A few tidbits

Haha, very funny! It ain't easy living in a city that got hit by a brutal winter, followed by a number of freeze and thaw's!

In more local news, Halifax City Council approved a new plan to fund public transit, whereby residents in mobile homes and apartment complexes (*cough*low income*cough*) would have to pay more property taxes than those in waterfront homes and houses with single apartments (*cough*middle and upper-income*cough*). The logic, apparently, is that people who live in mobile homes and apartment complexes are more likely to ride the bus than those who live on pristine lakes with glasses of sherry in their hands. Legitimately, many of the city councillors who voted against this ludicrous bill are those who represent lower income areas. Councillor Jim Smith (Albro Lake-Harbourview), whom I can personally attest is a great guy and also the NS Liberal Party candidate for Dartmouth North in the upcoming election, represents a low-income district and voted against it after saying some sensible words on its silliness. Go Jim!

Moving onto more national news, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives recently concluded a study showing that the average family in Canada would be driven to the poor-house, if they had to pay for the services that the average Canadian recieves for free, i.e. primary education, healthcare, etc. As such, Canadians need to shut up about how high are taxes are and just accept that those taxes pay for the services that so many Canadians take for granted. To paraphrase something I read once, taxes are the things to pay to recieve the services that we need. As for me, I get $200+ taken off each paycheque to go toward federal taxes - money I don't even get back in April due to an outstanding Student Loan - and it hurts every two weeks when I see it on my stub. On the other hand, I can see a doctor anytime I want and the public services that myself and my family recieve are substantially less due to those $200+ that I "donate" every two weeks. So, would it be better to keep my $200 and have to pay it out everytime I go to the hospital? I doubt it.

Finally, this is set to be the year of elections. BC's is underway, my own Nova Scotia's is set to be called soon. Heck, we might even see another general election by the fall. Should be fun. As a former BC resident, my pick right now is on another BCLiberal majority, based solely on the fact that Carole James just isn't a very strong leader. Also, Campbell has been doing okay for himself. In Nova Scotia, the PC Government is in save-the-furniture mode, as poll numbers show the extreme liklihood of an NDP Government (the first ever east of Ontario) and the PC's in 3rd party status if they don't pull up their socks soon. And no, Premier MacDonald, pulling up your socks doesn't mean emptying the provincial coffers in an attempt to bribe us!