Canadian General Election- May 2, 2011
- Thread starter Joel
- 95 comments
- 10,387 views
- 1,600
- ON, Canada
- AMCNUT
- AMCNUT
As it stands, I don't think I could ever bring myself to vote Liberal. Maybe if they had someone Trudeau-esque I'd consider it, but Ignatieff is not the 'best' of anything... there are no standards that make him look good. Regardless, I like the Conservative platform better at the moment, even if Harper isn't the best leader they've ever had. Although I think he makes a good enough leader, he's a little viscous with the attack ads and whatnot, plus the whole transparency thing... but that's small gruel compared to the opposition!
- 443
- (Outaouais) Québec.
- XxBen78xX
By the way, le Bloc Québécois is there to defend our rights. The rest of Canada doesn't care about us. Our heritage is important, like our language and all, but separatist I am not. I speak in french 99% of the time, the reason I speak in english is because where I work (where everyone is suppose to be bilingual), anglophones only speak english to me. I don't mind, but they're the one missing on a new culture.
Another reason why some of the "old school" Quebecers hates anglos, is because back in the late 1800 and early 1900, you (anglos) took everything (fishing spots, best land) and gave us the crap you didn't want. Those people never forgot. Also, if you had (some of you do) any respect toward us, the Bloc wouldn't exist. You guys think that the only reason the Bloc exists is to separate. The Bloc is there to prevent other parties to **** on us the way they are ******** on us right now.
I don't like Duceppe but I don't mind Pauline Marois. Anyways, born in Ontario, raised in Quebec and I have never voted for the Bloc, although they are #2 right now in my heart, NPD is 1st. Liberals used to get my vote but not anymore.
See you at the polls on may 2nd.
Another reason why some of the "old school" Quebecers hates anglos, is because back in the late 1800 and early 1900, you (anglos) took everything (fishing spots, best land) and gave us the crap you didn't want. Those people never forgot. Also, if you had (some of you do) any respect toward us, the Bloc wouldn't exist. You guys think that the only reason the Bloc exists is to separate. The Bloc is there to prevent other parties to **** on us the way they are ******** on us right now.
I don't like Duceppe but I don't mind Pauline Marois. Anyways, born in Ontario, raised in Quebec and I have never voted for the Bloc, although they are #2 right now in my heart, NPD is 1st. Liberals used to get my vote but not anymore.
See you at the polls on may 2nd.
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- 1,600
- ON, Canada
- AMCNUT
- AMCNUT
I think that rest of Canada would care alot more if Quebec didn't give off the impression of not caring...not saying that's true of all Quebecois but certainly the animosity is a two way street!
Well, I didn't give or take anything... I think some elements of Quebec society need to learn to drop the chip on the 'ole shoulder... as you say that was a very long time ago, and Canada as a whole will benefit if we all just learn to get along. Yes, the English can neither conquer nor rule the French, but the French haven't exactly been angelic throughout history here either... Like I said, we'd all be better off just burying the hatchet. Quebec stops snubbing its nose at the rest of Canada, and English Canada makes a better effort to accommodate... a thaw in relations is key to this, I believe.
Well, it is there pretty much as a pro-Quebec/screw-Canada separatist force! They have a decidedly non-federalist mindset... but other parties can't afford to neglect Quebec because of its population base - it's tough to carry a federal government (especially a majority) without at least some French support, but the fact remains you guys are a minority and are not always going to get our way... that is an unalienable fact of Canadian politics here! I'm a firm believer in utilitarian politics - majority rules. Period.
- 392
- Montreal
- Badger-X-
I can't claim authorship of the following but I agree wholeheartedly with it's sentiment:
Open Letter to Anyone Still Considering Voting for Stephen Harper
Consider an employee who is fired for acting in a way that displayed blatant disrespect towards his employer. Now that person, if he had little self-knowledge and no self-respect, could apply to regain his job but surely the application would not be taken seriously. This is exactly the case with Stephen Harper. He lost the confidence of the House for having displayed contempt for Parliament, the parliament that represents the Canadian electorate, his employer, us. Now he wants us to hire him again.
Not only did he display contempt for Parliament in his prevarications around the budget, the immediate cause of his being fired, but he did so twice before and more dramatically, by proroguing Parliament when it was a convenient dodge for him to do so. Regardless of his feeble attempts to trivialize this, the fact is there is only one previous case of prorogation in the history of Canada, and when the House reconvened, John A Macdonald was forced to resign, so offensive to the Canadian people was the act considered.
