Selling Off Crown Assets in Ontario: Any Taxpayer Benefits?

Interesting article in the Globe and Mail online (Ontario ponders sale of Crown corporations to beat down deficit by Andrew Willis and Boyd Erman; December 15, 2009).  It seems that the Ontario Government, in an attempt to tackle their multi-billion dollar deficit, is looking at various crown corporations as possible salable assets.  Logic is, if I understand correctly, that they can sell off these businesses for money which can then be used to pay down the massive debt.

One of the key assets on the table is Hydro One.  You know, that company which provides electricity and — for many Ontarians — heat; a necessity in this the Great White North.  That company to whom we all pay a “debt reduction charge” each month, above and beyond our usage rate, in order to help them with their debt load.  (Author’s note: if only I could convince province residents to help pay down MY debt load!)

So here is what I want to know.  If the Ontario government sells off Hydro One to private investors, do those private investors then take on that debt which Ontario taxpayers are currently on the hook for?  Will that charge come off of our bills immediately?  Will our hydro rates rise commensurately with the theoretical removal of the debt retirement fee?  How will rates be regulated moving forward — or will they be?

The other crown corporations concern me less, to be honest — I just don’t see the Ontario Lotto and Gaming Corporation (OLG) or the LCBO as fundamental necessities.  The fact that they do provide revenue to the Ontario Government coffers does, however, make me wonder whether a one-time sale can make up for ongoing revenue.  If these crown corporations are profitable, does it not make sense to keep them on as a long-term investment with guaranteed base revenue?  What happens if Ontario sells off these assets in a one-time bid to reduce overall debt, but then finds itself unable to respond financially the next time it finds itself in the hole?  Higher taxes yet again?

Bottom line: I’m concerned.

Read the original article in the Globe and Mail online here.

[Via http://mediaviber.wordpress.com]

Travel Photographer of the Year - 2009

The winners of Travel Photographer of the Year for 2009 have been announced. Here is the winners gallery. Congratulations to Akash from Bangledesh for a stunning win. I am sure he will see as many benefits to his career as I did from my win in 2008. What a fantastic portfolio of images Akash!

I was also very happy to see a number of Canadians in the winners circle. Go Canada go! I was especially thrilled to see my friend Larry Louie from Edmonton in the winner’s circle. And also congrats to Lung Liu from Toronto for continued amazing work.

©G.M.B. Akask

[Via http://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com]

Alex Jones to Eugenicist Diane Francis: KILL YOURSELF

Alex Jones’ Message to Doomsday Cultists and Eugenicists like Diane Francis: KILL YOURSELF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXk__hJMdZs

 

Diane Francis Spews Her Eugenics One-Child Propaganda on Fox News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnBpSORUWtk

Furious Reaction To Sick Editorial Calling For Global One Child Dictatorship

Genocidal Climate Change Policy is Killing Third World Nations

 

[Via http://noworldsystem.com]

IRS Studying ‘Protocols’ for Joint Audits With Other Countries Share Business

By Ryan J. Donmoyer Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) –

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is working with tax-collection agencies in other countries on how to conduct joint audits of multinational corporations, Commissioner Douglas Shulman said. “We are in the very early stages of looking at these protocols,” Shulman said today at a conference in Washington co-sponsored by the IRS and George Washington University. Shulman had said in June he was discussing the idea with officials in other nations. Joint audits would be part of a global effort to crack down on cross-border tax evasion, spurred in the last year by tax- evasion cases involving banks in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Barry Shott, deputy IRS commissioner in charge of international tax issues, said joint audits probably would be conducted by a special agency set up by the U.S. and other countries in 2004 to share information about tax shelters. “It’s new,” Shott said regarding the joint audit program. “I think you’re going to see more of it.” The special agency, the Joint International Tax Shelter Information Center, has offices in Washington and London. Members include the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and Japan. China and South Korea participate as observers. The agency has been used in limited cases to track individuals and companies suspected of flouting tax laws. Shulman said he has expanded the agency’s scope to encourage the exchange of information about a broader range of tax-avoidance techniques. To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan J. Donmoyer at e-mail rdonmoyer@bloomberg.net

[Via http://tigertail6.wordpress.com]

Statement: Minister Kenney extends birthday wishes to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan

Ottawa, December 11, 2009 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, issued the following statement on the birthday this coming Sunday of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan:

“I would like to extend warm birthday wishes to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan.

