Election Day

[LaParkaMarka 0]

When I lived in Vancouver-Burnaby I voted for Svend Robinson, I'm not sure who I'll be voting for this time although it probably doesn't matter since up here the conservatives will win handily.

Svend withdrew, and Martin appointed the former BC premier to run there.

Ujjal is running in Vancouver South, I think. Definately not Burnaby...one of Svend's former aides is running in his former riding, which is Burnaby North now (I think?). The ridings were re-aligned for this election, so it's kind of confusing.

[Reverb 0]

I live in Paul Martin's district (LaSalle-Émard) and no matter who I vote for he'll get elected. Still, the liberals will get my vote this time since I despise the Bloc Québécois and their old ways. To me, voting for the bloc is the same as voting for the Conservatives which is not a good thing.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

I want to move back to Abby, because the race there is going to be fun as fucking hell.

 

A guy named Tim Felger is running for the Marijuana Party. He used to own a bunch of Pizza Places until a bad car accident, then he started smoking weed and he's gone completely insane.

 

He ran for mayor last term and did pretty well but he made numerous gaffes including threatening the lives of SE 2 planners, Covering up other people's election signs, and generally having all his rallies turn into dope parties.

 

He used to be a real good guy who did alot for the community but know he's crazy.

 

And yet I'd still vote for him over Randy White. I swear White would have fit right in in Nazi Germany.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Right now in my riding in southen ontario, east of Toronto, the Conservatives are polling at 41%, NDP 25%, Liberals 23%, and the minor parties at a combined 10%. We have gone Liberal in the last three federal elections, but re-elected the popular Tory MPP John O'Toole in October.

[Tawren 0]

Ted Menzies (Conservative) is getting my vote, seeing as I loathe the NDP, Liberals, and the Greens and only four parties are running in my riding.

[The Thread Killer 0]

I'm voting for the Natural Law Party.

 

Or Kodos.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Tories now in the lead

 

MARTIN STILL TOP PICK FOR PM: POLL

 

By BILL RODGERS, OTTAWA BUREAU CHIEF

 

 

 

 

WITH THREE weeks to go in the federal election campaign, the Conservatives have taken a slight nationwide lead over the Liberals, according to an SES election poll. "I think this represents a huge psychological breakthrough for the Conservatives," said SES pollster Nik Nanos.

 

The survey, conducted for CPAC, the parliamentary channel, shows the Conservatives in the lead for the first time at 34%. The Grits trail with 32% and the New Democrats have 20% support.

 

Quebec's separatist Bloc stands at 11% and the Green Party has 4%. The number of undecided Canadians has hit 22%.

 

Although still a statistical tie, it is the first time in more than 10 years the Conservatives have nudged ahead of the ruling Grits, and the news doesn't get better for the Martin team when Canadians are asked who would make the best prime minister.

 

"Paul Martin's personal numbers are starting to go south," Nanos said.

 

The daily tracking poll of 600 Canadians, taken June 4-6, shows 27% of decided voters believe Paul Martin would make the best prime minister, down 4% from a previous poll released May 25. Stephen Harper is the choice of 23%, up six points. The NDP's Jack Layton is up four points to 13%.

 

But the survey also shows 35% of Canadians are unsure or dislike all of the above.

 

The new numbers come following almost a week of negative Liberal attacks on the Conservatives on abortion, same-sex marriage, the effects of tax-slashing on social programs and accusations of cozying up to Quebec separatists. But it seems the attacks and Grit promises to spend billions on improved health care, pharmacare, daycare and assistance to cities have fallen on deaf ears.

 

"The Liberals just have not been able to tilt those numbers," Nanos said. "It's going to take more than going negative on Stephen Harper."

 

The SES tracking poll is accurate to within 4.1%, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.

 

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/N.../08/490029.html

 

Premier hits new low: Poll

By Antonella Artuso

 

 

A NEW poll puts Premier Dalton McGuinty's public approval rating at a low of 9%, trailing a full 25 percentage points behind his own Ontario Liberal party. Nik Nanos, president and CEO of SES Research, said people are angry about the provincial budget, and McGuinty has become the lightning rod for that fury.

 

"I have never seen an approval rating of 9% for an incumbent leader," Nanos said.

 

The Liberals have the support of 34% of those polled, down from 46% last October when they won a resounding majority.

 

Now 52% think the premier is doing a poor job while 32% rate his performance as average.

 

Tory Leader Ernie Eves and the provincial Tories are more popular than the Liberals or their leader in the poll.

 

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/N.../08/490031.html

 

More bad news for the Liberals.

[Highland 0]

It's looking more and more like a Conservative minority.

[elite 0]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but while there's a decent amount of Canadians from across the country rounded up in one place, can somebody please explain to me how the Bloc can be a *federal* party when they flat-out admit to having no interest in any issue that doesn't involve Quebec or even pretend to have representatives who run in any of the other 9 provinces or 3 territories??

 

Nobody's ever been able to give me a sufficient answer on that.

[CanadianChris 0]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but while there's a decent amount of Canadians from across the country rounded up in one place, can somebody please explain to me how the Bloc can be a *federal* party when they flat-out admit to having no interest in any issue that doesn't involve Quebec or even pretend to have representatives who run in any of the other 9 provinces or 3 territories??

