2006 Canadian Election.. call it right away?
- Thread starter smitty295
- Start date
RE: Do you think an elect
I see Carolyn Parrish has appendicitis, but she says she will try to show up for the vote, even though she is in pain. So this Budget vote keeps on getting more interesting.
I see Carolyn Parrish has appendicitis, but she says she will try to show up for the vote, even though she is in pain. So this Budget vote keeps on getting more interesting.
RE: Do you think an election should be called right away?
I'm suprised the host of Survivor hasn't shown up in Parliment with a bunch of torches.
I'm suprised the host of Survivor hasn't shown up in Parliment with a bunch of torches.
RE: Do you think an elect
If Parrish can't make it, they can re-install her as a Liberal and twin her to the missing Conservative. Efford has decided to show up against his doctor's orders, so the Liberals have said they'll twin somebody else. Suddenly there's Parrish. Funny how these things work out.
If Parrish can't make it, they can re-install her as a Liberal and twin her to the missing Conservative. Efford has decided to show up against his doctor's orders, so the Liberals have said they'll twin somebody else. Suddenly there's Parrish. Funny how these things work out.
Re: Do you think an election should be called right away?
I think theres more to the story than were being told :? Corporate forces are at work here for what I do not know but the sales job being done on us and the propaganda being spewed out of Ottawa is incredible 8O Whats really going on here? :? I'm starting to think this might be someones grand plan to break up Canada :x
I think theres more to the story than were being told :? Corporate forces are at work here for what I do not know but the sales job being done on us and the propaganda being spewed out of Ottawa is incredible 8O Whats really going on here? :? I'm starting to think this might be someones grand plan to break up Canada :x
RE: Do you think an elect
I don't think these guys are capable of thinking that far ahead. I think the corporate honchos are likely deserting Harper pretty quickly right about now though.
I don't think these guys are capable of thinking that far ahead. I think the corporate honchos are likely deserting Harper pretty quickly right about now though.
RE: Do you think an elect
MacKay won't rule out forcing early election
They sure never give up. Are they that ill informed about the reality of the tories losing seats come next election?
MacKay won't rule out forcing early election
They sure never give up. Are they that ill informed about the reality of the tories losing seats come next election?
RE: Do you think an elect
I wouldn't rule it out, but I think it will bite them in the ass if they do. Nobody wants to listen to electioneering around x-mas. We have a rough timetable for when an election is going to be. Harper's numbers really suck.
If they wait for the final Gomery report Harper's numbers have a chance to recover, Canadians will be voting when they more or less expect to vote, and the x-mas problem goes away.
If the Conservatives do force an election it will be, by all accounts, over Gomery. People are Gomeried out and don't want to hear it anymore. The Harperites really need to watch their step on this.
I wouldn't rule it out, but I think it will bite them in the ass if they do. Nobody wants to listen to electioneering around x-mas. We have a rough timetable for when an election is going to be. Harper's numbers really suck.
If they wait for the final Gomery report Harper's numbers have a chance to recover, Canadians will be voting when they more or less expect to vote, and the x-mas problem goes away.
If the Conservatives do force an election it will be, by all accounts, over Gomery. People are Gomeried out and don't want to hear it anymore. The Harperites really need to watch their step on this.
Re: Do you think an election should be called right away?
I will never vote for Harper. Part of me says I don't want the Liberals for another term. Both B.C. and Ontario know the damage an NDP government can do provincially. What choice is there? I don't want to see Jack Layton in charge federally. The Green party hasn't yet got a seat. Looks like the only choice left is the Liberals. Let's see what Gomery says.
I will never vote for Harper. Part of me says I don't want the Liberals for another term. Both B.C. and Ontario know the damage an NDP government can do provincially. What choice is there? I don't want to see Jack Layton in charge federally. The Green party hasn't yet got a seat. Looks like the only choice left is the Liberals. Let's see what Gomery says.
RE: Do you think an elect
Don't be afraid of the NDP, Juan. They've done an excellent job in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, arguably provinces that are harder to govern than Ontario and BC because of a lack of funds.
Besides, Bob Ray is on the short list for the next federal Liberal leadership race. He also started his political life as a Liberal. Trying to blame his policies on the NDP seems a little silly.
Since you live in BC, you also know about BC politics. You've haven't had a government of any stripe leave office without a major scandal. The scandal that did the NDP in last time led to the accused being exonerated in court.
This is federal politics though, not provincial. If we look at the programs and policies that most Canadians identify as being good and as being part of our social fabric, you'll find that most of them were introduced during minority governments where the NDP held the balance of power.
