When I started writing about the problems I had with the 407 ETR I was surprised that people commented.  I am now surprised about the problems that others are having.

I think that some of the people who have left comments need to ban together.  I will help the best I can knowing that I have already handled them from my prospective.  I believe that the issue comes down to changing the law.  With the law changed, the 407 ETR will have to fall into line.

The latest person having a problem is Di Lane.   It sounds like the 407 ETR really dropped the ball on her case.  It will be her case that we should use in order to start the ball rolling.  Di (and I believe that is her first name), should be exonerated from this billing.  My thoughts behind that are as follows, the billing is over 7 years old, thus status bar and the 407 ETR did not send billings as they should have.  What Di needs to do is go to the papers with her story.

When I say go to the papers I suggest taking them a story that will make not only the 407 ETR sound harsh and uncaring but also the MP’s.  Remember, the MP’s are the ones that direct the law to be made.  Also remember that the 407 ETR went to court to have the 407 ETR Act empowered in Ontario.  So Di, your story should be as follows:

“407 ETR SURPRISES BANKRUPT DISABLED PERSON WITH PLATE DENIAL AND MP’S WILL NOT HELP”

The Toronto Sun is read by more people who will sympathy with you then anything; they also love to have a good battle.   It may be enough to cause the MP’s to step in and take control of the highway again.  Now here is the interesting part, Di says she went bankrupt and it was before the 407 ETR act established that the billing is void of bankruptcy.  So I would also suggest contacting your trustee to see what they can establish on the issue.

It really just comes down to one company pushing the Ontario people to the breaking point and no one standing up to them.  If we are to survive this I believe we need to give out MP’s a good kick in the pants so that they will act.

Please keep us up to date on what happens with this Di, there are many readers of the blog that will be rooting for you.

Summer time comes and drivers are told “Watch out”. Drivers now have to watch out for street festivals that are going on in Toronto, as if the new bicycle lanes where not enough, now drivers have to watch out for street festivals.

It seems every time you turn around Toronto a not so friendly place to get around. From the new bicycle lanes that will congest traffic to the shut down of the DVP (Don Valley Parking Lot for everyone, a major highway into Toronto) to the street festivals of the summer, motorists will be in gridlock hell! You would think that the city would get on track with this problem. The people that come for these things do inject cash into the businesses, what about the people that live there? How do they feel about the noise that goes on all times of the night? I bet none of them actually sleeps with the windows open, still the droning of the drums, the drunken frivolity all times through the night must get on the nerves.

Never mind that people in the down town core have to put up with beggars, street thugs, dirty streets, smoggy air, poor parking and other problems, now they will not be able to get around. No wonder the property values are starting to drop in a once proud city.

It seems that no matter what is given, parents of disabled children always want more. Who can blame them when we bend over backwards to help them.

An Ontario court will now begin hearing arguments on the issue of funding disabled students who attend private religious schools. That means we, the tax payers, will be assisting in the cost of them going to private schools. These private schools may not be setup for the disabled students so we need to come to the table. If they need to have a ramp put in so the kid in the wheel chair can access the school then WE pay for it. If they need a special computer that will translate written words into brail, we have to pay for it.

It all stems from the fact that we fund the Catholic Separate School System. If we did not support them the arguments would be mute. But since we do support them ANY private school can now look at getting funding regardless. Really, it would be considered bad form for us to say no to any religious or private school. Why do we fund one and not the other?

All I can say is that we need to remove public funding from faith based schools. Either that or fall into a turmoil of problems that we are seeing surface today.

Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty seems to believe that there is nothing wrong with credit cards today.  In fact, he goes as far as saying such when he announced new credit card regulations that would “protect” consumers.

So what should Canadians see when these new regulations come out?  Nothing but eye candy is what I say.

Really, I know what my credit card company is charging me for interest.  It is horrible.  Let us look at it this way.  When interest rates where high, our credit card interest seemed normal (well at least in line) with what we see in the world.  That was when the overnight rate from the feds was around 7.5%.  Yes, the credit card companies usually more than doubled that rate for us but it was not that hard to take.

Now, the over night rate from the feds is an extremely low .25% but our rates are still high!  Even the so called discount rates are around 7% secured!  The public is being ripped off Jim!

Now, keeping that in mind, our Finance Minister says that the higher interest rate cards offer better services or “perks”.  Well Jim, you get the perks only if you use the card to purchase things. You do not get perks when you have to carry a balance because the rate is so high.  The so called perks do not help the public if they can not purchase things.  And forbid the thought of trying to move your balance to a lower interest rate card, you get a turn down right away!  The banks do not even hide the fact that they want to make money off you till the end.  They say “Your expenditures are too high”. Well yes they are, that is why I am trying to get it handled with a lower rate.  Less interest means more goes to principle and the debt gets paid off faster.

