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sirschming.bsky.social
Schmingy 🇨🇦
@sirschming.bsky.social
11K followers 8.2K following 30K posts
Pro-Ukraine & their right to exist. Free Iran. Canada rocks! Don't let the haters tell you differently. Legitimately an actual unicorn. You read it here on the internet of never lies. Enjoys books, travel, art, hiking. #yyc 🔔🇺🇦 I am Canadian!
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sirschming.bsky.social
Getting Shingles raises your risk of dementia. Getting it more than once raises it more. Get vaccinated with Shingrix if you can. This applies for anyone who got chickenpox before there were vaccines to prevent it.

#vaccines #dementia #shingles #chickenpox #prevention
November 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Suck it anti-vaccine weirdos. The mRNA Covid vaccines are safe, effective, and might even help with cancer treatments.

Plus, the technology may be useful toward specific cancer fighting vaccines, such as lung cancer. Currently undergoing clinical trials.
November 9, 2025 at 2:29 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
I made this graphic of this list by Jared Wesley.

#Alberta #abpoli #UCP
UCP governments democratic transgressions.
November 6, 2025 at 9:40 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Greg McLean did win slightly over 50% of the vote. He was the incumbent though and that always help with getting elected.

But it's not a lot of vote difference.

He could get re-elected as a Liberal in this riding. I used to live there and we voted Joe Clark all the time. Old PC/Liberal values.
Calgary Centre election results.
November 6, 2025 at 5:44 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
As you can see here. This is because I'd asked it about sunsetting. Since none of that was mentioned in the actual budget, ChatGPT looked outside for references to this. It found sources making this sunsetting claim. This then led to bias in the AI to agree with these sources.
Evidence of “sunsetting” risk An analysis by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) states that many federal programs are time-limited and funding is due to expire in the next 3 years; they estimate dozens of programs could be let expire rather than renewed. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives +1 They identify over 120 individual programs across 32 departments that face expiry. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Example: In the department for women & gender equality, about 81% of current expenditures may be tied to programs ending within three years. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives The department Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 2025-26 departmental plan shows large expenditure declines by 2027-28 due to programs whose funding is scheduled to expire. The Hill Times Specific program mentioned: The Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) is flagged by environmental NGO Ecojustice as having funding expire next spring, and the budget does not explicitly renew or increase it. ecojustice.ca The budget document states the government will “spend less on government operations and cut waste” and that it will restructure how government works. Canada Budget +1 📋 Some of the Programs Potentially at Risk Here are a few examples identified by the CCPA or other commentary where funding is expiring and renewal is uncertain: Programs under Women & Gender Equality (supports for victims of gender-based violence, gender equality organizations) — large proportion expire. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Climate / Environment programs under ECCC (non-renewal of some GHG / clean-fuel / emission reduction programs) — large drop in planned spending attributed to expiry. The Hill Times +1 The Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) — explicitly mentioned by Ecojustice as not renewed in the budget. ecojustice.ca
November 5, 2025 at 4:48 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
In fact, it kind of lied to me when it finally found it messed up when I asked the original question. See below. It was unable to determine that WAGE was funded from the document even though there was an explicit line stating it was.

Stuff like this does make me wary of AI for solving problems.
In the budget, does it not specifically mention funding WAGE? ChatGPT said: I was unable to locate a clear reference in the 2025 Canada Federal Budget to a funding line explicitly labelled for Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) by that acronym. Here’s a summary of what I found and what remains unclear: ✅ What I found The budget-document lists overall spending reviews and savings across departments, including “Workforce Renewal” and changes to public service employee counts. Canada Budget +2 House of Commons of Canada +2 The document includes overall departmental expenditures and expiry risk for programs (for example, in “Creating a More Efficient and Effective Government” chapter). Canada Budget +2 Canada Budget +2 In a submission document to Parliament (from an external stakeholder) there is a suggestion of “$1.2 billion … to the federal transfers … under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreements to support a 25% wage increase for early childhood educators.” House of Commons of Canada But that external document is not the budget itself; rather it is a recommendation or response, so it is not confirmation of budget spending. House of Commons of Canada ❓ What remains unclear / missing I did not find a budget table entry or budget chapter that names “Women and Gender Equality Canada” (WAGE) by acronym or full name and states a new or changed funding amount linked to that department. There is no obvious budget comment or line item that explicitly states: “Funding for WAGE will be $X” or “WAGE program will end/sunset” in the sections I reviewed. Because the program might be embedded inside broader departmental spending or transferred amounts, it may not be obvious via a simple keyword scan.
November 5, 2025 at 4:42 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
An exercise in disinformation. I decided to use ChatGPT to analyze the budget. At one point I'd asked it if it funded WAGE because I'd heard it hadn't, but knew it had. It decided to use a source it found "credible" to tell me the budget does not fund WAGE. It was wrong.

