2011 Canadian Election Thread

[nik-]

Watching this news coverage is making me angry that the Bloc is even allowed to exist in such an inflammatory role.

This country needs a referendum to force political parties to run legitimate candidates in the majority of the country or they can #### right off. The fact that a separatist party can play such a major pivot role in Canadian politics is disgusting.

[transplant99]

Also I think what played a part so deeply in the failed coup of 2008 is that Dion was asked specifically if he would agree to form a coalition with the NDP a week before the election. He answered unequivocally that he would not. The less than 2 months after the results come in, not only is he agreeing to partner up with the NDP but also to get in bed with the seperatists. It is as distasteful now as it was then, and a majority of Canadians agreed. It's quite possible that he won seats (preventing a Con majority) based on those voters being assured that he wouldn't give power to the dippers never mind the BQ.

Fast forward to yesterday and Ignatieff refusing to give a yes or no answer to the same possibility after saying less than 8 weeks ago he had no interest in forming a coalition...and this feels eerily similar to 2 1/2 years ago.

[transplant99]

OK..Ignatieff has cleared the coalition issue up.

From the Liberal Party of Canada website...

We will not enter a coalition with other federalist parties. In our system, coalitions are a legitimate constitutional option. However, I believe that issue-by-issue collaboration with other parties is the best way for minority Parliaments to function

We categorically rule out a coalition or formal arrangement with the Bloc Quebecois.

So it's transparent now. Good.

http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/news-...ael-ignatieff/

[Flabbibulin]

Originally Posted by transplant99

OK..Ignatieff has cleared the coalition issue up.

From the Liberal Party of Canada website...




So it's transparent now. Good.

http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/news-...ael-ignatieff/

good news, but why in god's name did Ignatieff want an election then?! for a few seats to be juggled? what a complete donkey.

[metallicat]

That's what I don't get. If they legitimately figured they could win this election, fine. But all signs pointing towards status quo. Weird.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

That's what I don't get. If they legitimately figured they could win this election, fine. But all signs pointing towards status quo. Weird.

There was planned to be an election next year anyway, so by doing it now and keeping things more or less the same, it pushes another election back where by then it might be more advantageous for the Liberals to force another election.

[Savvy27]

Flabbibulin: They want an election because it is their position that the Harper government does not respect or abide by the parliamentary process or the institution of Parliamentary supremacy.

It is exactly like in 2005 when Harper chastised the NDP for identifying the Liberal government as corrupt and then planning to vote in favour of their budget because they made some gains in health care. He was right then, just as those who say the NDP could not say that the Conservative government is in contempt of parliament and then vote for their bill because they made some gains in support for seniors are right in this situation.

If an MP or a party (or three parties and the majority of parliament) agree that the government has been corrupted, then it is their responsibility to dismantle the government. It is fine to disagree with their assessment of the government, but the actions they have taken are appropriate given their position.

They also want an election because they think the balance of power can change. There is a reason that parties spend the most money (of their own) and energy on elections, and that reason is that campaigns matter.

Transplant99: that makes sense, but, in any minority government, a party that represents millions of people is going to have an impact.

Nik: I agree that the Bloc should be required to run candidates nationally, or at least be shut out of the leadership debates to marginalize them, but much like democratic reform, any party that pushes that agenda will pay a heavy political price.

I agree with Andrew Coyne from Maclean's that this is an election about democracy. I just wish that the parties who claim to be defending democracy would actually come forward with some proposals to improve our system (Mixed-member Proportional Electoral system FTW!).

[Ducay]

The sooner the election is done with, the sooner Ignatief can be replaced. I'm not a liberal man myself, but I sure do think they're shooting themselves in the foot with this guy.


That said, I'll likely vote green or something because I hate Rob Anders

[nik-]

Ignatieff reminds me of John Kerry. Comes in to run because someone told him it would be an easy win over an unliked incumbent, does nothing, looks goofy, spouts a bunch of tired crap and loses.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by transplant99

OK..Ignatieff has cleared the coalition issue up.

