Trump attacks unemployment in the USA promising to concentrate on getting Americans employed. This is a motherhood issue for the USA. It is an easy plank to insert in a political platform to get low cost, high-value votes. However, increasing employment in the USA requires not only the reduction of imports and access to imports but also the acceptance by the American consumer of the higher prices associated with buying domestically manufactured goods. No politician can make that claim.
The USA is one of the largest traders in the world. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/imports It has an approximate trade deficit of $41144.00 million. Any protectionist policy shift to keep jobs in the USA is likely to result in retaliation from other countries affected by the protectionist policy. There would have to be a net increase in jobs created in the shift to a sufficient extent to justify the consequences of the retaliation. Trade protectionism has proven to be a failing strategy. Although there may be positive results in the short term, it has turned out to be a bad decision in the long run. http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/Trade-Protectionism.htm
A well-known example is the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930. By the time the tariff became law, it had become much more encompassing than originally drafted. Other countries retaliated such that it prolonged the adverse effects of the Great Depression. http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/Trade-Protectionism.htm Not only have the measures taken to enhance employment had to result in more jobs, but the adverse consequences cannot be under-estimated. Will Americans pay more for the lifestyle to keep Americans employed at a fair living wage? Maybe, but they may not be able to tell whether goods were made wholly or substantially in the USA according to Consumer Reports. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/02/made-in-america/index.htm In June of 2016, Rasmussen polled 1000 adults (hardly representative of the US public) who supported the idea. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business. This statement is countered by statistics in more reliable and reasonable research. In an article written by Drew DeSilver writing for PEW Research where he states that “Americans are relatively unconcerned about the wide income gap between rich and poor”. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/07/5-facts-about-economic-inequality/. The accompanying statistics show a complete lack of social consciousness to the continuing job-related inequalities in the USA. American made goods are too expensive. An article by Catherine New in the Huffington Post highlights an effort by Mike Catherwood, the co-host on the radio advice show “Loveline” who has been trying to buy only American-made products in a personal study of one-year duration reported on his Domestic Journey blog. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/made-in-america-the-luxury-label-will-cost-you_n_1891127.html People are price conscious. Wages versus the cost of goods is a primary consideration. When push comes to shove, people might buy American but it is just too expensive. The US political system will delay or arrest a progression to employing Americans at a fair wage. The US Political System, being a two party system, is not designed to allow open-mindedness and fair play into the system This matter was reviewed by David Akadjian / Daily Kos http://www.alternet.org/economy/america-land-low-pay-numbers-will-surprise-you In a two party political system, politicians are two affected by groups of intense and highly financed corporate lobbyists. Politicians are always looking to the next election, for which they need financial support, so corporate support is their target. Business looks for greater profit, which is found not through competitive consumer pricing, but by many of the largest retailers reducing wages and benefits to their employees. Walmart pressures down wages and benefits for employees. Costco pays salaries 70% higher that Walmart through innovative methods of remuneration. Business profitability, especially in larger retailers, does not support or compliment higher priced goods or higher wages. The business wants the profit and will keep the excess. Donald Trump cannot succeed on his promise to increase US jobs without the participation of the US public in the purchase of domestically produced products at a higher price. It is not just about employment; it is also employment at a fair wage. Politicians should be accountable for their statements and be required to provide a fully considered policy, not a hip shoot, vote-getting baseless statement. I am reminded of a speech by Michael Douglas’s character in the movie, The American President when he criticizes the character ably played by Richard Dreyfus on appealing to people’s fears to gain election without having a solution for them. Substitute Donald Trump for Bob Rumson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zemrWBIc_hE Although Trump attacks unemployment in the USA, the political system, corporate business interests and the consumer, will be unwilling to support the changes in consumer pricing and spending sanction the payment of a living wage if it affects adversely their bottom line, their ability to buy or their quality of their lifestyle.http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/imports “>”>http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/imports
It has an approximate trade deficit of $41144.00 million.
Any protectionist policy shift to keep jobs in the USA is likely to result in retaliation from other countries affected by the protectionist policy. There would have to be a net increase in jobs created in the shift to a sufficient extent to justify the consequences of the retaliation. Trade protectionism has proven to be a failing strategy. Although there may be positive results in the short term, it has turned out to be a bad decision in the long run. http://useconomy.about.com/od/glossary/g/Trade-Protectionism.htm
A well-known example is the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930. By the time the tariff became law, it had become much more encompassing than originally drafted. Other countries retaliated such that it prolonged the adverse effects of the Great Depression.
Not only have the measures taken to enhance employment had to result in more jobs, but the adverse consequences cannot be under-estimated.
Will Americans pay more for the lifestyle to keep Americans employed at a fair living wage? Maybe, but they may not be able to tell whether goods were made wholly or substantially in the USA according to Consumer Reports. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/02/made-in-america/index.htm
In June of 2016, Rasmussen polled 1000 adults (hardly representative of the US public) who supported the idea. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business. This statement is countered by statistics in more reliable and reasonable research. In an article written by Drew DeSilver writing for PEW Research where he states that “Americans are relatively unconcerned about the wide income gap between rich and poor”. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/07/5-facts-about-economic-inequality/. The accompanying statistics show a complete lack of social consciousness to the continuing job-related inequalities in the USA.

American made goods are too expensive. An article by Catherine New in the Huffington Post highlights an effort by Mike Catherwood, the co-host on the radio advice show “Loveline” who has been trying to buy only American-made products in a personal study of one-year duration reported on his Domestic Journey blog. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/17/made-in-america-the-luxury-label-will-cost-you_n_1891127.html
People are price conscious. Wages versus the cost of goods is a primary consideration. When push comes to shove, people might buy American but it is just too expensive.
The US political system will delay or arrest a progression to employing Americans at a fair wage. The US Political System, being a two party system, is not designed to allow open-mindedness and fair play into the system
This matter was reviewed by David Akadjian / Daily Kos http://www.alternet.org/economy/america-land-low-pay-numbers-will-surprise-you
In a two party political system, politicians are two affected by groups of intense and highly financed corporate lobbyists. Politicians are always looking to the next election, for which they need financial support, so corporate support is their target.
Business looks for greater profit, which is found not through competitive consumer pricing, but by many of the largest retailers reducing wages and benefits to their employees. Walmart pressures down wages and benefits for employees. Costco pays salaries 70% higher that Walmart through innovative methods of remuneration. Business profitability, especially in larger retailers, does not support or compliment higher priced goods or higher wages. The business wants the profit and will keep the excess.
Donald Trump cannot succeed on his promise to increase US jobs without the participation of the US public in the purchase of domestically produced products at a higher price. It is not just about employment; it is also employment at a fair wage. Politicians should be accountable for their statements and be required to provide a fully considered policy, not a hip shoot, vote-getting baseless statement. I am reminded of a speech by Michael Douglas’s character in the movie, The American President when he criticizes the character ably played by Richard Dreyfus on appealing to people’s fears to gain election without having a solution for them. Substitute Donald Trump for Bob Rumson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zemrWBIc_hE
Although Trump attacks unemployment in the USA, the political system, corporate business interests and the consumer, will be unwilling to support the changes in consumer pricing and spending sanction the payment of a living wage if it affects adversely their bottom line, their ability to buy or their quality of their lifestyle.

