The fake news

170 comments ↓

#1 dakkie on 12.12.18 at 4:12 pm

Canadian Citizens Going Bankrupt at Alarming Speed: 16% Increase in 1 Month

http://www.investmentwatchblog.com/canadian-citizens-going-bankrupt-at-alarming-speed-16-increase-in-1-month/

#2 Frank The Tank on 12.12.18 at 4:21 pm

I got into an argument with family the other day who want me to move to Toronto to be closer (I only live 40 minutes away at the moment).

I explained that the double land transfer tax is offensive, along with having to buy a 950,000 (maybe more) dump and then having to renovate it.

They said that friend did it, so why can’t I? The market will only go up after being flat for a bit.

I like owning my home, that’s just me. But the cult surrounding TO RE is becoming apparent to me.

#3 some guy on 12.12.18 at 4:27 pm

The real estate industry has sucked the life out of Canada.

#4 Sold Out on 12.12.18 at 4:33 pm

Garth

Not to be a picky PITA, but you are the purveyor of this pathetic blog, whereas $1,000,000 gets one a pathetic bog in YVR.

#5 Kelly on 12.12.18 at 4:36 pm

Government in debt.
Municipal
Provincial
Federal
Lots of companies in debt too!

People in debt … well, most people.
Boomers
Millenials
Others

Countries in debt too!
China 40 trillion
USA 21 trillion
Japan
Europe
Canada

Whatever shall we do?

Obviously, keep interest rates low and lower as needed.
Print more money.

Stay tuned to this blog for further updates and guidance.

#6 Blacksheep on 12.12.18 at 4:39 pm

MF # 183,

“And make no mistake the US could take on Russia, China, and the entire world by themselves.”
—————————
Conventional warfare maybe, but how long would it take before the losing sovereign, goes nuclear?

The only way to get out of this in one piece, is talking…

#7 TAX AND SPEND on 12.12.18 at 4:42 pm

More of the same from government in this country. When you have to pay tax on a tax that some jurisdictions do impose on its citizens and they still can’t stay out of the red you know the end is close and it will be a mess.

#8 Blacksheep on 12.12.18 at 4:42 pm

Wow, that is quite the promotional team, Toronto home owners have working for them.

#9 patty twinkle toes on 12.12.18 at 4:49 pm

words from Randy Ryalls, Royal LePage Sterling Realty general manage:

But for buyers who thought “the ship had sailed,” Ryalls said 2019 presented a new opportunity.

“The condo and townhouse market has sort of balanced itself out and detached houses are probably firmly in buyer market territory,” he said.

That means there will be opportunities for first-time millennials buyers for the first time in years.

This shit makes me sick to my stomach….i can see him rubbing his hands together as he’s making these statements
These millennials have parents yes??…so maybe the parents can talk some sense into their children and not fall victim to these predators!

#10 Alberta Ed on 12.12.18 at 4:53 pm

I used to work for several of those BC community newspapers, three decades ago, when they were prospering from healthy ad revenues. The editorial and ad departments were deliberately separated to ensure the integrity of the news. Today, real estate ads are about the only consistent revenue stream left for print media, so it’s no wonder they’ll regurgitate anything they’re fed. (The CBC does the same, only due to laziness and lack of integrity.)

#11 Ubul on 12.12.18 at 4:55 pm

Imagine what goes on at all the other fields, where the stakes are incomparably higher than the Audi lease payment for a few thousands real estate agents.

#12 AGuyInVancouver on 12.12.18 at 5:01 pm

US home auction house entering “correcting” Vancouver market:
“…Ms. Isidoro is not licensed to sell properties in British Columbia. She is the project sales manager for New York’s Concierge Auctions, a company that rose from the ashes of the U.S. economic downturn of 2008. Its founders were based in Florida at the time, where the market had been decimated. Through auction, they discovered they could move properties efficiently.

“When you have a correcting market like you have in Vancouver right now, people don’t know what their homes are worth,” Ms. Isidoro says. “The competition of the auction will bring the true value of the home, and at the end of the day in correcting markets, we set the bar.”

The four-bedroom, 2,900-square-foot house is their official entry into the Vancouver market. Early bidding for the Collingwood house starts on Dec. 14 and goes live in Hong Kong on Dec. 20, targeting Chinese real estate investors, according to the company’s news release. That day, potential buyers in Hong Kong will be shown a portfolio of properties from various cities, including the house on Collingwood Place, and they will make their bids. The house is “without reserve,” which means there is no minimum price set. Others can place bids online…”
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/the-market/article-us-house-auction-firm-enters-the-vancouver-market/

#13 MF on 12.12.18 at 5:02 pm

Garth Turner on 12.12.2018 at 4:30 pm

DELETED

too long next time use a link, dude

-MF

#14 Adam on 12.12.18 at 5:04 pm

Ontario will become a condo tower at every square inch:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ontario/comments/a5i2h7/ontario_prouds_election_advertising_was_mostly/

#15 mitzerboyakaQueencitykidd on 12.12.18 at 5:04 pm

shysters & charlatans

#16 Scott on 12.12.18 at 5:12 pm

I read you every day and just want to say thanks for all of your hard work Garth.

#17 TWAMN on 12.12.18 at 5:17 pm

Meanwhile, Meng bails herself out with her Vancouver houses and lives in one of them while she waits…

Did you expect her to hang out with the carjackers? What would you do? – Garth

#18 Arcturus on 12.12.18 at 5:17 pm

Seeing that list of media outlets parroting the same false message reminds me of this disturbing video from the States:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWLjYJ4BzvI

#19 SimplyPut7 on 12.12.18 at 5:18 pm

Real estate agents can create all they hype they want, won’t help calm the nerves of local speculators when they see flippers starting to file consumer proposals or go bankrupt.

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/12/10/consumer-insolvencies-canada_a_23614259/

The appetite for risk is gone from the GTA. Some speculators in the condo market may still have FOMO but lenders are not interested in giving 500k mortgages at 2% anymore.

#20 Fake News on 12.12.18 at 5:25 pm

The medium is the message, and those who control the message needs to be watched. A belief system is created by the media; be it television, radio, books, or newspapers that you read. Now we have the internet to sort out facts from fiction, and countless ads. Your personal belief system developed over time, makes you think in a certain way, and direction of a perceived reality. Question everything and believe nothing, until you research all the facts as best you can.

#21 The Wet One on 12.12.18 at 5:28 pm

The Ad Man is a powerful influence in our world. This is merely another example of same.

Buy! Buy! Buy! Damn to the consequences just buy!!!!!

#22 Bad Moon Rising on 12.12.18 at 5:29 pm

When I learned that Huawei woman owned 2 homes in vancouver and she $15 Million for one of them I thought holy smokes! The destiny of Vancouver (and BC) is truly no longer in the hands of the voting public. A quiet but hostile economic takeover has been taking place with the full support of all 3 levels of government. Holy smokes but this is really bad news for the working class.

Was the working class shut out of the $15 million housing market? – Garth

#23 Pete on 12.12.18 at 5:32 pm

So why do RE companies get away such announcements where the data does not support their predictions? They obviously have clout in the media…or someone high up at the Canadian Press wants their home sold soon. Canadian Press feeds (sells) news to most of the country. i.e. Canadian Press: Toronto homeowners.

#24 Penny Henny on 12.12.18 at 5:41 pm

Niagara Region sales stats for Nov 2018.
The Niagara Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reported 600
property sales processed through the NAR Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) system in November. This
represents a 2.7% increase in sales compared to November of last year.
In the residential freehold market, the average days on market were even to last year at 40. There was
however an increase of 8.3% from 36 to 39 days in the condominium market from this time last year.
The residential average sale price of $408,905 had an increase of 6.1% versus last November while the
number of active residential property listings increased by 18.9% versus November 2017.

https://www.niagararealtor.ca/sites/default/files/November%202018%20Stats%20Press%20Release.pdf

#25 HoweStreet.com on 12.12.18 at 5:41 pm

Ross Kay on HoweStreet.com Radio:
Is it Really a Soft Landing for Housing?
Did B20 Save Canadian Home Buyers?

https://www.howestreet.com/2018/12/11/is-it-really-a-soft-landing-for-housing/

#26 JG on 12.12.18 at 5:42 pm

quite a list. Looks like they got the country covered

#27 Warren Buffett on 12.12.18 at 5:51 pm

HOUSES ARE SO 2000 and late.

This is the NEXT GENERATION…….

STOCK, STOCKS, STOCKS…..WHAT TO BUY???

#28 Looney Baloney on 12.12.18 at 5:51 pm

Yeah and we wonder why people vote for a guy like Donny.

Since we are posting links, here’s some more on the state of the Canadian economy:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/servicom-sydney-nova-scotia-buyer-1.4939486

https://247wallst.com/retail/2018/12/11/a-list-of-all-the-stores-lowes-will-close-in-the-coming-weeks/

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2018/12/11/gm-plants-michigan/2242911002/

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/airport-employees-threatened-with-job-cuts-or-pay-cuts-1.4208954

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ssm-labour-news-layoffs-1.4926992

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/11/22/150-canadian-ikea-jobs-to-be-lost-as-it-focusses-more-on-e-commerce_a_23597133/

http://mediaincanada.com/2018/11/22/bell-media-torstar-confirm-layoffs/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/crabtree-evelyn-1.4930786

https://www.thetelegram.com/business/supremex-cuts-41-jobs-from-canadian-envelope-workforce-in-cost-reduction-measure-266338/

https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/saudi-students-leave-algoma-university-canada-after-scholarships-suspended-1040390

https://regina.ctvnews.ca/oil-production-cut-would-lead-to-job-losses-in-sask-moe-says-1.4202685

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-construction-job-losses-1.4934059

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/12/04/vancouver-home-sales-lowest-financial-crisis_a_23608423/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bombardier-alain-bellemare-layoffs-1.4904580

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/dans-un-jardin-insolvency-1.4912442

https://globalnews.ca/news/4731397/ford-auto-job-cuts-restructuring/

https://https//www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=757834

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-11/canadian-personal-bankruptcies-are-surging-breakneck-speeds

Hedge accordingly.

