Mr Prime Minister: Jobs & how to create them?

[GordonH]

Dear Sir, in your campaign, you indicated that you would make investments in infrastructure. I think this is a good idea and would like to see HW1 turned into a world class highway from coast to coast. This would both create jobs, and facilitate the movement of goods and materials, lowering transport costs and thus making goods less expensive.

I totally agree the Trans-Canada highway needs to upgraded & 4 laned from coast to coast. Its as important as train system in this country, yes I know those are privately owned.

[Glacier]

The buying a car analogy doesn't fly because cars are depreciating assets. Instead, spending money on real investments can pay dividends down the road (no pun intended). Spending money only stimulates the economy if the money spent goes towards items that improve productivity (like better roads).

[I Think]

I am always surprised when cruising through Banff & Canmore sailing along the four lane highway, then suddenly there is a traffic light and you are in Calgary, driving along the main street (or one of them) Last time across the prairies found the highway rough and full of potholes, this is hard on drivers and equipment, with semi truck tires close to $500 each last time I bought one, transport companies have to pass the rough road expenses on to their customers (which is you and I)

[I Think]

Taking over BC Ferries would help HWI

[GordonH]

Taking over BC Ferries would help HWI

Only those leaving Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, thats Trans-Canada.

[Ka-El]

Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau will announce soon whether he and his family will delay their move into 24 Sussex Drive, a residence that is in pressing need of major renovations.

http://new.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#150389

Well, Stephen Harper had to try and leave a legacy somehow :o(

[Grandan]

And is all the money to pay for this four lane coast to coast super highway just gonna fall from the magic money tree?
Do you really think plunging the country further into debt to create jobs is a good plan?

Oh, dear, sounds like you do not believe in upgrading infrastructure.
What has bothered me is the thought that we would spend billions on a military aircraft so we can go bomb the middle east.
We don't belong there. Just the cost of rehabilitating soldiers coming back from service overseas has been skipped over with a mean spirited government more interested in "balancing the budget" than looking after her people.
The TCH has long sections of 2 lanes that have not been updated for 50 years. The bridge across the Columbia River at Revelstoke is yet another example.
Every winter thousands of truckloads of merchandise are left idling on the side of the highway while yet another head on collision or avalanche is cleared. Many travellers are also left stranded for days sometimes. (remember those expensive jets when you are sitting in a 20 mile long traffic queue.)
Thousands of households in Kelowna have no municipal sewage collection. My neighbours backyard is saturated from decades of septic waste. The City of Kelowna Bylaws call for no subdivision lots to be smaller than 2.5 acres with a septic system yet seems happy with hundreds of 1/4 ac lots having 50 year old failing systems adjacent to streams.
Infrastructure spending would hopefully solve this crisis.
Infrastucture spending creates local jobs with local purchasing. Spending on the TCH could easily be recovered from gasoline taxes.

[maryjane48]

The buying a car analogy doesn't fly because cars are depreciating assets. Instead, spending money on real investments can pay dividends down the road (no pun intended). Spending money only stimulates the economy if the money spent goes towards items that improve productivity (like better roads).

i have to agree , it is only a good investment if it improves conditions for our country and the work is done by canadian workers .

[I Think]

So there must be other ways of creating jobs, refurbishing HWY 1 was just one, got any others?

[GordonH]

So there must be other ways of creating jobs, refurbishing HWY 1 was just one, got any others?

From coast to coast to coast there are all kinds of infrastructure that could use upgrade or replacement.

Just name it: i.e bridges, tunnels & public transit

Added later: right here in Kelowna couple thing come to mind Clement Ave extension out to UBCO & the extension John Hindle Dr

[Rosemary1]

Highways going to oil patch in Alberta that were never designed for the volume of heavy trucks and traffic need serious upgrading to make them safer.

[Gixxer]

Spending money when the economy has taken a downturn is like buying a new car the day after you get laid off it doesn't make sense you wouldn't run a business this way when times are tight you don't go spending like crazy

I think spending money on reno's to your house the day after you get laid off wouldve been a better analogy. By the way the government isnt a business, its not out to make a profit.

[Bpeep]

Government spending during a downturn is great for the economy.
Look what it did during the end of the depression.
The relief program also put money in the hands of the end users and got them spending.
The worst thing for an economy is the lack of movement of capital.

[Rosemary1]

There is a good start already with the federal civil service. And additional 11,000 civil service jobs with many more to come once all the advisory committees, inquiries and extra civil servant are brought in to expedite implementation of some of the promised changes.

[Rosemary1]

My comment on civil service jobs was tongue in cheek. Clearly private sector jobs is the preferred way to go and this may be achieved in part from promised investment in Canada's infrastructure.