na85

If you request it, the government must provide its services in either english or french. That's why the voter cards are in both languages, saves them some paper/time. Quebec seems to be able to get around this by bitching and whining and passing their sign laws. I'd be interested to see if they'd actually leave or if it's just idle threats. If they were to leave they'd be pretty much pooched. No military, no coastal access to speak of, no currency, etc etc. I read in the news they wanted to use the US dollar and Bush suggested a place that they could go.

Not that I'm arguing against SSM (I strongly support it), but it's hard to imagine a woman sodomizing another... She'd have to have a penis of some sort

If a global ban is passed on land mines, what makes you think that a black market for landmines won't suddenly spring up in 3rd world countries? You give me two days, a hundred bucks and the internet and I can build you an anti-personnel mine. A block of TNT with nails taped to one face will pretty much serve your purpose there. Banning mines doesn't make sense, because like someone already said, all it would do is tie our hands. It wouldn't stop terrorists or the Russians and Chinese from using land mines in some sort of guerilla warfare setting. Furthermore, the US can't always fly over mines. What about urban combat? Three guys hiding in a building with RPG's shooting at helicopters are pretty much safe if they mine the doors and the streets around them.

Oh sorry, I was thinking more in terms of the C-130 replacement, I guess.

I have to agree with Hollus on this one. Just because I'm a liberal doesn't mean I wouldn't enlist if we got invaded. It's easy to generalize that sort of thing during peace times (no, the "war on terror" doesn't count). If WW3 actually broke out, I think you'd see far more than 10% of the left enlisting. A war to defend our freedom should rise above political infighting and stereotypes. To do anything otherwise would be childish.

Sigh. Why can't they just pony up the dough for a few Globemasters. Instead, they'll probably pull a Martin and buy some retrofitted B-17 Flying Fortresses from the British and then one will catch fire.

I recall a lot of whining and begging coming from Alberta back when they were in the "have-nots". It seems to me that ever since they've struck oil Albertan leaders think that they have the right to direct the entire nation.

I should add that I think most of the recent leadership candidates aren't very good.... to say the least.

I could think of worse leaders than Justin Trudeau. Given the recent trend of leaders and leader-hopefuls with political science or law degrees, perhaps it's time for someone who is closer to the average citizen.

He still makes a valid point. In the modern vernacular, whore is a derogatory term applied to women. Quoting the dictionary is fine and good, but as everyone knows, it's not what you meant but how what you said is interpreted.

on the back benches, unfortunately

First of all, stop trolling. This is a place for intelligent debate, not flame wars. If you're here looking for an argument gtfo. Second of all, he's not saying Canada as a country got worse, he's saying that the government has gotten worse. I don't think anyone can argue that paying down the deficit is bad. The problem is all the American-bashing, all the corruption, all the bad calls. And before you start flaming me, no, I'm not a conservative from the Mulroney era, I'm a staunch Liberal and I voted that way this past monday. I still think Harper has a hidden agenda and I just don't like or respect him as a leader. Unfortunately, he's probably what we need right now, because without any competition the Liberals got sloppy and corrupt. A term out of office will let them regroup.

Probably none. It's not hard to imagine the Liberals running her because she's a woman though.

I'm aware that if a confidence bill doesn't pass it will trigger an election, but how exactly is a bill determined to be a confidence vote? Can the PM just unilaterally declare it to be one way or the other?

thank you

I have been hearing Manley's name being tossed around, but I don't think he'll run based on what he said on CBC after Layton's speech. Peter Mansbridge asked Manley if he would be running, to which Manley replied I think he knows that he isn't what the Liberals need right now.

Who do you think will become the new leader of the Liberal party? I wouldn't be surprised if Ignatief (sp?) and Stronach wound up in a leadership race. Also: Hi, I'm na85 and I'm new here. I'm 20 years old, studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Western Ontario in London.