Slashdot Mirror
Technical Glitch Lets Reporters Eavesdrop On Obama, Sarkozy
Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that a technical glitch allowed reporters to listen in on a private conversation between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and US President Barack Obama, made in a backroom meeting at the G20 summit, treating listeners to a rare insight into the importance of personal relationships in international politics. 'I can't stand him any more,' said Mr. Sarkozy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'He's a liar.' Mr. Obama replied: 'You're sick of him. I have to deal with him every day!' According to Reuters, the two presidents were apparently 'unaware that the microphones in their meeting room had been switched on, enabling reporters in a separate location to listen in to a simultaneous translation.' The reporters made 'a group decision... not to report the conversation as it was considered private and off-the-record,' but Arrets Sur Images, a French website that covers current affairs, got wind of the exchange and broke the story."
Slightly more? You quoted the tax rates for Quebec, Ontario, and BC. Quebec is 50% higher than next-door neighbor Ontario, (and the tax actually kicks in at a lower rate), and more than 3x the rate of British Columbia.
Couple that with the lower average income in Quebec, because of 40 years of provincial anti-english sentiment chasing out most of the head offices, and it's a disaster.
Oh, and the provincial sales taxe, which went up 1% to 8% January 1st, are going up another 1% next January 1st.
Also, your "omeone earning minimum wage in Alberta is paying 2x that of anyone else in the country " is a flat-out lie, Alberta exempts the first $16,825 of income from ANY provincial income tax.
Now, when go to spend that money, Alberta's provincial sales tax is 0%. Quebec - as of January 1st, will be 9.975% (because they also tax the 5% federal sales tax - a tax on tax).
Also, Alberta gives much more generous deductions for people with a disability, or caring for someone at home, etc. Add to that that the average Alberta income is more than 2-1/2 times the average Quebec income, and Quebec sucks.
Quebec is the most corrupt province in Canada. Where do you think all those scum telemarketers operated from? Quebec - because Quebec's political class has been engaged in economic warfare against its' citizens for almost 40 years..