Wednesday, January 6, 2016

What is Canada's most pressing problem?

There are many possibilities. Over-population, The economy, religious differences, ethnically based problems (native v. population), unemployment, poor education, poor truth testing of the young, the disconnect between the governments and the people after election, ... terrorism... the list continues.

I think that it is none of the above, but rather the approach of unsustainable government spending producing a collapse of public support for social spending, big infrastructure, and the like high flying spending.

South of Edmonton there is a new 250 million interchange for a road that does not yet have much traffic on it. What was needed was three overpasses, and a some on and off ramps, perhaps 50 million, not as nice but functional for as much traffic. The new overpass is really nice, and in 20 or 30 years may have considerable traffic, but it is far more than will be needed given the oil price.

We see the City of Edmonton executive ignoring an engineering study and then directing the engineers to change the location of LRT (light rail transit), which creates a automobile nightmare in a portion of Edmonton.

I was forced to go into down town one day, and caught the LRT. On the way back, the signaling was working incorrectly, so I caught the wrong train back. I was treated to a 40 minute tour of the City. I had not realized how many tent encampments there were in Edmonton. Oh well. There was a story in the news the other day that 63% are one paycheck away from the streets. Lest we forget the 105000 homeless where 2800 are vets, and 4.5% of the population, natives, that want new houses.

We have now a federal government that wants to fix all the problems by spending. New water treatment for all the native communities, and then they will need sewer treatment, roads, housing, etc where there is no work save that which the government provides. There are no trade people on the reserves, all the trades work must come from outside. All construction requires 24/7 security, as does the equipment. There are no hotels, so camps must be set up for construction personnel. Everything must come in and then go back out. The cost doubles at least. Then there is truth and reconciliation recommendations.

The provincial government wants to shut down cheap coal power in favor of twice as expensive natural gas. It is good for the economy Notley says. It is not good for the home owner, any businesses except the electricity business. They are guaranteed profits. Oil Sands are being encouraged; these produce more Co2 per gig-joule that coal, but oh well.

All this leads me to think that one of the problem which will bring down our civilization is likely to be over taxation ... reckless spending of government, but what do I know? 

   

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