Comments for Paul Hillsdon http://www.paulhillsdon.com Exploring public policy from the edge of Metro Vancouver Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:27:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on History of the West Coast Express by Lower Mainland Commuter Rail Consortium http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2008/08/03/history-of-the-west-coast-express/comment-page-1/#comment-3244 Lower Mainland Commuter Rail Consortium Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:27:40 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/blog/?p=414#comment-3244 Just a couple of remarks. Mr.Jerry Deprovely, City of Vancouver transportation Manager has told the Consortium the Arbutus line talks with the C.P.R. and Ottawa start this month. Ottawa refuses to tell the C.P.R. how to run the railway. Vancouver would like it part of there green plan and use it for a walking/bike trail from the Canada Line at Cambie to Granville Island then from there over the Burrard Bridge using the protected bike lanes and then to downtown or Stanley Park. Since 1995 when the last train ran on this track it has been used as a recreational trail. The Minister of Transport in Ottawa says they have allowed the C.P.R. to use the temporary status of limbo so to speak. Once evey three months a signal maintaner justifies the exsistence officially and checks the signals. The assumption is the C.P.R. wants it for real estate, however the public want to keep it as park land. Just a couple of remarks.
Mr.Jerry Deprovely, City of Vancouver transportation Manager has told the Consortium the Arbutus line talks with the C.P.R. and Ottawa start this month.
Ottawa refuses to tell the C.P.R. how to run the railway. Vancouver would like it part of there green plan and use it for a walking/bike trail from the Canada Line at Cambie to Granville Island then from there over the Burrard Bridge using the protected bike lanes and then to downtown or Stanley Park. Since 1995 when the last train ran on this track it has been used as a recreational trail.
The Minister of Transport in Ottawa says they have allowed the C.P.R. to use the temporary status of limbo so to speak. Once evey three months a signal maintaner justifies the exsistence officially and checks the signals.
The assumption is the C.P.R. wants it for real estate, however the public want to keep it as park land.

]]> Comment on Old Age Security is a waste of tax dollars by Chris http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2012/01/30/old-age-security-is-a-waste-of-tax-dollars/comment-page-1/#comment-3236 Chris Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:34:47 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1342#comment-3236 Generally I think you're right. If I had to choose where to invest $36 billion, it wouldn't be in seniors. There's just two problems with scrapping the OAS. 1) Any responsible retiree will have budgeted for the future assuming OAS and the CPP would be part of their retirement income, in addition to their personal savings and pension plans. As you calculated, it's $500/month. Removing that from the budget of most seniors is going to cause a lot of distress. 2) Seniors vote in large numbers, especially compared to us youngins. Good luck convincing any government to shift money from old-people to young-people. They'd much rather mortgage our futures to pay for their own retirement. You might be able to fix the first problem by slowly phasing in changes, but that still leaves problem 2. Generally I think you’re right. If I had to choose where to invest $36 billion, it wouldn’t be in seniors. There’s just two problems with scrapping the OAS.
1) Any responsible retiree will have budgeted for the future assuming OAS and the CPP would be part of their retirement income, in addition to their personal savings and pension plans. As you calculated, it’s $500/month. Removing that from the budget of most seniors is going to cause a lot of distress.
2) Seniors vote in large numbers, especially compared to us youngins. Good luck convincing any government to shift money from old-people to young-people. They’d much rather mortgage our futures to pay for their own retirement.

You might be able to fix the first problem by slowly phasing in changes, but that still leaves problem 2.

