Hi Denis,

30 years ago I was 25 and politics was a minor consideration in my overall thinking/living. But I would say that, as I remember things, it wasn't 'bad'. But I don't remember anything much coming out of it either.

About 15 years ago, here in Ontario, we had a minority government for about a year as I recollect. It was not bad at all.

Keep in mind, though, that in both cases Communism was still alive and well and so the PEOPLE mattered. Today, of course, they don't.

I'd say that, collectively, Ontario is p*ssed-off with the Liberals. The provincials here, elected about 8 months ago, went about breaking virtually every promise they made during the election. Like Chretien they followed the model of do it early and hope that people will forget by the next election.
On the other hand, people here do worry a lot that Mr. Harper has not told the whole story and that there could be BIG surprises if he wins.

Just look at the Reform party when it first gained some seats, back in the early nineties. They proclaimed that they were going to be different. A big thing was NOT getting on the gravy train for politicians, especially as regarded MP pensions and goodies from lobbyists. They DID join the pension plan and no doubt they do take things from lobbyists.

Today politicians operate in a parallel world, intersecting with their electors only at very specific places where code words and double-speak give us the impression that they hear us, but in fact they define the words differently in practise.

Iraq is headed for "democracy". I think they will be disappointed in what they get.

Jim

>The difference this time regarding the election is a minority. The last time this happened was 30 years ago. Will it really change something? For the better or for the worse?
>
>30 years ago I was too young to remember. What is your take on this? What was the situation like 30 years ago? But then again does it really matter because 30 years ago you guys all had GOOD jobs. North America was still in a peace & love mood. Today It's completely different.
>
>Here in Quebec we have information but I guess probably not as good as getting feedback from somebody in Ontario. What is the situation like for the Liberals?
>
>Are you guys really p*ssed off by them?
>
>Is it just me or does it seem like the politicians did'nt cover many topics. I'm so bored of hearing them alway say the same meaningless things.
>
>
>
>>Hi Hilmar,
>>
>>I think that guy is wrong, at least as far as "first-world" countries are concerned.
>>
>>First, business will take cheap and compliant labour over expensive machinery any day. In my lifetime China will continue to be such a place and India too to a large extent. And other countries with large populations are scrambling to be the same.
>>
>>Second, business has no conscience, always going for the lowest cost regardless of (social) impact. I don't see this changing favourably any time soon either, especially as government official, particularly at the federal level, get deeper into the pockets of business.
>>
>>Third, his "examples" are at least 10+ years old. You know how technology has improved in those 10 years. Business would have driven/done it in that time if it was so inclined, but #1 and #2 above are way way cheaper and involve far less risk/cost and much more immediate too.
>>
>>Finally, the growth of outsourcing of "white collar" work (i.e. not factory work) has been mitigated by the same factors as mentioned above, the improvements in the cost/effectiveness/reliability of communications being the only additional technological "innovation" driving it.
>>
>>I have no idea what the author means by "intelligent capital", but I know this...
>>when all we have left are those jobs that cannot be relocated there will be no capital for anything and we will are be working 2-3 minimum wage jobs just to keep up with our financial obligations. We will eventually look very much like Cuba, with 50 years old vehicles on the streets and shortages of the things people need.
>>
>>Government, at least federally, has lost its "by the people, for the people" objective. It remains, at least in appearance, "by the people" but once elected it becomes "for me" rather than "for the people". Only government can reverse the trends and at this time it has no inclination to do so. Corporations have seen to it that "the people" are far too busy making ends meet and that "the people" are worrying about/discussing unimportant things while the corporations pamper the elected officials to do their bidding.
>>
>>We are having a federal election today here in Canada. I expect only more of the same regardless of which party wins.
>>
>>cheers
>>
>>
>>>http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=22102271
>>>
>>>A lot of threads recently had to do with the threat of outsourcing to cheaper countries... According to the opinions expressed in the above link, advances in technology pose a greater threat.
>>>
>>>...So the anger expressed by politicians and workers over high-tech jobs lost to India and other low-wage countries is really a distraction from the real threat, according to Strategy Analytics. "Looking forward, we don't really see the big threat in the long run being outsourcing to India," Cohen said. "We see the real threat from outsourcing to intelligent capital."