Canadian Politics / Elections

[carbonman]

lets have a discussion relating to the current elections.

Heres my stance. I refuse to vote for a lesser Evil. Hence why I don't vote.
Canada is a great country. It should stay a great country.

So I guess you don't have to say who your voting for but if you do tell us why.

[Vampyrate]

carbonman, that is my stance here in the US... especially after watching the voting episode of south park

ive been legal to vote in the VA and national big elections (yes, not many) but i refused to vote, i sent back my absontee ballots black empty other than saying that my address was correct

[KeWLKaT]

Well, after hearing all parties, one thing i can say is that if the liberals get away with it it truly shows how truly stupid the canadian population is.

For me, conservative seems to be the lesser of the 4 evil.

Bloc... Hah... WTF is a provincial party doing in federal elections anyways

[slow 2K2GT]

Come on Conservative Party, daddy needs another raise!

[4mynikka]

I'm going with the Liberals, why because out of the 3, YOur right Bloc should'nt even be a party, but that's a greater debate. I choose the Liberals because even though they have F##ked up major because of the sponsorship scandal they still performed well overall. Harper is a freak, you don't know what he has up his sleeve, he's planning on a Huge Tax cut and where is his government going to get funding for Health Care, Education, Municipalities, Defense and all that other stuff? The answer is Privatization and a Deficit in the budget...... Canada is a great country because it has social programs that allows Canadians to live freely without worry about something like Health Care. If you guys want to have a system like the States (no offense) where everything is privatized then vote Harper. Martin messed up royally (but the scandal really started with Chretien) and he has done well for most Canadians. Layton would be my next vote way before Harper, but with Layton he's too extreme with spending, his platform involves cashing out on all the back up saving the Liberals have done this past decade.... Layton also = a Deficit in the budget.

Carbon you should vote, a lot of people die everyday just so they have that right, you shouldn't waste that, vote green if you don't like any of the candidates.

As for me I bleed red, I vote Red, Liberal's all the way.

[maral01]

Personally, I find that it is time we get a change from the liberals. They have been in power for too long and they seem to think they own the country. So I will defenitely not vote for the liberals... hell, I won't vote at all. I don't find that Harper's gameplan makes more sense either. I wouldn't vote for the Bloc because I wouldn't want to see the Québec separating from the rest of the country. Only choice left is Layton but something tells me it would be too much for him.... Help green party! (Not!):D

[alienman]

i really don;t know which way to vote... no one has really said something that makes me want to vote for them over the other... if it came down to it i think i will probably got with conservatives...Our free health care is pretty crappy here is saskatchewan... i mean just to get a mri done i am on like a year long waiting list where as i go to the conservative province of alberta and pay my $500 and boom i am done in under a week... that said it does cost more but you also could find out if you are dying a year sooner....leaving more time for treatment....

[carbonman]

yeah the sad thing about that is what do people who don't have $500 do ?
Why does it take a year wait?? I just don't understand. Its not like there is a line up like at a McDonalds..ya know?

Also, do people think that the Bloc will seperate if they get into power?? I could just see Gilles Duceppe rubbing his hands like Mr.Burns "excellent" as he sits at his desk in just thinking of ways to screw the rest of Canada.

[slow 2K2GT]

Everyone loves the Liberals and yes they have done some good things for Canada in the past. BUT! People are now sceptical as to their overall performance and means of running the country. This is why we need a change, if the liberal party is where its at than give them a break for a while and elect the conservatives and see what they can do. If it gets worse than well next election will bring on the liberals again, but for now its time for a change. I am also bias on this matter due to being in the military. I will always recieve free health and dental care so will my family. I also believe that the medical system will always have its leaches, so with coverage there should be a 10-$20 emergency room fee that gets paid prior to treatment. I see people going in there all the time with next to nothing wrong and taking up a needed bed space, so impose a fee so that people who arent in immediate need stay away from the emergency dept. Its called that for a reason, not "just stop by when you get a cut or run a small fever room"
Thats only my .02, also the fact that conservatives support military, perhaps we can get our tanks back, have some new kit or even get a raise.

[2001GLS]

I'm an American so I suppose my opinion really doesn't matter. However I was just up there as my girlfriend is Canadian (from Windsor, just across from Detroit). She's pretty liberal & is an NDP supporter. (Apparently they have no chance of winning, much like the Green party here... & thank god for that!) If I was voting up there I'd probably vote for the conservative guy... I hope he wins as at least he's a bit more pro-American. It's bull**** that the liberals use cheap tactics like running ads claiming America is evil. Most Canadians are very good people but just like America they have their share of people with a crack-pot ideology as well. I do believe ultimately whether voting in the US or Canada, you are picking the lesser of evils.

