One billion! Jack is going to spend one billllllion dollars. And for what? Med students!
Speaking at Dalhousie University's medical school, Mr. Layton said an NDP government would spend an average of $200-million a year to increase training spaces and help provinces expand their medical schools.
Madness. Seemingly sensible madness. It's always the way, though. Never a plan for the 45 year old slightly pudgy dreamer, those specialists in small to medium ideas that never get picked up. Why no plan for us, Jack(!)? Hmm? Hmmm???? To be fair, last time I was among Dal Med students back in the day, I did like their frat's (Phi Chi) bowling - taking a dozen empties and recycling them through firm contact with a wall in the basement. But, really, isn't what we need something that brings that same sense of fun and innovation into the lives of the dulled and enrutted? Those otherwise known as the backbone of the economy - folks in their forties?
What needs to be done by Jack(!) to fill that need? I say a policy that combines preventative health policy, international development and giving the little guy, that cog in the wheel of industry, a break - and not a tax break...I mean a break. I am talking Federally subsidized Caribbean holiday camps. To create work in our shipyards, we build a fleet of liners to ferry the overworked and under-appreciated to Turks and Caicos after finally finalizing provincial status. There slightly challenging courses on topics such as the history of moustacheo care in the 1970s, the use of orange in everyday fashion, great socialists in winter sports are offered while the kids are taken care of back north through a nationalized teen daycare...err...weekcare program.
Brilliant. By focusing on the demographic that likely won't vote Jack(!) anyway, lives are changed, happiness is reinvested creating a more productive workforce and binds across the nation. Katimavik for adults...without any real assistance to others...but with drinks and a warm beach. Isn't that what we really want? What other programs and promises should we see over the next month or so?
Other news for Day 10:
- Hmmm...what else is going on? How about remembering Stephen Harper's words if things do go sideways: "My own belief is if we were gong to have some kind of big crash or recession, we probably would have had it by now."
- Unrest in Grit ranks? Wow - who would have seen that coming.
- Bob Rae. Opening act. Good idea.
Comments
sean - September 16, 2008 9:55 AM
Funny, I was speaking about how I would consider taking the family to a 1960s style holiday camp next summer were one available. Were it in the Carribean, and not in the dead of summer, I'd support the idea wholly.
And on Orange, why did the NDP ever choose orange? Its sort of a communist red with a heavy helping of yellow.
Hans - September 16, 2008 11:35 AM
Re the unrest in the Grit ranks: It reminds me of the election of 200 in PEI. Almost every Liberal "insider", "player" or party official sat on their hands during that election because, as best as I can figure, they thought it was a lost cause anyway, but at the same time, while doing SFA to help their party or their hallowed "grassroots" members, they sniped from the sidelines about the "inept" campaign. Just like the unnamed insiders who are complaining about Dion. Hey, if you're a Federal Liberal "insider" or MP or "official" or whatever, shouldn't you be helping the party by, at the very least, not publicly criticizing? If you don't want to help, I say stay on the sidelines and STFU.
sean - September 16, 2008 1:55 PM
Hans!! The problem is, the powers that be in the party, the Riding execs, the other execs, etc etc. are the same folk that installed Mister Martin and subsequently Mister Dion. We (being anyone who publically opposed such) have been marginalized if not snubbed and therefore it is a bitter pill to swallow to assist much more than post a sign on your lawn. Sometimes you have to burn a field one year to reap the better crop the next.
Having sat on a number of Riding execs, I know full well that the sort that filled the ranks a few years back are the sort that usually only show up during elections to help (and never to pick up signs the day AFTER the election). They will leave once they feel the pangs of failure yet again.
And don't think for a minute that there aren't things going on behind the scenes :) We have a 5 year plan that I would love to discuss in detail...
Hans - September 16, 2008 2:33 PM
Sean, I don't have a problem with rank and file folks sitting on the sidelines if they don't like the leader or their candidate or what have you. But I do have a problem with "insiders" and "high-ranking officials" sitting on the sidelines and then sniping anonymously in the media. Send me an email on the five year plan but hold off until this election is over ;) LOL....
Peter - September 16, 2008 7:34 PM
Why orange? One assumes that all the good colours were taken. Of course, orange is now "the" colour for Ukrainians et al breaking free of the ancien regime, so maybe it was a good choice. Not to mention Ulster Protestants marching through other people's neighbourhoods. More to the point, why didn't the political Left put up a spirited battle for Red and embarrass the Liberals into choosing a less fraught colour? I note that the Labour Party in the UK (admittedly no longer Left of anything but Attila The Hun) managed to retain control of Red long after they abandoned any semblance of Socialism, revolutionary or otherwise....
Sean - September 16, 2008 8:34 PM
I wikkied and googled it. Apparently, the NDP was originally an organization with heavy connections to the Christian Democrat movement of the day and that is the colour they typically associated with:
"The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots. While the party is secular and pluralistic, it has a longstanding relationship with the Christian left and the Social Gospel movement, particularly the United Church of Canada. However, the federal party has broadened to include concerns of the New Left, which advocates issues such as gay rights, peace, and environmental protection."
AND on Orange:
"Orange is sometimes associated with various Christian democratic and populist parties. "
Josh - September 16, 2008 10:07 PM
I *almost* went to that announcement; forgiving debt is a good start, but doesn't do much for those of us who aren't interested in family med - reforming the fee schedule for GPs would be much more useful for dealing with the shortage. We need to do a better job of allocating current physician resources, though in the long-term training more is certainly the way to go as well.
Apparently some students were enlisted to stand behind Layton during the announcement. Oh, and Dion was here today too, from what I gather, but med students weren't informed as they were about Layton's visit.
Alan - September 17, 2008 8:40 AM
Forget that stuff - do you still Phi Chi bowl?
Josh - September 17, 2008 1:29 PM
I haven't heard about it... though we all did go bowling a few weeks back. I'm not sure Phi Chi still exists (or else it's very secret!). What am I missing out on?
Hans - September 17, 2008 1:38 PM
I thought the Med Frat at Dal was called "Domus"?
Alan - September 17, 2008 2:26 PM
Domus = law frat. Phi Chi was the med frat.