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January 28th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Refugess, Mexicans, Martians, Sasquatches whatever.
It boils down to charity begins at home.
We have tradtionally had immigration as a means to address low birth rate in Canada . Refugees are also accepted as part of our social conscience.
However times have changed and BIG time .
We have a homeless problem we haven’t addressed and a risng unemployment rate.
Our social services safety net will be stretched more and more with less and less ability to fund them.
Tensions will rise as fear and uncertainty take over.
BC , specifically Lower Mainland, will become a Police State as 2010 Olympics draw near.
Refugees here will be under more scrutiny. I am still waiting to see how COV will sweep the homeless etc. off the streets to give this “World Class City ” a 2 – week sanitized makeover. That is standard operating practice pre -Olympics.
In fact, I can foresee BC citizen protests mount against the Olympics…they will see our deluded leadership try to distract us with 2010 Olympic rah rah kool – aid, while Rome burns, and we won’t have much patience for it, most of us won’t give a shite re: 2010.
I am already seeing the stress on the VANOC clowns, ie Poole , Furlong et al , who must wish they never came board and feel like they want to puke.
Our image of Canadian tolerance will be severely tested.
I am not sure it really existed..it was moreso based on ” I’m all right Jack ” , it’s the Gov’ts job to deal with the great unwashed.
The dominos are falling elsewhere, protests and riots in Iceland and Greece.
Don’t delude oneself that it can’t or won’t happen here.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Wow I can’t believe the Sun actually ran that story. I wonder if it’s in the print version too, and if so, how buried. Not that it will make any difference, because you know we’re out of land, and best place on earth, etc.
Re: The IMF forcecast, historically, has Canadian recession always lagged US recession? By how long? I’m guessing 6 mo – 2 years… decoupled, my ass.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Vancouver Sun confirms that Vancouver is the third most unaffordable real estate market on the planet
http://www.vancouversun.com/We.....story.html
January 28th, 2009 at 8:41 am
jumpbabyjump:
just read that article, great news that the CDN gov’t is trying to misle the public with bullshit as allways. I especially like this passage.
“It now sees the Canadian economy contracting by 1.2% this year, which is weaker than the 0.8% shrinkage projected in the federal budget, and then posting only a marginal 1.6% recovery next year, which is also less than the 2.4% projected in the budget and the 3.8% forecast last week by the Bank of Canada.
The IMF’s forecast for Canada this year is also down from its previous projection of 0.3%, noted TD economist Eric Lascelles.
More interesting, however, is the weakness of the IMF forecast for Canada’s economy next year, he added.
“This is the weakest figure we have seen, and it appears that the IMF has revised the Canadian outlook downward by the most of any ‘advanced economy,’ ” he observed. “The divergence between the IMF and the Bank of Canada outlooks are extreme, and we are more sympathetic to the IMF than the Bank of Canada outlook at this juncture, given all of the risks of a sustained slowdown.”
Yeah right I want to buy ‘tree and my huzba buy tree’. Anyone stepping into the real estate market in the next two years is gonna get hit by a train.
But by all mean believe everything you’re told by Bob Rennie and the bum boys down at the REBGV
January 28th, 2009 at 8:34 am
International Monetary Fund says Canadian government is lying about economy. IMF forecasts Canadian recession will be “much deeper”.
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1226835
January 28th, 2009 at 8:30 am
International buisness leader confidence at historic low. Davos meeting indicates no end to recession soon.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/.....2520090128
January 28th, 2009 at 8:28 am
crashbug:
more on mass job losses
http://uk.reuters.com/article/.....5020090128
January 28th, 2009 at 8:27 am
The “refugee” issue has been done.
42,000 pending claims, 30,000 of which will be rejected as having no merit whatsoever, most after 2 years of collecting welfare and usually working here.
Number one country of “refugees” in immient danger of human rights abuse, torture or death is … Mexico?
