NationStates Jolt Archive

First day of campaigning and what is the BIGGEST issue facing the electorate as far as the Conservatives are concerned?

Gay marriage!! (http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051129/harper_gay_marriage_051129)

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says his party would allow a free vote on same-sex marriage if it forms the next government.

"It will be a genuine free vote when I'm prime minister. I will not whip our cabinet,'' he said Tuesday in Ottawa.

Reaction

"This is just the kind of thinking that drove me away from the Conservative Party," said Belinda Stronach, who left the Tories in May to become a Liberal cabinet minister.

"It's very divisive, it's divisive over individual rights, and for a fellow who wants of this country, I think it's a very cavalier way to go with respect to individual rights and minority rights," the first-term MP from Ontario's Newmarket-Aurora riding told CTV Newsnet's Countdown with Mike Duffy.

Asked if she saw it as a major issue, Stronach said: "Who is to say one individual is more equal than another individual? So to me, this is a very important issue."

Definitely Prime Minister material here? NOT!!

They're still 100x better then the Liberal party...or *Shudders* the bloody NDP.

Hey, they're rising to meet the needs of '05... erm, 1905, that is.

They're still 100x better then the Liberal party...or *Shudders* the bloody NDP.

I'd greatly disagree. The Tories are a joke under Harper's leadership, even Brian Mulroney was far better than him.

Seeing most of the Tory candidates in Ontario support gay marriage, Harper could not win a free vote on gay marriage.

This is nothing more than hot air aimed at minority groups that traditionally support the Liberals, but oppose gay marriage.

Anyway, why wouldn't gay marriage supporters want their rights enshired through a free vote in the House of Commons?

Anyway, why wouldn't gay marriage supporters want their rights enshired through a free vote in the House of Commons?
They are already enshrined by law. Harper is talking about undoing what has been done.

Well... this just made a liberal majority seem possible...

Hurray for flashbang issues. CS 1.7: "Homosexuality grenade" - Creates a hologram of a homosexual wedding distracting the opposing team and driving them into a mad frenzy giving you enough time to pick them off while they are distracted.

I guess they're trying to get the issue out of the way before the real electioneering starts. Or at least, that's how the Conservative blogs are reading it.

On the other hand, the CBC commissioned a poll a few days ago that included a question asking whether Canadians felt SSM was settled, or needed to be revisited. 66% said it was settled, so I don't really see how this is going to benefit him.

http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/leadersparties/issues.html

This is nothing more than hot air aimed at minority groups that traditionally support the Liberals, but oppose gay marriage.
Except that most canadians, regardless of their views don't want the issue revisited.

The ONLY choice

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif

The ONLY choice

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif

LOL - You should make that your sig, Stephistan.

LOL - You should make that your sig, Stephistan.

Heh, I would except they don't allow it..lol So, let me say again...

The ONLY Choice!

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif

The ONLY choice

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif
I'm starting to think of voting for them simply to get a majority government. This minority government bullshit is annoying.

The BALONEY Choice!
Flibble.

I'm starting to think of voting for them simply to get a majority government. This minority government bullshit is annoying.

I always had you pegged as a smart gal, now you're proving me right. ;)

The ONLY Choice!

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif

Flibble.

This was true under King Jean, this is not true under Paul Martin. He has a record to run on. One to be proud of.

The ONLY Choice.

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif

This was true under King Jean, this is not true under Paul Martin. He has a record to run on. One to be proud of.

The ONLY Choice.

http://www.stephaniesworld.com/Lib-can1.gif
I actually liked Cretien though. He kept us out of Iraq.

Plus his office actually responded to my email when I wrote him about it. It made me feel special. :)

I personally like Jean Chretien, and I thought it was crass that his detractors played up his age, when Paul Martin is in fact the older of the two. Martin took the PMO with the dexterity of a seasoned Roman Senator. I was less than impressed with his inner political putsch, and the manner in which Chretien was so unceremoniously dumped - the man who'd given them three back-to-back majorities.

Paul Martin deserves a bumpier road than he's had so far to date. He needs more humility.

