42nd Canadian federal election slated for 2015

[olpfan1]

ROFL@ the centre voters going to the Tories... they are right of centre now

maybe before as a minority they were centre but since majority status theyve shown

their true selves

no way in hell are they getting the centre voters now

[Smallc]

ROFL@ the centre voters going to the Tories... they are right of centre now

They occupy the same place as the LPC used to.

[dre]

They occupy the same place as the LPC used to.

I disagree. If you look at the individual policies emerging they dont ocuppy the same space at all.

[olpfan1]

They occupy the same place as the LPC used to.

Bull, Liberals would NEVER table that Omnibus crime bill, Or spend bilions on prisons & jets while trying to cut down a defecit

among other things

[Smallc]

The jets will not be bought until after the deficit is scheduled to be gone, and yes, the Liberals would have bought them too. Paul Martin is the one mostly responsible for the increased military spending. After all, the jets are simply part of the DND budget, and the F-18 does need to be replaced.

Yes, there are some policy differences between the current CPC, and the previous LPC, but in general, they are both pragmatic centrist parties. They have the centre vote.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Smallc

[Boges]

Bull, Liberals would NEVER table that Omnibus crime bill, Or spend bilions on prisons & jets while trying to cut down a defecit

among other things

The CPC won a majority having that crime bill in their platform and proposing to buy these jets. You sound like a broken record.

[olpfan1]

think what you want but Harpers agenda is right of centre

not centre in my opinion

you are welcome to yours though

Edited February 18, 2012 by olpfan1

[Boges]

think what you want but Harpers agenda is right of centre

not centre in my opinion

you are welcome to yours though

Sure it's right of centre, but if the Libs and NDP merge the political leanings will change. There are many Liberals that have far more in common with the CPC than they do the NDP.

[olpfan1]

Sure it's right of centre, but if the Libs and NDP merge the political leanings will change. There are many Liberals that have far more in common with the CPC than they do the NDP.

why would liberals vote for a party being governed by harper, clement, toews, baird, mackay, oliver?

[Smallc]

why would liberals vote for a party being governed by harper, clement, toews, baird, mackay, oliver?

Because the Liberals, especially under Dion, strayed left. I used to be a Liberal.

[olpfan1]

Because the Liberals, especially under Dion, strayed left. I used to be a Liberal.

what about ignatief? i find harper to be more offensive than i do dion or iggy

[August1991]

I would think it all depends on who the leaders of the NDP and Liberal party are and if the Tories are still doing the things that peeve Canadians off like now. Voters being voters, we do get tired of the party in power and vote them out.

Opposition parties rarely win elections; governments lose them.

Harper can call an election whenever he wants.. he might take an opportunity.

Agreed. In theory, there's new legislation. In fact, we have the old system of a five-year mandate shortened to four years.

What is your opinion on the idea of introducing fixed-term parliaments?

We had fixed parliaments before. The term was five years and by constitution, it still is. The four year term was a tradition - and it still is.

It's hilarious that people hate Harper so much they longingly look forward 3-years to when he'll face re-election again.

The Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Montreal Canadiens. Same deal.

You have the fan boys, and the team that hate Harper.

Such is modern politics. Sad.

[Smallc]

what about ignatief?

Ignatieff was pretending to be something that he wasn't, and it was transparent. That's why the Liberals ended up where they are, among other reasons.

[olpfan1]

Ignatieff was pretending to be something that he wasn't, and it was transparent. That's why the Liberals ended up where they are, among other reasons.

meh, id rather have ignatief than harper but i voted ndp cause i liked layton

[Sa'adoni]

The jets will not be bought until after the deficit is scheduled to be gone, and yes, the Liberals would have bought them too. Paul Martin is the one mostly responsible for the increased military spending. After all, the jets are simply part of the DND budget, and the F-18 does need to be replaced.

Yes, there are some policy differences between the current CPC, and the previous LPC, but in general, they are both pragmatic centrist parties. They have the centre vote.

Just a point it doesn't actually need to be replaced, take for example Costa Rica who doesn't have a military. Being next door to the biggest super power in the world after China and their ally means that we will be well defended. Since our airforce cannot resist the US airforce in a full invasion it really has no role really.

It lowers US defence costs thats it.

US Homeland security is bigger than the Canadian Military.

Fact is, in this day and age anti air defences are more useful than stealth attack aircraft and bombers like the f35 is.

A nuclear deterrent is all Canada needs. Get enough bombs to take a large chunk of the planet and spin it out of orbit and the benefits of an invasion drop dramatically.

There are also air defence systems that don't require extremely expensive stealth strike bombers.

Its only good as a showpeice, upkeeping the gears, but it is outright rape to be spending this much money on foreign military equipment. Canada's military should be built by Canadians in Canada. By Canadian majority owned companies with Canadian owned technologies.

F( America

They've been stealing our money since the times of whales and klondike gold.

