GT: Federal Election

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Exactly. Proportional representation would essentially eliminate the strategic voting nonsense. The problem isn't the voters, the problem is the flawed system.

Maybe but it's also Grant's job to get those convince those voters. Get 50% and you can't lose.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Albertans need to learn to be more flexible with their vote, and they might get campaigned to a bit more seriously. There's a reason why barely any of the leaders even came to Alberta.

Besides, Alberta just had their guy in power for a decade and Im not sure Harper did much in advancing this provinces cause for the long-term. I don't feel like Alberta's prospects today are better than they were 10 years ago, do you? While the entire world is slowly, but surely, moving forward on issues about the environment and energy, the CP's strategy was not to adapt, but to just try to hammer on the brakes. That might have helped to pad those bonus checks for people for a few years, but in the long-term the O&G industry is not in a pretty place. Can't blame the Liberals for that.

Exactly.

The biggest challenges that Alberta faces are from external causes. Maybe Trudeau can do more to work with those external forces to come to reasonable solutions, because Harper wasn't getting it done. Trudeau has been pretty good at selling ideas during this campaign, so let's see what he can do.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Julio

Decimated means one in ten killed, not a significant defeat...where the 'deci' co,es from
(Sorry, it's a gear grinder for me, and it was used incorrectly twice in two sentences.)

Have you ever used any other word to describe a loss or defeat in a hockey game?

The Oilers got clobbered. Wrecked. Hammered. Annihilated. Spanked. Schooled. Technically speaking, none of these terms make sense. But we use them.

It's absolutely culturally acceptable to use the word decimated in this context. So lighten up Oxford Dictionary.

[sworkhard]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Getting 100+ seats isn't exactly losing badly. It's a loss, but it's not like they got annihilated like the liberals in 2011.

Also curious about the fear and rhetoric bit of the last 9 years? Please don't tell my your gonna use the niqab debate as an argument.

A broad, somewhat accurate generalization of Conservative voters is that they are more aware of threats, and appealing to fear is an effective way of mobilizing the conservative vote. As such, a key conservative strategy is to at least appeal to these fears. This doesn't of course require divisiveness

I think it's really only this past election that has been relatively divisive though. Previous elections were won with a combination of not completely alienating their core base, and then running a data driven policy.


While I'm happy to see Harper leaving the PM's role and a different government due to where I disagree with him, I do think he did a decent job of improving the business environment in Canada (ranked #6 country in the world for business last year, the best of the G20), I like his changes to EI (You can work to supplement your income while searching for a new job and only lose 1/2 of the amount you make), and I think his declaration of Quebec as a nation within Canada was brilliant and a major blow to separatism. He's also left the budget in the kind of shape that allows his successors to weave their own legacy almost immediately without having to first fix economic problems left behind of their predecessor.

Now I'm looking forward to the next 4 years and hoping that we elect enough liberals in Alberta to get some representation in the liberal cabinet.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Exactly. Proportional representation would essentially eliminate the strategic voting nonsense. The problem isn't the voters, the problem is the flawed system.

In a proportional system the bloc and greens would be used to prop up a liberal government. Yeah to Quebec getting whatever it wants for its small % of the vote.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by Julio

Decimated means one in ten killed, not a significant defeat...where the 'deci' co,es from
(Sorry, it's a gear grinder for me, and it was used incorrectly twice in two sentences.)

That's the original definition, but if you check the dictionary it's proper to use it to mean destroyed.

[Ashasx]

Just waiting for Craig Oliver to say that Conservatives think the Earth is flat.

[Magnum PEI]

nm

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Table 5

While the entire world is slowly, but surely, moving forward on issues about the environment and energy...

The entire world? Really?

[Mike F]

Disappointing night for the Left in Kamloops-Thompson, where they split and let the Conservative walk back in:

Conservative....Cathy McLeod...21,611....35.1 %
Liberal............Steve Powrie....19,041....30.9 %
NDP................Bill Sundhu......18,707....30.3 %

Polls Reporting: 260 of 275 (94.55 %)

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

On that note, Hehr is up almost 600 votes with 180 of 217 polls reporting. That one has been a real nail biter.

I'm curious about Confederation. A 1300 vote bulge doesn't look like it can be erased in 24 polls. I have to think CBC will "re-call" that one soon--but I wonder what the campaigns are waiting for. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a good source for which polls are in and which ones they're still waiting on--obviously, if Hillhurst and Killarney haven't been counted yet, that could be a reason not to call anything yet, but I don't know if that is the case or not.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Have you ever used any other word to describe a loss or defeat in a hockey game?

The Oilers got clobbered. Wrecked. Hammered. Annihilated. Spanked. Schooled. Technically speaking, none of these terms make sense. But we use them.

It's absolutely culturally acceptable to use the word decimated in this context. So lighten up Oxford Dictionary.

I did mention it was a gear grinder...and even said sorry. I will leave this here for you:

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Just waiting for Craig Oliver to say that Conservatives think the Earth is flat.

Ah, good old Stockwell Day. Wonder where he is jet-skiing in to press conferences now.

[Caged Great]

The main thing is that it will be a change election. Trudeau gets a shot to see if he can be at least okay. If not, the conservatives can come back with a new leader and new message next time and will likely win. Similarly with the NDP, they can ditch Mulclair who ran one of the worst campaigns I have ever seen anyone run and can try to recapture some of what they lost.

It will be a wait and see period for Canada. The worst case scenario is that the Conservatives regain their position in 4 years with a fresh set of ideas and would probably be able to carry the ball if the Liberals mess up.

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Minnie

Duceppe lost his seat. To the NDP.

Au revoir Gilles. The guy will still do a victory speech because his party gained six seats.

[GirlySports]

how does proportional representation work? % of votes = % of elected?

That might not be as fun cause think like Duceppe losing despite his party doing well would never happen

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by zamler

The entire world? Really?

Now that Justin is PM, he'll just wave his magic wand and all the carbon in the world will just disappear. Global warming halted. Peace and prosperity achieved. Carry on.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Hehr's lead back to 200 with 12% more polls. Ridiculously tight race.

[Minnie]

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

On that note, Hehr is up almost 600 votes with 180 of 217 polls reporting. That one has been a real nail biter.

I'm curious about Confederation. A 1300 vote bulge doesn't look like it can be erased in 24 polls. I have to think CBC will "re-call" that one soon--but I wonder what the campaigns are waiting for. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a good source for which polls are in and which ones they're still waiting on--obviously, if Hillhurst and Killarney haven't been counted yet, that could be a reason not to call anything yet, but I don't know if that is the case or not.

Hehr up 433 with 32 polls left...one interesting point in Centre...it is apparent that the ABC vote all went to Hehr, Ratti is only getting 5% of the votes, as opposed to the 2012 by election when Chris Turner with the Greens got a quarter of the vote, allowing Crockatt to get in with under 37%.