[Mr. Dan]

Not voting just ensures that the morons have a greater chance of electing their choice for lead idiot. If you have to chose an idiot, choose your idiot. If you have to choose an evil, chose the evil you know.

There is a reason I live and work in Korea and it has nothing to do with kind and considerate people with impecable road manners. It's the tax. I'm not giving my money to those buggers in parliment. The Liberals certainly have a corruption problem, but you can be reasonably sure they won't do anything too nutty if re-elected. The same can't be said for Harper.

All politicians are corrupt to some degree. The Liberals just got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. I'm sure the conservatives have many a scam on the go as well.

[JacksonJ]

For almost 10 years I have not voted, they are all a bunch of crooks who are looking for their big pensions and don't do diddly squat for me except take my money.

[Mr. Dan]

I can't remember who said it, but "All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing." Or something to that effect.

[XTRAWLD]

In the very least, a spoiled vote says more than no vote at all. Use your priviledge, like previously mentioned, people kill/die to have the opportunity. I can't begin to comment on how much my teachers in HS drilled into our heard to vote, it's a priviledge to do so, and in the very least, you don't give a damn, spoil the vote by crossing off every name on the list. At least your voice said something at the polls rather than no voice at all.

I voted on Sat in the advanced poll, there was nothing any pollitician could have said to change my mind come the 23rd. Actually voted for the same guy I did in 2004. By my personality I am a Liberal, if you just look at the basics of what the parties stand for that's the closest one I meld to - but I feel they've done f-all lately, and Martin is a babbling fool IMO, some cases the words and how he tries to say them come out of his mouth worse than Bush's fumbled language. I don't have the greatest perception of him being the current PM at all.

Harper - he's just scary looking, and there is NO WAY he can live up to all the promises he's making. I must state though, Harris promised a whack load of things, he got voted in, he did what he said, and then he got shat on. What does that tell you...Conservatives mean job cuts, plain and simple, they cut out the middle man, which I might say is not such a bad thing, speeds up the system, but loss of jobs aren't always the best thing, depending on what end of the stick you are on.

There was a list of 5 potential candidates in my area, another party was the CHP - Christian Heritage Party or something of the sort....oy just about sums it up. And then there is the Green Party - which I might add is a very popular pocket in my neck of the woods.

So who is left, the NDP and the Teddy Bear looking Layton. He was my pick....yes you had to read all that to get to it. "There is a third choice, and it's NDP". I agree with him. The way the Liberals and Conservatives bash eachother I feel is just bad taste. I like the NDP approach of their advertising. Albeit, Harper publically thanked Martin for screwing up all on his own and handing the win to him (most likely) on a silver platter. I feel that the NDP has smart advertising. I like the things that Layton touched upon for his campaign, I think that he does alot of smart PR campaigning, like going to Much Music and trying to get the younger generation back into the voting market, etc. I find he is very personable and when I look at him, he looks like he could run a country better than babbling Martin, or pasty looking Harper.

Ok, that's my 2 cents....weeeeee

[carbonbluerocks]

Harper's platform reeks too much of the Common Sense Revolution Mike Harris tried in Ontario about a decade ago; Ontarians know how that ended up. The selling, sorry leasing the 407 (for 99 years :confused: ), the hospital closings and the civil servant turmoils are just some of the things that come to mind :rolleyes: .
It's one thing to promise tax cuts (in Harper's platform, pretty big ones I might add), but to maintain (and in his case actually increase) social services while not running a deficit? It doesn't add up in my opinion :cool: Then there's their stances on items like missile defence, same-sex marriage and what not.

Then again, it's not like the Liberals are any better.
So guess my vote will go to either the NDP or the Green Party :D

[Fezz]

The Bloc is usefull for Quebec because we are totally different from the rest of the Canada. If Quebec wants to stay different, we have to be represented. The Bloc's problem is that they are too much focused on the separation. If the separation wasn't the main point of this party, other canadians would vote for them for sure.

But for those who don't understand the Quebec situation, think of what would happen if you were the only province OR state that speaks english while the entire north america speaks french...

Please, not the Liberals...

[KeWLKaT]

Please, not the Liberals...

Well said, LOL :bowdown:

[XTRAWLD]

So any comments now that it's said and done?

[alienman]

wooo hooo i voted for the winners....otherwise i don;t have to much to say right now but it will be interesting to see if anything really changes with another minority government in there....

[Vampyrate]

well, since i dont know the situation, i would like to know:
1. who ran
2. who won
3. your opinion who had the better campaign
4. would the person you voted for (if they won) would at least try to hold up their promises

[XTRAWLD]

Wow, you would need a large explanation for all 4 there, but in a nutshell.
1. Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, Bloc, Independant, Green and a few other small parties.
2. Conservatives in the minority.
3. Since I already said I voted for NDP - my opinion is the NDP.
4. I believe they would hold up to their promises because their promises were not a far off stretch of the imagination.