I’m sorry. Moralizing pulpit pounders have far too expensive tastes for the rest of us to afford. Our “safety net” should be available for those who have spent their lives paying for it.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:26 am
RE: ‘i didn’t get EI and the darkies get free money’ rants.
With all the racist-scapegoating posts I feel like we should start predicting when Vancouver’s Kristallnacht will be. I call January 2015.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:25 am
IMF forecast depression, millions more, 51 million more jobs lost say forecasts.
http://www.watoday.com.au/nati.....-7s0g.html
January 28th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Obamaton
oster above is not Obamaton,I beleive he is in a house to disscuss stimulas so his name just poped up here.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:21 am
MrBear:
Since you swallow every twisted politically correct line of crap you’re told by your government and lickspittle media jump on this publication from the official government of Iran. You have to fall in line with this because it’s a ‘government’ issue. Are you right and everyone else is wrong? Maybe you’re just mentally lazy and you assume these politically correct ideals as your own because you’re desperate to conform. Baaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.
http://www.breitbart.com/artic....._article=1
January 28th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Baron von Scheisshaus: Do you think there won’t be any place for rent at any other time in the centuary or was there ever a no place on rent ever before?
January 28th, 2009 at 8:10 am
mass layoffs accelerating
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....fi/economy
IBM ‘quietly cuts thousands of jobs
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/.....bm_layoffs
January 28th, 2009 at 8:08 am
The refugee numbers are obscene and growing and there’s not a freakin thing anybody can “do” without being called a racist by self righteous and pontificating dopes.
The system is out of control.
People are taking advantage of stupid Canadian taxpayers and it can only get worse.
If the choices are remaining silent whilst 30,000 are scamming illegally, jumping or avoiding the immigration que completely and being called a “racist”, I guess its time for more “racists” in this country before there are more “refugees” than people actually paying taxes.
Refugees don’t buy condos and they take the jobs of those that do.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:19 am
The world is definitely not coming to an end in spite of what many Jesus freaks believe. But it may seem like it for many condo flippers as they desperately trying to rent their overpriced condos they were forced to close on. Just look at craiglist apart/condos for rent
January 28th, 2009 at 12:18 am
blackdog: Restating factual published information? Would you care to share where you get factual published information indicating that refugees get $1300/mo from the feds? You know, backing up your claims a bit? Before you put too much effort into it you may want to figure out how to explain away this information that was pointed out to you earlier and that you appear to want to ignore.
And then perhaps you can explain how this refugee stuff is even relevant in a discussion of an article titled Vancouver real estate ’severely unaffordable’? On a Vancouver condo/housing blog?
Anonymous already pointed out that your own link outs your claim as a lie that refugees get more than pensioners, both in the US and Canada. But that doesn’t square with your idea of ‘factual published information’, so you’re just going to flail around trying random character assassinations against me. Do your worst, I await more ‘facts’ from the reading-disabled. I’m curious what politically correct swill I’m parroting, for instance.
No wait. First explain how any of this is relevant on a Vancouver housing blog, or give it up already.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
From Condohype
Memo to Spectrum residents
TO: All Owners/Residents of Spectrum 3, BCS2577
FROM: [XXXX XXXX], Property Manager
DATE: Thursday, May 8th, 2008
During the month of April 2008, there have been incidents of items being thrown from ‘Spectrum-3′ balconies causing damage to Costco’s glass roof top, the repairs of which are likely to run into thousands of dollars. The management of Costco has expressed their anguish and concern to us. While they have handed this matter over to the police for investigation … the security guard has confirmed having witnessed residents living between 5th and 8th floors throwing projectiles such as beer bottles and frozen paint gun pellets.
We would like to remind residents, particularly the ones overlooking Costco to refrain from such acts and realize the repercussions of their irresponsible behaviour that may follow. Throwing off objects like this is very dangerous and may even prove fatal to the pedestrians below.
Let us be a community of responsible citizens and be considerate to our surroundings.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Yours truly,
RANCHO MANAGEMENT SERVICES (B.C.) LTD.
