Should the Liberals and NDP merge?

[lone wolf]

They keep the other two honest - almost....

 

[Bar Sinister]

Screw the feds and return power back to the provinces. This nation is far far too big and diverse to be managed from Ottawa.

With modern communication centralization of power is actually much easier than it has ever been. The federal nature of Canada was created primarily to please the four original provinces, especially Quebec.

And the provinces of Canada already enjoy powers that would be the envy of most American states. The country is decentralized enough as it is.

 

[derpderp]

A merger would be the end for the Liberals for at least 10 years. A significant amount of Liberals would either not vote, or move over to the Conservatives.

 

[The Old Medic]

Both parties would have to betray virtually everything that they have traditionally stood for in order for them to merge. I suspect that they would lose as many votes as they would gain by even attempting to merge.

Of course, politicians being what they are, anything is possible. All such a merger would show is that not one of them actually stood for anything except gaining power.

 

[Machjo]

I think some people are missing something here. If the Libs and NDp merge, yes some votes might be lost, but on the other hand they won't be splitting the votes in ridings either. So then the question is, which will outweigh the other?

The vast majority of Dippers and Libs would never go Conservative. Some Libs and Dippers might go Green, but bear in mind that the Green Party has more resemblance to the old Progressive Conservative Party in ideology, or perhaps comparable to a blue liberal party, so not too many Dippers would go Green except possibly for those who don't do their homework and confound the Canadian Green Party with the more leftist European counterparts. They have their similarities, but there are differences. I'd say the Green Party of Canada is more of a corporatist party, and I mean it according to the political and not business or popular sense of the word. Honestly that actually attracts me to the Green Party to some degree. Though I'm I'm sure there are probably quite a few social corporatists among the Green Party too, though socialists would be far and few between.

One possibility could be that some more corporatist elements of the Liberal Party could go to the Greens, and maybe some more corporatist members of the NDP. Most Dippers though would see the Greens as way too great a compromise with business.

 

[Colpy]

With modern communication centralization of power is actually much easier than it has ever been. The federal nature of Canada was created primarily to please the four original provinces, especially Quebec.

And the provinces of Canada already enjoy powers that would be the envy of most American states. The country is decentralized enough as it is.

Actually, I'm going to nitpick here.......

Canada was intended to be a nation with a completely dominant central power, and very weak provinces, while the United States was intended to be a federation of powerful states loosely bound by a federal gov't.

The Civil War achieved two things......

1. put an end to "states rights" in the USA, turning that nation into a much more unitary state than intended............and

2. made Sir John A. Macdonald VERY leery of the idea of independent provinces......thus our constitution is intended to place the lion's share and the final say on everything firmly in the hands of the federal gov't.

I can illustrate this by beyond all rational argument two points:

1. Residual power is placed in the hands of the Federal gov't.

2. All provincial legislation must be approved by the Federal gov't, and may be disallowed on their whim.....

So much for provincial rights.

 

[Praxius]

Maybe by the time the Liberals and NDP figure out what they're doing and maybe if they decide to merge, will be the time the Atlantica party will be in place and my vote will go to them.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Maybe by the time the Liberals and NDP figure out what they're doing and maybe if they decide to merge, will be the time the Atlantica party will be in place and my vote will go to them.

"Atlantica" for you. "Cascadia" for Alley. "Voice of the West" for me.

By the way, I also voted YES in the poll. This would make way for some
new blood on the Canadian Political scene. Maybe something that
splinters off of this merger would be more palatable that any of the
current political parties.

 

[AnnaG]

Is that like the Black Eyed Peas?
Are you bragging?
My bump, my bump, my lovely lady lump....

lol.

With modern communication centralization of power is actually much easier than it has ever been. The federal nature of Canada was created primarily to please the four original provinces, especially Quebec.

And the provinces of Canada already enjoy powers that would be the envy of most American states. The country is decentralized enough as it is.

Not hardly. Why should some dope in Trois Rivieres have as much say over BC salmon as a Salish? Or why should a spud farmer in PEI have as much say over AB's resources as Joe Roughneck living in Edmonton?

Both parties would have to betray virtually everything that they have traditionally stood for in order for them to merge. I suspect that they would lose as many votes as they would gain by even attempting to merge.

The Liberals stand for something? I mean they stand for something other than abusing the PMO and telling Canadians what Canadians want rather than listening to what we want?

Of course, politicians being what they are, anything is possible. All such a merger would show is that not one of them actually stood for anything except gaining power.

That's the Liberal thing. lol

 

[Bar Sinister]

lol.

Not hardly. Why should some dope in Trois Rivieres have as much say over BC salmon as a Salish? Or why should a spud farmer in PEI have as much say over AB's resources as Joe Roughneck living in Edmonton?