“The Aga Khan has now been the spiritual leader of the Shia Nizari Ismaili Muslims for more than half a century. During that time he has exerted a profound influence both within and far beyond his community, and has become an extraordinary example of compassion and tolerance.

“This is most evident in the Aga Khan Development Network, which he founded and now chairs, and which works towards social, economic, and cultural development in Asia and Africa.

“It is an honour for Canada that the Aga Khan has chosen Ottawa as the site of the Global Centre for Pluralism and the new Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, and that he is establishing the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre in Toronto.

“Earlier this year, in a moment of great pride for Canadians, His Highness was granted honourary Canadian citizenship in recognition of what Prime Minister Harper described as his ‘leadership as a champion of development, pluralism and tolerance around the world.’

“As Prime Minister Harper has said, ‘his name has become synonymous with humanitarian aid and development in countries beset by conflict and poverty. Just as importantly, he has worked tirelessly as a bridge-builder between faiths and cultures.’

“As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I wish His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan a long, healthy, and blessed life.”

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

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[Via http://sjpaderborn.wordpress.com]

What was I thinking?

December 11, 2009:

Genoa, Italy –  Sunny 15C

Toronto, Canada  -  Snowing, -5C

December 21st I will be in Canada, but first I have the priviledge of sailing in the Caribbean for 5 days with my husband. I will be on vacation for approximately 20 days, of which 4 will be spent scuttling off to airports and hotels. With any luck I will not get stuck in any snow storms like last year.

But this adventure brings me around to my usual packing woes as I prepare my luggage for 2 extreme climates. This morning when I switched on my computer my Google homepage informed me that it was -9C in Toronto! I look out my window at the sunny seaside and 15C here in Italy and although I have been romanticizing the idea of a good old-fashioned Canadian Christmas I can’t help but ask myself “What was I thinking?”

I used to love the “snow days” we would have in Canada when all the schools were closed because the weather was so bad. Now I see that the Italians have something similar. It’s called a “teacher’s strike”. How convenient that it just so happens that today is Friday and there are only 2 weeks left to get your Christmas shopping done? One thing I have noticed since I moved here is that strikes always seem to occur on Fridays…coincidence? I don’t think so!

[Via http://lmarmstrong66.wordpress.com]

PEOPLE AND PLACES: The Buried Life

The Buried Life

9 December 2009

One of the great things the Internet has the ability to highlight is will power.  It never ceases to amaze me how far passion can take you.  The Buried Life is a group of Canadian university students attempting to accomplish a list of “100 Things To Do Before You Die.”  Not only have they pursued this to the fullest of their abilities, but they inspire and assist others in their journeys as well.  From this I see two amazing things coming this project, through the use of technology:

1.  Collaboration

Yes, yes, we’ve heard it before, the Internet is all abut collaboration.  But, generally speaking, Internet collaboration refers to creating an application, a software, a product.  The great things about The Buried Life is that collaboration helps people accomplish personal goals and realise a dream.  Many things we hold as inconsequential or trivial may hold value to someone else.  This site is wrought with positivity in a way that not only brings out virtue, but stimulates creativity.  This here is a prime example of the kindness and collaboration of strangers:

2.  Grass-roots change and counter-hegemony

While it may have been a happy accident for MTV to stumble upon The Buried Life, this group of young teenagers have still evoked change – change in not only what defines young adults, but what characteristics are popular and trendy.  An article in  The New York Times noted that MTV wanted to change the direction of their programming to reflect the Obama era of change and “positive social messages.”  However, The Buried Life precedes the Obama reign, and to some extent, were innovators in the youth social responsibility in an decade characterised by consumerism, superficiality, and, for lack of a better word, dumbass-ery.  But, in some ways, they completely epitomise our young adult culture – revelling in spectacle.  The entire project was created on film, meant to be seen and heard.  Nevertheless, change doesn’t necessarily have to be in grand gestures.  It can borrow from the elements of the current state of society to create a new powers of influence and, potentially the most important of all, redefine our generation.

I am curious, though, as to what exactly others find captivating about this young group of adults.  Moreover, why do people feel compelled to help them and would they help others in this same capacity if it did not lead to the possibility of being profiled?  Were The Buried Life not up-and-coming Internet sensations and soon-to-be reality TV-show stars, I highly doubt Global News would allow them to open the 6 o’clock news.

[Via http://avenuel.wordpress.com]