 

Nobody's ever been able to give me a sufficient answer on that.

Anyone can be a federal party. All you have to do is run at least 50 candidates in a federal election. As Quebec has 75 ridings, the Bloc more than meets this requirement.

 

The Bloc follows in the parliamentary tradition of the Scottish Nationalist Party in the UK, which has been campaigning for independence for Scotland for 70 years.

[starvenger 0]

Right now in my riding in southen ontario, east of Toronto, the Conservatives are polling at 41%, NDP 25%, Liberals 23%, and the minor parties at a combined 10%. We have gone Liberal in the last three federal elections, but re-elected the popular Tory MPP John O'Toole in October.

Same thing with my riding. We reelected MPP Frank Klees (PC), and it's likely that MP Byron Wilfert (Lib) will be reelected as well since he's quite well known locally...

[elite 0]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but while there's a decent amount of Canadians from across the country rounded up in one place, can somebody please explain to me how the Bloc can be a *federal* party when they flat-out admit to having no interest in any issue that doesn't involve Quebec or even pretend to have representatives who run in any of the other 9 provinces or 3 territories??

 

Nobody's ever been able to give me a sufficient answer on that.

Anyone can be a federal party. All you have to do is run at least 50 candidates in a federal election. As Quebec has 75 ridings, the Bloc more than meets this requirement.

 

The Bloc follows in the parliamentary tradition of the Scottish Nationalist Party in the UK, which has been campaigning for independence for Scotland for 70 years.

Oh no, I got the technical part of it. And it technically sucks, by the way.

 

What I meant was more the contradiction between the concept of "federal" (implying that it pertains to all of the country; the federation) and the ideology of the Bloc (which is to become sovereign from the rest of Canada). At times, The Bloc's actions almost smack of treason, and our method of electing officials supports its existence. Tis confusing to me.

[Highland 0]

The Bloc's actions are treasonous, it's just no one has the balls to tell it like it is.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

The Bloc's actions are treasonous, it's just no one has the balls to tell it like it is.

Seperatist nationalism is NOT treasonous. No one in the Bloc is advocating the violent overthrow of the Canadian government or something similarly ridiculous. The mere presence of the Clarity Act shows that the government of Canada recognizes the legitimacy of the seperatist movement and is requiring it to act under the laws of the country, as one would expect.

[Red Baron 0]

Conservative leading?

 

What do polls show really.

 

When Stockwell "Doris" Day was leading the Alliance, the polls was close, and the Liberal government whipped their asses.

 

Conservative party better get a majority governemnt, or it'll be the shortest reign since Joe Clark.

[Highland 0]

Their entire platform is based on secession from the rest of the country; at the very least it is sedition. Quebec has used the threat of separation to blackmail the rest of Canada into giving into its demands. Would any other nation, democratic or not, allow any of its provincies/territories to just leave?

[CanadianChris 0]

Conservative leading?

 

What do polls show really.

 

When Stockwell "Doris" Day was leading the Alliance, the polls was close, and the Liberal government whipped their asses.

 

Conservative party better get a majority governemnt, or it'll be the shortest reign since Joe Clark.

There won't be a majority, and there will be another election within a year, eighteen months at the outside. And I wouldn't be surprised if there was another minority and another quick election after that.

 

The situation now is different than in 2000, as there's only one right-wing party, rather than two fighting each other. The Liberals took quite a few seats by taking advantage of that.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Their entire platform is based on secession from the rest of the country; at the very least it is sedition. Quebec has used the threat of separation to blackmail the rest of Canada into giving into its demands. Would any other nation, democratic or not, allow any of its provincies/territories to just leave?

The Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, for starters. Now, not every sedition was peaceful (Croatia's split certainly wasn't), but some of them (Slovenia, for instance) were granted independence without incident.

[CanadianChris 0]

Their entire platform is based on secession from the rest of the country; at the very least it is sedition. Quebec has used the threat of separation to blackmail the rest of Canada into giving into its demands. Would any other nation, democratic or not, allow any of its provincies/territories to just leave?

Scotland could eventually go that route. The process has already begun, with the establishment of a Scottish parliament and devolution of powers to Edinburgh. It would be more difficult in Canada, of course, because there would be a big hole in the middle of the country, isolating the Maritimes.

[Red Baron 0]

Chris: Didn't the PC only take 2 seats in the 2000 election anyways?

[CanadianChris 0]

Chris: Didn't the PC only take 2 seats in the 2000 election anyways?

That was 1993. They won 13 seats in 2000.

 

There were 29 seats where the combined Conservative/Alliance vote would have defeated the eventual winner. In addition, the combined PC/Alliance vote in 2000 was very close to the total Liberal vote.

[pappajacks 0]

The Bloc's actions are treasonous, it's just no one has the balls to tell it like it is.

The Bloc has every right to be there. We are a democracy and if people in a particular riding in Quebec feel that the Bloc can best represent their riding, than by all means they should have the right to be elected in Parliement.

 

FYI, the Bloc is expected to sweep the province and get at least 55 seats.

