The problem is Greece has had a socialist society with all kinds of entitlement programs for so many years.
Heck they can retire at 53 and claim their pension. Here we have to work till 65. Greeks don't want the government to make cuts their entitlements so they have resorted to rioting in the streets. Three people so far have died as a result.
Quebec also has very generous entitlement programs for years, like $7 a day daycare, cheap university tuition, etc. Even though they receive $8.6 billion in equalization, they still have a debt of nearly $170 billion.
First, the extra one percentage point that Quebec pays on its nearly $170-billion debt translates to $1.7 billion in extra interest each year, money that could be used for many other pressing needs. As an example, over five or six years, it would most likely have been sufficient to pay for Montreal's new teaching hospitals.Greece and Quebec both have an entitlement mentality. They both have all these generous "social justice" programs and both can't balance their budgets. Greece is in deep trouble. Quebec isn't quite there yet but could be unless they wake up and smell the coffee and stop their out of control spending of other peoples money, they will be in deep trouble.
Equalization needs to go. As an Albertan, I'm like a German who doesn't want my money to go to prop up a state who has trouble getting their own house in order. Quebec has become so dependent it's like a junkie with his drugs and it's never enough. They always want more. I say NO MORE!
Lately, Quebecers such as Conservative MP Maxime Bernier have criticized Quebec's overreliance on equalization, saying Quebecers are "spoiled children."
That junkie (Quebec) has to be responsible and go cold turkey, get clean and get their house in order or they will be Greece in the future. I don't want to have to bail them out! They get too much already.
So you have here just two examples of how SOCIALISM DOES NOT WORK!!!
Socialism as well pratice by Venezuela Hugo Chavez has reduced the once most wealth country in South America has to rubbles.
ReplyDeleteRalph Klein said to Albertans "you have two choices, you either pay down the alberta debt or you can continue increasing the debt. Not bad choices but one way or the other we had to do something and fast which we did. we went 'cold turkey' for almost twenty years. And guess what frmgrl, we are still here none went mad or crazy but we survived this is why we can do a lot of talking because of the experience we went through killing off the debt.
Quebec will lose manufacturing firms; quebecer themselves most likely will leave and who will be left to pay of the debt.
Yet Quebec instead of being grateful for the billions which they get from provinces and putting towards paying down the debt, infrastructure etc. The Quebec government simply through away the money on 'gifts'.
Sooner or later, provinces will send petitions to Quebec stating "NO MORE MONEY" and no amount of threats in the polls will help either.
Can you imagine, a 'poor' province dictates to others how we must keep them alive but must keep our noses out of their affairs when we investigate into 'where' the billions of dollars of our money is disappearing into.
Maxine Bernier is seeing his province fall apart and hopes to convince his quebecers that they cannot continue down the road into GREECE2. which I have the feeling most quebecers have no clue.
Jen,exactly. Sure it was painful for awhile when Ralph took on the debt but it finally got paid down. We became a prosperous province until the spending spree started up again. Now we have to make tough decisions again. That's why I think we need Wildrose Alliance at the helm. They have the cajones to actually to do something.
ReplyDeleteThanks farmgirl a subject dear to my heart. I have asked in the many astute pages of BT before the following question: if Quebec defaults who is responsible to pick up the pieces? Some wish to ignore the issue, some don't care and some due to their overwhelming love for all things Quebec would lie on the train track to save them. But the fact remains, Quebec does as it pleases within Canada and who is responsible for their actions? What do you think? (real conservative)
ReplyDeleteOntario isn't quite as bad but the McGuinty's Liberals have been trodding down the same road in Quebec's dust for too many years now.
ReplyDeleteQuebec does as it pleases within Canada and who is responsible for their actions? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI think it's about time Quebec starting acting like adults and take responsibility for their own actions at the same time it's up to ROC to try a little tough love and not give in every time Quebec has a tantrum.
History will look back and say that, ironically, Lucien Bouchard was the architect of Quebec's failure to advance Quebec's interests. Since Quebec votes for the BLOC, and now are not given any benefits from the parties in power, they are losing more and more influence. They have no cabinet ministers and are not really part of any serious policy debates.
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