]]> Comment on Old Age Security is a waste of tax dollars by Tappen http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2012/01/30/old-age-security-is-a-waste-of-tax-dollars/comment-page-1/#comment-3233 Tappen Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:06:59 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1342#comment-3233 Money down the drain? You think that Seniors who haven't saved enough, who don't have family to support them should just be left to fend for themselves? "Those who least need it?" Seniors are dependents, most can't get jobs, nor should they have to work past retirement age when richer citizens get a cushy retirement. Seniors are in fact those who most need financial support from the government. A lack of support for low-income families is a serious problem, but what happens when those in poverty grow up? They have paid very little into the CPP, and can't expect much in terms of financial support from anything else except the OAS. How are they supposed to pay for the care they need, and the costs associated with aging? This is an extremely retrograde view, that if you haven't saved enough as a private citizen, you should be left to fend for yourself. Canadian seniors live in relative comfort, and the fact that they aren't forced to find jobs as Walmart Greeters should be considered one of the incredible things about this country, not something that needs to be abolished. Finally, if you are really considered with paying student tuitions, aiding low income families, and improving the lives of aboriginals, then advocating the abolition of OAS under a Harper government is completely foolish. There is zero reason to think Conservatives would use the savings from OAS to pay for any of those things. Instead they'll be used to build bigger prisons, and pay for more fighter jets. Money down the drain? You think that Seniors who haven’t saved enough, who don’t have family to support them should just be left to fend for themselves? “Those who least need it?” Seniors are dependents, most can’t get jobs, nor should they have to work past retirement age when richer citizens get a cushy retirement. Seniors are in fact those who most need financial support from the government. A lack of support for low-income families is a serious problem, but what happens when those in poverty grow up? They have paid very little into the CPP, and can’t expect much in terms of financial support from anything else except the OAS. How are they supposed to pay for the care they need, and the costs associated with aging? This is an extremely retrograde view, that if you haven’t saved enough as a private citizen, you should be left to fend for yourself. Canadian seniors live in relative comfort, and the fact that they aren’t forced to find jobs as Walmart Greeters should be considered one of the incredible things about this country, not something that needs to be abolished. Finally, if you are really considered with paying student tuitions, aiding low income families, and improving the lives of aboriginals, then advocating the abolition of OAS under a Harper government is completely foolish. There is zero reason to think Conservatives would use the savings from OAS to pay for any of those things. Instead they’ll be used to build bigger prisons, and pay for more fighter jets.

]]> Comment on Why I’m officially a card-carrying federal Liberal by David http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2012/01/18/why-im-officially-a-card-carrying-federal-liberal/comment-page-1/#comment-3218 David Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:52:03 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1329#comment-3218 The future of the Liberal Brand is inescapably threatened by the polarization of politics in Canada. The gap between right and left has made the relevance of a centre party role less needed. You may understand quite a bit about Liberal Brand but you have neglected the current political trends which is why the your romantic view of the liberal brand is not based on fact, only on your cognitive perception, which lacks objectivity in the real sense if the word. The liberal brand is currently useless because the people do not need it to satisfy their polical aims. This us what polarization does to the middle ground. We live in an age where moderates are useless because they don't take a stand for anything concrete. The liberals can only go farther left, it is the only direction they know how to go. The future of the Liberal Brand is inescapably threatened by the polarization of politics in Canada. The gap between right and left has made the relevance of a centre party role less needed. You may understand quite a bit about Liberal Brand but you have neglected the current political trends which is why the your romantic view of the liberal brand is not based on fact, only on your cognitive perception, which lacks objectivity in the real sense if the word. The liberal brand is currently useless because the people do not need it to satisfy their polical aims. This us what polarization does to the middle ground. We live in an age where moderates are useless because they don’t take a stand for anything concrete. The liberals can only go farther left, it is the only direction they know how to go.

]]> Comment on Looking back on 2011 by Paul http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2011/12/19/looking-back-on-2011/comment-page-1/#comment-3188 Paul Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:15:18 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1313#comment-3188 No still in Vancouver :) No still in Vancouver :)

]]> Comment on Looking back on 2011 by kate zimmerman http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2011/12/19/looking-back-on-2011/comment-page-1/#comment-3186 kate zimmerman Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:19:49 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1313#comment-3186 Hi, Paul, I came across your blog while doing research for a magazine story about loneliness in Vancouver versus Calgary and wondered whether you have moved to Calgary yet. I'd be interested to hear which you feel is an easier place to make new friends. Hi, Paul, I came across your blog while doing research for a magazine story about loneliness in Vancouver versus Calgary and wondered whether you have moved to Calgary yet. I’d be interested to hear which you feel is an easier place to make new friends.

