Canadian Political Polls

Jerry J. Fortin · September 30, 2006

The Conservative Party was the founding party in Confederation, a rose by any other name......

Ricki Bobbi · September 30, 2006

I must disagree. I believe the only reason Alberta elected a solid wall of Conservatives was because of Harper, who was one of the authors of the "Alberta Firewall" letter. Albertans want change in federal politics and that meant deposing the Liberal government, so enmass we did that. Having done that we fully expect to see some changes, if they are not forthcoming I would expect my fellow citizens to vote against Harper and the Conservatives next time around.

As a fellow Albertan I have to take issue with your reasoning.

Yes, Alberta is solidly conservative.

We had two Liberal MPs for about 12 1/2 years. Anne MacLellan, who won her first election by less than a dozen votes IIRC and Kilgour, who used to have his heart in the right place but kinda lost it.

Both of these people were elected as Liberals three times before the firewall letter and once afterwards.

I don't think the 2001 firewall letter had much effect on the vote. The 2006 election was the first in almost 20 years that prevented the vote splitting (ie. between parties on the right) that allowed Maclellan and Kilgour to win.

That being said, of course Albertans want change. We've wanted it since the days of Peter Lougheed.

Albertans are generally happy with the Conservative Government. We should sweep again, but I can think of one riding that might be in risk. (In Alberta terms that is a riding we might win by less than 2,000 votes.)

There isn't huge pressure on Harper to make drastic changes right away because there is no where for socons to go in the short term.

Jerry J. Fortin · September 30, 2006

Wait for it.....here comes Rona ! NEP2 will change a few minds. That with whoever gets the crown jewel and the job of Premier. The days of the Conservatives in Alberta are numbered.

jdobbin · September 30, 2006

I agree there will never be a perfect system. Having said that, the current system is far from perfect already and too few people choose to view it in that fashion and act against it.

No one wants constititional reform. Beyond that, I suppose there is violent overthrow.

Ricki Bobbi · September 30, 2006

Wait for it.....here comes Rona ! NEP2 will change a few minds. That with whoever gets the crown jewel and the job of Premier. The days of the Conservatives in Alberta are numbered.

to be replaced by?

jdobbin · September 30, 2006

Not bad for an entity that wasn't a party until December 2003.

It's an entirely silly line of thinking that most Canadians don't hold truck with. Any party that can field a national slate of candidates is a national party.

We've had a few regional parties as well in Social Credit, Progressives, BQ, etc. A parliamentary system allows for it.

Jerry J. Fortin · September 30, 2006

I agree there will never be a perfect system. Having said that, the current system is far from perfect already and too few people choose to view it in that fashion and act against it.

No one wants constititional reform. Beyond that, I suppose there is violent overthrow.

I think most of Alberta wants Constitutional Reform! We want an elected senate and the only way to get that is through opening that can of worms.

jbg · September 30, 2006

Not bad for an entity that wasn't a party until December 2003.

It's an entirely silly line of thinking that most Canadians don't hold truck with. Any party that can field a national slate of candidates is a national party.

We've had a few regional parties as well in Social Credit, Progressives, BQ, etc. A parliamentary system allows for it.

But you're forgetting about vote splitting. The Mulroney PC's were the first and last not plagued with that problem until the CPC. The pre-Mulroney PC's had the Social Credits and, believe it or not, some CCF sucking off votes (before the CCF veered to the far left as the NDP).

Jerry J. Fortin · September 30, 2006

Wait for it.....here comes Rona ! NEP2 will change a few minds. That with whoever gets the crown jewel and the job of Premier. The days of the Conservatives in Alberta are numbered.

to be replaced by?

A large movement toward independence, and whatever political faction that supports retaining what is ours. Equalization is only the tip of the iceberg, the other side of the equation is the royalty regime. The feds and the rest of the nation believe they have an entitlement to the rewards of our efforts.

jdobbin · September 30, 2006

I think most of Alberta wants Constitutional Reform! We want an elected senate and the only way to get that is through opening that can of worms.

Last poll I saw (including Alberta) showed little support for opening the Constitution.

Some may want Senate reform but they don't want Charlottetown or Meech. It is generally a free for all when the Constitution is opened.

Harper can only tinker around the edges when it comes to the Senate and even then it may require a ruling from the Supreme Court.

jdobbin · September 30, 2006

But you're forgetting about vote splitting. The Mulroney PC's were the first and last not plagued with that problem until the CPC. The pre-Mulroney PC's had the Social Credits and, believe it or not, some CCF sucking off votes (before the CCF veered to the far left as the NDP).

Past governments had to work in cooperation with other parties. Once again, it is how the system is set up.

The word PC in Canada came from an eventual merger of Progressives and Conservatives.

Ricki Bobbi · September 30, 2006

A large movement toward independence, and whatever political faction that supports retaining what is ours. Equalization is only the tip of the iceberg, the other side of the equation is the royalty regime. The feds and the rest of the nation believe they have an entitlement to the rewards of our efforts.

A *large* movement towards independence?

Hmmm, the Western Canada Concept failed.

