Countdown to Canadian Federal Election 2006 Thread

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Five more weeks of this ...

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

Could you introduce the candidates for the uninitiated?

― Klaus Darko (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 21:29 (twenty years ago)

The Liberals are smart enough to not have Paul Martin in their commercials, since it's not like Martin is Captain Charisma or relatable in any way. He's spoken about but never seen.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 21:32 (twenty years ago)

Rough Guide to party leaders:

Conservative: Stephen Harper. Smarmy douchebag. Adores US Republicans.
Liberal: Paul Martin (current PM). Less smarmy. You take the good with the bad.
NDP: Jack Layton. Thinks he's so suave. Trying his best to make socialism more of a factor in mainstream federal politics.
Bloc Quebecois: Gilles Duceppe. I think I would really like Duceppe if it weren't for the whole seperatism thing.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 21:36 (twenty years ago)

The BQ only run candidates in Quebec, so Duceppe technically can't become the PM, but they do hold enough seats in Parliament to be a huge factor. Plus, you know, separatism and all that. He takes part in all of the televised debates, for instance.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

if martin is less smarmy than harper it's not by much

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

For the first time in my life, I'm actually living in a riding where the winner isn't essentially predetermined. At this point it could go either way (Bloc or Liberal). I'm probably gonna pay more attention to this election than I usually do.

― peter in montreal (spaces are allowed), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

Everyone should feel free to offer their own Rough Guide to the candidates (mine is a bit biased).

― MIRloggedout, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 22:36 (twenty years ago)

Stephen Harper: Loves beer, loves popcorn.
Paul Martin: Hates beer, fears popcorn.
Jack Layton: Fears beer (makes him "chatty"), loves popcorn.
Gilles Duceppe: Beer? Popcorn? You call that culture?*

*translated from French

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

Harper loves beer? I'm having a hard time picturing that. I figure he drinks nothing but rainwater and pure grain alcohol. Preserves his precious bodily fluids, maintains purity of essence, that sort of thing.

― pauls00, Thursday, 15 December 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

Your search - "Stephen Harper drinks beer" - did not match any documents.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/images/pics/4leaders_cp_8976139.jpg

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

Oh that's intriguing. I would never have figured Harper to cross his legs at the knee.

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:10 (twenty years ago)

Someone remind me again what the NDP were hoping to gain by voting against the sitting goverment...

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

Someone remind me again what the NDP were hoping to gain by voting against the sitting goverment?

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

crap

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:12 (twenty years ago)

that's right.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

Keep waiting for that reminder, Sundar. I was bitching about that on another thread too.

Are there any attempts to answer my question posed at the top of the thread?

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

Clearly, Stephen Harper needs to catch a baby dropped from a burning building.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

Okay, so Stephen Harper says one of his first priorities will be to establish fixed election dates. NO SHIT, Bright Eyes!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 19 December 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

I just registered to vote!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

I don't understand the fixed election date thing. Why is anyone thinking this would be a good thing? I mean, it may not be a bad thing, either, but I would've thought there are a lot of other things that could be fixed in the Canadian electoral system (the Senate, ahem), that may be more important. And aren't fixed election dates kind of a conflict with the whole parliamentary system? Mind you, I never studied political "science" in school.

― pauls00, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 04:06 (twenty years ago)

I hate this whole idea of a fixed election date. Does this mean we'd be stuck with a US system where no matter how unpoplular or disfunctional a gov't gets were stuck with them for 4 years?
God, I can only imagine how brutal the media coverage running up to a fixed election date might get. How long do you think before they run out of things to talk about? Because year long election campaigns are just what we need.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 05:21 (twenty years ago)

I don't understand the fixed election date thing either.

Enviro-stud and eye columnist Gord Perks is the NDP candidate in my new riding.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 05:26 (twenty years ago)

Rough Guide to party leaders:

Conservative :: Stephen Harper :: Much like that dude from Ghost in the Shell he is now more android than man. Once killed over 50 seniors when a glitch in his cybernetic brain caused him to ramble about Liberal corruption for 38 hours straight - sucking all the air out of the tiny auditorium. Has an unhealthy affinity for chaps.

Liberal :: Paul Martin (current PM) :: Ex-shipping tycoon who became head of the Liberal party and de facto Canadian PM after defeating former PM Jean Chretien in a stuttering contest. Still receives a weekly allowance from his parents and is rumoured to occasionally wet the bed.

NDP :: Jack Layton :: Barely speaks english and when he does we all wish we didn't. Had a disappointing finnish in the previous election on his ill-advised "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" platform. Has the yellow fever.

Bloc Quebecois :: Gilles Duceppe :: Rehabilitated supervillain. Has the dreamiest blue eyes and is probably too smart to be in politics.

Green :: Jim Harris :: "Hu?"

xpost - HEy me too!!! Davenport reprezent!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 05:49 (twenty years ago)

http://www.warrenkinsella.com/images/harper1.jpg

to those who haven't seen this pic: THIS IS NOT A PHOTOSHOP JOB

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 07:05 (twenty years ago)

We had our first fixed election this spring in BC, and my feelings are mixed. On one hand, the campaign was easy to plan in an insider sense. We convened an election planning committee in January for a May election, and planned out a four-month campaign, effectively, in terms of securing supplies, finding an office, committing resources, planning vacation dates, etc. and two days before the writ officially dropped, we had enough ground organization to blitz the riding with several hundred signs. In Vancouver, where signs are only permitted on private property, to have that many up so quickly is very rare. Compared to an abrupt snap election, where the first week or so of a campaign is spent pulling things together, a fixed date is luxurious.

That said, what was lacking from the BC election, I felt, was any sense of excitement. Either from the long-term planning or the contiunous extra-parliamentary anti-Campbell nonsense that everyone was exhausted from, May 17th felt like the final end to a long, long march. It felt so inevitable, like a major holiday; all the excitement about an election (Now! right now! we're runing out of time!) that we can use to get pumped up now when no one knows the exact date was gone. Now, this may have been peculiar to the race I worked in or this election's dynamics, but I didn't like it. I like the balls-in-the-air, anything-can-happen jitters from a snap election.

― derrick (derrick), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 07:58 (twenty years ago)

Well, isn't it pretty duplicitous of Harper to extoll the virtues of a fixed election date, since, um, he's spent the last year trying to force an election?
I mean, I think the idea that Parliament can be dissolved when it loses confidence in the gov't is a pretty frigging great one, even though I think the latest attempts at Non-Confidence Motions (going back to last spring, as well as the most recent, successful one) were utterly motivated by sheer political ambition and nothing else. Which, y'know, sucks, and has completely undermined the final report from Gomery (which will come like two weeks after the next gov't is formed).

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

also, what the fuck is up with Tucker Carlson?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

I read Harper has Fox News running in his office consistently as his source for information. That should tell you something.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

Word is that T.C. called Canada the USA's "retarded cousin" last week.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

I do wonder how much of what Tucker says is a schtick/tongue-in-cheek - maybe he'd be a fun guy to go out and have a wine spritzer with or something. Although sometimes I want to knife him in the kidneys.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:06 (twenty years ago)

He's the U.S. version of Evan Solomon, I think, only amplified.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

Here's the story. If nobody else wants to do it, I'll stand in as the retarded cousin.

― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

The paper here ran the story on the front page with a photo of TC looking like, well, a retarded cousin. Er, looking ESPECIALLY like an RC.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:13 (twenty years ago)

ok, so a fixed election date might make it easier for the political machines to get organized. But is that really an advantage? I'm a big fan of the whole dissolution of Parliament thing, too. Or maybe I just like dissolution in general. Pass the absinthe, please.

I just haven't heard any reasons, yet, why fixed election dates would be any kind of improvement on the current system. I've heard people say it might make parties more accountable, but I think it might have almost the opposite effect. I'd rather that they put their energies, political reform-wise, into some better form of proportional representation.

I thought Duceppe was the best of a bad bunch in the debates. About the only one who didn't just repeat the talking points that had obviously been planned beforehand. Too bad about the rehabilitated supervillain thing, though. Although having a supervillain in charge would make things more interesting. "Retarded cousin", eh? More like "retarded cousin with a laser gun that can heat the earth's core to a million degrees if you don't meet this list of insane demands!" mwah, hah, hah....

― pauls00, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:14 (twenty years ago)

Which, y'know, sucks, and has completely undermined the final report from Gomery (which will come like two weeks after the next gov't is formed).

The NDP is more to blame for that.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

I do wonder how much of what Tucker says is a schtick/tongue-in-cheek - maybe he'd be a fun guy to go out and have a wine spritzer with or something.

75%

Carlson *usually* doesn't sink down to this sub-O'Reilly level ... there were some episodes of Crossfire where he was getting roasted over the war or whatever and he'd almost be laughing as if to admit "yeah, I know my viewpoint is a bit fucked but I have to say this stuff because that's the whole point of this show". I haven't seen him since he's been on MSNBC, but I gather that they hired him to act like a straight-faced no-bullshit conservative douchebag because controversy = ratings, or something.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 19:05 (twenty years ago)

What's the big deal about the final report? It's just going to lay out ideas for how to prevent this from happening again. The one we saw a few months ago that laid blame was the juicy one!

xpost

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

OH NOES! Ralph Goodale (my local MP, and SK's only Cabinet Minister) in hot water!

And CTV Newsnet just reported that illegal music downloading could become a hot issue in the campaign. There must be an intern filling in on the newsdesk over the holidays.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 29 December 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

What the hell is with the surge in Tory support?

And did Paul Martin just say that aboriginal people were "the root cause of poverty"?

(I know what he *meant* to say, but I don't think that's what he said)

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 02:01 (twenty years ago)

b/c people forget mulroney

― anthony easton (anthony), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:35 (twenty years ago)

Tucker Carlson is my new hero.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:41 (twenty years ago)

xxpost: That is indeed what he said -- caused some eyebrow-raising in our household, I'll tell you whut. I trust it wasn't what he *meant* to say...!

― Surfer_Stone_Rosalita (Surfer_Stone_Rosalita), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:42 (twenty years ago)

I am voting for the Canadian Communist Party (aka. NDP) because it's a two-party race in my riding. Libby Davies is my candidate: lesbian super-hero. And the Christian Heritage Party have drifted too far to the left for me.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:44 (twenty years ago)

So Marting slurred First-Nations people in the debate. What a dick. I hate him even more. Even if it was accidental.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:45 (twenty years ago)

Canadian politics rule!

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:46 (twenty years ago)

A serious question: How is it that we allow a party with the intention of breaking from our country to debate a FEDERAL debate? And just because Duceppe has a Quebecois accent does not an intellectual make him.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 03:47 (twenty years ago)

Separatism is a key federal issue -- look at it this way, would you feel better if it *wasn't* given national attention. 25% of Canada's population lives in Quebec and that's a significant portion of the *nation's* electorate.

Also, the BQ could be part of a coalition govt in principle (even though they claim it will never happen). Regardless, any party that holds a non-ignorable number of votes in Canada's parliament is a party whose platform I want to hear discussed in a national forum.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 04:48 (twenty years ago)

Ok, I knew someone would give an intelligent reply to my rash statement. But still, when is this issue gonna shit or get off the can?

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 04:59 (twenty years ago)

so why is tucker carlson your new hero?

― Sym Sym (sym), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 05:52 (twenty years ago)

because he called Canada "America's retarded cousin"

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 05:55 (twenty years ago)

therefore he is my hero

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 05:56 (twenty years ago)

the link again: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/12/19/1360167-cp.html

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 05:59 (twenty years ago)

Conservative minority! I called it back in November!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 06:03 (twenty years ago)

I don't think you understand what being an NDP voter entails. Besides, my man Pat "Soviet Canuckistan" Buchanan could kick Tucker's ass.

― Sym Sym (sym), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 06:03 (twenty years ago)

― Sym Sym (sym), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 06:04 (twenty years ago)

It means accepting a conservative minority for starters!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 06:19 (twenty years ago)

This is the first election for which I've lived in a swing riding, and I don't like it. Heritage Minister Liza Frulla (Liberal) beat out Thierry St-Cyr (Bloc) by 72 votes in a recount last time around. I doubt she'll come out ahead this time, but I think a strategic vote is in order here. I'd rather vote with my conscience, but as mentioned, a vote for the NDP (or bloc, or green) means accepting a PC minority.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:17 (twenty years ago)

What sort of life expectancy does a Conservative minority government have? A month? Will they make Joe Clark look good?

― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:19 (twenty years ago)

Well that's true... but maybe the key is making sure it's 'only' a minority then.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 17:27 (twenty years ago)

I don't think that'll be a problem. I'm betting the thought of having to go to the polls again right away will make a lot of people who are on the fence vote Liberal, especially in Ontario.

― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 18:08 (twenty years ago)

But Conservatives hate minorities!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:35 (twenty years ago)

PARADOX

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:37 (twenty years ago)

Anyway, the BBQ is pretty weird. In a lot of ways they're pretty cool and I would totally trust them as the balance of power party in a Lib Minority.
A Conservative Minority is going to be V. problematic. They're certainly not going to find any friends with the Liberals, and will have to act like Liberals to get NDP support, and, while they may find Bloc support for some of their issues, they're really not going to want to have themselves portrayed as being in cahoots with a bunch of sissie frenchboys.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:39 (twenty years ago)

Oh oh, and on an actually interesting note: several SK Conservative (and conservative) candidates have had their websites or domains hijacked by pranksters who ridicule their anti-gay stance.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:40 (twenty years ago)

Link?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:42 (twenty years ago)

The Toronto Star is now reporting 39% Conservative support vs 27% Liberal, which is getting dangerously close to a Tory majority govt.

