Canadian Election Jan 23.

[Jabba]

The Liberals won a minority Govt. about 18 months ago. A vote of non-confidence was held and now Jan 23, we'll be at the polls. Who do I think wil win it? It will be close. 50 50, Liberals or Conservatives. Whoever has the best campaign will win. The Canadian population is cool, espcially holding an election over the Christmas Holiday. First time in a long time. Ooooh, can't wait for the door knocks Christmas Eve 

[ChadTower]

I haven't been following Canadian politics in the last few years... is Martin's administration really that corrupt?

[GGKoul]

I rather have Liberals BACK in power then crazy idea Steven Harper and the Conservatives.  And by Harper forcing the re-election issue over the past few months, the Liberals will win MORE seat this time around to make the Liberals have a majority government. 

[ChadTower]

Hey, be thankful for the Quebecois keeping that from happening, right?

Have I just said that?   

[GGKoul]

Hey, be thankful for the Quebecois keeping that from happening, right?

Have I just said that?

[ChadTower]

The Separation is not BS if enough people are willing to vote for it.

IIRC, last time nearly as high a % voted for Separation as did for Bush in the US.

[Zakk]

We have elections?  I thought that whoever pours the most public money into Quebec gets to be Supreme Chancellor.  Wow, learn something new every day!

[xar256]

We'd better hope it isn't close...Otherwise we're gonna be back here in another 18 months or so doing it again.  These dumbasses are so busy posturing, that nothing gets done.  <Even moreso than usual>

Why do I have a feeling voter turnout is going to be even lower than 2004?

Xar256

[ChadTower]

This is pretty much how the US would be if we had more than two viable parties... no one would have a strong enough majority to protect themselves from the politics of removal of power.

[Stingray]

Is it too late for me to run? I think I'd make one heck of an Emperor of Canada.

-S

[Jabba]

I'd vote for ya...at least you admit you're a Slacker. These clows appoint all their crony friends, get a GREAT pension, do ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- for the country, and leave.... 

[Goz]

I thought Canada was just going to join the US as a republic or a really big state since so many of them are concerned with US politics. 

[Zakk]

We would, but we think your leader is more kooky and corrupt than ours (oh and ours is kooky and corrupt!), so what would be the point?

[Dartful Dodger]

I thought Canada was a suburb North of Detroit.

[Zakk]

No, it's just where all the people from Detroit store their guns, evidently

[ChadTower]

Canada gets all the geopolitical benefits of bordering on the US with none of the cost.  They are pretty much in the best situation they could possibly be in.

Without the US bordering on Canada for like 3000 miles, Canada would be part of some other country by now.  They don't even have to have a viable military because the US would never allow a hostile threat on North America.

[menace]

I'm really not sure this time around--agreed the liberals are money grubbing cronies but at least the economy does well with them--the conservatives are just that--conservative with all the religious dogma to boot.  The NDP are an option if my plan was to subject the country to economic chaos and rampant socialism--maybe i'll vote green--least they don't hide the fact that all they want to do is smoke up and be happy 

[Zakk]

Without the US bordering on Canada for like 3000 miles, Canada would be part of some other country by now.

[ChadTower]

Erm, you just recapped what I said and agreed with it.  What is the problem?

I never said the US was the threat, I said the alliance with the US is why Canada doesn't need a world power level military.

[GGKoul]

Erm, you just recapped what I said and agreed with it.

[GGKoul]

I'm really not sure this time around--agreed the liberals are money grubbing cronies but at least the economy does well with them--the conservatives are just that--conservative with all the religious dogma to boot.

[Zakk]

Erm, you just recapped what I said and agreed with it.

[ChadTower]

I've been through that "health care" system.  If you live outside of a metropolitan area you're better off with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a dirty sock.

[menace]

Chad, I see you are trying to be funny but man you're one hard core cynic--i lived outside of a metropolitan area most of my life and received more than adequate health care--it was likley your "sun-shiny attitude" that got you the service you received 

[ChadTower]

Chad, I see you are trying to be funny but man you're one hard core cynic--i lived outside of a metropolitan area most of my life and received more than adequate health care--it was likley your "sun-shiny attitude" that got you the service you received

[Zakk]

But Menace, Chad is from the maritimes.

[Stingray]

You shoot down any incoming nukes, we'll keep getting you cheap viagra.

Throw in a case of Molson's and you've got yourself a deal.

-S

[Zakk]

Done.

[JackTucky]

Where is Canada?  Is that part of the US?

