Wed 1079 Nov 6th
 
|
[see slide musical show]
| Big pan
| not on cable We count 178 faces. Count them
Wednesday Night Nov 6th, 2002 #1079
Greetings from the northernmost polling station of the U.S. elections - well, maybe not, there IS Alaska.
Nonetheless, US election results will be high on the list of topics.
Mega-Montreal a year later - what's the report card and what will the provincial parties do about it? Peter Trent will have comments.
And, speaking of our city - how do we rank in numbers of poor? What are we (the community doing?) The Old Brewery Mission is one of the leaders in assistance - Morrie M. Cohen click to see the page as he may join & may comment.
Speaking of mega - the mega hospital project appears to be in difficulty - maybe this is a good thing? Dr. Mark Roper will be with us.
And, on an allied topic, we are happy to hear that the Quebec immigration policies will soon enable more foreign-trained doctors to immigrate and practice in Quebec.
The elections in Turkey - perhaps more important in world affairs than the U.S. results? Is the world capable of coping with a democratic/Moslem government and can Turkey do so without reverting to military intervention?
Elections in Brazil also warrant analysis....
Finally, close to the home front - Izzy Aspler and his tirade last Wednesday Night - do we really agree that the New York Times is anti-Israel in its reporting?
Plenty of food for thought....
Please explore these numerous links on these subjects and RSVP below.
Below are some the faces who may be with this night. This page will be updated through today so retyun often.
David and Diana
Latest Election
Results ...Governor ...Senate ...House ... State
... Electoral Maps ... Wire ... Pics
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 ec
America’s elections
The Republicans have increased their majority in the House of Representatives and regained control of the Senate after mid-term elections seen as an endorsement of George Bush’s presidency. The victory will strengthen his hand as he looks towards his own re-election campaign in two years’ time
Read About W-N
NP story om W-N
Contact W-N & Map
Wednesday Night Report, 1079 Nov 6th, 2002
bank mergers
It is a truism that each individual acts in a manner that makes sense to him, but understanding the logic of some Government of Canada decisions can sometimes prove to be a challenge. Those opposed to bank mergers in Canada are concerned that the resulting reduction in competition would hurt the small borrower and depositor. Certainly the monopolies in communications and natural gas transmission have come under criticism. There are valid concerns about bank mergers; people on welfare now find it virtually impossible to open bank accounts, small business people experience difficulty obtaining loans and differences in interest rates offered and charged by Canadian chartered banks can be insignificant if indeed, they exist.
What is more difficult to understand however, is why the Prime Minister’s office scuttled the proposed merger of the wholesale banking operations of the Bank of Montreal $38.26 and the Bank of Nova Scotia $45.89, or why, if the aim is increased competition, foreign banks wishing to operate branches in Canada, face regulations that make profitable operation here virtually impossible. It is perhaps possible that banks represent power and their prime responsibility is to their shareholders, while that of the federal government is to the Canadian public. European banks are merging and growing, with Germany with a much greater population than Canada undergoing a merger of the three major banks into two.
It might have been a better solution to control banking operations more closely rather than oppose the mergers, but the logic behind government decisions remains elusive to the general public and to Wednesday nighters.
Realestate
While not unexpected and indeed, long predicted by Wednesday Night analysts, the half percent decrease in U.S. interest rates is somewhat unsettling as it remains an indication that the economy is not moving ahead in the United States. While the state of the economy remains better in Canada, the question remains as to for how long. In Westmount, house prices have doubled in six years, the interplay of several factors: construction costs remain higher than resale house prices. The significance of this fact is that there is currently, a dramatic shortage of low rent dwellings and an increasing surplus of upscale apartments and dwellings as older residents move to seniors’ residences. There has been a reduction in the average number of residents per dwelling, creating a temporary increase in demand which, combined with high construction costs, been largely responsible for the increase in resale value of existing residences. This effect will undoubtedly be offset by the continuing trend by Montrealers to move off the island.
It is predicted that despite the low cost of housing in Montreal compared to Toronto or Vancouver, this combination of factors will result in a significant decrease in the price of existing housing within the next half year.
Demerger remains a continuing issue, mainly for Anglophones, but less so for Francophones, especially since Westmount, perceived as an Anglophone bastion, led the anti-merger battle. If elected, a Liberal government would be hard put to renege on its promise to introduce demerger legislation. It has been suggested however, that if presented, the promised legislation would offer decentralization of the boroughs as an alternative to demerger.