The biggest loser in all this might be Jack Layton, who took the largest parliamentary power his party had had in two decades, shat all over it, and has made zero gains in the popular vote. If anything, the NDP will be a lot worse off once more of their supporters vote Liberal in two weeks to minimize the Tory gains.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:46 (twenty years ago)

i can't even imagine how a conservative minority would manage to get ANYTHING done.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:49 (twenty years ago)

I think andrewscheer.com might be one of them (if it is, it's NSFW)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Didn't all the polls from the last election show the CPC doing way better than they actually did?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:56 (twenty years ago)

Basically the PCs are fucking it all up simply by existing, correct? Don't people see the wrongheadedness of voting to 'teach Martin a lesson' or to 'send a message'? Why don't we have proportional representation yet? And why isn't Jim Harris allowed in the debates? I find all of these things upsetting.

xpost www.andrewscheer.com could not be found
xxpost Well yes, and I don't think this is a good time in history to not be getting stuff done. it's scarier imagining what a conservative majority WOULD get done though.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 20:59 (twenty years ago)

.ca maybe?
I've heard there's a nasty Jim Pankiw site, and somebody named Trots got hit too.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:00 (twenty years ago)

It's "andrewscheermp" and it appears unsullied.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:04 (twenty years ago)

Jim Harris is not allowed in the debates because his party doesn't have a single seat. Have you ever seen him talk? He'll get killed!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:06 (twenty years ago)

true, true. I just like to think (perhaps mistakenly) that he'd direct the discussion to more important issues like "we're doomed as a species, what are you going to do about it?"

Maybe David Suzuki should moderate the debates.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:13 (twenty years ago)

Perhaps this isn't the place for a discussion of electoral reform, but I am completely unsold on the "benefits" of proportional representation because it virtually ignores the territorial distribution of votes. In a country as large as Canada, this cannot accurately represent the electorate.

Plus, proportional representation = unstable governments.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:38 (twenty years ago)

You think parliament is a mess now, with all the bickering and infighting? That's nothing compares to what a proportionally elected parliament would be like.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:39 (twenty years ago)

How's that?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:41 (twenty years ago)

Since smaller parties wield more power, coalition govt's are shakier because they can be composed of more parties (would there have been a need to unite the Canadian right with a proportionally elected parliament? Likely not). There's more incentive for parties to raise hell in parliament (more platforms = more disagreements), break with the govt, make deals with other parties, bring forth special interests, etc., etc.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:49 (twenty years ago)

-- superultramega (ultramarinate...), January 10th, 2006.

We both live in the same riding. I'm probably voting Bloc, mostly because I really dislike Liza Frulla. I think I can live with a Conservative minority

― peter in montreal (spaces are allowed), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 04:28 (twenty years ago)

I'd rather have a Conservative minority than a Liberal minority. *runs and jumps off cliff into a jagged bush*

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 04:40 (twenty years ago)

I don't like the current system all that much, if only because it splits the left. I didn't mind it when the right was getting screwed by it. But barry is right, and the Israeli congress has tons of psychos getting elected because they have pro-rep.

― Sym Sym (sym), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 04:43 (twenty years ago)

and my seat is one of the country's only safe NDP seats (go libby), so I'm pretty comfortable voting NDP.

― Sym Sym (sym), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 04:45 (twenty years ago)

that's because you are an insufferable communist hack!

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 05:16 (twenty years ago)

good point

― Sym Sym (sym), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 05:50 (twenty years ago)

and the Israeli congress has tons of psychos getting elected because they have pro-rep.

You realise that there's tons of successful democracies that use PR, too, right? People always drag out Israel and Italy, but, uh, how about Germany, the Netherlands, NZ, Finland...

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 09:29 (twenty years ago)

I haven't really examined Pro-Rep that much, and have generally leaned towards it, but Germany, Netherlands, NZ and Finland are all rather small (geographically) so...
I've been reading a lot of Alberta/SK Isolationist, er, Independence Crank Blogs lately as sort of a side venture on a project I'm pretending to work on, and one of them was talking about how the new Campaign Finance rules screw northern ridings vs. reward urban ridings.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 14:55 (twenty years ago)

We both live in the same riding. I'm probably voting Bloc, mostly because I really dislike Liza Frulla. I think I can live with a Conservative minority

-- peter in montreal (eatmorefis...), January 10th, 2006.

Having done a bit more research, especially around bill c-60 dealing with digital copyright and the candidates interest and involvement in the betterment of our neighbourhood, I see where you're coming from. I now am thinking more in terms of who I'd like to have representing us, and it's not her.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 17:52 (twenty years ago)

I just voted. I voted for the NDP candidate, which will probably end up favouring the Conservative incumbent in my parents' riding. I'm worried the election results will prove Barry right. I'd really been starting to like Layton too. That said, I can't get too excited (and I've tried) about the idea of keeping the Liberals in power, which is why I ultimately couldn't stomach voting strategically for the Liberal candidate here. I'm guessing the surge in Tory support might have something to do with the whole "the Liberals were a kleptocratic bunch of crooks" issue.

I am completely unsold on the "benefits" of proportional representation because it virtually ignores the territorial distribution of votes

This is partly my problem with the idea. Mainly I just don't like the way it totally minimizes the independence/identity of individual MPs in favour of political parties. (Members basically just = placeholders for their party. Do they even vote according to their own conscience on issues or do they just follow whatever the party agrees on as its policy? It doesn't seem sensible that they would vote on conscience in this system.). There's something to be said for voting for a person rather for an overall party or ideology.

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 22:15 (twenty years ago)

so, soldiers with guns

― Sym Sym (sym), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 23:08 (twenty years ago)

I reviewed the Liberal and NDP platforms tonight (pdf's are at their websites). The NDP's is mostly hot air -- continual criticism of the Liberals, with very vague proposals. The Liberal's is far more detailed.

On science and innovation, naturally it's not even close. The NDP haven't budged from their one-line definition of "science funding" = "get more auto engineers so the auto and steelworkers unions will keep their jobs". In comparison, the Liberal's funding proposals go on for five pages.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:25 (twenty years ago)

but you of course realize that parties can say whatever the hell they want at this point.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:50 (twenty years ago)

and will

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:50 (twenty years ago)

Woot! I helped make some of those pdfs!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:56 (twenty years ago)

And fuck science funding, I'm voting NDP.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:57 (twenty years ago)

word to commie brothers

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:59 (twenty years ago)

NO DICE, PHYSICISTS!

xpost

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 12 January 2006 05:59 (twenty years ago)

Yeah parties can say whatever they want, but it's safe to say that whatever they will do is a subset of what they *say* they will do. And I don't see the NDP concerning themselves about job creation and stability outside their working class base.

Education and science funding are connected ... why should the govt pay for education when they won't create jobs for those people once they're out of school? There's a line in the NDP platform that goes like "we want to make education more accessible to students ... no matter where they end up working". So, they want to spend an extra $9 billion or whatever on education and have nothing to show for it other than a bunch of ex-pats who can say "I went to school back home in Canada" (unless you're an auto engineer or have a degree in forestry). Screw it, that's a lot of wasted money.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 12 January 2006 07:26 (twenty years ago)

i want the one who hates fags least, the rest i can wrestle with (ie crime, arts funding, immigration, internationalism, etc)

― anthony easton (anthony), Thursday, 12 January 2006 07:31 (twenty years ago)

I also think there should be a wrestling component to the debates.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:01 (twenty years ago)

Harper looks like he'd tap out quickly, or maybe he'd have salt in his pocket for throwing into the others' eyes ala Mr Saito. I'm voting Green like I always do. Fuck the 3 main parties.