Today is July 15 2016. The trending news is disturbing. We can choose between the mass carnage in niece France, the death of a mother and daughter at the hands of the mother’s former partner or the shaming of an innocent woman by a narcissistic self and edge and indulgent self-righteous classless publicity seeker.
In order of priority, there’s no doubt that the senseless death of the people in Nice France has to be addressed. It is an example of how the person with a rage fueled set of distorted values and a complete disregard for human life can take a useful tool and turn it into a killing machine. The presence of possible explosives and firearms further enhances the heinousness of this individual’s determination to cause damage to innocent people.
The incident in Nice, France is virtually unpreventable. A lone individual, with tools that can cause massive death and destruction, would only be thwarted by luck. The fact that we have a name for the character of his objectives, “soft targets”, is indicative of the fact that we are all too aware of the vulnerability of a free thinking society to the acts of terror. It places the burden on us to be diligent, understand our surroundings and to prepare for an adverse event that could occur wherever we are. The act does not have to be deliberate nor does it have to be calculated. We just have to be able to react.
We send our thoughts to the families of the victims, to the first responders, and to those traumatized by the carnage.
Our family was saddened by the news of the Los of Taliyah Marsmen. Her death arising from a relationship between her mother and a former partner is repugnant. While the attacks on soft targets in Nice was no less than a terrorist act of the greatest magnitude, the unnecessary death of this five-year old who represented no threat is significantly troubling. Children are another form of soft target. They are so vuolnerable. Those of us who enter into social interactions have to think of our loved ones at the time that we get involved with others. It forces us to take stock of all or significant encounters socially, in business in friendships and in day-to-day life. We cannot ignore or be oblivious to the consequences of any relationship in any circumstance that we entertain. The presence of obvious signs of threat or a potential threat to what we hold dear has to be addressed.
In comparing the terrorist attack in Nice to the action of publicity seeker Deni Mathers, you have to wonder whether a comparison can be drawn between the terrorist in Nice and the conduct of Deni Mathers.
Both actions were designed for publicity, either to create publicity for a person or cause. In the case of the Nice terrorist, the cause will be determined. It will probably be linked to the proliferation of an ideology or an extreme religious belief that does not hold life sacred. In the case of Deni Mathers, the only thing that could have been intended by her social media publication is that she believes that she is better than anyone else.
Both behaviors have a significant, clinical, affected behavior taken to the extreme. Mathers went after a soft target. The person is not identified and is unlikely to be a body shape glamour seeker. Mathers represents a mindset that beauty is of greater value than the quality of the person. She does this publicly through testing the boarders of acceptable behavior, including parading nude, making controversial statements and breaking society-acceptable behavior.
The act of photographing a naked person in an area where there is an expectation of privacy has to be taken seriously. A photo-capable device used in areas where privacy is expected has to be a criminal offence. If the tables have been turned, you can bet that Mathers would’ve played up the situation to enhance her public image. There’s only one place where people like Mather’s matters can be sanctioned effectively, and that is in their pocketbook. It is up to corporate America, social networks, other publicity enterprises and the general public to make it not profitable ( and in fact a costly venture) for an individual to use publicly inappropriate methods to advance themselves financially. A criminal charge will result in an apology and a minimum sentence. The public simply has to avoid supporting any enterprises that would contract for Mather’s services so that she no longer becomes an asset to that enterprise.

The concept of the Uber nonprofessional taxi/limousine service (“Uber”) links user convenience and ignorance with a business scheme for making a quick dollar and the assumption of great risk by the Uber provider.
Google defines the word “uber” as denoting an outstanding or supreme example of a particular kind of person or thing. https://www.google.ca/#q=what+does+uber+mmean
The demand for Uber arises from a limit on the number of licensed taxis available, especially at peak times, and the refusal of taxis to do short tips. The assumption of the risk by a motor vehicle owner using their personal vehicle as an Uber reflects a demand for a quick financial gain and an ignorance of the negative consequences. Our governments, particularly in North America, regulate commercial livery vehicles to provide for the safety of the public. They also regulate the fee charged so that the livery drivers’ prices are competitive. Though not always cheaper than the prescribed taxi rate, Uber focuses only on providing a service to the public without the Uber owner/operator (“Owner”) necessarily following the community standards for safety enacted through laws and regulations to make the licensed taxi service safe.
UBER OWNER OPERATOR
As an Owner, they may assume risks that they may have not considered or have recklessly ignored.
Motor vehicle law in British Columbia, as well as all jurisdictions in North America, provides that cars must have appropriate insurance coverage to be used on the public roads. An Uber vehicle would have to buy much more expensive coverage of the vehicle is uninsured. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), the mandatory basic car insurance provider for British Columbia, published a notice on their website to individuals who use their private vehicles as a taxi or limousine. It states that unless a vehicle is insured for use as a taxi or limonene, ICBC will not provide coverage in the event of a motor vehicle accident while the Uber owner/operator is engaged in an Uber task. All automobile insurance providers are likely to have similar contractual provisions.
Vehicles that are used as taxis and limousines also require the following licensing and certificates:
1. The driver must have a commercial driver’s license;
2. Special license plates for vehicles who carry paying customers;
3. A license for the vehicle approved by the British Columbia Passenger Transportation Board;
4. A National Safety Code safety certificate for the vehicle;
5. Inspections every 6 months; and
6. Compliance with any other municipal rules or regulations.
The failure to comply with any one or more of these rules would likely result in a fine and the seizure of the vehicle. In the event of a collision, any fault attributable to the Owner would require them to compensate the injured parties for personal injury claims and property damages from their own money.
http://www.icbc.com/FAQ/Pages/insurance.aspx
The regulatory licensing expenses associated with taxi or limousine services are part of providing a safe service. The additional costs are factored into the fares. The Uber customer (“Customer”) does not know whether the vehicle and driver are in compliance with the laws. Although the Customer may be willing to accept the risk, the Owner is foolish to accept exposure to financial calamity for the limited income.
A second reason for an Owner not to participate is that if the vehicle is covered by a new car warranty, then the warranty is likely void effective first time that the vehicle is used as an Uber. The warranty cannot be reinstated.
A third reason for an Owner not to participate is that if they sell their car, they may have to disclose the Uber use to the purchaser, whether it is a private sale or a trade at a dealership. The disclosure of the Uber-use could have an adverse effect on the completion of the sale or the value of the vehicle for sale.
CUSTOMER RISK
Uber offers no reliable safeguards to the passenger user for the service that it profits from. In some cases, permits are issued by Uber or other similar organizations provided that the owner operator has done a criminal background check. All that means is that the person has never been caught and successfully prosecuted for criminal act.
The safety of the vehicle is assumed by the user. If the Customer suffered an injury as a passenger in the Uber vehicle, seek compensation from the parties at fault. If the Owner’s insurance is rendered void by their use of the vehicle as an Uber, then there is a possibility that Customers who suffer damage will not be compensated if the collision is the Owner’s fault.