#29 gfd on 12.12.18 at 5:59 pm

Holy fak, that’s major, Garth

#30 Sold Out on 12.12.18 at 6:02 pm

Not too surprisingly, the greater bulk of compliant news outlets running RE propaganda seem to be in BC.

#31 Darren on 12.12.18 at 6:07 pm

There is no such thing as ‘fake news’. In reality it is ‘real propaganda’ that has been mislabeled.

#32 mud&horses on 12.12.18 at 6:11 pm

What I gleaned from the article in Castanet:
“Home prices …. expected … according to …. anticipating …. are expected …. are forecast …. according to …. are expected …. anticipated to …. it expects … also anticipates.”

Wow. Go all in.

I am anticipating a visit from a jolly ol’ elf, but past results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.
No expectations, no disappointments.

#33 Doug t on 12.12.18 at 6:14 pm

I’m just gonna take the blue pill and call it a day

RATM

#34 Caledondave on 12.12.18 at 6:17 pm

More references please?

#35 pay your taxes on 12.12.18 at 6:18 pm

The long arm of the real estate cartel has grown long indeed. Thanks for opening my eyes Garth. How many other lies are being disseminated in the same fashion?

#36 islander on 12.12.18 at 6:23 pm

Maybe we need to revisit your ‘Canadians of convenience’ Garth.
“The term “Canadians of convenience” was popularized by Canadian politician Garth Turner in 2006 in conjunction with the evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon during the 2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict. It refers to people with multiple citizenships who immigrated to Canada, met the residency requirement to obtain citizenship, obtained Canadian citizenship, and moved back to their original home country while maintaining their Canadian citizenship, with those who support the term claiming they do so as a safety net.”
Wiki

#37 Dave on 12.12.18 at 6:27 pm

There currently just too much hatred and anger towards real estate. The above will have minimal effect.
What are the chances of an interest rate hike in January?

#38 Randy on 12.12.18 at 6:43 pm

Get Ready…Your Property Taxes are going to go through the roof and MPAC will get you….You will be begging for a Poll Tax to replace the Property Tax system. Paying Property Taxes based on the Value of your Property for grossly over-priced government services…is well, INSANE.

#39 Bottoms_Up on 12.12.18 at 6:44 pm

and if she were the president she’d be impeached

#40 Paul on 12.12.18 at 6:48 pm

#3 some guy on 12.12.18 at 4:27 pm
The real estate industry has sucked the life out of Canada.
————————————————————————————————
It’s not the ‘Industry’ it was cheap money, loose lending,
And the bank of Mom.

#41 2 cents Canadian on 12.12.18 at 6:51 pm

Holy crap. That is one massive marketing list. And when they own and can tweak the numbers and bamboozle with presentation (with almost no one willing to go to the trouble to prove it wrong) …… it is no wonder they have the public by the short and curlies. Most of the public wants to believe their hype (makes it easier to sleep with a $600K mortgage and it’s most baby boomers only hope for somewhat of a retirement). And as you show …. the government needs this party to continue (tax $$$ galore). It’s the perfect storm that few can
have slow down. I know we’ve all been saying it for a long time … but it HAS to end with pain …. but when? …. and how?

#42 the Jaguar on 12.12.18 at 6:51 pm

“Without reporters, or the odd pathetic blog, there’s nothing standing between you and fiction. What a terrifying thought.”

The Jag has a sinking feeling that this doesn’t just apply to real estate. Or who shot down a passenger plane over the Ukraine a few years back. (not the Russians by the way).
I think the spin game is played in other ways like job numbers, unemployment numbers, and what does and does not get ‘counted’ in those stats. Gwynne Dyer made this point in a weekend interview which is worth a listen. A thoughtful man.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/populist-wave-is-the-warning-sign-we-need-gwynne-dyer-1.4928514

And with the age of disruption upon us the ‘quality of labour’ will become a weight on society and the opportunity to advance and enjoy life will decline for many. More and more people will simply not be employable. Prosperity as it relates to geography will become very interesting. We are entering a new age. Some who are more clairvoyant will demonstrate their nimbleness. Others will fall behind. Some will be roadkill. Fear not. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said,
“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”

He was taught this by Albertans, of course.

#43 Dominoes Lining Up on 12.12.18 at 6:52 pm

It’s a big challenge for municipalities, who by law are not allowed to run deficits. The last two city managers in Toronto tried to warn council that addiction to land transfer taxes would become a serious problem. And now it has. I expect the $100 million shortfall to triple or quadruple by 2020.

But the aging population of Toronto’s core (where schools are getting shut down due to lack of children, the very opposite of the 905) is filled with faithful senior voters whom politicians dare not betray. Many are on limited pensions and cannot afford to pay property tax increases. Sadly, few have taken smart advice like Garth’s and liquidated their bloated assets to fund a good lifestyle.

So what lies ahead could be very ugly, pitting impoverished 416 home owners against everyone else, likely leading to civil service strikes, layoffs and workplace conflicts and further delays to infrastructure development. And Doug Ford is the last premier to step in and try to help out with the missing funds, as he faces deficit problems provincially and will likely have to reverse his campaign promise not to lay off anyone.

Perhaps the slowly emerging economic mess of the cities and the province will make residents more aware of their own house horny indebtedness.

Too bad it will be a couple years too late.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/12/11/land-transfer-tax-shortfall-signals-trouble-ahead-unless-toronto-council-changes-course.html

#44 Ace Goodheart on 12.12.18 at 6:54 pm

Trump: “Canada’s afraid of us. Tell them to arrest a high profile Chinese person. They’ll do it. They’ll be afraid to piss us off if they refuse”

Canada arrests the Huewai lady.

Trump to China: ” we heard Canada just arrested your CEO. We can help get her released. Just sign this trade deal with us and we’ll make it happen ”

The man is an international gangster. Crooked as a stick in water.

#45 Dolce Vita on 12.12.18 at 6:59 pm

“…conflict-of-interest. They slap on a headline, and run it.”

The sorry state of Cdn. MSM today.

They have become the Victorian Penny Dreadfuls of our times.

Cheap fiction for the working classes, bought and sold for a penny.

#46 The Real Mark on 12.12.18 at 7:02 pm

“#25 HoweStreet.com on 12.12.18 at 5:41 pm
Ross Kay on HoweStreet.com Radio:
Is it Really a Soft Landing for Housing?
Did B20 Save Canadian Home Buyers?

https://www.howestreet.com/2018/12/11/is-it-really-a-soft-landing-for-housing/ “

My favourite Ross Kay session this year by far. I love his laugh when asked about the change in first time home buyers. It really gets me going.

#47 For those about to flop... on 12.12.18 at 7:04 pm

Pink Snow, Vancouver real estate blog is not for sale.

If you google Vancouver real estate blog you will see I have been mowing down some of the best realtors in town as it appears people in the city want a more balanced approach.

Next on my hit list is some guy named Turner who wrote a fluff piece telling everyone to get out of Vancouver real estate in July 2016 in the HuffPost as it had peaked.

What an idiot…

M44BC

#48 Dean on 12.12.18 at 7:04 pm

Has always lit me up when you see these bits of propaganda/advertising getting passed off as legitimate journalism.
We have unprecidented knowledge at our fingertips with the internet but most seem unable or unwilling to drill down past the BS and seek the facts.

#49 Penny Henny on 12.12.18 at 7:13 pm

43 Dominoes Lining Up on 12.12.18 at 6:52 pm
It’s a big challenge for municipalities, who by law are not allowed to run deficits. The last two city managers in Toronto tried to warn council that addiction to land transfer taxes would become a serious problem. And now it has. I expect the $100 million shortfall to triple or quadruple by 2020.

But the aging population of Toronto’s core (where schools are getting shut down due to lack of children, the very opposite of the 905) is filled with faithful senior voters whom politicians dare not betray. Many are on limited pensions and cannot afford to pay property tax increases. Sadly, few have taken smart advice like Garth’s and liquidated their bloated assets to fund a good lifestyle.
///////////////

so very many like my mom who has low income and gets property tax rebates.
4 bedroom house, 2 bedrooms used. there are so many like this.

By the way Garth, who has been moderating the comments last week ? Yesterday was much better IMO.

#50 Herb on 12.12.18 at 7:14 pm

Give that lady a big bonus. Her performance on behalf of her employer is priceless. Then, in due justice, jail her. Except that we have no laws prohibiting fraudulent marketing, only common fraud.

#51 acdel on 12.12.18 at 7:23 pm

Holy crap Garth, great post, it will take me a week to go through all those links but since I have no life I am one of those that will, thanks.

#52 TalkingPie on 12.12.18 at 7:27 pm

#9 patty twinkle toes on 12.12.18 at 4:49 pm

These millennials have parents yes??…so maybe the parents can talk some sense into their children and not fall victim to these predators!

********************************************

Well, first of all the oldest of us millennials are getting close to pushing 40, so you’d think that we’d make our own decisions by now.

Secondly, it’s our parents pumping real estate more than anyone. My parents are among the most financially conservative folks I can think of. They’ve been mortgage-free since they were in their forties and even they were all over me to accelerate my home ownership plans, even offered to bankroll the whole cost of the house and make payments to them. This, incidentally, is the exact scheme that my brother’s wife has with her parents on their 7 figure Oakville home.

The Boomer generation knows two things:
1) Owning real estate has been good to them.
2) They have the means to help their children finance real estate (in part due to 1)).

