The witticism of Tony Clement

[43S/172E]

Treasury Board President Tony Clement says 'see you guys on West Jet' as he passes strikers infuriates workers at Pearson.

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20 ... z1pxrpfDME

You will find his comment at the end of the video clip which suggests there will be no exchange of Christmas cards with the good employees of Air Canada and the "find honest upstanding" politician
known as Tony Clement

[Rockie]

The very disturbing image of the goon spitting in the female machinist's face is symbolic of what the government and corporation have been doing to all of us all along. It should outrage everybody in this country who works under a collective agreement and used to have rights.

[JayVee]

It is an outrage.
It's disgusting how many people loathe the union workers and support how the goverment is eroding the rights of those workers.
And how people thinks it's greed to make anything over minimum wage, yet it's quite alright to compensate the CEO millions.
I hope that nice gentleman who felt he had the right to spit in a woman's face is identified and charged with assault.

[robertsailor1]

I'm not a union lover by any stretch but do I ever disagree with the Government stepping in and legislating workers back when they are dealing with a competitive market place. Its fine to do that with a monopoly and quite frankly I don't agree with having a monopoly unionized in the first place but Government should keep to hell out of free enterprise disagreements.

[Old fella]

Tony C. is the person who:

Spent millions in his own riding under the excuse of the G8/20 sumit, which was under investigation.

Has a pension package that surpasses anything many, if not all of us working stiffs - and those at AC will ever see. I bet even better that many senior AC pilots.

Also, has travel privledges - pass or whatever paid again by taxpayer.

No wonder folks at AC are enraged

[727driver]

Its comments like this that will come back to haunt them in the next election. Very stupid strategy to thumb your nose at the working middleclass considering they are a much larger voting block than the 1%ers. Trampling on the rights of workers and comments like Clement will only galvanize the working middle class. Labour will deal a punishing blow to Harpers gang on the next round. I believe there are way more workers than execs in the Canada. Better start doing some math Harper. Don't come and knock on my door during your next campaign Raitt unless you want an earfull.

[EA757]

Here is what our little Tony has been up to.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Treas ... story.html

[BverLuver]

Its comments like this that will come back to haunt them in the next election. Very stupid strategy to thumb your nose at the working middleclass considering they are a much larger voting block than the 1%ers. Trampling on the rights of workers and comments like Clement will only galvanize the working middle class. Labour will deal a punishing blow to Harpers gang on the next round. I believe there are way more workers than execs in the Canada. Better start doing some math Harper. Don't come and knock on my door during your next campaign Raitt unless you want an earfull.

Unfortunately, the very people you are pissing off the most by staging illegal wildcat strikes, harassing of politicians, calling in sick/tired/blind etc instead of working (not the company or government but THE CUSTOMERS) FAR FAR FAR outweigh the number of employees and families affected at AC.

It sounds like many of you have been in unions far too long and do not realise that a very significant portion of the "common" population dispise unions and their agendas. Yet you still think the entire population of Canada will be on your side because the government is a bully. There is a reason why we now have a majority Conservative government and we do not have a Liberal or NDP government, but most of you are too blinded by your own wants. If the general population loved unions we would have an NDP government simple as that. But we don't. To most of us, it just looks childish on both sides and we will choose to go elsewhere for our travels. Not much to fight about if the company dissolves because there are no customers eh?

Carry on as you wish, but this once painfully loyal million miler just booked 5 WestJet roundtrip flights in the next 2 1/2weeks. I suspect that I am not the only one.

BL

[Mig29]

It sounds like many of you have been in unions far too long and do not realise that a very significant portion of the "common" population dispise unions and their agendas

That's how you see it maybe....but we can counter your claim just as easily.

I got plenty of personal examples where I work in both environments and so far, have been treated more fairly in unionized jobs.

My family member has been working for a good unionized corporation, where employees benefited from good wages, generous vacation allowances, hassle-free sick day use and good health benefits. After his company shut down and moved across the border (think Aveos), this close family member had to change over 5 jobs doing similar line of work, but for contracting agencies who provided no job security, half the wages, no benefits and where the employers treated you like s**t! People were not allowed to take a bio break from the line, without getting harassed from the supervisors.

Westjet is a shinning example of how mutual respect between employees and management can reap great rewards! But there are not too many of those examples today in this capitalist society.

[Rockie]

We have a conservative government because the Reform and PC parties finally got smart and joined forces. Prior to that they didn't stand a chance. Once the Liberals and NDP pull their head out of their asses and do the same the CPC will get turfed...but not before. The conservatives are in power thanks to the vagaries of our system, NOT because they are the preferred choice of the electorate.

[EA757]

Further to what Rockie has said, clearly 59.50 per cent of the population voted against Steve Harper, in the 2011 election.

[robertsailor1]

Thats like saying 95% of the people voted against the Green Party...one way to look at it I suppose but the fact is there was lots of choice and the PC's one the largest number of seats and thats the only % that counts.

[EA757]

robertsailor1,

That is excatly correct. 95 per cent voted against the Green Party. That tells the Green party they have a hell of a lot of work to do... It is beneficial to phrase it the way you have.

What some enlighted democracies do as you are aware, is they have run off elections, so that you get a true majority.

I am sure Canada will change as well... just after we start electing Senators...

[robertsailor1]

I was raised a Conservative but I think you have to kick out any Government after a maximun of 8 years because they lose their freshness and slober around the trough, it happens to all of them.

[Rockie]

Thats like saying 95% of the people voted against the Green Party...one way to look at it I suppose but the fact is there was lots of choice and the PC's one the largest number of seats and thats the only % that counts.

You understand our electoral system, and I'm sure you see us moving toward a two party system like the US has. On one side you have the right wing who have joined forces to create one entity. On the other is everybody else. How do you think the right wing will fare in Canada once the left gets its act together?

I was raised a Conservative but I think you have to kick out any Government after a maximun of 8 years because they lose their freshness and slober around the trough, it happens to all of them.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Eight years is too long though.

[BverLuver]

You guys gave me the exact response I had feared but expected. Argue semantics and let someone else deal with the real issues, that seems to be the recurring theme. Not one of you even touched the first or last points in my post which are clearly the concerns of the general public.

Does westjet have a frequent flyer program? So long.

BL

[BverLuver]

You understand our electoral system, and I'm sure you see us moving toward a two party system like the US has. On one side you have the right wing who have joined forces to create one entity. On the other is everybody else. How do you think the right wing will fare in Canada once the left gets its act together?

That will be the day I retire and leave this country for good. I simply would not be able to afford the taxes that would come my way to pay for all the "programs" and all the pensions/salaries for the fatcats in Ottawa as our government endlessly increases in mass.

BL

[Rockie]

I simply would not be able to afford the taxes that would come my way to pay for all the "programs" and all the pensions/salaries for the fatcats in Ottawa as our government endlessly increases in mass.

Well perhaps you should compare the size of the deficit, spending, civil service and parliament between six years ago and now.

[BverLuver]

Before or after the NDP/Libs toppled the government twice trying to get the Cons to spend more on social programs and on a stimulus package?

BL

PS. Semantics again!

[Rockie]

Before or after the NDP/Libs toppled the government twice trying to get the Cons to spend more on social programs and on a stimulus package?

BL

PS. Semantics again!

You need to be more of a student of politics. The Conservatives engineered every defeat they "suffered" while forming government and that includes the last one where they were found in contempt of parliament. Strange (or not) that they don't feel at all uneasy about being the only government in the history of Canada to wear that dubious distinction.