***OFFICIAL*** Canadians: Federal Election Thread

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
If the builders don't have qualified Estimators, sorry, but that's their problem.

Why do they not just purchase what they need early on? It's not like the steel structure of a building takes up that much space in terms of volume.

We have been having problems with shady builders here in Toronto for a long time. Constant delays, and constant demands for more money up front. It comes down to greed. They earn interest off the money they take in while the people trying to move in are stuck renting.

When building a downtown condo there is no room to store things. You buy a lot, you dig the entire thing down about 30-40 feet, put your equipment on the street and on scaffolding above the sidewalk and go from there.

How is it greed? Geez stop being so skeptical of everyone other than yourself for a minute. The developers WANT to finish the building in a timely fashion, under budget and sell everything off quickly. Delays, cost overruns, having to ask for more money up front are BAD things for developers and don't make them anything extra.

Materials prices are going up. Labour costs are going up. It's a fact of life.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Number1
People are going to vote for this idiot?

Worst...interview ...ever

LOL

Dion and his green shaft plan are a joke.

Whoa, what was that? I'm assuming he's tired like hell and English being his second language made things difficult for him.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: SickBeast
If the builders don't have qualified Estimators, sorry, but that's their problem.

Why do they not just purchase what they need early on? It's not like the steel structure of a building takes up that much space in terms of volume.

We have been having problems with shady builders here in Toronto for a long time. Constant delays, and constant demands for more money up front. It comes down to greed. They earn interest off the money they take in while the people trying to move in are stuck renting.

When building a downtown condo there is no room to store things. You buy a lot, you dig the entire thing down about 30-40 feet, put your equipment on the street and on scaffolding above the sidewalk and go from there.

How is it greed? Geez stop being so skeptical of everyone other than yourself for a minute. The developers WANT to finish the building in a timely fashion, under budget and sell everything off quickly. Delays, cost overruns, having to ask for more money up front are BAD things for developers and don't make them anything extra.

Materials prices are going up. Labour costs are going up. It's a fact of life.

I can't claim to be in the know regarding the cost of current construction materials. That said, I did just read some information on metals costs, and essentially the only one that was "up" this year was gold. The rest were down, including steel, tin, and copper. Wood is rotting in the lumber yards right now due to what is going on in the US housing market. Concrete I don't know.

The price of crude oil drove up inflation and the Canadian dollar earlier in the year, and the opposite has happened recently, with our dollar now sitting near 80 cents US.

The cost of labour has gone up 4.5% this past year, which seems to match inflation pretty much on the nose (which is fair).

I have good reason to be skeptical of builders, and I believe that the Canadian public does as well. Builders create the fabric of our society, and here in Toronto, a great deal is done irresponsibly (and improperly).

In terms of what you described regarding how a building goes up, in my opinion a good Project Manager could co-ordinate an effective way to store the materials in a cost-sensitive way.

I just read an interesting article about Denmark and their energy boom in the 70s. We need to be careful with how our oil resources are extracted as it can have a long-term impact on our prosperity as a nation.

To be honest, I'm not overly concerned about any of the 4 major parties running for PM right now. I think that any of them would get into office and do a good job. I'm proud to be Canadian and proud of our democratic system. For whatever reason, the Greens are jumping out at me right now as the way to go. I love grassroots movements. I voted Conservative last time (and regretted it!). We'll see if I regret voting Green.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
I can't claim to be in the know regarding the cost of current construction materials. That said, I did just read some information on metals costs, and essentially the only one that was "up" this year was gold. The rest were down, including steel, tin, and copper. Wood is rotting in the lumber yards right now due to what is going on in the US housing market. Concrete I don't know.

The price of crude oil drove up inflation and the Canadian dollar earlier in the year, and the opposite has happened recently, with our dollar now sitting near 80 cents US.

The cost of labour has gone up 4.5% this past year, which seems to match inflation pretty much on the nose (which is fair).