Thus the inclination to disregard current realities and push their kids to follow suit.

#53 For those about to flop... on 12.12.18 at 7:27 pm

Pink Pumpkins being carved in Vancouver.

Probably featured these guys two or three times already as they are fighting the market with all their might, but because of this time spent fighting as the market deteriorates then that will make them a good candidate to be the next million dollar donor to the Vancouver Realtors I Got It Wrong Trust Fund.

The details 3050 Spencer Dr!West Vancouver.

Paid 4.35 February 2017

Originally asking 4.98

Now asking 3.79

Assessment 4.53

So they paid 28% more than someone did at the peak to not only bail them out but pad their bank balance.

They paid 4.35 in February and had it back on for 4.98 in July as it was their turn to make a quick buck.

Market had already turned,these guys not only got bad info, they also paid for it.

They will pay a second time when they sell…

M44BC

https://www.zolo.ca/west-vancouver-real-estate/3050-spencer-drive

https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDAyOTVNQg==

#54 not 1st on 12.12.18 at 7:30 pm

Garth the ineptitude of our govt is simply staggering. $3B dollars and 10 yrs to renovate the west block?

The pyramids were built in less time.

Too bad you weren’t still the national revenue cop.

#55 Long-Time Lurker on 12.12.18 at 7:32 pm

#82 DON on 12.11.18 at 10:39 pm
#40 Long-Time Lurker on 12.11.18 at 7:43 pm

The theory is obvious but the application, implementation and discipline are the Art.

#90 Remembrancer on 12.11.18 at 11:14 pm
#40 Long-Time Lurker on 12.11.18 at 7:43 pm

Early tome that has been co-opted and mass popularised by 1980s business-types – while seemingly obvious and “famous-for-being-famous” (like Machiavelli’s The Prince ) its 13 chapters lay out succinctly an overall strategy of what to do when you need to face a bunch of people with sharp pointy sticks that want to take your stuff…

#179 Marco on 12.12.18 at 2:01 pm

…Well, you obtain your position above a crowd (with a little help of your friends) and then piss on cattle beneath. You are above and that is your advantage.
That is about that.

>Thanks. Sorry, I’m late.

>The N.A. stock markets might have hit a low, yesterday. A possible sustained short-term up-move follows on better US-China trade negotiations and holiday purchasing. You earned it!

#56 common sense on 12.12.18 at 7:37 pm

Sarah Louise is a first class Presstitute.

The things some do for $$$$$.

#57 Kelowna on 12.12.18 at 7:38 pm

Great post today Garth – incredible to see the lengths that the real estate companies will go to try and salvage / change public opinion and spark FOMO!!

Here is the Okanagan, there is lots of press “assuring” the market that real estate will bounce back in 2019 but the reality is that there has been a huge increase in the number of home and condo listings and nothing is moving. It is like all the buyers have just gone away. No reason to assume that this will be any different next year especially with a provincial government that seems compelled to destroy the markets!

#58 Dolce Vita on 12.12.18 at 7:41 pm

#19 SimplyPut7

HuffPost a little fast and loose with the entire truth (in keeping with todays Blog theme plus add sensationalist to the mix) – their key article claims, headlines:

-“11,641 consumer insolvencies in October of this year, up 9.2 per cent from a year earlier.”

-“Consumer Insolvency Filings Spike In Canada, And It’s Likely Just The Beginning”

-“British Columbia and P.E.I. led the way with jumps of roughly 20 per cent in insolvencies.”

They NEGLECTED to write that Cdn. Bankruptcies FELL from 58,913 in 2017 to 55,557 in 2018 (-5.7%), 12 mo. period ending in October 2018.

What increased were Consumer Proposals, up by 8.1% over the same period.

Both added together, Insolvencies, went up by 1.5%.

There were 29,546,479 tax returns filed in 2018 according to the CRA.

Thus, 124,373 filing for Bankruptcy or a Consumer Proposal in Canada in the 12 mo. period to Oct. 2018 is a PITTANCE numerically (0.42%).

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/bsf-osb.nsf/eng/br04020.html#tbl2

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/individual-income-tax-return-statistics-2017-tax-filing-season.html

#59 Class Action on 12.12.18 at 7:49 pm

If challenged – Surely local, provincial and federal governments have to be able demonstrate how the money being collected is being used and for what purposes exactly.

There has to be checks and balances. No taxation without representation.

Go talk to yopur local Mayors, Councillors, Legislature and Parliament Seat holders. Get the facts.

Ask the questions. Demand answers. Seek the truth.

#60 Unhinged Trader on 12.12.18 at 7:50 pm

Journalism no longer really exists.

They’re either regurgitate tweets from the White House or publishing scripts formulated by corporate PR engineers.

Hard-hitting investigative journalists who go against the grain these days are denied the public square (like Seymore Hersh), unemployed or accused of being Russian bots.

If it weren’t for the internet, there would be no outlet for truth.

#61 For those about to flop... on 12.12.18 at 7:50 pm

Hey you!

To the new person calling themselves Long-Time Lurker.

That handle is already taken by a Long-Time Poster who asked you to pick another handle.

Do the right thing…

M44BC

#62 The Real Mark on 12.12.18 at 7:56 pm

“#46 The Real Mark on 12.12.18 at 7:02 pm “

Knock that personation off. Seriously, enough. What is wrong with you?

#63 Steven Rowlandson on 12.12.18 at 7:58 pm

“Let’s say you buy a $1 million house. Okay, in Vancouver that would be fairly nice garden shed, or perhaps one of those porta potties with a heated seat. ”

Would to God that this is a joke. Unfortunately it may be a serious possibility.

#64 DigDeep on 12.12.18 at 8:02 pm

Locally, I heard CFRA Ottawa repeat Royal Lepage’s spew.., over and over again.
~
Copy. Paste. Read. The new “news”.
~
In everything, consider the source.
~
Apply your own values.
~
Delete the noise.
~
Read Garth’s blog.

#65 Dolce Vita on 12.12.18 at 8:09 pm

Garth, I have slammed you a few times for buying into what N. American MSM news says and there being 2 sides to a story.

Now living abroad for over 3 years you begin to see the very Left, Progressive leaning and reporting of N. American MSM.

Italy may be an economic basket case and corrupt but at least their MSM is varied with dailies from the Communist “Il Manifesto” to the very Right Wing “Il Foglio” with everything else in between (many).

Somewhere in there lies the truth for those that seek it.

Near impossible to do in N. America, where the only voice it seems Right of Center is Fox News (how very sad) – all else is Left, Progressive leaning.

I believe the Cdn. Public is not stupid. They object to being lied to.

They seek the truth via other outlets such as Greater Fool, video bloggers on YouTube, Twitter commenters, etc. (e.g., enfant terrible Patrick Joseph Watson has a larger Subscriber base on YouTube than almost all N. American MSM outlets – proof that scorn delivered with an English accent gets you far nowadays).

People hunger for the truth and will try and get it from wherever they can. Add a little spice to it, all the better.

Balance, 2 sides to a story a good thing vs. seeking out what appeals to one’s own narrative in life (liberating and it sets one’s mind free).

Like your Blog today, a good thing, with a little spice to it, liberating and sets one’s mind free.

Almost forgot Garth, add redemption in there too. Buonanotte.

#66 Axehead on 12.12.18 at 8:18 pm

Trump grammar check: use stickly vs sticky.

#67 For those about to flop... on 12.12.18 at 8:20 pm

Pink Pumpkins being carved in Burnaby.

Here’s another long term case that is in the process of removing their Pink Pumpkins from their doorstep and hanging up some Pink Tinsel just in time for the holidays.

The details…

6026 McKee st, Burnaby.

Paid 1.68 February 2016

Originally asking 1.96

Now asking 1.75

Assessment 1.51

So below is some of the price asking history and as you can tell they have been all up and down the price vine.

Still can’t find someone to swing with…

M44BC

2017-05-16 : $1,968,000
2018-04-18 : $1,795,000
2017-07-17 : $1,938,000
2017-12-29 : $1,886,000
2018-04-09 : $1,658,000

https://www.zolo.ca/burnaby-real-estate/6026-mckee-street

https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/QTAwMDAzV0YyOA==

#68 AGuyInVancouver on 12.12.18 at 8:28 pm

Was the working class shut out of the $15 million housing market? – Garth
_ _ _
Um, yeah, except ten years ago that was a $4 million house. Care to speculate on why it has quadrupled in price? Or do you really believe it is because Aunt Milly from Moose Jaw got ultra-low interest rates on her variable from [email protected]

You couldn’t afford it then, either. So why care? – Garth

#69 Yuus bin Haad on 12.12.18 at 8:29 pm

Shackles, schmackles – if they were built by Huawei, there’s a backdoor; by Nortel, they’ve been hacked already.

#70 Randy Randerson on 12.12.18 at 8:30 pm

And people ridiculed Trump for his “Fake News”.

Reporters are not to deliver and research news, but to be a mouthpiece for lobby groups. “Presstitutes” is a better name for them.

#71 young & foolish on 12.12.18 at 8:36 pm

Land transfer taxes, property taxes, fees, and more fees …. is it any wonder? People expect a lot from government these days. Where are they supposed to get the money to fund all those “services”?

#72 45north on 12.12.18 at 8:46 pm

In 2018 the tax collected by city hall will be a stunning $100 million less than in 2017 – a 12% drop which clearly demonstrates what’s happened to the local housing market. Prices have stayed sticky, but sales have tumbled. And no wonder. So the choice in 6ix is stark: cut services or raise property taxes by at least 4% to compensate. But how fair is it taxing people more to own property they were taxed obscenely to buy?