]]> Comment on The future lives in Calgary, not Vancouver by David http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2011/11/28/the-future-lives-in-calgary/comment-page-1/#comment-3170 David Sat, 07 Jan 2012 03:23:47 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1297#comment-3170 I for one agree. I love Alberta and I'm moving back for: people who actually make eye contact with one another, affordable prices, beautiful blue skies, and for weather that isn't wet. I'm tired of getting onto a good skytrain system packed with people who seem afraid of each other, of backed up traffic along the few roadways that feed the city, of feeling wet and cold in a gloomy and dark winter, and of not having any decent places to go at night without the heavily centralized nightlife of downtown. I for one agree. I love Alberta and I’m moving back for: people who actually make eye contact with one another, affordable prices, beautiful blue skies, and for weather that isn’t wet. I’m tired of getting onto a good skytrain system packed with people who seem afraid of each other, of backed up traffic along the few roadways that feed the city, of feeling wet and cold in a gloomy and dark winter, and of not having any decent places to go at night without the heavily centralized nightlife of downtown.

]]> Comment on The future lives in Calgary, not Vancouver by Michael http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2011/11/28/the-future-lives-in-calgary/comment-page-1/#comment-3071 Michael Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:22:03 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1297#comment-3071 I didn't proof read this post 100% before posting, sorry for the typos... I didn’t proof read this post 100% before posting, sorry for the typos…

]]> Comment on The future lives in Calgary, not Vancouver by Michael http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2011/11/28/the-future-lives-in-calgary/comment-page-1/#comment-3070 Michael Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:02:07 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/?p=1297#comment-3070 Hello, I came from Mississauga(Toronto-GTA)And I have lived in Calgary for 5 years, and my fiance lived in Vancouver for 30 years, and we both can write a book on what we saw,observed and experienced in Calgary. If you think that living smack in the middle of brown bald prairie surrounded by ulgy skyscrapers in the middle of nowhere that only speak of "nouvous riche"(new money and oil is so great then perhaps you should move and stay here and leave Vancouver alone. Or maybe you prefer one of those cookiecutter homes(Army Barracks) up on 1A, that are built so close together that if there was a fire and it spread, the whole neighborhood would go and in fact that actually happened. You obviously know absolutely squatt about Calgary and the issues here including the urban sprawl problem, and what Klein did to this province. I know what its like to come froma city that doesn't tear down its heritage and history and replace heritage buildings with massive skyscrapers. I know what its like to come from a city and a province that has more than one industry, I also know what its like to come from a multicultural city that promotes "The Arts" not kill it. I also know what its like to leave a city that has a pretty solid infrastructure(s) and to come to a "town" that thinks it's a city where certain infrastructures are crumbling. I came from a city where "Hello" you don't need a car to get around in the 21st century. Here's an example of the "great leadership" that some moron wrote on this blog. They just spent 24+ million dollars of the taxpayers money to build a bloody walking bridge,but guess what? They don't have a freakin indoor stadium for the football team in the 21st century,oh yeah that's good leadership. You know why Calgary doesn't get alot of the big venues like Toronto or Vancouver, because there's no frickin place for them to play. I went to a concert at the saddle dome it couldn't touch GM Place or the Air Canada Centre in 100 years just on acoustics alone, and now I hear it's getting old and coming apart.. Look, if you're going to post a blog about something you feel convicted about, try doing a little homework first before you publish and perish and make a bloody fool out of yourself.. Calgary is fast becoming an elitist city, Klein did have a 10 year plan for Calgary but was probably too drunk at the time to mention it in parliament. The boom went bust, and when they were handing out building permits like candy on Halloween, they(Province) weren't thinking about their dirty oil, the environmental impact, the cost of our dependency on fossil fuels in the future,they were just thinking about black gold and lining their pcokets. Get a copy of the Calgary Herald for around August 2007 I think, over 40,000 people left Calgary including Doctors who stated publically they couldn't afford to live and practice in Calgary,and many more have left since... I could go on, but I think I've made my point.. I really like some of the other posts here, there's quite a few smart people that posted here, but with osme of the other moronic posts - they walk among us, they really do... Hello, I came from Mississauga(Toronto-GTA)And I have lived in Calgary for 5 years, and my fiance lived in Vancouver for 30 years, and we both can write a book on what we saw,observed and experienced in Calgary. If you think that living smack in the middle of brown bald prairie surrounded by ulgy skyscrapers in the middle of nowhere that only speak of “nouvous riche”(new money and oil is so great then perhaps you should move and stay here and leave Vancouver alone.
Or maybe you prefer one of those cookiecutter homes(Army Barracks) up on 1A, that are built so close together that if there was a fire and it spread, the whole neighborhood would go and in fact that actually happened. You obviously know absolutely squatt about Calgary and the issues here including the urban sprawl problem, and what Klein did to this province. I know what its like to come froma city that doesn’t tear down its heritage and history and replace heritage buildings with massive skyscrapers. I know what its like to come from a city and a province that has more than one industry, I also know what its like to come from a multicultural city that promotes “The Arts” not kill it. I also know what its like to leave a city that has a pretty solid infrastructure(s) and to come to a “town” that thinks it’s a city where certain infrastructures are crumbling. I came from a city where “Hello” you don’t need a car to get around in the 21st century. Here’s an example of the “great leadership” that some moron wrote on this blog. They just spent 24+ million dollars of the taxpayers money to build a bloody walking bridge,but guess what? They don’t have a freakin indoor stadium for the football team in the 21st century,oh yeah that’s good leadership. You know why Calgary doesn’t get alot of the big venues like Toronto or Vancouver, because there’s no frickin place for them to play. I went to a concert at the saddle dome it couldn’t touch GM Place or the Air Canada Centre in 100 years just on acoustics alone, and now I hear it’s getting old and coming apart..