================================================
RANCHO:
That’s Mexican isn’t it ?
Are their Mexicans working in the Costco ?
Does Jim Green wear a sombrero?
January 27th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Supraboy thinks comparing a $20 lunch and a $450,000 condo is an apples to apples comparison. Good for you! You continue to wow me with your knowledge of the subject matter. Way to stay away from data, we all know data has a well known bearish bias! LOL! You really are precious! I think you need to tighten the chinstraps on your walking helmet.
Obamaton – Why don’t you go buy some condos and diary your experience on this blog for all to see? What have you got to lose? Show us how its done!
January 27th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
MrBear:
Having an opinion, restating factual published information and not pretending that only the politically correct opinions currently allowed by the soma masters is obviously a new and uncomfortable enviornment to those who are unable to think independantly. Hate truth if you will but it doesn’t go away, even when you stick your head deep into the sand.
The information from the NDP MP in Ontario must shock your delicate senses, perhaps you want to assasinate all the independant thinkers and publications so that everyone thinks like you. Or are you just parroting this politically correct swill because you heard it on TV and it has filled the void left empty by your lack of a independant personality.
I am bigoted against the weak minded TV new slurpers who drink the bathwater of the idiot fringe.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Learn mandarin or cantonese – you’ll hear some things that will make your hair go white. The stuff here is nothing at all.
The most popular toothpaste in HK was and is…
Darkie, er, Darlie
January 27th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Is Jim Green Mexican ?
Mayor Gregor was in Mexico a few weeks ago y’know during the last snow storm.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Vancouver decoupled thanks to Gordon Campbell leadership and Vision hope and change campaign. Condo buying still good for Vancouver because rich asian need place to keep money safe from doom. Good time for everyone here in most beautiful land on planet place. Good times ahead. First post.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Therefore, an informed position comes from being critical of what you are being told based on accessing ALL the information available – not just choosing what it is you want to hear.
You forgot to make the subtext explicit – “and then agreeing with my views”.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Only convention refugees are eligible for gov’t assistance. Everyone else must fend for themselves. Most refugees who arrive in Canada are not convention refugees. If someone arrives in Canada and wants to claim refugee status, the gov’t is required by law to give them a hearing to determine the veracity of their claims.
There are undesirable elements in all communities. That does not mean the entire community is criminogenic. Therefore, while there may be some Mexican people who take advantage of us, there are also many Cdn citizens who do the same. However, we do not say that all Cdn citizens are fraudsters, criminals, etc. Thus to make generalizations about all Mexican people based on the undesirable actions of a few is unacceptable and only serves to reinforce negative stereotypes. The media and politicians are complicit in this. Therefore, an informed position comes from being critical of what you are being told based on accessing ALL the information available – not just choosing what it is you want to hear.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
BTW, whats with all the borderline (and outright) racist comments lately? Its not just on this site, I’m seeing it on other blogs too
Learn mandarin or cantonese – you’ll hear some things that will make your hair go white. The stuff here is nothing at all.
January 27th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
blackdog: I’m so tired of people trying to score points by pointing out that racist is not the correct term in some particular context, as if the only options out there are ‘racist’ or ‘upright citizen’. Here’s some thesaurus fodder if you need it: bigoted, prejudiced, biased, one-sided, sectarian, discriminatory, dogmatic, intolerant, narrow-minded, blinkered, illiberal, sexist, chauvinistic, jingoistic. Anything there sound good to you?
So yes, you (general, not specific you) may not be a racist if you rant about Mexicans all day on a housing blog, but you certainly come off as a bigot.
I’d love to see any criminally involved or false refugee claimants shipped home ASAP just as much as anyone here, but I’m not going to bitch and moan about it all day relying on unattributed anecdotes and discredited rumours for my ‘facts’. If someone has actual data (you know, the kind that comes from Statcan, not some crap from Rush Limbaugh) showing how Mexicans are responsible for some harm to the Vancouver housing market, please post it. Otherwise, please give it a rest. Give all of us a rest.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I accept that a certain amount of the local housing market may be driven by different cultural factors, but the amount of space given to these issues on this blog lately is obscene.
