Federal Election Called for Oct 19, 2015

[Frequitude]

Anyone catch Trudeau's new ad saying something to the effect of "Stephen Harper says I'm not ready, but what I'm not ready for is more of Stephen Harper". I obviously #######ized it, but I like the move of using Harper's trademark line in reverse. Good move IMO.

[FireGilbert]

I haven't been following the election as much as I'd like. Probably a combination of no longer being allowed to vote and too much excitement over the ousting of Tony Abbott.

Just wondering is that Report your Neighbour thing for real? It seems more suited to an Onion article than an actual platform from a government seeking re-election.

[Looch City]

Yes, yes it's real. Along with the act name.

[Flamenspiel]

nm

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

http://www.buzzfeed.com/emmaloop/thi...8N#.ncVwqxnrnN

Not as bad as the homophobe, but I think there has to be zero doubts left that the crazy train has officially left the station.

This is my favorite candidate statement this election. It cracks me up because this is not a value judgment (ie. any of the perceived value issues, like gay marriage), its a scientific judgment, and her core idea is right (oil is natural, the ground will absorb it) but at the same time she is so completely wrong that she comes across as a buffoon. I'll be voting CPC this election but I'll also admit there will be several Canadians voting with me who will believe what this candidate said.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Delgar

This is my favorite candidate statement this election. It cracks me up because this is not a value judgment (ie. any of the perceived value issues, like gay marriage), its a scientific judgment, and her core idea is right (oil is natural, the ground will absorb it) but at the same time she is so completely wrong that she comes across as a buffoon. I'll be voting CPC this election but I'll also admit there will be several Canadians voting with me who will believe what this candidate said.

Out of curiosity, what exactly would the CPC need to do in order to lose your vote? They seem to be stretching what's acceptable with every election, so I'm wondering where that line would be

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Out of curiosity, what exactly would the CPC need to do in order to lose your vote? They seem to be stretching what's acceptable with every election, so I'm wondering where that line would be

Good question, made me think. I'm not sure actually, I think if the Liberals had a leader I liked/trusted/admired, and were less into deficit spending this election, I could go for them even though their immediate tax policies will cost me. Keep in mind I was in grade school and high school in the 80's and while this Trudeau has distanced himself from it, I still have a very negative bias against the Liberal party for the NEP -- I saw it put a lot of my friends' families into awful situations growing up. That memory is very hard to forget.

I understand the Harper dislike but its gotten to the point its becoming absurd, my biggest issue is the CPC needs a new leader for renewal and to make their platform more modern. As such, for now, its more about which I dislike least. I'm not a promoter of any and could give plenty of reasons that neither Harper, Trudeau or Mulcair should be our PM. Given I have to choose, I'll take the devil I know. I even prefer the "creepy" Mulcair over Trudeau, but could never vote NDP given their platform. Granted, there are a lot of things in the CPC campaign I don't support also, and while I find Harper banal, his fiscal policies are closest to what I'd want to see.

EDIT: I would add that having a poor candidate in a riding wouldn't change my vote unless that person were in my riding. Every party has problems getting good candidates in ridings they aren't expected to win. Look at our provincial NDP, plenty of awful candidates, but nobody noticed until Notley's excellent persona and campaigning combined with a need to oust the PC's propelled those candidates to MLA's.1

[Fuzz]

If you want the CPC to get a new leader, the best method would be to send them a message by not voting for them. If Harper gets a strong minority, you can bet he will stick around. Why not live through a few less than perfect years of govt. To get a better outcome? The CPC has been in power for to long IMO, like the Liberals before them, and think they can do whatever they want. Time for change.

[Ozy_Flame]

I've heard a few people say that they will vote for Harper and the CPC, simply because they think they will manage the economy best (which is debatable running most of his PM years in a deficit). However, that same sentiment is akin to letting Harper hinder future generations with troves of missing national data and a lack R&D to progress this country (the "wrong kind of data for the CPC), ignoring climate change at the cost of "doing business", encroaching on our rights as citizens and opening legislation to know everything you're doing (The "right" kind of data for the CPC), pushing us to a partisan pro-Israel and attack-Syria Republican-style stance on foreign policy that has degraded our international standing, the list goes on.

I'm glad people want the economy to improve; everybody does. But I happen to think that politicking can only do so much compared to the natural waves of the capital economy and how the markets work; trying to fight them to correct them is like tying to dig a moat around a sand castle before the tide comes in; it's next to fruitless.

I think the CPC has stunted many things in this country that, while not the glaring pimple in the mirror, will lead to severe problems down the road and will take years to repair.

Thanks CPC.

[_Q_]

It's mind boggling how people can vote for the CPC because of the economy when it was the CPC that got us in to the mess we're in right now economically.

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by _Q_

It's mind boggling how people can vote for the CPC because of the economy when it was the CPC that got us in to the mess we're in right now economically.

Can you elaborate on this point?

[burn_this_city]

No government is responsible for oil pricing outside of SA.

