CDN/US Covid-related political discussion

[OldSolduer]

This one almost needs it own tread

https://ipolitics.ca/2020/04/06/how-covid-19-could-remake-canadas-military/

Call it "The Liberal Governments List of Excuses Why the F18's Life Needs to Be Extended to 2070" Or "We Don't Need No Stinkin F35s"

 

[MilEME09]

Call it "The Liberal Governments List of Excuses Why the F18's Life Needs to Be Extended to 2070" Or "We Don't Need No Stinkin F35s"

shortened to excuse to not spend any money on defense

 

[X Royal]

A lot of MOs I've met overseas are reservists. They serve part time and their day job is usually one of the major hospitals in Canada. Probably the best way to keep talent.

Problem with that is during times like now their civilian employers need them even more.
If the CF wants to ramp up they wouldn't be available. 

 

[mariomike]

Problem with that is during times like now their civilian employers need them even more.
If the CF wants to ramp up they wouldn't be available.

Our collective agreement says,

Leave of absence shall be granted to employees to serve in the Armed
Forces during a time of war as declared by the Government
of Canada. Seniority will accumulate during such leave.

I expect the city police and fire departments are similar.

 

[Cloud Cover]

"Leave of absence shall be granted to employees to serve in the Armed
Forces during a time of war as declared by the Government
of Canada. Seniority will accumulate during such leave."

The Government of Canada does not declare war, Parliament does. The government then directs the war while other people fight it.

 

[OceanBonfire]

U.S. companies criticized for cutting jobs rather than investor payouts

U.S. companies laying off workers in response to the coronavirus pandemic but still paying dividends and buying back shares are drawing criticism from labor unions, pension fund advisers, lawmakers and corporate governance experts.

While most U.S. companies are scaling back payouts after a decade in which the amount of money paid to investors through buybacks and dividends more than tripled, some are maintaining their policies despite the economic pain.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL.N), Halliburton Co (HAL.N), General Motors Co (GM.N) and McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N) have all laid off staff, cut their hours, or slashed salaries while maintaining payouts, according to a Reuters review of regulatory filings, company announcements and company officials.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-corporatelayoffs-a/u-s-companies-criticized-for-cutting-jobs-rather-than-investor-payouts-idUSKBN21Q24Z

 

[mariomike]

"Leave of absence shall be granted to employees to serve in the Armed
Forces during a time of war as declared by the Government
of Canada Parliament. Seniority will accumulate during such leave."

The Government of Canada does not declare war, Parliament does.

OK. That is the way they worded it. Obviously not constitutional experts.

 

[OceanBonfire]

Lawmaker calls out airlines over rejected refunds: 'We bailed out your company'

A lawmaker told ABC News refunds should be mandated in a future stimulus bill.

As passengers continue to voice frustrations with U.S. airlines over rejected refund claims amid the coronavirus outbreak, one lawmaker told ABC News a potential future stimulus bill should mandate refunds, not vouchers.

"The airlines are not listening to their passengers," Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said in an interview on Wednesday. "They're going to wind up paying a price for this in the next piece of legislation which we pass."

U.S. carriers have secured almost $60 billion from the federal government in cash grants and loans. In exchange, the airlines agreed to not lay off employees through September, to place limits on executive compensation for two years and to eliminate stock buybacks for at least a year.

Markey said airlines are being "greedy" by refusing to issue refunds for canceled flights.

"Passengers need to stay alive the same way that the airlines now can stay alive because of the federal taxpayer," Markey said.


https://abcnews.go.com/Business/lawmaker-urges-airlines-issue-refunds-bailed-company-now/story?id=70043902

 

[stellarpanther]

There's an article on CBC today talking about this in Canada also.  Canadian airlines/travel agents are only giving credits valid for 24 months.  That's BS, what if circumstances change and the person doesn't want to travel at a later date? What if the person was planning a vacation to celebrate a special occasion?  The other thing with the credit is that if the destination you wanted to go to now cost more or less you either shell out the additional money or you lose the other money if the same package is now cheaper. I had a package to Mexico book with Club class seating. Our government needs to step up and do the right thing.  I'm sitting on a credit worth $3700 but who does when I'll use it.