I have good reason to be skeptical of builders, and I believe that the Canadian public does as well. Builders create the fabric of our society, and here in Toronto, a great deal is done irresponsibly (and improperly).

In terms of what you described regarding how a building goes up, in my opinion a good Project Manager could co-ordinate an effective way to store the materials in a cost-sensitive way.

I just read an interesting article about Denmark and their energy boom in the 70s. We need to be careful with how our oil resources are extracted as it can have a long-term impact on our prosperity as a nation.

To be honest, I'm not overly concerned about any of the 4 major parties running for PM right now. I think that any of them would get into office and do a good job. I'm proud to be Canadian and proud of our democratic system. For whatever reason, the Greens are jumping out at me right now as the way to go. I love grassroots movements. I voted Conservative last time (and regretted it!). We'll see if I regret voting Green.

It's probably different in Ontario but here you can't hire a decent carpenter anymore as they're all working. My dad is in construction and is in charge of a development downtown and he's forced to hire guys straight out of jail who show up 3 days a week because he can't get anyone good. And he has to pay them $27/hr.

I'm not kidding about how the condos are built. Besides, materials aren't bought at the start of the job en masse. They are bought as they are needed. When a site gets developed downtown, or in any urban area, a fence is put up along the edge of the property and it is dug straight down from the edges. It is literally a cliff from sidewalk to sidewalk. The offices are portables that are put above the sidewalk on scaffolding. A lot of equipment is parked in the first lane of the road. As much as you have to bite the bullet when materials prices go up, it'd be MORE expensive to pay for storage for an entire building's worth of materials for 3 years.

 

[Number1]

Quite a few papers are endorsing the conservatives. A majority might still be possible.

Newspaper List and links to editorials.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: Number1
Quite a few papers are endorsing the conservatives. A majority might still be possible.

Newspaper List and links to editorials.

Conservative bias and power leads to the loss of the individual.

Which papers are you referring to?

Ontario went to shit under Harris. His people are running the current Conservative party. Look at Flaherty. They're a bunch of assholes.

The "nursing shortage" is caused by our own government and a selfish conservative "elite". Teachers aren't getting jobs for the same reason. The same applies to why Naturopathy isn't covered by provincial health insurance.

It always amazes me to see poor people with crappy houses with a Conservative sign on their lawn; it's as though they think the Conservatives are in line with their values. Some people are easily manipulated by the Ruling Class I suppose. *shrug*

 

[desy]

Lost our stick and the elections just coming!

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: desy
Lost our stick and the elections just coming!

Who are you voting for?

At this point I'm still somewhat undecided.

 

[Number1]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: Number1
Quite a few papers are endorsing the conservatives. A majority might still be possible.

Newspaper List and links to editorials.

Conservative bias and power leads to the loss of the individual.

1: Which papers are you referring to?

Ontario went to shit under Harris. His people are running the current Conservative party. Look at Flaherty. They're a bunch of assholes.

The "nursing shortage" is caused by our own government and a selfish conservative "elite". Teachers aren't getting jobs for the same reason. The same applies to why Naturopathy isn't covered by provincial health insurance.

2: It always amazes me to see poor people with crappy houses with a Conservative sign on their lawn; it's as though they think the Conservatives are in line with their values. Some people are easily manipulated by the Ruling Class I suppose. *shrug*

1: Click the F0cking link to find out you idiot. But just in case you're to lazy to click it, here is the list of newspapers endorsing the conservative this election:

Brantford Expositor
Calgary Herald
Calgary Sun
Economist
Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Sun
Globe & Mail
Kitchener-Waterloo Record
Montreal Gazette
National Post:
Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Sun:
Toronto Sun
Vancouver Province
Vancouver Sun
Windsor Star
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Sun
Montreal Gazette


2: Typical elitist I am better then you attitude. Screw you.

You want to vote for tax increases by voting Liberal, go ahead, the rest of us know better as you will see in the election results tonight. If you vote green or NDP you will only divide the left and help the conservative. You're in a no win situation.

