Liberals will move to topple Conservative Gov't

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

Which is it, because you cannot have it both ways. If it was not Harper's fault the economy took a downturn (which I believe), it's not his doing that it's in recovery if those forces are completely out of his control (which I believe). And if I recall correctly, Harper wasn't even going to table a stimulous plan if it weren't for the Liberals pushing him to do so. Either way, I can't wait for Dr. Evil to be out of office.

That is assuming that the reason the economy turned around was a direct result of the stimulus package. However look at countries that didn't inject billions into the economy, they are also on the road to recovery. At the end of the day I am glad that it was Harper in power and not a Liberal/NDP coalition party which I am sure would have spent money until they were bankrupt.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I'd love a "None of the above" option.

None of Canada's political parties have done much to inspire me; as a matter of fact, the partisan politics and mudslinging have left me feeling very disconnected at any level.

Canadians need to go elsewhere for their political inspiration. Political parties are machines for fighting and winning elections, nothing more and nothing else. We need to stop relying on them for our politics.

[Bob]

Wouldn't this just result in Yet Another Minority Government?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Hopefully there is no election until Spring, I really dont want an election before then. Although I think if there is to be an election, there will be one sooner than later. Really hard to say what the outcome would be. I dont see a majority for anyone - Libs could take minority if they can finally over take the Bloc in QC.

You can almost bet it will be the second Monday in October.

I REALLY want to hear the reasons behind this...should be nothing but pure BS, but entertaining none the less. All this is boiling down to is the economy is recovering much quicker than most thought and as such the Libs are seeing their one window of opportunity to attempt to blame the Cons shutting. Hard to blame a guy for the way things are going...when they are going well afterall.

I hope Canadians dont buy the crap thats about to be sold to them in the form of "its Harpers fault that the worlds economy tanked"..because i cant imagine that this election will boil down to anything else.

Wonder how hard the Cons will counter with the "remember the coup that the Libs/Dippers tried to pull on all Canadians?"

Like I said...gonna be mudslinging nastiness from all sides IMO. I just hope that Layton gets smoked.

[Pastiche]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

That is assuming that the reason the economy turned around was a direct result of the stimulus package. However look at countries that didn't inject billions into the economy, they are also on the road to recovery. At the end of the day I am glad that it was Harper in power and not a Liberal/NDP coalition party which I am sure would have spent money until they were bankrupt.

Weird comment considering the Conservatives, in the name of stimulus, have run the biggest deficit in the history of Canada. And that's by deficit to GDP ratio not total value.

[MarchHare]

I just hope that Layton gets smoked.

Quoting this for great emphasis because it's probably the first time I've ever emphatically agreed with anything you've posted in a thread about Canadian politics.

[Pastiche]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I'd love a "None of the above" option.

None of Canada's political parties have done much to inspire me; as a matter of fact, the partisan politics and mudslinging have left me feeling very disconnected at any level.

There's a really good "None of the above" option; over thirty percent of Canadians chose that option last election.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Pastiche

Weird comment considering the Conservatives, in the name of stimulus, have run the biggest deficit in the history of Canada. And that's by deficit to GDP ratio not total value.

Yet the liberals and NDP said the stimulus wasnt enough. It was pretty evident they were going to spend a lot more than the conservatives did if they had formed a coalition government.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Pastiche

Weird comment considering the Conservatives, in the name of stimulus, have run the biggest deficit in the history of Canada. And that's by deficit to GDP ratio not total value.

And the Liberals would have run it up higher. If ANY of the political parties run on a platform of fiscal responsibility, we should just storm the Bastille and be done with them all.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

The Liberals will gain seats (they certainly won't do worse under Ignatieff than they did with Dion as leader), but probably not enough for a majority barring any major campaign gaffes by the CPC. An election now will almost certainly result in either a weakened Conservative minority or a Liberal minority (or god forbid a Liberal-NPD coalition majority).

I dont doubt the Libs will increase seats. I just dont see those seats coming as net positive from the Cons.

Another 18 months of Harper. The question is does he seem less, same, more scary in Ontario where you need to win seats. Also you likely wont see Pappy-Danny in Nfl attacking Harper. If he doesnt, the Cons should be able to pick up 3-7 seats in the Maritimes.

Its always hard to predict what Ontario will do so I wont say for sure, but I see a similar situation as we have now with the Bloc and the NDP losing seats to the gain of the Cons/Libs.

Khadr is a land mine that I doubt anyone wants to fight an election for. If I am the Cons I hope that the Libs use him as an election pillar as that is a very weak position IMO for an election. Do Canadian deserve charter protection when they leave the border, I dont think so - a passport is not a Canaidan get out jail free card IMO. If you commit crimes outside of Canada, honestly too bad so sad - why should my tax dollars go to your defence or to carting you back here so we can waste money holding you in our joke of a prison system.

If I am the Cons I make immigration reform a HUGE platform position and I fight with that. Everyone can see the system is broke when a dirtbag like Tran can game the system like that.

[Pastiche]

Originally Posted by Bob

Wouldn't this just result in Yet Another Minority Government?