I personally like Jean Chretien, and I thought it was crass that his detractors played up his age, when Paul Martin is in fact the older of the two. Martin took the PMO with the dexterity of a seasoned Roman Senator. I was less than impressed with his inner political putsch, and the manner in which Chretien was so unceremoniously dumped - the man who'd given them three back-to-back majorities.

Paul Martin deserves a bumpier road than he's had so far to date. He needs more humility.
I agree.

I'm not a huge fan of Martin... but then I'm not much of a fan of any of the party leaders... Even if I were of a conservative bent, I couldnt' see voting for Harper, he's been acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum since he lost the last election, I don't like Layton too much either. The best of the lot is probably Duceppe... and I can't vote for him.

I personally like Jean Chretien, and I thought it was crass that his detractors played up his age, when Paul Martin is in fact the older of the two. Martin took the PMO with the dexterity of a seasoned Roman Senator. I was less than impressed with his inner political putsch, and the manner in which Chretien was so unceremoniously dumped - the man who'd given them three back-to-back majorities.

Paul Martin deserves a bumpier road than he's had so far to date. He needs more humility.

Back when I thought Chretien had licked Quebec separation, I thought he was awesome. Then Adscam broke, and he has gone down quite a bit in my regard. I remember, a scant 2 years ago, thinking that the Quebec separation issue was resolved and all Martin would have to do was mollify the west somehow. How naive I was!

Notice he said "free vote" he won't force anyone in the Party to vote with him....unlike Martin. Who is better respecting democracy?

Notice he said "free vote" he won't force anyone in the Party to vote with him....unlike Martin. Who is better respecting democracy?
He'd still use the notwithstanding clause to repeal a bill that's already been voted on.
I'd say the person who doesn't use the notwithstanding clause is better respecting democracy.

Also, I thought only cabinet ministers were supposed to be forced to vote for the bill?

He'd still use the notwithstanding clause to repeal a bill that's already been voted on. I'd say the person who doesn't use the notwithstanding clause is better respecting democracy.

Also, I thought only cabinet ministers were supposed to be forced to vote for the bill?

You know, Harper hasn't used the notwithstanding clause either. I think the person more inclined to use that clause would be Jack Layton (though the chances of him forming a government are slim to nil) who would probably find it a useful tool in prohibiting private health insurance.

I guess the question we need to ask ourselves is who do we want drafting our laws - elected reps or nine appointees?

You know, Harper hasn't used the notwithstanding clause either. I think the person more inclined to use that clause would be Jack Layton (though the chances of him forming a government are slim to nil) who would probably find it a useful tool in prohibiting private health insurance.

I guess the question we need to ask ourselves is who do we want drafting our laws - elected reps or nine appointees?
Yet Layton hasn't talked about using it while Harper has...

Yet Layton hasn't talked about using it while Harper has...
One of the best things to happen in this country was the repatriation of the Constitution in 1982 and establishing the Canadian Charter of Rights. Harper's disdain for that same Charter should make Canadians very leery as to what direction he would like to steer this country. One can easily imagine a broad use of the Notwithstanding Clause to roll back a century of progress in human rights.

Hey Harper, this is not just another episode of Little House on the Prairies.

I'm not a big fan of Harper...

Here (http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051130/election_campaign_051130)

Maybe I'm just a paranoid conspiracy theorist, but it sounds like he wants to make use of his own enemy list

I'd greatly disagree. The Tories are a joke under Harper's leadership, even Brian Mulroney was far better than him.Probably correct.

I findly ironic that the Conservatives will have an 'open' vote on this when they were "all" against it at the original and first vote.

I findly ironic that the Conservatives will have an 'open' vote on this when they were "all" against it at the original and first vote.
Scary huh?

One of the best things to happen in this country was the repatriation of the Constitution in 1982 and establishing the Canadian Charter of Rights. Harper's disdain for that same Charter should make Canadians very leery as to what direction he would like to steer this country. One can easily imagine a broad use of the Notwithstanding Clause to roll back a century of progress in human rights.

Hey Harper, this is not just another episode of Little House on the Prairies.
I cannot easily imagine anyone (Harper, Martin, Layton, whoever) actually using the Notwithstanding Clause in such a way.