The banks really want to keep you in debt.  They do a lot of things to make that happen.  In today’s world of credit rich money poor people, you will see what I mean.  If you ask the average person if they have a loan you will get a “No, I do not have a loan.”  If you ask them if they have a line of credit you will get a “Yes, I do.”  The line of credit is attached to a credit card and can be anything from unsecured to secure.

Why do they give out lines of credit instead of loans?  Because people pay off loans, they do not pay off lines of credit.

The average person will use the line of credit till it is full. Once full, they need to make payments in order to free up funds in the line of credit.  Once the funds are free, they use them till the line is full again.

People are predictable.  They want to be able to use the money that they just paid.  They want to be able to get the good cloths, the fancy car, and the better house.  They do not usually think too far down the road.

So, why is the government allowing the lenders to set the rates that they wish to extend?  Really, I thought loan sharking was not legal in Canada.

Here we go again! Its summer and the gas companies want your money.

Here in Canada we have a big problem, it is called the Oil Companies.  They see us Canadians as an unending purse during the summer.

And why not?  They are the ones that supply the gas that we so desperately want.  Just because we want to actually drive around out beautiful country in the summer to enjoy how it looks.  Or that we actually like to use our boats in the summer to fish and enjoy our lakes.  Yes, those Canadians will give us profit beyond our dreams during the summer months.

What does our government do about it? Well they do nothing of course.  Why would they?  The Oil Companies fund their campaigns and make it easy for them to live off the Canadian Coffers.  When an MP says they will do something about it during the campaign we vote for them.  When they are voted in you hear nothing about it.  They actually deflect questions about it like a windshield deflects the wind from hitting your face in the convertible that you finally where able to afford.

But wait, they say inflation was only .5% this year so far!  So, we can afford to pay more for gas.  Well knowing that everyone in Canada is suffering the “No raise this year” decease should tell them, we are broke! 

Friends of mine have not received raises for over two years.  They are financially strapped.  They will not be able to afford paying an extra $500 in gas this summer.  In fact, it may cause a really difficult time for most Canadians.

Come on Government, set in and 

So, not only is it mandatory for you to have auto insurance in Ontario, but the government is now looking at slashing your benefits!  It appears that they are looking at slashing them by 75%!

It appears that the richest industry in Ontario is again crying to the province that they are poor. By doing this, the province is looking at slashing the benefits by 75%.  What does that mean to the average person?  Well it means that if you get into an accident (and you probably will sometime), you may have to pay for your own therapy.  Currently you can get a number of benefits if you are in an accident.  You can get someone to come clean the house, shop and do menial tasks if you are on the mend.  On top of that, you can also get therapeutic message, chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture.  However, if the change goes through you may have to do your own shopping.

I found it really beyond thought that when I was in an accident I was expected to use maid services to shop for me and clean the home.  I did not however, come under the belief that I needed that service, or let the laziness gene influence me like it does in most North Americans.

Far from that, I tried to get better by working with my health care professional.  I tried to work out at the gym to improve my standings.

Well that did not help much.

After only one year, they said I should be all healed.

Well I was not.

They where able to push me out of any benefits, even when I was trying to just get better.  Could they not read to see that I was not taking advantage of the system?  I guess they have so many taking advantage that it was easier to push the honest one out.

Now they want to slash it even further.

Well I say to you that we can not allow that.

Stand up and let your MP know that they have to put their foot down and have the province INCREASE the benefits.  When the Insurance companies cry, tell them to shut up or they will increase the payout again.

Well he did it, my brother is now married.  It was a great night and fun for all.

I must say, it appears that my brother is easier to please then I thought.  His wedding was well planned out by his wife.  They made sure all the guests where happy and taken care of.  All the speeches went off well.

By popular demand I am posting my speech to my new sister in law.

Most people know that I usually give a speech off the cuff.  I have been told that my best work is done that way. 

But then someone asked me to come up with a speech for Gary and Margie’s wedding.  Well it cannot be off the cuff this time.

Margie, I want you to know what I think about my brother Gary.  So when I think of Gary this is what I think of…

I do not see a kid that complained when I sat on the wrong side of the back seat in an old Valiant, I see my brother.  I do not see a kid that ran over one of my fingers with his skates when I was four, I see my brother.  I do not see a kid that slammed the screen door on my leg causing an injury to reopen and gush blood, I see my brother.  I do not see a kid that closed his bedroom door to muffle the stereo and then turn up the volume, I see my brother. I do not see the kid that called me names when I chose the chocolate bar he wanted when our grandmother offered us a choice, I see my brother.