― Bryan (Bryan), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:06 (twenty years ago)

Martin on Canada A.M. backpedalling on "Soldiers in Cities": "Um, what we meant was that Harper wants to have our Armed Forces spread out in bases across the country, while the Liberals would have them concentrated in places that are more likely to have natural disasters."
YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYING ANYMORE!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:10 (twenty years ago)

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060111/elexn_martin_AM_060112/20060112?s_name=election2006

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:11 (twenty years ago)

The Liberal Leader pointed to a speech that Harper gave in 1997 to the Council for National Policy, a right wing American think tank, in which he referred to Canada as a "northern European welfare state, in the worst sense of the term."
"Those are his words," said Martin. "He has said those are still his views. He said Canada was second rate -- that was his view."

The Conservatives claimed that those comments, including one in which Harper told U.S. conservatives that their movement was a "a light and an inspiration to people in this country and across the world," were meant to be "tongue-in-cheek."

Do Tories know the diff between "tongue-in-cheek" and "nose-in-ass"?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:14 (twenty years ago)

Not when they mean the lower cheeks.

― turmo, Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:36 (twenty years ago)

Paul Martin:

http://bodyslamming.com/other/pics/genichirotenryu.jpg

Stephen Harper:

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/pictures/h/hayabusa/11.jpg

Jack Layton:

http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/pictures/r/robconway/06.jpg

Gilles Duceppe:

http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/pictures/sheik.jpg

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 12 January 2006 19:18 (twenty years ago)

Some Conservative retard was just on TV regarding "soldiers in the streets" saying, "c'mon Liberals, when are we going to stop using the military as pawns?"

Holy shit ...

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:58 (twenty years ago)

Looking at NoTimeBeforeTime's photos, I am no longer going to talk smack about teh Conservative party. scared. very scared.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Friday, 13 January 2006 01:37 (twenty years ago)

Martin, Harper and Layton are flying on the Executive Airbus to a
gathering in British Columbia when Martin turns to Harper and says,
chuckling,

"You know, I could throw a $1000 bill out the window right now
and make someone very happy."

Harper shrugs and replies, "Well, I could
throw ten $100 bills out the window and make ten people happy." Not to
be
outdone,

Layton says, "Well I could throw a hundred $10 bills out the
window and make a hundred people happy."

The pilot rolls his eyes and says to his co-pilot, "Such arrogant asses back there.

Hell, I could throw all three of them out the window and make 32 million people happy."

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Friday, 13 January 2006 01:41 (twenty years ago)

Although I probably voting for the NDP, as I more closely inspect the platforms, I must say the NDP has the most unfeasible platform. To pay for everything they want, we would have to raise taxes to, like, a cagillion percent.

― Freud Junior, Third Cousin to Chuck Norris (Freud Junior), Friday, 13 January 2006 01:43 (twenty years ago)

I read the NDP platform, under the current economic situation, is actually affordable. I think Harper's would actually be the one to require a tax hike.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 13 January 2006 05:53 (twenty years ago)

The CBC said that there's no "safety" net in the NDP platform ... so if anything goes wrong (federal emergency, dip in the economy, etc.) then they will run a deficit.

It also contains nonsensical promises such as investing in "renewable energy sources all within a revenue-neutral framework." Um, no. You can't properly invest in renewable energy and expect to bring in enough revenue each year to not run a deficit. That's why it's called "investment" -- you put money into it and it pays off in 5-10 years.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 13 January 2006 07:01 (twenty years ago)

The NDP platforms have never been affordable.

I'm not worried about my riding since both the cons and the NDP are running also rans against one of the few cabinet ministers not under RCMP investigation. I am worried about majority government though.

What ever happened to Peter Mackay? Where has old Droopy been hiding?

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Friday, 13 January 2006 14:42 (twenty years ago)

He was in Regina last weekend. (or maybe the weekend before? no, that was new year's, nobody with a choince spends new year's in Regina)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 13 January 2006 15:25 (twenty years ago)

Mackay seems like the kind of guy that would think regina a party town.

― termo, Friday, 13 January 2006 18:27 (twenty years ago)

Pictou County and Antigonish aren't exactly happening night spots either.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Friday, 13 January 2006 18:30 (twenty years ago)

Hey Huk, are you from Saskatchewan (sp?) ?

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Friday, 13 January 2006 18:55 (twenty years ago)

I spent one of the more unpleasant days of my life in Swift Current.

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Friday, 13 January 2006 18:56 (twenty years ago)

SK REPREZANT!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:01 (twenty years ago)

Who knew!

http://www.scootter.net/Ricky%20&%20Bubbles/Ricky_small.JPG = http://www.valleyskeptic.com/stephen_harper.gif

I think I'd rather have Ricky in office.

― termo, Friday, 13 January 2006 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Maybe he can be Health Minister, or get a Senate Appointment.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:14 (twenty years ago)

Swift Current's my home town. It's not as good now as I remember it.

― Bryan (Bryan), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:24 (twenty years ago)

There's still enough time for the Liberals to create new attack ads that highlight this information. Remember the infamous Tory "would you want THIS as your PM?" ads from 1993 that made fun of Cretien's palsy?

"Would you want THIS MAN'S COUSIN as your PM? Hells no! Vote Liberal on Jan 23!"

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:25 (twenty years ago)

How long till we get Ricky Beer?

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:41 (twenty years ago)

Bubbles for PM!

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:44 (twenty years ago)

Ricky:
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/features/trailerpark/gfx/ricky.jpg
-”Knock knock.”

Canadian voters:
http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_international/images/crowd_300.jpg
-”Who’s there?”

-”Your next fuckin Prime Mistral, that’s who. Now fuckin hand over some smokes.”

-This January Vote Liberal

― termo, Friday, 13 January 2006 19:46 (twenty years ago)

I ate at the A&W in Swift Current once. That's about it.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 13 January 2006 19:56 (twenty years ago)

My brother spilled hot chocolate on my dad's nuts in a campground in Swift Current. I remember it being flat, dusty and somewhat depressing. But then again, I was 7, so maybe I just didn't know where the party's at in town.

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Saturday, 14 January 2006 06:22 (twenty years ago)

I've been steadfastly ignoring this thread, but now that the election's just over a week away, well, I had to look. Also, there was a bit on 22 minutes tonight that made me laugh re: voting, gulp, conservative (mocking the buckley's ads.) So I guess tomorrow I'm going to call elections canada and make sure that I'm registed for the riding I moved to recently. yeah.

I took poetry classes at university taught by a famous Cdn poet from Swift Current.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 14 January 2006 07:10 (twenty years ago)

as in WO Mitchell?

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Saturday, 14 January 2006 07:20 (twenty years ago)

No, though that would've been cool! younger - as in Lorna Crozier! She did win a GG after all.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 14 January 2006 07:25 (twenty years ago)

I've been steadfastly ignoring this thread

why?

