NationStates Jolt Archive

For you Canadians out there, how do you intend to vote in the coming election? As a British Tory I hope our cousins across the Atlantic win, as I am a strong advocate of property rights, small government and privatisation.

For you Canadians out there, how do you intend to vote in the coming election? As a British Tory I hope our cousins across the Atlantic win, as I am a strong advocate of property rights, small government and privatisation.
Fat chance, man. I highly doubt the Conservatives will win even so much as a minority. If anything, the NDP will pick up whatever the Liberals drop. I'm unsure who I'll be voting for (can't vote this coming one, not old enough yet). I'll never vote Liberal, the NDP's stance on same-sex marriage disagrees with me, and the conservatives remind me too much of the Republicans.

Fat chance, man. I highly doubt the Conservatives will win even so much as a minority. If anything, the NDP will pick up whatever the Liberals drop. I'm unsure who I'll be voting for (can't vote this coming one, not old enough yet). I'll never vote Liberal, the NDP's stance on same-sex marriage disagrees with me, and the conservatives remind me too much of the Republicans.

Ouch. You're in a tough place. Will you be voting Green or Libertarian or something like that? Although I don't think the Libertarians would be against SSM, and I have no idea if the Greens have an official stance on that.

NDP here.

Ouch. You're in a tough place. Will you be voting Green or Libertarian or something like that? Although I don't think the Libertarians would be against SSM, and I have no idea if the Greens have an official stance on that.

NDP here.
Well, SSM is over and done with anyway. Ottawa forced Alberta to adopt it. It's old news. And I have no idea who I'll vote for; there really is no party for centrists, but I think this applies universally. The extremes get the media attention and the votes.

Well, SSM is over and done with anyway. Ottawa forced Alberta to adopt it. It's old news. And I have no idea who I'll vote for; there really is no party for centrists, but I think this applies universally. The extremes get the media attention and the votes.
The most centrist would be liberal. But you don't want to vote for them (and I don't blame you). You ARE in a tough spot.

The most centrist would be liberal. But you don't want to vote for them (and I don't blame you). You ARE in a tough spot.
I just don't understand why I keep hearing the Liberals referred to as a centrist party. They have cut military spending to the marrow, they supported same-sex marriage, they started the gun control/registration black hole, and other programs generally associated with the left. It strikes me as odd hearing them called centrist, but I suppose I just don't know enough about their policies.

Fat chance, man. I highly doubt the Conservatives will win even so much as a minority. If anything, the NDP will pick up whatever the Liberals drop. I'm unsure who I'll be voting for (can't vote this coming one, not old enough yet). I'll never vote Liberal, the NDP's stance on same-sex marriage disagrees with me, and the conservatives remind me too much of the Republicans.

I see, you're in the same situation like me when we have elections in Germany :-)

When I see this list, I tend to click Conservative, but you're right - conservative in America too often means Republican. So if I'd live in Quebec maybe I'd vote for the Bloc Quebecquois, in other places any party of the "others" - like in Germany *g*

I just don't understand why I keep hearing the Liberals referred to as a centrist party. They have cut military spending to the marrow, they supported same-sex marriage, they started the gun control/registration black hole, and other programs generally associated with the left. It strikes me as odd hearing them called centrist, but I suppose I just don't know enough about their policies.

They cut miltiary spending, but (until recently) also cut social spending pretty hard. They're also willing to allow private healthcare.

They're centerist because they steal things from both right and left platforms. You'll notice that there have been military spending and tax cut promises that have suddenly appeared because of the imminent election, as well as increased social spending. This is an attempt to collect votes from red Tories and soft Dippers. Of course, Liberal supporters would say I was being too cynical.

Of course, Liberal supporters would say I was being too cynical.
The rest of us just agree with you.

I see, you're in the same situation like me when we have elections in Germany :-)

When I see this list, I tend to click Conservative, but you're right - conservative in America too often means Republican. So if I'd live in Quebec maybe I'd vote for the Bloc Quebecquois, in other places any party of the "others" - like in Germany *g*

If you're a conservative, then the Bloc is not for you, unless by 'conservative' you mean 'support state/provincial rights over federal rights'. The Bloc's social and economic policies are pretty left-leaning. The NDP and the BQ agree on a lot.

