So this is why I'll be voting Conservative

Argus · August 2, 2015

Reason One. Stability

The self serving promise by both Liberals and NDP to change the way we do elections in Canada is very concerning to me. Regardless of which party has been in power, and it's mostly been the Liberals, we've had a hundred and forty eight years of stable government, and it shows. I don't want pizza parliaments where there's an election every two years and where all the back room maneuvering gives tiny single-issue parties disproportionate power.I don't want unstable governments which are afraid to make difficult decisions, as in Greece, as in all of Europe, in fact.

Reason Two. Energy

I think cap and trade is moronic policy which increases the price of power, which damages the economy. Just look at what the Liberals have done to Ontario in doubling the cost of power here. It also increases the cost of heating and of gasoline. Think the Liberals or NDP will mention that even once? Nope! How much will this cap and trade scheme cost us? They'll tells us after they're in power. I also don'think it does a thing to help the environment. It just chases manufacturers to third world countries where there are no such schemes.

Reason Three. Immigration

The NDP and to a lesser extent, the Liberals, have promised to increase immigration and focus more on family reunification, which means we get millions more third world people coming here, none of whom are screened for education, job skills or language. That's idiotic! How is that supposed to help Canada?

Reason Four. Quebec

I've rather enjoyed this brief interlude where the government of Canada wasn't primarily concerned with pleasing Quebec. I don't really want to go back to that again, which a Mulcair or Trudeau government promises. Both, for example, have promised that all new Supreme Court appointees will have to come from the 2% of Canadians (mostly Francophone) who are fluently bilingual. Why? To pander to Quebec, of course, and the hell with how second or third rate the new judges are.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Argus

Vancouver King · August 2, 2015

I don't want unstable governments which are afraid to make difficult decisions, as in Greece, as in all of Europe, in fact.

So you have now confirmed you don't like the British parliamentary model of democracy, the system of gov't upon which Canada's is based. You are aware England's gov't is usually a formal coalition, aren't you?

Edited August 2, 2015 by Vancouver King

Keepitsimple · August 2, 2015

Decent points Argus. I'll anxiously await the topic "Why I'll be voting NDP"......and "Why I'll be voting Liberal" to see if anyone is honest enough to state their convictions - as opposed to the typical emotional anti-Harper ranting....

Edited August 2, 2015 by Keepitsimple

Argus · August 2, 2015

So you have now confirmed you don't like the British parliamentary model of democracy, the system of gov't upon which Canada's is based. You are aware England's gov't is a formal coalition, aren't you?

Yes, I am, and it's a much weaker government for that. How can anyone claim otherwise? How can anyone not have seen our own previous minority governments and not noted that they were in constant election mode, and that all parties concerned were far more interested in cultivating votes and making popular promises than governing?

kimmy · August 2, 2015

I reluctantly agree with all of that, Argus. I'm certainly not very excited about the Conservatives any more, and am fairly grossed out by some of the stuff they've done... C-51 and the UCCB being the most recent examples...

...but overall, I'm still concerned about what the alternative is. It's a fairly depressing situation, actually.

-k

Argus · August 2, 2015

I reluctantly agree with all of that, Argus. I'm certainly not very excited about the Conservatives any more, and am fairly grossed out by some of the stuff they've done... C-51 and the UCCB being the most recent examples...

...but overall, I'm still concerned about what the alternative is. It's a fairly depressing situation, actually.

-k

I agree completely. I might point out that when I say 'this is why I'm voting for the Conservatives' all the reasons have to do with the alternatives. I'm not a fan of the way Harper has operated, of his hyper partisanship and secrecy. I understand his hostility to the media, but hey, you learn to handle the media. It's part of the job, get over it. They've done a number of things I just shake my head at, but then I look at the alternatives and they're worse, in some cases much worse. So the best I can hope for is the Tories get in again, maybe with a minority, and Harper decides he's had enough of this and will step down.

kimmy · August 2, 2015

I don't want to see Harper step down after the election. I hate the idea that the Conservatives win, Harper quits, and our next PM is decided by the usually-ridiculous party leadership convention process instead of a general election. (and look how well that worked out for the Alberta Tories.)

Who, aside from Harper, do you see in the Conservative Party that you'd like to take over?

-k

Big Guy · August 2, 2015

James Rajotte or Jean Charest.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Big Guy

CITIZEN_2015 · August 2, 2015

The OP's point on family reunification as a cause for bring uneducated people to this country is another misrepresentation of the facts in which the OP is an expert. Statistics show that immigrants in general hold better education than average born Canadians not to mention harder working so how come the family of these better educated people have no education!!!!. Really!!!. Or it is the third world people which you have problem with to be in this country?

Edited August 22, 2015 by CITIZEN_2015

Vancouver King · August 2, 2015

So the best I can hope for is the Tories get in again, maybe with a minority, and Harper decides he's had enough of this and will step down.

If it's a Conservative minority result, don't worry about whether Harper will step down. An informal coupling of the NDP and Liberals will rid the nation of him in short order - and fulfill voters number one priority of affecting change.

kimmy · August 2, 2015

James Rajotte or Jean Charest.

