Liberal Minority Government 2025 - ???

[Maxman1]

Filled it out.

Left this suggestion:

Increase the GST 1% per year over two years. Reduce federal transfers by 1%. Take the savings and invest 1/3rd of it on defence, 1/3rd on health care transfers and 1/3rd back into general revenues.

I wrote in "Scrap the gun ban."

 

[Halifax Tar]

Filled it out.

Left this suggestion:

Increase the GST 1% per year over two years. Reduce federal transfers by 1%. Take the savings and invest 1/3rd of it on defence, 1/3rd on health care transfers and 1/3rd back into general revenues.

Yes, yes... Raise taxes PMMC please do that

 

[Halifax Tar]

I wrote in "Scrap the gun ban."

I said something similar, but I also suggested for national defence instituting a national marksmanship program.

 

[Remius]

Yes, yes... Raise taxes PMMC please do that

do you want your 20% raise?

 

[Halifax Tar]

do you want your 20% raise?

I feel like that myth has been debunked.

 

[Furniture]

Left this suggestion:

Increase the GST 1% per year over two years. Reduce federal transfers by 1%. Take the savings and invest 1/3rd of it on defence, 1/3rd on health care transfers and 1/3rd back into general revenues.

I'm thr LPac had won a strong majority, that might be an option. An unpopular one, but potentially survivable.

In a minority government counting on the CPC to get things done, it would be political suicide.

 

[Remius]

I'm thr LPac had won a strong majority, that might be an option. An unpopular one, but potentially survivable.

In a minority government counting on the CPC to get things done, it would be political suicide.

Fair point. But it makes sense if you want to increase revenue while keeping the deficit down and service the debt.

 

[Remius]

I feel like that myth has been debunked.

Oh it has. A little sarcasm goes a long way.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Interesting choices. I don’t like how for the economy they limit it to 3 choices. Many of those are valid strategies to employ at the exact same time.

Also wrote cancel the ‘firearms buyback program’. Suggested creating a crown corp to handle housing by making quality apartments on a at cost 50 year rental basis.

 

[Jarnhamar]

LILLEY: Anandasangaree needs to go as Public Safety Minister

You can't be in charge of the terrorist group list while being unable to speak to several groups on the list or writing letters in favour of their members.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The 'Frenemies' are in town...

‘We miss you,’ U.S. senators tell Canada as Lutnick vows tariffs will stay​

‘We miss you,’ U.S. senators tell Canada as Lutnick vows tariffs will stay - National | Globalnews.ca

Three Democratic senators were joined by a Republican colleague as they met Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on Monday to talk trade, security and the Canada-U.S. relationship.

globalnews.ca

 

[Czech_pivo]

Have a read. I found this interesting.
Opportunities for Canada if we have these elements available in the North in large enough quantities to exploit.

Visualizing the Use of Rare Earths in the Military

Visualizing How Rare Earths Power U.S. Defense

How minerals controlled by China are vital to U.S. defense.

www.visualcapitalist.com

 

[brihard]

Have a read. I found this interesting.
Opportunities for Canada if we have these elements available in the North in large enough quantities to exploit.

Visualizing the Use of Rare Earths in the Military

Visualizing How Rare Earths Power U.S. Defense

How minerals controlled by China are vital to U.S. defense.

www.visualcapitalist.com

Canada has rare earths. A few projects are or were being explored for development- going by memory here but I think Hoidas Lake in Saskatchewan and Nechalacho in the NWT. Those got set back by over a decade when China crashed REE spot prices back in the early 2010s and the junior stage mining companies went belly up. Bringing a mine to production is lengthy and complex, and in the junior mining sector largely depends on being able to continue raising capital through public stock offerings and private placements. Those in turn depend on the economics of the project. China weaponized its market dominance to make these economically unviable long enough for the existing companies to fail.

There’s a compelling case to be made for either significant government guarantees/incentives, or outright crown corporation involvement to ensure we can actually bring some of these critical minerals to production. Thus far the market has largely failed - due in large part to Chinese manipulation - to deliver sufficient sovereign production within the western alliance.

 

[GR66]

Canada has rare earths. A few projects are or were being explored for development- going by memory here but I think Hoidas Lake in Saskatchewan and Nechalacho in the NWT. Those got set back by over a decade when China crashed REE spot prices back in the early 2010s and the junior stage mining companies went belly up. Bringing a mine to production is lengthy and complex, and in the junior mining sector largely depends on being able to continue raising capital through public stock offerings and private placements. Those in turn depend on the economics of the project. China weaponized its market dominance to make these economically unviable long enough for the existing companies to fail.

There’s a compelling case to be made for either significant government guarantees/incentives, or outright crown corporation involvement to ensure we can actually bring some of these critical minerals to production. Thus far the market has largely failed - due in large part to Chinese manipulation - to deliver sufficient sovereign production within the western alliance.

My understanding is that rare earth elements are not actually rare but don't appear in concentrations by themselves. They are typically extracted in trace amounts from the tailings of other mineral mining operations. The problem isn't that Canada doesn't have access to rare earths themselves because we have pretty extensive mining operations that give us access to the ores containing the raw elements. What we are lacking is the processing.

Because rare earths appear in such tiny amounts in the ore extracting them is a very dirty and time consuming process (basically consisting of multiple acid baths). The reason that the Chinese have such a grip on the rare earth market isn't because they have so much more raw product than anyone else but rather because they are willing to accept the very significant pollution and environmental impact that comes from processing the ore to extract the rare earth elements while most Western nations aren't willing to do so.