There are also a lot of ridings where the Liberals are not a factor. I don't know about your riding, but several in the last election went to the Harperites due to people thinking a vote for the Liberals was a vote against Harper. What happened in those ridings is that the anti-Harper vote was split and the Harperite won as a result.
Layton isn't going to win the next election. He could win enough seats to make a difference though. For that we need a Liberal minority government.
A Liberal majority under Martin would be very much like a return to the age of Mulroney. They are cut from the same cloth, have the same contacts, and move in the same circles.
Don't be afraid of the NDP, Juan. They've done an excellent job in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, arguably provinces that are harder to govern than Ontario and BC because of a lack of funds.
Besides, Bob Ray is on the short list for the next federal Liberal leadership race. He also started his political life as a Liberal. Trying to blame his policies on the NDP seems a little silly.
Since you live in BC, you also know about BC politics. You've haven't had a government of any stripe leave office without a major scandal. The scandal that did the NDP in last time led to the accused being exonerated in court.
This is federal politics though, not provincial. If we look at the programs and policies that most Canadians identify as being good and as being part of our social fabric, you'll find that most of them were introduced during minority governments where the NDP held the balance of power.
There are also a lot of ridings where the Liberals are not a factor. I don't know about your riding, but several in the last election went to the Harperites due to people thinking a vote for the Liberals was a vote against Harper. What happened in those ridings is that the anti-Harper vote was split and the Harperite won as a result.
Layton isn't going to win the next election. He could win enough seats to make a difference though. For that we need a Liberal minority government.
A Liberal majority under Martin would be very much like a return to the age of Mulroney. They are cut from the same cloth, have the same contacts, and move in the same circles.
Re: Do you think an election should be called right away?
Hi Rev
In B.C. the NDP had one cock-up after another, but the really important one was the debt they ran up. Something like thirty four billion dollars, (I don't know off hand, what the debt was when they started.) The NDP got themselves so damned unpopular they went from a majority to two seats. The "liberals" got the rest. I am not happy about that situation. I have to qualify calling Cambell's bunch liberals because they are really a collection of a few Liberals, a few ex-Social Credit, a few Conservatives, a few Reform/Alliance. Basically a beat the NDP party run by an ex-mayor of Vancouver.
Federally, I would like to see either a small Liberal majority, or a Liberal minority with enough support from the NDP to hold off the hounds. I would like to see the Conservatives get their act together. I feel it is generally bad for the country for one party to have more than two consecutive mandates.
Hi Rev
In B.C. the NDP had one cock-up after another, but the really important one was the debt they ran up. Something like thirty four billion dollars, (I don't know off hand, what the debt was when they started.) The NDP got themselves so damned unpopular they went from a majority to two seats. The "liberals" got the rest. I am not happy about that situation. I have to qualify calling Cambell's bunch liberals because they are really a collection of a few Liberals, a few ex-Social Credit, a few Conservatives, a few Reform/Alliance. Basically a beat the NDP party run by an ex-mayor of Vancouver.
Federally, I would like to see either a small Liberal majority, or a Liberal minority with enough support from the NDP to hold off the hounds. I would like to see the Conservatives get their act together. I feel it is generally bad for the country for one party to have more than two consecutive mandates.
RE: Do you think an elect
I feel it's bad for the country for any party to have a majority government. That's why I support proportional representation so strongly.
I too think that we need a strong opposition party, but it needs to represent all Canadians. Given their policies and history, the Conservatives are not the party for that. At this point I'd rather see them return to being a regional rump party like the Reform Party was, or implode all together so that a new conservative party could form.
When one takes into account how far right the Liberal Party has moved, and the (small "l") liberal stance of most Canadians, the NDP really makes more sense as an official opposition than the CPC does.
My point about BC politics was that you cannot judge a national party by the actions of a provincial party in BC. It's all scandal and corruption in BC and that crosses all party lines.
If you look at the NDP platform in the last federal election, you'll find that it was endorsed as sound by the majority of economists who looked at it. That's partly because it came complete with a promise not to return to deficit spending, but mostly because it was based on sound economic principles. It was based on the same principles that allowed Tommy Douglas to never run a deficit when he was premier of Saskatchewan, and the principles that allowed Romanow to turn Saskatchewan around.
The cries of, "Tax and spend," that the right likes to push about the NDP are simply not true.
Vote strategically if you must, but be aware of who the race is between in your riding. If you hold your nose and vote Liberal to keep the CPC out, and the Liberal candidate has no chance of winning, then you've just helped elect a Harperite.