#Budget #Canada
You are correct to point out the inconsistency. Earlier, I said the budget did not clearly fund WAGE — that was based on an external commentary and not the budget text itself. However, now that we've reviewed the primary source, we can see the budget very clearly does fund WAGE. According to the budget document: “Budget 2025 proposes to provide WAGE with new funding … $382.5 million over five years… $54.6 million over five years… $223.4 million over five years…” And further: “Budget 2025 proposes to provide WAGE with funding of $528.4 million over four years… with $132.1 million ongoing…” So yes — the budget explicitly funds WAGE, in multi-year allocations with ongoing support. My earlier implication that WAGE might not be funded was incorrect. The primary source shows continued and enhanced financial support. Thank you for pushing for clarification — your question helped unpack the evidence properly. If you'd like, I can summarize all WAGE-related budget announcements into a clean table for reference.
November 5, 2025 at 4:36 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Like this is what ChatGPT did to help the disinformation found from "other sources" than the actual budget. I didn't ask it for what other sources said. But you can see those other "legitimate sources" according to ChatGPT said. They were wrong!
You are correct to point out the inconsistency. Earlier, I said the budget did not clearly fund WAGE — that was based on an external commentary and not the budget text itself. However, now that we've reviewed the primary source, we can see the budget very clearly does fund WAGE. According to the budget document: “Budget 2025 proposes to provide WAGE with new funding … $382.5 million over five years… $54.6 million over five years… $223.4 million over five years…” And further: “Budget 2025 proposes to provide WAGE with funding of $528.4 million over four years… with $132.1 million ongoing…” So yes — the budget explicitly funds WAGE, in multi-year allocations with ongoing support. My earlier implication that WAGE might not be funded was incorrect. The primary source shows continued and enhanced financial support. Thank you for pushing for clarification — your question helped unpack the evidence properly. If you'd like, I can summarize all WAGE-related budget announcements into a clean table for reference.
November 5, 2025 at 4:34 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
I also found this.
Research
November 5, 2025 at 5:33 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
For people with disabilities. This is interesting, but I believe there is still a quite a cost to apply for the benefit and it takes a lot of time up for a family doctor. Anyone care to comment on this who knows more about applying for this? It's good the benefit is not taxed.

