Why an election needs to be called now.

[Semperfi_dani]

I know noone wants an election (although who they are asking, because everyone in my office wants one..hahaha).

But if you are any of the other partys and you want to beat the Liberals, than Christmas or no Christmas you need to call it now.

Conservative: They have momentum right now. And if they don't call one right away, people will be reminded why the hate Harper. Plus, if you wait too long, the voters will want to hear more about policy that matters to them. But right now, the scandle is such a preoccupation, that if you are going to solely campaign on the basis of accountability, you might not have another chance to be so strong on that issue.

The Bloc: Sentiment in quebec is negative. If you wait too long, people might go back to being apathetic, and if you wait too long, the federalists will realize that if they ponder about adscam too long, than that would mean a complete domination of the Bloc in the next election, which will be interpreted as a mandate for another referendum.

The NDP: Right now, they have the power in the government. They bring the issues to the table that might otherwise be ignored. But they too risk too many things if they wait too long.
One..is that they give the appearance of propping up the government as opposed to a legitmate party in their own right.
Two..if they wait too long and more momentum shifts to the conservatives, they may not have a chance should the PC's win to even be a player..at least now there is a chance that the liberals would maintain what they have.
Three..the Green party is taking away NDP votes..and so the NDP needs to stop the bleeding. If their own members leave because the NDP are considered to be the "left Liberals"..than gah.

All other partys (ie Green Party, Conservative (old pc) party, and so on). Now is as good as time as any to argue that the old established partys need a good shake up, that issues are being ignored and that all partys are corrupt. Time for change, blah blah blah.

So yah..either do it now i think. Or wait for the Liberals to rebound off of positive economic forcasts and general memory loss of the public.

Not that it would change the fact that i would still vote liberal. hahaha.

 

[no1important]

RE: Why an election needs

I really want to vote a day or 2 after Christmas.:roll: You would get a low turnout and people would take it out on those responsible for forcing it Cons and Ndp.

But the NDP is not stupid like Cons and even though Jack Layton said he is unhappy with Liberals health care plan they will use weekend to think it over, and I think they will come back with a counter offer. Thats the diference, the NDP act mature and try to make government work, whereas the Cons do the opposite.

Layton calls Liberal health plan 'disappointing

I also believ the NDP is willing to wait until March or April for election as they realize they are in a good position to try and get some of their platform passed.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Why an election needs

It can't be done now though, Dani. The reality is that an election cannot be forced until the fourteenth. That's when the first opposition day is. You can bet they'll all be watching the polls closely.

There will be blowback for whoever forces the election. There always is when an election is called before 4 years are up.

That blowback will be more severe for parties that depend on a Christian base if the election happens close to x-mas.

Harper has backed himself into a corner and is hoping that Layton will pull him out of it if the Liberals start to rise in the polls. Harper pretty much committed to tabling a confidence motion on the 14th in his election-style speech today. If he backs out now he will lose support. If he doesn't back out, he will have people not showing up to the polls because of the x-mas thing. His only hope is that Layton saves him.

I wouldn't bet on that at this point. Layton will look at the Liberal plan to stop the privatisation of healthcare (BTW, MMMikey, that's likely to be more about not distributing money than spending more of it).

If Layton likes the deal, Harper will get off easy. If Layton doesn't like the deal, Harper will be heading into a loss of seats.

The greens don't really pull votes from the NDP federally anymore, dani. The green policies lean pretty far to the right and are fairly corporatist. They pull more from moderate right now...the Liberals, really.

 

[Semperfi_dani]

RE: Why an election needs

Ok..but heres another scenario...we had a "winter vote" in 79 and the electorate showed up.

Fact of the matter is, i don't care what time of the year, they could have it on Chirstmas day and i would still show up to vote...hahaha.

But anyways, with so many people off work in that two week time frame of the 27th and onwards....maybe that would be as good as anytime to get the electorate out. Keep in mind that if you oppose voting at Christmas, there is mail in ballot and absentee voting..where you vote ahead of time if you know you will be busy.

 

[Ten Packs]

I honestly don't think a Hellua lot would change in another election - a few seats here, a few seats there - the group holding the Balance of Power might change... but that's about all. I think most Canadians are "politic'ed-out right now... the Gomery Report did little to change that. Now many folks have TWO surviving former PM's to hate, if they didn't before.

Beyond that, business as usual...

 

[Andygal]

RE: Why an election needs

Well I hope we can have an election during the holidays, cause I'll be at home then, I'm confused about voting from here and all that sort.

I wanted the SS marriage bill passed before an election. Since it's been passed I couldn't care less and would like to see an election ASAP.

 

[Reverend Blair]

Ok..but heres another scenario...we had a "winter vote" in 79 and the electorate showed up.

Those were different political times. The electorate wsn't feeling nearly so disenfranchised and politics was a much friendlier game. Do you realise that when Clark's government fell most of the people in the House, politicians and press alike, were half cut? Now you can't even drink on the campaign buses and if you did, it would be casue for a major scandal.

Fact of the matter is, i don't care what time of the year, they could have it on Chirstmas day and i would still show up to vote...hahaha.

Me too. In fact it would give me an excuse to stay away from the in-laws.

But anyways, with so many people off work in that two week time frame of the 27th and onwards....maybe that would be as good as anytime to get the electorate out. Keep in mind that if you oppose voting at Christmas, there is mail in ballot and absentee voting..where you vote ahead of time if you know you will be busy.