If you have to mention race/ethnicity/country of origin/etc. while discussing housing once a month, fine. But for some of you it is all you talk about, and it has ruined the nature of the conversation on this blog. It also makes me think that many of the new and prolific posters on this blog are really just trolls from the real estate board sent to make us all look bad.
Anyway this long-time lurker (and occasional poster, but under a different name) is about to leave for good, and is embarrassed he ever referred any of his friends/coworkers to this blog.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
check out this article from the times of london:
http://business.timesonline.co.....601115.ece
property values in vancouver should be, at least, 15% lower by december.
ps: i really enjoy this blog but boy are there some ignorant racist accents from some posters. and no, it’s not an excuse to basically state “but i’m just stating facts.”
January 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
truthin’advertising: The GDP growth in China was at or below 0 already in Q4 2008!
http://forum.freemarkets.ca/topic.php?id=217
http://forum.freemarkets.ca/topic.php?id=328
January 27th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Blackdog:
Was that link to snopes (in your comment at #135) a joke? Snopes identifies your assertion that a “refugee makes more than a pensioner” a hoax. So wtf, are you racist AND stupid, then?
And your comment at #134 – again WTF? You daft douche bag, you’re quoting than out of context, you immoral, little twerp.
Here’s the link for those interested: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/d.....ts/aid.asp
January 27th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
The libs , ndp and bloc were only interested in getting the $1.75 per vote back, look for a collapse of the ‘coalition’ now. God forbid they should have to work for thier funding.
If the parties receive public funding based on the support the voters have given them, they are working for their funding.
The public funding was brought in, with the support of all parties, to replace corporate and union donations which are now banned at the federal level. The Cons have no right to renege on this agreement.
Taxpayers can claim renovations on their 2009 tax returns on costs over $1,000, but not exceeding $10,000.
… raise to $25,000 the amount first-time homebuyers can borrow from RRSPs, and provide up to $750 in tax relief to help with their purchases.
Great. The Cons are now going to subsidize flippers and allow taxpayers to jeopardize their retirements to buy an overpriced POS which is guaranteed to lose value. You don’t think this has anything to do with all that unsold RE inventory out there do you? Imagine if the developers had to drop the price to sell it off. The horror!
And we thought the Cons had stopped trying to inflate the bubble when they dropped the 0/40. Excuse me while I throw up. Can we take up a collection to buy Harper a one-way ticket to Crawford?
January 27th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Can Jim Green make glass?
Can Jim Green leap tall buildings without his cape getting caught on the top?
Can Jim Green kiss our taxpayer er hmmm Arse?
January 27th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Stuckman:
Don’t worry Jim Green is on the job. His CV includes a long list of major development projects. Ooops no it doesn’t I lied. Jim green is a Vision Vancouver political hackneyed whore that hasn’t ever had a job in construction. I’ll be very surprised if he can find the Mellinium project.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
That Olympic Condo is gonna cost ..
More and more plywood installed where glass should be. To keep that O SOOOOOO important schedule its gonna cost plenty at this rate.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
blackdog: Down, boy.
January 27th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I thought we were #1 and everyone loved us? So how come no one likes our credit prospects.
http://communities.canada.com/.....t-hit.aspx
January 27th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
“Export economies to be hit the worst”. This from PRAVDA of all places. The economist also finds that China’s growth in 2009 will sink into technical recession. That means that China will go from 13% growth to sub-zero growth !!! That means tens of millions of Chinese will be unemployed and probably pretty agry since theres no EI or welfare programs, not even medical or education is free in China.