The unwritten rule of municipal politics is don’t piss off the rate payer. The majority of rate payers don’t buy or sell property and they do pay their property taxes on time. They are about to be hit by real estate speculation in which they didn’t take part. Or more precisely, in which they didn’t take a direct part. Rule estate speculation led to the imposition of the land transfer tax and its decline led to a decline in revenue. Which will probably be worse in 2019. Real estate speculation led some people to be over extended financially which led them to be delinquent on their property taxes. So there’s another decline in revenue. Which will probably be worse in 2019.

2019 is going to be a tough year.

#73 Mark on 12.12.18 at 8:49 pm

#62 The Real Mark on 12.12.18 at 7:56 pm
“#46 The Real Mark on 12.12.18 at 7:02 pm “

Knock that personation off. Seriously, enough. What is wrong with you?

From where I sit, in my parents’ basement sipping on their finest, I can see that you are truly the imposter. You certainly aren’t a Real Mark, nevermind The Real Mark.

#74 Dolce Vita on 12.12.18 at 8:51 pm

Response to #68 AGuyInVancouver:

“You couldn’t afford it then, either. So why care? – Garth”

THAT was good.

Put index fingertip on ass cheek, hear sizzling noise.

How very working class, magnanimous and egalitarian of you Garth. Give credit for the Aunt Milly from Moose Jaw analogy.

I love these Commenter vs. Garth tête-à-têtes.

Kind of reminds me of this video:

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1069947397982351360

#75 Deplorable Dude on 12.12.18 at 8:58 pm

‘Journalists’ is misleading.

Try ‘Narrative Engineers’

#76 waiting on the westcoast on 12.12.18 at 9:03 pm

Garth – you should hire Sarah as your PR Amazon! She is obviously very good at her job OR the media is really… nevermind.

#77 Drill Baby Drill on 12.12.18 at 9:12 pm

In todays Financial Post

Canada’s banking regulator is increasing the amount of capital that the Big Six lenders must carry to protect themselves against risks at home.

Well well the underwater mortgages are starting to nibble. How long before the real bite?

#78 Another Missing on 12.12.18 at 9:13 pm

Someone needs to stop spewing and grandstanding, because she doesn’t know when to stop. Well another Canadian has gone missing in China that could have been kept under the radar.

#79 Drill Baby Drill on 12.12.18 at 9:17 pm

Thanks Blog King for giving Alberta’s NDP another taxation idea !!!

#80 Stan Brooks on 12.12.18 at 9:17 pm

What else would we expect from a 3rd world country masked as a G7 developed country?

Corruption at all levels, total failure of authorities and regulators, rapid decline of the economy and infrastructure masked by rampant inflation as ‘growth’ and bunch of brainwashed, proud (not sure of what) idiots told what to think and like.

Putting former socialist/communist countries to shame in terms of propaganda.

Expect soon a ‘right to breath’ tax. The right to breed tax was already established, the sheeple can not reproduce due to its ‘high standard of living’ anyway.

The real pain is that this will go on for decades, as this sheeple is obedient.

#81 David Paquette on 12.12.18 at 9:23 pm

I obtained quotes for a new furnace. One of the project managers and I spent most of the quote time BS’ing about aircraft. He referred to me as FIRAS in his quote. I had to look up the meaning. The sentence “ The true heart and soul of this individual is the undying spirit dedicated to all things just and moral.” appeals to my sense of resolve.

It is a hell of a moniker I like. It beats the crap out of “paleo” to describe GT.

#82 acdel on 12.12.18 at 9:24 pm

Now, for a feel good story, Bah Humbug for those that do not care! Hey, to each there own! Anyways…

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/polar-express-train-mossleigh-alberta-1.4943485

#83 Ace Goodheart on 12.12.18 at 9:24 pm

May survives confidence vote. She’s a brilliant lady, very misunderstood, who will be remembered positively in history as the woman who tried to save the UK.

#84 robert james on 12.12.18 at 9:32 pm

About time .. Crap like this went on and on when everyone was making money.. Apparently the music just stopped…. Let her rip !!! https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tax-evasion-proceeds-of-crime-1.4937176

#85 Stan Brooks on 12.12.18 at 9:34 pm

#75 Deplorable Dude on 12.12.18 at 8:58 pm
‘Journalists’ is misleading.

Try ‘Narrative Engineers’
==========================

Calling the per fee/gig spin professionals/propaganda hired guns ‘journalists’ is an insult to journalism.

The conflict of interest/french villa/socks boy elitists just bought the media and now enjoy comfortable life in the spotlight that spins every stupidity they do as an achievement.

The really great move is that these payout was actually from the sheeple tax money.

So expect tax authorities to come harder on you, your masters like to spend and are counting on your money to give around to their pet projects, favorite charities.

50 millions per tweet folks, by individuals with an IQ of the winter temperatures in Canada in Celsius.

#86 Ace Goodheart on 12.12.18 at 9:44 pm

Wife’s Christmas party. Room full of about a hundred very drunk female nurses.

The looks are like ice. One click of the eye can doom you. One smile and you have 15 minutes of bar room fame.

What to Do?

Act like you understand. It doesn’t really matter cause they’re girls and They’ll assume that you don’t.

Try to get the convo. It goes fast. Women are social creatures. It is assumed that everyone in the room knows what is going on. Asking questions is death socially.

Hang on for the ride and learn a bit more about our female planet mates who live in a world unknown to most of us dudes.

Having the time of my life

#87 ShawnG in TO on 12.12.18 at 9:49 pm

look at that long list of fake news mouth pieces

you know it’s fake news when it came from “the Canadian press” or “the associate press”

#88 For those about to flop... on 12.12.18 at 9:59 pm

Recent sale report.

Do you remember my “Just give ma chance” post the other day where I tried to describe all the shady stuff I have been coming across lately?

These guys could be in the wrong place at the wrong time but this case fit the profile of filth I have been trying to fight.

The details…

13052 19a ave,Surrey.

Paid 1.49 March 2016

Originally asking 1.68

Just sold for 1.19

Assessment 1.41

This some important stuff and these guys are just trying to sweep it under the rug.

Not gonna happen.

This is just a so-so house in Surrey but it didn’t stop them from torching 25% after expenses or 375k.

So it sold at the end of October, apparently,Zolo just took it down now, marked as removed.

Liam Neeson said it best.

I will find you.

And I will post you…

M44BC

https://www.zolo.ca/surrey-real-estate/13052-19a-avenue

#89 Al on 12.12.18 at 10:06 pm

“Did you expect her to hang out with the carjackers? What would you do? – Garth”

Wow.

She’s an exec, not a criminal and so far innocent. Bail was a no-brainer. – Garth

#90 broader mind on 12.12.18 at 10:34 pm

Royal Lepage proves Trump is not the only one that knows how to Kardashian.

#91 Slow Canada on 12.12.18 at 10:38 pm

Garth, thanks for this, that is an ominous thought. Even if people want to sell for less, it is possible that the real estate cartel won’t allow it.

I hope that people are strong enough to break through the chains, but I have my doubts.

#92 Blacksheep on 12.12.18 at 10:48 pm

“Instead of disparaging migrants and wanting a wall, you might reflect on the courage, resolve and bravery it takes to uproot your family and head into unknown dangers in order to possibly find a better life. Immigration has always been about courage. The armchair combatants who sit at home and write on blogs about ‘mobs’ of barbarians at the gate would be wise to reflect upon this. – Garth”
——————————
No sane person wants to waste 20 Billion dollars on a concrete wall 700 miles long, unless it’s shown to be necessary.

I am the son of an Norwegian immigrant.

My wife is the daughter of a German immigrant.

Our fathers left europe as young men and entered Canada, legally. I am not against controlled, legal migration, but that’s not what’s been happening with the US / Mexican border for the past 40 years.

Border security has become a real concern for the US since they have been f-ing with many middle eastern nations sovereignty for the past 30 years.

Want proof?

Any person getting on a plane to Vegas now has to take all metal, your phone, your computer, your bags and your shoes off, put them through a X-ray conveyor.
You then must walk through a stand up X-ray machine in case you know…you have a bomb shoved up your keister.

Is this all just theatre, for appearances sake?

I don’t think so as any US border agents I’ve ever dealt with, took his/her job, dead serious.

So they have air travel secured, but what about that free for all to south, where nobody knows, exactly how many people, or what manner of goods (bads?) cross the border on a daily basis?

If the term ‘mob’ (not barbarians) offends, how about ‘an aggressive group of a migrants’, trying to force their way illegally, across the US border?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnjHxOxfrMk

Garth, you basically responded with, I wasn’t being ‘nice’ but avoided challenging the actual content of my post. I never made any character judgements on these migrant people.

What I believe is, they should be processed/screened in a controlled manner and if legally allowed to enter, welcomed in.

All a barrier (wall) does, is ensure this happens in a peaceful manner and allow the US border system time to cope with the large volumes of people, now arriving at the their border.

If my thinking is irrational, please enlighten me, cause I’m just not seeing why this is such a problem…

#93 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.12.18 at 10:51 pm

I knew the propaganda fish wrappers/airwaves/tv had sold their souls to the almighty advertising buck ….but I had no idea it was this bad…………
I plan one writing a letter of protest to the editor of a few of these local rags…..anyone else in?

#94 Blacksheep on 12.12.18 at 11:08 pm

The US has pissed away trillions on military adventures
in the middle east, creating the need for increased US border security, so why the big stink about 18 billion
(rounding error?) for a wall, to actually secure a now porous, border?

Because Trump wants and promised it, so Trump MUST be discredited at all costs if they want to get rid of him in 2020. It does not matter if it makes sense, or not.

That, is the simple truth…

#95 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.12.18 at 11:08 pm

@#143 Flop
“Hey Crowdie, you’ve got some competition.
These guys have got wind as well…
++++

Damn!
For a second I thought it was an article on bovine methane!
Alas , I was wrong.