The hubristic attitudes and actions of this man display an insulting contempt for the Canadian people, for the institution of Parliament and for the office he fell into. He is absolutely unfit for the job. No self-respecting Canadian can possibly consider once more giving him the job from which he was fired for insulting us, for displaying contempt for our Parliament and for betraying a trust of which he is clearly unworthy.
Yves Saint-Pierre
Open Letter to Anyone Still Considering Voting for Stephen Harper
Consider an employee who is fired for acting in a way that displayed blatant disrespect towards his employer. Now that person, if he had little self-knowledge and no self-respect, could apply to regain his job but surely the application would not be taken seriously. This is exactly the case with Stephen Harper. He lost the confidence of the House for having displayed contempt for Parliament, the parliament that represents the Canadian electorate, his employer, us. Now he wants us to hire him again.
Not only did he display contempt for Parliament in his prevarications around the budget, the immediate cause of his being fired, but he did so twice before and more dramatically, by proroguing Parliament when it was a convenient dodge for him to do so. Regardless of his feeble attempts to trivialize this, the fact is there is only one previous case of prorogation in the history of Canada, and when the House reconvened, John A Macdonald was forced to resign, so offensive to the Canadian people was the act considered.
The hubristic attitudes and actions of this man display an insulting contempt for the Canadian people, for the institution of Parliament and for the office he fell into. He is absolutely unfit for the job. No self-respecting Canadian can possibly consider once more giving him the job from which he was fired for insulting us, for displaying contempt for our Parliament and for betraying a trust of which he is clearly unworthy.
Yves Saint-Pierre
- 525
- alexlmx6 & GTP_AlexL
- alexlmx6
It baffles me that this doesn't even seem to be a topic of discussion in this campaign.. I mean seriously, why is a party/leader that was found to be in contempt of parliament even allowed to run again??
The system is broken, more broken than Humpty Dumpty after he fell from the Burj Khalifa.
- 392
- Montreal
- Badger-X-
I don't understand it either. I cannot fathom why anyone would want this guy back in office! Believe me, if I could show my dissatisfaction with a spoiled ballot, I would, but again we are forced to choose between the lesser evils. You're absolutely right. The system is broken. Problem is, it's going to be more broken the longer Stephen Harper's there. What scares me is how many people are still voting for him! What's going on?!
I remember when George W. got elected (twice!!) under nefarious circumstances. I was very happy to be Canadian and not subject to that unbelievably blatant level of government corruption. Sure, we've had our share of scandals, but I thought we'd grown up a little since Mulroney.
Do Canadians have their heads in the sand?
You talk of the Concervatives spending all that money? You know why it happened. The US was handing out bail outs and the Liberals were whining about how Canada should inject money in the economy. As much as I don't like Harper if I had to trust my money I would give it to the Concervative. Ok fine you are right about Afganistan but what urks me is how Canada went to bomb Libya and no one asked us our opinion then and now. I also would like to know more about the oil sands and our relationship with the US. I have a feeling things can get nasty there.
- 6
- TheScatch
Not a lot of choice in this election as with so many other elections. A vote for more of the same which isn't exactly desirable, or a vote for someone else which isn't exactly an option. It seems people I've talked to in Western Canada feel a vote for Conservatives is a vote for the west and voting any other way is suicide. Still seem to be a lot of resentment for the Liberal's stemming mostly from the Trudeau era.
Other comments have been the Liberal's don't seem to have any real exciting idea's, and any idea's the NDP have seem to scare the crap out of everyone that they'll nationalize everything and run it into the ground or become such a big bloated government that they'll lose even more money then our last two government have.
I wish there was a responsible sensible alternative but unfortunately no matter how many seats each party gets I think it'll just be more of the same. Wouldn't it be nice to abolish all of the existing parties and have only independents who had to represent the people who elected them openly and transparently?
Why on earth do we need these political parties anyway?
Other comments have been the Liberal's don't seem to have any real exciting idea's, and any idea's the NDP have seem to scare the crap out of everyone that they'll nationalize everything and run it into the ground or become such a big bloated government that they'll lose even more money then our last two government have.