Hmmm, the Separtion Party of Alberta managed 0.5% of the vote in the 2004 election. That movement's got to get a heck of a lot larger in a hurry. Maybe if they increse their vote total by 20 times they could elect one MLA. :lol:

Jerry J. Fortin · September 30, 2006

I think most of Alberta wants Constitutional Reform! We want an elected senate and the only way to get that is through opening that can of worms.

Last poll I saw (including Alberta) showed little support for opening the Constitution.

Some may want Senate reform but they don't want Charlottetown or Meech. It is generally a free for all when the Constitution is opened.

Harper can only tinker around the edges when it comes to the Senate and even then it may require a ruling from the Supreme Court.

Harper can do a lot more than tinker! He could simply appoint a Senator that we elected! But is he smart enough to do that? Further to that he can simply do what he wants which is why opening the can of worms is something that needs to happen. Unfortunately the polls do show that we in Alberta do not favour opening that can of worms, but that answer is completely dependent upon the nature of the question asked! That is what makes me laugh about polls. Who is running them under what pretext? Most of the MSM is aligned with one partisan faction or another so the question foundation is designed to promote a partisan position! Once again the need for political reforms becomes more and more visible, all we have to do is open our eyes and minds to the outside of the box thinking that we require to solve the problems we have. The current bunch of partisan legislators seek career advancement along with power and influence. What citizens need is public servants who actually desire to represent the interests of their constituents instead of their partisan leaders or for that matter their own positions on matters. Once the can of worms is opened, we will see where the slimy poitical creatures gravitate to! Only then will citizens see what happens next. Life is truely like a box of chocolates, but you do have to open the box in order to gain the opportunity to taste the rewards of the effort!

jdobbin · September 30, 2006

Harper can do a lot more than tinker! He could simply appoint a Senator that we elected! But is he smart enough to do that? Further to that he can simply do what he wants which is why opening the can of worms is something that needs to happen. Unfortunately the polls do show that we in Alberta do not favour opening that can of worms, but that answer is completely dependent upon the nature of the question asked! That is what makes me laugh about polls. Who is running them under what pretext? Most of the MSM is aligned with one partisan faction or another so the question foundation is designed to promote a partisan position! Once again the need for political reforms becomes more and more visible, all we have to do is open our eyes and minds to the outside of the box thinking that we require to solve the problems we have. The current bunch of partisan legislators seek career advancement along with power and influence. What citizens need is public servants who actually desire to represent the interests of their constituents instead of their partisan leaders or for that matter their own positions on matters. Once the can of worms is opened, we will see where the slimy poitical creatures gravitate to! Only then will citizens see what happens next. Life is truely like a box of chocolates, but you do have to open the box in order to gain the opportunity to taste the rewards of the effort!

He could appoint all Senators that are elected if all provinces agreed to it. Some won't agree to elections. I think that might be a Supreme Court decision right there. Can the feds run an election for a body of government that has no consitutional amendment stating an election should be held?

It won't change the balance of power in the Senate because the Senate is weighted permanently the way it is unless the Constitution is opened.

jdobbin · October 14, 2006

The latest EKOS poll for Toronto Star and La Presse.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/061014/...da_politics_col

The Tories have have fallen further in Quebec.

geoffrey · October 16, 2006

He could appoint all Senators that are elected if all provinces agreed to it. Some won't agree to elections. I think that might be a Supreme Court decision right there. Can the feds run an election for a body of government that has no consitutional amendment stating an election should be held?
It won't change the balance of power in the Senate because the Senate is weighted permanently the way it is unless the Constitution is opened.

Why would there need to be a Supreme Court decision... the PM is free to choose whoever he wants to be senators? Province doesn't like it, they don't get senators. Easy.

jdobbin · October 16, 2006

Why would there need to be a Supreme Court decision... the PM is free to choose whoever he wants to be senators? Province doesn't like it, they don't get senators. Easy.

A province could take it to the Supreme Court if the federal government imposed elections on a region for Senate. There is nothing in the constitution that allows for it.

geoffrey · October 16, 2006

Why would there need to be a Supreme Court decision... the PM is free to choose whoever he wants to be senators? Province doesn't like it, they don't get senators. Easy.

A province could take it to the Supreme Court if the federal government imposed elections on a region for Senate. There is nothing in the constitution that allows for it.

It doesn't have to impose elections. They just don't appoint unelected people. Any province would be free to abstain from the program.

jdobbin · October 16, 2006

It doesn't have to impose elections. They just don't appoint unelected people. Any province would be free to abstain from the program.

That would be Manitoba then. Probably a few other provinces as well. I don't know if there is a deadline for a new Senator to be placed in the Senate.

jdobbin · October 31, 2006

Slight majority support mission in Afghanistan. Down from June.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/10/30/...ign-policy.html

Canadians are split on how the government has handled the mission with more disapproving that approving.

56% don't support the overall foreign policy of the the Conservatives.

Canadian Blue · October 31, 2006

The word PC in Canada came from an eventual merger of Progressives and Conservatives.

Are you sure about that...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bracken

Bracken was asked by a number of senior federal Conservatives (including Arthur Meighen) to take over the leadership of the weak national Conservative Party in 1942. He agreed to seek the party's leadership on the condition that it change its name to the Progressive Conservative Party.