I visited three car dealerships in the last month to investigate replacing my sport utility vehicle. I was dissatisfied with the lack of knowledge on relevant issues possessed by the initial sales person. The consistency of my experience suggests that automobile dealers are using a new tactic to gain sales.
The salespersons had common traits. They were attractive people, very likeable, had an outgoing personality oozing with confidence and an air of optimism. They made an effort to befriend me to gain my confidence. None of them knew very much about the particulars of the vehicles, the applicable interest rates and financing options. The description of one of the sales people on their business card read “guest advisor”. The acronym for guest advisor is “GA”. If you say it out loud, you get an indication of the quality of the information that will be provided by a GA when asked a question.
The GA’s response to a detailed question was often, “I have to see my manager”. An article on the website for Car and Driver states that the purpose of the “ask the manager” process is to make the manager look like the bad guy and to preserve the friendship between the GA and the customer. http://www.caranddriver.com/features/car-shopping-on-the-offensive-8-aggressive-buying-tactics-feature. The GA is there to sell themselves first. Once you invest your confidence in a GA, you are more likely to buy the vehicle. http://www.autonews.com/article/20141208/RETAIL06/312089963/high-salesperson-turnover-getting-worse-study-finds
I told one dealer that I was dissatisfied with the salesperson. They put me in touch with a manager who demonstrated the vehicles that I wanted to see. He possessed much of the knowledge that I required to make a decision. Do your own research before shopping for an automobile. Ask for a knowledgeable salesperson and keep friendship out of it.