If you're a conservative, then the Bloc is not for you, unless by 'conservative' you mean 'support state/provincial rights over federal rights'. The Bloc's social and economic policies are pretty left-leaning. The NDP and the BQ agree on a lot.
Which is why it was so weird to see the Conservatives and the Bloc backing each other up during the minority government.

LMAO the weirdest thing just happened. I'm listening to Pandora, and just as I made my reply above, a song came on by a band called 'the Bloc party'. Friggin weird!

Which is why it was so weird to see the Conservatives and the Bloc backing each other up during the minority government.
It's not so weird if you remeber that Bouchard et al. were Tory MPs under Mulroney when they split up and formed the Bloc. They are, however, members of that weird Canadian hybrid: the red Tory (which for the non-Canadian political junkies out there means that they are socially more liberal, yet fiscally conservative. They believe in the welfare state, but just don't trust the government to provide it adequately).

LMAO the weirdest thing just happened. I'm listening to Pandora, and just as I made my reply above, a song came on by a band called 'the Bloc party'. Friggin weird!
Maybe you're being contacted by the gost of elections past...:eek:

Maybe you're being contacted by the gost of elections past...:eek:
Lol, do ya think it's maybe just a little bit too early for Christmas jokes? :)

Which is why it was so weird to see the Conservatives and the Bloc backing each other up during the minority government.

Well, not completely. The Bloc never had confidence in the government, so showed their displeasure by voting against the government at every opportunity - unless the issue being voted upon was incredibly important to them, such as SSM, where they voted with the house. So it could be said that they weren't voting with the Conservatives, rather they were voting against the Liberals.

The Conservatives and the BQ do have some similiar interests regarding the importance of regional rights over federal rights.

It's not so weird if you remeber that Bouchard et al. were Tory MPs under Mulroney when they split up and formed the Bloc. They are, however, members of that weird Canadian hybrid: the red Tory (which for the non-Canadian political junkies out there means that they are socially more liberal, yet fiscally conservative. They believe in the welfare state, but just don't trust the government to provide it adequately).Bouchard was a right wing man... he appointed right AND left wing ministers...policies were also right AND left wing...

The Bloc is not about Right or Left wing...Its about Independence.

Bouchard was a right wing man... he appointed right AND left wing ministers...policies were also right AND left wing...

The Bloc is not about Right or Left wing...Its about Independence.

Or, to quote One-Leg Luke himself, it's about thinking that has "evolved"...

Whatever that means!

Or, to quote One-Leg Luke himself, it's about thinking that has "evolved"...

Whatever that means!LOL
Whatever that means indeed !

http://www.ndp.ca/themes/ndp/images/ndp_logo.gif

http://www.ndp.ca/themes/ndp/images/ndp_logo.gif
You do make a good point....

The only good Tory...



is a Lavatory.

You do make a good point....
thanks :D
The only good Tory...



is a Lavatory.
lol

The only good Tory...



is a Lavatory.
Don't make an Alliance with the Reform-a-Tories. :p

LOL - Ipsos-Reid and Decima should publish our poll! The NDP in the lead with 33%, the Tories and Liberals running neck and neck at 25%, and the Bloc standing firm at 16.6%. We'd give all the politicians a heart-attack. :D

Too bad our margin of error is so high.

Vote for:

Voter pour:


http://www.canadianwild.ca/liberal.gif

LOL - Ipsos-Reid and Decima should publish our poll! The NDP in the lead with 33%, the Tories and Liberals running neck and neck at 25%, and the Bloc standing firm at 16.6%. We'd give all the politicians a heart-attack. :D

Too bad our margin of error is so high.
Yeah, I would imagine that the margin for error for the NDP would be about 16% :)

Aw, CanuckHeaven, you messed up my stats already. :D

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6600/justc0pl.gif
Lavatory Party
of Canada

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6600/justc0pl.gif
Lavatory Party
of Canada
I am pro-restroom! How 'bout you?

Oh come on you guys. Lay off teasing the Conservatives. The ones that post here are good people - the ones you want to get even with will never see you making fun of them. Meanwhile, you just piss people off so that they will never listen to you.

I am pro-restroom! How 'bout you?MORE URINAL FUNDING!!!