I wish there was a responsible sensible alternative but unfortunately no matter how many seats each party gets I think it'll just be more of the same. Wouldn't it be nice to abolish all of the existing parties and have only independents who had to represent the people who elected them openly and transparently?
Why on earth do we need these political parties anyway?
- 5,833
- Right behind you
- SRV2NV
Liberals won't get my vote simply because of Ignatiff. He looks like a tool, acts like a tool, treats the government like a hobby he isn't good at and seems to think taxing everyone is the answer. McGuinty also screwed himself, and the liberal party, with his lies and foolish ideas (HST will create jobs ya, and companies will pass the savings on to you...funny, haven't seen either, but atleast you're getting more of my money). Honestly, the liberals have gone downhill so fast in the past 10 years its like watching a jet plane get shot down.
The NDP is slowly making a comeback from its Ray Days, although not much. They seem to think of everyone but the people who work for a living, plus, they seem to love to spend more than they make.
The NDP is slowly making a comeback from its Ray Days, although not much. They seem to think of everyone but the people who work for a living, plus, they seem to love to spend more than they make.
- 525
- alexlmx6 & GTP_AlexL
- alexlmx6
I agree, it's just a messed up way of doing things. We should be voting for our own local representative, based on how well we feel they will represent our riding in parliament. In my riding, I think the Conservative candidate is best suited for the job, but if I vote for her it means I vote for Harper. It also means that the way she votes on stuff will likely be more influenced by what the party wants, instead of being influenced by the people she is supposed to be representing.
Unfortunately, people are pack animals, even if we made political parties illegal and forced everyone to run as an independent, new parties would quickly form, even if they weren't "official". It's a rare politician indeed who is willing to speak his or her mind without having a bunch of people who feel the same way, and that's why nothing ever really changes.
- 6,072
- Simcoeace
Political parties exist because it's necessary to build some kind of consensus & act co-operatively in order to get anything done. A group of independents, each acting only to represent their own constituents (who, in any case, would never be 100% agreed on any course of action), would be unable to form an effective government.
Since I moved to Canada some thirty years ago, I have been quite impressed with the ability of the Canadian electorate to do the right thing, at the right time. So the balance of power has swung backwards & forwards, from centre-left to centre-right, both federally & provincially, in ways that I believe genuinely represent some kind of popular consensus.
Provincially, I've seen the Conservative in & out of power in Ontario, replaced by the Liberals, replaced by the NDP, replaced by the Conservatives, replaced by the Liberals. Federally, I've seen Trudeau's Liberals replaced by Mulroney's Tories, replaced by Chretien's Liberals, replaced by Harper's Tories. It strikes me that the Canadian electorate if FAR better informed than the US electorate & less liable to be hoodwinked by the Right with its self-serving rhetoric & "trickle-down" economics.
I expect to see another Tory government - hopefully a minority one. Although this may be an anti-climatic result, I think it would fairly accurately reflect the position of Canadians as a whole.
I would love to see the NDp make significant inroads in Quebec, as this would shake the grip of the old-school separatists, & help Quebec become an active, participating partner in federal politics.
I think nine4t4 already addressed this. I think you've been sold a bill of goods by PQ/Bloc politicians who need you to believe that in order to retain power. The "rest of Canada" is no longer "Anglo" - it's an increasingly, & vibrantly multi-ethnic & multi-cultural country. Given the low birth-rate among Francophone Quebecers, it is inescapable that Quebec will also become more & more culturally diverse. C'est la vie ...
Since I moved to Canada some thirty years ago, I have been quite impressed with the ability of the Canadian electorate to do the right thing, at the right time. So the balance of power has swung backwards & forwards, from centre-left to centre-right, both federally & provincially, in ways that I believe genuinely represent some kind of popular consensus.
Provincially, I've seen the Conservative in & out of power in Ontario, replaced by the Liberals, replaced by the NDP, replaced by the Conservatives, replaced by the Liberals. Federally, I've seen Trudeau's Liberals replaced by Mulroney's Tories, replaced by Chretien's Liberals, replaced by Harper's Tories. It strikes me that the Canadian electorate if FAR better informed than the US electorate & less liable to be hoodwinked by the Right with its self-serving rhetoric & "trickle-down" economics.
I expect to see another Tory government - hopefully a minority one. Although this may be an anti-climatic result, I think it would fairly accurately reflect the position of Canadians as a whole.