 

[Number1]

Today is the day so please go vote and bump this thread once you did.

Good luck to your chosen candidate whoever it may be.

 

[silverpig]

I'm going to vote a little later today. I want the Conservatives to win a minority, but I'm probably voting Liberal. I have a few issues that I've been wanting to write my MP about but decided to wait until after the election. After doing some reading on the Liberal incumbent and the Conservative candidate, the Liberal seems to be very active and interested in her constituents, while the Conservative candidate is anything but. Apparently she showed up to less than half the local debates and when written to for interviews by local papers, she just didn't respond. The Green party guy here is apparently really great as well, so now it's a bit of a toss up.


Conservative positives: Taxes, asserting control over the north
Conservative negatives: DMCA, environmental policy (but the others may go too far)

There are others, but I'm writing quick here.

 

[desy]

Conservative
I'm hoping they are going to do right by the economy and I think they are best qualified to do so considering Liberals are rudderless with Dion
Greens and NDP are totally unqualified to handle the economy on a global scale, and since I don't live in QB so Gil is out

Am I happy with Conservative social agendas not really, but they have to stick to the center to keep in power and they know it.

 

[RichardE]

Voting liberal here

 

[Number1]

Voted Conservative here.

 

[imported_Imp]

Voted liberal. First time ever. NDP will win n my riding though.

 

[dennilfloss]

Voted liberal a few days ago.

 

[dennilfloss]

Originally posted by: Number1
Voted Conservative here.

Booooooooo!!! Hissssssssss!!!

 

[Number1]

Originally posted by: dennilfloss

Originally posted by: Number1
Voted Conservative here.

Booooooooo!!! Hissssssssss!!!

LOL

I can't wait to see the election results.

 

[imported_apocalypse]

Voting Conservative, lesser of evils at this point.

Unfortunately, this election is like a multiple choice test with no correct answer.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: apocalypse
Voting Conservative, lesser of evils at this point.

Unfortunately, this election is like a multiple choice test with no correct answer.

hehe, pretty much

 

[little elvis]

Since the Conservatives are lock in my riding, well, I decided to vote for the Green Party. I'm really just doing this to hopefully ensure the Greens get a larger voice in the upcoming elections. Sometimes you need a new party to keep the old ones honest and on their toes.

Typically, I'm a Conservative voter.

 

[imported_Champ]

This is make or break for the greens (and I hope its break) if they can't get a seat then they should be excluded the next debate...their quasi-seat in Vancouver is looking fairly bad and there is no regions showing them as a favorite

I really hope I can see a feed from May's party HQ when she and all other greens do not win any seats lol

I predict a conservative minority (like everyone else) but although its a long shot I want to see a NDP official opposition (I'm fairly central but the liberals have never cut it for me and both conservative and NDP are too far...so smash them against each other and I might get something I want)

The last thing I am hoping for is that Harper will win the only seat he lost in Saskatchewan so that we can have two side-by-side fully blue provinces lol

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Champ
This is make or break for the greens (and I hope its break) if they can't get a seat then they should be excluded the next debate...their quasi-seat in Vancouver is looking fairly bad and there is no regions showing them as a favorite

I really hope I can see a feed from May's party HQ when she and all other greens do not win any seats lol

I predict a conservative minority (like everyone else) but although its a long shot I want to see a NDP official opposition (I'm fairly central but the liberals have never cut it for me and both conservative and NDP are too far...so smash them against each other and I might get something I want)

The last thing I am hoping for is that Harper will win the only seat he lost in Saskatchewan so that we can have two side-by-side fully blue provinces lol

She ran a pretty good campaign. I think their Policies need to be rejigged though. Still a little too pie in the sky to be taken seriously.

 

[little elvis]

If the Conservatives do not get a majority, does Stephen Harper survive as leader?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: little elvis
If the Conservatives do not get a majority, does Stephen Harper survive as leader?

Who could take his place? I think he's their best bet for now.