From the equality of rights springs identity of our highest interests; you cannot subvert your neighbor's rights without striking a dangerous blow at your own. Carl Schurz

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Getting his marching orders?

 The Globe reports today that the Finance department has released it's list of the twenty-two Canadians who will get the opportunity to spend some quality time with finance minister Jim Flaherty. This two day retreat will provide them with the chance to tell Flaherty how they would fix the economy.

Reading this list perfectly illustrates why government budgets invariably favour corporations and the elite  How can it be any other way when they are the only ones consulted beforehand and when these folks talk Flaherty and Harper listen attentively.

1. André Bisson, Chair of the Board, Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis of Organizations
2. Robert Blakely, Director of Canadian Affairs, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
3. John Brace, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northland Power
4. Deborah Brown, President and Managing Director, EMD Serono, Canada
5. Bob Cartmel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Canada, Lafarge Canada Inc.
6. Connie Clerici, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Closing The Gap Healthcare Group
7. Paul Douglas, President and Chief Executive Officer, PCL
8. Dawn Farrell, President and Chief Executive Officer, TransAlta Corporation
9. Bruce Flatt, Senior Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Brookfield Management
10. Linda Hasenfratz, Chief Executive Officer, Linamar Corporation
11. Roberta Jamieson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Indspire
12. Darby Kreitz, Chief Executive Officer, Allnorth Consultants Limited
13. James Lopez, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tembec
14. L. Ian MacDonald, Outgoing Editor, Policy Options Magazine
15. Calvin McDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sears Canada Inc.
16. Francis P. McGuire , President and Chief Executive Officer, Major Drilling Group International Inc.
17. Marcus New, President, Stockhouse Publishing Ltd.
18. Paul Romer, Professor of Economics, Leonard N. Stern School of Business
19. Reza Satchu, Managing Partner, Alignvest Capital Management
20. Barbara Stymiest, Chair of the Board, Research in Motion Limited
21. William Watson, Associate Professor and Chairman, Economics Department, McGill University
22. Zoe Yujnovich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Iron Ore Company of Canada

There you have it no one from Labour (actually there is as indefatigable points out below one labour representative), no one representing civil society and certainly no one who would dare give a dissenting opinion on  neo-liberalism.

7 comments:

  1. #2 is from labour. Blakely is construction union guy. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations - Cdn division

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    1. I did miss that one Thanks for pointing it out

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  2. I don't get it .. they didn't invite Franke James ?

    What a dull phlegmatic bunch ..
    Was it some sort of Facebook competition ?
    Did those folks actually want to be selected ?
    They want to be senators ?
    Ezra didn't make the cut ?

    Oh ... ...

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    1. I think there was an essay writing contest lol

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  3. hi Kev...that's quite a bunch. And all I need to know is that William Watson, the Dr Strangelove of my beloved Alma Mater is there, to know where they are coming from. They might as well stop pretending and hold their meeting at the Fraser Institute. Pathetic...

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  4. Hi Simon Yep Quite the bunch alright Knowing what they discuss at this retreat is sickening to say the least and as you said in your excellent post we need to Fight them, fight them, fight them.Don't let them win... BTW while it appears the the Fraser Institute isn't there your William Wastson is a senior Fellow at CD Howe, So close

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  5. Nice article, thanks for the information.

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