From: jmorriso@ee.ubc.ca (John Paul Morrison)
Subject: Re: Analyzing the Deal
Organization: University of BC, Electrical Engineering
Distribution: can
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 08:10:54 GMT

In article <1992Sep7.054312.5938@thinkage.on.ca> dat@thinkage.on.ca (David Adrien Tanguay) writes:
>
>25% for Quebec:
>Civilization has been fighting for centuries to win the ideals of liberal
>democracy, but here in Canada we're thinking of throwing them away.
>If a constitution isn't a place for principles and ideals, what is?
>This kills the deal for me.

couldn't agree more.
>
>senate:
>The proposal is not too bad. The problem is that the senate has a fixed size,
>and the commons has a monotonically increasing size. I would like a larger
>senate/commons ratio, and a fixed size for the commons. The energy and
>culture exceptions are stupid: just make them provincial responsibilities,
>and let provinces delegate to the feds where it seems reasonable.
>The senate should be elected, too, not appointed by provincial governments.
>Why pay for a whole chamber if it's just going to be a mouthpiece for other
>existing powers?

again another cave-in. The fixed size is not a big deal. The US senate
has a fixed number. Think of it as a hard limit on salaries/beauracracy.
Not exactly EEE if provincial cronies can appoint senators.

>breaking down the internal borders:
>It's regrettable that they couldn't do anything about this, but it is best
>left to a future constitutional round. There seems to be this dichotomy
>of federal/provincial spheres: why not allow something to have federal
>application but provincial responsibility? E.g., trade certification could
>apply nationally, but to standards (etc.) determined collectively by the
>provinces.

It's absolutely laughable. In fact, from the text I read in the Globe&Mail,
it'll make things WORSE!!! It will entrench everything that is wrong with
Canada in the constitution. It has some weak statements about provincial
barriers, then goes on to say EXCEPT for regional developement, job creation
supply "management", etc. Basically all the crap that should be axed 
immediately gets to stay in! Newfoundland has been "regionally developed"
for 43 years and where is it? 20% unemploymentand rising! Job creation
programs just keep people going between UIC. Marketing boards are an 
inefficient monopoly that bilks consumers. The list goes on. The Globe
&Mail estimates 5-6 billion is wasted because of inter-provincial trade 
barriers (that's basically 1% of GDP). Add all the waste and you could
probably get 2-3% of GDP.

If this "constitution" passes, it'll become impossible to get rid of
the subsidies, barriers, waste and other baggage that passes for management
of the country.

Truly sad.

>-- 
>David Tanguay       dat@Thinkage.on.ca  dat@Thinkage.com  uunet!thinkage!dat
>Thinkage, Ltd.           Kitchener, Ontario, Canada          [43.40N 80.47W]


-- 
__________________________________________________________________________
 John Paul Morrison                     |  Just another "Enemy of Canada"
 University of British Columbia, Canada |  Say NO/NON to Constitutional
 Electrical Engineering                 |  hegomony and fear-mongering
 jmorriso@ee.ubc.ca                     |  by politicians/scum.
________________________________________|_________________________________