Voting for whoever you think is best is a pretty good strategy too. Even if it's one of the so-called fringe parties, you will be sending a message that you support their ideas. The mainstream parties don't like to admit it, but they look at those results very carefully. With each vote worth $1.75 you aren't just supporting a fringe party, you are taking money away from the larger parties.
I feel it's bad for the country for any party to have a majority government. That's why I support proportional representation so strongly.
I too think that we need a strong opposition party, but it needs to represent all Canadians. Given their policies and history, the Conservatives are not the party for that. At this point I'd rather see them return to being a regional rump party like the Reform Party was, or implode all together so that a new conservative party could form.
When one takes into account how far right the Liberal Party has moved, and the (small "l") liberal stance of most Canadians, the NDP really makes more sense as an official opposition than the CPC does.
My point about BC politics was that you cannot judge a national party by the actions of a provincial party in BC. It's all scandal and corruption in BC and that crosses all party lines.
If you look at the NDP platform in the last federal election, you'll find that it was endorsed as sound by the majority of economists who looked at it. That's partly because it came complete with a promise not to return to deficit spending, but mostly because it was based on sound economic principles. It was based on the same principles that allowed Tommy Douglas to never run a deficit when he was premier of Saskatchewan, and the principles that allowed Romanow to turn Saskatchewan around.
The cries of, "Tax and spend," that the right likes to push about the NDP are simply not true.
Vote strategically if you must, but be aware of who the race is between in your riding. If you hold your nose and vote Liberal to keep the CPC out, and the Liberal candidate has no chance of winning, then you've just helped elect a Harperite.
Voting for whoever you think is best is a pretty good strategy too. Even if it's one of the so-called fringe parties, you will be sending a message that you support their ideas. The mainstream parties don't like to admit it, but they look at those results very carefully. With each vote worth $1.75 you aren't just supporting a fringe party, you are taking money away from the larger parties.
Re: Do you think an election should be called right away?
Yes I think an election should be called right away!!
Yes I think an election should be called right away!!
RE: Do you think an elect
Actually, now that they open the bars before the polls close, elections aren't nearly as arduous as they used to be. ;-)
Elections shouldn't be held for partisan reasons though. We need to move to set election dates. I used to oppose that idea because of the permanent campaign that goes on in the US system, but we're in a permanent campaign anyway now, so a set date would actually serve to reduce some of the partisan insanity we've seen.
Actually, now that they open the bars before the polls close, elections aren't nearly as arduous as they used to be. ;-)
Elections shouldn't be held for partisan reasons though. We need to move to set election dates. I used to oppose that idea because of the permanent campaign that goes on in the US system, but we're in a permanent campaign anyway now, so a set date would actually serve to reduce some of the partisan insanity we've seen.
RE: Do you think an election should be called right away?
How can people complain about a winter or christmas election? the whole process last time took me a whole 15 minutes including the drive to the polling station. It's easier to vote then to wait in line to get overpriced gas (still) that the liberals refused to help Canadians with (gotta keep that tax money coming in so we can make lot's of big promises in the next campaign). Since when did Canadians become such apathetic complainers - our grandparents would kick our you know whats! to hear us complain like this.
Call an election and get it done - the saddest part is we will still have a minority gov't afterwards and will have to go through all this again next year. Sigh! but that's democracy.
How can people complain about a winter or christmas election? the whole process last time took me a whole 15 minutes including the drive to the polling station. It's easier to vote then to wait in line to get overpriced gas (still) that the liberals refused to help Canadians with (gotta keep that tax money coming in so we can make lot's of big promises in the next campaign). Since when did Canadians become such apathetic complainers - our grandparents would kick our you know whats! to hear us complain like this.
Call an election and get it done - the saddest part is we will still have a minority gov't afterwards and will have to go through all this again next year. Sigh! but that's democracy.
RE: Do you think an elect
The big problem isn't with the voting itself, it's with the campaigning. People don't go to halls as easily, volunteers are harder to get, the press wants to talk about retail sales. People, both volunteers and voters, tend to be away more.
All those things contribute to getting voters off of their asses and down to the polling station to vote for (or against) the party or politician of their choice.
Toss in that we aren't that far from an election anyway, and it seems even more silly.
The big problem isn't with the voting itself, it's with the campaigning. People don't go to halls as easily, volunteers are harder to get, the press wants to talk about retail sales. People, both volunteers and voters, tend to be away more.
All those things contribute to getting voters off of their asses and down to the polling station to vote for (or against) the party or politician of their choice.
Toss in that we aren't that far from an election anyway, and it seems even more silly.
