What will it take to beat Harper? Thomas Mulcair has a few ideas

[petros]

Exactly, I was told years ago if you go far enough right you will be far left. Demonstrates quite well the insanity of this "left" and "right".

I brought up how the Left/Right scale works during the election. It's easier to notice how it works when not high on an election buzz.

 

[mentalfloss]

The left/right dichotomy doesn't work when you lump social values in with economic values. You need to have two axis or filter out the social aspect.

 

[Colpy]

Based on what platform? The Bloc Québécois platform - The Globe and Mail

Defense? Monthly pension for life for disabled veterans.

On the economy? Eliminate the two week waiting period for EI, increase EI benefits to 60% from 55%. Increase Canada Summer jobs budget. Impose a 2% tax on incomes between 150,000 and 250,000, a 3% tax on incomes over 250,000. Introduce a tax on non-monetary bonuses.

On Education? Increase federal income transfers for education to the levels in the 1990's. Tax exempt scholarships.

On Criminal matters? They support the long gun registry. They emphasize crime prevention over criminal punishment. They want federal support for victims of crime.

Environment? Federal funding for fast rail service. $750 million for green energy development. Mandatory but free energy assessments for home owners. Ammend building code to increase thermal efficiency, any renovations would neet to meet new code. Electric vehicle support. Absolute targets for greenhouse gas emissions in line with Kyoto protocol.

Seniors? Raise Guaranteed Income Supplement by $110 a month. Automatic qualification for GIS at the age of 65.

Immigration? They would insert a clause that forbids expulsion to any country where they risk torture. Expedite family reunification.

Families? Gradual investments until yearly funding for social housing is $2 Billion.

Food? Increase federal inspection of food producers, hire 1000 new government employees to implement tracability and inspection reports. Increase federal funding by $150 a year, every year, for the next 10 years.
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Right of center? They want bigger government, more taxes, more welfare, better food safety, and tougher regulations on industrial polluters. That's hardly right of center.

Also, look at where the votes went in Quebec. The Bloc was kicked in the teeth, and the NDP gobbled up the lions share.

Certainly the Bloc is left of centre......the only party that drew large numbers of Bloc votes in the last election was the NDP. That says it all.

Which is part and parcel of my point: How can the NDP serve both the interests of Quebec Nationalists and the larger polity?

It can not.

It will have a choice to make, and that choice will damage one or the other bases of support.

The NDP successes in the last election were, IMHO, not sustainable in the long run.

The left/right dichotomy doesn't work when you lump social values in with economic values. You need to have two axis or filter out the social aspect.

To some extent, I agree.

The left-right thing is dodgy at best........works only when you are speaking of a very specific set of policies.

 

[JLM]

I would consider voting for a party that would double (or triple) the expenditure to put a stop to street drug importers (traffickers) and the expenditure for rehabillitating addicts. This expenditure would be quickly recovered in several other ministries, including health care costs, associated crime fighting costs, welfare payment costs, along with the added benefit of more employable people paying taxes, reduced insurance costs for many sectors.

 

[petros]

I would consider voting for a party that would double (or triple) the expenditure to put a stop to street drug importers (traffickers) and the expenditure for rehabillitating addicts. This expenditure would be quickly recovered in several other ministries, including health care costs, associated crime fighting costs, welfare payment costs, along with the added benefit of more employable people paying taxes, reduced insurance costs for many sectors.

Can we include booze? Free beer to keep them just happy enough so I can get amber Listerine off the shelf instead of asking the cashier for a bottle from behind the counter.

 

[taxslave]

I would consider voting for a party that would double (or triple) the expenditure to put a stop to street drug importers (traffickers) and the expenditure for rehabillitating addicts. This expenditure would be quickly recovered in several other ministries, including health care costs, associated crime fighting costs, welfare payment costs, along with the added benefit of more employable people paying taxes, reduced insurance costs for many sectors.

My truck is addicted to gas. Can I get free gas at a government facility? I want the oil checked as well.

 

[Mowich]

Funny thing about extremists, no matter what way they lean they all want to take away our rights and freedoms because only they know what is good for us.

Could not have said it better myself..........right on the mark, taxslave.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

The left/right dichotomy doesn't work when you lump social values in with economic values. You need to have two axis or filter out the social aspect.

Thats the thing that really irks me with American politics. They lump the two together and assume that if you believe in responsible government spending you must also be anti-abortion and believe that God snapped his fingers and created the earth and man 5000 years ago in 7 days. Heaven forbid that you could believe one without believing the other.

 

[Colpy]

Yet another nail in the NDP coffin........

Three extra seats not enough for Quebec, NDP tells Tories - The Globe and Mail

Make that two nails:

Tories target NDP hopeful Niki Ashton’s gun-registry flip flop - The Globe and Mail

You can't be the Bloc and make the RoC happy.........

