madmax

Here is the breakdown of the poll. http://www.probe-research.com/090930%20Fed...20Standings.pdf

Might be a group hug for Dhalla, but not with the CPC or the NDP. Immigration doesn't go well with the CPC anymore then with the current LPC decision, and Dhallas daliance with nannies makes her to hot for the NDP. Now, I would like to see BOB RAE and Dosanjh go to the CPC I think the one defector is in Guelph.

Last year Steve criticised fancy galas as elitist. This year they are convienent. Someone else having fun.....

Are you certain it isn't terrorism?

My only concern with that, is that the Green Party has been running paper candidates to receive the extra dollar per vote subsidy since 2004. I am not a fan of the subsidy, nor the fact that people can donate money and get it back on their tax return. However, I am not of the opinion that more money needs to go to political parties. I would suggest less. Back to this thread. Would a Conservative Majority make the Bloc Irrelevant? The BQ would be no less Irrelevant then when the Liberals had multiple Majorities and the BQ was the official opposition or 3rd party during this period. Such discussion is foolish. The Reform Party purposely didn't run candidates in Quebec. I felt that was one of there more stupid petty ideas. However, the Reform party wasn't irrelevant either during these Liberal Minoritys. Are independants irrelevant? I don't think so, be it Majority or Minority. The way one makes the BQ Irrelevant in parliment is to defeat their MPs with MPs of another party. If you are not in Parliment you are less relevant.

No doubt the LPC numbers could be higher, but then so would the NDP numbers. Maybe they consider these Provinces and Regions part of Canada in the next sample Their polls, not results. They are just released just as much to form public opinion as they are to reflect it.

You are welcome to accept a poll that has a 6.3% Margin of Error shows the NDP at 4% in Quebec. Ignore the polls with larger sample sizes, lower margins of error and have the NDP in Quebec at 13% to 17%. The NDP are a fringe player in Quebec. The NDP hold 17 Seats in Ontario. More then when ED Broadbent hit his glory and this same poll has the NDP up 5% in Ontario. I don't believe that either.

Good thing you mentioned the regional breakdown. Many of these are out to lunch compared to other polls. Likely because of poor sample sizes. Huge Margins of Error Quebec: 243 -- 6.3 per cent Ontario: 383 -- 5.0 per cent West: 300 -- 5.7 per cent

I never really thought about that. The NDP voter has nowhere to go either. Perhaps that is why it is static and has remained static for much of the year. While their is always a % of NDP/CPC swing voters, and NDP/GP swing voters, the NDP/LPC swing voter is a left wing, anti Iraq War, anti Torture, Anti Afghanistan War vote that is not able to go towards Ignatieff because of his Pro Torture, Pro Iraq War and Pro Afghanistan war put him to the right of Harper. I don't see NDP voters going Green while the economy Sucks. That is not a party to turn to in bad times. So, the NDP is in a position according to the Angus Reid poll to pick up a few seats, or hold steady according to this poll. But any vote not for the LPC is a wasted vote... Meanwhile the NDP will continue to use those wasted votes so that their MPs can help pass increased benefits for EI.

According to todays release, the LPC are going to support the government on a case by case basis.

If the CPC were to try for a snap election, they would fall in the same trap as the LPC did in trying to go for one. (its called CATCH 22) The LPC are being punished in the polls for ignoring the country and reading the polls and going for an election. The strategy backfired. Few would have thought at the time that the party that is statistically equal to the CPC would have been punished for trying to run the odds and gain some more seats. Today, the LPC have the misfortune of getting less seats then Dion. Something considered impossible a short month ago. The CPC will pull the plug, but while the LPC is stumbling and bumbling, the CPC merely has to sit back and watch it implode. And Its unlikely that the LPC will get the helping hand they received from the NDP and BQ like they did last year when Harper kicked them in the nuts. The polls show the LPC down, the CPC up and the NDP no change. The BQ numbers are low with the LPC up in Quebec. Not bad all things considered. The only problem is that the LPC expected to make GAINS in ONTARIO and now the LPC is facing LOSSES in Ontario. I said it earlier. It was really stupid to target the smallest party in search of gains. But that was the strategy. It is why hte LPC made their announcement of defeating the government in Sudbury. An NDP seat the LPC want to take back. Now the LPC truly face losing seats in Ontario to the CPC. Luckily their isn't an election or this would be a strategic error and not just a tactical one. It hasn't gone as planned.

Yeah, Only banks should get a free ride.

People could afford a monthly increase of 20% to 30% on their heating and hydro bills, and their Gas Bills?I'm certain at that rate, they'd be broke and unable to pay their bills. Corporate Taxes in Canada are some of the lowest in the G8. It hasn't kept industry of jobs here. And Banks/Insurance companies don't need more Billions in profit and handouts. And if you create a consumption tax, designed to reduce consumption, you are ultimately defeating the purpose of stimulating an economy and/or raising revenue for Provincial Programs like Health Care. IMHO Now, for some reducing consumption is a good thing. However the argument is that those who consume the most, can consume even more because of the reduction in income taxes, and those who cannot afford to consume alot, will be in a weaker position to consume the necessities of life. However, I think you are looking at some kind of European model, and that model cannot exist in BC. While I hear the BC PST model is a dogs breakfast, there are better ways. HOwever, the HST is coming. You are going to have it your way. Enjoy

Yes it does, doesn't it. In all its Maple Syrupy goodness. And nothing is more Canadian then Maple Syrup