I see my brother, the one that does not get lost when he travels to a small town no matter where it is in the world.  I see my brother, the one that supported my decisions whether they where good or bad. I see my brother, the one that came to my aid when I needed help to move.  I see my brother, the one that opens his heart to people and will call them a friend, not asking anything in return.  I see my brother, the one that agreed to stand with me when I took a giant leap like the one that he has taken today.  I see my brother, the one that will drop everything to be there for you when you need him.  I see my brother, the one that will help you even if it means that he will do without.

They say you can judge a man by the quality of friends that he has been able to keep in his life.  The strength of the friendships as well as the years they span has special meaning.  Gary has friends of good character that have been around him for many years.  The friendships that he cultivates last well beyond the statistical length of most friendships of the average man.  Knowing this about Gary you can tell that he is a man of good character, but you already know that.  You have looked beyond what others could not and have seen someone that is worthy to be with.  You see what we all see, you see my brother, Gary.

I know Gary loves you.  I know that you also have a good heart.  Knowing that you are here today after a small camping incident where Gary said “That’s not good!” tells me that you love him. I welcome you to the family and only ask one thing of you, please take care of my brother, please take good care of Gary.

Let me know what you think of it when you have a chance.

The CBC is slated to lay off 800 employees this year due to the economical climate.  They are also preparing to pay a bonus to their 553 managers the equivalent of 50% of their salary.

The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) is a company that is owned by the Canadian people.  The President of the CBC, Hubert Lacroix, has told a committee of MPs that the managers are eligible to receive “incentive pay” only if they achieve their targets.

The justification of the bonus is that the managers are paid below market value.

Market value is the new term out there.  It means the average someone in a similar position with another company is making.  The average is based on their income including bonus.

Now, here is the thing.  The company is owned by the public, the people of Canada.  It is not a private company.  It is not some huge conglomerate making more money then they know what to do with.  So why are they giving out bonuses?  The reason they say is to “Try to bring back our executive pay to a certain level”.

I find it absurd. A bonus should never exceed 10% of the person’s yearly income. Moreover, if the executives want more pay, find another job.  If I want a better paying job, either I can ask my employer for a raise or I find another job that pays better.  It is very upsetting in this day and age that the executives of the CBC are getting such a high bonus knowing that it is funded by the public.

I believe that the public should stop getting raped by the high price of executives in the companies funded by public money.  Come on government, get with the program and save the jobs instead of giving out the bonuses.

Tell me if this makes any sense to you.  A student trying to get an education gets verbally assaulted by a bully, and after not getting a rise is hit.  The victim hits the bully back and gets charged with assault.

It makes no sense at all to me to charge the person who is reacting to a violent act against them.  In Ontario, the government has thrown millions of dollars to the Kid’s Help Line; they have also thrown millions to advertising against bullying.  It is part of the basics, the right to live your life free of violence.

On kid in Keswick Ontario was trying to do just that, live a life without violence.  All he wanted to do was get an education.  It showed because his grades averaged in the 90’s.  He is a good kid according to all his friends, quiet but great to know once you did.  So why, when he is pushed to the point that he will need to protect him self or suffer physical injury, is he charged with assault?  There were lots of witnesses telling the police what happened.  Is it because the bully suffered a broken nose? Was it because he picked on a kid that had a little training in self defense?

So, let me get this straight, if the kid did not have self defense training he would not have been charged when he broke the bully’s nose?  Do you think it is a little out there that you can get self defense training but if you use it, you are charged with assault?

I do believe that the police are just trying to do their jobs.  The problem does not lay with the people that are trying to uphold or enforce the law; it is the law makers themselves.

My only hope is that justice will come out of this and the boy that is the bully gets charged.  If it goes to court, the Judge just may need to hold off the public backlash if the victim of the crime is charged.

After the backlash from Canadian Flags made in China (of poor quality at that) you would think the Government would do all it could to keep their purchases in Canada.  No so, the pins took a slow boat also.

An NDP MP says he was shocked when he saw his Canadian Leaf lapel pin was made in China.  The color was all wrong.  Therefore, they traced it back to the Heritage Minister who stood back and said “It was not us!”  Moreover, pointed to the House of Commons and the parliamentary boutique.

So?  Does that make it right? Are you afraid that a Canadian manufacturer would not go a good job?  At least they would get the color right.

They say that they awarded the contract to a Canadian company but under the terms of international trade rules Canada cannot dictate where the pins are manufactured.

Therefore, here is the plan.  Get your quotes. In the quotes the manufacturer supplied the place of origin.  If the place of origin or manufacturing plant is not in Canada do not accept their bid.  Since it will be in the supply contract that the pins are made in Canada it would be a breach of the contract to have them made in China.

Problem solved.

Our government becomes more responsible and we keep jobs that make our Heritage items here in Canada.  噢加拿大