As for the rest of you military strategists aka IHCTD9, Marcos, et al.
I bow to you knowledge of equipment but I still think that the cost of a dozen missles is peanuts compared to a 900 Billion dollar Carrier in a protective group or not.

Granted carriers were a naval game changer in the second world war along with German blitzkreig and tank warfare but as previous wars have taught us….relying on the previous wars “tech” isnt enough.
I agree that China doesnt have Carrier capability but with software viruses, stealth tech, drone tech, ….its a whole new war waiting out there…..
Who can outlast, outbuild whom without resulting to nukes……..only an NSA child prodigy strategist locked in a sensory deprivation tank with empathic dolphins….knows for sure.

#96 Ace Goodheart on 12.12.18 at 11:19 pm

RE: #89 Al on 12.12.18 at 10:06 pm
“Did you expect her to hang out with the carjackers? What would you do? – Garth”

Wow.

She’s an exec, not a criminal and so far innocent. Bail was a no-brainer. – Garth

When was the last time the USA arrested the executive of a company accused of doing business with Iran?

Answer?

Never. There is a long list of companies, many of them US banks, who have paid fines for doing business with Iran.

None of their CEOs have been arrested. None ever will.

We have, as a country, been used. We have been used by “The Donald”. We have been lied to, International law has been broken, we have been forced to play the dupe of a rogue President, and we are currently holding an innocent woman, who has health problems and who is being negatively effected by this situation, at the whim of a US President who is, in kind terms, a gangster and a thug.

We need, as a country, to declare our independence. The USA has a bad President, who is doing awful things, and who is going to pay for those things with jail time as soon as his Presidency is over.

We are an independent Country. We are not the USA.

Time to stand up for us, Canada, not the USA. We are not responsible for their problems and we should not be acting as their “jail cover” arresting innocent people for political reasons.

#97 Sebee on 12.12.18 at 11:22 pm

Garth,

You may laugh, but communist media may have been more honest. For real.

Who’s going to do the investigative reporting on this issue? The media?

#98 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.12.18 at 11:27 pm

hmmm China has just grabbed a second Canadian……rounding up our spies? Or tit for tat?

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-icg/second-canadian-missing-in-china-after-detention-of-former-diplomat-idUSKBN1OC0A4

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-icg-security/canadian-michael-spavor-investigated-for-harming-chinas-national-security-china-government-news-site-idUSKBN1OC0AI

China….the not so friendly communist dictatorship?

#99 Linda on 12.12.18 at 11:29 pm

Despite the taxes paid during purchase & the fact that purchasers then pay ‘mucho’ dollars to those who lent them money for the mortgage, the mere fact that someone ‘owns’ a property sends many of your readers into a ‘tax the rich’ frenzy. They applaud additional taxes, especially if = gasp – someone ‘owns’ more than one property. Those who do so obviously have had an unfair advantage, are money laundering or are to be punished for the crime of having something others desire but for whatever reason have not been able to acquire. Governments naturally pander to this, because hello – they get ‘more’. More taxes AND more votes.

#100 meslippery on 12.12.18 at 11:30 pm

Real estate costs, buy and sell are a lot like stock broker fees before the on line discount bank and the the like came into effect. Can you say gouge?

#101 Ponzius Pilatus on 12.12.18 at 11:33 pm

Garth,
King of Links.
Supporting cast:
Ryan and Doug.

#102 stats freak on 12.12.18 at 11:33 pm

Sheesh….my scrolling finger got a cramp trying to get to the bottom of that list so I could post my witty comment…..

#103 The Real Mark on 12.12.18 at 11:34 pm

Deflation is here. I just don’t have any evidence to show it. Just trust me. My mom does!

#104 r1200C on 12.12.18 at 11:49 pm

Newspapers = pulp fiction

#105 Barb on 12.12.18 at 11:59 pm

For those who wonder if property transfer taxes etc etc will ever be rescinded, consider history. Following income tax implementation in 1918, it was to be reconsidered once all the numbers had been tabulated after the war.

Windfalls for government(s) don’t go away.

And now we have tax on taxes.
How much of this can a population tolerate?

#106 mud&horses on 12.13.18 at 12:06 am

So a second Canadian just got picked up in China, and Trump is now willing to intervene in the Meng case. Trudeau got played.

As a Canadian, I’m embarrassed. This was grade school poker. Fail.

#107 JWD on 12.13.18 at 12:35 am

Reminds me of the “big short” once again.

Moody’s and the S and P – they’ll just go down the street and give them the rating…. selling for fees.

The RE industry sells for fees with no oversight. Every morning and evening news is in on it. Everyone benefits except the poor consumer. ( Alberta exception ) Now the revenue is dropping…. bring on the fake news. The next few years will be interesting for RE.

Anecdotally a friend had his house up for sale in Delta BC for the last year. Finally one single offer in the fall contingent on the older couple selling their house in the city. Didn’t happen and now it’s off the market. To sell it now, he would be down roughly 300-500k from the 2m mark. This was supposed to be an easy flip from when they bought it a few years ago after a massive renovation in a strong market. That ship has sailed and now they’re stuck with it. Big house, big mortgage, small lot, bad location. Happy holidays.

#108 Entrepreneur on 12.13.18 at 1:12 am

#71 young & foolish said “Where are they (government) suppose to get the money to fund all those “services?

The real estate and the taxes do not make a true economy, more like a false one. True, it is money and the government benefits but it benefits the government and a few of the people.

To get a true economy the government has to concentrate on where they are getting their revenue. Where does that revenue come from to make a strong community/country? The answer is “small business.”

But it is easier to get the revenue from real estate and taxes than dealing with small business. So #3 some guy is correct “The real estate industry has sucked the life out of Canada.” And I will add the taxes from governments. (Will add big box stores to the list.)

Speaking of news media, why is it that we don’t hear anything on People’s Party of Canada and Maxime Bernier. Is it because of the T2 credits (and control)?

Where is the transparency? Have we become a communist country by controlling the news?

#109 SoggyShorts on 12.13.18 at 1:21 am

Here’s how you can stop fake news
https://thecorrespondent.com/

A completely ad free journalism project. Imagine what the news would be like if they didn’t have to answer to corporate sponsors. No clickbait, no sensationalizing, no 24-hour news cycles. Real investigative journalism.

Just 48 hours left though, or it may never happen.

@Garth I hope you don’t mind my posting the link, I think it’s rather appropriate for today’s article.

#110 Bob Dog on 12.13.18 at 1:44 am

I find it strange that the cfo of the second largest tech company in the world needs to fly multiple commercial flights from China through Vancouver to Mexico. It’s not even geography logical. The domestic layover should have occured in Denver. She has cancer but has no access to a corporate jet? She was sent here as bate to test the comical Canadian justice system.

#111 fishman on 12.13.18 at 1:57 am

Fake news; Schmake news. In Communist Russia there were two papers. Pravda meaning truth & Izvestia meaning news. The standing line was there was no Pravda in Izvestia & no Izvestia in Pravda. Russians figured out what was going on by what was omitted, what wasn’t said.

One piece of news that won’t be fake is what that Van westside sells for in the live no reserve auction in Hong Kong Dec. 20. If the Chicoms site on their hands over that sweet piece; Yikes.

#112 Rexx Rock on 12.13.18 at 3:08 am

Stan Brooks knows the truth and tells it like is.All levels of goverments are corrupt from municipal to federal.The yellow vest movement in France was about a tax grabbing,corrupt goverment.Canada could never do this because they have been brainwashed so long it and suffers from Stockholm syndrome.A death by a thousand cuts and each cut is a higher or a new tax or higher fines and fees.Suck it up and pay, just have less money in your pockets.

#113 David Paquette on 12.13.18 at 5:09 am

After a long nap, I reviewed my #81 comment and realized it didn’t convey the message that I wanted. I intended that GT have the moniker “Piras” than “Paleo” – not me as I am still working my way up to be worthy.

“No brainer”, eh?

#114 David Foster on 12.13.18 at 6:27 am

it’s called fake news and us lemmings can’t get enough. Tell me some more trash about Trump … I love not needing to actually think on my own.

#115 maxx on 12.13.18 at 7:51 am

@ #5:

Keeping rates low would be another stupid move by TPTB.
The ONLY way out of this mess is to restore value to money.
Anything else (it’s all been tried) is simply a delay tactic whilst the economy get inevitably worse.

Wherever will we find that spoonful of sugar?

#116 Chad Beganivichstien on 12.13.18 at 8:08 am

Trudeau paying ‘repoters’ $600 million has made Canadian media obselete. Of course the news is fake. It’s corrupted. War against Trudeau is coming. Will the ‘media’ be on the front lines protecting Trudeau’s Liberals? Will the reporters throw themselves on the bayonets of angry citizens?

#117 Remembrancer on 12.13.18 at 8:14 am

#95 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.12.18 at 11:08 pm
I bow to you knowledge of equipment but I still think that the cost of a dozen missles is peanuts compared to a 900 Billion dollar Carrier in a protective group or not.
————————————————————–
They don’t cost $900 Billion each – try the low $10s fully loaded, each, including leather seats, GPS and 3 mos free XM satellite radio premium… The extended warranty is an additional cost – watch for that being offered before sea trials, the free reactor core refurb is just a ploy to get you to buy dealer services and that electro-catapult is new this model year, good luck with that in 5 years time though Consumer’s Reports is always down on domestic carriers, so who knows?

#118 IHCTD9 on 12.13.18 at 8:25 am

#95 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.12.18

As for the rest of you military strategists aka IHCTD9, Marcos, et al.
I bow to you knowledge of equipment but I still think that the cost of a dozen missles is peanuts compared to a 900 Billion dollar Carrier in a protective group or not.

