Canada vote 2011
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- 341 Responses
- Continuity0
People need to stop defining fiscal conservatism as meaning favouring corporations, small government, no social spending, loads of military spending, bla bla bla. It is absolutely perfectly possible to be social democratic AND fiscally conservative at the same time. It's called: spending priorities with the money you've got. That's all.
- Jaline0
Young people really are revolutionizing this election with campaigning through social media. Looks like this will continue for years to come until they start to overtake the baby boomer generation (of course...those "young people" won't be that young by that time...but they're still from a different generation).
- i_monk0
It remains to be seen what turn out will be like on Monday. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same as last year or even a bit lower.
- It will be higher, I'll put money on it. Last election was meaningless, this one is profound for all parties.********
- It will be higher, I'll put money on it. Last election was meaningless, this one is profound for all parties.
- aldebaran0
Turn out will be much higher. It's not that the last election was meaningless, Liberal voters simply stayed home instead of voting for Dion who was a very weak leader. This time centrist voters will be back, but they will be voting for the NDP.
- Julesvm0
I bet it will be higher as well ... this time around social media seams to be playing a role in getting the youth vote to participate.
- i_monk0
All of the parties – except the Cons – are pro-Internet:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technolog…
And the Cons want to use the Internet to spy on you 24/7 without court oversight:
- Continuity0
spot13, I'm calling you on your assertion the NDP aren't fielding candidates in every riding:
- Continuity0
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/…
FFS Jack, keep it together. Don't fuck this up.
- aldebaran0
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/n…
There’s nothing new about placeholder candidates becoming MPs.
- aldebaran0
http://www.ekospolitics.com/wp-c…
EKOS still predicting over a hundred seats for the NDP.
http://threehundredeight.blogspo…
308 is predicting just 53 seats for the NDP.
That's a huge difference. Who do you believe?
- Depends on 308's credibility. Common sense dictates it will be somewhere in the middle of those two numbers, though.Continuity
- ********0
I predict a Cons majority.
NDP and Liberal will get far more votes than the Cons (combined) but will lose most of the ridings.
Our system favours a two-party election, but we don't want that. We want a new system. Representation by popular vote? Aren't most Canadians voting for a party rather than the candidate in their riding?
- Without reform we will end up a two party system. And yes I think most people vote for the party instead of the MP.aldebaran
- I'm an ideological voter; I go on the presumption a given party's candidate represents the party ideology.Continuity
- Yeah, I think most Canadians vote to the party platform. There are few ridings that are the exception, but not many.********
- Continuity0
^ I'm trying to make sense of this. If the NDP and Libs have 'have far more seats than the Cons (combined)', how does that translate into a Conservative majority?
For a majority, you need at least 155 seats. Once you reach that, no-one can touch you. If the NDP and Libs combined have over 155, then that constitutes a minority government for the Conservatives.
- You misquoted me. I said 'far more votes', not 'far more seats.'********
- he said votes, not seats.********
- Ah yes, I see that now.Continuity
- I stand corrected.Continuity
- You misquoted me. I said 'far more votes', not 'far more seats.'
- ********0
There's no way to predict at this point. If the NDP surge, and the advance poll numbers, translate into people actually voting, we'll see a radically different parliament.
Otherwise, I think we'll have a Con minority with a shift of power from the libs and bloc to the NDP.
The potential for an unpredictable result - Con or NDP majority, comes in those key swing ridings that were decided by 500 or a thousand people.
- Continuity0
I'm personally holding out for a big NDP gain; if not a minority government, the certainly the Official Opposition in a minority Conservative Parliament, so that he - and whoever is left standing - can take Harper down and go the coalition route.
Hoping for an NDP majority is too much at this point; and anyway, I like minority Parliaments, in a way; they make people think more, instead of going on political auto-pilot for four years.
- Yep, a minority benefits the most possible Canadians.********
- Out of curiosity, nb, what's the mood out your way, would you say? CPC or NDP?Continuity
- Yep, a minority benefits the most possible Canadians.
- spot130
Does nobody remember what happened when Bob Rae (as NDP) totally fucked the Province of Ontario in 1990 - 95 with a socialist spending spree that we're still paying off? That's what would happen in an NDP minority (or majority) but could potentially take down the entire country this time.
- As long as that spending spree is on stuff I support. :)Continuity
- ...and anyone who thinks "carbon tax" will fix the economy is out of touch with reality.spot13
- "Rae Days"aldebaran
- why don't you just donate to things you support instead of financing it through future taxation?spot13
- Because, as a taxpayer, I have decided I want my taxes used in a certain way. As is my free choice.Continuity
- obviously every tax payer wants their tax dollars spent in their way. But why spend beyond the current tax means?spot13
- ********0
Spot,
The problem with that line of thinking is that the prov NDP and fed NDP are two totally different parties. This election I will vote Liberal, if I for a moment thought that the Fed NDP was anything like the provincial BC Libs I wouldn't for a moment consider supporting them.
Secondly, the Cons carbon plan will be more expensive, and thirdly, do you actually think the NDP carbon tax would be implemented? No, once, and if, the NDP were able to get in, all their policies would be faced with the litmus test of reality, which would force them to adapt. Just as the Cons have. If you look at the Cons of 2011 compared to 2004, you'll notice a substantial shift towards the centre.
- prov NDP and fed NDP are technical the same partyaldebaran
- Sorry, "if i thought the fed LIBS were anything like the prov LIBS"********
- yes, but there's a completely different dynamic at the federal level.********
- it's true, all parties in Canada are in the centre spectrum but that being said, I think NDP will follow through with their plansspot13
- aldebaran0
I mentioned earlier that many people have lived through some dismal NDP governing at the provincial level. As spot13 points out many Ontario voters will remember "Rae Days" as being a terrible NDP policy. And many B.C. voters will remember the "FastCat Fiasco" which cost the province incredible amounts of money.
There are also some very good examples of NDP governing that don't include spending huge amounts of money. Like Roy Romanow's Sask NDP government which saved the province from the financial ruin of the previous Conservative government.
- True! and I'm not anti NDP, Jack might be the best leader in the bunch but tax increases are my biggest fear this electionspot13
- worry more about poor spending (fighter jets) than new taxesaldebaran
- perhaps, but I don't think leaving a fighter jet acquisition with ignatieff or layton is wise either.spot13
- i doubt that program would continue under either the Liberals or NDPaldebaran
- ********0
What really worries me about the NDP is their ability to properly staff the cabinet. Can you imagine Libby Davies with any sort of role wherein she interacted with other governments? ugh.
- almost as bad as Stockwell Day.********
- lol, thankfully he's not runningspot13
- almost as bad as Stockwell Day.