I would love to see the NDp make significant inroads in Quebec, as this would shake the grip of the old-school separatists, & help Quebec become an active, participating partner in federal politics.
I think nine4t4 already addressed this. I think you've been sold a bill of goods by PQ/Bloc politicians who need you to believe that in order to retain power. The "rest of Canada" is no longer "Anglo" - it's an increasingly, & vibrantly multi-ethnic & multi-cultural country. Given the low birth-rate among Francophone Quebecers, it is inescapable that Quebec will also become more & more culturally diverse. C'est la vie ...
Joel
Premium
- 8,141
- Halifax, NS
- Noob616
^ I agree. The Conservatives will likely take this election again, and while I don't like Harper, I'm not sure if I believe Ignatieff is any better. I'm pleasantly surprised at the ground the NDP is making though, they've really seemed to shake things up in Quebec. I don't particularly like the NDP, but having all of those seats taken by the Bloc is just a waste.
- 5,693
- Canada
Get set for an NDP led coalition government. Conservatives will once again have a minority government. But the NDP along with Bloc and a bit of Liberal support could call a Non-confidence motion, defeat the Conservatives, then Layton would go to the Governor General, ask to form a government, which would be approved and voila! Harper out of power. And this does not violate the constitution or the meaning of democracy. For example, if one person has 40 percent of something and 15 other people, who are all separate have 60 percent, the 15 people could pool all their resources together and gain control. The main idea of democracy is that people control it and majority rules, so if 60 percent of people didn't vote for the conservative party and only 40 percent did, and the 60 percent formed a coalition and a government, the MAJORITY is represented.
Joel
Premium
- 8,141
- Halifax, NS
- Noob616
Not really, as %40 of the group wanted one particular person in, and other small fragments wanted others. People who vote NDP want the NDP, not the Liberals. People who vote Liberal want Liberals, and people who vote Bloc want the Bloc. Just because you hate Harper doesn't mean the ballot is "Harper" vs. "Other".
There's no checkbox on the ballot for "Coalition between centre-left, socialists, separatists and environmentalists".
I'm thinking the news of Bin Laden's assassination, and Harper's bilingual speech may be enough to get him at least another minority.
- 5,693
- Canada
I'm thinking the smear campaign that they tried to run on Layton will be the key factor in why the NDP could get a minority government. Remember that many people are voting strategically, and will vote for any party that gets Harper out. Like my father, long time Liberal supporter, who is sick of the Conservative party who turned the surplus into a deficit plans to vote NDP. Plus, many people who vote don't participate in those polls, meaning that support for Layton in theory could be higher than the Conservatives. Then again, I wouldn't be suprised if the Conservatives have another small minority government. Also, an unlikely scenario, but if the two partys end up winning the same amount of seats, then whose in power?
- 6,072
- Simcoeace
I think it's unfair to criticize the Harper government for running up a deficit - it's extremely unlikely that the Liberals would not have done the same if they had been in power.
It's clear that the Canadian economy has survived the financial crisis, the housing crisis & the recession better than the US & practically every other western country, but by the same token, this "success" cannot be attributed to the Harper government, but to policies put in place over many years, which the minority Tories did not have the power to significantly change in one direction or another, even if they had wanted to.
It remains to be seen what actual gains the NDP may make, but their apparent surge in the polls has a lot to do with Layton being a far more appealing personality, than either Harper or Ignatieff.
It's clear that the Canadian economy has survived the financial crisis, the housing crisis & the recession better than the US & practically every other western country, but by the same token, this "success" cannot be attributed to the Harper government, but to policies put in place over many years, which the minority Tories did not have the power to significantly change in one direction or another, even if they had wanted to.
It remains to be seen what actual gains the NDP may make, but their apparent surge in the polls has a lot to do with Layton being a far more appealing personality, than either Harper or Ignatieff.
Joel
Premium
- 8,141
- Halifax, NS
- Noob616
Today's the day, I'm intrigued, initial polls are showing the NDP within 5% of the Conservatives, it could be an interesting race tonight. Prime Minister Jack Layton is a relatively real possibility. It kinda sucks, because I don't mind Layton himself, he seems like a good, charismatic leader, but I don't like the NDP platform much at all.
- 525
- alexlmx6 & GTP_AlexL
- alexlmx6
I went and voted earlier and they were pretty much just sitting around with their fingers in their bums.. I'm sure there will be more people showing up now that school and work is over, but it seemed extremely quiet.
