Hello Minority Government

[Andem]

Well, we might as well say hello to a minority government now! Whether it's liberal or conservative, it's probably going to happen.

Will the Bloc actually alliance with the Conservatives?
Will the NDP alliance with the Liberals?

I think the Bloc is more likely to alliance with the Conservatives than the NDP would with Liberals. Infact, the NDP probably wouldnt form an alliance with any of Canada's other parties.

How long can Canada hold out with a minority government before another election is called?

Will it be conservative government or are we heading for yet another liberal term?

 

[Reverend Blair]

I'm having a hard time time reconciling the idea of the Bloq and the Reform/Alliance/Conservatives working together. Most of the Bloq's proposed policies are closer to those of the NDP than anybody else and there is the a tradition in the west, the Conservative's power base, of opposing programs for Quebec. I know politics make strange bedfellows, but that paricular alliance would lead to somebody heading forthe couch in a hell of a hurry.

I doubt the NDP will officially work with the Liberals either, especially under Paul Martin. They might make a few unofficial trade-offs though, especially to get proportional representation through.

 

[Numure]

I'm bloc member, so I can give you the insiders on what will most likely happen, if its a minority goverment. The Bloc, won't make an alliance with anyone, most likely. It will support any bill, brought about by any party, that is in Québecs intrests. Simple?

 

[jiriz]

You are my friend, man! Here is what democratic elections are all about:
- the corruption is built right in,
- you vote for the guy/party that promises to give you $ 2.00 more than the other one, right?
- $ 2.00 or $ 2 000.00 - once a whore always a whore,
- what happened to goals and ideals? Things that are great for the COUNTRY??
- just eat your extra (free) hamburger and die of obesity, my dear PUBLIC!!
jiriz

 

[Démocrite]

A minority government won't last long in a divisive country like this. The conservative minority government will most likely last as long as it did in 1979 with Joe Clark: nine months. Simply because I don't see how the conservatives could set up any coalition government.

 

[Numure]

The conservatives would last, because the Bloc knows that this will serve their intrests in the long run.

 

[TenPenny]

Didn't the Bloc come out of the PC party, after Mulroney? Isn't that where the Reform party came from, as well?

Anyway, I think a minority is definitely in the cards, but I'm not sure whether it'll be a (ex-P)C or L.

And now I see that the US is afraid of "Canadian instability" with a minority gov't. Is that simply because there isn't anyone in power in the US with the slightest understanding of our country?

 

[Numure]

lol... It was born after. But its a Socialist party. Pretty much takes its orders from the PQ.

 

[Reverend Blair]

The Bloq has stood for basically socialist ideals for a long time. That might be the European influence aas much as anything else, it might just be that they aren't as afraid of/beholden too the US as the Conservatives they spun off from.

I think the US not liking the idea of a Canadian minority government is more because they would have to be diplomatic and actually deal with all of our political representatives rather than just bullying/bribing one man who is a virtual dictator for his entire term.

Yet another reason to push for proportional representation.

 

[Andem]

Blair: How exactly would we accomplish a proportional representation system? Would it be a referendum for all Canadians, or a just a debate in the house?

Also, how exactly does proportional representation work? I'm aware many countries throughout the world use some type of system, but how would we do this in Canada?

I have a ton of questions, so I'll just keep on going. Is there any parties that are publically against proportional representation?

I sound ignorant, but I just don't follow the political systems of many countries, including that of the United States. I'm interested mainly in world politics and Canadians' well-being.

 

[Reverend Blair]

Proportional representation systems vary from country to country, but what it basically comes down to is that anybody who gets a certain percentage of the vote gets a seat in the H of C.

How we institute it would have to be pounded out through political debate and I'd like to see between 3 and 5 options offered in a referendum (and I don't usually like referendums) to determine the final version. Those options should come about through discussion and be placed on the ballot through a free vote in the H of C.

There are some serious questions as to what to how to preserve riding representation, but I feel those can be easily overcome if dealt with openly and fairly. The two optons I like best are saying, "To hell with riding representation everybody parachutes candidates in now anyway," or insisting that the party rep from any given riding become the MP.

What I'd personally like to see is that any party that gets 1% of the vote gets 3 (1% of the) seats. That seat would come from a party who has more seats than their percentage of the votes. I've heard as little as 0.33% of the vote equaling one seat suggested because there are just over 300 seats in the H of C.

I would also protect independents from losing their seats unless a certain percentage (I like 50%, but others have other numbers) of MPs are independents.

