It's a slow news day so far, but I did manage dig up this nugget at The Globe and Mail:
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Australians encouraged to procreate
Associated Press
Canberra ? Facing a falling birth rate, the Australian government has a simple message: Go forth and multiply. And they're prepared to pay new parents who take up the call.
"Come on, come on, your nation needs you," Prime Minister John Howard said Wednesday, when asked about a one-off $3,000 ($2,900 Canadian) payment for all new mothers announced by Treasurer Peter Costello in the annual budget.
On Tuesday night, a smiling Mr. Costello urged reporters in Canberra: "You go home and do your patriotic duty tonight."
The father of three suggested that two children per couple wasn't quite enough to combat the effects of an aging population and declining birth rate in this sparsely populated nation of 20 million.
"If you can have children it's a good thing to do. You should have ..... one for your husband, one for your wife, and one for your country," Mr. Costello said.
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Well, the birth rates ARE falling in most industrialized countries, Canada included. And this country did, at one time, subsidize children, either through the baby bonus cheque, or (as in the case of Quebec) outright payments for each child...
...and the more I think about it, the more I think we should pick up where we left off. I have no problem paying people to have children. We have to solve the future labour shortage somehow. Who's going to support us in our old age? Who's going to watch all those crappy reality shows and horrible soap operas? Who's going to keep the video game industry in business?
In fact, as a teacher, I want more children so that I will stay in business as well!
As long as we encourage ALL citizens to procreate to the best of their ability, I'm perfectly OK with paying out public money. But it's a short jump from simple breeding to people talking about increasing the "white" race, or maintaining an ethnic balance.. That kind of eugenics/nationalist/bigoted nonsense has no place in Canada. We are all one people...and as soon as the few racist idiots (and Quebec separatists) who remain clue in, the better off -- and well populated -- we will be.
So bring on the cheques. How's $500 for each kid sound...?
