Well here we go again...

[Feanor]

Ha ha ha ha.
...

I personally struggle with the whole minority government concept. Not a big fan of more than 2 parties. Even though I can't logically justify any rule that restricts the rights of citizens to form an additional party. In principle it's great, in practice, it kind of sucks, so I don't like it.

Now there's sort of contradiction. The US system, ( example), where you can have the President in a different party than the majority in one or both houses of Congress, is effectively has a minority under those circumstances -- such as right now.

The US system effectively has only two parties because without that the legislative branch would be insufficient power agains the executive branch. But the consequence of only two parties is each is pretty muich a coalition in itself. In fact the coalition-as-party is tends to be true whenever there is a "first past the post" consituency electoral system; of course, this iis the case in Canada.

[Feanor]

I'm voting for Zonker Harris or whichever candidate apologizes for Ann Murray first.

OK, I've heard of Zonker Harris, but who's Ann Murray?

[bobsticks]

OK, I've heard of Zonker Harris, but who's Ann Murray?

Trust me Bill, you don't want any part of it...unhhh....oh, the humanity...

[bobsticks]

Holy time warp, Batman

You, sir, are a time-shifting Warlock and must be given a tribute of Greenies...

[Feanor]

Where do you stand compared to the Canadian parties? Find out by working the CBC's "Vote Compass" ...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cana...1/votecompass/

IMHO, this is terrific.

[ForeverAutumn]

Where do you stand compared to the Canadian parties? Find out by working the CBC's "Vote Compass" ...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cana...1/votecompass/

IMHO, this is terrific.

This was fascinating! I was pretty close between Liberal and Conservative with Liberal running slightly ahead. But then I did a little fine tuning with the buttons on the right-hand side and I'm smack dab in the middle of the two. I was far, far away from NDP and the Bloc, and even further away from Green.

I just wish that I trusted the Liberals more. I've voted for them in the past and might again in the future. But I don't trust the current leaders...any of them!

[Feanor]

This was fascinating! I was pretty close between Liberal and Conservative with Liberal running slightly ahead. But then I did a little fine tuning with the buttons on the right-hand side and I'm smack dab in the middle of the two. I was far, far away from NDP and the Bloc, and even further away from Green.

I just wish that I trusted the Liberals more. I've voted for them in the past and might again in the future. But I don't trust the current leaders...any of them!

You trust Harper more?!? Shoot me now!

But that's certainly the nature of voting. You don't feel you're voting for for the best candidate, but you hope just the least bad.

[GMichael]

Now, now...the Canadian government has repeatedly apologized for Anne Murray on multiple occasions...still waiting for an apology for the Jonas Bros.

If you promise to keep them up there I’ll personally drive up to make an official apology to each and every one of you. I'll go door to door if needed.

Good luck with your election. It’s hard to choose who will screw things up the least.

[SlumpBuster]

I like Anne Murray. Plus, the Canadians made up for any musical sins with The Tragically Hip, one of the finest live bands of all time. Saw them twice. Sold out at Cobo Hall and Pine Knob in Detroit. I've been told that makes me honorary Canadian.

Oh, and thanks for letting an ugly American read about your politics. It is actually very interesting. I read the whole thread and even had to google a couple of references.

[ForeverAutumn]

You trust Harper more?!? Shoot me now!

I didn't say that. I said that I didn't trust any of them. I mistrust them all equally.

But that's certainly the nature of voting. You don't feel you're voting for for the best candidate, but you hope just the least bad.

That's it in a nutshell, isn't it?

[poppachubby]

I am exactly who these parties will be trying to appeal to. No I am not gay or a farmer. I am between 25 - 40 with a house, wife and 3 kids, regular job, 2 cars, etc, etc. I'll be watching these bastards closer than ever to see who actually wants to try and help me and my family, and who ultimately wants to bleed me some more.

I agree with RGA, we need to give the NDP a shot, if for no other reason just to let them hang themselves on their big promises of family and the average person. Frankly I can't see them doing any worse, BUT, any party that's too heavy handed with corporate culture may find themselves answering as to why unemployment is going up.

Tough times...which call for unique and different solutions.

[poppachubby]

I'm voting for Zonker Harris or whichever candidate apologizes for Ann Murray first.

Listen here you yank, and any one else from any country in the world. We will apologize for NOTHING!!! The apology you will get will be a machine gun stuffed up your azzes. The apology will be war, death and glory for Canada!!! I will fight to defend the honour of great albums such as "Theres a Hippo In My Bathtub", "Danny's Song" and yes, even "Greatest Hits".