Oh come on you guys. Lay off teasing the Conservatives. The ones that post here are good people - the ones you want to get even with will never see you making fun of them. Meanwhile, you just piss people off so that they will never listen to you.
That's probably a good thing. For the most part, I shouldn't be listened to.

Oh come on you guys. Lay off teasing the Conservatives. The ones that post here are good people - the ones you want to get even with will never see you making fun of them. Meanwhile, you just piss people off so that they will never listen to you.awww :( Alright I'll stop. :)

edit: holy shit, look at the polls. The Liberals are beating the NDP.

awww :( Alright I'll stop. :)

edit: holy shit, look at the polls. The Liberals are beating the NDP.

Now everyone except the Bloc has 28.57%.

looks like no menage-a-trois for the BQs. :D

I wish the BQ and the NDP merged into a new powerful left-wing party, that's if the BQ agrees to forget Quebec seperatism. :p

Nous sommes tannés des libéraux, nous sommes tannés des maudits opportunistes de bloquistes, nous avons des soupcons de la faction trop--beaucoup trop---a droite chez les conservateurs, et Happy Jack pis sa ''gang'' nous font rire....alors, nous allons votez, si c'est possible, pour Boris St-Maurice (s'il se présente). Did you catch all that? Ain't Canada grand?:fluffle:

looks like no menage-a-trois for the BQs. :D

I wish the BQ and the NDP merged into a new powerful left-wing party, that's if the BQ agrees to forget Quebec seperatism. :p
I vote for that, probably. Even if 'Quebec Sepratism' was twisted to 'More Independance to the Provinces' I would be happy. Although as long as Gordon Cambell is in charge of BC, I would favor taking power from Provincial Governaments.

Oh I got even with the real ones back in the day. I personally managed to provoke Brian Mulroney to shout himself hoarse at the Tory convention in Toronto back in I think '90 or '91. He referred to the 'protestors outside', (i.e. me, bellowing loudly in anger and also in frustration with the rather tepid, lukewarm protestor presence on hand, who had gone so far as move their protest to an inneffectual distance behind the convention center altogether) as 'enemies of Canada'.

I took a break from bellowing and headed over to the small 'protest' kiosk, which looked more like a travelling book store than anything. While I was standing in the shade of one of the tents, who should I see standing out on the exterior, upper rear fire escape having smokes but John Crosbie and Brian Mulroney. I tried asking them some question, probably about tuition, and they yelled at me to get a job. Things devolved thereafter, and after a little bit of mutual back-and-forth yelling and much freeform gesticulation, the two of them went back inside.

It wasn't til I got home that I caught the exerpt from his speech where he started yelling hoarsely about the 'enemies' bit. I know I got him halfway there, at least.

See, I did more than spend all day bellowing. I also spent time talking sensibly and persuasively with a number of the PC youth delegates as well. Apparently some of the little peckers were ballsy enough to bring some pointed questions regarding issues like Free Trade and NAFTA to the floor. Now come to think of it, that's what blew me away the most. That the young ones were openly pondering the party line, and finding their position wanting, and that I'd been an actual instigator.

Yup. I got mine in already. Whoo-hoo. I must remember to work that into my stories somewhere. Good anecdote.

Nous sommes tannés des libéraux, nous sommes tannés des maudits opportunistes de bloquistes, nous avons des soupcons de la faction trop--beaucoup trop---a droite chez les conservateurs, et Happy Jack pis sa ''gang'' nous font rire....alors, nous allons votez, si c'est possible, pour Boris St-Maurice (s'il se présente). Did you catch all that? Ain't Canada grand?:fluffle:

The Marijuana Party, huh? I did that once, as a protest vote during a provincial election. Or is Marc-Boris St-Maurice running for a new party now? But if you'd vote for them, why do you laugh at Jack?

I know that I am probably going to get my knuckles rapped for this, but I am mad as hell an i am not going to take it anymore,ANYBODY,AND I MEAN :headbang: ANYBODY WHO VOTES LIBERAL IN THIS ELECTION IS A BLOODY, THICKHEADED MORON,A BLIND FUCKING IDIOT WHO IS WILLING TO BE LED BY A MORALLY CORRUPT LEADER AND HIS BAND OF DICKWADS,POSSIBLY THE WORST GOVERNMENT IN OUR COUNTRYS' HISTORY,BAR NONE.- Thank you I feel better now :D Waiting for my punishment:D

Although as long as Gordon Cambell is in charge of BC, I would favor taking power from Provincial Governaments.
That's where I sit too. Gordo is making me even more of a federalist, and I'll do anything I can to keep people like him from any public office.

