If an Election were called

[Jack Weber]

I would vote for the Conservatives. They would most likely get a majority this time after the crap that has gone on this month.

With a majority they would not have to wimp out on some policies and could go ahead and make changes that I would like to see including the following.

1. End the party welfare payments and have each party earn their own election funds.
   
2. Have Senate seats elected
   
3. Have Supreme Court judges elected
   
4. Pass a unborn victims of crime act of some kind
   
5. Adjust CBC's funding to what it deserves, $0.00.
   
6. Make Quebec equal to the other provinces and stop the special treatment and bills made just for them.
   
7. Have an actual vote by the people of Canada on gay marriage. He wimped out holding another vote only in Parliament as a minority government so when he lost he could throw up his hands and say "Oh well, I tried!".
   

There are others but I forget at the moment.

(edit) - added number 7

Or...You could move to South Carolina????

[bush_cheney2004]

Or...You could move to South Carolina????

Many already have....and continue to do so.

[Jack Weber]

Many already have....and continue to do so.

I have two answers to that...

1.The smarta$$ in me wants to say,"Praise the Lord and pass the amunition!".

2.The intellectual in me says maybe there is hope for a demographic shift that we've seen in Virginia and North Carolina that has alllowed Mr.Obama and the Democrats to win in states that seemed to be electoral wastelands in the past.

Imagine...The state that lead the Confederacy into secession going Democrat....

I guess the Praire Reformers might have to look towards Mississippi...or...even better...Wyoming to get the political representation they so crave!

[bush_cheney2004]

I have two answers to that...

1.The smarta$$ in me wants to say,"Praise the Lord and pass the amunition!".

2.The intellectual in me says maybe there is hope for a demographic shift that we've seen in Virginia and North Carolina that has alllowed Mr.Obama and the Democrats to win in states that seemed to be electoral wastelands in the past.

That past is very short.

Imagine...The state that lead the Confederacy into secession going Democrat....

See "Dixiecrats"

I guess the Praire Reformers might have to look towards Mississippi...or...even better...Wyoming to get the political representation they so crave!

Works for me....any such reference to American context is already a leap of faith.

[Jack Weber]

That past is very short.

See "Dixiecrats"

Works for me....any such reference to American context is already a leap of faith.

I know all about the Dixiecrats and folks like Strom Thurmond...

That party grew up and cast off it's Confederate leanings in the mid '60's.I see the GOP picked up the mantle almost right afterwards.

As far as I can see,the less right wing Reformers in this country,the better!.If they go to Mississippi or Wyoming it won't help the GOP very much...Unless they start to embrace the Radical Centre they will be nothing but an unelectable rural rump...Except in the old Confederacy and the western plains....And that ain't where the votes(and power) are(is)!!!

[bush_cheney2004]

As far as I can see,the less right wing Reformers in this country,the better!.If they go to Mississippi or Wyoming it won't help the GOP very much...Unless they start to embrace the Radical Centre they will be nothing but an unelectable rural rump...Except in the old Confederacy and the western plains....And that ain't where the votes(and power) are(is)!!!

I don't think it matters as long as they need American political dynamics to define themselves or their parties.

[Progressive Tory]

I am going to write a letter to the opposition leaders.

The letter will suggest that they not run against each other in the next election. They should all keep what they have and draw lots for all of the 143 seats the Tories hold. Make it a simple choice for the electorate, either Steve or no Steve.

I recently attended a Town Hall meeting with local candidates for the Green, NDP and Liberals. When asked about what would happen if an election was called they hinted that they were at least considering some form of coalition, or at least co-operation, if just for one election. The Green Party candidate said that they would be open to such a move so long as Proportional Representation was part of the platform. The NDP only demanded a national minimum wage.

It would appear that only the Party with the best shot at beating the Conservatives would field a candidate in each riding, to avoid vote-splitting.

[Mr.Canada]

I recently attended a Town Hall meeting with local candidates for the Green, NDP and Liberals. When asked about what would happen if an election was called they hinted that they were at least considering some form of coalition, or at least co-operation, if just for one election. The Green Party candidate said that they would be open to such a move so long as Proportional Representation was part of the platform. The NDP only demanded a national minimum wage.

It would appear that only the Party with the best shot at beating the Conservatives would field a candidate in each riding, to avoid vote-splitting.

All three of those parties will get destroyed if they go to an election over a Coalition government.

[Progressive Tory]

All three of those parties will get destroyed if they go to an election over a Coalition government.

I don't think so. With the Dion factor removed. A recent poll had Ignatieff at 28% and Harper at 27%

We have to remember that the Conservatives got 170,000 fewer votes in 2008 than 2006. It was only vote-splitting that gave them more seats.