 

[mentalfloss]

Such tragic news that conservatives no longer hold a majority, and NDP support has gone up since the election..

..must be that lower IQ effect you described earlier.. or maybe it's the "blip effect", lol

 

[Colpy]

Such tragic news that conservatives no longer hold a majority, and NDP support has gone up since the election..

..must be that lower IQ effect you described earlier.. or maybe it's the "blip effect", lol

What? Is there an election on I didn't hear about????

Reproducing polls four years ahead of any election in an attempt to prove anything other than the silliness of political junkies (including us) is simply an exercise in futility.

Believe me, I've consulted my crystal ball (much more dependable than early polls) and the NDP are TOAST!!!

But, for the sake of argument, having destroyed their rural base with gun control, and in the process of alienating the RoC with Blocquiste positions, how DO you expect the NDP to hold on????

There ain't that many union socialists left in this country.

And the NDP don't even have a leader for us to crucify......yet.

OH! And I love the Sak/Man regional projection! I think Brad Wall put THAT to bed last night!

 

[mentalfloss]

Believe me, I've consulted my crystal ball (much more dependable than early polls) and the NDP are TOAST!!!

But, for the sake of argument, having destroyed their rural base with gun control, and in the process of alienating the RoC with Blocquiste positions, how DO you expect the NDP to hold on????

There ain't that many union socialists left in this country.

And the NDP don't even have a leader for us to crucify......yet.

OH! And I love the Sak/Man regional projection! I think Brad Wall put THAT to bed last night!

All I know is that "NDP doom and gloom" can be put to bed for now.

 

[DaSleeper]

 

[mentalfloss]

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your PM to me about voting for the dippers in 2015...

oooops...

 

[Machjo]

One possible idea to increases voter support for any party is to give individual MPs more freedom to vote their conscience rather than just the party line, as that will also make them more responsive to local constituents' interests rather than just the party elite.

for instance, the fact that an MP can feel quite comfortable voting his conscience on the gun issue within the NDp is something I see as a plus for democracy within the party.

 

[DaSleeper]

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your PM to me about voting for the dippers in 2015...

oooops...

Now tell the truth....Do you dream in Colour or Black and white? :lol:

Don't worry....It's not a trick question;-)

 

[mentalfloss]

Canadians think NDP leader should be bilingual: poll

An Ipsos Reid poll, conducted exclusively for Postmedia News and Global Television, found that 78 per cent of Canadian adults polled want the next leader of the New Democratic Party to speak both official languages.

The results come just after Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed a unilingual auditor general and Supreme Court judge.

Among Quebecers, 96 per cent of those polled agree that the new NDP leader should a solid grasp of both English and French. But support is high across the country. Even at its lowest, in the Prairies, it is still 59 per cent.

Among NDP supporters, 84 per cent said the leader should be capable of speaking fluently in both languages.

Many of those in the running for the leadership can speak English and French, including party strategist Brian Topp and MPs Thomas Mulcair and Peggy Nash. However some, such as MP Paul Dewar, primarily speak English. Dewar has promised to work on his French.

Canadians think NDP leader should be bilingual: poll
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[DurkaDurka]

Among Quebecers, 96 per cent of those polled agree that the new NDP leader should a solid grasp of both English and French. But support is high across the country. Even at its lowest, in the Prairies, it is still 59 per cent.

Among NDP supporters, 84 per cent said the leader should be capable of speaking fluently in both languages.

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That's kind funny, considering Quebec elected an anglophone in a predominantly french region of Quebec. I'm still lol'ing about that one.

 

[wulfie68]

Canadians think NDP leader should be bilingual: poll

Evidence of an extremely slow news day and a slow polling season

Among Quebecers, 96 per cent of those polled agree that the new NDP leader should a solid grasp of both English and French. But support is high across the country. Even at its lowest, in the Prairies, it is still 59 per cent.

​

Among NDP supporters, 84 per cent said the leader should be capable of speaking fluently in both languages.​

Absolutely earthshattering revelations here. Quebecers think the leader of their most prominent party should speak Quebecois... I would never have thought that could happen. High numbers of a party's supporters want their leader to be able to converse and understand those who elected most of their seats... again this is absolutely astounding...

The ONLY thing remotely surprising at first glance, is that 59% on the Prairies care about the NDP leader's bilingualism, until one remembers that a) the NDP was born in the Prairies and b) most people in the Prairies are pretty much "live-and-let-live" (Alberta also has a high dose of "just-don't-tell-ME-how-to-live"), so its not that surprising out here either.

Is this really the most excitement the NDP leadership race can generate? If so, they must be in more trouble than I thought.​

 

[mentalfloss]

[/SIZE]

Is this really the most excitement the NDP leadership race can generate? If so, they must be in more trouble than I thought.​

You're basing their performance on how excited you are?