Rajotte (he was my MP last time I lived in Edmonton) is leaving politics. I don't know that there was ever anything special about him; just a typical backbencher, isn't he? I had no idea Jean Charest was still around.

-k

overthere · August 2, 2015

So you have now confirmed you don't like the British parliamentary model of democracy, the system of gov't upon which Canada's is based. You are aware England's gov't is a formal coalition, aren't you?

Wow.

Were you aware that 'England' is part of a nation called the United Kingdom and does not actually have its own government?

Were you also aware that in a recent election the former ineffective Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition government was replaced by a Tory majority?

Of note in that coalition fiasco is that the junior partner, the LibDems, were badly hurt in the election. It is the usual fate of junior partners in coalitions. And you can be sure that Mr Trudeau knows that, which is mainly why he says he won't be in a coalition with the NDP. He can afford to lose an election(one election), but he cannot afford to be Mulcairs whipping boy.

cybercoma · August 2, 2015

Let's pretend that any other party was ever going to get your vote, Argus.

blueblood · August 2, 2015

I don't want to see Harper step down after the election. I hate the idea that the Conservatives win, Harper quits, and our next PM is decided by the usually-ridiculous party leadership convention process instead of a general election. (and look how well that worked out for the Alberta Tories.)

Who, aside from Harper, do you see in the Conservative Party that you'd like to take over?

-k

Start giving brad wall french lessons and send him on down. One of the highest approval ratings and a warm and approachable fellow. Also only premier to have balanced books in spite of recessions and oil crashes. He is miles ahead of whats in ottawa.

Derek 2.0 · August 2, 2015

Start giving brad wall french lessons and send him on down.

I could see it.......

Freddy · August 2, 2015

I'll be voting conservative for the first time in my life this election. I don't care how bad you think Harper is. The NDP and the Liberals are far worst.

Topaz · August 2, 2015

In Harper's speech he said we ALL play by the rules..... wow, it only took the Tories 10 years, Election Canada fines to know that???

Freddy · August 2, 2015

The Liberals are still paying for their sponsorship scandal. And the NDP are so inexperienced they haven't even had the chance to form a federal government.

But they used a lot of government money to build their offices.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Freddy

Vancouver King · August 2, 2015

The Liberals are still paying for their sponsorship scandal. And the NDP are so inexperienced they haven't even had the chance to form a federal government.

But they used a lot of government money to build their offices.

Not quite. They were accused of inappropriate use of postage by a parliamentary committee stacked with their political adversaries - in other words a kangaroo court.

Contrast that to the vision of Dean Del Mastro, in leg irons and handcuffs, being led off to jail after being found guilty by a Canadian court with an independent judge - of election related fraud..

Freddy · August 2, 2015

Not quite. They were accused of inappropriate use of postage by a parliamentary committee stacked with their political adversaries - in other words a kangaroo court.

Contrast that to the vision of Dean Del Mastro, in leg irons and handcuffs, being led off to jail after being found guilty by a Canadian court with an independent judge - of election related fraud..

I still like the crook I know then the one I don't know.

It's fraud, and he got caught. He's heading to prison. People cheat at the Olympic every day.

Unlike most people I don't expect much out of most humans. We are disgusting creatures. I've accepted that.

Ash74 · August 2, 2015

Not quite. They were accused of inappropriate use of postage by a parliamentary committee stacked with their political adversaries - in other words a kangaroo court.

Contrast that to the vision of Dean Del Mastro, in leg irons and handcuffs, being led off to jail after being found guilty by a Canadian court with an independent judge - of election related fraud..

Yes he was caught using his own funds and was sent to jail.

Try doing that in Ontario.

I am voting Conservative because I have no trust in JT and do not agree with the NDP's political stance.

As always it is pretty much a choice of who will likely to dirtroad me the least

Vancouver King · August 2, 2015

Yes he was caught using his own funds and was sent to jail.

Try doing that in Ontario.

I am voting Conservative because I have no trust in JT and do not agree with the NDP's political stance.

As always it is pretty much a choice of who will likely to dirtroad me the least

OK, I'll put you down as undecided.

Smallc · August 2, 2015

Start giving brad wall french lessons and send him on down. One of the highest approval ratings and a warm and approachable fellow. Also only premier to have balanced books in spite of recessions and oil crashes. He is miles ahead of whats in ottawa.

I believe I've seen him speak French on more than one occasion.

On Guard for Thee · August 2, 2015

I still like the crook I know then the one I don't know.

It's fraud, and he got caught. He's heading to prison. People cheat at the Olympic every day.

Unlike most people I don't expect much out of most humans. We are disgusting creatures. I've accepted that.

So at lest you understand the party you will vote for are crooks. Glad you made that clear.

eyeball · August 2, 2015

Decent points Argus. I'll anxiously await the topic "Why I'll be voting NDP"......and "Why I'll be voting Liberal" to see if anyone is honest enough to state their convictions - as opposed to the typical emotional anti-Harper ranting....

If I vote at all it'll be for the NDP, because of the grotesque mismanagement and destruction of our fisheries at the hands of Liberals and Conservatives.

The NDP are the only party that has talked about basing fisheries management on the coast rather than leaving it in Ottawa - 1500 miles from the nearest ocean.