[puffnstuff]

Those two posts back to back were good for a chuckle. 1. The Govt cant really control the economy. 2. Blames the CPC govt for the economy.

[The Goon]

Originally Posted by Drak

Good for the CPC doing the right thing.

On a personal note, I am connected with about 8 relatives or so in Alberta all of which are Conservative supporters. They've all made questionable, distasteful bigoted comments in mixed company as well as on Facebook. Racism, anti immigration, sexism, homophobia. It's all there. Of course, they are from the same families so it makes sense that they might share the same ideas. The one that doesn't make sense to me is my father, who discriminates constantly on Facebook whilst being apart of a minority that has had to deal with heavy discrimination throughout time. They remind me very much of my wife's family down in the states, the republican side, who share similar views.

I can top that. I live in Calgary, my parents live in the GTA. My parents are South African immigrants, were classified as "coloureds" there and had to live through the institutionalized discrimination there before moving to Canada.

They have always been union people, strong NDP voters. But now that they're retired (and with too much time on their hands), they have turned into strong CPC supporters and fiercely anti-Muslim. My mom posts articles on Facebook from Ezra Levant and other right-wing sources (the worst was one saying every refugee is a potential sleeper cell agent), and my Dad sends me similar emails about the niqab, and how Nenshi is sticking up for his fellow Muslims.

I don't know when my folks lost their compassion, but they've become fearful septuagenarians, and perfect targets for the CPC campaign this year. It's all a bit disheartening.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

Can you elaborate on this point?

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

No government is responsible for oil pricing outside of SA.

If you accept that the economy can't be blamed on the government, then how do you vote for a party that is supposed to be good for the economy... especially when the economy is currently in the toilet.

If you accept that the economy can be controlled by the government, then how do you vote for a party that has gotten us to where we're at right now?

[nik-]

The thing is, the economy isn't currently in the toilet. The oil industry is in the toilet. The Canadian government, no matter what colour their lawn signs are, doesn't control commodity pricing.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by _Q_

It's mind boggling how people can vote for the CPC because of the economy when it was the CPC that got us in to the mess we're in right now economically.

Incorrect. Alan Greenspan and a bunch of Wall Street banks got us into the first mess. Saudi Arabia got us into the second mess.

Originally Posted by _Q_

If you accept that the economy can't be blamed on the government, then how do you vote for a party that is supposed to be good for the economy... especially when the economy is currently in the toilet.

If you accept that the economy can be controlled by the government, then how do you vote for a party that has gotten us to where we're at right now?

Being good for the economy does not mean creating a good economy. It means managing the prevailing economic situation in a good way. I believe Harper has done this. I also believe he was set up well by Chretien/Martin to do so. I believe Harper continues to be the best person to do so.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by nik-

The thing is, the economy isn't currently in the toilet. The oil industry is in the toilet. The Canadian government, no matter what colour their lawn signs are, doesn't control commodity pricing.

But the Gov't can have a HUGE impact on oil & gas pipelines, LNG terminals, pipe reversals, rail laws, maritime shipping, etc, which have a decent impact on realized pricing in Canada.

CPC are friendly to O&G, Liberals probably in the middle, and NDP unfriendly on the above subjects.

How Calgary could elect a number of non CPC candidates is beyond me; sure, on a macro level, pricing is set internationally, but we can have a pretty decent impact on what pricing our companies are able to achieve.

Specifically gas is doubly terrible because all the WCSB gas systems are maxxed out to capacity with nowhere for product to go. If the NDP or Liberals were to slow down or stop any further pipe projects, Calgary's economy would continue to get hurt. And that is a direct impact.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Ducay

How Calgary could elect a number of non CPC candidates is beyond me; sure, on a macro level, pricing is set internationally, but we can have a pretty decent impact on what pricing our companies are able to achieve.

Because some candidates are atrocious? If Rob Anders were still eligible, should he be automatically voted in because he is a CPCer? Even as he was one of the worst MPs in the history of the country?

You also have Joan Crockett who isn't a good candidate or MP, going up against Kent Hehr, who is an excellence candidate and public servant. Should people pick a poorer candidate because of ideology? Sometimes picking who will serve your constituency best trumps voting ideologically.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Because some candidates are atrocious? If Rob Anders were still eligible, should he be automatically voted in because he is a CPCer? Even as he was one of the worst MPs in the history of the country?

You also have Joan Crockett who isn't a good candidate or MP, going up against Kent Hehr, who is an excellence candidate and public servant. Should people pick a poorer candidate because of ideology? Sometimes picking who will serve your constituency best trumps voting ideologically.

It really depends on the situation. If I had choice between CPC and Liberal and they both were friendly to Oil & Gas, then yes, I would pick the better candidate.

But if your choice is marginally better representation by Kehr (as an example), which would have a very small impact on your life, versus voting for the CPC, which could potentially have a much larger impact on your life though a stronger Albertan economy, then yes, you should vote for CPC.

I begrudgingly supported Anders for years because of party, not because he was the best representative of my riding.