Canadians: I'm Predicting There's a Good chance you'll lose the ability to fly to most places that are not big cities.

I was down in the states this past weekend and on Saturday picked up a copy of Charleston, West Virginia's Gazette-Mail.  One of the front page articles was headlined, "Smaller cities get cut off as airlines shed little planes."

Bottom line, little planes (unless they're private) are slowly being phased out.  Reason?  They're the least efficient and the cost of fuel is skyrocketing.  Anything under 50 seats will likely be sold in the coming years.  Already 27 small airports in the continental U.S. have lost service from well-known commercial airlines in the last two years.  More shutdowns are planned.

That means people from smaller centers will need to drive much further to catch a plane to where they are going -- for vacation, business, family matters.  And sometimes, that road travel is in the opposite direction to where they want to go.

In the late 1990's, when fuel was one-fourth the price, the airlines bought small planes like crazy.  Two manufacturers alone sold over 1,900 of these smaller 50-seat jets.  Now paying four times the amount for fuel, airlines still have to spread it over all the passengers.  On a 50-seater, an airplane takes 19 gallons per passenger for 500 miles, but only 7.5 gallons for a plane with 160 seats.

How long do you think it will take Air Canada and WestJest to figure this out and start thinking like Delta, United Continental, and others?  I'm the last guy to give anybody stock market tips -- but somehow I think "car rental businesses" may be a good bet.

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Mr. Prime Minister: Do Canadian Christians No Longer Have a Party They Can Count On?

Dear Mr. Harper:  I would like to draw your attention to the letter (see below) my friend wrote to Minister Beverly Oda regarding the Canadian six million dollar funding of International Planned Parenthood.   I wholeheartedly echo his question to her and offer you the opportunity to answer.   Today I turned 64 and I have voted for Conservatives ever since I became of voting age.  But it seems these days there is no party that fully represents us -- not on everything for that would be too naive on our part -- but hopefully for the basic fundamental issues of life -- and for me the issue of "abortion" is one of them.  

So please do not tell about the need to "balance" things for all the people.   There is no room for any government to balance "dead fetuses" vs. the whim of a mother (or father) who had an opportunity to make a choice earlier in the process and failed to do so.

Last night I was out working again for a Conservative candidate in Ontario.   And I did vote.   I am seriously considering doing neither in the future as long as no one represents me and those that think like me.

I await a response that is not just a "form" one.  Supporting the killing of babies is not a "form" matter.

Sincerely,
Ken
Ken Godevenos, President

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On Oct 7, 2011, at 4:52 PM, Gary Patton, People Development Specialist wrote:

Dear Ms. Oda;

REAL Women Canada informs me that, as International Development Minister, you recently announced Conservative government funding of $6 million for International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). I understand this is to support their work over three years for projects in five countries  ...Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mali, Sudan and Tanzania.

Despite the fact that IPPF is the largest abortion-provider and promoter in the world, I further understand that organization, incredibly in my opinion, claims the projects will not include abortion. They say that they will focus on sex education, family planning and post-abortion counseling in line with your government's policy of supporting women in the third world.

This letter is to inform you of my total disagreement with Mr. Harper's and your fellow Cabinet colleagues' decision is this matter while I heartily support the policy under which my tax-supported funding is being misdirected. I'm copying the Prime Minister and my MP so they understand my position and that of my entire family and my Friends.

In my opinion, Canadian Government funding should only go to bona fide organizations that provide genuine health care for women and their children.

Please write me to explain why this money is not being channeled only to those organizations and their personnel the missions of which only support life rather than a culture of death.

As a Jesus Follower, I continue to pray for you and your colleagues and your work on Canadians behalf as well as your and your families' protection.

Best regards,
Gary F. Patton



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Number of Illegal Border Crossings Grows in Canada.

Great, I no longer have to drive down to Arizona-Mexico border to see armed Border guards on ATV's chasing illegals. Soon, I'll be able to catch the action on my next trip to Vancouver.

What I can't figure out is whether the increase in illegal immigration to the Great White North is due to:
a. They really prefer Canada and aren't willing to stay in the U.S. when they get in there illegally, or
b. The Americans are doing such a good job of chasing them, that they get confused and head north, or
c. The Canadians are doing such a bad job of keeping Canada's border safe, or
d. They still think the great Yukon Gold Rush is still paying off big dividends.


