2011 Canadian Election Thread

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by Slava

All I know is that if these guys are acting this unethically or brazen with a minority then there is no way that they deserve a majority and the carte blanche power that comes with that.

But Slava, we don't actually KNOW anything yet. Sorry buddy, but I think you're getting (just a bit) ahead of yourself.

I'm in the 'Normally Conservative, currently undecided' camp as well, and personally suspect that there is some minor wrongdoing (poor oversight is my guess).

But I'll tell ya, I'd feel pretty lousy if I based my actions on this (leaked, unfinished, draft) report only to find out that there's basically no wrong doing.

I'll tie back into what I said the other day though.......this story clearly has legs, and (imo) has already eliminated the Conservatives chance at a majority. Depending upon what happens in the next few nights, we have a full blown race on our hands.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by starseed

I just cannot believe this quote from a 'conservative' cabinet minister, Tony Clement, 'Let me tell you, billions of dollars were spent across this country .… We got our fair share, and I'll never be ashamed of that.'



Waste millions on gazebos and fake lakes, then claim it's all fair because of other infrastructure projects around the country? How is this conservatism??? I am sure the residents of his riding would have much preferred that money go to hiring doctors and nurses than gazebos and landscaping.

What part of infrastructure do doctors and nurses comprise? Something tells me they arent the material of choice for concrete mix or asphalt.

Personally I don't have a problem with the conservatives putting the money in Tory ridings. We didnt get a damn thing through the 90's when Chretien was telling us we didnt vote liberal so nothing for us.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Personally I don't have a problem with the conservatives putting the money in Tory ridings. We didnt get a damn thing through the 90's when Chretien was telling us we didnt vote liberal so nothing for us.

I'd rather have the funding for healthcare though.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

But Slava, we don't actually KNOW anything yet. Sorry buddy, but I think you're getting (just a bit) ahead of yourself.

I'm in the 'Normally Conservative, currently undecided' camp as well, and personally suspect that there is some minor wrongdoing (poor oversight is my guess).

But I'll tell ya, I'd feel pretty lousy if I based my actions on this (leaked, unfinished, draft) report only to find out that there's basically no wrong doing.

I'll tie back into what I said the other day though.......this story clearly has legs, and (imo) has already eliminated the Conservatives chance at a majority. Depending upon what happens in the next few nights, we have a full blown race on our hands.

So why did the CPC argue to defeat the motion explained in the Globe article? No way the Liberals want that report out there and the CPC doesn't if it exonerates them. Its pretty clear from these actions that the report doesn't have a whole lot of good things to say about the government record in this instance.

[Bertuzzied]

Tories are only down to an 8% lead in the latest poll. Harper dropped 10% in the Prairies in 1 day and is virtually deadlocked with the Liberals in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1981488/

On the eve of the first of two televised debates, the latest poll for CTV and The Globe and Mail shows the Conservatives at 39.7 per cent compared to 31.2 per cent for the Ignatieff Liberals and 16.8 per cent for Jack Layton and his NDP; the Bloc is at 7.8 per cent and the Greens – Leader Elizabeth May will not be part of the debate – are at 4 per cent.

While little appears to have changed in the so-called horse-race numbers since the election began, the Tory lead is deceptive. The Nanos numbers show that although Mr. Harper has a “comfortable” lead in the Prairie provinces, his support there has declined: On April 10, he polled 61.6 per cent; the next day, 51.2 per cent.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

But Slava, we don't actually KNOW anything yet. Sorry buddy, but I think you're getting (just a bit) ahead of yourself.

I'm in the 'Normally Conservative, currently undecided' camp as well, and personally suspect that there is some minor wrongdoing (poor oversight is my guess).

But I'll tell ya, I'd feel pretty lousy if I based my actions on this (leaked, unfinished, draft) report only to find out that there's basically no wrong doing.

I'll tie back into what I said the other day though.......this story clearly has legs, and (imo) has already eliminated the Conservatives chance at a majority. Depending upon what happens in the next few nights, we have a full blown race on our hands.

If you truly believe that it's only a poor oversight, you are not really in the 'currently undecided' camp.

[North East Goon]

So we are essentially looking at a slight Conservative minority government vs a slight Liberal minority government? I am kind of hoping for a complete tie between these two parties, maybe then they will learn to work together?

[CaptainCrunch]

Should be interesting tonight, I would expect that Ignatieff, Layton and Duceppe are all going to go on the attack and try to get the debate back to the ethics side of things.

I would expect that their key points will be based around the Contempt of Parliment actions and the latest AG reports.

I would expect that Harper is going to be defensive on those areas and try to deflect and delay them. He will probably also try very hard to swing things back to the economy with a healthy dose of unneccessary election and some coalition speech.

I think at this point for Harper its about defending what he has and avoiding damage.

With 20 some odd days to go Ignatieff hasn't made significant poll games he has to be aggressive.

I think Layton has to go after Ignatieff a little more then he does Harper to gain back votes lost to the Libs.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Pinner

I'd rather have the funding for healthcare though.

I'd rather that they fix healthcare instead of throwing money at it.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Should be interesting tonight, I would expect that Ignatieff, Layton and Duceppe are all going to go on the attack and try to get the debate back to the ethics side of things.

I would expect that their key points will be based around the Contempt of Parliment actions and the latest AG reports.

I would expect that Harper is going to be defensive on those areas and try to deflect and delay them. He will probably also try very hard to swing things back to the economy with a healthy dose of unneccessary election and some coalition speech.