My employer has an office in Toronto.  I thought that was Detroit near 8mile

Art

[Stingray]

Done.

If only real politics could be handled so easily.

-S

[fredster]

Exactly what is a "minority Government" ?

[ChadTower]

Right now, the Democrats.

[CheffoJeffo]

Exactly what is a "minority Government" ?

In simplistic terms (because I promised myself to stay out of EE threads), it occurs in a multi-party parliamentary system when one party does not achive a majority of the seats ... they have the most seats of all parties, but not enough to really control the government. So, they wheel and deal with one/some of the other parties and very little gets done, until one of those other parties yanks their support, calls for a vote of nonconfidence and we end up going back to the polls.

Sadly, pretty much nothing has changed with regards to the parties or their appeal to the public, so I doubt much will change in the house.

It's sad that the only party leader that I can respect is the one that I can't vote for, and he wants to seperate from Canada anyway (Non, Merci!)... but at least I can believe him when he says it.

I am seriously considering putting Stingray down as a write-in candidate for Emperor Of Canada.

Cheers.

EDIT for horrendous grammar and mistatement of what exactly I find sad ...

[Zakk]

Where is Canada?

[fredster]

In simplistic terms (because I promised myself to stay out of EE threads), it occurs in a multi-party parliamentary system when one party does not achive a majority of the seats ... they have the most seats of all parties, but not enough to really control the government. So, they wheel and deal with one/some of the other parties and very little gets done, until one of those other parties yanks their support, calls for a vote of nonconfidence and we end up going back to the polls.

Sadly, pretty much nothing has changed with regards to the parties or their appeal to the public, so I doubt much will change in the house.

It's sad that I can't vote for the only party leader whom I respect, and he wants to seperate from Canada anyway (Non, Merci!)... but at least I can believe him when he says it.
Cheers.

Oh.  The benifits of a Multiparty system.  Where there are so many viewpoints that nothing at all gets done. Ok.

Where would Canada split to? The 51st State of the US? (52nd if you count Mexico).

I wondered how that Canadian system worked. I guess it doesn't. 

[ChadTower]

Where would Canada split to? The 51st State of the US? (52nd if you count Mexico).

He is referring to the Quebecois, who want to split and become an independent entity.

The way the Canadian gov't works is pretty much the same as any electoral 3+ party system would work.  It is what would happen here, only it would be much, much worse for us.

[CheffoJeffo]

Oh.  The benifits of a Multiparty system.  Where there are so many viewpoints that nothing at all gets done. Ok.

I wondered how that Canadian system worked. I guess it doesn't. 

No matter how I try to disagree with that conclusion, I'm not sure I can.

It should be said, however, that most of the time, we have had majority governments and stuff does get done ... it typically hasn't been GOOD stuff, or even the stuff that was promised during campaigning, but that's another topic entirely.

I think that our biggest problem right now is that the main differentiator between the two biggest national parties is social policy (which people tend to take personally) and nobody sees much difference in economic or foreign policy. Add to that the seperatist Bloq Quebecois, which sweeps Quebec, but isn't represented anyplace else and you have our current trainwreck.

If one party had a good & original idea that didn't offend the heck out of half the country, I think I would go into shock ... and then vote for them.

Cheers.

[Jabba]

Chad, I see you are trying to be funny but man you're one hard core cynic--i lived outside of a metropolitan area most of my life and received more than adequate health care--it was likley your "sun-shiny attitude" that got you the service you received

[ChadTower]

We didn't even have practitioner offices, nevermind something like an Urgent Care facility.  One of the two doctors who did take appts was 70+ and working out of the back of his house.  The other was nearly as old and only worked out of his office part time.

If you asked either of them why we didn't have any new, young doctors, they both said the same thing.  The young guys all went to the States to make a wage in line with being a doctor.

[CheffoJeffo]

The Canadian population is cool, espcially holding an election over the Christmas Holiday. First time in a long time. Ooooh, can't wait for the door knocks Christmas Eve 

I'm already annoyed by the plethora of campaign signs in place of Christmas decorations ... and they're the same bloody signs as last time (but I guess that matches the same bloody choices as last time).

Have received approval and encouragement from the grounds manager (aka Mrs. Cheffo) to deploy a tongue-in-cheek "Vote Santa" campaign sign that mocks the official campaign signs.

Cheers.

[Jabba]

The Canadian population is cool, espcially holding an election over the Christmas Holiday. First time in a long time. Ooooh, can't wait for the door knocks Christmas Eve