Sticks I will personally see to it that the first bomb drops directly on your home, and your prized Mac gear will be smashed to pieces.

That goes for Celine Dion and Nickelback too...long live Canadian music!!

[kexodusc]

Not even a week in, and I'm bored of this election already. The promises to date are the blandest, most unlikely and useless carrots I've ever head a party dangle in the opening days of a campaign.

I say we give that Green chick a shot. Completely off the wall. Maybe you all are right and the only way to smarten up the 2 big guys is to have an underdog kick their asses.

[ForeverAutumn]

Apparently "the Green Chick" isn't allowed into the debate this year. Frankly, I don't think that the Bloc have any business there either. At least the Green party has candidates in enough ridings that May could be PM. The Block don't have a chance of being our gov't, so why are they allowed to debate? Who cares what they think outside of Quebec? Sure they can be the swing vote for a minority gov't, but that has nothing to do with the national campaign.

[basite]

Another federal election has been called in Canada. This is our fourth election in eight years and, frankly, I'm sick of all the in-fighting. Not one Canadian that I've talked to wants to go the polls again to vote for the same dickheads again.

What this country needs is stability, but the politicians are all too busy with their own agendas to realize that. I wouldn't mind so much if there was just one person that I had the tiniest bit of faith in, but there isn't. For the first time in my life, it's tempting to not vote.

you're not alone...

enter record-breaking Belgium, 290 days or so without a government, and currently 8 parties debating (read: b!tchfight), to 'lead this country together'. *ahem*.

why? Well, after 20-25 years of no progress at all, the politicians thought it was time for a state reform. hooray. we have a language barrier here, each with it's own government (too much, especially for a country this size). We, the Flemish are supposed to want that state reform, more independence for us, Flanders more of a country on it's own (well, not really, but...). On the other side we have the walloons, who are happy as it is now, in fact, they don't want the Flemish to become more (politically & financially) independent, after all, in the current system, the Walloons get financial support from Flanders, because the law says so.

This feeling grew, over the past years, and the debate kept on going (another big factor in the debate is also "the story of 3 towns near brussels", which are flemish, but the population is more than 80% french speaking (Walloon), now the walloons want these towns to be "part walloon", which would mean the people there can get the government documents, official services, in french, AND, the population can also VOTE for the walloon parties (there it is, the eternal debate...)

anyhow, after a long period of liberals "in charge" here, who did absolutely nothing at all, except debating some more and laughing with the poor working man, and several failed governments (thank you BHV (the story of the 3 towns near brussels)), we wanted some change, we wanted some progress, and we wanted a government that proved to bring enough stability to our country and finally come to a conclusion in the big debate.

So, we were obliged to go and vote. a majority of the Flemish voted for NVA (New flemish alliance), who wanted more independence for flanders, actually do something, and most importantly, for the people.
On the other side of Belgium, the walloons massively voted for the PS (parti socialiste - socialist party, no, they're not evil communists who think the USSR is an example for the world - as most US people think when hearing the word "socialist" (well, their party color is red, that's about the only shared point).

Great, now we have a party that wants change, and another party that wants "the best for their people, and we need flemish money for that too, so maybe it's best to keep everything as it is".

that's problem 1, next problem, is that because we have a gazillion of parties here, even with the massive voting on both sides, the 2 winning parties don't even reach a 60% majority which is needed for some actual change.

so they decided it would probably be best to include most other parties too, except for some small ones, and one or two they didn't like. So, they were debating with 7 parties in total, to lead the country.

In general, this means that for every single decision they want to make, they'll have to reach a general consensus, which in effect changes nothing at all.

and now, 290 days after the elections, we don't have a true government yet, the past government is now in charge (the government of open cases - they can't change anything, can hardly vote a new federal law, ...), for longer than they actually lasted (which is, less than a year in effect, so they almost doubled their term) everyone is sick of it, and in the end, we got nothing out of it, except for that every other country laughs at us for not having a government...

Just great.

Sorry for this (long) rant, but as you see now, it's not that bad there after all...
just wanted to say that you should give the NDP a shot, really, they deserve it. However, if you decide to do that: make sure you do it good, and vote massively.

Regards,
Bert.

[Feanor]

This was fascinating! I was pretty close between Liberal and Conservative with Liberal running slightly ahead. But then I did a little fine tuning with the buttons on the right-hand side and I'm smack dab in the middle of the two. I was far, far away from NDP and the Bloc, and even further away from Green.

I just wish that I trusted the Liberals more. I've voted for them in the past and might again in the future. But I don't trust the current leaders...any of them!