Not certain how that gives Ignatieff any direction. Considering that LPC supporters did not support the NDP when Dion hit an all time low threshold in popular support, if not seats, I cannot believe that someone such as yourself, now an identified LPC supporter, or people like jdobbin are going to make such a switch. It just doesn't happen. However, you are correct in following traditional Liberal spinning that a vote for the NDP is a wasted vote. (campaign slogan for outremont perhaps )Regardless, if you can figure out this english version of a ham fisted leader, be my guest. One, is he needs an Idea and a message box. Considering he has never had to fight to win anything, and that is very much unlike Harper and Layton, or Duceppe for that matter, and has even had his riding gifted to him. It is no surprise that this Silver spoon intellectual elitist is politically incompetent for the job at hand. He was brought up without spending time in the minors. While Harper and Layton are hated (and they are), they both are also liked/tolerated by their own party. Both these leaders have made errors within the last 12 months. Each one a big whopper. But it is getting out of these mistakes , and how you get out of them that is important. That is the true sign of leadership. A summer away, and this was all Ignatieff could come up with and already everyone is running and gunning on their own. http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/f...s-wavering.aspx

Pretty strong words coming from you and proving to be accurate none the less.

I like Harper. Always willing to put the US economy first. Besides, I don't like Salmon.

1) No 2) Its eroding by the hour

Credibility Gap. Is there a measurement for this? I have no idea how the LPC are going to spin this new policy within days of enforcing the "We are not supporting the government" position. The problem is the LPC should never have boxed themselves into the corner. The LPC are currently unpopular and the egg is not going to come off their faces as easy as it did for Jack Layton and the NDP. I expect the LPC are going to help through the Columbia Trade Deal and the HST. Of course, Iggy has reversed his position on the Iraq war and Torture, and there was a flip flop just a week or two ago. Oh Yeah, EI!!! The leader is losing control of the caucus. Ignatieffs days are numbered. BTW, I think Harper has just got through one month without shooting himself in the foot. And while Harper is no John Lennon in any form, including John Lennons Idealogy, he is getting some good light hearted press.

Well according to this headline, the Quebec Liberal MPs are siding with Layton, LOL.

Former Mulroney Conservative and BQ founder Lucien Bouchard can answer that question for you. However, from wiki... Prior to Duceppe election as an independant .... "All of the Bloc's other Members of Parliament had crossed the floor from either the Progressive Conservative Party or the Liberal Party earlier that year." Michel Gauthier was the next BQ leader after Bouchard. He was and is a Conservative within the BQ up until he left politics in 2006. Then Gilles Duceppe lead the party, the communist.. It's a regional party. Of course its regional, and if it was just a "Left Wing" regional party it would have as much traction as that left wing regional party in quebec that doesn't have a seat and gets under 1%.

I recall it was against the law to refuse work. It was legal to have child labour. There was a time of Slavery that was legal in North America. It was illegal to be in a union. There was a time when above ground nuclear testing was A OK. Those terrible Green Peace activists stopping the French with their continued above ground nuclear testing. Good think the French Government killed the activists and rescued their agents from New Zealand. Terrorists are they? When people stand up for their rights and for social change, they are not terrorists. Property rights are one aspect of law. The law is broad. I recall going toe to toe with a Jerk of a police officer. Seems he knew about property law, and jack squat about anything else. While coming very very very very very very very close to being arrested, it was the support that other "Protestors" gave me, that allowed a group of people to continue the protest and WIN in the court of law. There are lots of elements involved in property law. The government is the ultimate holder of property rights, whether you like it or not. It is why the government can take your property away from you. The bold actions of a few actually saved a landlord $122,000. That cops ignorance of the law, and one dimensional view of property law nearly cost our community $250,000. One 10 minute decision could have changed the course. Just because you don't like Green Peace or activists is no reason to call them terrorists. It is over the top hyperbole. Totally inline with your characature. Many people who own their property have no knowledge that corporations can come in and take it over and they have no rights. People were also arrested at Site 41. IIRC they won in the end.

Is that important How about a Carbon tax on consumption and we lower income taxes. HST with a feel good measure. The only way to deal with excessive carbon emmissions is to reduce them. Or as one climatogist said during the Kyoto talks. I was the least important person at the conference. It was all political.

As long as schemers try to create a 2 party system, there will be a 3rd party at minimum. You need the Government, the heir and the other. A two party system is too easily corruptable. And considering how Western Canada works, they are never comfortable with Status quo and something new will spring up whenever required. The West is responsible for, Reform, CCF, Progressives, and Social Credit among a number of political movements to spread onto the federal scene. While the LPC still suffers from delusions of granduer, the CPC is just as prone to adopt these allusions, which is why we throw governments out. But the 3rd party is their to vent and keep the others honest. Look in BC, the Social Credit and Conservatives rallied around the Liberal brand to drive out the NDP. The two party system then bleed into 3 as the Green Party has significant sway. In PC land of ALberta, the one party state, can get tired. Social Credit replaced by PCs, PCs challenged by Liberals, New Democrats and Wild Rose. In Sask, the Sask party and the NDP fight it out as top Dog and the Liberals provide the 3rd tier of protest. In Manitoba, its the NDP and the PCs with again the Liberals providing that 3rd outlet. Ontario, its Liberal, PCs with the NDP providing the 3rd outlet. In Quebec, we saw the LPC fight with the PQ, and the ADQ became the outlet. And we can go on. Whenever people think we should have only 2 parties, there is a group that is left out by these mainstream visions and they need a voice. That voice will always come from an alternative party.