Election 2009

[jdobbin]

According to La Presse:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090818/cana...rties_elections

Canada's Liberal opposition will try to topple the ruling Conservatives in September and force snap elections, the daily La Presse said Tuesday, citing Liberal insiders.

The Liberals and their rookie leader Michael Ignatieff would propose on an "opposition day" in late September a motion censuring Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservatives, the French-language newspaper said.

The New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois are expected to back it, based on recent comments by their leaders favoring elections, assuring Harper's defeat.

A ballot would follow on November 9, the paper said. This would be Canada's fourth federal election in five years.

Certainly it looks like all the parties want an election since none seems willing to work together in a minority government. The NDP and Bloc are itching to go and the Tories themselves look like they might consider a snap election rather than losing on a confidence vote.

As for Liberals and Ignatieff, it is probably untenable to support the Tory government and risk falling into a repeated situation that Dion faced. I don't think the Liberals want the Tories to call an election after the Olympics or the G8 meeting.

Edited August 18, 2009 by jdobbin

[punked]

According to La Presse:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090818/cana...rties_elections

Certainly it looks like all the parties want an election since none seems willing to work together in a minority government. The NDP and Bloc are itching to go and the Tories themselves look like they might consider a snap election rather than losing on a confidence vote.

As for Liberals and Ignatieff, it is probably untenable to support the Tory government and risk falling into a repeated situation that Dion faced. I don't think the Liberals want the Tories to call an election after the Olympics or the G8 meeting.

The Cons will smear attack adds across the public 2 weeks before the opposition day "Iggy just visiting", "Iggy loves torture,", "Liberals don't want Ottawa to work," and the Liberals will cave. The writing is already on the wall.

[jdobbin]

The Cons will smear attack adds across the public 2 weeks before the opposition day "Iggy just visiting", "Iggy loves torture,", "Liberals don't want Ottawa to work," and the Liberals will cave. The writing is already on the wall.

We'll see if it works. The last time they ran ads like that, Liberal membership climbed and money poured in.

[punked]

We'll see if it works. The last time they ran ads like that, Liberal membership climbed and money poured in.

I agree the adds will focus more on the chest thumping I think. "Liberals want the 4th election in 5 years, they don't want Ottawa to work, we gave them what they wanted on EI and still all they want is power." They they tie it too Iggy "He wants power, he is just visiting, Blah Blah Blah" You know the game. That is how Lee Atwarter would do it and I think the Cons are running off his play book.

[Smallc]

Well, I don't think we necessarily need an election yet, but if there is one, I won't be voting Coservative (not that it will matter).

[jdobbin]

I agree the adds will focus more on the chest thumping I think. "Liberals want the 4th election in 5 years, they don't want Ottawa to work, we gave them what they wanted on EI and still all they want is power." They they tie it too Iggy "He wants power, he is just visiting, Blah Blah Blah" You know the game. That is how Lee Atwarter would do it and I think the Cons are running off his play book.

I'll remind you that it isn't just the Liberals who can bring down the government. My belief is the Tories will say the vote is a coalition.

[jdobbin]

Well, I don't think we necessarily need an election yet, but if there is one, I won't be voting Coservative (not that it will matter).

You can't vote BQ either.

[Smallc]

haha, no, I'll probably vote for my party.

[punked]

I'll remind you that it isn't just the Liberals who can bring down the government. My belief is the Tories will say the vote is a coalition.

The Tories wont attack the NDP or the Bloc if they vote to bring down the government because no one going to leave those parties to vote for the Cons, they need them to come through with another government.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Whether there is an election or not, the Canadian public will become polarized over the coming weeks and months to the extent that minority governments will become far less desirable.

[jdobbin]

The Tories wont attack the NDP or the Bloc if they vote to bring down the government because no one going to leave those parties to vote for the Cons, they need them to come through with another government.

By using the word coalition, the Tories do attack all parties. We'll see if it happens again.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

By using the word coalition, the Tories do attack all parties. We'll see if it happens again.

Lets all hope that it does for the good of the nation. There are things that need to get done, and the only way to do it is with a majority government.

[daniel]

...they don't want Ottawa to work...

Ha ha, the last time 3 of the 4 parties agreed to make it work, the Conservatives ran crying to the GG.

[Alta4ever]

Why really do we need another election in October? Nothing has changed since the last election, all I can think of is ignatieff thinks he needs to go before the job numbers start to improve. Which always follows the market up swing it is that last thing to correct in a reccession. Another 300 million so we can have the same result and disfunctional minority parliment.

I can't beleive we will be headed into the 5th election in the last 9 years. I hope that if the liberals do bring down another pointless election on us they are punished, as with the other two parties who have done nothing constructive in this session but huff and puff.

[jdobbin]

Why really do we need another election in October? Nothing has changed since the last election, all I can think of is ignatieff thinks he needs to go before the job numbers start to improve. Which always follows the market up swing it is that last thing to correct in a reccession. Another 300 million so we can have the same result and disfunctional minority parliment.

Why did Harper call the last election? He didn't lose a confidence vote. He has legislation in place to have a fixed election. Did yhe waste money given that nothing really changed? Or was it brilliant, simply brilliant that he called an election?

I can't beleive we will be headed into the 5th election in the last 9 years. I hope that if the liberals do bring down another pointless election on us they are punished, as with the other two parties who have done nothing constructive in this session but huff and puff.

So if Harper did call an election right after the election, you would punish him for it? Or would it be brilliant, simply brilliant?!

[Smallc]

another pointless election on us they are punished,

So why didn't you punish the Conservatives last time?

[Alta4ever]

So why didn't you punish the Conservatives last time?

They were fewer people turned out to vote

[Smallc]

Did you vote? Were you happy with the election?

[Alta4ever]

Did you vote? Were you happy with the election?

I voted, and no I wasn't happy, but the result will not be any different this time around either the polling numbers are much the same as they have been since the conservatives first took power, and really the result will be the same as before.

[Smallc]

The polling numbers are significantly different than they were before the last election.

[Alta4ever]

The polling numbers are significantly different than they were before the last election.

No they aren't a couple of percentage points is not significatly different, no one is any where near majority territory. Numbers don't look any different. The outcome won't be much different, there are only a handful of seats that are close enough to go either way. this result won't be any different.

[Wilber]

On what issue would they bring the government down that the public would accept as an excuse for yet another election? We would be looking more like Italy every day.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Wilber

[punked]

The polling numbers are significantly different than they were before the last election.

They really aren't this is a poll a month before the election was called in 2008

2008.08.10

Bloc 6

Con 32

Green 13

Lib 33

NDP 15

It is the same as the ones today accept weak bloc numbers.

Edited August 18, 2009 by punked

[Smallc]

No they aren't a couple of percentage points is not significatly different, no one is any where near majority territory.

A couple of percentage points makes all the difference. The Liberals will pick up seats in double digit numbers, and they know that.

[Smallc]

They really aren't this is a poll a month before the election was called in 2008

The difference today is that the Liberals will not lose support during the campaign. There is no Dion and no Greenshift.