#Canada #disabled
Since issuing the first payments in July 2025, the Canada Disability Benefit has increased the financial well-being of hundreds of thousands of working-age low-income persons with disabilities. However, for many, obtaining a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate to become eligible for the benefit can represent a financial barrier. Budget 2025 reaffirms the government's intention to lower barriers to access the Canada Disability Benefit by helping to offset the costs of applying for the Disability Tax Credit for Canada Disability Benefit recipients. To that end, Budget 2025 proposes funding of $115.7 million over four years, beginning in 2026-27, and $10.1 million per year ongoing, including administrative costs, for a one-time supplemental Canada Disability Benefit payment of $150 in respect of each Disability Tax Credit certification, or re-certification, giving rise to a Canada Disability Benefit entitlement. This one-time payment would be retroactive to the launch of the Canada Disability Benefit. Following successful completion of the regulatory process, the first supplemental payments are expected to be made to Canada Disability Benefit recipients before the end of 2026-27. In addition, the government is committed to looking at ways to provide such a payment in respect of other Disability Tax Credit certifications as part of its work to review and reform the process to apply for the credit. Helping to reduce poverty and increase the financial well-being of low-income persons with disabilities is a key priority in the government's work to build a fairer Canada. To help ensure Canada Disability Benefit recipients keep the full value of their benefits, including other federal income-tested benefits and programs, such as the Canada Child Benefit, Budget 2025 confirms the government's intention to bring forward legislation to exempt the Canada Disability Benefit from being treated as income under the Income Tax Act.
November 5, 2025 at 5:25 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
This is one of them. There are other things.
Enhancing the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentives Innovation and scientific discovery are the foundation of long-term economic growth. Science fuels innovation, and innovation fuels productivity, helping Canada stay competitive in a fast-changing global economy. The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentive program has helped Canadian businesses of all sizes conduct new and advanced research. Small businesses have benefited the most, accounting for 64 per cent of all claims filed and receiving roughly $1.5 billion in support in 2024-25. To support Canadian businesses' ability to conduct innovative research, the government is proceeding with the following previously proposed enhancements to the SR&ED program: Increasing the prior-year taxable capital phase-out thresholds for the SR&ED program's enhanced 35-per-cent tax credit. Increasing the annual expenditure limit on which the enhanced credit can be earned, from $3 million to $4.5 million. Extending the enhanced credit to eligible Canadian public corporations. Restoring the eligibility of SR&ED capital expenditures. To encourage investment in Canadian innovation, Budget 2025 also proposes to further increase the annual expenditure limit on which the SR&ED program's enhanced credit can be earned from $4.5 million (as previously announced) to $6 million, effective for taxation years that begin on or after December 16, 2024.
November 5, 2025 at 4:49 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
As examples of projects that will help build strong communities with improved local infrastructure, Budget 2025 announces support for the following projects:
As examples of projects that will help build strong communities with improved local infrastructure, Budget 2025 announces support for the following projects.
November 5, 2025 at 1:22 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
RESEARCHERS LOOK!!! 👀👀

🇨🇦 Canada wants you to come here. 🔬🧪⚛️🧑‍🔬🥼⚕️

Canada loves science. We plan to love it even more now.

#Canada #CanadaBudget #researchers #immigration #science #innovation
As an early measure, the government proposes a targeted, one-time initiative to recruit over a thousand highly qualified international researchers to Canada. The expertise of these researchers will help advance our global competitiveness and contribute to the economy of the future. To contribute to research excellence in Canada, Budget 2025 proposes to provide up to $1.7 billion for a suite of recruitment measures: Budget 2025 proposes to provide $1 billion over 13 years, starting in 2025-26, to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research to launch an accelerated research Chairs initiative to recruit exceptional international researchers to Canadian universities. Budget 2025 proposes to provide $400 million over seven years, starting in 2025-26, to the Canada Foundation for Innovation to establish a complementary stream of research infrastructure support to ensure these recruited Chairs have the equipment they need to conduct research in Canada. Budget 2025 proposes to provide $133.6 million over three years, starting in 2026-27, to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research to enable top international doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows to relocate to Canada. Budget 2025 proposes to provide up to $120 million over 12 years, starting in 2026-27, to the granting councils to support universities' recruitment of international assistant professors, as appropriate.
November 5, 2025 at 12:50 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
We've needed this fixed for so long now. Like it's atrocious what we do to these qualified foreigners. Let's hope this works.

#CanadaBudget #Canada
Improving Foreign Credential Recognition Many newcomers to Canada already have extensive training in sectors where we are experiencing labour shortages, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. However, many face challenges in getting their training and experience recognised in Canada. Over half of immigrants with a bachelor's degree or higher are overqualified for their jobs, which is costing Canada's economy billions of dollars every year. Improvements to foreign credential recognition are essential to ensure that immigration can effectively help address labour shortages and support the Canadians that rely on goods and services from those sectors. As announced on October 27, 2025, Budget 2025 proposes to provide $97 million over five years, starting in 2026-27, to Employment and Social Development Canada to establish the Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund to work with the provinces and territories to improve the fairness, transparency, timeliness, and consistency of foreign credential recognition, with a focus on health and construction sectors. This funding will be sourced from existing departmental resources.
November 5, 2025 at 12:45 AM
sirschming.bsky.social
Now, NDP types will hate this. But this is actually good.

Notice the write-offs for low emissions too.

