repolitics
Political News, Discussion Forums and In-depth Features on Political Institutions
by Royce Koop on
A new vote-swapping project has been fired up on Facebook, in the hope that non-Conservative voters can coordinate their votes across ridings.
Aside from the enormous complexity of these sorts of projects, the paradox is that the people who are informed and committed enough to engage in vote-swapping are probably partisans who may balk at the prospect of voting insincerely and, once alone in the voting booth, destroy the honour system that this project depends on.
by Royce Koop on
Rick Bell has written a glowing political obituary for Monte Solberg, one of the three senior cabinet ministers that won’t be running for re-election.
First elected in 1993 as a Reform Party MP, Solberg was probably the most entertaining MP in the House throughout the 1990s. He was certainly one of the most effective oppostion critics I’ve ever seen (the other being Diane Ablonczy, although the two of them employ radically different styles). While complaining about tax increases, Solberg once asked Paul Martin in Question Period:
by Royce Koop on
One of Harper’s first stops in this national campaign was on Lulu Island, home of the city (and electoral district) of Richmond, which in my opinion is one of the most interesting and dynamic ridings in B.C..
This is for several reasons. First, the city is home to several distinctive communities that play a role in shaping local politics. In 2001, 57% of the riding’s population were new Canadians, and 44% identified themselves as Chinese. Together with visiting a local Chinese family, it’s no wonder that the media interpreted Harper’s high-profile visit to Richmond as an attempt to appeal to urban ethnic communities.
[Read more…] about Focus on B.C.: Richmond Part I
by Royce Koop on
I’m not that young nor the hippest cat on the block, but this latest example of bowing before middle-aged squareness is a bit much.
Dion’s weakness is that he is perceived as weak and indecisive; in other words, not a leader. So how best to exploit that? With an entire website mocking him! Thus, a puffin defecates (to use the aghast term of national media writers) on his shoulder; you can play as Dion in a game of "Street Debater" against "The Russian Bear"; or generate Liberal policy in a slot machine. I was already laughing when the preview page came onscreen, asking, "Do you think it’s easy to load websites?" And be sure to visit the blog that Dion’s dog, Kyoto, generously maintains on the site: