[Eric]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

No Eric it isn't a cop out at all....if a system allows for fraud...doesn't police those who are claiming, then you cannot blame the claimants for taking advantage of what is on offer.
What would be your solution to the problem if you think it isn't the system?


And I agree with your observations on why we were poor(and there wasn't the same welfare to support us back then)........the fact is that we don't make things anymore.......we sold our manufacturing to other countries who could do the job for much less....and when you are buying something do you buy Canadian, if you can buy something that is just as good, but not made in your own country?
Some people might choose a home manufactured product, but many do not have the luxury of choice...they are driven by the economics of what is affordable...and most of that is from China.

As this is a thread about tories, I think it's worthwhile pointing out that even if no one were screwing the welfare system, tories would attack it. And if the NHS were working perfectly, tories would try to undermine it and shift health care to the private sector (that would be to their cronies in the "health care for profit" industry).

The question of why other countries can "do the job for much less" is a whole 'nother issue ... starvation wages, no protection for workers, long hours ... even Nike had the decency to be a little embarassed. And who moved the industry? I would suggest tory businessmen who resented having to pay a decent living wage to their workers ... greedy bastards who don't give a flying you-know-what about the damage they are doing to their country, as long as their company profits and personal wealth go up, and up ......

And, yes, I do buy Canadian whenever possible ... we don't grow too many pineapples in the Yukon I drive a GM car ... made in Oshawa, ON. I'm having a glass of Canadian wine from Prince Edward County. I have a Blackberry. Of course, our economies are different. We have a wealth of natural resources. We also have a free trade agreement with the world's largest economy. Which is nothing like the EU garbage you have. Whatever ... for tories, the state of the economy is largely irrelevant ... they behave like tories ... or like assholes, which is the same thing.