2011 Canadian Election Thread

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Ark2

Anyone else reading some of the user comments on CBC.ca? Pretty hilarious. It's as though all the Liberal supporters got together in one place to cry and moan about the election results.

Its hard to say whats worse; the crying by the Liberal supporters or the incessant gloating by the CPC supporters.

We get it, 4th times a charm. Now head to work and start preparing on spinning that G8/G20 AG report that we all know is waiting to welcome you back to parliament.

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I find Chantal Hebert to be the best political analyst, followed by that guy from MacLeans.

Chantal made me a fan throughout this election.

Andrew Coyne is really good. I find myself agreeing with him more and more, and he seems incredibly cynical (a quality that I really like watching) but at the same time very knowledgeable. He has single-handedly made me much more libertarian in my views on a number of subjects, just because the guy is really smart. (He also retweeted me once during the campaign, so that endeared him to me). Seriously though he is really unbiased and hates on the parties all relatively equally.

Chantal is also good to watch I think. She was the first one calling what was going on in Quebec (about 3 weeks ahead of the election I think?). She didn't say at that point that the NDP were going to steamroll, but she was the first reporter I saw talk about the voters and how things were really changing there.

So he doesn't get left out Allan Gregg is good when discussing polls and things like that. He's really informative and talks about things like messaging and communications quite well.

I know its cool to hate on the CBC on CP. In reality though that is the most informative political panel or piece of any news broadcast in the country. There might be a stand-alone show that does it better (recommendations?), but for the 15-20mins they get its really well done IMO.

[CaptainCrunch]

To be very honest, I thought the CTV coverage was far superior to the CBC coverage.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Slava

Its hard to say whats worse; the crying by the Liberal supporters or the incessant gloating by the CPC supporters.

The crying Liberal supporters, because at least gloating is based on something real. We have yet to see the stormtroopers and women forced into the kitchen.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

To be very honest, I thought the CTV coverage was far superior to the CBC coverage.

I flipped around between the three of them (Global, CTV and CBC). In the end I settled on CBC to watch the panel, and Amanda Lange. I used to watch a lot more BNN when she was there now that I think about it!

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by Slava

Its hard to say whats worse; the crying by the Liberal supporters or the incessant gloating by the CPC supporters.

We get it, 4th times a charm. Now head to work and start preparing on spinning that G8/G20 AG report that we all know is waiting to welcome you back to parliament.

I'm not sure if you read the comments over at CBC, but all during the election, if you visited no other site, you would get the impression that Stephen Harper is the North American version of Pol Pot and the CPC wouldn't win a single vote. I think a little Conservative gloating over there is more than appropriate.

[metallicat]

Other than the panel being completely ridiculous, I thought the Global coverage was really good.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Ark2

I'm not sure if you read the comments over at CBC, but all during the election, if you visited no other site, you would get the impression that Stephen Harper is the North American version of Pol Pot and the CPC wouldn't win a single vote. I think a little Conservative gloating over there is more than appropriate.

I don't usually read the comments on any of the news sites, unless the story is really controversial...then it can be hilarious!

[Frequitude]

I'm just starting to read up on some of the Dippers elected in Quebec.

A 19 year old, University students, Vegas girl, a bar manager, someone who doesn't speak french...

I don't think anyone there knows who they were voting for. It was all about Jack.

Things could get nasty real quick like if he doesn't represent Quebec first and his federal roots second.

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

I'm just starting to read up on some of the Dippers elected in Quebec.

A 19 year old, University students, Vegas girl, a bar manager, someone who doesn't speak french...

I don't think anyone there knows who they were voting for. It was all about Jack.

Things could get nasty real quick like if he doesn't represent Quebec first and his federal roots second.

The NDP are skating on very thin ice in Quebec. Quebecers can be fickle and could turn on the NDP quite quickly if things aren't going the way they think it should be.

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by Slava

I don't usually read the comments on any of the news sites, unless the story is really controversial...then it can be hilarious!

You really need to check it out over there to see what I mean. Quite the spectacle.

Anyway... I heard a reporter make a very interesting comment today. He said that, although Jack Layton would never admit such a thing, he is probably very thankful that the Conservatives won a majority as several of his Quebec MP's are extremely under qualified. Heck, three of his MP's are university students, one of which is only 19 years old. I think he's going to have his hands full whipping them into shape.

[Lionel Steel]

I don't think you can pull any significant analysis out of a comment page on any site these days.