But if you'd vote for them, why do you laugh at Jack?
Yeah, that's the part I don't get. Just think if they did vote NDP. Wow. What a weird place Parliament would be. Three truly viable parties instead of just one, with three unelectable opposition parties instead.

Dommage.

I know that I am probably going to get my knuckles rapped for this, but I am mad as hell an i am not going to take it anymore,ANYBODY,AND I MEAN :headbang: ANYBODY WHO VOTES LIBERAL IN THIS ELECTION IS A BLOODY, THICKHEADED MORON,A BLIND FUCKING IDIOT WHO IS WILLING TO BE LED BY A MORALLY CORRUPT LEADER AND HIS BAND OF DICKWADS,POSSIBLY THE WORST GOVERNMENT IN OUR COUNTRYS' HISTORY,BAR NONE.- Thank you I feel better now :D Waiting for my punishment:D

No. While I will not be voting Liberal, there are plenty of people who will look at their good economic record and the lowest unemployment rate in decades and decide that those are very good reasons to vote Liberal. That does not make them "bloody, thickheaded morons" or "blind fucking idiots". It means that they've weighed their distaste of the sponsorship scandal versus Canada's current prosperity, and decided that the prosperity was more important. And I have to admit, I don't want to see the next government, whatever it's make-up, screw that up either.

:D Waiting for my punishment:Dfetish?

BTW you lived in Ottawa, let me guess... you voted NDP last year. Good job! :D

I have been watching the House of Commons lately, via "CPAC" channel. hehe (Call me a geek if you like) I think that the only ones who are morally capable of running the country anymore are the NDP. The Liberals have the gomery inquiry, and the Conservatives just won't stop throwing insults around the house of commons. (Stephen Harper's "Organized Crime and the Liberals" comment, the aboriginal affairs critic's question during question period, "The current minister of aboriginal affairs is incompetent, will he resign?") And the overall childlike behaviour from all of them during debates turns me away from most of the parties.

That and I disagree with the Conservative and Liberal policies. Therefore, NDP it is. lol

MORALLY CORRUPT LEADER
Please explain how so?

POSSIBLY THE WORST GOVERNMENT IN OUR COUNTRYS' HISTORY,BAR NONE.
Please enlighten me as to why you feel this is true.

For you Canadians out there, how do you intend to vote in the coming election? As a British Tory I hope our cousins across the Atlantic win, as I am a strong advocate of property rights, small government and privatisation.

Well, the Conservatives are already ruining Britain. We've had tory policy in government for 26 years!

Go NDP!

Well, the Conservatives are already ruining Britain. We've had tory policy in government for 26 years!

Go NDP!

Perhaps you'd like to explain how restoring our international standing, returning power from union barons to elected politicians and creating the grounding for an extremely strong economy have "ruined" Britain.

LMAO the weirdest thing just happened. I'm listening to Pandora, and just as I made my reply above, a song came on by a band called 'the Bloc party'. Friggin weird!

Block Party pwn. Yay!

Perhaps you'd like to explain how restoring our international standing, returning power from union barons to elected politicians and creating the grounding for an extremely strong economy have "ruined" Britain.

Actually that cheap shot was more directed at Labour than the tories, but here goes..

With respect to trade unions, it is not the duty of government to suddenly decide that all groups that it doesn't like shouldn't be allowed to voice an opinion. Is parliament really responsible enough to decide when we should and should not speak up for ourselves? No. People strike because they have problems, not because people would rather sit at home in bed. All the Thatcherite government did - and labour continues to do - is to effectively pretend that a problem didn't exist.

Don't get me wrong, the country was in a mess when Thatcher came to power, but it didn't help those with problems.

And the country's good economy actually meant little when the GDP growth for most people is considered - I remember looking at average GDP growth for different wage groups and it was next to nothing for those on the lowst and highest for those on large wages. A strong economy hasn't given us good public services, either.

And Labour has continued to do nothing to improve public services either.