Now Canadians are paying for their war machine.

Canada had no enemies 12 years ago

now it is nearly in outright war with China and Russia.

Those billions kept in Canada would go a long way to employ Canadians.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Sa'adoni

[August1991]

So there is an election coming up in 2015, anyone have insights into how this one is going to play out?

2015, 2016. I bet that it will be Spring or Fall 2015 or Spring 2016. (In Canada, majority governments only have spring/fall elections.)

----

My thoughts now are that Harper is well on his way to losing power. Harper is a 21st century Diefenbaker. Like Diefenbaker, but in his own modern way, Harper is alienating too many of the people that he will require as voters.

Diefenbaker, with his ego, was surprised to learn in 1962 that voters turned against him. Harper, unless he's careful, will be surprised to learn that he can no longer calculate the odds in 2015.

Simply put, many voters in Ontario look to Quebec voters because they want to keep Canada united. When Harper alienates Quebec, he alienates many voters in Ontario.

At present, Harper's strategy seems to be to add seats in the West, suburban Ontario and - critically - to establish firm federal Conservative seats in Quebec. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think this strategy is flawed. Harper's strategy depends on dividing Quebec voters.

IMHO, regionalism - not ideology - drives Canada's federal politics.

And I have always felt that Canada's federation works best when people are not forced to choose between their region, and Ottawa.

Edited February 18, 2012 by August1991

[Smallc]

Just a point it doesn't actually need to be replaced, take for example Costa Rica who doesn't have a military.

Who cares? This is one of the wealthiest and larges countries in the world. We have interests that we need to protect here and abroad. It needs to be replaced.

[olpfan1]

Who cares? This is one of the wealthiest and larges countries in the world. We have interests that we need to protect here and abroad. It needs to be replaced.

when you say interests we "need" to protect around the world you mean israel right

[cybercoma]

If the two left parties unite then much of the centre will go to the CPC.

This statement has no more validity than someone saying, "if the two left parties unite then much of the centre will go to the left."

[Sa'adoni]

Who cares? This is one of the wealthiest and larges countries in the world. We have interests that we need to protect here and abroad. It needs to be replaced.

I disagree, world peace will only be brought about through nuclear weapons not strike fighters.

[cybercoma]

They occupy the same place as the LPC used to.

What? haha Not even close. They're not some extreme right-wing party that some claim, but they sure as hell are not in the centre.

[Smallc]

when you say interests we "need" to protect around the world you mean israel right

No, actually, I don't mean Israel.

[j44]

Discussing now what the federal election might be like in 2015 is ridiculous. 3 years is a lifetime in politics. So many things will change, and change again before anyone casts a ballot. Regardless, if the economy is strong, Harper probably retains a majority, or at least a strong minority. If the economy is struggling like it has been over the last few months, he probably loses his majority, and quite possibly PM.

This. Barring a scandal.

Harper could pull a Chretien and call a snap election soon after the Libs elect their leader like Jean did to Stockwell Day.

I think Rae will hold on as the L leader but this could happen if someone else comes out as leader.

Just a point it doesn't actually need to be replaced, take for example Costa Rica who doesn't have a military. Being next door to the biggest super power in the world after China and their ally means that we will be well defended. Since our airforce cannot resist the US airforce in a full invasion it really has no role really.

Are you saying China is the world's #1 now? or am I misreading this?

Also, there is no doubt in my mind that the John Manley types in the L party will go to the Cons if the L and NDP join but I would bet everything I own that there will be no merger. MAYBE collaboration but there is no reason for either party to want that now. They want power to themselves and the L are on their way back to having a strong party again and the NDP aren't going to give up their status now and reduce their power.

The Cons dont seem to be as far right fiscally as I thought they would be but that might change depending on how the new budget looks. Fiscally they aren't too far off from past L governments and it is not like Liberals have never slashed budgets.

I don't see much resemblance between the Liberals and Cons on social issues though. The liberals might talk tough on crime but that is what voters want and doing otherwise looks terrible. I agree that they would never put that omnibus crime bill forward.

I think the Cons mostly won by positioning themselves as the best managers of the economy (and of course shredding new Liberal leaders). Saying that everything the Cons have in their agenda is supported by their mandate is like saying most Canadians agree with everything they say, which is obviously not the case. I don't think a lot of voters went to the polls with Jets on their mind. Except for voters in the Manitoba election.

[olpfan1]

No, actually, I don't mean Israel.

Well its why we're getting those jets... they arent equipped for the arctic so wtf are they for in your opinion?

[Smallc]

I disagree, world peace will only be brought about through nuclear weapons not strike fighters.

World peace is a long way off, and so we have to deal with the reality of today.

What? haha Not even close. They're not some extreme right-wing party that some claim, but they sure as hell are not in the centre.

They are the closest party to the centre at current. When they aren't, they'll lose the election that comes after.