Poverty and homelessness are traps that imprison individuals and families for generations, making it almost impossible for the twenty or so percent of homeless persons to be reintegrated into society. Over the years, the generosity of Montreal philanthropists has enabled food banks and shelters to feed, clothe and shelter those who are in desperate need, but the Old Brewery Mission, stretching its resources to the limit, has begun a program of reintegration of those who are in fact able to be reintroduced to a productive life after living in the despair of poverty and rejection. In addition to the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine Day special dinners, they are offered such amenities taken for granted by the rest of the population as fast food, entertainment, cinema, cosmetics, as well as intervention on their behalf with legislators. The program has been successful and certainly merits the support of the community.
Notes by Herb Bercovitz •
2002, Nov 6th, Notes for #1079
Please click here to see new/updated pages since last visit
 Stephen S. Poloz VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary
Politics Key to Global Outlook - November 6, 2002
Other weekly commentaries
How To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity
- In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sexual favors".
Saturday Nov 9, 2002 ec
 Iraq Countdown begins for Saddam
The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a tough new resolution ordering Iraq to give up its weapons of mass destruction. With the clock ticking, Saddam Hussein has to respond openly and quickly or face military action
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc PM THREATENED TO CALL ELECTION TO BRING CAUCUS INTO LINE
CBC News has learned that two days ago, at the Liberal cabinet meeting,
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien threatened to call an election, if he
found it too difficult to govern. [too bad.. just a joke!]
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc FED DROPS U.S. INTEREST RATES BY HALF PERCENTAGE POINT
Interest rates in the United States are on the way down again for the
first time since last December. The U.S. Federal Reserve lowered rates
by a surprising half-percentage point in the face of ongoing economic
uncertainty south of the border.
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc CHRÉTIEN DENIES VOTE OUTCOME IS LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
More than 50 Liberal MPs broke ranks on Tuesday, joining with former
finance minister Paul Martin and supporting an Opposition motion to
elect the chairs of parliamentary committees by secret ballot.
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc LIBERAL BACKBENCHERS, OPPOSITION FORCE PROCEDURAL CHANGE
An estimated 56 Liberal backbenchers joined the opposition to force a
procedural change that the Liberal cabinet had fought for a week.
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc CANADIANS WANT OTTAWA, PROVINCES TO GET TOGETHER ON KYOTO: POLL
Most Canadians apparently want Ottawa to delay ratifying the Kyoto
climate change deal until the federal government works out its
differences with the provinces, a new poll shows.
Wednesday Nov 6, 2002 cbc STATSCAN PROVIDES FIRST COUNT OF CANADIANS LIVING IN SHELTERS
Statistics Canada says more than 14,000 Canadians were living in
shelters on May 15, 2001, providing the first official figures on the
number of people living in emergency or temporary accommodations.
Friday Nov 1, 2002 ec
America’s economy
More gloomy news for the American economy: manufacturing is down and unemployment is up. This follows data showing the economy is expanding more slowly than many economists had predicted. Pressure is increasing for another cut in interest rates next week bca chart
Thursday Oct 31, 2002 Banks Merger Prospects
Bank merger speculation reignited on October 24th when John Manley, Canadian Finance Minister, asked two parliamentary committees to clarify conditions under which the country's banks would be allowed to merge.
Sunday Oct 27, 2002 cbc
BOOST TAXES TO CURE HEALTH CARE: SENATE REPORT
A Senate health-care report has prescribed an annual $5-billion hike in
taxes to improve the ailing system. [this Gov has waisted a great deal more than $5b!]
Friday Oct 25, 2002 cbc
ANNUAL INFLATION RATE EASES TO 2.3 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER
The annual inflation rate eased in September to 2.3 per cent, falling
back from the 2.6 per cent 12-month rate seen in August, Statistics
Canada reported Wednesday.
 Host to some of W-N pages
|
The most Hospitable Host in town
& ../Wednesday-Night.com/ lives here!
clink for
a QTVR of
& A Big Night
 Wed1078
 Wed1080
|
BBC
)
)
)
;)
;)
)
;)
;)
;)
;)
)
;)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
)
Bloomberg
){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}