[pappajacks 0]

Quebec has used the threat of separation to blackmail the rest of Canada into giving into its demands.

That's bullshit, because it assumes that all sovereignists want to remain part of the Canadian federation. There might be a small number (and i mean a handful) of sovereignists that use sovereignty as a way to get more from the federal government, but the majority (of sovereignists) really want their own country.

 

I know, live next to and work with many sovereignists. They have nothing against Canada, they simply want political sovereignty and have decisions made by people elected by them. To think that sovereignty is only a threat and that the PQ's intention is to blackmail the rest of Canada is ignorant.

[Highland 0]

Quebec has used the threat of separation to blackmail the rest of Canada into giving into its demands.

That's bullshit, because it assumes that all sovereignists want to remain part of the Canadian federation. There might be a small number (and i mean a handful) of sovereignists that use sovereignty as a way to get more from the federal government, but the majority (of sovereignists) really want their own country.

 

I know, live next to and work with many sovereignists. They have nothing against Canada, they simply want political sovereignty and have decisions made by people elected by them. To think that sovereignty is only a threat and that the PQ's intention is to blackmail the rest of Canada is ignorant.

Ignorant? Hardly.

Sovereigntists do not want full and complete independence, they want sovereignty association. They want to share our currency and also expect Canada to assume Quebec's share of the national debt. In short they want all of the benefits of independence yet have no desire to assume any of the responsibilities that go with it.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Quebec has used the threat of separation to blackmail the rest of Canada into giving into its demands.

That's bullshit, because it assumes that all sovereignists want to remain part of the Canadian federation. There might be a small number (and i mean a handful) of sovereignists that use sovereignty as a way to get more from the federal government, but the majority (of sovereignists) really want their own country.

 

I know, live next to and work with many sovereignists. They have nothing against Canada, they simply want political sovereignty and have decisions made by people elected by them. To think that sovereignty is only a threat and that the PQ's intention is to blackmail the rest of Canada is ignorant.

Ignorant? Hardly.

Sovereigntists do not want full and complete independence, they want sovereignty association. They want to share our currency and also expect Canada to assume Quebec's share of the national debt. In short they want all of the benefits of independence yet have no desire to assume any of the responsibilities that go with it.

Indeed. My Uncle is married to a french woman and she does nothing but talk about how Quebec deserves it's independance...as long as they still keep our money and get breaks from us.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

If Quebec wants to leave, although I won't be happy about it, I don't think we should force them to stay. However, it would have to be full independence. You are either fully in Canada or fully out of it. No in between.

[Highland 0]

If Quebec wants to leave, although I won't be happy about it, I don't think we should force them to stay.  However, it would have to be full independence.  You are either fully in Canada or fully out of it.  No in between.

Exactly. I feel the same way.

The only down side is Atlantic Canada would be physically cut off from the rest of the country, possibly leading to either annexation by the US or independence or the status quo would remain, but things would definately be different.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

If Quebec wants to leave, although I won't be happy about it, I don't think we should force them to stay.  However, it would have to be full independence.  You are either fully in Canada or fully out of it.  No in between.

Exactly. I feel the same way.

The only down side is Atlantic Canada would be physically cut off from the rest of the country, possibly leading to either annexation by the US or independence or the status quo would remain, but things would definately be different.

My big problem is that most of Quebec (geographically) don't want to go. I'm talking about the native populations in the north who have said quite clearly that they want to stay in Canada, and the western areas with a large English population (Gatineau and the like). However, the area of Quebec that wants to seperate have virtually nothing with which to support themselves and won't willingly let the north stay in Canada. Not only is it hypocritical, but it would create a huge mess in the new independent Quebec. Most seperatists haven't thought this thing out clearly. The other problem, of course, is that the reason in large part that their culture survives is due to protection by Canada. If they split, I don't see how they could deal with the big bad English United States on their own, when they are surrounded by the new entirely English speaking Canada as well.

[Highland 0]

The other problem, of course, is that the reason in large part that their culture survives is due to protection by Canada. If they split, I don't see how they could deal with the big bad English United States on their own, when they are surrounded by the new entirely English speaking Canada as well.

 

Yes, that's something the sovereigntists prefer to ignore. They're convinced Quebec being part of Canada is a detriment to Quebecois culture.

[pappajacks 0]

Ignorant? Hardly.

Sovereigntists do not want full and complete independence, they want sovereignty association. They want to share our currency and also expect Canada to assume Quebec's share of the national debt. In short they want all of the benefits of independence yet have no desire to assume any of the responsibilities that go with it.

Quebec DOES NOT expect Canada to assume it's share of the national debt. Sovereignist leaders through the years (Levesque, Parizeau, Bouchard) have said several times that they will pay their share of the national debt, which is approximately 25%.

 

As for the sovereignty association part, sovereignists hope for a model like the european model. It would be beneficial for both countries (if Quebec becomes one)to negotiate an economic association given the geography and current economic activity between Quebec and Canadian provinces. No one in Quebec is expecting Quebec to receive everything it wants at the negotiation table after secession. The difference though is that Canada and Quebec will negotiate equal to equal.