Granted carriers were a naval game changer in the second world war along with German blitzkreig and tank warfare but as previous wars have taught us….relying on the previous wars “tech” isnt enough.
I agree that China doesnt have Carrier capability but with software viruses, stealth tech, drone tech, ….its a whole new war waiting out there…..
Who can outlast, outbuild whom without resulting to nukes……..only an NSA child prodigy strategist locked in a sensory deprivation tank with empathic dolphins….knows for sure.
______________

I agree on the mystery of future warfare. Conventional warfare is the only real viable option – but Nukes are way cheaper. Only a handful of countries could “afford” a conventional war, and everyone knows the USA has the drop on everyone on this front.

Maybe talking about’ and parading your military might around the globe is as far as it will ever go from here on in. Again, the only other viable option is Nukes for many less rich countries – of which a major exchange will end modern civilization as we know it.

#119 Dominoes Lining Up on 12.13.18 at 8:36 am

It was only hours ago I mentioned the likelihood that not just cities like Toronto but also the province of Ontario would need to be slashing services due to declining revenues.

And now this:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/public-service-voluntary-departures-ontario-1.4943754

This is step one. Few will take up this offer, because so many Ontario home-owning government employees are so cash-strapped.

Next will come the layoffs with “sorry, we promised this wouldn’t happen but the balance sheet is worse than we thought, hope you understand”.

The beginning of a serious change in government economics that will take more air out of the housing bubble. The city of Toronto and nearby 905 locales will soon have to do the same buyouts and layoffs, to compensate for the dramatic drop in land transfer tax revenues.

Enjoy 2018 while it lasts, I guess, for government employees.

#120 232 on 12.13.18 at 8:49 am

Garth,
With this post, you have achieved the impossible: your shortest post & your lengthiest post, both at the same time :)

#121 Nukes on 12.13.18 at 8:57 am

#118 IHCTD9 – Tactical nukes have been used for years against Syria. There is a military website that has discussed this with photo analysis which I follow on occasion. The interaction of the neutrons can clearly be seen throughout the mushroom cloud.

#122 "rosie" on 12.13.18 at 9:24 am

# 24 Henny Penny.

If you look a little more closely at the numbers they tell a different story. Average prices for Niagara Region
Nov 18, $408,905
Oct 18 $417,995
Sept 18 $408,412
Aug 18 $416,200
April 17 $453,735
Starting to see a trend?

There are 1597 sfd on sale right now. 169 are priced over 1 million. The average price is almost $600,000 less than these overpriced Mcmansions. I know because my little town is starting to fill up with unsold overpriced particle board crap, on tiny urban lots.
I especially like how the Niagara mls has started using 2013 numbers for comparison. Reaching back 5 years is unusually desperate, don’t you think.

#123 Alistair McLaughlin on 12.13.18 at 9:25 am

@ #9 patty twinkle toes, those parents are too busy financing their kids’ down payments to talk any sense into them.

#124 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.13.18 at 9:25 am

@#121 nukes
“Tactical nukes have been used for years against Syria….. The interaction of the neutrons can clearly be seen throughout the mushroom cloud….”
=====

Riiiiiiiiiight.
My god, and you people vote.

The only “neutrons interacting with mush” are the ones rattling around in that pea sized gourd of yours.

P.S.
You forgot to mention chemtrails in the sky and the mind control experiments……..

#125 Mediation With Xi on 12.13.18 at 9:38 am

In order to address this latest conflict we could send our top negotiator to China. She works very hard, and negotiated a great trade agreement for us, and is our Foreign Minister. She could even wear her cute looking red dress, and tell Xi its all a legal matter, and not political at all, but our Minister of Justice has the last say. What could possibly go wrong?

#126 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.13.18 at 9:44 am

@#117 remembrance
”
https://thediplomat.com/2018/05/us-navys-new-13-billion-supercarrier-suffers-another-failure/

+++++

overbudget ( again)
Behind schedule by several years (again)
Untested tech that has failed during sea trials (again)

On average a US Carrier takes 7 YEARS to build.
The Chinese are expected to crank out two more inferior Carrier product in 1.5 years so that they can have 3 carriers.
Yes the ships will be crap, but the are essentially glorified floating runways designed to get the airplanes closer to the target without burning precious fuel. …and as battles in the second world war proved….it only take one plane to make it within striking distance of a carrier to sink it.
Or in China’s case one Carrier Killer missile that costs a few million dollars and takes a few months to build?

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjSkfj0hJ3fAhWRDHwKHTGzAxkQFjABegQIBRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnationalinterest.org%2Fblog%2Fthe-buzz%2Fchinas-df-26-carrier-killer-missile-could-stop-the-navy-its-25493&usg=AOvVaw1vssb5Xq-KI0cGfRtxLoDI

The financial and production numbers are stacked against carriers.
They are big floating prestige targets. Task force protected or not.

And the next world war will be fought in weeks, maybe months, not years…….and as I recall…. after a few weeks of relentless bombings and cruise missile attacks during the early 1990’s first Gulf war…..the Americans had to slow down…they were running out of “smart” bombs.

#127 HAM R Us on 12.13.18 at 10:16 am

A game of Chicken.

Check out this story, tell me who is the chicken?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/02/chinese-warship-heads-us-destroyer-south-china-sea-confrontation/

#128 For those about to flop... on 12.13.18 at 10:31 am

Stupid Idiot.
Here’s how you can stop fake news
https://thecorrespondent.com/

A completely ad free journalism project. Imagine what the news would be like if they didn’t have to answer to corporate sponsors. No clickbait, no sensationalizing, no 24-hour news cycles. Real investigative journalism.

Just 48 hours left though, or it may never happen.

@Garth I hope you don’t mind my posting the link, I think it’s rather appropriate for today’s article.

///////////////

This coming from a guy that openly lobbied to get my content removed the blog this summer.

The citizens of Vancouver would like to thank you though.

You’re a bloody jerk…

M44BC

#129 Victor V on 12.13.18 at 10:39 am

Toronto new home prices post biggest 12-month drop since 1996

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/toronto-new-home-prices-post-biggest-12-month-drop-since-1996-1.1182853

#130 Brett in Calgary on 12.13.18 at 10:55 am

Real estate making you rich will go down as one of the greatest hoodwinks of all time. Imagine if some of our wealth had actually gone into promoting new business, and growing small businesses into larger ones! The banks are “richer than you think”.

#3 some guy on
The real estate industry has sucked the life out of Canada.

#131 IHCTD9 on 12.13.18 at 11:00 am

#121 Nukes on 12.13.18 at 8:57 am
#118 IHCTD9 – Tactical nukes have been used for years against Syria. There is a military website that has discussed this with photo analysis which I follow on occasion. The interaction of the neutrons can clearly be seen throughout the mushroom cloud.
____

Obviously, I’m not talking about tactical nukes when I make reference to “Nukes”.

#132 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.13.18 at 11:05 am

@#127 Ham on Rye

Well, its great to see (sea?) you’ve swallowed the Chinese propaganda that they now “own” a Sea.
Lets see how China’s neighbors reaction to Chinese warships stopping their boats in international waters claiming China’s “sovereignty” over an internationally recognized free body of water.
India, Britain, the US etc may have something to say about that.
I fully expect China to start some silly, jingoistic war over this “claimed” area in the near future to get the Chinese populations’ minds off their faltering economy.
Should be interesting watching them try and “conquer” Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, The Phillipines, Japan, etc. etc. etc. AND deal with the US…..
Careful what you envy Ham,cause, as the Japanese and Germans found during the last global conflict,……… it one thing to capture a territory, its another thing to hold it.

#133 Remembrancer on 12.13.18 at 11:05 am

#127 HAM R Us on 12.13.18 at 10:16 am
A game of Chicken.

Check out this story, tell me who is the chicken?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/02/chinese-warship-heads-us-destroyer-south-china-sea-confrontation/
———————————————————–
Well this is truly demoralizing and making me want to lobby against my elected government’s China policy and independent judicial process.

Say, how low do you need to score in the PLA’s cyber tests to be assigned a blog like this one or are you a freelancer looking to move up?

#134 Tater on 12.13.18 at 11:08 am

The land transfer tax is pretty awful. The funds are used for the benefit of all citizens, but are paid by a handful. You could get the same revenue with an extra $400 in property tax on each home in the city. But god forbid anyone suggests raising property taxes. The wailing and gnashing of teeth is epic.

#135 Reply on 12.13.18 at 11:15 am

#124 crowdedelevatorfartz – Those P.S. situations are old news, and a new article just came up about MK Ultra. This reminds me of the experiments that took place during the 1960’s and 1970’s in Montreal funded by the CIA. It all took place at McGill University in the Allan Memorial Institute. Needless to say we students knew nothing about this situation.

#136 Penny Henny on 12.13.18 at 11:30 am

#122 “rosie” on 12.13.18 at 9:24 am
# 24 Henny Penny.

If you look a little more closely at the numbers they tell a different story. Average prices for Niagara Region
Nov 18, $408,905
Oct 18 $417,995
Sept 18 $408,412
Aug 18 $416,200
April 17 $453,735
Starting to see a trend?

////////////////////

Yes I see a trend.
Let me start by filling some of the months from 2018 that you missed.
April 2018 – $417,121
May 2018 – $407,693
June 2018- $398,643
July 2018- $400,527

What this tells me is that the spring of 2017 was a bubble. Crazy times! If you asking me to acknowledge that prices are down from the spring of 2017, then yes you are correct.
Prices this year are very stable.

#137 50 YEARS OF MAPLE LEAF INCOMPETENCE! on 12.13.18 at 11:39 am

No surprise, Toronturds owe $2.08 for every dollar of disposable income.

https://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/toronto-and-vancouver-most-vulnerable-to-interest-rate-hikes-cmhc

Talk about financial stupidity – no wonder they’re also too dumb to know what a quality sports franchise looks like, heehee :)

Make Believes crushed by the Bruins on the weekend, they only do well against second class teams. Good luck in the playoffs!