Could be ugly. Too bad you have to go outside canada to get decent honest information.
http://english.pravda.ru/busin.....conomies-0
January 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Just a couple of days ago someome on VCI posted an idea that we were heading back to the 1970’s. Wow , what a great call, look what popped up today restating what the VCI has previously posted. KUDO’S.
http://www.reuters.com/article.....mp;sp=true
January 27th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
k9dr:
There are limits to the protestation on politically correct reactions to any and all statements. Not all statements regarding a persons origin are rascist. The other postings have done nothing but restate facts. Are you one of those people who thinks you can hide behind the word rascism? Does your experiance tell you that if you start screaming rascism that you will get a free ride?
If Mexicans ( and by the way Mexico is country not a race) are filing phony refugee claims and someone says ‘hey theres too many phony refugees coming from Mexico” thats not rascism. The Government of Canada and your elected MP’s are speaking out against this scam. Are you calling the Canadian members of Parliament who are trying to defend our borders rascist. Give your pointy head a shake and go to bed, the adults are talking.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
.
supraboy:
investment vehicle for you
http://tinyurl.com/bczk8j
buy now they aren’t making them anymore!
January 27th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
elise:
Whats really obscene is how the press has soft sold the attack on that ‘brown man’ by renaming the attack ‘ a confrontation’. And how the police and media are disregarding and misdirecting witness testimony that the three nazi bastards were beating an innocent paper delivery guy at 2:30 am and charging only one with ‘assault’ and downplaying the entire incident by carving the charges down to the bone AND the fucked up media is standing aside and letting them get away with it.
Not just getting away with downplaying the the fact that three psychopathic drunk and probably cracked up and tweaking cops were beating a guy in front of many witnesses who are not being believed by the media.
But the media is complicit in portraying the police as nice young people well trained at the justice institute. I mean shit, did you see that coverage on the news hour ( Global TV) last night, shots of recruits training , marching all cutesy in the gym, fresh faces, shiny shoes etc., it’s enough to make you puke how the media is spinning this away from the truth. Thats obscene, DID YOU WRITE YOUR ELECTED REP YET.!!!
January 27th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Seriously folks tone down the racist remarks. Its offensive and makes you come off as an idiot.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
elise:
Now thats denial
January 27th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
the multiplier show how much more awesomer we are than the others. *raises index finger into the air and puches air*
“WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1! WE’RE NUMBER 1!”
fail.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
“The Asians also flock to restaurants.
Can they cook at home ?”
True, and yes, they can.
“Ya gotta respect their work ethic though.”
You should. Some of them work really hard.
Now come on, can we give this angle a rest for at least a little while?
January 27th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
kuroame: Hahahah. I wish I could give you a plus 100 for this.
BTW, whats with all the borderline (and outright) racist comments lately? Its not just on this site, I’m seeing it on other blogs too and then there’s the drunk cops with their “we don’t like brown people comment”.
Do people just tend to get all segregated and protectionist during hard times? Go ahead, call me a politically correct left wing bleeding heart liberal if you really want to be that predictable.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Moody’s on vancouver’s credit rating.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Re the Federal budget:
Why don’t they take the renovation allowance and allow it be used/pooled towards the ultimate renovation …” leaky condos”.
Or concurently…call your leaky condo repair a “renovation”.
Some stratas are delaying the inevitable… this way the inevitable is done and employment created.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Supraboy: Why are there still so many cars on the road? During the dotcom bust, I recalled that the roads were dead.
That’s weird, I have no such memories of empty roads during the dot com bust but maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. I’d figure people still have to drive in a economic decline, in fact if they get laid off they’d likely be spending more time driving around looking for work.
About everyone out shopping, I hadn’t seen this before: I was in a shoestore on Granville this afternoon and a well dressed middle aged woman was paying for a big bag of shoes with a credit card. The card was declined and the woman insisted it was a mistake, they tried again and she got more and more irritated as the card was declined again, blaming it on their system. She then walked out in a huff WITH the bag of shoes that she hadn’t paid for.
The woman behind the counter chased her half way down the block before she gave the bag back. She wasn’t running, just walking and trying to ignore the woman alongside her saying “ma’am you haven’t paid for that, please give it back”.