NDP as the opposition party?

[CDN87]

With all of Stephen Harper's mishaps and hellhounds, I smell another 1993 in the air. Is it possible that the NDP overtake the Conservatives to become the main opposition party next election with Jack Layton becoming the Leader of the Opposition and Stephane Dion as PM?

Goodness I would love that.

 

[m_levesque]

With all of Stephen Harper's mishaps and hellhounds, I smell another 1993 in the air. Is it possible that the NDP overtake the Conservatives to become the main opposition party next election with Jack Layton becoming the Leader of the Opposition and Stephane Dion as PM?

Goodness I would love that.

God forbid! I remember when they ran Ontario, and I was so glad I lived in Quebec!

 

[RomSpaceKnight]

As the opposition in a minority goverment maybe.

 

[CDN87]

^^ No, in a majority government.

I think Dion is capable of beating King's record as the longest serving PM. He is nice, resonable, and doesn't flip-flop like Harper the puppet.

 

[sanctus]

As the opposition in a minority goverment maybe.

This combination is always a good one. Remember when Trudeau's Liberals had to rely on the NDP to sustain the government. Great mix for some reason!

 

[BitWhys]

God forbid! I remember when they ran Ontario, and I was so glad I lived in Quebec!

They?

which members of the Ontario provincial caucus are in the current federal?

 

[Vicious]

They?

which members of the Ontario provincial caucus are in the current federal?

Are you implying that since the players at the federal (now) and Ontario province level (then) are different the outcome would be different.

You may be right but I'd prefer to draw to an inside straight. My money would be safer.

 

[BitWhys]

Then its either Liberal or Rhinoceros for you. Nobody cranked up the debt better than Mulroney.

or Green if you don't mind a party with no experience and even less of an actual platform.

 

[BitWhys]

problem with that, of course, is Rae's a Liberal now. maybe go with the brand name with the best batting average. that would be the dippers, btw.

 

[L Gilbert]

I think the problem with the whole thing is status quo: we have either liberals or conservatives as government, with whoever as opposition. For the most part, being this way has done very little for Canada in decades and in fact, we have regressed in some ways - people these days have less take home pay than they used to, for example; the maintenance on our healthcare was ignored for so long it's now a farce, for example; the same with our "justice" system; and so on. What have we gained? Higher debt, higher taxes, larger government, etc.

 

[talloola]

It is very painful for us on the West Coast to "just" have to sit, on election day, and wait to see

what Ontario and Quebec decide to do, and that is what our Government is, and yes, Gilbert is right,

neither party has made us a better country. And, I agree with Sanctus, when the NDP is part of a

minority government, it seems to work more efficiently, they are forced to work together. I can't

understand why "anyone" in Canada would still vote Liberal, as the Sponsorship scandel is still "warm",

and you liberal lovers are still in love.

 

[Colpy]

With all of Stephen Harper's mishaps and hellhounds, I smell another 1993 in the air. Is it possible that the NDP overtake the Conservatives to become the main opposition party next election with Jack Layton becoming the Leader of the Opposition and Stephane Dion as PM?

Goodness I would love that.

I guess you haven't looked at the polls lately......

Harper is seen as the best man for the job of PM by 36% of the voters, Dion is seen in that role by 18%. He leads all other party leaders on a number of questions........and the CPC is the most popular party.

Things are looking good for the Conservatives all over.

Now, I will concede that the only significant poll is the one taken on election day, and God knows people have blown much bigger leads than the tiny one the CPC has now, but.......

1993 it definitely ain't.

 

[Toro]

With all of Stephen Harper's mishaps and hellhounds, I smell another 1993 in the air. Is it possible that the NDP overtake the Conservatives to become the main opposition party next election with Jack Layton becoming the Leader of the Opposition and Stephane Dion as PM?

Goodness I would love that.

Well, bet your life savings on it, then.

Please!

Considering that in the last poll, the Tories were leading the Liberals 34%-28%, whereas the NDP were a mere 2 points ahead of the Greens at 14%, perhaps falling to the 5th party in Parliament is more likely.

 

[Vicious]

Nobody cranked up the debt better than Mulroney.

You rolling this old turd again? Response is the same as way back when; Liberals started the debt, the interest on the debt through the 80's, blah, blah, blah... instead of going around that block again let's just agree to disagree.

I vote the same way everyone else does, holding my nose.

 

[BitWhys]

You rolling this old turd again? ...the interest on the debt through the 80's, blah, blah, blah... instead of going around that block again let's just agree to disagree.
...

So someone else can rattle up old ghosts but I can't respond to it?

Interest rates justify Mulroney but Rae fending off the front of the recession doesn't?

no sale on both accounts.

 

[BitWhys]

besides...

..the interest on the debt through the 80's...

would be a great excuse if the facts bore the claim out but...

Government of Canada Interest on Debt % of Expenses

1981 - 19.5%
1982 - 20.3%
1983 - 19.6%
1984 - 21.0%
1985 - 22.5%
1986 - 23.5%
1987 - 23.7%
1988 - 25.2%
1989 - 27.7%
1990 - 28.3%
1991 - 26.1%
1992 - 24.6%
1993 - 24.0%
1994 - 24.8%
1995 - 27.5%
1996 - 28.1%
1997 - 27.9%
1998 - 27.6%
1999 - 26.0%
2000 - 25.9%
2001 - 23.3%
2002 - 20.6%
2003 - 18.4%

Government of Canada Interest on Debt % of Revenues

1981 - 22.1%
1982 - 26.2%
1983 - 26.6%
1984 - 29.4%
1985 - 31.9%
1986 - 30.5%
1987 - 29.6%
1988 - 30.7%
1989 - 34.0%
1990 - 35.7%
1991 - 33.7%
1992 - 31.3%
1993 - 31.3%
1994 - 31.4%
1995 - 34.0%
1996 - 31.6%
1997 - 27.5%
1998 - 26.9%
1999 - 25.1%
2000 - 23.7%
2001 - 22.1%
2002 - 19.8%
2003 - 18.4%

Looks like the Liberals pulled it off under the same strain. :shock:

 

[Vicious]

I'm no accountant. But debt as a % of revenue is not a measure of how interest rates impact the debt.

If I could find the operating budget deficits for those years that would be the best indicator of who added how much to the debt. The rest of the growth would be interest rate

 

[BitWhys]

You need to start by looking at the right column. If interest payments went through the roof then so did all other spending because as a proportion of EXPENSES both aspects kept pace with each other. Mulroney, typical of the times, just kept on spending.

Percent of Revenues is the first thing a bank looks at when deciding whether someone qualifies for a mortgage.

CANSIM 384-0004 would be a good place to start.

 

[L Gilbert]

Who gives a crap?
Point is that when Turdeau started his mismanagement of Canada our debt was 16 gigabucks and since has increased to around 600 gbucks. Geee, guess which bunch has been in the PMO the most.

 

[BitWhys]

gee

guess who was PM when it made its biggest jump