If Obama has his way, soon these won't be 'Mexicans' we'll be trying to stop, it will be 'American citizens who were born in Mexico' or maybe just good old American citizens who will do anything to escape a sinking ship.

But for now, let's get serious about Canada's illegal border crossings before they grow to the point we can't afford to stop them.

Mexican pair sneaking into Canada arrested at border - The Globe and Mail


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Air Canada Attendants Reject Deal Over the Pensions of 'Future Employees'

This news item causes me to do two things:

First, let me warn you about some possible Air Canada schedule disruptions later next month after the flight attendants who just turned down a deal, take their strike vote. Even if the Government steps in (assuming the attendants strike) as it threatened to do recently, any possible strike will last several days.  That's not too bad unless those happen to be one of the days you're flying.  So, act accordingly and let the ticket buyer beware!

Secondly, let me talk for a bit about pensions.  But before I do I must declare what some may consider to be an ethical conflict.  Let me admit to you that I do in fact have a "defined benefits" pension plan from an employer with which I had 25 years of service.  It's a pension plan that guarantees me a certain amount of pension each month regardless of how well or how poorly the company's pension investments do.   There, I've said it, and now I feel free to comment.

This type of plan is different from a "defined contributions" plan where the company puts in a set amount into an investment for the employee.  When he/she gets his/her pension, how much they get depends on how well or how poorly the investment has done.  The amount is no longer the company's problem, it's the employee's concern as he/she owns the investment.

While I have such a plan, many of my friends do not, and my children do not.  In fact, those types of plans are going out of style like Kodak Brownie cameras and Ford Edsel cars.  I never asked for that type of plan -- it was given to me in a different economic time and generation, when my company was doing well, at least better than it is now.

Unions that fought hard and got these kind of plans got them when workers of all types were badly needed and they could demand anything in order to keep from striking.  Unemployment was very low and skilled workers were hard to find.  In case no one has noticed, things have changed.

Years ago, living in a more pristine environment, eating our own home- or local farm- grown food, fewer people got cancer.  Now living in the big industrial cities with all the smog and all the additives in our food, as well as a host of other reasons, more seem to be dying from cancer.  We all have to live with it.  I suggest some people learn to do the same thing with the pensions they are fortunate to get.  Many people today don't get a pension plan at all except what the government may offer in the way of social security plans.

Defined benefits pension plans are very expensive, especially given the economy.   Continuing them for some companies may mean, "we have seen the end and it'll be here soon" because they can't afford them.  Unions are being short-sighted in pushing for these plans.  Especially pushing for these plans for employees (or union members) they have never even met.   Air Canada, like other employers, is not killing the 'living' defined benefits plans, it just wants to prevent any more being born.

If Unions want to do something proactive here, let them negotiate some other type of bonus if a company's fortune grows to a certain point, but the day of the "defined benefits pension plan" is over -- if not this collective agreement, certainly the next one.  It is not sustainable in a volatile economic world as we are likely to be facing long into the future.

Air Canada flight attendants turn down labour deal - Business - CBC News

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More to Thank Bilingualism for and why your Airfare is high.

Okay, I'm alright with bilingualism to help those that can only speak French in an English world, and vice-versa. But when the law allows people like this guy and his wife to sue on the premise of bilingualism when he speaks perfectly in both languages, then I get upset. Especially when the result is that, although ever so slightly, it impacts the cost of my next trip on Air Canada. Take a look. All I can say to him is "shame, shame, shame". How he can sleep with himself at night beats me.  Those darn Liberals of yesterday!

This Man Just Won His Second Big Lawsuit Against Air Canada After A Flight Attendant Didn't Speak French

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Canada Shows the way on Illegal Immigrants and Health Care

Maybe the U.S. could learn something from the Canadians. Eh?

Moral of the story is this: If you're having people come over to Canada to visit you -- make sure you (or they) buy visitor's health insurance. Also make sure they've "left the country" before their visitor's visa expires. Take a look . . .

Illegal immigrants have no right to free health care: Court | News | National Post

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This is What Good Govt. Does. Strikes Have Outlived Their Usefulness.

Congratulations to the new "majority" government in Canada that wastes no time signaling its intention in a strike that impacts 100's of 1000's of Canadians, not to mention the economy.

There's never an issue that a mediated solution or final-offer selection arbitration can't solve. In my opinion, strikes have outlived their usefulness when it comes to public or government or national services.

Ottawa stands ready to end Air Canada strike - Canada - CBC News

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