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 14 January 2006 07:27 (twenty years ago)

Because the world is terrified of our political wisdom!

(Vote Marxist/Leninist on Jan 23!)

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Saturday, 14 January 2006 07:40 (twenty years ago)

I plan on voting for a gay jewel thief.

― Chinchilla Volapük (Captain Sleep), Saturday, 14 January 2006 08:26 (twenty years ago)

It'll spoil your ballot if you X all of the circles.

― Bryan (Bryan), Saturday, 14 January 2006 08:29 (twenty years ago)

I have no good reason for not looking at this thread. Except that at first the election bored me, and then made me angry. And now, well, this is when reality sets in, so what can one do but pay attention? Well, bitch about it, I suppose. But I'd rather not do JUST that.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 14 January 2006 10:02 (twenty years ago)

(Bryan are you in SC these days?)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 14 January 2006 10:09 (twenty years ago)

No no, it's just that the last couple of times I've visited there it had changed so much I could barely recognize it, and not in a good way. I'm still in fun old Winnipeg.

― Bryan (Bryan), Sunday, 15 January 2006 01:13 (twenty years ago)

Winnipeg, the ballet capital of Canada!

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Sunday, 15 January 2006 05:57 (twenty years ago)

zuh?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 15 January 2006 06:22 (twenty years ago)

what does zuh mean?

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Sunday, 15 January 2006 06:49 (twenty years ago)

Hu?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 15 January 2006 06:50 (twenty years ago)

puh?

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Sunday, 15 January 2006 07:26 (twenty years ago)

http://cagle.msnbc.com/working/040614/mackay.jpg

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 15 January 2006 07:46 (twenty years ago)

Mackay? Good too see he has a fallback career already in the goings.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 15 January 2006 22:56 (twenty years ago)

David Icke to thread!

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Sunday, 15 January 2006 23:54 (twenty years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Icke

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Sunday, 15 January 2006 23:57 (twenty years ago)

The most recent poll results show the Conservative lead slowly growing. The first whisperings of an outright majority have started to surface.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 16 January 2006 04:43 (twenty years ago)

In Canada, you have polling booth in snow. In Soviet Russia, you have snow in polling booth!

Canada, what a country!

― Yakov Smirnoff, Monday, 16 January 2006 04:59 (twenty years ago)

The poll released on the weekend by CanWest Global totally ignored a fairly significant undecided segment of just under 20%, which might not be enough to keep out the Conservatives, but might keep them from a majority, in which case...SEE YOU IN OCTOBRE!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 16 January 2006 14:55 (twenty years ago)

I think the spector of a conservative majority will be frightening enough to bring their numbers down a bit in the next few days. Lets face it - they’re doing this well now simply as punishment for the Liberals but no one wants to punish the entire country.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 16 January 2006 15:28 (twenty years ago)

It took the Reform party 19 years and a name change, but it looks like they have finally pulled it off. While I think that the Liberals pretty much deserve what is coming their way, all of the blame cannot be laid at Martin's feet. Chretien also has a lot to answer for. Although I refuse to vote "strategically" this time around, I wish I liked Layton more. My favourite out of the lot is Duceppe, and that makes me so sad that I almost want to cry.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 16 January 2006 15:31 (twenty years ago)

I was thinking yesterday about what a bunch of stumblebums the Conservatives are and wondering how the hell they're going to manage running the country, and then I realized the current crop of Liberals are a bunch of rank amateurs as well (and Chretien's cronies weren't much better--maybe worse!), and, y'know, cheez whiz.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 16 January 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Election 06:
corrupt vs. inept

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 16 January 2006 15:42 (twenty years ago)

And then there's Maurice Vellacott: www.voteoutvellacott.com

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 16 January 2006 15:43 (twenty years ago)

This dude Maurice seems like a dick, Horace.

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 03:44 (twenty years ago)

Fucking hell, you leave a country for three months and this happens! That'll learn me to stop checking my TorStar RSS feed. I will not be happy when I return to Harperland in February. (Although I'm British, so I can't really whine. Or can I?)

― Chuck_Tatum (Chuck_Tatum), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 21:01 (twenty years ago)

What happened to that stiff upper lip?

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 21:06 (twenty years ago)

Well well well, Jack Layton is kissing Tory ass and laying out his "bottom line" as if his party is going to mean jack shit in the next parliament. His primary election goals -- bleed votes from the Liberals -- is a complete failure, as all those angry Liberal voters are voting Conservative. This confirms what I've been saying all along, that Layton cares first and foremost about trying to wield what little power he has, even at the expense of realigning his party's principles.

If Harper doesn't get a majority, he might get still get enough seats to pull a Joe Clark and govern as if he had a majority, cutting deals with Liberal MPs to pass legislation on a case-by-case basis. Unlike 1979, that strategy will work this time because nobody wants to have yet another election anytime soon.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:01 (twenty years ago)

Joe Clark was likeable on some levels tho.
He (and his party) were also much closer to the centre than what we're seeing now with Harpo.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:06 (twenty years ago)

So you think that a Conservative minority govt wouldn't last too long (less than 1yr, perhaps?)

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:11 (twenty years ago)

Calling an election is completely within the discretion of the GG. If the CPC is defeated on a non-confidence matter she can just as easily turn to Martin and ask if he can pull together a coalition gov’t instead of triggering another election.

xpost - i honestly don't see them being able to gather support for most of their priorities outside of their own party.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:15 (twenty years ago)

It would be interesting if that came to pass, not only because it's one of the only true "decisions" the GG can still make, but because it hasn't happened in ... 80 years?

That didn't happen last November because 1) Martin would have called an election in a couple of months anyhow, 2) his coalition depended on the support of an entire party (NDP). Suppose Harper gets ten seats short of a majority -- the Bloc won't form a coalition with anyone, and the NDP + Liberals won't have enough votes to gang up on the Tories, so they'll have to all get along. He won't have to worry about losing any one party's support and walk a tightrope like Martin did with the NDP. Harper can play them against each other and bargain for the marginal extra support he needs to get his policies passed.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:28 (twenty years ago)

In other words, once Martin lost the support of 19 NDP ministers, it was all over. Suppose Harper pisses off 19 Liberal MP's -- so what? He can pull the votes he needs from other Liberal or NDP MP's.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:31 (twenty years ago)

Well five days can be a long time when you're approaching an election. We'll see how the seats get distributed. My original prediction was for a slim CPC minority and hopefully I wont be too far off when the dust settles. Ideally we'll get too A) watch the Libs feed mArtin to the maggot and B) take bets on how & when Haper blows it! Aside from some government ethics reform there's not alot Harper wants to do that has wide support. I think there's a chance he could form the most unpopular minority gov't in our history!

What are you doing Monday anyways? I'm thinking beer and popcorn!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 20:42 (twenty years ago)

UBC's political science department is putting on a free pizza night for the election. I think I will go with my Dad, a history prof. There should be some good analysis and conversation at that gig.

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Strategic voting guide for all:
http://democraticspace.com/blog/strategic-voting-guide/

― Sym Sym (sym), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 22:57 (twenty years ago)

Hey Sym, would you be interested in going to that Poli Sci. thing with me? There might be booze involved.