I came out between the Liberals and NDP, maybe a little closer to the latter. I'm a bit more "socially conservative" than either (but then I'm a old guy, eh?).

It's interesting to note how much more ecomomically right-wing and socially conservative the Conservative Party is than any of the others. In fact, looking the output graph, the other parties are relatively grouped together vs. the Conservatives. In the last Parliament (just ended) is it any wonder therefore that the other Parties (excluding Greens but including the Bloc) -- who actually represented the majority of Canadian voters -- where prepared to form a coalition agains the Conservatives?

The NDP has zero chance in my riding given this riding's voting history, So though closer to NDP than Liberal, I feel constrained to vote Liberal to keep out the Conservatives. I feel that this "strategic voting" is justified given not voting for my first choice part would directly contribute to election of my last choice party.

[Feanor]

you're not alone...

enter record-breaking Belgium, 290 days or so without a government, and currently 8 parties debating (read: b!tchfight), to 'lead this country together'. *ahem*.

why? Well, after 20-25 years of no progress at all, the politicians thought it was time for a state reform. hooray. we have a language barrier here, each with it's own government (too much, especially for a country this size). We, the Flemish are supposed to want that state reform, more independence for us, Flanders more of a country on it's own (well, not really, but...).
...

Ah, separatism! We Canadian know a thing or two about that. Witness how Forever Autumn bridles indignantly at any mention of the Bloc Québécois.

I not up to speed on the nuances of Belgian history, so off hand it isnt' entirely clear to me while Walonia, (Waloonia?), didn't joint France and Flanders the Netherlands. But I'm sure there are a hundred more or less silly reasons.

[ForeverAutumn]

Bert, you continue to impress me. At your age I didn't have the faintest understanding of our country's politics. In fact I still struggle with it sometimes. I'm impressed that you are so aware for someone your age.

Reading your post makes me realize that we are not as screwed up as we could be. But it still doesn't make this election any easier to swallow.

Feanor...my husband was listening to CBC Radio and they were talking about that survey. They said that most people will end up Liberal or close to it on the survey as they are the most middle of the road party. Since the questions are so general, most people will end up somewhere in the middle of right and left.

[ForeverAutumn]

Ah, sepratism! We Canadian know a thing or two about that. Witness how Forever Autumn bridles indignantly at any mention of the Bloc Québécois.

LOL! I hardly "bridle indignantly". I just don't think that it's fair that, and don't understand the logic of, the Bloc Québécois being allowed in the debate while the Green Party is shut out. I rather enjoyed Elizabeth May's input during the last debate. She's a smart cookie!

[Feanor]

LOL! I hardly "bridle indignantly". I just don't think that it's fair that, and don't understand the logic of, the Bloc Québécois being allowed in the debate while the Green Party is shut out. I rather enjoyed Elizabeth May's input during the last debate. She's a smart cookie!

As for that, I think they should both be allowed to participate.

[ForeverAutumn]

As for that, I think they should both be allowed to participate.

Agreed.

[bobsticks]

Did you know Michael Ignatieff's wife's name is Zsuzsanna Zsohar?

I think zshe is part of the zstrategic consonant importazion program. If he doesn't win, maybe they'll go back to America and zsettle in Ka'a'ava... or else he'll become a zsenator.

[Feanor]

Did you know Michael Ignatieff's wife's name is Zsuzsanna Zsohar?

I think zshe is part of the zstrategic consonant importazion program. If he doesn't win, maybe they'll go back to America and zsettle in Ka'a'ava... or else he'll become a zsenator.

Yes, I knew.

And you'd be damned luck to get him as a senator, too. Although he wouldn't likely be elected because he admits he's not religious.

[RGA]

I don't know but Harper is by far the worst guy we can be voting for. And I hate the Liberals - Trudeau since have put this country in debt to the nines - but Harper is hardly any better.

LOL

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItqs...e_gdata_player

[RGA]

Well thankfully Fox News isn't getting into Canada even though Steven Harper tired so hard to let his billionaire buddies in the States bring their lying news up here on tax payers dollars no less. Haprer is a slick crook through and through. And having a minister of science who doesn't believe in Evolution (as Harper and Stockwell Day are both in the "earth is 6000 years old camp nuttery) just piles on to how dumb these people are.

Harper wanted to de-regulate the banks before he got in and failed - if he succeeded the recession would have crippled Canada the way it did in the U.S. Conservates are SO bad with money - well not really the fat cats always always get far richer under such governments while everyone else loses including everyone overseas who usually ends up looking down the barrel of a gun.

http://bankofamericasuck.com/tag/did...late-the-banks