Canadian banks were insulated from the worst of the 2008 financial crisis because they were better regulated, with these regulations put in place long before the current regime came into power.
If you want your protest to be about some specific corporate wrong-doing, then what an Occupy Toronto event would be about is a mystery.
It's not just about corporate greed and wrong doing, which in itself is worth protesting. It's about the ever widening gap between the haves and the have nots, joblessness especially among the youth, and the erosion of our democracy, among many other issues.
ReplyDeleteIt's not "about" Bay Street, it's about solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street event; similar events are taking place in many other non-NYC cities, within and outside of the US, and none of them have a Wall Street.
ReplyDeleteSure, there will be people present protesting Bay Street - their presence does not change the above fact. Just because I don't reside in NYC or the USA doesn't mean I'm not outraged that taxpayers have been forced to rescue criminals from bankruptcy.
come on guys, be honest, it's about having a good time and hoping to score a hot hippy chick.
ReplyDeleteor it's a protest against these people's own personal failures.
most of those "im am the 99%" pictures online say something like "i have a PhD in feminist queer theory and i cant get a job that pays above minimum wage" (to which i say bwahahahahahaha).
Very few of the classic hippy chicks around anymore, Jerome. These days its piercings, and they can all through a good punch.
ReplyDeleteIf we're being honest Jerome (which you're not), then there are certainly the people you describe, absolutely, in the OWS even -- plus, there people who are outraged that American middle class taxpayers have been forced to rescue criminals from self-inflicted bankruptcy. If you seek honesty, try paying attention to the whole crowd, and not just the ones that make convenient targets for your views.
ReplyDeleteJBV,
ReplyDeleteActually, its alright for people to have fun at these things. One can do that and have noble intentions at the same time.
there people who are outraged that American middle class taxpayers have been forced to rescue criminals from self-inflicted bankruptcy
ReplyDeleteCount me in that group. And most of the Tea Party for that matter.
But OWS is not about that, if it was, they'd be protesting Congress, not Wall St. Either that or OWS just doesnt understand what it is they're angry at. Self-righteous anger at their own failure just makes these people look like spoiled idiots.
One rather extreme example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrPGoPFRUdc
BCL:Very few of the classic hippy chicks around anymore, Jerome. These days its piercings, and they can all through a good punch.
ReplyDeleteI know. But it's still a funny line and it reminds me of Ali G's anti-nuclear protest which is a favourite of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB2qC2lXTL0
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ReplyDeleteSorry, caps lock...
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's about having a good time (although I'll certainly be enjoying the company of friends coming from out of town I'll be putting up).
People can have noble intentions and have fun, yes. I disagree it's about "scoring with hippy chicks" or whatever, I think the sentiment is sincere and real to many of the people.
Take a look at the balance sheet for the B of C and you'll see under assets an entry "other". that's the trash that B of C bought up from our banks - you know the well managed ones? These were bought to keep the banks solvent. I know of one Canadian Bank that was in such bad straights in 2007 (Fall) that they were borrowing cash from the "lender of last resort" to be able to operate through the end of month. If you poke at it, this whole "Canada has the best banks" thing is a myth. Oh, and who was prevented from deregulating the banking system even more by their minority position? That's right.
ReplyDeleteBeating a dead thread:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12007
Flaherty is full of crap and if the CPoC had had its way, we would have been faced with a situation like Spain or Britain with failed banks and a completely collapsed housing market. The second will happen soon enough. Does anybody really believe a tiny prewar bungalow in East York, built with scrap wood, is worth $500,000?