Vague questions

[HaraKiriBlade]

Hi,

I don't know how I should be asking these questions and if I'll get the answer I want.

I was reading today's tabloid and ran into some sentences that, I sort of know and sort of don't. OK let's say I don't, otherwise I wouldn't be asking questions. I have boldened out areas of the questions. Here they are...

1. McGuinty's office confirmed the Ottawa huddle last night after weeks of trying to secure a date with the prime minister.

OK I guess I can replace the word 'huddle' with 'conference', but that would change the feeling, or nuance the sentence gives. What is the word 'huddle' suggesting? it's some kind of meeting but when you hear the word, what kind of meeting or conference do you imagine? am I making any sense here?



2. "I'm going to stay focussed on our priorities, our concerns, and our particular campaign and that's for fairness in dealing with the $23-billion gap," he said.

Let me give some background information on this sentence for those who don't live in Canada and don't follow its (their?) politics. (Just so to help you better understand what I'm trying to ask) Ontario's premier, Dalton McGuinty, is claiming that the province of Ontario pays $23 billion more in taxes to the federal government a year than it receives back in various transfers and services, thus the $23-billion deficit he's talking about.

Now for the actual question, I know every word in the sentence no.2, but the meaning of the whole sentence doesn't come clear to my mind. I guess if I try to interpret the sentence it would be something like, "it's only rational to stay focused on the issues mentioned, to deal with the $23-billion deficit". It's 'that for fairness' part I don't quite get. Can anyone clarify this for me? I want answers from several people, the more the merrier, so that I get to see different thinking logics, different ways of understanding from different people. And that would really help me understand the sentence.


Oh and the last question that just came to my mind; I wasn't planning to put this question here. What is merry-go-round? I thought I knew the meaning until the tabloid I read everyday parodied the word: money-go-round. The word was used in an article that criticizes (the?) government spending.


Like always, if you can go through the whole post and find any grammatical mistakes please correct them for me, and it would do me a huge favor. Thank you very much, your works are greatly appreciated!

[Casiopea]

1. McGuinty's office confirmed the Ottawa huddle last night after weeks of trying to secure a date with the prime minister.

Think of a football huddle. The game plan or play is discussed in quiet, in secret, so the other team doesn't hear.

2. "I'm going to stay focussed on our priorities, our concerns, and our particular campaign and that's for fairness in dealing with the $23-billion gap," he said.

I like your words, plus: "it's only rational to stay focused on the issues mentioned, so as not to deal directly with the $23-billion deficit".

Oh and the last question that just came to my mind; I wasn't planning to put this question here. What is merry-go-round?

It's a ride you find at an amusement park. It's round, has toy horses, which have poles through them. The ride goes around and around. There's no beginning and no end. A money-go-round is where money changes hands but never seems to end up being spent. The money doesn't go anywhere.

[HaraKiriBlade]

Thank you very much Casiopea, for your reply.
I understood the first and the last question - and again I thank you very much.

It's just the second one that I'm stilling having difficulties.

"it's only rational to stay focused on the issues mentioned, so as not to deal directly with the $23-billion deficit".

Hmm I think I need more explanation on this. I'll insert the original text again just in case.

2. "I'm going to stay focussed on our priorities, our concerns, and our particular campaign and that's for fairness in dealing with the $23-billion gap," he said.

So... is the premier saying the $23-billion gap isn't one of the Ontarians' priorities and concerns? or is it more like, staying focused on the priorities and concerns of Ontarians is like dealing with $23-billion gap? what is he exactly trying to tell? what's he selling?


Maybe, just maybe, if you can make up a few more sentences using 'for fairness' in the same application / manner, and explain them to me I may better understand the usage. I would very much appreciate if you do this for me.

Thank you again, for your work. I just want you to know that this is really, really helping me.

[Casiopea]

Gee. I see what you mean. I'm not sure myself now. Sorry. I will need more context to get the gist of what he's trying to say.

[HaraKiriBlade]

OK... this is the original context. It was taken from the May 4 edition of Toronto Sun, a local tabloid infamous for its Sunshine girls.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Prime Minister Paul Martin will meet this Saturday amidst a dispute over how much federal funding Ontario deserves.

McGuinty's office confirmed the Ottawa huddle last night after weeks of trying to secure a date with Martin.

The premier's beef is that Ontario pays $23 billion more in taxes to the federal government a year than it receives back in various transfers and services.

Martin has dismissed McGuinty's so-called fiscal gap, and said he would not be willing to discuss the premier's call for a downpayment of $5 billion to begin addressing the imbalance.

The premier told reporters yesterday he will continue to press his case beyond Saturday's meeting, including during a federal election.

"I'm going to stay focused on our priorities, our concerns, and our particular campaign and that's for fairness in dealing with the $23-billion gap," McGuinty said.

Hope this will do to give you a better idea of the whole thing. Thanks again!

[Marylin]

Originally Posted by HaraKiriBlade

OK... this is the original context. This was taken from the May 4 edition of Toronto Sun, a local tabloid infamous for its Sunshine girls.



Hope this will do to give you a better idea of the whole thing. Thanks again!

Sorry Cas for butting in. With you living in Japan, it might also help to add a small "detail" that's obviously missing here: our recent corruption scandal regarding the liberal governmnet. The liberals managed to funnel millions of tax $$$ into government contracts and that went on unnoticed for a long period of time. Now that people caught onto it, they want Martin to give them back what he took away from them. It's a huge blow to Martin and his cabinet.

that's for fairness in dealing with the $23-billion gap," McGuinty said.

It simply means, " that's for the sake of being fair = so Prime Minister, act responsibly and give us back what you owe". I am sure HarakiriBlade (whose English is superb) will be happy to find out that Ottawa and Ontario has just signed a child-care agreement worth 270 million dollars.

[HaraKiriBlade]

I think I got the gist of it now. Thank you all of you for helping out.

Ottawa and Ontario has just signed a child-care agreement worth 270 million dollars.

That'll give back part of what Mr.Dithers took away from us. But he has to go. I thought Paul Martin was a good finance minister and maybe he was, but as a prime minister I can only see him as incompetent. Personally I'm all for the election. I'd very much like to see this corruption-ridden government's demise. The only problem is most Ontarians are too... I wouldn't say ignorant, but uninformed. They don't have any idea about the corruption, let alone the extent of it. And they're surprizingly tolerant. Sigh...

Marylin, thank you very much for your compliment. I must say I'm quite flattered. I'm aiming to teach English in Japan after I get my BA in design. I've only recently started taking English seriously. (Thus asking questions here) Do you think I have a chance in about, let's say, four years?

[Tdol]

I'm not Marylin, but I'd say so.

[Casiopea]

Me, three.

Marylin, buts are good.