A lot of people travel over x-mas. A lot of people are busy with other things. The big thing is that everybody is pre-occupied at x-mas though. They aren't paying attention. They just want to be left alone. They don't want politicians coming to their doors, they don't want pollsters calling, and they sure as hell don't want to know what the monkeys in Ottawa are doing.

 

[Ten Packs]

They just want to be left alone.

Amen to that, Rev - but then that's how I feel about Politics in general, anyway.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Why an election needs

That's because you don't think of it as a sport, Ten Packs. There's nothing like a federal election. I'd have one every day if it was up to me.

 

[Semperfi_dani]

RE: Why an election needs

Hahaha Rev...

 

[missile]

I'll vote anytime and anywhere[and as often as they let me]

 

[Colpy]

It is simple, really.

An election needs to be called right now to prevent the Liberals coming down with a new pre-election budget in which they buy our votes with our own money.

An election needs to be called right now before the fickle Canadian voter forgets about Gomery, as he has forgotten already about APEC, Beaudoiun (sp?....ex President of the BDC), and all the rest of the Liberals perverse, corrupt, nation-destroying behaviour.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Why an election needs

So you want to go to the polls and spend a few million bucks on an election that will give us another Liberal minority government?

I wouldn't mind so much except that I know damned well after Conservatives lose again, they'll be trying to force another election when the final Gomery report comes out. That will make three elections on the same subject and the Liberals will still be in power. I know Conservatives live to waste money, but I'm pretty damned tired of their games.

Here's a better idea. Why doesn't Harper get together with Duceppe and Jack to force the NDP ethics packages through as a non-confidence bill on the first opposition day? It will go a long way toward stopping Liberal and Conservative corruption.

 

[Colpy]

My, it must be wonderful to be able to see the future. Any hints on the winning numbers in the Loto next week?

I do agree that the polls right now indicate a Liberal minority. However, I do not pretend to know the outcome of an election.

The government usually looses ground during an election campaign.

ANY possible opportunity to remove the corrupt, self-serving scum that currently run our government is one worth jumping on.

 

[Jim]

Re: RE: Why an election needs

Here's a better idea. Why doesn't Harper get together with Duceppe and Jack to force the NDP ethics packages through as a non-confidence bill on the first opposition day? It will go a long way toward stopping Liberal and Conservative corruption.

Are you kidding me? That would be admitting that government is capable of doing what is good even if not elected as a majority government.
Could you imagine if something good came out of this minority government system! :roll:

Every party leader has their own personal agenda.

 

[no1important]

RE: Why an election needs

Every party leader has their own personal agenda.

Yes but at least the NDP is doing something constructive and trying to make the government work instead of threatning to bring it down everyday.

Actually the NDP party is the only party that has shined in this parliament , they actually want to do something and pass new legislation.

 

[MMMike]

There will be blowback for whoever forces the election. There always is when an election is called before 4 years are up.

According to a recent poll by G&M and CTV, 71 per cent of voters believe that, even if Mr. Martin was not directly involved in the scandal, he should be held accountable for it; 60 per cent said they don't believe Mr. Martin's contention that he was not involved in the scandal, while only 33 per cent do believe him; 62 per cent of those surveyed said Mr. Martin's apologies for the scandal are a desperate effort to stay in office; Only 22 per cent believed the Liberal Party is beginning to accept responsibility for the program's abuses.
I think people are itching to have a say on whats been exposed so far.
If people don't want to vote, then stay the feck home. My vote will have more weight then.

The Liberals will promise anything to the NDP if it means staying in power a few more months. It matters not that the people didn't vote for the NDP agenda, it matters not that these policies do not reflect the Liberals' beliefs, and it matters not that the NDP agenda will cost the taxpayers of this country $billions.

 

[MMMike]

Re: RE: Why an election needs

Every party leader has their own personal agenda.

Yes but at least the NDP is doing something constructive and trying to make the government work instead of threatning to bring it down everyday.

Actually the NDP party is the only party that has shined in this parliament , they actually want to do something and pass new legislation.

Sorry, just picking myself off the floor. The NDP is blackmailing the Liberals, pure and simple: throw us a bone or we'll pull the rug out. I don't blame them, that is their perogative, but to portray the NDP as the one with clean hands!!?? They are supporting a corrupt and morally bankrupt government. What percentage of Canadians actually voted for your NDP agenda?

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Why an election needs

MMMike, where do you get your information? I really want to know because your assertions about the NDP have no basis in fact.

The NDP have put forth several policy initiatives. With the exception of the excellent ethics package, which has been in the works for years and addresses problems beyond the Sponsorship scandal, those initiatives are on things that the Liberals claimed, and continue to claim, common ground with the NDP.

The NDP are blackmailing nobody. They are, in full public view, trying to force the Liberals to fulfill Liberal campaign promises. Since these are promises that the Liberals stole from the NDP, and the NDP and Liberals together have more than half of the popular vote (not to mention that the Bloc had many similar initiatives in its platform, especially when it comes to the environment), then it follows that there is, in fact, a mandate to get these things done. The Conservatives achieved no such mandate, so all they can do is snipe and perpetuate mistruths from the sidelines.

 

[no1important]

RE: Why an election needs

15.69% of vote which is 19 seats. If we had proportional representation the NDP would have had 48 seats.