Don't get me wrong. Labour was weak and ineffective, and still is. But our abysmal public services and massive regional differences between rich and poor were made worse by conservative government, not better.

I know that I am probably going to get my knuckles rapped for this, but I am mad as hell an i am not going to take it anymore,ANYBODY,AND I MEAN :headbang: ANYBODY WHO VOTES LIBERAL IN THIS ELECTION IS A BLOODY, THICKHEADED MORON,A BLIND FUCKING IDIOT WHO IS WILLING TO BE LED BY A MORALLY CORRUPT LEADER AND HIS BAND OF DICKWADS,POSSIBLY THE WORST GOVERNMENT IN OUR COUNTRYS' HISTORY,BAR NONE.- Thank you I feel better now :D Waiting for my punishment:D

As say for example voting for Harper? the paragon of decorum and grace, the master of morals and ethics? :rolleyes:

In the end I'll probibly vote Liberal just because I see them as the lesser of evils, or at least the party that'll screw-up the country the least (which isn't saying much I know).

Quotes from New Burmesia...

"With respect to trade unions, it is not the duty of government to suddenly decide that all groups that it doesn't like shouldn't be allowed to voice an opinion. Is parliament really responsible enough to decide when we should and should not speak up for ourselves? No. People strike because they have problems, not because people would rather sit at home in bed. All the Thatcherite government did - and labour continues to do - is to effectively pretend that a problem didn't exist."

Strikers were allowed to voice an opinion. The fact that Thatcher finally let them learn the hard way that striking is rarely helpful to their members was one of her achievements. Unions impede economic advancement, and only serve the selfish interests of sectional interests (not the way to decide government policy).



"Don't get me wrong, the country was in a mess when Thatcher came to power, but it didn't help those with problems."

When Thatcher came to power, the dead were left unburied and rubbish was left uncollected in the streets. By 1997 the amount of work days lost to strike action had become microscopic, which benefitted everyone, except for Luddite trade unionists who refused to change their ways.

"And the country's good economy actually meant little when the GDP growth for most people is considered - I remember looking at average GDP growth for different wage groups and it was next to nothing for those on the lowst and highest for those on large wages. A strong economy hasn't given us good public services, either."

The weakness of Britain's public services is greatly exaggerated. If they were so poor why would so many people come to this country to take advantage of the NHS?

"And Labour has continued to do nothing to improve public services either."

As a Tory supporter, it would be easy for me to agree. However, under Labour waiting lists have come down, as there has been an increase in the number of doctors and nurses. The fact that this has been acheived at a ridiculouly disproportionate cost is a different issue.

"Don't get me wrong. Labour was weak and ineffective, and still is. But our abysmal public services and massive regional differences between rich and poor were made worse by conservative government, not better."

The former industrial heartlands' failure to adopt to the changing economic situation is responsible for the gap,along with the trade union barons there who tried to suppress economic reality.

A friendly reminder for Maelog:

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7595/untitled4uv.png
:D

btw, NDP PWNS YOU ALL!!! YAAAAAAA!!! :D :D :D

I await the day when Bloc Québécois has the majority of seats in the legislature.

Nah, that's impossible. The BQ only represents Quebec, Quebec has around 70 ridings. That's enough to become an official opposition in some parliament but not enough to form a minority government.

Meh, I'm not well aquanted with Canadian Politics.

Even if 'Quebec Sepratism' was twisted to 'More Independance to the Provinces'

Most of us would be more than happy to accept that. Quebec independance wouldn't even be an issue if provinces had more leeway to direct their own affairs.

When will we know if we're having an election in January, exactly?

It's likely I'm voting NDP whenever it happens.

I await the day when Bloc Québécois has the majority of seats in the legislature.
It wont' happen. They don't run in enough ridings for it to happen.

It wont' happen. They don't run in enough ridings for it to happen.
I would be funny to see it happen in a parrallel dimension, though.

Think about it: the federal capital being moved to Québec city, Québec flags floating everywhere in the rest of Canada thanks to "parrallel universe adscam", Alberta creating the Bloc Albertain because they didn't like those leftish froggies controlling the federal government...

fetish?

BTW you lived in Ottawa, let me guess... you voted NDP last year. Good job! :D
No i am Conservative all the way.The way i see it the Liberals have screwed up way to long, it's past time kick their smug asses out of there and give Harper a chance , i mean how much more damage can he do that hasn't been done already.