I think at this point for Harper its about defending what he has and avoiding damage.

With 20 some odd days to go Ignatieff hasn't made significant poll games he has to be aggressive.

I think Layton has to go after Ignatieff a little more then he does Harper to gain back votes lost to the Libs.

I think you're right about this. It is a dangerous strategy for Harper through this campaign though. We should all know as Flames fans that trying to "rag the puck" for the entire 2nd and 3rd period is not a great strategy. Reminds of McIver trying the same thing in the mayors race from about August 1 and on.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

I think you're right about this. It is a dangerous strategy for Harper through this campaign though. We should all know as Flames fans that trying to "rag the puck" for the entire 2nd and 3rd period is not a great strategy. Reminds of McIver trying the same thing in the mayors race from about August 1 and on.

I don't disagree with you on the rag the puck strategy.

Harper got through the platform stage relatively unscathed as he retained his fairly wide lead in the polls, however the Nanos guy did allude that there would be some interesting results released at 4 today based around the leadership index, not the party polls.

I would think that if Harper gets through today without the opposition landing a significant blow, he'll be able to dictate the rest of the election.

If Ignatieff can't land an effective blow, he might do some small eroding.

Layton does have the toughest job of all, he has to land some significant damage to Ignatieff and Harper, if he doesn't then he becomes the cautionary tale of this election as he's seeing his voter base slowly dwindle.

[CaptainCrunch]

BTW I do love this page.

As of today, the Conservatives lost a seat from yesterdays 153 and the Libs gained a seat

http://www.threehundredeight.blogspot.com/

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by SebC

Looks like the Tories are allocating stimulus money preferentially to their own ridings.

60% of stimulus money went to the 46% of ridings that voted Conservatives. But hey, that's perfectly normal, right? At least, that's what this Tory says.

http://www.therecord.com/news/electi...candidate-says

I actually don't have a problem with this. When you vote, you don't vote for a party, you vote for a Member of Parliament. The guy that wins your riding is sent to Ottawa to represent you. I much prefer that he goes there with the best interest of his constituents in mind rather than just towing the party line and voting in favour of broad policies tabled by his party.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by Slava

So why did the CPC argue to defeat the motion explained in the Globe article? No way the Liberals want that report out there and the CPC doesn't if it exonerates them. Its pretty clear from these actions that the report doesn't have a whole lot of good things to say about the government record in this instance.

To be honest, I didn't actually see that link (Now I'll actually have to believe others when they say that....lol).

Interesting read for sure, definitely a position-swaying piece. I still don't think that there's an Adscam-Level smoking gun here, but (as I stated earlier) I have little doubt that there are some negative items outlined in the report.

Frankly, it doesn't surprise me that the Conservatives wanted the release blocked.....even if the negativity is minor. It's very possible that "Preventing the release" maneuver (which I think was foolish, bordering stupid) is a bigger negative than what the report contains.

As for the NDP......there are only two reasons I can think of for supporting the move. Either they were promised something (on a scale related to what is in the report), or they were trying to control some of the issues that would be debated during the election. Either way, I don't see the NDP (crackpots, but not crackheads) helping the Conservatives cover up an Adscam sized scandal......which is what the Liberals are suggesting this is.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

If you truly believe that it's only a poor oversight, you are not really in the 'currently undecided' camp.

I can tell you two things for sure:

1. I haven't decided who I'm voting for.
2. I suspect that the wrongdoing (and there is some, I'm sure) is much more likely to do with not following rules than full blown adscam-type corruption.

I've got one party (My traditional vote, the Conservatives) giving me reasons to not vote for them, but the other Party (the Liberals) seem compelted uninterested is giving me a reason to vote for them. Sounds like an undecided to me. You can take your smug comment and stick it where the sun don't shine, windbag.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

So we are essentially looking at a slight Conservative minority government vs a slight Liberal minority government? I am kind of hoping for a complete tie between these two parties, maybe then they will learn to work together?

lol, one can dream.....

Quick question, if they were tied, which party would you rather have with the swing-votes.....the NDP or the Bloc?

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

BTW I do love this page.

As of today, the Conservatives lost a seat from yesterdays 153 and the Libs gained a seat

http://www.threehundredeight.blogspot.com/

I think after the AG news the numbers are going to be way closer. Well it already has in a poll conducted yesterday.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I think after the AG news the numbers are going to be way closer. Well it already has in a poll conducted yesterday.

Except that the polls that they use include the three day average which wouldn't show the effect.

I'm really interested in seeing what affect the AG report has.

I'm really interested in seeing the strategies for tonight.

I think that this thing has gone from a debate to a brawl.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Except that the polls that they use include the three day average which wouldn't show the effect.

I'm really interested in seeing what affect the AG report has.

I'm really interested in seeing the strategies for tonight.

I think that this thing has gone from a debate to a brawl.

Iggy should hammer that with the NDP blocking the AG report from being released the Cons the NDP are going to form a coalition.

At least tonite it will get real interesting. Great that May won't be involved too. What time does it start?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Iggy should hammer that with the NDP blocking the AG report from being released the Cons the NDP are going to form a coalition.

At least tonite it will get real interesting. Great that May won't be involved too. What time does it start?

5:00 Calgary time 7:00 est

I'm going to have to leave work right on time to make sure that I get home on time.

Its funny with the new format, because Iggy and Layton will be facing off one on one I think.

Their policies are right close so I don't know how they can debate on platform, neither has been in government so there's nothing in the way of scandals to poke at.

I think this is the woman's wrestler part of the show.