Bwaahaaahaahaaaaaa!

#138 KLNR on 12.13.18 at 11:46 am

@#112 Rexx Rock on 12.13.18 at 3:08 am
Stan Brooks knows the truth and tells it like is.All levels of goverments are corrupt from municipal to federal.The yellow vest movement in France was about a tax grabbing,corrupt goverment.Canada could never do this because they have been brainwashed so long it and suffers from Stockholm syndrome.A death by a thousand cuts and each cut is a higher or a new tax or higher fines and fees.Suck it up and pay, just have less money in your pockets.
________________________

Bwahahaha. Sure.

#139 mathman on 12.13.18 at 11:51 am

The reality in the GTA is only super prime is selling – everything else in the majority of hoods can be had at a discount. If you have cash and can find someone who needs it real bad – I would almost say you could get some semblance of value right now.

The great trick right now is concurrently listing for sale on MLS and trying to rent on Kijji – my hood has many of these examples where the house sat for a while empty and is now rented. These places would have gone in a day well over asking in the spring of 17.

Ride the TTC – the only adds are for debt consolidation, bankruptcy trustees and private mortgage companies. This is not the sign of a healthy economy. Watch layoffs pick up in mid-late Jan as companies don’t risk firing people from December 1st – Jan 1st for fear of litigation.

The car dealership I bought my car from in 2012 has been calling me monthly since the Summer – I didn’t hear a peep from them until then – business must be good.

rising rates are killing people and draining the swap of the grossly overleveraged.

by April 1st 2019 – we will see a very different picture of the CDN housing market. In calgary people were actually making high real wages for 10 years therefore you have not observed armageddon – the GTA is simple filled with pretenders and wanna be property gods.

Stay liquid my friends,

Math

#140 The Markets on 12.13.18 at 11:57 am

2018 was a reminder that more often than not the pundits are clueless.

USA, international, canada, emerging markets ALL negative.

who called that? In fact, if one did he’d be mocked at in this section.

so so so so so many were bullish equities. Notice how quickly they disappear, or choose other topics to discuss….like climate change

#141 Barb on 12.13.18 at 12:12 pm

The NDP in BC has now released the 26-recommendation tenancy review.
No less than 72 pages.

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/381/2018/12/RHTF-Recommendations-and-WWH-Report_Dec2018_FINAL.pdf

I suppose the red hammer ‘n sickle armbands are in the mail for all British Columbians to don.

#142 JAMES on 12.13.18 at 12:17 pm

#137 50 YEARS OF MAPLE LEAF INCOMPETENCE! on 12.13.18 at 11:39 am

No surprise, Toronturds owe $2.08 for every dollar of disposable income.

https://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/toronto-and-vancouver-most-vulnerable-to-interest-rate-hikes-cmhc

Talk about financial stupidity – no wonder they’re also too dumb to know what a quality sports franchise looks like, heehee :)

Make Believes crushed by the Bruins on the weekend, they only do well against second class teams. Good luck in the playoffs!

Bwaahaaahaahaaaaaa
______________________________________
So I take it you don’t live in Toronto?
Stop complaining. Everyone who died yesterday thinks you’re one lucky son of a bitch.

#143 jess on 12.13.18 at 12:28 pm

#75 Deplorable Dude on 12.12.18 at 8:58 pm

reframing the narrative

——-
Is Cohn safer in prison?

the honey pot /russian mafia guy is her $$$ real daddy
NRA wis.scott got lots of moola from them 3.5m.

the spanish gave the FBI the tapes
Spanish police give FBI wiretaps of Putin ally Alexander Torshin, who …
https://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-obtains-alexander-torshin-wiretaps-from-spanish-…

May 26, 2018 – Spanish police have given the FBI wiretaps they obtained of … FBI “a few months ago,” and that Romanov referred to Torshin on the tapes as ..

#144 Figure it Out on 12.13.18 at 12:29 pm

“When was the last time the USA arrested the executive of a company accused of doing business with Iran?”

The US arrested HSBC’s global head of FX, a British citizen. Also a German Volkswagen exec. So it does happen. Am I the only one who remembers these things, or do apologists just find it inconvenient?

As for “other companies traded with Iran, and their execs didn’t get arrested” — that excuse didn’t wash with your parents when you were ten and it hasn’t become a valid legal defence in the intervening years.

#145 whiplash on 12.13.18 at 12:38 pm

#92 Blacksheep

…..exactly how many people, or what manner of goods (bad) cross border on daily basis?

This is what is confiscated buy USBP on a daily basis from San Diego to Big Bend Texas in the first 10 months ending this July 2018, fiscal year end is September.
404,491 pounds of coke, meth, heroin, pot, fentanyl or 40,449 pounds a month or 1,348 pounds a day.

#146 IHCTD9 on 12.13.18 at 12:56 pm

#132 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.13.18 at 11:05 am
@#127 Ham on Rye

Well, its great to see (sea?) you’ve swallowed the Chinese propaganda that they now “own” a Sea.
Lets see how China’s neighbors reaction to Chinese warships stopping their boats in international waters claiming China’s “sovereignty” over an internationally recognized free body of water.
India, Britain, the US etc may have something to say about that.
I fully expect China to start some silly, jingoistic war over this “claimed” area in the near future to get the Chinese populations’ minds off their faltering economy.
Should be interesting watching them try and “conquer” Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, The Phillipines, Japan, etc. etc. etc. AND deal with the US…..
Careful what you envy Ham,cause, as the Japanese and Germans found during the last global conflict,……… it one thing to capture a territory, its another thing to hold it.
___

If the US, Japanese, UK, and Indian Navy showed up on China’s doorstep, that’s by FAR, the bulk of Planet Earth’s Naval power right there. India is actually way ahead of China in the Naval power race.

China has ONE crap carrier, 25 destroyers, 8 nuclear subs, and 133K peronnel

The USA ALONE has TEN best in the world nuclear powered carriers, 62 destroyers, 54 nuclear subs, and 432K active personnel.

Further to that, the US Nimitz class carriers are also double the size of the next largest foreign carriers, and they don’t just haul planes around – they are a floating fortress, the full package.

The US Navy is actually the second largest air force in the world. The largest is of course, the USAF.

The USA has more Carriers than the rest of the world – COMBINED.

If China would like to be utterly humiliated on the world stage, all they need to do is to do something irreconcilable outside their recognized borders…

#147 Stan Brooks on 12.13.18 at 12:59 pm

#138 KLNR on 12.13.18 at 11:46 am

Bwahahaha. Sure.

==========================

Brainwashing is the act to make you believe in reality that does not exist, reality beyond facts and reason.

It is like religion, it defies logic, this is why many politicians say: ‘I believe’ as ‘I think’ will make them automatically look stupid in the eyes of the serious audience.

Majority of Canadians are brainwashed or complacent to an incomparable and unimaginable in normal societies degree, this is why the world around in Canada is so surreal.

It is exactly the blind trust in the authorities that will be the enabler for the biggest economic downfall you will have ever seen/coming to your town soon.

#148 Penny Henny on 12.13.18 at 1:04 pm

122 “rosie” on 12.13.18 at 9:24 am
# 24 Henny Penny.

If you look a little more closely at the numbers they tell a different story. Average prices for Niagara Region
Nov 18, $408,905
Oct 18 $417,995
Sept 18 $408,412
Aug 18 $416,200
April 17 $453,735
Starting to see a trend?

/////////////////

2017 overshot.

BTW- April 2016 – $303,805

https://www.niagararealtor.ca/sites/default/files/files/April%202016%20Statistics.pdf

#149 Paul on 12.13.18 at 1:09 pm

Media needs to be held accountable. Some of the articles you cant leave comments or you’re required to log into your Facebook account.

#150 Penny Henny on 12.13.18 at 1:21 pm

Niagara region 2017 sale prices.
(Last one Garth, promise)
Check out this crazy bubble that was.
Jan 2017- $337,888
Feb 2017- $367,461
Mar 2017- $403,251
Apr 2017- $453,735
May 2017- $448,255
Jun 2017- $457,456

And then the music stopped.

Jul 2017- $375,903

Toronto sales dropped off a cliff and then it spread out here. Winners of the Toronto Housing Lottery (sellers) were few and far between. The bidding wars stopped dead!

#151 Fish on 12.13.18 at 1:38 pm

Toronto, Vancouver most ‘vulnerable’ to interest rate hikes: CMHC
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says personal debt levels in biggest cities are at record highs
The Canadian Press · Posted: Dec 13, 2018 10:28 AM E

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toronto-vancouver-interest-rate-debt-cmhc-1.4944262

Household Debt-to-Income Ratio Near Record High
December 13, 2018

https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/housing-observer-online/2018-housing-observer/household-debt-income-ratio-near-record-high

#152 jess on 12.13.18 at 1:43 pm

another trump /fox echo fail

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department’s watchdog found no evidence the FBI intentionally destroyed text messages of two former FBI officials involved in the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

Instead, the inspector general faulted an FBI-wide software failure that has resulted in large portions of FBI text messages not being archived.

Thursday’s report examines a gap in messages from December 2016 through May 2017 from the phones of former FBI agent Peter Strzok (struhk) and ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page. The FBI ultimately managed to recover thousands of the messages.

#153 waiting on the westcoast on 12.13.18 at 1:50 pm

Mark or The Real Mark… Check out this link…
https://angel.co/blog/how-to-switch-engineering-jobs-and-actually-like-your-new-role
Note – Engineers have less than 1% unemployment…

#154 PastThePeak on 12.13.18 at 2:03 pm

#95 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.12.18 at 11:08 pm
…
As for the rest of you military strategists aka IHCTD9, Marcos, et al.
I bow to you knowledge of equipment but I still think that the cost of a dozen missles is peanuts compared to a 900 Billion dollar Carrier in a protective group or not.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The latest, most advanced US aircraft carrier is estimated to have cost $12.7B USD in labour and materials. Expensive for sure, but almost 2 orders of magnitude below what you say. Extreme exaggeration rarely helps one’s position (unless you are running for PM).

