2011 Canadian Election Thread

[Bertuzzied]

Harper throwing down the gloves. Wants to debate Ignatieff one on one. Which i think they should do outside of the normal debates.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Harper+...867/story.html

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by Cscutch

I don't think any off the parties have done anything of note, so far.

On the coalition, I am assuming the average Canadian, really dosen't care what Harper said back in the late 90's and early 2000's. But care more about the posibility of Lib/NDP/Bloc because they tried before, only a few years ago, and for most part the same players.

Chris

I'm with you here. Fine, Harper's is a hypocrit. But that doesn't dampen the disaster that a commie-seperatist () backed coalition in power would be.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Still, it is better than a promise for something 5 years down the road... what were they thinking?

The promise itself is totally weak in that way, but I think it'll gain some traction in that it demonstrates fiscal responsibility.

Its kind of refreshing during the economic recovery actually, given all the ridiculous spending promises that normally get thrown around (by all parties).

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Devil's Rule

To sum up, I think this will be a Youth's election and will vote for who appeals the most to them. Older Canadians tend to vote on a regular basis and tend to vote Conservative, so essentially you know the results there, so the critical point is gaining the new and young vote.

The youth vote relies not only on getting the support of the new and young, but especially on getting them to vote in the first place. As we saw locally, it can be done if you have a charismatic leader who can engage the younger population, but I really don't see Ignatieff as that man federally. I agree with others that the turnout will be lower, and that lower turnout will likely be off the backs of the youth.

As far as the Liberals winning goes, given they are consistently trailing by 10-14 points and do not appear to be making any headway, that seems like a pretty brave prediction at this point.

I've seen four polls posted since the election call, and three of them have the Conservatives holding or increasing support relative to the last polls by the same firms:

Nanos March 29: 38.4 Con, 28.7 Lib, 19.6 NDP, 9.1 BQ, 4.1 Grn
Nanos March 15: 38.6 Con, 27.6 Lib, 19.9 NDP, 10.1 BQ, 3.8 Grn

Abacus March 28: 36 Con, 27 Lib, 20 NDP, 9 BQ, 8 Grn
Abacus Feb 23: 38 Con, 23 Lib, 19 NDP, 11 BQ, 8 Grn

Harris-Decima March 28: 38 Con, 24 Lib, 19 NDP, 10 BQ, 7 Grn
Harris-Decima March 20: 34 Con, 28 Lib, 17 NDP, 10 BQ, 9 Grn

Forum March 27: 41 Con, 24 Lib, 19 NDP, 10 BQ, 6 Grn
(can't find older)

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Harper throwing down the gloves. Wants to debate Ignatieff one on one. Which i think they should do outside of the normal debates.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Harper+...867/story.html

Makes much more sense as these are really the only two parties that have any chance on governing.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Harper throwing down the gloves. Wants to debate Ignatieff one on one. Which i think they should do outside of the normal debates.

... and Ignatieff has offered the obligatory "anyplace, anytime". I now eagerly await the announcement that due to NDP/Bloc complaints and/or the failure of the two camps to come to an agreement on format/moderation that it will not take place and the subsequent obligatory finger-pointing.

[transplant99]

For her part, May has hired a lawyer after being excluded from the upcoming federal leaders debate.


"The Green Party legal team met (Tuesday) night, and the lawyer will be advising us very soon of our legal options," Kieran Green, the party's communications director, said Wednesday.

http://www.canada.com/Harper+suggest...#ixzz1I6cwbvxt

[North East Goon]

Old Jack will be crying bloody murder if this was to go down. Duceppe could use it as a positive in that these two federal parties dont want to include Quebec in any decision making.

[Resolute 14]

Ugh, I don't Blame May for wanting to be there, but she has no more right than the Communist party leader does. She won't form government and she wont win a seat. Her participation will only take time away from the four parties that will shape the next Parliament.

Personally, I think the broadcast consortium should simply say, "fine, every leader of a registered party is invited." Make the thing a complete joke and see where they stand then.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Harper throwing down the gloves. Wants to debate Ignatieff one on one. Which i think they should do outside of the normal debates.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Harper+...867/story.html

Yeah, I think everyone wants to see this happen. Ignatieff would be a fool not to accept. It's the only chance he has to make up any significant ground, and it's not like Harper's a great debater (not a weak debater either, just competent). Both leaders would have a lot to lose and gain in it, and Canadians would be far more likely to tune in to it than to a regular leaders debate.

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by transplant99

http://www.canada.com/Harper+suggest...#ixzz1I6cwbvxt

I can't see the Green Party having any legal options for forcing the networks to allow them into the debate without allowing all registered federal political parties in the debate (of which there are 19 I believe). Not that I have a problem with them being there, but if the networks choose to use having a seat in the House of Commons as their criterion for involvement that's their choice. Yes, the Green Party got more votes than the Marxist-Leninist party last time, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and the only non-arbitrary cutoffs are a seat in the House or being a registered federal political party.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Old Jack will be crying bloody murder if this was to go down. Duceppe could use it as a positive in that these two federal parties dont want to include Quebec in any decision making.

Hmmm so as Harper said back in 1997, how the heck is he going to get a majority govt without Quebec?

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Personally, I think the broadcast consortium should simply say, "fine, every leader of a registered party is invited." Make the thing a complete joke and see where they stand then.

Do they not do the All Candidate Debate anymore? They used to... I never watched because the real parties don't show up and I'm not interested in what the Natural Law/Marxist-Leninist/Heritage Parties have to say.

But yeah, The Greens don't have a seat anymore so I'm not really inclined to say that they should be there.

[Resolute 14]

All-Candidate debates are mostly just held at the constituency level, no? Other than May in 2008, every televised leaders debate I can remember featured only the legitimate parties and left the jokes and special interests at home.

[North East Goon]

Back in 2008, I just remember Dion facing the camera awkwardly explaining to us all that the Arts are fun.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

I can't see the Green Party having any legal options for forcing the networks to allow them into the debate without allowing all registered federal political parties in the debate (of which there are 19 I believe). Not that I have a problem with them being there, but if the networks choose to use having a seat in the House of Commons as their criterion for involvement that's their choice. Yes, the Green Party got more votes than the Marxist-Leninist party last time, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and the only non-arbitrary cutoffs are a seat in the House or being a registered federal political party.

I think the criteria should be that anyone to debate on a national level should have a candidate in every riding. Not sure if Green does that or not, but if they do so be it and invite her.

Duceppe should be no where near such a debate though as he doesnt debate Canadian politics he debates Quebec politics.

[Ducay]

Having May in the debates is useless; in 2008 so much question time was wasted on giving her equal # of questions even though she's useless

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Hmmm so as Harper said back in 1997, how the heck is he going to get a majority govt without Quebec?

He needs to gain in Ontario and steal a couple in Quebec. The Ontario egg may be tough to crack but the Tories are polling higher than the Liberals in a bunch of QC ridings.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

All-Candidate debates are mostly just held at the constituency level, no?

Maybe now, but I definetly recall CBC Newsworld broadcasting All Party leader debates in the past (that the real leaders, along with the vast majority of the population, all rightly skipped).

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I think the criteria should be that anyone to debate on a national level should have a candidate in every riding. Not sure if Green does that or not, but if they do so be it and invite her.

Duceppe should be no where near such a debate though as he doesnt debate Canadian politics he debates Quebec politics.

which would have eliminated the liberals in 2008.