[Motorcycleboy]

Robair Robair:

I've never used EI, but something similar. After a car wreck that ended my flying career, SGI (sask. auto insurance) gave me assistance to go back to school (mechanical eng tech). Could not have made it without.

So shit happens. Revisit it? Sure, but there should be a safety net.

I didn't say we should abolish insurance payouts to victim's of car accidents. I said we should abolish EI. Apples and oranges.

[Motorcycleboy]

$1:

Donny_Brasco
Where will this "surplus" come from...magic? Or do you propose that we continue to pay our EI premiums after they cancel the program.

Try reading a newspaper sometime. The EI surplus already exists. It began to accumulate in the mid 90's when the Liberals brought in restrictions on who could apply for it, thereby reducing payouts while keeping premiums at the same level (one of their better ideas).

At last count, it was about 40+ billion.

$1:

but very goofy post.

You are correct. Your reply was very goofy. Nothing new there though.

[Motorcycleboy]

Avro Avro:

Interesting post from a police officer with a job for life.

Unbelievably typical.

Excellent point Avro. As someone who doesn't have to worry about layoffs, I should be precluded from opining on government policy regarding such issues.

And I assume that you will be consistent and in future refrain from commenting on matters military. After all, you've never worn your country's uniform, and will never be expected to put your life on the line in it's service.

And while we're at it, I guess you can also stay quiet on this subject. As a unionized public servant in the custodial trade, the chances of you ever having to face a layoff range from slim to none.

[RockyMtn_Girl]

Motorcycleboy Motorcycleboy:

The American news program 60 minutes did a segment on Alberta's oil boom in February. In it they highlighted the fact that 21 year olds on their first jobs could earn as much as $120 000 a year driving trucks in the oil fields. Even unskilled labourers at Tim Horton's in Fort Macmurray can earn up to $18 an hour serving coffee!

I'm guessing that 60 Minutes didn't say anything about the crazy cost of living in Fort Mac or the fact that even with a job, you probably won't find anywhere to live.

$1:

Rental Rates
Apartment renters can expect to pay the "High end" rate. Units in the "Low end" range are seldom available.
Apartment Rental Rates - Fort McMurray - February 2006
Damage Deposit is usually one month's rent

VACANCY RATE 0.7%

High end
$/month
Average

Bachelor suite $1,100 $987
1 Bedroom $1,600 $1,226
2 Bedroom $1,900 $1,387
3 Bedroom $1,900 $1,593
4 Bedroom $1,750 $1,750
Information courtesy Fort McMurray Landlord and Tenants Advisory Board.

The following link has a lot of useful information for people thinking of moving to the Fort Mac area.

$1:

Emergency shelters are full.
You can avoid disappointment by researching cost of living and vacancy rate now. Use these pages and links to find information so you can make informed decisions about your potential for employment in Fort McMurray and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. If you have trouble finding what you need, Contact Us for directions.

Fort McMurray Labour Market

Encouraging people to move out west for work is fine but unfortunately, the infrastructure is not in place to support the 100's that are moving here daily now. Lack of affordable housing a very real problem for many.

[Arctic_Menace]

Motorcycleboy Motorcycleboy:

The time has come to wrap up the EI program.

In the 1970's and 80's, unemployment was a real problem in Canada.

But that's no longer the case. The combination of an aging demographic and a red hot economy has virtually eliminated unemployment in this country. We are now at historic lows.

The American news program 60 minutes did a segment on Alberta's oil boom in February. In it they highlighted the fact that 21 year olds on their first jobs could earn as much as $120 000 a year driving trucks in the oil fields. Even unskilled labourers at Tim Horton's in Fort Macmurray can earn up to $18 an hour serving coffee!

The only thing slowing growth in the oil sector is a labour shortage.

In an economy like that, it's crazy to pay Maritime fishermen benefits all year round to fish 3 months a year. And it's even crazier to give out any kind of benefits to lazy 20 somethings in Northern Ontario or any part of Quebec, who don't have the balls to go out west and earn a decent living.

It's time to wrap up the EI program and use the surplus to pay down the national debt.

That would reduce interest payments, which in turn could be put againt the same debt creating a "reverse spiral" of ever decreasing debt without drawing money away from health care, defence, and other worthy priorities.

There'd be alot of screaming in the beginning, but before you know it, the legions of unemployed in Gander and the Gaspe would move out west and find good jobs.

Time for these types to start contributing rather than sponging. Eliminating EI would be a good way to encourage that.

And when Unemployment comes around again? What then, genius?

[Motorcycleboy]

RockyMtn_Girl RockyMtn_Girl:

Encouraging people to move out west for work is fine but unfortunately, the infrastructure is not in place to support the 100's that are moving here daily now. Lack of affordable housing a very real problem for many.

The main thing preventing the construction of new housing in FM is lack of construction workers, which brings me back to my point.

Also, by your own figures, a worker can expect to find a small apartment for about $1100 a month. That's a pittance for someone earning $120 000 a year plus.

[Motorcycleboy]

Arctic_Menace Arctic_Menace:

And when Unemployment comes around again? What then, genius?

And what if it doesn't?

