2011 Federal election polls, demographics, predictions

[transplant99]

Yeah...looks more and more like absolutely nothing will change from the last seating chart parliament saw.

What a colossal waste of money.

[Slava]

Is it really a waste though? It gives the people a say in the future of the country, gives the politicians a chance to layout some ideas for the coming years and overall engages some new people in the process.

Even if every seat remains unchanged (they won't) I still think that democracy is a valuable exercise.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Slava

Is it really a waste though? It gives the people a say in the future of the country, gives the politicians a chance to layout some ideas for the coming years and overall engages some new people in the process.

Even if every seat remains unchanged (they won't) I still think that democracy is a valuable exercise.

Decreasing voter-turnout. The lack of any real political issues to motivate the campaigns. Four tired old leaders.

I'd say democracy is in pretty big trouble in Canada.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Slava

Is it really a waste though? It gives the people a say in the future of the country, gives the politicians a chance to layout some ideas for the coming years and overall engages some new people in the process.

Even if every seat remains unchanged (they won't) I still think that democracy is a valuable exercise.

I'll put it this way...there will be over 300 Million dollars less in the feds bloated coffers than there would have been if there was no election. All of that to change...nothing.

If you are fine with elections every 2 years, that's your perogative. I see it as a massive waste of money and time that could have been spent actually governing the country. And then using taxpayer during that downtime of parliament to campaign while the MP's are still getting paid. Its almost absurd.

I have no problem with elections every 4 or 5 years unless something really drastic needs to be addressed. Everyone is to blame for the current state of affairs because NONE of the parties are actually willing to work with the others which will lead to yet another futile election in another 2 years. That's not an excercise in democracy, it's petty bickering and in-fighting taking precedence over the good of the country.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Most recent Nanos has the Conservatives at 39.4 the Liberals at about 30.4

Todays numbers... a small narrowing: 38.9 per cent to 31.1 per cent.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Slava

Is it really a waste though? It gives the people a say in the future of the country, gives the politicians a chance to layout some ideas for the coming years and overall engages some new people in the process.

Even if every seat remains unchanged (they won't) I still think that democracy is a valuable exercise.

It's a good exercise when it doesn't happen every 2 years and cost the tax payers more than $300m when changes are between little to nothing.

That $300m could go to that school that just closed down the street, or the hospital that needs new equipment or anything that would be useful, which is the opposite of this election.

Sure new ideas will get tossed around with new promises but when voting is over the politicans just go back to doing what they want, not what they promised.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

Is it really a waste though? It gives the people a say in the future of the country, gives the politicians a chance to layout some ideas for the coming years and overall engages some new people in the process.

Even if every seat remains unchanged (they won't) I still think that democracy is a valuable exercise.

It is a waste when politicians are acting in their own selfish interests rather than those of the people they claim to represent. Democracy is a valuable exercise, but there is no indication that the public was opposed to the status quo when the American Tourist decided to force an election.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It is a waste when politicians are acting in their own selfish interests rather than those of the people they claim to represent. Democracy is a valuable exercise, but there is no indication that the public was opposed to the status quo when the American Tourist decided to force an election.

First let me give you the obligatory about the tourist comment.

Next let me point out that they're all acting in their own selfish interests. If they weren't this election was easily avoided; just work with the other parties in parliament and engage in a little give and take.

That being said, maybe there are some elements of the "be careful of what you wish for" element taking place?

First there is a poll from Nanos (www.nikonthenumbers.com which I think mykalberta referenced as a great resource). He has a post today with a leadership index where Harper has fallen from 32 to 24 percent this week. Not a good number....who knows if that continues to hold.

The other is an Ekos poll that talks about the direction of the government as compared to the direction of the country. These figures are starting to slide for the government as well....again who knows if this continues to hold, or whether its useful as a bell-weather in general. If I was running the CPC campaign though and polls were showing a decline in the belief that the government is headed in the right direction (and them polling about 7-8% lower than whether the country was headed in the right direction) I would be a little bit concerned.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Democracy is a valuable exercise, but there is no indication that the public was opposed to the status quo when the American Tourist decided to force an election.

I'll second the at the tourist remark.

Secondly I'll point out that there was even less of an indication that the public wanted a vote when Harper decided to ignore his own fixed election date legislation and called one in 2008. Did you complain as loudly about him doing that?

I don't think anyone really cares how often we have an election except in so far as whining about it advances their agenda.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah...looks more and more like absolutely nothing will change from the last seating chart parliament saw.

What a colossal waste of money.

Totally agree....

[burn_this_city]

Why the eyeroll? Ignatieff has even admitted he'll go back to Harvard if he fails to advance his political aspirations.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Parallex

I don't think anyone really cares how often we have an election except in so far as whining about it advances their agenda.

Really, never heard that before..... 4 elections in 7 years is insane....

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by flambers

4 elections in 7 years is insane....

Talk to Harper about it... he most directly (and in one case entirely)caused two of them.

When I say anyone I really mean political party leaders... they only ever drone on about "elections the public doesn't want" when it suits their purposes.

[RobotTalk]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Why the eyeroll? Ignatieff has even admitted he'll go back to Harvard if he fails to advance his political aspirations.

Well considering he was a (tenured?) professor there it's really not that surprising. Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and any academic would jump at the chance to teach there.

[starseed]

Originally Posted by RobotTalk

Well considering he was a (tenured?) professor there it's really not that surprising. Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and any academic would jump at the chance to teach there.

Not to mention how students jumped at the chance to take his class, and how he was very highly regarded by his peers. To abandon one of the greatest jobs in the world to take a lower paying, high stress job back home proves his love of his nation. It is also not a lust for fame, as he was already a very well internationally recognized intellectual and author.

Where conservatives and liberals both condemn him for criticisms of Canada in the past, I believe it makes him the best possible choice. He has been passionate about the lack of direction Canada has taken on the world stage from Mulroney, to Chretien, to Martin and now Harper. He had brutal criticism for those that ride the coat tails of our glorious past accomplishments in peacekeeping and our past reputation as a country that punched above it's weight. He even openly and loudly lamented the decay of our military. He believes in reviving Canada's reputation as peacekeepers and world leaders in promoting principles of peace, order and good government. He is a liberal from the past. A liberal that is not like the liberals of today who have taken on the old conservative belief in being passive in foreign affairs. His life's work proves that he is a Pearson liberal. I honestly believe that we find our own national identity in being active in shaping the world for the better.

(he has even stood up to liberals in the liberal leadership campaigns by supporting the oil sands)

[zamler]

Originally Posted by starseed

Not to mention how students jumped at the chance to take his class, and how he was very highly regarded by his peers. To abandon one of the greatest jobs in the world to take a lower paying, high stress job back home proves his love of his nation. It is also not a lust for fame, as he was already a very well internationally recognized intellectual and author.

AH HA HA HA HA.

You can't be serious. Such a loyal Canadian, sacrifices so much to come back to Canada, a real hero. And he's such an amazing hero ready to serve his country, that when he loses, he'll be right back in the U.S.

[starseed]

A world citizen who will probably know more about what it means to be Canadian, than most who rarely set foot on foreign soil.

[HOOT]

I think starseed just has a crush on him. He likes the older gentlemen.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by starseed

A world citizen who will probably know more about what it means to be Canadian, than most who rarely set foot on foreign soil.

World citizen? You're really laying on the BS now aren't you. So that's how you become a great Canadian, don't live here. Brilliant.

[Jedi Ninja]

Originally Posted by flambers

Really, never heard that before..... 4 elections in 7 years is insane....

1962,1963,1965,1968: 4 elections in 6 years.