BigGunner

What socio-economic, ethnic, or alternative lifestyle group has Svend or Libby advocated being outlawed? Did they suggest that interracial marriages be banned? Did they suggest that women's right to vote be reversed? Gays and lesbians have the same right to have their own private intimate relationship with each other. This is recognised by law, and it is the right thing. Government has no business in regulating the private affairs of consenting adults....and it is absolutely NONE of Larry Spencer's business, nor is it any of your business.

That calculator is a nice toy, but does nothing to take into account political factors in play this time around. 1. Unifying the two conservative parties does not mean that each others supporters will vote for the new party 2. Rise of the NDP, thanks in part to the new leadership of the party and its recovery in the west.

Imagine that...the NDP seriously considering seats in Calgary...the one city that even Liberals fear to tread.

The key message to all of this recent polling is that the Liberals haven't gained or lost much in the recent fiasco. They are in trouble though. 1. Conservative unity is a threat in Ontario. 2. Return of the NDP in the west, and Ontario The more shocking news from the polling seems to be the failure of the conservatives to capture anything from the Liberals. The combined 2000 vote for the PC and Alliance party was 38%. If the election was held today, that party would only get 26% - only a fraction of a point higher than the 2000 alliance total.

Brilliant... I wonder if Conservative party members have the option on the ballot of "none of the above"... Stonach backers from the UK

One has to look at the 2000 election results to get a better understanding of what these polls are telling us today. The Liberals are not far off their previous election tally. They scored almost 41% in 2000 and are only 4 points off that pace. The Conservatives will gain at the expense in Ontario because of the conservative unity on the ballot, but they are still 7 points behind this 2000 unified tally (38%). In the west, this formula has backfired. By taking on the eastern conservatives, the Conservative Party alientated the anti-establishment voter from the west and they have flocked to the NDP.

When they were the Reform party and Alliance party, they had the populist agenda on their side. Not anymore. Since they performed the hostile takeover of the PC party, the anti-establishment voter out here in the west is not as interested in the conservatives any more.

Ipos-Reid released another poll. Liberals would score a minority. Nationally Liberals 38% - up 2 points Conservatives 26% - down 1 point NDP 17% - unchanged BQ 11% - up 1 point Greens 4% - unchanged BC Liberals 33% - up 7 points NDP 29% - up 3 points Conservatives 27% - down 6 points Greens 10% - up 4 points Alberta Conservatives 57% - up 10 points Liberals 24% - down 4 points NDP 16% - down 2 points Green 2% - down 2 points SK/MN Liberals 36% - up 7 points NDP 31% - up 2 points Conservatives 24% - down 7 points Green 6% - down 2 points Ontario Liberals 47% - up 1 point Conservatives 31% - up 2 points NDP 16% - down 2 points Green 4% - unchanged Quebec BQ 49% - up 5 points Liberal 31% - up 1 point NDP 8% - down 1 point Conservative 6% - down 4 points Green 4% - up 1 point Atl. Liberal 49% - up 10 points Conservative 31% - down 5 points NDP 17% - down 1 point Green 1% - down 1 point

Campbell is BC's version of George Bush. They both inherited growing economies with record budget surpluses and turned it into record deficits. Massive tax cuts by both autocratic rulers didn't create jobs, it created massive debt. Tax cuts have been taken away by both Bush and Campbell from the low and middle class by sneaky tax increases. Neither Bush nor Campbell deserve to be re-elected...but perhaps they should be in prison.

I have no idea who this NAMBLA group is, but being a public advocate only goes so far. Freedom of expression does not extend to those who promote hatred, or illegal activity. I find it sickening that there might be some association that is pro-paedophile and is trying to lobby for its legitimization... Wishful thinking, and i think they have about as much of a chance as the KKK would if they attempted to publish a document on how to commit a murder on some ethnic minority and get away with it.