 
The Syrian migrant situation has been addressed by the press as an issue for the 2015 federal Election. I believe that the Conservative government has acted prudently by proceeding with caution.
The vast majority of the people fleeing Syria in the face of the civil war are migrants and are not refugees. A migrant, particularly an economic migrant is defined by Wikipedia as “someone who has traveled from one region to another region for the purposes of seeking employment and an improvement in quality of life and access to resources. An economic migrant is distinct from someone who is a refugee fleeing persecution.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration
Though the crisis of the Syrian migrants cannot be ignored, Canada must refrain from caving in to pressure to accept thousands of the Syrian migrants without a carefully considered limitation on the number of persons and complete security processing. The Canadian economy is not generating enough tax dollars to incur the additional expense. The following are relevant issues to be considered and are only a sample of the relevant considerations.
1. Canadians wait three times longer for medical care than any other country with public medicine according to a June 13, 2014 article by the CBC. 1.2663013 http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/medical-wait-times-up-to-3-times-longer-in-canada-1.2663013
2. Canada has a 7 per cent unemployment rate not including those who are exempt from the statistics such as persons who care for their own children at home who would otherwise be working.
3. The Huffington Post Canada September 15, 2015 states one in ten Canadians is living below the poverty line http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/06/15/poor-canada-poverty-statistics-canada_n_877311.html
4. On Wednesday, December 10, 2014, The Star.com published an article about the fate of the Canadian economy if oil prices plunge. The 2014 Alberta Budget was based upon oil selling at $100.00 CDN per barrel. That estimate had to be re-calibrated to $75.00 at the time of the article. The article states: “Taxes earned from oil production are a large contributor to Ottawa’s bank account. Oil money pays for health care, new schools, roads and a host of government services and transfer payments.” In the event that oil should drop to or below $60.00 per barrel then “If prices continue to drop, oil sands development will be significantly slowed, says Matthew Mendelsohn, director of the Mowat Centre at the University of Toronto’s School of Public Policy and Governance. “What happens to all of this if oil is $60? I think at $60 a barrel expectations around oil sands growth are going to be significantly moderated,” he says.” As of September 14, 2015, the price per barrel of oil is $44.25 USD. http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/12/10/oil_price_plunge_would_be_felt_throughout_canadian_economy.html
5. In 2013, Statistics Canada reports a drop in persons employed in the fishing industry over the previous year http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/cfs-spc/tab/cfs-spc-tab2-eng.htm
6. A 2006 report by statistics Canada states that the lumber industry represents 0.07% of the Canadian economy. Canada has 10% of the world’s forest coverage.http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-621-m/11-621-m2007055-eng.htm Canada ranks as the No. 5 producer in the world. http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/countries-with-most-timber-producing-countries.html
7. The British Columbia mining industry had pre-tax net earnings for 2014 of $288 million,. In 2013, the pre-tax earnings were $1.387 billion. http://www.mining.bc.ca/mining-facts
8. The number of people employed in manufacturing dropped between 2004 and 2012 by an average of 2.2% (18,230 jobs) per year. There was a slight increase in 2011 over the year 2010. Administrative jobs dropped an average of 1% (4,400 jobs) per year over the same period. Statistics Canada shows increases in overall employment from 2010 until 2014, while the prospective unemployment rate is expected to grow as 2015 winds down. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/unemployment-rate.
9. There is precedent for Canada’s fears that operatives of terror organizations hide in throngs of fleeing people. There were the Boko Harem suicide bombers in Nigeria http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3149643/Dozens-killed-female-suicide-bombers-blow-middle-village-owd-Boko-Haram-jihadis-storm-Nigerian-village.html and the female suicide bomber in Sri Lanka. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2009/02/09/uk-srilanka-war-sb-idUKTRE5186CM20090209. An effective plan for infiltration by terrorist elements when there is little hope of beating the immigration safeguards is to have the terrorist element hide within the flood of persons seeking a safer place from a war-torn environment. Naive but well-meaning public pressure may result in Canada making quick and erroneous decision about the character of the displaced people who it admits on humanitarian grounds. It is bound to result in leakage of terrorist-affiliated persons. Canada should not bear that risk.
10. Canada is an active participant in the Syrian conflict. Canada is likely a target of the factions that it opposes and therefore infiltration has to be considered a clear threat.
Summary
Canada will admit persons displaced by the war in Syria. Proper security processing must take place. Once a person enters Canada, it is too easy for them to evade the authorities if they turn out to be a threat.
We cannot ignore the status of the economy in Canada. The indicators are that our economy is not as robust as we had expected and is not gaining positive momentum. The sources of tax revenue to fund our three levels of government to provide services are shrinking.
Once the displaced persons arrive in Canada, they have to be supported. We cannot stress the existing support systems by taking in too many persons on humanitarian grounds. If individual groups wish to take on the maintenance of a displaced person or group and are prepared to support them financially, then let them commit to it before the migrants are admitted to Canada.
We have an obligation to look after the needs of our population as a priority. We have to limit our commitment to what we can afford without further depriving Canadians of the services that they require.