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 23:21 (twenty years ago)

As long as the Toronto Election headquarters is far far away from Chow I'd go.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 23:40 (twenty years ago)

What are you doing Monday anyways? I'm thinking beer and popcorn!

Yes! It might also be the last day to smoke weed before the Tories bring in the death penalty for possession.

I was pointed to that democraticspace website a few days ago, and I'm not convinced that it isn't total bullshit. His model is a step removed from the notorious Toronto Star projection in 2004, where they took the 2000 election results for each riding, revised them according to then-recent national polling data (comically applying national numbers to every individual riding), and predicted a Tory minority govt.

His model uses provincial polling numbers and tries to account for local distributions by applying "voting trends" to each riding ("trends" = 2004 and 2000 elections, two elections do not constitute a trend) in the attempt to fudge the existing data in lieu of real riding-by-riding polling numbers. I also don't understand why some ridings are close but are labelled "undecided", others are equally close but have been declared.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 19 January 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

NDP majority here we come!

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Thursday, 19 January 2006 00:38 (twenty years ago)

I kinda like this http://www.electionprediction.org/2005_fed/index.html as far as riding by riding election predictions go.

― peter in montreal (spaces are allowed), Thursday, 19 January 2006 01:58 (twenty years ago)

I like that site! It's not rigourous or scientific (and it doesn't claim to be) but there are some interesting discussions there.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 19 January 2006 02:18 (twenty years ago)

Wait, I know you're joking but de/criminalization of possession of marijuana is under federal jurisdiction, isn't it?

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 19 January 2006 02:28 (twenty years ago)

I think a couple of provinces have already passed decriminalization laws. The federal decriminalization bill will die once the Tories are elected (Harper has explicitly stated this).

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 19 January 2006 02:38 (twenty years ago)

Wait, for some reason (exhaustion?) I was thinking that this was a provincial election when I posted that. It's only now that the worst possibilities of a Tory victory occur to me. VOTE STRATEGICALLY, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO, JUST DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN. THINK OF THE CHILDREN.

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 19 January 2006 03:08 (twenty years ago)

I wish I could vote for the rainbow lightning logo for 'too close'.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Thursday, 19 January 2006 03:42 (twenty years ago)

Please post that logo so I do not lose interest in this election thing. I'm really trying here, but keep getting depressed by it, which makes me want to not care.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Thursday, 19 January 2006 03:47 (twenty years ago)

Don Martin (who usually bores me to SUV-sized tears) wrote in his column yesterday about the unlikelihood many "star" liberals are going to want to continue as part of the Opposition and that at this point they might even be hoping to lose their seats. Which is at once horrifying, obnoxious, arrogant and, maybe, just maybe, OTM.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:41 (twenty years ago)

http://www.electionprediction.org/2004_fed/f_tc.gif Too Close!

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:23 (twenty years ago)

I've had a love-on for that site for several years now too!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Rainbow Lightning Bolt for President of the World!

― That I Could Clamber to the Frozen Moon and Draw the Ladder (Freud Junior), Thursday, 19 January 2006 18:21 (twenty years ago)

I like this one too.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 19 January 2006 18:40 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone played this game? I found this on the site Thermo linked to.

http://www.80soft.com/pmforever/info/index.htm

― NTBTloggedout, Thursday, 19 January 2006 19:25 (twenty years ago)

oh wow, now I want to vote for the RAINBOW LIGHTNING BOLT too (too close to call, mangs! bladow! crash! wheee! - endless roffling). That and Bambu faux-coffee beverage played a significant role in elevating my spirits today.
And then I felt like a responsible adult, so I called Elections Canada and made sure I was on there with my new address and they told me where to go vote, so I guess I'm voting for SOMEONE on Monday.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 20 January 2006 00:40 (twenty years ago)

(ohno! There's a rainbow lightning bolt in my electoral district! Last time around, it was Liberal. I feel some kind of responsibility now.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 20 January 2006 00:45 (twenty years ago)

Why do all the major parties have such sucky logos on that site but the minor parties have relatively good ones (Green, Marxist-Leninst, even Christian Heritage).

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 20 January 2006 01:04 (twenty years ago)

I really like the Green Party logo.

OH NO SASKATOON!
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=74d41294-b9ff-4a67-a7c5-fb47c275c2ce&k=12583

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:39 (twenty years ago)

What's weird about that call is that before the sexual assault accusation, the caller brought up Vellacott's past ties to the Liberal Party. Weird because Axworthy himself was a two-term NDP MP, and then switched to provincial politics and was even Justice Minister for the Sask NDP before joining the Grits.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 20 January 2006 16:42 (twenty years ago)

what's the best website for canadian news?

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 23 January 2006 03:11 (twenty years ago)

www.theglobeandmail.com
www.thestar.ca
www.cbc.ca

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Monday, 23 January 2006 03:30 (twenty years ago)

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/coach.html

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 23 January 2006 03:31 (twenty years ago)

I'm thinking about voting Liberal for the first time in my life. I'm in Ralph Goodale's riding, and he's probably got the only chance of defeating the Conservatives in the whole dang province. I wish there was a way to feel good about this.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 23 January 2006 14:36 (twenty years ago)

Ron and Don believe goalies should be allowed to handle the puck anywhere on the ice.

Why does that sound dirty to me?

And don't overlook this brilliant little Q&A:
http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/ (look for the "Youth Vote" video)

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Monday, 23 January 2006 16:26 (twenty years ago)

I just voted! It was quite good really - the station was in a school and all the kids were laughing and smiling as they were getting ready to go home. It made me happy. Now to wait for the outcome...

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 23 January 2006 21:09 (twenty years ago)

... and wipe those smiles off those little bastards faces!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 23 January 2006 21:11 (twenty years ago)

hahaha! nooooo!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 23 January 2006 21:18 (twenty years ago)

We might as well use this thread as our rolling results thread. For your reference, here is the results thread from the last election:

Rolling 2004 Canadian Election Results Thread

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 23 January 2006 23:17 (twenty years ago)

Join me and Thermo as we celebrate the regime change with our govt-approved beer and popcorn. Thermo requested caramel corn because he supports the NDP and their wasteful social spending. I support the Liberals and am therefore more pragmatic, so I purchased a less extravagant package of cheddar cheese popcorn that fits more frugally into the government's meticulously balanced budget.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 23 January 2006 23:22 (twenty years ago)

Sigh.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 23 January 2006 23:29 (twenty years ago)

Yes, imagine that guy wanting to waste perfectly useful tax dollars on caramel corn. Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 23 January 2006 23:42 (twenty years ago)

Not coins, anyways. Bills, they sorta come from trees, along with some post-consumer waste.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 23 January 2006 23:57 (twenty years ago)

Hi guys!

I have the fear (and if need be, the beer to drown my tears)

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 00:11 (twenty years ago)

So I just went out to vote and it turns out that I didn't know which riding I was in. I thought I was in the Jeanne Le Ber riding where there would be a very close race. Turns out that's just the people across the street from me, I live in the very safe for the Liberals Lasalle-Émard riding and am represented by Paul Martin. When I looked at the ballot and saw those names, I had this sinking feeling realizing that my vote wasn't really that important after all. I feel like and idiot.