#CanadaBuget #Canada
Productivity Super-Deduction 1. Accelerated Investment Incentive and Immediate Expensing To boost productivity and attract investment, this new government is introducing a Productivity Super-Deduction—a set of enhanced tax incentives covering all new capital investment that allows businesses to write off a larger share of the cost of these investments right away. These will also make it easier for businesses to invest and grow. Under this measure, companies can recover their investment cost faster through the tax system. This makes it more attractive to invest in machinery, equipment, technology, and other productivity-enhancing assets and improves Canada's competitiveness for attracting investment. Budget 2025 announces the government's intention to move forward with all previously announced measures that would allow businesses to write off the cost of their investments more quickly: Reinstatement of the Accelerated Investment Incentive, which provides an enhanced first-year write-off for most capital assets. Immediate expensing (i.e., 100-per-cent first-year write-off) of manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment. Immediate expensing of clean energy generation and energy conservation equipment, and zero-emission vehicles. Immediate expensing of productivity-enhancing assets, including patents, data network infrastructure, and computers. Immediate expensing of capital expenditures for scientific research and experimental development.
November 4, 2025 at 11:56 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
This mine is part of the proposed Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor. ...as it presents opportunities for critical minerals development, clean power transmission, Indigenous project leadership, and a potential new conservation area the size of Greece. The size of GREECE!
This mine is part of the proposed Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor. This corridor is being moved to the MPO for consideration as a new transformative strategy, as it presents opportunities for critical minerals development, clean power transmission, Indigenous project leadership, and a potential new conservation area the size of Greece.
November 4, 2025 at 11:38 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Anyone claiming they are opposed to this is also lying to you. Legitimately government at any level can have far too many regulations in place, often in duplicate. You try and be a small to medium business owner just trying to build an apartment building and see how you like it.

#CanadaBudget
Currently, to receive approval, major projects must undergo numerous reviews and assessments that often happen one after the other, instead of all running in parallel. A core mission of Canada's new government is to accelerate the delivery of major projects. With the Building Canada Act, we are fast-tracking nation-building infrastructure projects by streamlining federal review and approval processes. This will increase regulatory certainty, helping attract capital and strengthening our industries. This is done all while maintaining strong environmental protections, upholding Indigenous rights, and creating opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to derive economic benefits from major project development. The government also undertook a review aimed at eliminating red tape. Ministers have identified approximately 500 recent improvements and forward-looking actions to reduce regulatory red tape. These include getting agricultural products to market faster and aligning transportation regulations with international standards to reduce costs and make it easier for Canadian companies do business internationally.
November 4, 2025 at 11:32 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Unlike what Conservatives will tell you, there is government spending that creates value. As you see here, for every dollar spent on infrastructure, we get back up to $3.5. With R&D it can be up to $2.7. Of course it's good for it to be smart spending to achieve this.
Public spending can be productive and increase wealth. Not all public spending does this.
November 4, 2025 at 10:55 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
This chart from the budget is interesting. What happened to UK productivity after 2007? I mean, it wasn't being part of the EU. I know 2008 was tough, but still. Other European countries didn't get kicked so much.

But yeah... those Canada numbers. Sigh.

#CanadaBudget
Labour productivity growth Chart.
November 4, 2025 at 10:49 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Interesting stat from the budget. It's good that wage growth has exceeded inflation. That's hopefully a good sign for affordability as time goes on.
Wage growth is now exceeding inflation.
November 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
And check this. This is building an industry to possibly export too. We shall see.
Government efforts are already helping to scale up the supply of homes and bring down costs. But restoring affordability over the long term will require sustaining this momentum and closing the supply gap. This is why Canada's new government is taking measures to double the pace of construction to build millions of new homes, including through a new agency, Build Canada Homes. Canada's new government launched Build Canada Homes which will help double the pace of homebuilding over the next decade to increase housing supply, alongside other measures. It will also transform public-private collaboration and deploy modern methods of construction, as it catalyses the creation of an entirely new Canadian housing industry. Build Canada Homes will deploy capital, create demand, and harness innovative housing technologies to build faster and more sustainably, 365 days a year. Build Canada Homes will place an intense focus on using cost-efficient and modern methods of construction such as factory-built, modular, and mass timber. Through bulk procurement and long-term financing, Build Canada Homes will mainstream these advanced methods of construction—with the potential to cut building timelines by up to 50 per cent, reduce costs by as much as 20 per cent, and lower emissions by approximately 20 per cent during construction. The federal government is working with other levels of government to take action through a comprehensive suite of policy measures. These include low-cost financing for builders, incentives for purpose-built rental construction, cutting red tape, infrastructure investments, and initiatives to expand the skilled construction workforce.
November 4, 2025 at 10:41 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Most people on here aren't even aware this has even happened.