 

[cavalryman]

There's an article on CBC today talking about this in Canada also.  Canadian airlines/travel agents are only giving credits valid for 24 months.  That's BS, what if circumstances change and the person doesn't want to travel at a later date? What if the person was planning a vacation to celebrate a special occasion?  The other thing with the credit is that if the destination you wanted to go to now cost more or less you either shell out the additional money or you lose the other money if the same package is now cheaper. I had a package to Mexico book with Club class seating. Our government needs to step up and do the right thing.  I'm sitting on a credit worth $3700 but who does when I'll use it.

I used to think travel insurance was an expensive add-on until now.  Wife and I a trip to the Caribbean planned for May.  We splurged on business class seats.  Airlines all paid up.  Air Canada offered a credit to be used before December 31st, 2020, Cayman Air's credit would be good until September, 2020.  Cancelled the tickets and had my travel agent send in a notice of insurance claim.  We'll be getting a full refund since we booked almost a year ago.

 

[Remius]

I used to think travel insurance was an expensive add-on until now.  Wife and I a trip to the Caribbean planned for May.  We splurged on business class seats.  Airlines all paid up.  Air Canada offered a credit to be used before December 31st, 2020, Cayman Air's credit would be good until September, 2020.  Cancelled the tickets and had my travel agent send in a notice of insurance claim.  We'll be getting a full refund since we booked almost a year ago.

Definite lesson there.

 

[CBH99]

I used to think travel insurance was an expensive add-on until now.  Wife and I a trip to the Caribbean planned for May.  We splurged on business class seats.  Airlines all paid up.  Air Canada offered a credit to be used before December 31st, 2020, Cayman Air's credit would be good until September, 2020.  Cancelled the tickets and had my travel agent send in a notice of insurance claim.  We'll be getting a full refund since we booked almost a year ago.

I learned that lesson a few years ago, in a very blunt way.  Definitely a good lesson for all to learn - unfortunately, most of us end up learning it the hard way.

I had a trip to Mexico planned with some co-workers, booked via AMA for a pretty good discount.  They asked if I wanted insurance, and I had said no, thinking it was just a way to get a few extra bucks out of us.  I, unfortunately, had the mindset of "minimalism is best" (Which I still strongly adhere to) -- but was ignorant in that sometimes, an extra $100 can be well worth it, even if the product isn't end up used.

I ended up buying it in the end, as my parents insisted on it.  (This was a few years back...)



Time to go on the trip rolls around, and I have to back out.  Got my full remind, minus the $100 for the insurance -- I wouldn't have got a penny without it.  I learned right then, very bluntly, that the extra $100 or whatever is an INVESTMENT, not a ADD ON COST.  Changed my thinking on it, now I preach to my younger friends the same lesson my parents taught me.  (Getting older is actually kinda fun & rewarding in many ways)

 

[ballz]

I always book my travel using my credit card, which has built-in travel insurance. Most people never think about their credit card but the travel insurance on there is actually pretty good. I only purchase extra travel insurance if it's a longer trip because the credit card only covers I believe the first 3 weeks..... so for example when I went backpacking in SE Asia I bought an additional week of travel insurance from worldnomads.ca.

The airlines are terrible for holding customers hostage. Don't expect any government intervention given that the CTA essentially endorsed this despite not having any legal authority to make that call. The GoC's "passenger rights" in many ways made it easier for airlines to hose us, and the CTA rarely sides with the consumer ever since, well.... take a read... Gabor Lukacs is a relatively unknown Canadian hero.... https://airpassengerrights.ca/en/featured/5-reasons-not-to-trust-the-canadian-transportation-agency

 

[OceanBonfire]

Exclusive: Wall Street firm dangled up to 175% returns to investors using U.S. aid programs

A New York investment firm pitched wealthy investors in recent days on a way to make returns of 22% to 175% using U.S. government programs designed to help Americans keep their jobs and boost the coronavirus-stricken economy, according to a marketing document seen by Reuters.

