SpankyMcFarland

What's with this stampede for the interim post? Does it come with Air Miles or something? A coronation for Kenney would not be good for him or the party.

The Tories seemed to lose faith in their ethnic strategy with C24 and the niqab/cultural practices furor. It hurt their candidates in the GTA, as Paul Calandra noted, and made them look more like a throwback to Reform. I can tell you right now that C24 raises a question mark in the mind of any naturalized Canadian as to whether the list of crimes meriting loss of citizenship will be extended at some point. If they want to be a national party like the Liberals, they have some decisions to make.

He's partly in control - of a progressively shrinking amount of the country. I just can't see a good outcome for him here.

A lot of effort went into that list. Well done. I'd like to see: 1. An end to omnibus bills. 2. Parliamentary oversight of C-51.

How many First Nations languages is she fluent in? From now on, that should be the first question for anybody considered for that portfolio.

But many of the people appointed have known absolutely nothing about First Nations issues. What could be more colonial or insulting than that? It is almost as if FN MPs are forbidden to have it or refuse to take it. I, for one, would like to know which. We have had geographic representation in Cabinet for some time protecting the interests of provinces that are pretty much the same ethnically and linguistically. Imagine having an Albertan representing Nova Scotia. Why not have a FN person who knows what he or she is talking about? If that turns out be unworkable, then we should bite the bullet and reform the Indian Act.Being fluent in a few of the languages spoken would be FAR better than the current situation, having somebody who speaks none which should be embarrassing to this country.

Turkeys don't vote for Christmas. I can't imagine him winning.

Same here.

The PCs (16%) and Reform (18.7%) got something like 35% of the vote in 1993, down from 43% for the PCs in the previous election. So just two seats for the PCs was due to the split and the vagaries of FPTP.

It's a national embarrassment that we are letting the official residence of our head of government fall apart. The Americans, French or British would never let that happen. Why should anybody take us seriously when we can't manage this? The whole matter should have no partisan significance.

Mulroney had been around politics a long time but not as an MP, let alone a Cabinet Minister, and he adapted pretty quickly.

To be fair to Pierre, he was playing a role like Calandra. I have to say I felt sorry for Calandra a little bit during the campaign, condemned to constantly defend the PMO on Duffy from his Skype dungeon.

There are several issues I disagree fundamentally with JT on. The first is mandatory support of abortion. I support abortion but I think good candidates will be deterred because of this. The second is gender quotas. Like geographic representation, it is deeply anti-meritocratic. High talent is not that common and we should make the max use of it possible.

Because you see somebody not as competent as you getting the job you want.

Not to dwell on what is gone now, but his view of the world was fairly dark.

He's certainly well qualified and should give the PM a run for his money in QP. But he'll have to lighten up a bit, get a dog or something. Harper was the grimmest PM since, when, Diefenbaker? Barring catastrophe, I don't think we want a return to that too soon.

That's true.

I would like to see a Minister for Aborginal Affairs who is fluent in some of the languages relevant to that ministry. Has that ever happened? That would probably mean an aboriginal person which would be no harm either. Bad news comes better from your own and that person will be disappointing some people.

Gender parity be crazy. Recipe for instant quiet dissatisfaction in ye olde ranks.

I should not have said anything about Erin's jib. He's going for the caretaker's job instead, along with Finley and Nicholson. Why so much interest in this temp post? Is Jason going to have a coronation? http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/erin-otoole-interim-leader-conservatives-1.3288843

What I mean is, I would prefer a coalition whose combined vote was greater than 50% of votes cast e.g. liberal/NDP. Of course, they don't need to do that in FPTP.

1. Kenney. 2. Raitt. 3. O'Toole. 4. Rempel. I'm liking the cut of Erin's jib more each day. Ontario, vet, moderate.

It's 40% of the votes however you cut it. The idea that these performing seals are conducting separate elections while chanting the party line is hard to swallow. Local issues do not loom large in these contests. I suspect Sunny Boy won't be so keen on PR, now that FPTP has served him so well. That's the sad pattern in these things. I believe the only truly legitimate government is one supported by a majority of voters, which would mean a coalition.

Yes, he seems decent. These politicians are made of sterner stuff. To be doing that kind of work, with all the concomitant grief, at his age passes all understanding.

I hope there is a prize of some sort.