 

[Czech_pivo]

My understanding is that rare earth elements are not actually rare but don't appear in concentrations by themselves. They are typically extracted in trace amounts from the tailings of other mineral mining operations. The problem isn't that Canada doesn't have access to rare earths themselves because we have pretty extensive mining operations that give us access to the ores containing the raw elements. What we are lacking is the processing.

Because rare earths appear in such tiny amounts in the ore extracting them is a very dirty and time consuming process (basically consisting of multiple acid baths). The reason that the Chinese have such a grip on the rare earth market isn't because they have so much more raw product than anyone else but rather because they are willing to accept the very significant pollution and environmental impact that comes from processing the ore to extract the rare earth elements while most Western nations aren't willing to do so.

Not surprised by that.

I've read in the past of the Chinese hand pollinating thousands of acres of fruit trees because of no bees but the availability of hundreds of surplus labourer's to do the job.

 

[brihard]

My understanding is that rare earth elements are not actually rare but don't appear in concentrations by themselves. They are typically extracted in trace amounts from the tailings of other mineral mining operations. The problem isn't that Canada doesn't have access to rare earths themselves because we have pretty extensive mining operations that give us access to the ores containing the raw elements. What we are lacking is the processing.

Because rare earths appear in such tiny amounts in the ore extracting them is a very dirty and time consuming process (basically consisting of multiple acid baths). The reason that the Chinese have such a grip on the rare earth market isn't because they have so much more raw product than anyone else but rather because they are willing to accept the very significant pollution and environmental impact that comes from processing the ore to extract the rare earth elements while most Western nations aren't willing to do so.

Kinda sorta… Yes they can show up as traces in the waste from other mining, but commercial REE mining can also be targeting REE specifically from deposits with sufficient concentration of Rare Earth Oxides.

China does have labour and regulatory advantages in the Rare Earths space- they’ll do whatever is needed to dig up the oxides and they don’t care if the metallurgy is dirty. A sovereign supply for Canada and the west is a pricey proposition and challenges conventional markets. But what’s the cost of not having one?

 

[daftandbarmy]

FWIW...

Rare earth elements facts​

Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of 17 elements, including the 15 elements of the lanthanide series on the periodic table of elements together with the transition metals scandium and yttrium. The latter two elements exhibit similar properties to the lanthanides and are found in the same ore bodies. REEs are key components in many electronic devices that we use in our daily lives, as well as in a variety of industrial applications.

Key facts​

• Canada has some of the largest known reserves and resources (measured and indicated) of rare earths in the world, estimated at over 15.2 million tonnes of rare earth oxide in 2023.
• Manufacturing permanent magnets is the largest global use for REEs, accounting for 44% of total demand in 2022.
• China is the world’s largest producer with an estimated 210,000 tonnes of mined REEs and 175,000 tonnes of refined REEs in 2022, accounting for 70% of global mined production and 87% of global refined production.
• Many countries, including Canada, have rare earths reserves and resources, but producing REE metals requires complex separation and refining processes.

Rare earth elements facts - Natural Resources Canada

natural-resources.canada.ca

 

[Czech_pivo]

FWIW...

Rare earth elements facts​

Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of 17 elements, including the 15 elements of the lanthanide series on the periodic table of elements together with the transition metals scandium and yttrium. The latter two elements exhibit similar properties to the lanthanides and are found in the same ore bodies. REEs are key components in many electronic devices that we use in our daily lives, as well as in a variety of industrial applications.

Key facts​

• Canada has some of the largest known reserves and resources (measured and indicated) of rare earths in the world, estimated at over 15.2 million tonnes of rare earth oxide in 2023.
• Manufacturing permanent magnets is the largest global use for REEs, accounting for 44% of total demand in 2022.
• China is the world’s largest producer with an estimated 210,000 tonnes of mined REEs and 175,000 tonnes of refined REEs in 2022, accounting for 70% of global mined production and 87% of global refined production.
• Many countries, including Canada, have rare earths reserves and resources, but producing REE metals requires complex separation and refining processes.

Rare earth elements facts - Natural Resources Canada

natural-resources.canada.ca

Interesting that Russia is not even listed as a player. Need to ask the question 'why?' Surely can't be because they don't have any. More than likely its because they more than likely don't have the 'processing' ability/knowledge to do so. I'd be shocked if they don't have identifiable locations already mapped out.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Interesting that Russia is not even listed as a player. Need to ask the question 'why?' Surely can't be because they don't have any.

Could be off list because they’re in the top 10 but not the top 3-4 …

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/what-are-russias-rare-earth-metals-ambitions-2025-02-26/

More than likely its because they more than likely don't have the 'processing' ability/knowledge to do so.

Well, wheels SEEM to be turning on seeking partners …

https://www.mining.com/russia-us-in-talks-over-joint-rare-earths-projects/

Russia and U.S. Begin Talks on Rare Earth Metals, Putin Envoy Says - The Moscow Times

Russian and U.S. officials have started discussions on developing reserves of rare earth metals in Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for international economic and investment cooperation said Monday. “Rare earth metals are an important area for cooperation, and we have started...

www.themoscowtimes.com

 

[MilEME09]

Crime severity index drops for the first time in awhile

Crime severity index dropped four per cent last year, Statistics Canada says

The national statistics agency says the volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada decreased four per cent last year, after three annual increases in a row.

www.ctvnews.ca