I ended up voting Green.

― peter in montreal (spaces are allowed), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 00:44 (twenty years ago)

After my gal eats her dinner, we'll go vote.
Me - Green (only cuz the NDP is a sure thing in our riding)
Her - Green or NDP

― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 00:53 (twenty years ago)

Maybe the left-of-right needs to unite now to stop all the vote-splitting that will inevitably lead to a Stephen Harper majority.
-- Huk-El (handsomishbo...), June 30th, 2004.

― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 00:55 (twenty years ago)

I voted Green, because the neo-con troglodoyate who hates fags, and socialism will win

― Anthony Easton, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 00:55 (twenty years ago)

I will buy you a beer if Lasalle-Émard shocks the nation by being the 1st ridding in Canada to elect a Green MP.

woah xpost

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 00:56 (twenty years ago)

Air Farce was on fire tonight. Rick Mercer is tearing shit up right now. Can you imagine watching American election coverage and seeing footage of the president's campaign aides playing cards and proudly stating:
"We're playing Asshole!"
"I'm the president!"
"You mean the Prime Minister!"
"The chief asshole!"

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Don Cherry and Ron Maclean will be along later because everybody knows that we can't have election coverage without a bit of hockey-related perspective on things.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 01:18 (twenty years ago)

I want to see Cherry telling Duceppe to stay outta the corners!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 01:32 (twenty years ago)

The only bright spot with regards to the seemingly inevitable conservative victory is that the reality can't be nearly as bad as I've built it up in my head to be. Of course, I also thought that about Bush and he proved me wrong in spectacular fashion.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 01:58 (twenty years ago)

...I changed my mind walking to the polling station. Our MP's done a good job. He deserves my vote.

― peepee (peepee), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 02:12 (twenty years ago)

Big buck, no wammies, Stop [the election now]!

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 02:52 (twenty years ago)

there is something almost hilariously sad about the title of this thread

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:05 (twenty years ago)

minority! minority!

(our riding went Lib thank god, I did not want Peter Kent Brockman as my MP)

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:08 (twenty years ago)

what do you mean "went"? it was 4% in! get me a drink now please

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:12 (twenty years ago)

Bif looks depressed

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:13 (twenty years ago)

Goslings or beer?

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:13 (twenty years ago)

surprise me (it's all i have left)

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:15 (twenty years ago)

Check the "Toronto Voices" on http://news.bbc.co.uk

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:15 (twenty years ago)

A Bloc/Con government is like some unholy union made in the hell of some John Carpenter movie.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:18 (twenty years ago)

The Bloc lost votes to the Conservatives in Quebec! Federalism lives!

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:20 (twenty years ago)

aaagh! Possibly even in my riding! POSSIBLY ONLY.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:23 (twenty years ago)

I guess I still have 37 minutes to go buy that tear-drowning beer...

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:23 (twenty years ago)

Rrrobyn, if I could I get you a Fin Du Monde cause nobody should be forced to live in a Conservative riding (unless its Elsie Wayne).

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:33 (twenty years ago)

what sites are people using? I like http://cac28.insinc.com/cponline/election2006/elxn_eng.html

I'll be happy if Lib+NDP > CPC

― älänbänänä (alanbanana), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:34 (twenty years ago)

is it true that alberta didnt elect anybody but cons

― Anthony Easton, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:43 (twenty years ago)

liberal lost votes to bloc in quebec, like near the mecca of federalism! souveraineté is night! anyway the federal elections are never that fun for me, no contender to the "real" elections @ the provincial level.

― 346346@34254.net, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:45 (twenty years ago)

oh great, another minority. see you all back here in six months.

― yuengling participle (rotten03), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:46 (twenty years ago)

Fuck, I could have been watching Lambada rather then Bif Naked stuttering infront of Deborah Grey.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:51 (twenty years ago)

these CBC guys are entirely too chummy. mansbridge needs to regulate.

― yuengling participle (rotten03), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:53 (twenty years ago)

What 1980s election did the CBC steal their graphics from?

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:54 (twenty years ago)

Lambada? you sick bastard.

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:57 (twenty years ago)

We might as well turn this thread into a "months until the next election prediction" poll.

Dave says 6 mos.
I say 23 mos.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:03 (twenty years ago)

Is 6 months the minimum?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:09 (twenty years ago)

You know, I kind of have a weirdly good feeling about this. I'm glad the Liberals are out of power but that along with the NDP (who've vastly increased their representation) they trounce the Tories. A Conservative govt kept in line by the Liberals and NDP can't be too bad. I love minority governments personally. I really think they tend to work best + I see no reason why any government should remain in power for more than two years before an election.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:15 (twenty years ago)

A minority government living hand to mouth isn't the best way to run a country.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:30 (twenty years ago)

Instability is underrated.

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:31 (twenty years ago)

So, yeah, Alberta is totally blue. And Stronach won her riding. And there's a minority Conservative govt, I guess.
I am glad I voted what I voted and went with what I believed in (or as close to that as possible...). Looking at the results, I don't know why anyone thought the Cons stood a chance (in Outremont). Looks like the Liberals are going to take it over the Bloc.

I hope you all are faring well with it all.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:35 (twenty years ago)

Kardinal Offishall and Melissa auf der Maur on CBC!

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:36 (twenty years ago)

I'm just amazed at how such a small sample size of the counted polls so far can pretty much determine the 'results'. I suppose that's why focus groups and opinion polls can often predict things with eerie accuracy...

My riding (Davenport) stayed Liberal, although I expected a lot more vote shuffling, since the incumbent (Silva), who being Portuguese had obvious guaranteed votes, came out (quietly, mind you) as gay during his recent term. This doesn't sit well with many of the older Portuguese, and figured there would be a chunk of votes over to the Cons (also a Portuguese candidate), since they couldn't stomach voting for the whitey NDP guy. I voted for the NDP dude because he did door-to-door, and I got to chat with him for a bit and he seemed like a good fella. Looks like he'll come in 2nd, mind you, so not bad. I did consider voting 'strategically', but I talked so much shit in the past about voting 'locally', I stuck to my guns...

So a Conservative minority, then. Well, better than a majority I suppose. And I'm inclinded to agree with Sundar - the instability of the parliament will hopefully keep that creepoid Harper and his cronies in check. And I've been thinking that maybe this country needed to experience a shitty conservative government (and leader) just to remind us not to do something silly like that again for a while.

And after being delivered a good slap, I predict a Liberal minority gov't next time, and blah-de blah blah... IT GOES ON LIKE THIS

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 04:54 (twenty years ago)

It's pretty close to working minority government. 125 Cons + 30 NDP/IND - 1 Speaker.

Will the Bloc prop up the government just to help in the upcoming election?

It should be noted that no party won seats in all provinces, with Liberals sweeping PEI (all 4 seats) and Cons sweeping Alberta.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 05:12 (twenty years ago)

Martin just announced he was stepping down from the leadership of the Liberal Party.