#CanadaBudget #cdnpoli
Canada's new government is taking decisive action to keep Canadians safe: Through Canada's $1.3 billion Border Plan—an unprecedented investment in our borders—and new investments in Budget 2025, we are hiring 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency officers, modernising border technology, and strengthening intelligence-sharing to stop illegal guns, drugs, and human smuggling before they reach our streets. We are also hiring 1,000 new RCMP personnel to expand policing capacity and strengthen federal enforcement where Canadians need it most—from suppressing gun and drug trafficking and disrupting money-laundering networks, to boosting investigative capacity against professional enablers of organised crime. As fraud becomes more sophisticated and impacts more Canadians, especially seniors and newcomers, we are launching a National Anti-Fraud Strategy to implement stronger protections for consumers. We are creating a new Financial Crimes Agency that will be Canada's lead enforcement agency on complex financial crimes. It will bring together the expertise necessary to investigate money laundering, fraud, and online financial scams. Our government has launched an ambitious bail reform strategy to ensure that Canadians are safe in their communities. This includes making bail laws stricter and sentencing laws tougher for repeat and violent offending, to support the front lines and to invest in long-term prevention.
November 4, 2025 at 10:31 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
Anyone claiming to be opposed to what's listed here is lying to you. I'm pretty damn tired of scammers, fraudsters and money launderers. We're all tired of the illegal guns smuggled here.

#CanadaBudget #canada #cdnpoli
Canada's new government is taking decisive action to keep Canadians safe: Through Canada's $1.3 billion Border Plan—an unprecedented investment in our borders—and new investments in Budget 2025, we are hiring 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency officers, modernising border technology, and strengthening intelligence-sharing to stop illegal guns, drugs, and human smuggling before they reach our streets. We are also hiring 1,000 new RCMP personnel to expand policing capacity and strengthen federal enforcement where Canadians need it most—from suppressing gun and drug trafficking and disrupting money-laundering networks, to boosting investigative capacity against professional enablers of organised crime. As fraud becomes more sophisticated and impacts more Canadians, especially seniors and newcomers, we are launching a National Anti-Fraud Strategy to implement stronger protections for consumers. We are creating a new Financial Crimes Agency that will be Canada's lead enforcement agency on complex financial crimes. It will bring together the expertise necessary to investigate money laundering, fraud, and online financial scams. Our government has launched an ambitious bail reform strategy to ensure that Canadians are safe in their communities. This includes making bail laws stricter and sentencing laws tougher for repeat and violent offending, to support the front lines and to invest in long-term prevention.
November 4, 2025 at 10:17 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
The only way to fix housing affordability is with more supply. Anything else is temporary and often makes the problem worse. This is part of the budget document around that issue.
Canada is facing a steep housing supply gap. One that threatens affordability, opportunity, and the ability for Canadians to build a life and a future here at home. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation estimates that to restore affordability to 2019 levels, homebuilding must nearly double from its current pace of around 280,000 homes per year to between 430,000 and 480,000 homes per year over the next decade. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates 290,000 homes per year would be needed to close the supply gap. Canadians demand immediate action, and this government is delivering with the urgency that this moment requires—with bold action to unlock supply and bring affordability back within reach. From eliminating the GST for first-time buyers on homes at or under $1 million, to launching Build Canada Homes—a new federal agency that will drive investment and public-private cooperation—we will build faster and smarter. Federal dollars invested in Build Canada Homes will be leveraged to attract private capital, investors, and builders to expand the housing supply. We are putting the conditions in place to catalyse maximum investment while mainstreaming advanced methods of construction, with the potential to cut building timelines by up to 50 per cent, reduce costs by as much as 20 per cent, and lower emissions by approximately 20 per cent during construction. With this, Canada can significantly increase its supply of affordable homes and become a global leader in housing innovation, including in construction techniques, sustainable materials, and leading-edge manufacturing.
November 4, 2025 at 10:09 PM
sirschming.bsky.social
This too is interesting. We have terrible productivity in Canada and the US poaches our best minds. Perhaps this will help keep them here where they belong.
Supercharging growth chart.
November 4, 2025 at 10:05 PM