The NDP is campaigning on a proposal to create affordable daycare by limiting the parents’ cost to a fixed sum. The proposed amount is $15 per day, but that is just an estimate. The balance of the cost would be apportioned 60% Federal Government/40% Provincial Government. The NDP indicates that there would be a marginal cost to Canadians.
The purpose of the plan is to bring parent care givers back into the workforce.
I reviewed two articles on the subject.
A McLeans article by John Geddes about the NDP leader’s presentation; “Should the NDP win next fall’s election, it promises to partly fund 370,000 child care spaces across Canada by 2018-19 at a cost of nearly $1.9 billion a year.” http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/get-em-while-theyre-young
A Globe and Mail article by Josh Wingrove http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mulcair-pitches-plan-for-15-a-day-child-care/article21086778/ indicates that the price per day is variable among the provinces, that for profit daycares will be acceptable and the purpose of the plan is to keep mothers in the workforce longer.
Both articles were a snapshot. Neither contained a detailed analysis of the program or commented on its feasibility or benefit to Canada as a whole. The immediate impact of the day care pledge was illustrated by an interviewer on Global Television who was told by the parent being interviewed that she was voting NDP based solely on this campaign promise.
I query the understatement of the complex components of the plan.
According to the British Columbia Child Care Cost Information website, the highest cost per month for daycare is an infant enrolled full time at a cost of $904.00 per month. The national average is $876.00 for the same daycare opportunity. In a month where there are 22 working days, the Province of BC would pay $229.60 and the federal Government would pay $344.40 http://www.godaycare.com/child-care-cost/british%20columbia

The only figures reported are that by 2018, the total number of funded daycare sports would be $370,000.00 at a cost to what I assume to be the federal Government of $1.9 billion.
My calculations are as follows:
370K DAY CARE SPOTS
AT NATIONAL AVERAGE COST $3,885,000,000.00
Cost per unit at $15 per day for user assuming 22 days per month
Month Year X 370,000 UNITS
Parent 180.00 2160.00 $ 799,200,000.00
Federal 417.00 5,004.00 $1,851,480,000.00
Provincial 278.00 3,336.00 $1,234,320,000.00
Total 875.00 10,500.00 $3,885,000,000.00

The average cost per province exceeds $100,000,000.00.
It is extremely difficult for us to gage the reality of the NDP proposal. Since we cannot see the methodology for the calculation of the base figures, we cannot judge the impact on the Canadian tax payer. My guess is that the NDP is basing the calculations on a historical cos. If I am correct, then the figures are very much understated and neglect the changes that will affect cost in the longer term. The expense to Canadian tax payers will be substantially greater in the future.
I will apply the Vancouver perspective:
1. Metro Vancouver has instituted an emphasis on public transit, bicycles and foot power to travel to and from work. In my case, public transit doubled my travel time to double. The day care would have to be open longer so I could get to the day care in time, adding cost to the daycare operation;
2. Metro Vancouver is looking at a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour, an increase of approximately $3.00 per hour over the current minimum wage. That will increase labor costs by as much as 30 per cent.
3. There is no cost of administration associated with the program to deal with registration, payment, audit of attendance, and liaison with Provincial and Federal governments. Some of the omitted considerations include regulations to control prices being charged by the day care to avoid gouging and the audit of the accuracy of the day care records.
4. The regime is not linked to working parents or income. In essence a person could pay $15 per day care fee and go golfing, fishing, play tennis or lunch with friends.
5. Provincial Guidelines for the health and safety of child day cares become stricter from time to time costing the day care owner and effectively their customers more money to pay for day care.
6. The unemployment rate in Canada is currently 7% according to Statistics Canada. However, this figure is based upon certain criteria outlined in the definition of “Labor Force” as defined by Statistics Canada. The definition of those employed includes individuals who are not working” were it not for illness, disability, family responsibilities, bad weather, labor disputes or vacations http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/labour-force/ .
7. Should more parents enter the workforce because day care becomes affordable, the unemployment figures would not change because the parents would already be included as working. However, any one working who was displaced by the parents re-entering the workforce who would be considered unemployed and looking for work would increase the unemployment rate in Canada according to the Statistics Canada definition. The effect of this program would be to make its effect employment neutral while at the same time increasing the unemployment rate in Canada.
8. In August, 2015, there was an average of 5.7 unemployed persons for each available job. If we increase the number of available people for jobs and the opportunity for employment does not increase, the persons available per job will exceed 6%.
9. The NDP stated in January 2015 that it stimulate job creation by a mixture of business tax credits. This conflicts with their statement that they will increase corporate taxes. Since that time, the Canadian economy has not performed as well as expected, leaving the federal and provincial finances in poorer shape to fund the NDP plan.
There is merit in adjusting the Child Tax day care credit to be fairer for the parents. It retains the competitiveness of the availability of the day care spots and pricing while it avoids having the taxpayer being responsible for an uncontrollable cost that will only increase in the future. In the end, job creation in the private sector must be the ultimate goal of government.