Campbell is going nowhere. Campbell is the BC Liberal party. All of his inner circle people and high ranking officials are "yes-men"...hand picked to support his agenda no matter what. More perhaps than the corrupt federal liberals in Ottawa. Dissent, when it does occur, brings a quick smackdown. Already the party has dismissed this MLA is someone who just wanted inside the cabinet and the payraise that went with it....as if the Liberal cabinet isn't big enough already. Toppling Campbell will destroy the party too. They, like Social Credit before them, are a coalition of 'liberals' and conservatives to keep the NDP at bay. They are strong when they have a iron-fisted centrist that runs the show, such as Bennett in the 80's and now Campbell. But the instant that one faction gets ahold of the party machinery, the whole thing collapses. When Zalm took over the leadership, he represented the conservatives - the 'liberals' bolted. If a real "Liberal" takes over the party, the conservatives will flee to the Unity party or what is left of ReformBC. If the conservatives take over the party, the liberals are likely to flee and resurrect the old PDA party (which is in the process of happening). Bad news on all counts for the BC Liberals. Good news for BC.

The NDP will make gains in the next federal election. Every poll is suggesting a dramatic recovery for the party. NDP can usually count on a 15-20% popular support nationally, which is higher in its core support regions. Factors that held down the NDP in 93-2000 were the fact that the party had 2 very unpopular NDP provincial governments in power, and the federal party paid the price. For Ontario, the NDP has been out of power for almost 10 years, and the provincial Liberals and PC party have actually damaged themselves somewhat. In BC, the NDP has had a stunning recovery, and according to some polls, could actually win if the election was held today. While national polling puts the conservatives within striking distance of the Liberals, it is due to their polling recovery in Ontario - not the west. In fact, in every western province that the Reform and Alliance party swept in the last three elections, their support is actually lower now. Most of their support has drifted to the NDP. Look it up... 2000 Alliance, 50% popular support Liberals, 27% NDP, 11% 2004 (so far) Conservative, 33% NDP, 26% Liberal, 26% ...you see, the liberals haven't moved anywhere, but the alliance/CPC party has lost 17 points to the NDP. Ps.. As for nutjobs, the kind of left-wing rhetoric from Svend and Libby is popular in east Vancouver and it wins them elections. Strange eh?

there needs to be special laws. if your 1 day over the age of concent and have sex with someone 1 day under, you should not be thrown in jail. I proposed a grading system, perhaps something more stringent? make the age of concent 18 years, but allow people within 5 years of eachother, in age, to do it, less then 18 or not. If two people are within a day either side of the age of consent, then bloody well wait a day.. If getting your noodle wet is that imortant, then its important enough to wait for.

Say what you want about the federal NDP's chances in BC, but Ipsos-Reid's last poll put the NDP at 26% (liberals also 26% and the conservatives 33%) Given that breakdown of support, I'd suggest that we really looking at the kind of earth shifting change in voting patters in BC that you spoke of, and dismissed. Given that the Alliance scored almost 50% of the entire popular vote in 2000, for them to lose 17 points is more than significant. The Liberals scored 27% in 2000 in BC - so where do you think the NDP is getting its support from? Knowing how voter concentrations work in my home province, I can advise you that if these numbers hold up, the Conservatives will be swept from a number of their seats in areas they thought were 'theirs'. Vancouver Island is NOT Conservative turf. While the Reform and Alliance party did very well on the Island, the eastern dominated Conservative party will get turfed in favour of Canada's other anti-establishment/western rooted populist party, the NDP. The conservatives will easily retain northen BC seats, and areas around Kelowna, eastern frazer valley, and greater Vancouver's North Shore ridings, but have no hope in urban BC. It is more than a possibility that the NDP will take 12 or more seats in BC in this upcoming election.

Paedophelia is not going to be legalised. Period.