From the Liberal Party of Canada website...




So it's transparent now. Good.

http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/news-...ael-ignatieff/

It was pretty transparent in 2008 when Dion affirmed he wanted nothing to do with the Bloc before the election. We all saw how that turned out. It won't slow the Conservatives down in keeping the spectre alive, however.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

It was pretty transparent in 2008 when Dion affirmed he wanted nothing to do with the Bloc before the election. We all saw how that turned out. It won't slow the Conservatives down in keeping the spectre alive, however.

Not to mention that the current coalition agreement between the Libs and the NDP doesn't actually expire until June of this year!

Interestingly Ignatieff didn't mention anything about that.

http://www2.canada.com/pdf/accord.pdf

[Ford Prefect]

Caution ... anyone who believes anything any politician says, especially during an election campaign, is a sucker. Please PM me about buying a used vehicle.

As for the election, I think I'll spoil my ballot and vote for Duceppe as a write-in. At least he and I agree on one thing ... that Quebec should leave Canada.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

That's what I don't get. If they legitimately figured they could win this election, fine. But all signs pointing towards status quo. Weird.

The only alternative then is for the opposition to support whatever the Conservatives want to do. Does that sound like democracy where a party with a minority of parliamentary support gets to run the table because the other parties don't want to have to go through an election?

[driveway]

Damn. I WANT an NDP-Liberal-Bloc coalition. Nothing would get done and pot would be legal.

[FiftyBelow]

Harper and the Conservative strategists have done a masterful job of shifting the rhetoric towards coalition-talk as opposed to the government's contempt for parliament. Ignatief and Libs are having a hard time providing a consistent response while the Conservatives are able to just drive the message home. More importantly the media is running with the coalition issue.

Just brilliant politics so far. I'm impressed. Obviously its still early, but so far its a good start.

[flames_1987]

Truly a low point in Canadian politics, an election that will change nothing and cost the country millions of dollars. Just different shades of gray with 3 leaders who all have more concern about their ego's then doing anything productive for this country. Besides those god awful Conservative Campaign commercials, the thing I'm least likely looking forward too are those god awful "Just Vote" Campaigns.

[McG]

perhaps i am in a minority here given this thread, but i for one would like to know exactly what platforms all of the parties are actually running on.

of particular interest to me is the approach to the economy, and how best to keep Canada moving forward.

So far, i know what the CPC was planning as they produced a budget; not spectacular, but imo steady hands on the wheel stuff.

Liberals? Nada.

NDP. Already known.

Until there is any change in economic policies from the parties, i don't know how anyone with an interest in the economy can consider voting for any party but the CPC.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by flames_1987

Truly a low point in Canadian politics, an election that will change nothing and cost the country millions of dollars. Just different shades of gray with 3 leaders who all have more concern about their ego's then doing anything productive for this country. Besides those god awful Conservative Campaign commercials, the thing I'm least likely looking forward too are those god awful "Just Vote" Campaigns.

I'm not exactly seeing how an election is such a bad thing. If anything its $300 million dollars being pumped into the economy.

Sure, we'll probably get more of the same old, but elections, and what they cost should be part of any democracy.

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I would like a blood pressure monitor attached to me for the entire election and see how high my blood boils when Jack Layton speaks.

Oh, how I hate the NDP........

It seems to me, that the NDP and Layton in particular are able to spout off completely meaningless epithets about campaign issues from the safety of never having to actually follow through with any of them. He can be completely off base and unrealistic in his political campaign, because he doesn't have to answer to anyone since he will never actually be in a position of enough power to make any of his promises come true.

Basically he is just an illusionist with no accountability.

[Azure]

I don't think Harper is the best leader, but to me its laughable when people complain about that especially considering that Obama was considered great leadership material, but doesn't even have the balls to reform the financial sector before the next global collapse.