Leaving out the Bloc; 2008 election results:

Green/NDP/Liberal - 7,087,066

Conservative - 5,204,468

With Bloc:

Bloc/Green/NDP/Liberal - 8,464,699

Conservative - 5,204,468

Is this a gamble the Conservatives are willing to take? Remember, Dion is gone, Quebec support is gone, Carbon Tax is gone.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

The carbon tax, which would at least have benefited the nation in terms of absolute reductions has morphed into a cap and trade system owned and operated by polluting businesses. Guess how well that will work!

Iggy has yet to be heard from.

[NanaimoConservative]

Or...You could move to South Carolina????

....or change Canada from the inside out. The US needs to rebuild it's republican party and we are going to do the same for Canada.

[madmax]

I recently attended a Town Hall meeting with local candidates for the Green, NDP and Liberals. When asked about what would happen if an election was called they hinted that they were at least considering some form of coalition, or at least co-operation, if just for one election. The Green Party candidate said that they would be open to such a move so long as Proportional Representation was part of the platform. The NDP only demanded a national minimum wage.

It would appear that only the Party with the best shot at beating the Conservatives would field a candidate in each riding, to avoid vote-splitting.

Pure nonsense.

[DrGreenthumb]

Pure nonsense.

Actually after talking to family and friends over Christmas people are a lot more open to the idea of a coalition. People were actually pretty disgusted at the Harper senate appointments, even among my more conservative family members. People would be even less uneasy about a coaltion if the NDP and Liberals had enough seats between them after an election to not need bloc support. An NDP/Liberal coaltion majority would send Harper and his religious zealots back to their revival tents for a good long time.

[madmax]

Actually after talking to family and friends over Christmas people are a lot more open to the idea of a coalition. People were actually pretty disgusted at the Harper senate appointments, even among my more conservative family members. People would be even less uneasy about a coaltion if the NDP and Liberals had enough seats between them after an election to not need bloc support. An NDP/Liberal coaltion majority would send Harper and his religious zealots back to their revival tents for a good long time.

I am not disagreeing with your assessment.

I do not believe that the NDP would ever run less then a full slate of Candidates. I do not believe that the Liberals will run less then a Full Slate of Candidates... especially after the disaster in Central Nova. There Elizabeth May stunk up the place and did worse then an NDP candidate who faced off against all parties including an Liberal Candidate in Central Nova.

[Mr.Canada]

Actually after talking to family and friends over Christmas people are a lot more open to the idea of a coalition. People were actually pretty disgusted at the Harper senate appointments, even among my more conservative family members. People would be even less uneasy about a coaltion if the NDP and Liberals had enough seats between them after an election to not need bloc support. An NDP/Liberal coaltion majority would send Harper and his religious zealots back to their revival tents for a good long time.

Would your friends be just as disgusted if Dion made 18 appointments?

Please show any policy that was a direct result of religious zealotry.

[Jack Weber]

....or change Canada from the inside out. The US needs to rebuild it's republican party and we are going to do the same for Canada.

Let's hope not.

Either keep that backwards right wing reform garbage on the prairies or move to a place where people think like you do.

[Jack Weber]

I don't think so. With the Dion factor removed. A recent poll had Ignatieff at 28% and Harper at 27%

We have to remember that the Conservatives got 170,000 fewer votes in 2008 than 2006. It was only vote-splitting that gave them more seats.

Leaving out the Bloc; 2008 election results:

Green/NDP/Liberal - 7,087,066

Conservative - 5,204,468

With Bloc:

Bloc/Green/NDP/Liberal - 8,464,699

Conservative - 5,204,468

Is this a gamble the Conservatives are willing to take? Remember, Dion is gone, Quebec support is gone, Carbon Tax is gone.

Here's the problem for the strident Reformers...The Con support in Ontario is soft outside of places like Halton Hills or Hastings County.The Con's only raised their profile in Ontario because the Liberal leader was so completely inept that the Red Tories had nowhere else to go.They either stayed home or plugged their collective noses and voted for Sweatervest's representative.

Fortunately,now that Mr.Ignatieff is on the scene,that ineptitude has been removed.Now the Lib's have someone who can go toe to toe with Sweatervest in the Commons during a debate.Actually from what I've seen from Sweatervest recently,his intellectual prowess seems to be overrated.Nevertheless,Mr.Ignatieff is far more palatable to voters than Mr.Dion,and the soft Reform support in Ontario will reveal itself.

[madmax]

Would your friends be just as disgusted if Dion made 18 appointments?

Dion isn't making any appointments. Prime Minister Harper is making those appointments. Everyone should be disgusted with Mr Harper.

[Riverwind]

Dion isn't making any appointments. Prime Minister Harper is making those appointments. Everyone should be disgusted with Mr Harper.

Why? He was entitled to make those appointments at any time. He delayed making them because he sincerely wanted to change the system first but was not able to do so because the other parties refused to co-operate. He is not breaking any promises because he attempted reform and now is forced to do things the way they have always been done.