Absolutely, unless Quebec breaks (which isn't at all likely).

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Quoting this for great emphasis because it's probably the first time I've ever emphatically agreed with anything you've posted in a thread about Canadian politics.

That honestly the best part of election. Watching Layton fire up the rhetoric and used-car salesman act, delivering promises he'll never fulfill, seeing the dippers get all excited and in a frenzy (THIS IS OUR YEAR!!!), then seeing the absolutely crushed look on his face during his concession speech when he realizes that majority of rationally-minded Canadians never believed him and were laughing at him the whole time.

In fact, his routine is very similar to Kevin Lowe's.

[MelBridgeman]

Vote Green, insure a conservative majority!

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by peter12

And the Liberals would have run it up higher. If ANY of the political parties run on a platform of fiscal responsibility, we should just storm the Bastille and be done with them all.

Interesting that you're so sure what the Liberals "would have done"--I don't think anyone could know that who hasn't visited a parallel universe. (I for one am hoping that in the parallel Bizarro-world in which the Liberals had stewardship of the economy over the past few years, Calgary also won the cup in 04)

Politics is politics. If the Liberals are forcing an election this fall, it's because they think it's the smart move. Anyone who pretends that Harper would act differently in Dion's position is delusional. Harper knows how the game is played--you can bet he doesn't think this is "childish."

He might be forgiven for thinking it's "foolish," though. The liberals are down in the polls and still low on money, and haven't gained any real traction all summer. From a strategic perspective I'm very puzzled by this move.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Interesting that you're so sure what the Liberals "would have done"--I don't think anyone could know that who hasn't visited a parallel universe. (I for one am hoping that in the parallel Bizarro-world in which the Liberals had stewardship of the economy over the past few years, Calgary also won the cup in 04)

Politics is politics. If the Liberals are forcing an election this fall, it's because they think it's the smart move. Anyone who pretends that Harper would act differently in Dion's position is delusional. Harper knows how the game is played--you can bet he doesn't think this is "childish."

He might be forgiven for thinking it's "foolish," though. The liberals are down in the polls and still low on money, and haven't gained any real traction all summer. From a strategic perspective I'm very puzzled by this move.

Well, seeing as how the Liberals "put the Tories on a leash" to make sure they spent enough to bail out Ontario's auto industry, I'm sure it would have been worse.

[mykalberta]

I think they are even in the polls actually +/- margin of error. The Canwest poll looked like it was bunk. Personally I think its like others have said, you have to do it now when the economy is still in the crapper relatively and there are likely economists out there who will say we are still in recession - who knows if we are or not.

The one positive Harper could get out of the economy is that he said back in March or so that Canada would be on road to recovery sooner than later - everyone made fun of him cause he has an economics degree from the UofC and was saying it would be years.

I am pretty sure there was a Topic about it with people slamming the UofC as a joke University.

Also, the Libs might be hoping for an "Obama bounce" north of the 49th with young voters. Thankfully for the Cons, most of those "young voters" are in the Cities they likely dont have a chance of winning anyway.

This all could be a ploy to get the Bloc and NDP to support the cons to delay an election until spring. Who knows what people in Ottawa think - they cheer for the Sens, how smart can they be

[Pastiche]

Originally Posted by peter12

Well, seeing as how the Liberals "put the Tories on a leash" to make sure they spent enough to bail out Ontario's auto industry, I'm sure it would have been worse.

You being "sure" only elevates your opinion from "baseless conjecture" to "conjecture."

Fact of the matter is that none of us know what the federal budget would have looked like under a Liberal government.

To go on asserting anything other than that is disingenuous.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

Interesting that you're so sure what the Liberals "would have done"--I don't think anyone could know that who hasn't visited a parallel universe. (I for one am hoping that in the parallel Bizarro-world in which the Liberals had stewardship of the economy over the past few years, Calgary also won the cup in 04)

Politics is politics. If the Liberals are forcing an election this fall, it's because they think it's the smart move. Anyone who pretends that Harper would act differently in Dion's position is delusional. Harper knows how the game is played--you can bet he doesn't think this is "childish."

He might be forgiven for thinking it's "foolish," though. The liberals are down in the polls and still low on money, and haven't gained any real traction all summer. From a strategic perspective I'm very puzzled by this move.

Didn't the liberals publicly and repeatedly trash the government for not spending enough on the stimulus package?
So either:
-They would have indeed spent more
-They were just lying and trying to find any reason, no matter how irrational, to attack the government.

This begs the question: is the official opposition party's role to try to blindly roadblock the current government's efforts at every turn in hopes of taking control next election or is to constructively criticize and work together with the government in an attempt to improve policy and in turn improve the quality of service for all Canadians?

[ikaris]

Interesting move. I expect the Liberals to play the Khadr card during the election (as well as the other lady that was abandoned). Something along the lines of "Harper not supporting brown Canadian citizens abroad"

LOL

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by ikaris

Interesting move. I expect the Liberals to play the Khadr card during the election (as well as the other lady that was abandoned). Something along the lines of "Harper not supporting brown Canadian citizens abroad"

LOL

Pfft. Coloured Canadians have neither money nor influence.