The adjournment of the Mike Duffy trial is a fortuitous happening for Canadians who need to consider the important issues in the upcoming federal election.

The Canadian news services were dwelling on the daily progress of the Mike Duffy trial for every gram of scandal. Among my family and my friends and my acquaintances that I have canvassed, the Duffy prosecution and the disclosure of evidence of links to the Prime Minister’s office was not a significant factor in the hierarchy of election issues.

The Canadian press has been doing the Canadian public a disservice by distracting them from the many more significant election issues, such as health care, the economy, the environment, employment, and the concerns that are more regional in nature. If the Court finds that Mike Duffy broke the law, then he will be convicted. If members of the Conservative party broke the law, then perhaps they will be changed and convicted. The $90,000.00 in question, though no small sum of money, pales in comparison to the fact that in Vancouver, our families cannot afford housing, that the cost of food rises continuously and the funding for schools, health care and infrastructure are inadequate.

The Canadian press has to be more diligent in holding the candidates accountable for their statements. It requires an analysis of what a party, a party leader or a candidate says and the reasonableness of the policy. We are no longer satisfied with a broad promise of a “chicken in every pot “ Leave a comment

My first blog is inspired by the articles written about Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison and his reaction to the trophies given to his two sons arising from their involvement in school athletic activities.
After considering the matter and reviewing the experiences with my two children, I now understand the position taken by James Harrison.
Both of my children participated in sports. One of the things that the children cherished having played in a sport was a souvenir that they had participated. The acknowledgement was often in the form of team or sporting event apparel such as a tee-shirt. I remember the children wearing their souvenir apparel regularly. It provided them with a feeling of belonging and self-esteem.
In the case of the children of James Harrison, the powers that be decided to give the children trophies as a souvenir for their participation. It is not the giving of the souvenir that is the issue. It is the form of the souvenir and the traditional view of the meaning of a trophy that lead to the difference of opinion.
I believe that the traditional understanding of the significance of a trophy is the root of Mr. Harrison’s concern. The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines a trophy as being a decorative figurine or cup awarded for success or achievement. A successful army would take the captured weapons of the defeated army as a trophy of the victory. Hunters would take the horns of an animal killed in a hunt. The inference is that the prized object is taken by the victorious party.
It is the symbolism and traditional meaning of a trophy that does not dovetail with the use of the awards received by the children of James Harrison; they are a souvenir of participation. There are members of society who would like to consider that all children that participate in events are ”winners“ so as to avoid the negative emotional impact of not being the best at the contest. However, it could be argued that the use of a trophy to positively acknowledge participation conflicts with the definition of a trophy. Had the boys been given tee-shirts that they could wear to signify their participation, it would have likely have provided positive reinforcement of having participated.
When considering the question as to whether James Harrison was wrong, the answer is in two parts. Mr. Harrison obviously disagreed with the use of the trophy to show an acknowledgement of participation. On that point, I believe he was right. In suggesting that his sons should return the trophies, I believe he was wrong. The system has adopted a trophy not only as an indicator of success but also an indicator of participation. It is just another confusing change in what we believe is the traditional use of a trophy.
I believe that Mr. Harrison realized the issue and made the right choice. I believe he should be commended for his decision.

Writing is the most useful form of communication where clarity of intention and a record of the communication are required. More so today than ever before, we have the ability to communicate quickly. However, clarity of intention in today’s communications can be problematic because the meanings of words continue to evolve.