They pretty much are bucket that the loudest internet trolls and hysterics pour their ######baggery and ridiculousness into.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

I'm just starting to read up on some of the Dippers elected in Quebec.

A 19 year old, University students, Vegas girl, a bar manager, someone who doesn't speak french...

I don't think anyone there knows who they were voting for. It was all about Jack.

Things could get nasty real quick like if he doesn't represent Quebec first and his federal roots second.

Aren't those three all one person? (They could also be multiple people, but I'm pretty sure Vegas girl is an assistant bar manager with inadequate Frech.)

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Ark2

You really need to check it out over there to see what I mean. Quite the spectacle.

Anyway... I heard a reporter make a very interesting comment today. He said that, although Jack Layton would never admit such a thing, he is probably very thankful that the Conservatives won a majority as several of his Quebec MP's are extremely under qualified. Heck, three of his MP's are university students, one of which is only 19 years old. I think he's going to have his hands full whipping them into shape.

Like I said earlier, I think that there are going to be a number of by-elections over the next few years in Quebec. The candidates were running thinking that there was no way that they would win, so you can't really blame them, but I doubt that they all make it through the whole term.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Slava

Like I said earlier, I think that there are going to be a number of by-elections over the next few years in Quebec. The candidates were running thinking that there was no way that they would win, so you can't really blame them, but I doubt that they all make it through the whole term.

It might be a tough job, but they've got 157,731 reasons/year to stick with it.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

I'm just starting to read up on some of the Dippers elected in Quebec. .

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/de...755/story.html
An interesting group to say the least..

Mathieu Ravignat — Pontiac

A karate instructor, who is also a social sciences researcher specializing in aboriginal and environmental issues with the federal government, shockingly unseated Conservative Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon in the Quebec riding of Pontiac on election night. Ravignat is known for environmental activist and is one of the founders of a union representing students employed at the University of Ottawa. A self-proclaimed medieval weapons enthusiast, Ravignat advocated better pensions for forestry workers.

This also isn't his first foray into federal politics. In 1997, he ran as a candidate for the Communist Party.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/decision-...#ixzz1LLhsGHyP

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by SebC

Aren't those three all one person? (They could also be multiple people, but I'm pretty sure Vegas girl is an assistant bar manager with inadequate Frech.)

Perhaps. I'm just piecing together off memory from the various things I read today. Point still stands though?

Where did he find these people?!?

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Mathieu Ravignat — Pontiac

A karate instructor, who is also a social sciences researcher specializing in aboriginal and environmental issues with the federal government, shockingly unseated Conservative Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon in the Quebec riding of Pontiac on election night. Ravignat is known for environmental activist and is one of the founders of a union representing students employed at the University of Ottawa. A self-proclaimed medieval weapons enthusiast, Ravignat advocated better pensions for forestry workers.

This also isn't his first foray into federal politics. In 1997, he ran as a candidate for the Communist Party.

I heard this guy on CBC radio today. He actually sounded pretty well spoken and what not.

Now the giggly french girl with her giggly girlfriends who didn't really seem to have an idea what she is getting herself into...

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by old-fart

He lost all credibility by hiding his own wealth off shore by having his ships registered in the Bahamas. Wanted to be PM of Canada, wanted to take my tax money, but didn't want to pay tax money himself?

I'll admit he seemed like a decent enough guy and did look to, in general, appear to have the best interests of the country in mind but come on... you can't be skirting the tax laws while at the same time be looking to dip into my wallet. Pathetic.

And his god-daughter was some kind of hot and realllllly nice............

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Perhaps. I'm just piecing together off memory from the various things I read today. Point still stands though?

Where did he find these people?!?

I know this is supposed to be rhetorical, but they volunteered. They were supposed to be sacrificial lambs, but they ended up winning.

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by Slava

Like I said earlier, I think that there are going to be a number of by-elections over the next few years in Quebec. The candidates were running thinking that there was no way that they would win, so you can't really blame them, but I doubt that they all make it through the whole term.

I don't blame them for it. They needed to have candidates in every riding and they didn't think they had a chance in those ridings. I'm sure every national party has done the same thing elsewhere, the only difference is, those candidates lose. I just think it could have been very interesting had the CPC not won a majority and Layton had been given an opportunity to form a coalition and become PM.

That being said, what's the protocol for a by-election? Can only NDP candidates run, or is it open to all parties?