The only reason the opposition politicians are whining is because they wanted to opportunity to put their cronies in instead.

The bottom line: the opposition could have prevented this from happening if the co-operated on reform. They choose not to so they pnly have themselves to blame.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Riverwind

[Progressive Tory]

"The Con's only raised their profile in Ontario because the Liberal leader was so completely inept that the Red Tories had nowhere else to go."

You're absolutely right.

I'm a Red Tory and while I'm always hopeful that the new Conservative Party will swing that way, it's still far too right to be an option.

I'm voting Liberal because Ignatieff is closer to the centre than the left. I also like that he is extremely intelligent. The Conservatives are trying to spin that to make him seem out of touch with the average Canadian. However, this country is in crisis. Environmental, Democratic and Economic. I want my Prime Minister to be smarter than me. It's not time for hokey. George Bush was hokey and look at the mess he made of things.

Mr. Obama and Mr. Ignatieff can meet on the same level. I'm very proud of that.

[madmax]

Why? He was entitled to make those appointments at any time.

The entitlement defense....

He delayed making them because he sincerely wanted to change the system first but was not able to do so because the other parties refused to co-operate.

Sounds like a load of BS to me. Sincerity is not a word one uses to describe the actions of the Prime Minister.

He is not breaking any promises but he attempted reform and now is forced to do things the way they have always been done.

The only reason the opposition politicians are whining is because they wanted to opportunity to put their cronies in instead.

The NDP doesn't have cronies to put in nor supports appointments to the Senate. The NDP supports the Abolition of the Senate.

Mr. Harper is appointing separtists to the Senate. Something a Separtist couldn't achieve on their own.

The Liberals can't talk much about the Senate. They are as bad as the Conservatives, but not as hypocritical, when it comes to their public position.

The Senate isn't a ballot question for Canadians. I don't believe any party is in danger of losing votes regardless of their position on the Senate.

It isn't a ballot question for me. I just think the Senate has to go...

[Riverwind]

The NDP doesn't have cronies to put in nor supports appointments to the Senate. The NDP supports the Abolition of the Senate.

Then why didn't it support Harper in his bid to make intermediate reforms such as term limits?

Mr. Harper is appointing separtists to the Senate. Something a Separtist couldn't achieve on their own.

And Liberals appointed a seperatist as GG. The guy supported the yes side but then ran for a federalist party that had little patience for Quebec's demands. Given the fact the Canadian Alliance had zero chance of success in Quebec I assume he did so as a result of changed convictions. But I suspose once a seperatist always a seperatist in your book.

It isn't a ballot question for me. I just think the Senate has to go...

Something that is impossible without opening the constitution. However, modest reforms could be accomplished without constitutional change if there is a concensus in parliment.

One thing you might want to keep in mind: despite the press around the perks of being a senator does require work and does require that one give up one's current job. I suspect the PM asked a number of people who turned down the position because they thought they had better things to do with their lives. It should come as no surprise that the people willing to accept a senate seat are long time political operatives that do not currently have an elected position.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Riverwind

[madmax]

I also like that he is extremely intelligent.

Ignatieff is not extremely intelligent. He is well educated. What intelligence he does have is undermined by a lack of wisdom.

When a critical decision needed to be made we have to be thankful that Neither Ignatieff or Harper were Prime Minister at the time of the Iraq conflict. While we may expect such solidarity from Mr. Harper to stand beside a country making the poorest decision in its history, during one of the most despicable and corrupt regimes, the mere fact that Ignatieff supported such an ignorant position, just shows that his intelligence isn't worth Jack Squat.

This is the joker who commented on a land claims issue in Diane Finleys riding, that he could solve it in 6 months. And I am no fan of Diane Finley, or her MIA approach to Native Land Claims and the riding.

Iggy is a goofball, and its just a matter of time before he proves it to everyone.

Edited December 28, 2008 by madmax

[Mr.Canada]

Dion isn't making any appointments. Prime Minister Harper is making those appointments. Everyone should be disgusted with Mr Harper.

Yes because we all know no other PM would have made the appointments right? That's the first thing the Coalition was going to do.

So going back to the original question yet again. Try answering it this time folks.

DrGreentUHUMB: Would your friends be as disgusted with the DIon or Coalition appointments?

[Mr.Canada]

Mr. Harper is appointing separtists to the Senate. Something a Separtist couldn't achieve on their own.

He is? How many Separatists(spell it like this please) has he appointed? You used the plural so there must be more than one. Is there even one? Who?

The Senate isn't a ballot question for Canadians. I don't believe any party is in danger of losing votes regardless of their position on the Senate.

It isn't a ballot question for me. I just think the Senate has to go...

Yes, the Senate has to go because the Tories have 38 seats in it now instead of 20 whereas the Liberals have 50+ seats. The Tories must not be allowed to have any input to our country right?

Typical socialist arrogance.