Please explain how so?


Please enlighten me as to why you feel this is true.
Are you serious? ABSCAM! Paul Martin is like the get away driver in a bank robbery who gets caught and tries to bribe the judge with the loot. I mean he was the Leader of Finance for crying out loud and he pleads innocence or blindness, either he is corrupt or stupid and either one of those qualifications preclude him from leading my country thank you very much.

No i am Conservative all the way.The way i see it the Liberals have screwed up way to long, it's past time kick their smug asses out of there and give Harper a chance , i mean how much more damage can he do that hasn't been done already.Well, he could undertax the economy and overspend on the military like some folks to the south are doing, thus cranking up both deficit and debt, and leaving it for future generations to figure out some way to be able to pay back the interest.

He could privatise the health care system, thus syphoning off doctors from an already stressed public system and diverting them into more lucrative areas such as sports medicine and cosmetic surgeries while leaving very needed areas such as mental health unfunded.

He could then disembowel the welfare system on the grounds that with all the extra money they're having to pay to get a few doctors to stay in public care, and all the money needed to be spent on the military, and all the money needed to finance the interest, there just isn't enough left to make sure people have adequate food or shelter, thus leading to larger masses of desperate people which in turns leads to higher crime rates, which in turn leads to more funding being required for police forces and to build even more jails which are already overcrowded.

Are you serious? ABSCAM! Paul Martin is like the get away driver in a bank robbery who gets caught and tries to bribe the judge with the loot. I mean he was the Leader of Finance for crying out loud and he pleads innocence or blindness, either he is corrupt or stupid and either one of those qualifications preclude him from leading my country thank you very much.
As finance minister, it wasn't his job to look for where the money went. That's the auditor general's job.

When will we know if we're having an election in January, exactly?

It's likely I'm voting NDP whenever it happens.

Well, first the vote of non-confidence is held on Monday. We assume that the NDP will not back out at the last minute and support the Liberals. Then the Liberals get to set an election date that must be at least 36 days from Monday. It can be more than that, of course. There is no legal maximum on the books (that I could find, at least). Theoretically they could make the campaign 90 days long, which would put us in March. They could even choose an election date that would be the same as the one they proposed before - one that falls a month or more after the final Gomery report. There have been 90 day election campaigns in Canada before - but that was long ago, before the advent of modern communications.

Of course, if the election is put off more than than three months or so, I'm sure there will be a scandal over that as well. The succeeding government may be forced to put a maximum campaign time into election law.

give Harper a chanceno...

Well, first the vote of non-confidence is held on Monday. We assume that the NDP will not back out at the last minute and support the Liberals. Then the Liberals get to set an election date that must be at least 36 days from Monday. It can be more than that, of course. There is no legal maximum on the books (that I could find, at least). Theoretically they could make the campaign 90 days long, which would put us in March. They could even choose an election date that would be the same as the one they proposed before - one that falls a month or more after the final Gomery report. There have been 90 day election campaigns in Canada before - but that was long ago, before the advent of modern communications.

Of course, if the election is put off more than than three months or so, I'm sure there will be a scandal over that as well. The succeeding government may be forced to put a maximum campaign time into election law.
Well, when you think that most of the canadian populace doesn't like the idea of a winter election in the first place, it might not be such a big scandal.

Well, when you think that most of the canadian populace doesn't like the idea of a winter election in the first place, it might not be such a big scandal.

Fair enough. But if a government can hold off having an election for as long as it likes after a vote of non-confidence, what happens? Do we really want to have no government for 6 months (or more) as the former governing party peers into its crystal ball and tries to determine when would be best for an election?

Do we want the G-G to step out of her largely ceremonial role and grasp the reins, either by giving Harper a chance to run the government after all (as leader of largest opposition party), or by setting the election date herself?

What kind of precedent are we setting, if the house falls, and the Libs either fail to set an election date OR set one to a date so far into the future that the tax-payers are essentially giving the government a free, all-expenses paid holiday for 3-6 months (or more)?

I'm not saying any of those things will happen - but just thinking about it makes me wish there were a maximum time within which the PM had to call an election after a non-confidence vote passed.