No, this might not be Cuba or the USSR, but those who do break the laws in this country do have to spend time in jail...that includes, in the most extreme cases, promotion of hate literature, and extreme cases of criminal defamation of character...similiar rules apply in America too. It is because of free speech that Rabble.ca exists. ------ I'm not in total agreement with Svend on everything he has said in the past either. I also disagree with several conservative politicians too - but I have never suggested that they wish to pass laws against minorities or misrepresent their views in a way that makes them sound like demons. (your Svend/paedophelia comments) ------- If you want to discuss age of consent, thats cool. I think it should be 16. That puts me at odds with a lot of others, but I don't think that many young people that are 15 or younger have the capacity to understand and appreciate the consequences of such actions...it is heartbreaking to hear of yet another teen mom thats been abandoned by the teen dad and is forced to live in the *system*. But then, there are several adults that are equally immature about lifestyle choices.

I think we can mostly agree that RealWomen is the Conservative Party's women's auxilliary. They are not exactly a bastion of proponents of womens rights. They are an anti-abortion conservative lobby group...as such, most of the 'official' views come from that hardline slant.

If 'AF' wants to debate the issues, great! I can debate just about anyone on any given topic. But the behavior of AF went beyond a political disagreement - he attempted to pin Svend as pro-paedophile. That is obviously a defamitory and slanderous allegation.

Free Speech is a constitutional right. Defaming the character of another person is not only against the law, its morally wrong.

1. Feel free to post a link that identifies where the ndp wants the age of consent to 12.. 2. Provide everyone with a link to any organisation that wants the legal right to publish material on "how to rape children".. 3. Identify where 'every ND here' supports the age of consent to age 12. :angry:

You don't get it! NO one suports paedophelia! NO one supports the sexual assault of anyone, no matter what their age. It doesn't matter if the victim is 12, 14, 23, or 57 - rape is and always will be against the law. If you were so concerned about the welfare of children, then perhaps you can explain the sense in conservative Premier Campbell's policy that will shut all the battered women's shelters and the one youth shelter for sexually exploited youth that is set up to help young people escape from *bad* situations in Vancouver. Your allegation that somehow Svend is under the sway of some kind of paedophile lobby runs opposite to the facts...Svend has been with his adult partner for decades, which is an accomplishment that many heterosexual couples cannot claim anymore. You might be a gay-hater....you are certainly entitled to your opinions...but attepting to tie them to being paedophiles is WRONG. Again, facts point out that the landslide majority of paedophiles are in fact straight. And, yes.....your posting has again been reported as defamitory and factually incorrect. Have a nice day

I think you're right. Defeating Copps has sent a chilling message to the progressives within the Liberal party. Tow the party line or else. Outside the party, most people would have relected Copps in a healthy landslide. However, defeating Copps has suddenly put this riding into play and is now winnable by other parties. Such as the NDP.

I'm not sure if a 14 year old has the capacity to fully appreciate the consequences of a fully intimate relationship. At 14, a teenager has just entered grade 8. Even at 16, it is doubtful that a young person can fully appreciate the responsibilities that come with engaging in all that, but there has to be line somewhere. That doesn't mean that all youths are incapable of taking responsibility for their actions, but let these kids find out their own lessons. And one doesn't have to be young to make stupid choices. There are a fair number of adults that are just as clueless and immature as any underage kids that society pretends to protect.

Another post of yours has been reported as defamitory. Look, no-one on earth would condone any kind of legitmization of any kind of sexual abuse on children. Your attempt to paint Svend as that kind of deviant is completely wrong. What is interesting however is the statistics that prove that most paedophiles are actually straight males, or catholic priests...Svend does not fit into either category. Your rhetoric is perhaps the reason that the conservative party will lose out this election. They are out of touch with reality. Hateful propaganda does not make a political party, and it does not define an election. Keep up the good work in indentifying reasons why reasonable people should avoid the Ba'ath Conservative party of Canada.

Yes, I have reported your comments to the webmaster as defamitory... You certainly are a troll, and you do nothing to enhance debate on here into something intellectually stimulating.