Look, if you’re going to post a blog about something you feel convicted about, try doing a little homework first before you publish and perish and make a bloody fool out of yourself.. Calgary is fast becoming an elitist city, Klein did have a 10 year plan for Calgary but was probably too drunk at the time to mention it in parliament. The boom went bust, and when they were handing out building permits like candy on Halloween, they(Province) weren’t thinking about their dirty oil, the environmental impact, the cost of our dependency on fossil fuels in the future,they were just thinking about black gold and lining their pcokets. Get a copy of the Calgary Herald for around August 2007 I think, over 40,000 people left Calgary including Doctors who stated publically they couldn’t afford to live and practice in Calgary,and many more have left since… I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.. I really like some of the other posts here, there’s quite a few smart people that posted here, but with osme of the other moronic posts – they walk among us, they really do…

]]> Comment on Defending Ray Lam and his facebook pictures by aspie guy http://www.paulhillsdon.com/2009/04/19/defending-ray-lam-and-his-facebook-pictures/comment-page-1/#comment-3010 aspie guy Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:07:52 +0000 http://www.paulhillsdon.com/blog/?p=587#comment-3010 I struggle with bragging on social media too. My friends even approve me of it by liking my posts and replying to it. Nobody rubukes me. Not even my family members. The key is the always use sound judgment and self control when posting things regardless of privacy settings. Your photos never get deleted and anyone can view them. It's never safe to give out personal information to the public. By default, the privacy settings of facebook users over 18 is public. It can be a double edged sword. The upside is that it is easier to screen for criminals while the downside is that you can be a target for ID thieves. Is it a right thing to do by letting the candidate step down? What if someone posts evidence of their crimes but they did not know it was public? Like drug dealing, stealing, vandalism, etc. Would it be a good idea to let them be a candidate or report them? I struggle with bragging on social media too. My friends even approve me of it by liking my posts and replying to it. Nobody rubukes me. Not even my family members.

The key is the always use sound judgment and self control when posting things regardless of privacy settings. Your photos never get deleted and anyone can view them. It’s never safe to give out personal information to the public. By default, the privacy settings of facebook users over 18 is public. It can be a double edged sword. The upside is that it is easier to screen for criminals while the downside is that you can be a target for ID thieves.

Is it a right thing to do by letting the candidate step down? What if someone posts evidence of their crimes but they did not know it was public? Like drug dealing, stealing, vandalism, etc. Would it be a good idea to let them be a candidate or report them?

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