Fair enough. But if a government can hold off having an election for as long as it likes after a vote of non-confidence, what happens? Do we really want to have no government for 6 months (or more) as the former governing party peers into its crystal ball and tries to determine when would be best for an election?

Do we want the G-G to step out of her largely ceremonial role and grasp the reins, either by giving Harper a chance to run the government after all (as leader of largest opposition party), or by setting the election date herself?

What kind of precedent are we setting, if the house falls, and the Libs either fail to set an election date OR set one to a date so far into the future that the tax-payers are essentially giving the government a free, all-expenses paid holiday for 3-6 months (or more)?

I'm not saying any of those things will happen - but just thinking about it makes me wish there were a maximum time within which the PM had to call an election after a non-confidence vote passed.
That's true too.

I dunno, we'll see what happens, I doubt it will be too far off if the no-confidence motion goes through.

Didn't the lastest polls favour the liberals anyways?

Also, the conservatives started campaigining some time ago, they've been running ads already.

Another fine electoral mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. I think the trend towards regionalized party votes and the urban versus rural vote will continue, as we do our best to run elections with American morality issues that poisoned their federal elections. The Republican styled Conservative in Reform clothing will continue to scare urban voters, outside of Alberta. The Liberals can pretty much get away with a whole lot as long as the opposition continues to take extreme views and push region perspectives over a national perspective.

I think that Martin purged a lot of the liberal Liberals from the party and is conservative in terms of the economy. They were dragged kicking and screaming by the NDP to enact a lot of legislation that Martin never would have agreed to if they didn’t have a Minority Government. In many ways the Liberals have been using the threat of the Reform/Alliance/Conservatives to scare Canadians while drifting right when they had Majority Governments. I personally don’t really like any of the electoral choices but support the NDP as an opposition party to hold the government’s feet to the fire over social issues (that have been slashed to the bone by previous Conservative and Liberal governments). Martin is a shipping magnate with questionable corporate practices that most Conservatives would call draconian. He might tell people what he thinks we want to hear to be elected, but he isn’t there for the sake of the majority of Canadians. He’s there because he likes to be the King.

Harper has to keep a gag order on his party to keep them from completely embarrassing the Conservatives because so many of them have such extreme views, political or otherwise. That hasn’t helped with keeping Ralph Klein from opening his yap and scaring voters away from the social distopia of a Ralph Klein Canada, without all that oil to make things work.

The Bloc are the ultimate expression of regionalism, but despite their deceptive antics in the pursuit of separatism they are have similar social safety net views as the NDP. The Bloc are slicker than their provincial separatist counterparts, but their primary goal is keeping voters interested in them by their support of the social system, while they work towards splitting the country up.

The least scary result for me in a Federal Election is a Liberal Minority, backed by a strong NDP balance of power. The worst is a Conservative Majority or a Conservative Minority courting the Bloc towards separatism, to eliminate the one province they don’t have a hope in.

The Bruce

NDP

Conservative Stephen Harper scares me to death. His pro-Bush, pro-war stance is enough to keep me away from him forever.
Bloc - they're for Quebec separatists only.
Liberals are as close to centrist as Canada gets, and I'm still tempted to vote for them because of my bitterness with a winter election, called by the opposition parties. I do hope they win, but only as a minority again.
I choose NDP because I want them to have more seats, and have more of a say as to how the Liberals govern. I don't want the NDP to win, because they spend way too much money. But I want the government to lean a little more left. Despite what the right thinks, we don't actually need all that much for our armed forces. Canada isn't a military nation.
I won't even dignify the green party with an analysis.

HOW TO FIRE THE LIBERALS GUIDE FOR NDP AND CONSERVATIVES:

http://democraticspace.com/blog/2005/11/unseating-the-liberals-a-how-to-guide-for-the-ndp-and-conservatives/

Wonder if it's very useful for the NDP to try form the next and first NDP gov't. Hope it works. :D

no...
Yes, you will,because I, Mephistopheles,High Overlord of the Underworld, to whom Mr Harper sold his soul to, command you to and expect complete obedience since you seem willing to elect the ''devil'' you already know,he he ,inside joke! Cancel that, it seems that Mr Martin already belongs to us. Talk to you later about our deal.

no...

I will make you vote for Layton. :D