Our resources are finite. We don't need massive, expensive social programs for possible future problems. Better to use the money now to deal with the demands of today, or better yet, pay down debt to reduce interest payments, thereby improving our financial position for when those rainy days arrive.

If we need to re-introduce some type of employment insurance in the future, then we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Arctic_Menace]

You should always be prepared for the worst.


What if hte new program turns out to be flop? Or money from it is flowing into the current party's pockets? Just let it be man, let it be.....

[RockyMtn_Girl]

Motorcycleboy Motorcycleboy:

RockyMtn_Girl RockyMtn_Girl:

Encouraging people to move out west for work is fine but unfortunately, the infrastructure is not in place to support the 100's that are moving here daily now. Lack of affordable housing a very real problem for many.

The main thing preventing the construction of new housing in FM is lack of construction workers, which brings me back to my point.

Also, by your own figures, a worker can expect to find a small apartment for about $1100 a month. That's a pittance for someone earning $120 000 a year plus.

A worker cannot expect to find a small apartment, or any apartment for that matter, with vacancy rate less than 1%; and the city of Fort Mac is constantly shutting down "tent cities" that spring up. The whole situation is a catch 22. People are flocking there for work but there's nowhere for them to live. It's pretty hard to maintain a job if you're living out of a tent with no running water or facilities. The problem with Alberta's economy is that it has taken off too fast and we were unprepared for it.

I'm not sure what the answer is but sending people out here with no game plan on how they're supposed to live isn't a viable solution.

[Motorcycleboy]

$1:

Arctic_Menace
You should always be prepared for the worst.

By that reasoning, you must be a supporter of Bush's Ballistic Missile Defence Shield. After all, none of the countries opposed to America at the moment have the capability of launching ICBM's at the US. But someday they might. Why not spend billions on it now?

$1:

What if hte new program turns out to be flop? Or money from it is flowing into the current party's pockets? Just let it be man, let it be.....

I don't want to start up a new program. I want to scrap it and use the money to pay off the debt. That's not a new program.

EI is a loser anyway. Essentially, it's nothing more than another welfare program for the Maritimes and Quebec. We shouldn't be subsidizing people to remain unemployed or underemployed.

Economies are healthier when people go to where the money is rather than the other way around.

[Motorcycleboy]

RockyMtn_Girl RockyMtn_Girl:

A worker cannot expect to find a small apartment, or any apartment for that matter, with vacancy rate less than 1%; and the city of Fort Mac is constantly shutting down "tent cities" that spring up. The whole situation is a catch 22. People are flocking there for work but there's nowhere for them to live. It's pretty hard to maintain a job if you're living out of a tent with no running water or facilities. The problem with Alberta's economy is that it has taken off too fast and we were unprepared for it.

I'm not sure what the answer is but sending people out here with no game plan on how they're supposed to live isn't a viable solution.

I realize infrastructure there lags behind the economy. That's natural in a boom town.

But it's also temporary. Historically, people have found a way to house and feed themselves when economic circumstances make it worth their while to do so. That's how it worked as far back as the Klondike gold rush, or Alberta in the late 70's.

[Arctic_Menace]

$1:

By that reasoning, you must be a supporter of Bush's Ballistic Missile Defence Shield.

Okay, then let me rephrase that.....

One must always be prepared the worst, and not prepare for a stupid and pointless idea that will start another arms race and will infringe upon a country's sovereignty.....

$1:

I don't want to start up a new program. I want to scrap it and use the money to pay off the debt.

You mean the one that the Liberals were paying down? The one that now, I'm guessing, youa re afraid that the Conservatives are gonna screw it up?

[Scape]

Motorcycleboy Motorcycleboy:

Economies are healthier when people go to where the money is rather than the other way around.

Regionalization of EI would be more effective then. t should be more focused for areas that are more dependent upon seasonal employee's such as harvest time in order to function but do not have the money to retrain an entire work force every season. Your idea of economic triage is akin to shooting the sick when it would be far cheaper and make far more sense to have short term aid coupled with skilled worker programs.

We should not be subsiding people to be unemployed or unemployed for long term and we should also not be funding white elephants but EI is neither.

[Motorcycleboy]

$1:

Arctic Menace:
Okay, then let me rephrase that.....

One must always be prepared the worst, and not prepare for a stupid and pointless idea that will start another arms race and will infringe upon a country's sovereignty.....

Oh, I see. You support thowing away billions of dollars for potential future problems that you're concerned about, but you oppose fantasy programs with which you disagree.

$1:

You mean the one that the Liberals were paying down? The one that now, I'm guessing, youa re afraid that the Conservatives are gonna screw it up?

Why would I be afraid of that? Harper's budget sets aside 3 billion for debt reduction this year.

The only governments in Canada running deficits these days are the Ontario Provincial Liberals, NDP Toronto city council and Quebec. Although to his credit, Liberal Quebec Premier Jean Charest (a former Mulroney Cabinet Minister and Tory at heart) has been making valiant efforts to reign spending in there.

[Arctic_Menace]

$1:

fantasy programs with which you disagree.

Ones that are stupid, pointless, unnecessary, and infringing upon another nation because of a constant state of fear and paranoia......