Following questions posed by Reuters, Arcadia Investment Partners LLC, which has about $1 billion under management, said it had put its plans on hold.


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-arcadia-returns-ex/exclusive-wall-street-firm-dangled-up-to-175-returns-to-investors-using-u-s-aid-programs-idUSKCN21R1DV

 

[Brad Sallows]

Over the past few decades, airlines have done exactly what travelers demanded: delivered cheap airfares.  All the consequences of cheap airfares that travelers bitch about are in large part their own fault.

 

[Navy_Pete]

I always book my travel using my credit card, which has built-in travel insurance. Most people never think about their credit card but the travel insurance on there is actually pretty good. I only purchase extra travel insurance if it's a longer trip because the credit card only covers I believe the first 3 weeks..... so for example when I went backpacking in SE Asia I bought an additional week of travel insurance from worldnomads.ca.

The airlines are terrible for holding customers hostage. Don't expect any government intervention given that the CTA essentially endorsed this despite not having any legal authority to make that call. The GoC's "passenger rights" in many ways made it easier for airlines to hose us, and the CTA rarely sides with the consumer ever since, well.... take a read... Gabor Lukacs is a relatively unknown Canadian hero.... https://airpassengerrights.ca/en/featured/5-reasons-not-to-trust-the-canadian-transportation-agency

In general, would always recommend reading any built in credit card insurance; they usually have a whack of loopholes and conditions, and also a big lag.  Plus they change them regularly so it may have different conditions if you have gone a year since the booking. Insurance is definitely one of the ones where it pays to actually read the T&Cs; they make money by minimizing claim payouts when it does happen.

Personally tend to get travel insurance anyway; it's normally pretty cheap, and much easier to get a refund then the built in ones. Even if the travel gets canceled for work reasons, still much easier to get the insurance claim done and get the military to pay any additional out of pocket bits (like a deductible) then try and run a memo up the chain and get nickle and dimed by the rules over what is claimable.

 

[OceanBonfire]

As supply concerns grow, Ottawa lays the groundwork for never-used Emergencies Act

One federal source said Trudeau's letter is part of a contingency plan

The federal government is reaching out to the provinces and territories to talk about invoking the never-used-before Emergencies Act, as pressure mounts on Ottawa to take control of critical medical supplies and equipment in the fight against COVID-19.

Sources tell CBC News that Ottawa has sent a letter to provincial and territorial governments as part of the consultation period - a required step before triggering a public welfare emergency. The issue also is expected to be a topic when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls the premiers today.

Sending the letter doesn't necessarily mean the federal government is poised to invoke the act but it does mean it's looking for feedback from the regions on such a step.

The letter thanks the premiers for their support and coordination so far.

The Emergencies Act replaced the War Measures Act, notoriously invoked by Trudeau's father, then prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, during the FLQ crisis. Sources say there is some reluctance in the Prime Minister's Office to invoke the Emergencies Act, given the optics involved in two Trudeaus triggering such sweeping laws.

The Emergencies Act includes some major depatures from the War Measures Act, however - most notably the requirement that the government needs Parliament's participation in invoking the act.


https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/emergencies-act-province-letter-1.5526496

 

[Journeyman]

For anyone interested in the impending Emergency Act, Craig Forcese and Leah West have made available the relevant chapter from their soon to be released National Security Law (2nd ed.)    here

 

[Journeyman]

Mass grave on Hart Island, NYC
Copyright John Minchillo/AP

      :not-again:

 

[MilEME09]

For anyone interested in the impending Emergency Act, Craig Forcese and Leah West have made available the relevant chapter from their soon to be released National Security Law (2nd ed.)    here

With regards to the CAF, what is different from the war measure's act, and the emergency act? This won't be the October crisis after all.