The real beauty of proportional representation is that it gets rid of the syndrome that gives the PM a virtual dictatorship for his entire term and gives us an almost guaranteed minority government. That would force the parties to work together to find real solutions instead of just screaming at each other like ideologues.

 

[Koga Ringo]

I'm having a hard time time reconciling the idea of the Bloq and the Reform/Alliance/Conservatives working together.

Yeah, I know what you mean.
Especially because the Bloc wants Canada to become French.
They are against bilingualism, but yet are french...
What does that tell you?

About the minority Government, I am glad to see Conservatives are up in the percentages, especially in Ontario.
I think its about 10% higher in Ontario for Conservatives as opposed to Liberal.
Poor Green party and their no respect.
Not to mention the MJ party, and the Communist party of Canada.
Who ever votes them is wasting a vote. (realistically)

 

[Reverend Blair]

No vote is wasted anymore Koga Ringo. The new funding rules ensure that parties who get votes get funding for the next election. The very real probability that proportional representation will come in also means that even small parties can gain seats in the House.

 

[Numure]

I'm having a hard time time reconciling the idea of the Bloq and the Reform/Alliance/Conservatives working together.

Yeah, I know what you mean.
Especially because the Bloc wants Canada to become French.
They are against bilingualism, but yet are french...
What does that tell you?

The Bloc doesnt give a crap about Canada. Its a reginal party, their to represent Quebecois, and our seperation cause. Why does it want the bilingual act to be abolished? Because we have to learn english, yet very few Canadians learn french. Its a dumb law with the only real use to help assimilation.

 

[Koga Ringo]

The Bloc doesnt give a crap about Canada.

Then why are they running in a Federal election?
I wouldn't want the leader of my country to "not give a crap about it"

Its a reginal party, their to represent Quebecois, and our seperation cause.

Now when I think about it, I would love Quecbec to leave.
Maybe I should vote Bloc.
Do you guys understand the true changes you would have to make to become a country?
A freaking lot.
You don't have an army, you would have to get one.
You would have to invent your own currency, and support it with gold mind ONLY from your province.
In short, everything that is run federally would have to be created.

It deffinatly wouldn't hurt the rest of the country.
People in British Columbia have french on their cereal boxes just because of Quebec and that stupid 2 national laungages bullcrap.

All in all, this has been an ongoing argument and I am sick of hearing Quebec whine about being a minority.
I hope they put their money where there mouth is and leave.

Why does it want the bilingual act to be abolished? Because we have to learn english, yet very few Canadians learn french. Its a dumb law with the only real use to help assimilation.

English Canadians take french class as well, and if you join the army, you MUST learn french. I feel it is just an extra subject only needed because one province out of 13 speak french.
That is why few english speaking canadians know french.

 

[TenPenny]

I hate to tell you, but there are French people outside of Quebec. NB is the only bilingual province in the country; it works fine here. I don't know why people have such a hard time with the concept of bilingualism.

 

[Reverend Blair]

There are indeed French people outside of Quebec, TenPenny. We have a sizable population of them here in Manitoba. There are French communities in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Even BC, so far away from Quebec, has a Francophone population.

While most French-speaking Canadians are bilingual, the details and confusing language found in government and legal documents can be extremely hard to decipher for anybody who learned English as a second language. All such documents should be available in both official languages.

 

[T. Rex]

Andem- Are you very sure that we will vote in a minority government to power this year? It is not a definate answer, like you make it seem like.

Stephen Harper has a chance to make it a majority government, which would be better for Canadians everyone. The party and leader can get things done faster without it being stuck in the House of Commons under debate for the next 3 years.

More people will come to there sences this year and FORGET THE LIBERALS. Do not vote liberal.. Do not..

 

[Reverend Blair]

...do not vote for Stephen Harper. I know we're supposed to be above the latest Liberal attack ad, but every word in it is true. The problem is that the Liberals aren't a whole lot different.

There are plenty of other choices though.

 

[Numure]

Andem- Are you very sure that we will vote in a minority government to power this year? It is not a definate answer, like you make it seem like.

Stephen Harper has a chance to make it a majority government, which would be better for Canadians everyone. The party and leader can get things done faster without it being stuck in the House of Commons under debate for the next 3 years.

More people will come to there sences this year and FORGET THE LIBERALS. Do not vote liberal.. Do not..

First of all, He will be lucky to get one seat in Québec. Second, his futur in Ontario is uncertain... Thats enough for him not to win a majority goverment.