Canada's Harper calls U.S. deficit "dangerous"

[Old Coot]

Source: Reuters

OTTAWA, June 15 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the U.S. deficit "dangerous" on Monday and said it would eventually require tax increases -- a path he said his Conservative government would avoid.

Harper was responding in Parliament on Monday to a question from the opposition Liberals on the need for more transparency in stimulus spending and a suggestion that Harper copy the Obama administration and publish spending details online.

Harper replied: "The Liberal Party cites the United States as their fiscal model ... In the United States the deficit is running at four times the size of our deficit. It is a dangerous, long-term structural deficit that existed even before the recession began, one that will require tax increases eventually."

"That's not a direction we want to go," he said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN1523566320090615

[whosinpower]

1. Sleight of hand....

Transparency and publishing where stimulus is going....has nothing to do with the size of the deficit.

Harper does not want transparency - and every single canadian should be wary of this.

[MADem]

2. Oh, Bush of the North, do shut the fuck up. Your best pal George was the butthead who ran up our

credit card and got us in this mess. And he wasn't a member of the US counterparts to the Liberal Party, either.

Jerk.

[Triana]

3. Well now, Mr. Canadian GWB speaks up....

...I understand he's ruining their health care system there too. Wants to privatize it.

[HeresyLives]

5. Harper is Bush in a touque.

This is a touque.

http://avatars.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:forums.rennlist.com/get/rennforums/customavatars/avatar21051_5.gif

[Canuckistanian]

11. Harper knows better than to screw with health care

If he tries to privatize, he'll have his own version of Teheran on his hands.

[thunder rising]

4. "existed even before the recession began" ... wonder who did that?

[Cha]

6. Did harper have anything to say about

all the US money down the drain in Iraq?..except, of course, going into the coffers of haliburton?

[Amonester]

7. I so hope Ignatieff + Layton + Duceppe will "overthrow" that idiot.

As soon as this coming Friday.

He's done enough damages already.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/15/ignatieff-economic-report-response834.html

DO IT, PLEASE

[Wabbajack_]

12. "“I don’t want an election. I don’t think anybody wants an election.”"

I want an election.

[Posteritatis]

13. "I don't want an election" is politicianese for "I want an election"

I think people are trying to get Harper to get cocky enough to think he's immune to having one forced on him.

I want an election, but that's because the provincial one had me warmed up. ;)

[TrogL]

15. Let's do it now

It's no fun planting election signs in freezing weather.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

8. Mr. Harper

Bush was/is dangerous. Why do you let him in your country? He does have a drunk driving conviction a' ya know?

[CHIMO]

9. Well

One has to bring their expense and income into balance.

And Harper won't accept that he has reduced income. And he doesn't want to admit that his plan is to reduce expense.

So point fingers.

Looks like Iggy is doing exactly the same thing that his predecessor did. And it lost him his job.

So Iggy! Get a backbone or step aside.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

10. it isn't only dangerous - it is insane

The types of projects being funded under the "stimulus" package are not labor intensive enough to have any tangible impact on macro employment or the economy as a whole.

Want stimulus?

UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE

In one swoop, wipe of the greatest barrier to companies hiring new people.

[SKKY]

14. Well, our GDP is roughly 8 times that of Canada...

...so yea, I guess from their perspective our deficit would seem extraordinary.

[Bragi]

16. No matter who you compare it with...

The U.S. deficit IS extraordinary. That's just a fact.

[SKKY]

17. This is, on the whole a silly argument, but OK, if you say so.

[Psephos]

18. He's dead right on this one. eom