For more information - Election Results (http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/electionnight/)

[Vampyrate]

thanks a lot... im very interested in politics and just wish that there were more opportunities to learn about the canadian and mexican governments since they are only a few seconds from the US borders

[carbonbluerocks]

I'm glad the NDP gained some seats that's for sure :clap: :multiples: :multiples:

.... and to top it off, the Bloc actually lost some seats in Quebec :D

[slow 2K2GT]

Well the conservatives huh. A change for sure. Perhaps now the army will get some new equipment, personally I dont give a flying mit full of poo-poo about any other social programs. People just dont give the proper regards for what we do so I dont care about those people. Inflate the defense budget!!!!

[KeWLKaT]

yeah :)

conservatives :D

[XTRAWLD]

Considering it's a minority it still basically means nothing will really be done, but for the fact that there is a different guy at the helm. First thing apparently he's working on is reducing GST from 7% to 6% and then to 5% in the coming years (wonder how long till we have another election). Fitting though, since they were the ones that introduced the tax in the first place.

[carbonbluerocks]

Good point on the GST...

So the Tories will be reducing the GST, but also abolishing the national daycare program (and instead just giving $1200 annually to parents)... Tax reduction and cutting social services... kinda like Harris Pt2... hell, even Harris' former party members (John Baird and Jim "I'll throw the homeless into prison cells" Flaherty) are now with the Federal Tories :rolleyes:

[XTRAWLD]

I don't know about abolishing daycare, as much as they are changing the system. Apparently the $1200 is going to the parents directly so they may "care for their children as they wish" instead of having the gov't do the deciding for them. What worries me is that $1200 is going to go to the parents that don't give a damn about their kids and waste that money on something stupid like a new big screen TV instead of putting it into a college fund, or clothes on their back/food on the table sort of deal. But to each his/her own.

[carbonbluerocks]

$1200/yr is like $25 weekly... I don't have any kids so I'm not too familiar with daycare costs, but I think it costs more than $25 per week (doesn't it?)...

[XTRAWLD]

Oh I didn't know if that was yearly or monthly. I don't remember. I used the number you provided :) heheh

[mtlelantra]

$1200/yr is like $25 weekly... I don't have any kids so I'm not too familiar with daycare costs, but I think it costs more than $25 per week (doesn't it?)...
Yeah, but's it's close here in quebec... $7/day, used to be $5... Before I moved here, they used to give out $$, but then, for the reasons posted above (people using it to buy beers... for the kids ;) ...) the govt decided to funnel all the $$ into cheaper daycare instead... which has led to crappy crappy daycare I think... Everybody and their dog sends their kids to daycare whether they need to or not... and when both parents work, they'll throw their sick kids in daycare, infecting everybody else.
My friends' 1 year old son has been in daycare for about 3 months (had to start to hold a spot) and the kid has had 3 ear infections since then... plus they're feeding him salmon sandwiches (can't bring your own food)... who gives a salmon sandwich to a 1 year old???
I'd rather have the $$...

[slow 2K2GT]

I have two kids and I pay $600 monthly for my kids to be cared for including meals. I will gladly take the $1200, heck I didnt have it before. Heres a little food for thought

In 35 of the past 37 years, Canada has been ruled by:
(1) Pierre Trudeau - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(2) Brian Mulroney - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(3) Jean Chretien - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec.
(4) Paul Martin - a multi-millionaire lawyer from Quebec. WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT!

The leader of the Conservative party, Stephen Harper, is:
(1) Not a lawyer.
(2) Not a multi-millionaire.
(3) Not from Quebec.

Stephen Harper says that the Conservative party will:
(1) Reduce my taxes.
(2) Pay off the national debt as fast as they can.
(3) Shrink the size and influence of the federal government.

Thats good enough for me, even if its a lie well who cares the Liberals have lied to us for years!

The Liberals have had 34 years to be financially responsible. Remember, Jean Chretien was Trudeau's Finance Minister. Remember also, Paul Martin was Jean Chretien's Finance Minister. These people have been raising my taxes for 34 years. They have been mis-spending my tax dollars for 34 years.
As a military member I am taxed 48% of my income, I dont want to see it get wasted anymore!

[carbonbluerocks]

As a military member I am taxed 48% of my income, I dont want to see it get wasted anymore!

:eek: Damn, I thought military personnel got some special tax treatment at least... One thing I do like about the Tory platform is that they're planning to put back some of the money (taken by the Grits) in the armed forces :)

[alienman]

We have one little guy who only does half days cause he is in school the other half and it costs us $290 a month... when he was full time it was $450 a month there... that is a big chunk of my fiances part time $8 and hour job... We will gladly take an extra $1200 bucks from the government....