/QUOTE]

What do you mean not hardly? Are you denying that the technology exists for centralization or that historical reasons for Canada's federal structure?

And my memory might be bad, but I don't think I mentioned anything about farming or fishing in my post.

 

[JLM]

lol.

Not hardly.
/QUOTE]

What do you mean not hardly? Are you denying that the technology exists for centralization or that historical reasons for Canada's federal structure?

And my memory might be bad, but I don't think I mentioned anything about farming or fishing in my post.

Not hardly = Very likely...........................:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Cliffy]

I would like to see all the fringe parties merge with the NDP under a new name. They might just garner enough votes to upset the old guard, which is dire need of be usurped. The Liberals and Conservatives are a product of life in the 19th century and if we would look critically at them, we would find them irrelevant in the 21st century. They are out dated and outmoded dinosaurs. I would rather vote Marihuana Party than any of those clowns.

 

[JLM]

I would like to see all the fringe parties merge with the NDP under a new name. They might just garner enough votes to upset the old guard, which is dire need of be usurped. The Liberals and Conservatives are a product of life in the 19th century and if we would look critically at them, we would find them irrelevant in the 21st century. They are out dated and outmoded dinosaurs. I would rather vote Marihuana Party than any of those clowns.

Yep, you'd definitely get something a little different, but I'd be leery about getting anything any better. Frankly I have very little faith in ANY political party. Every one of them have their clowns. :lol::lol::lol:

 

[AnnaG]

lol.

Not hardly. Why should some dope in Trois Rivieres have as much say over BC salmon as a Salish? Or why should a spud farmer in PEI have as much say over AB's resources as Joe Roughneck living in Edmonton?

/QUOTE]

What do you mean not hardly? Are you denying that the technology exists for centralization or that historical reasons for Canada's federal structure?

And my memory might be bad, but I don't think I mentioned anything about farming or fishing in my post.

What I meant by not hardly was to contrast what you said; specifically that "The country is decentralized enough as it is." Nothing happens without Ottawa's sayso. The PM of Canada has more power per capita than the president of the USA. If Harpy had any more freaking power (a majority gov't) he might as well be called a dictator, which is what people called ChRETIeN, albeit a more-or-less beneficent one.
I mentioned farming and fishing because it does not matter where you are in Canada, someone at the other end of the country has as much say over your neighborhood as you do. I think that is not a good thing.

I would like to see all the fringe parties merge with the NDP under a new name. They might just garner enough votes to upset the old guard, which is dire need of be usurped. The Liberals and Conservatives are a product of life in the 19th century and if we would look critically at them, we would find them irrelevant in the 21st century. They are out dated and outmoded dinosaurs. I would rather vote Marihuana Party than any of those clowns.

I would like to see all parties disappear. Candidates would have to run on merit and their own views rather than on what the parties said they should run on. That in turn, would develop a bit better sense of accountability, IMO.

 

[Risus]

It seems like the cretin has gone behind iggy's back to push for this merge according to CTV.

 

[Cliffy]

I would like to see all parties disappear. Candidates would have to run on merit and their own views rather than on what the parties said they should run on. That in turn, would develop a bit better sense of accountability, IMO.

That would certainly be the preferable situation. I wonder how Nunavut is doing with that kind of parliament.

 

[Bar Sinister]

I mentioned farming and fishing because it does not matter where you are in Canada, someone at the other end of the country has as much say over your neighborhood as you do. I think that is not a good thing.

I would like to see all parties disappear. Candidates would have to run on merit and their own views rather than on what the parties said they should run on. That in turn, would develop a bit better sense of accountability, IMO.

Just how would you enforce the dictum that there be no political parties? People of like mind and interests band together. They always have and always will.

 

[AnnaG]

Just how would you enforce the dictum that there be no political parties? People of like mind and interests band together. They always have and always will.

Some thoughts on consensus government in Nunavut | Canadian Parliamentary Review | Find Articles at BNET

Canadian Parliamentary Review - Article

http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/provincial_territorial_politics/topics/1021-5781/

How do you think independents get along in politics? A lot of people get by in life without belonging to any particular group under a particular tag.

 

[L Gilbert]

I don't think they should merge. What I think should happen is the election system be renovated to make it more fair, the feds have less power, the regions more power, and it would be nice if this idiotic bipartisan crap went the way of the Irish deer.

 

[Goober]

I don't think they should merge. What I think should happen is the election system be renovated to make it more fair, the feds have less power, the regions more power, and it would be nice if this idiotic bipartisan crap went the way of the Irish deer.

Let me see - 2 parties without morals or principles merging into one party would that lead to a moral quandary or (mor-ass). Then they could show their better side when walking away from promises.