If you’ve got a generic drug that is identical to a brand-name one and is cheaper (e.g., ibuprofen vs Advil) then I absoluely support the government only funding the former; anything else is a giveaway to pharmaceutical companies.
But when two medications are actually different and have different effects, that’s another matter. So I agree with you.
Edited by Galadriel on Dec 6th 2019 at 5:49:20 AM
Its Jason goddamn Kenny, no points for guessing which one it is.
Edited by Rationalinsanity on Dec 6th 2019 at 1:23:12 PM
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Oh, bother.
Somehow I am not surprised this is coming from Alberta.
Disgusted, but not surprised
Ugh, yes. Conservative fuck-the-poor policies in full effect.
Though I do love reading this bit of Schadenfreude:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/moody-s-alberta-credit-rating-1.5383294
To summarize: Alberta's credit rating took a hit due to overreliance on Oil, and lack of investment in renewable resources. The Conservatives are, of course, trying to spin it to be inheriting the NDP's problems, despite Moody's being quite clear of the reason behind the downgrade.
Edited by TriggerLoaded on Dec 7th 2019 at 11:37:07 AM
Don't take life too seriously. It's only a temporary situation.
Conservatism is the longest con, I'd say. No pun intended.
And aside from Notley's four year tenure, Alberta has largely been a de facto One Party Province since it joined Confederation (first Social Credit, then the Conservatives, and now possibly UCP if the voters out there don't get their heads out of their asses).
Problem is, the political right has convinced enough people that the left, Ottawa and the rest of the country is to blame, and not the guys who've been running the place for the bulk of a century (ie; them).
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Breaking: Conservative Leader/Leader of the Official Opposition Andrew Scheer has announced his resignation. He will stay on until a new leader is selected, which won't happen until at least April.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-resigns-1.5393803
I did not see this coming. I thought he'd hang on until the April convention at least.
Apparently its linked to news coming out that he used party money to pay for his kids private schooling.
Edited by Rationalinsanity on Dec 12th 2019 at 1:13:26 PM
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
I knew he'd have some kind of scandal.
Big question is, who is going to replace him?
I hope its not Remple, for one.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Anyways Here's Darude Sandstorm
Lol @ Scheer.
What was that about putting the Liberals on notice?
GIVE ME YOUR FACE
Well, that happened fast.
This could flip an number of different ways. The Conservatives could shift leftwards in some areas, like a lot of columnists are saying they’ll need to do to win, or they could go the other way, decide Scheer was too milquetoast, and try to find a Trump. Though hopefully the collapse of the PPC will discourage them from the latter.
I don’t think they’ll shift their positions much on climate change, not with Alberta and Saskatchewan as their base.
Former Progressive Conservative leader and Nova Scotia MP Peter Mackay is expected to enter the Conservative Party leadership race today.
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5427544?__twitter_impression=true
On the one hand, he's a dyed in the wool moderate. On the other hand, he stands for nothing but his own career, and is a chronic magnet for PR scandals.
Edited by Rationalinsanity on Jan 15th 2020 at 2:05:38 PM
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
With Harry and Meghan making plans to move to Canada, the Bloc and other pro-Quebec factions are pissed about this.
And so does a survey IIRC that mentions 73% don't want to shoulder the financial costs.
Never thought I'd hear this for a while. NHK got this:
A Canadian court will begin deliberations on Monday on whether to hand over the chief financial officer of Chinese telecom giant Huawei to the United States.
Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in December 2018 at the request of the US. The US Justice Department later indicted her on fraud and other charges, and filed an extradition request.
Meng is staying at her home in Vancouver after being released on bail.
Meng's side has said the US allegations against her are not a crime in Canada as they are based on violations of the US sanctions against Iran. They add that comments by US President Donald Trump indicate that Meng's case is politically motivated.
Meng's case is seen as a symbol of the US-China trade conflict, including the struggle for world leadership in advanced technology.
I haven't heard about the case for a while.
Likely cause Ottawa's finding a way to get our guys from Beijing back home without looking like that they gave up due to pressure from them.