― Binjominia (Brilhante), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 05:15 (twenty years ago)

Well this hasn't been bad. We got rid of the Liberals but didn't give the conservatives a majority - not even more seats than the Liberals' last gov't! I wanted the NDP to hit 30 but, as things look now, 29 will do just fine. And most importantly (to our country) the Bloc vote slipped against all predictions. I don't even care that most the seats they lost went to the CPC. I'm now off to see what Liberals are left that could replace Martin.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 06:35 (twenty years ago)

Separatism got slammed tonight, that's for sure -- Quebecers hate the Liberals, but didn't choose to favour separatism in its place.

Westerners always complain that their votes don't matter because every election is decided in Ontario. Winning all of Alberta's 28 seats (more than their margin of victory) gives all non-Westerners a reason to slap anyone who still wishes to claim that.

(although one might also argue that the election was won by the Liberal -> Conservative shift in Quebec)

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 06:40 (twenty years ago)

what are you talking about? separatism didn't get "slammed".they did almost as good as last time?? federalist be spinning oh no

― 23554@235234.net, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 06:47 (twenty years ago)

Dude they went from 54 to 51 seats when everyone was predicting them to come in, at the very least, just short of 60.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 07:03 (twenty years ago)

They were supposed to get 50% of the vote, with an even larger majority said to be favouring separatism these days. Instead, the BQ got about 42% of the vote. And they didn't lose those votes to the Liberals, they lost them to the Tories, showing that Quebecers chose to vote federalist despite the Liberal collapse in the province. The CPC's emergence as a guinine 3rd party in Canada is one of the biggest stories of the election. That's not federalist spinning, that's what every news network is saying.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 07:26 (twenty years ago)

what, canada no longer utopia?!? Gosh, you just lost some valuable smug points against your lovable neighbors down south. Wtf, canuckians???

― margaret true doh!, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 07:27 (twenty years ago)

50 or whatever it's still more than all the other contenders added together... and you know from the latest pool I was expecting this, them to do less good than last time. of course I'm not totally satisfied but it's not that much of a big deal: overall over here the bloc won , thankfully.

― 234234423@234234423.net, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 07:34 (twenty years ago)

Gosh, you just lost some valuable smug points against your lovable neighbors down south.

Some, but not all. Furthermore, the fact that he didn't win an outright majority means that Mr.Harper can't take things as far to the right as some, myself included, had feared. Don't expect the smugness to stop anytime soon. Besides, Canada's not a utopia. It just looks that way sometimes due to who we automatically get compared to.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 08:21 (twenty years ago)

now for the wave of former Cabinet Ministers resigning.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 14:35 (twenty years ago)

Hey Barry, I think I figured out what happened to my rollies last night. Last time we saw them we had a Liberal gov’t. Harper wins and then the drug paraphernalia mysteriously vanishes. The man works fast, I’ll give him that.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:04 (twenty years ago)

Up next Harper personally shoves aborted fetuses back in and has Debbie Grey perform some witchcraft to bring them back to life.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:09 (twenty years ago)

The dollar's probably up, so it's a good day for internet shopping! YAY HARPER!

xpost

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:09 (twenty years ago)

Conservatives to sell PEI over EBay.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:16 (twenty years ago)

SO, what happens with "Western Alienation" now? The Liberals made a point of appointing Western MPs to high Cabinet posts, Goodale, McLellan, Dosanjh. Will the Conservatives go the opposite, and appoint Ontarians to top positions to try to further appeal to those sexy 416ers?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Well there'll be a few Quebecers.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

As for appealing to the 416, this wil have to do, I guess:

http://www.oracleofottawa.org/Tony_Clement.jpg

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:33 (twenty years ago)

He won by 21 votes, so I think it's automatic recount.

Peter MacKay Minister of Something He Can Be Hidden From Public View For.
Stockwell Day Minister of Prayer.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:40 (twenty years ago)

Well, Stock WAS Foreign Affairs Critic, so, um, SHIT!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:42 (twenty years ago)

You know I dislike Belinda but I hope she becomes Peter MacKay's shadow critic.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 15:58 (twenty years ago)

Minister of Skidoo affairs.

xpost ha ha! that should be her title!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 16:01 (twenty years ago)

"Mr. Speaker, let it be known the Honourable Minister cries after sex."

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 16:02 (twenty years ago)

Speaking of which...who will be the speaker? If I was Harper (AND I'M NOT, I PROMISISES), I'd totally approach that wacko independent Quebec radio guy for the job.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 16:03 (twenty years ago)

"Mr Speaker this will just take a minute which is more then Honourable minister of leaving the toliet seat up can say."

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 16:08 (twenty years ago)

Hooray, Olivia Chow up in my old riding, finally. And she had the decency not to clap when George Galloway was at UofT.

― Chuck_Tatum (Chuck_Tatum), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 16:48 (twenty years ago)

As sad as I am about the Cons being in power, I won a bet for $20 on this election, so it's not all bad. Too bad that $20 is going to evaporate if Harper gets his fiscal way, down the road.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 04:05 (twenty years ago)

I finished second in our prediction pool at work. Everybody else thought the Tories would finish with over 130 seats. I was easily the closest on the Tories and Libs, but I lost because I thought the Bloc would clean up in Quebec (I predicted 60 seats). Also, the damn NDP got a favourable vote distribution this time and increased their seat totals by more than their national polling numbers might have suggested. Even if I'd pegged the Bloc and NDP at 59 and 21 seats (instead of 60 and 20) then I would have won.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 04:24 (twenty years ago)

Here's what I've been wondering: what's with the Conservative obsession with presenting Harper as a "man of the people"? Does the Conservative voter base really see him as a charismatic, down-to-earth guy (kinda like the way Republican voters think about George W. Bush)?
The Liberals are smart enough to not have Paul Martin in their commercials, since it's not like Martin is Captain Charisma or relatable in any way. He's spoken about but never seen.

-- MindInRewind (), December 14th, 2005 4:32 PM.

Hmmmm ... interesting looking back on some of our comments after the election is over. We now know that the Liberals decided they wouldn't bother campaigning too much until the New Year, and that Harper as "man of the people" ended up working. History should show that the announcement of the RCMP criminal probe was the backbreaker -- if you look at the polls over the course of the election, things were fairly stable up to that point, but immediately afterward there was a runaway train of Tory support. With a big lead in the polls, Harper had plenty of time to divert himself from discussing policy 100% of the time and start into "getting to know me" mode.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 06:13 (twenty years ago)

Odds are that the Bush administration will work with Harper to magically "solve" the softwood disagreement, as if they were just waiting for this.

― peepee (peepee), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 13:05 (twenty years ago)

History should show that the announcement of the RCMP criminal probe was the backbreaker -- if you look at the polls over the course of the election, things were fairly stable up to that point, but immediately afterward there was a runaway train of Tory support.

Yet Goodale cleaned up in his riding. Which I guess probably has as much to do with the other parties not fielding strong candidates to run against him as it does with his smarmy good looks and the fact that the "insinuations" were pretty bunk.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 14:27 (twenty years ago)

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