hope this one evaporates in 2013.

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Most Financially Irresponsible Cities

*Difference between a city's planned spending changes, and what it actually reports, 2003 to 2012.

24 (WORST): Halton Region, Ont.
Includes Burlington, Oakville.

Budget inaccuracy*: 22.2%

23: Vaughan, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 19.9%

22: Brampton, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 18.7%

21: Peel Region, Ont.
Includes Mississauga, Brampton.

Budget inaccuracy*: 13.7%

20: Markham, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 12.7%

19: York Region, Ont.
Includes Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan.

Budget inaccuracy*: 12.6%

18: Edmonton, Alta.
Budget inaccuracy*: 11.4%

17: Ottawa, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 11%

16: Vancouver, B.C.
Budget inaccuracy*: 9.8%

15: Mississauga, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 9.5%

14: Windsor, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 8.5%

13: Montreal, Que.
Budget inaccuracy*: 8.3%

12: Surrey, B.C.
Budget inaccuracy*: 8.1%

11: Saskatoon, Sask.
Budget inaccuracy*: 8%

10: Sudbury, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 7.7%

9: Hamilton, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 7%

8: London, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 6.7%

7: Calgary, Alta.
Budget inaccuracy*: 6.1%

6: Durham Region, Ont.
Includes Oshawa, Pickering Ajax.

Budget inaccuracy*: 5.9%

5: Winnipeg, Man.
Budget inaccuracy*: 5.6%

4: Halifax, N.S.
Budget inaccuracy*: 5.5%

3: Niagara Region, Ont.
Includes St. Catharines, Niagara Falls.

Budget inaccuracy*: 5.3%

2: Waterloo Region, Ont.
Includes Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo.

Budget inaccuracy*: 4.7%

1 (BEST): Toronto, Ont.
Budget inaccuracy*: 3.7%

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has a lot of support in the 905 — the sprawling suburban region surrounding Toronto — thanks to his image as a fiscally responsible leader.

But maybe those 905 residents should be asking Rob Ford to jump ship to their own cities, because while Toronto comes out on top in a ranking of most fiscally accountable cities in Canada, the suburban cities of the 905 rank among the worst, according to a new study from the C.D. Howe Institute.

That's despite the fact some of these 905 cities are actually running large surpluses. The study says these cities' accounting methods are causing them to overstate the costs of projects at their start, then understate the costs later on.

The study ranks municipalities according to the difference between what they say they will spend in their budgets, and what they end up actually spending.

On that measure, Toronto is tops in Canada, with a 3.7 per cent difference between planned and actual spending. Compare that to nearby Halton Region, where Oakville and Burlington are located, and where the difference is a full 22.2 per cent.

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

How Much Do Our MPs Make?

Here's a rundown of how much our MPs make depending on their position in the House.

MP - $157,731
The base salary for a Member of Parliament is $157,731. Being named to cabinet or other positions nets an MP extra pay.

Government and Opposition Whip - $186,151
NDP MP Nycole Turmel is the Official Opposition Whip.

Leaders of Other Parties - $211,425
Bob Rae is the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Minister of State - $214,368
Tim Uppal is the Minister of State for Democratic Reform. Ministers of State are essentially junior cabinet ministers.

Cabinet Minister - $233,247
Jim Flaherty is Minister of Finance. All ministers also receive a car allowance of $2,122.

Leader of the Opposition - $233,247
As NDP chief, Thomas Mulair is leader of the Official Opposition. He also receives a $2,122 car allowance.

Speaker of the House - $233,247
Andrew Scheer is currently serving as speaker. On top of his salary, Scheer receives a rent allowance of $3,000 and a car allowance of $1,061.