#155 "rosie" on 12.13.18 at 2:04 pm

#150 Henny Penny

2017 was a very busy year down here. So for the hundreds, maybe thousands of people that bought a new house, yet to be built, or a used house last year in Niagara they maybe overpaid? In my little burg there are a couple hundred homes of various types going up. Most were bought last year. Most are over $500,000. Some are in the $750,000 up range. Many are for sale or for rent. Here’s a little beauty up for rent on a street that’s still under construction. The houses on this street start at $650,000. Utilities are extra, I think.

https://www.niagararealtor.ca/listings/30694643

#156 Jean-Francois Nadeau on 12.13.18 at 2:09 pm

This is interesting

https://www.thestar.com/business/2018/12/13/toronto-new-home-prices-post-biggest-12-month-drop-since-1996.html

#157 HAM R Us on 12.13.18 at 2:13 pm

#146 IHCTD9 on 12.13.18 at 12:56 pm
#132 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.13.18 at 11:05 am
@#127 Ham on Rye
______________________________________

IHCTD9,

Talk is cheap.

Just tell me who the chicken is? Do not chicken out.

#158 PastThePeak on 12.13.18 at 2:18 pm

#137 50 YEARS OF MAPLE LEAF INCOMPETENCE! on 12.13.18 at 11:39 am
…
https://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/toronto-and-vancouver-most-vulnerable-to-interest-rate-hikes-cmhc
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Good article, in that it looks at the two most problematic parts of the country & their debt-to-income ratio, rather than the national average (in such a diverse nation).

Wow – Van and TO – 248% and 208% respectively. Significantly higher than the national 171% that has been quoted often and described as a big worry.

There are signs that, despite the headline unemployment number, the rickety structure of Canada’s economy is already starting to crack. When there is a bit of a shove (global slowdown, US slowdown, trade or real war, or could just be further internal erosion), you will see it unwind quickly.

The next recession will be a doozy for Canada.

As I have said many times, there is nothing – NADA – that can prevent this. It took more than 10 years to build, so it can’t be fixed with interest rate cuts, Fed spending, or a “sunny ways” speech on gender analysis saving the day.

There is always a possibility that things could improve on the other side of said recession in a few years (some learnings that change what we as Canadians prioritize & value in what we want gov’ts to focus on – but to be honest I doubt it…).

#159 Godth on 12.13.18 at 2:23 pm

Crops are failing around the world, ecology and civilization are collapsing too. if we wait until the final fall, in 10 yrs – 15 or 20 if you believe in miracles – then 450+ nuclear rectors along with 1200 nuke waste facilities will burn, poisoning the whole planet. we need to admit our failure with humility (for once), and prepare for collapse. make decommissioning these facilities first priority globally no matter the cost.
“Our Leaders Are Behaving Like Children”: Teen Climate Activist Confronts World Leaders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTM2lrVZwlk&t=80s
Kevin Anderson & Hugh Hunt – A Rule Book for the Climate Casino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5voJj0DMHiI&t=7s
we’ve done business as usual for too long and now it’s too late, we could get at least one thing somewhat right though.

#160 jess on 12.13.18 at 2:35 pm

‘Truth isn’t truth’

“hide the transactions through a shell corporation was not an oversight; it was the goal.”

if you knew individual -1

Remember, it was Trump’s request to then-FBI Director James Comey—“I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go”—that helped to trigger the obstruction investigation in the first place.

… federal prosecutors in New York have granted immunity from prosecution to Allen Weisselberg, the man who knows Trump’s financial secrets — and those of his family and his global business empire

Weisselberg has done Trump’s personal tax returns and watched over his personal finances in addition to acting as CFO for the Trump Organization. Currently, he is also running that financial empire with Trump’s two eldest sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.

=================

#161 down and out on 12.13.18 at 2:55 pm

#135 One of Canada’s greatest Olympians Doug Hepburn was a patient of the CIA experiment ,he suffered greatly and to this day his Olympic records were never restored ,do not humiliate the USA .

#162 Weed Stocks on 12.13.18 at 3:07 pm

I didn’t invest into this pyramid scheme, but if I did would seriously consider selling now, because new competition may enter this game in the near future.

#163 jess on 12.13.18 at 3:20 pm

EU’s Expanded Tax Haven Blacklist Could Apply to U.S.
Posted Dec. 13, 2018, 3:30 AM

EU will expand number of countries to be vetted in 2019 with 12 new additions, including Russia.
New criteria will require countries to apply OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting minimum standard.”

EU’s Expanded Tax Haven Blacklist Could Apply to US (13 Dec 2018)
Plenary backs ambitious S&D proposal to tax more tech giants (13 Dec 2018)
MEPs agree on new rules to tax digital companies’ revenues (13 Dec 2018)
Group led by Thomas Piketty presents plan for ‘a fairer Europe’ (13 Dec 2018)
Scotland freezes threshold for higher-rate income tax (12 Dec 2018)
Denmark’s Tax Agency Targets 2700 Nationals for Hiding Bitcoin Trades (12 Dec 2018)
Probate fees are a ‘dressed up’ tax, say MPs (12 Dec 2018)
US Revised Tax Bill Would Help Private Equity Firms, Multinationals (12 Dec 2018)

http://visar.csustan.edu/aaba/jerseypage.html
Tax Dodge Crackdown Pledged in Israel as Newcomer Exemptions End (12 Dec 2018)
One step closer to fair and simple trust taxation (12 Dec 2018)

#164 Smartalox on 12.13.18 at 3:21 pm

The degree to which provincial and municipal government have come to rely on tax revenues based on inflated house prices and churning markets is truly frightening.

As the Canadian housing bubble bursts, falling values and frozen markets will result in major slowdowns in a sector of the economy that is generally viewed as being ‘recession proof’. If that decline in social services coincides with a ‘regular’ recession in other areas of the economy, the hardship will be amplified significantly.

In the great recession of 2009, the collapse of Europe wasn’t driven by a collapse in housing prices. It was inefficient and corrupt economies that borrowed heavily to cover operating costs, couldn’t find the tax base to cover their debts.

I see the same things happening in Vancouver, where one-time payments of developers’ fees were used to pay for city services as general revenue, instead of their intended use, paying for infrastructure upgrades needed to support increased density.

#165 Penny Henny on 12.13.18 at 3:37 pm

#155 “rosie” on 12.13.18 at 2:04 pm
#150 Henny Penny

2017 was a very busy year down here. So for the hundreds, maybe thousands of people that bought a new house, yet to be built, or a used house last year in Niagara they maybe overpaid? In my little burg there are a couple hundred homes of various types going up. Most were bought last year. Most are over $500,000. Some are in the $750,000 up range. Many are for sale or for rent. Here’s a little beauty up for rent on a street that’s still under construction. The houses on this street start at $650,000. Utilities are extra, I think.

https://www.niagararealtor.ca/listings/30694643

//////////////////////

Re the new builds. I totally agree. Overpriced.

#166 Blacksheep on 12.13.18 at 3:39 pm

Jess # 152,

“another trump /fox echo fail

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department’s watchdog found no evidence the FBI intentionally destroyed text messages of two former FBI officials involved in the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

Instead, the inspector general faulted an FBI-wide software failure that has resulted in large portions of FBI text messages not being archived.

Thursday’s report examines a gap in messages from December 2016 through May 2017 from the phones of former FBI agent Peter Strzok (struhk) and ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page.”
—————————————-
BS: Not picking a fight, but does that finding not seem, just a little too convenient?
—————————————-
“Lisa Page and Peter Strzok, the reported FBI lovebirds, are the poster children for the next “Don’t Text and Investigate” public service ads airing soon at an FBI office near you.

Their extraordinary texting affair on their government phones has given the FBI a black eye, laying bare a raw political bias brought into the workplace that agents are supposed to check at the door when they strap on their guns and badges.

It is no longer in dispute that they held animus for Donald Trump, who was a subject of their Russia probe, or that they openly discussed using the powers of their office to “stop” Trump from becoming president. The only question is whether any official acts they took in the Russia collusion probe were driven by those sentiments.”

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/397902-opinion-one-fbi-text-message-in-russia-probe-should-alarm-every-american
————————————
Specially after some of Strzok / Page’s texts were already leaked, displaying extreme bias, against the potential new president, not to motion some major social improprieties for FBI agents.

These were the upstanding professionals, investigating Hillary?

Please…

#167 jess on 12.13.18 at 4:01 pm

the” bean counters ” as enablers?

http://www.private-eye.co.uk/pictures/special_reports/looting-with-putin.pdf

#168 IHCTD9 on 12.13.18 at 4:25 pm

#157 HAM R Us on 12.13.18 at 2:13 pm
#146 IHCTD9 on 12.13.18 at 12:56 pm
#132 crowdedelevatorfartz on 12.13.18 at 11:05 am
@#127 Ham on Rye
______________________________________

IHCTD9,

Talk is cheap.

Just tell me who the chicken is? Do not chicken out.
_______

I’m sure the US Navy was quaking with fear.

After all, China does have one Aircraft Carrier now – even if it was copied from an old Soviet-era rust bucket, and even if it runs on the same fuel I use to heat my house.

#169 Chinese Dude on 12.13.18 at 4:29 pm

And T2 is subsidizing these fake news agencies with tax payers money. Shame on the Liberals and the leftist media!

#170 Bruce Chase on 12.14.18 at 1:24 pm

I know it must be crap reporting. REBEL MEDIA didn’t report on it.