Meanwhile it seems that someone's paying people to be pro-Meng activists.
After getting a call from a friend on short notice Monday morning, the 20-year-old wrapped up a shift at her job, saying the friend told her all she had to do was stand outside court and hold a sign for two hours in order to collect the cash.
Once outside B.C. Supreme Court in downtown Vancouver, she joined up with the person who recruited her, along with other people paid to hold signs supporting Meng, Huawei’s chief financial officer, who is currently facing possible extradition to the U.S. on fraud charges.
This woman said she did not know most of the other people supporting Meng outside court, and has no knowledge of the Chinese tech executive’s legal case or the international fallout which has seen China detain two Canadians, widely believed to be in retaliation for Meng’s arrest.
NEWS 1130 has granted anonymity to this woman, but has confirmed her identity as one of the people present outside court on Monday.
Soon after arriving outside court, this woman realized this was anything but an easy way to make some dough, as a throng of local and international media descended on B.C. Supreme Court, and started asking her and others questions.
Now, she has decided to provide some answers, and is also apologizing for agreeing to participate in a manufactured protest.
“I would like to apologize for the ignorance,” said this woman. “I should have done my research. I should have put 10 minutes into searching what this was. I didn’t, and I apologize for standing up for something that, in my own morals and in my own heart, I wouldn’t have done this if I had known the trial, the case, and more about Meng and what was going on.”
This woman said she was paid the $150 by an Asian woman in her 30s wearing all black named “Joey,” but has no further information about who “Joey” is or who she is affiliated with.
When NEWS 1130 asked this paid protester if there was any suggestion that “Joey” was representing Huawei or the Chinese government, she told us she had no further information, suggesting another alternative possibility: that “Joey” is simply a supporter of Meng.
A Huawei spokesperson denied involvement in the alleged payments to those holding signs in support of Meng Wanzhou outside court.
“Huawei had no involvement with the protestors or supporters outside the Vancouver courthouse and is unaware of any plans by those responsible,” read an email.
Ultimately, this woman wants people to know she regrets signing up for this.
“I’m definitely ashamed, embarrassed,” said the woman. “I just want to be able to come forward and make things right. Again, I don’t believe that people should be paid to be protesting. Now that I’ve experienced it, I’m going to be learning from my mistakes and I hope that if someone is ever put in a position that they think they’re going to make a quick, easy $150 or X amount, for an hour or two, and it seems like a legit thing, it’s not worth it.”
As for the cash, this woman said she views it as “dirty money” and wants nothing to do with it. She has offloaded it to her partner, suggesting he can donate it or spend it, adding she just wants to move on.
Edited by Ominae on Jan 21st 2020 at 7:35:26 AM
https://omny.fm/shows/wait-theres-more/meng-wanzhous-extradition-and-the-future-of-canada
Global News podcast on Meng's case.
A CBC article was published on potential prime ministers who need to know English and French to be successful in the long run.
A little something from Quebec.
For individuals not that familiar with the Quebec-rest of Canada issues, see this interview as an example:
Quebec in the news since Bombardier doesn't want to be involved in making aircraft any more, but Airbus is stepping in.
Edited by Ominae on Feb 13th 2020 at 6:08:17 AM
Canadian-Chinese diplomatic contacts are ramping up, but the concern is with Korvig and Spavor.
Keeping an eye on the Wet’suwet’en protests.
Man, the Conservatives really like police brutality on the blockades.
I thought it was the Liberals in power, or are the Conservatives really set to defend the police brutality. Ok that isn't surprising.
Jason Kenny, Premier of Alberta, has plans to shift Crohn's and colitis patients off of Remicade and onto other, cheaper drugs.
I have Crohn's disease, and while I'm not on Remicade now, I was for a while. It's completely outrageous that the government would consider taking people off a medication that is working for them and give them a cheaper drug that may not effectively treat the disease. I have been on about five different Crohn's medications over the years and it took a long time to find one that worked for me. I don't know what I'd do if that was suddenly taken away from me.
Fortunately the NDP is opposing this move by the government, so at least someone considers public health to be important.