I also can never get over some things, like how they have official rulers to cross off names on the list, or the fact that we get a voter card in the mail to give to the person, which just gets thrown in a pile.. We have to show id anyways, our names are on the list, what's the point of sending out millions of these cards? We really need someone sensible to go in and make these elections less costly.
I also can never get over some things, like how they have official rulers to cross off names on the list, or the fact that we get a voter card in the mail to give to the person, which just gets thrown in a pile.. We have to show id anyways, our names are on the list, what's the point of sending out millions of these cards? We really need someone sensible to go in and make these elections less costly.
Joel
Premium
- 8,141
- Halifax, NS
- Noob616
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/
Harper going to talk on TSN radio about the election, Bin Laden's death, how it connects with sports, and the NHL playoffs at 5 O'clock.
If you're interested, there's a link to listen to the show live on the internet in the top right of the page.
Harper going to talk on TSN radio about the election, Bin Laden's death, how it connects with sports, and the NHL playoffs at 5 O'clock.
If you're interested, there's a link to listen to the show live on the internet in the top right of the page.
Joel
Premium
- 8,141
- Halifax, NS
- Noob616
Conservative majority government, NDP form the official opposition.
CON-166
NDP-106
LIB-33
BLOC-2
Other (Green)-1
Crazy, the NDP and Conservatives split the Liberals in half, Centre-right Liberals voted Conservative, and centre-left Liberals voted NDP.
Vote by percentage, CON 40%, NDP 30.9%, LIB 19.6%, BLOC, 5%
CON-166
NDP-106
LIB-33
BLOC-2
Other (Green)-1
Crazy, the NDP and Conservatives split the Liberals in half, Centre-right Liberals voted Conservative, and centre-left Liberals voted NDP.
Vote by percentage, CON 40%, NDP 30.9%, LIB 19.6%, BLOC, 5%
- 5,693
- Canada
The Liberals absolutely got destroyed. This is a statement, Canada has spoken. The NDP achieved 31% of the vote, very impressive. The political views of Canadians are changing, our official opposition is a party fighting for many people. Ignatieff got trashed, the negative ads worked. He didn't even get elected, he has been defeated by Conservative Trottier. Is this the end of the Liberal party? Or is it a new start? A realization that people don't want what they are offering? The fact that the whole being center doesn't work? That people would rather be on the left or right? The Bloc have been destroyed, Quebec has chosen to support a stable, federal party.
- 525
- alexlmx6 & GTP_AlexL
- alexlmx6
I think Ignatieff was the problem for the Liberals, not so much their policies. When someone so replusive is the public face of a party, people tend to not look any further than that. I don't think they're out though, I'm sure with a better public face they could regain alot of their former support.
I'm disgusted that Harper has won a majority, but I was pretty much expecting that. I do see some good in the surge of NDP support though, while I don't agree with their policies on most things, it shows that a growing amount of people are sick of the status quo, and this could mean actual change down the road.
Also, did anyone see the creepy floating heads on CTV?
I'm disgusted that Harper has won a majority, but I was pretty much expecting that. I do see some good in the surge of NDP support though, while I don't agree with their policies on most things, it shows that a growing amount of people are sick of the status quo, and this could mean actual change down the road.
Also, did anyone see the creepy floating heads on CTV?
- 120
I guess we won't have to deal with the threat of there being a non-confidence vote. Not sure what to make of the Harper majority. I'm rather surprised actually. Not as surprised as the NDP absolutely crushing the Liberals and the Bloc.
I don't think much will change, we are still screwed either way. Just continue being a law-abiding citizen and watching the government waste money away to line their own pockets.
I don't think much will change, we are still screwed either way. Just continue being a law-abiding citizen and watching the government waste money away to line their own pockets.
Joel
Premium
- 8,141
- Halifax, NS
- Noob616
She's crazy
You know the Greens are the only major party for the legalization of marijuana?
EDIT:
I don't think anyone expected this kind of gain, I'm still in utter shock about this, it's been such a crazy week of stuff I didn't see coming. Osama bin Laden's death, a Harper majority, and the biggest one of all, the NDP forming the opposition. Crazy, the Liberals, the powerhouse party which ran this country for almost all of the 20th century, has been split and destroyed to the point where Ignatieff lost his own riding.
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