Harper runs the country like a king

[normanchateau]

Losers meaning the 60% of Canadian's who have very little say in how government is run since it only takes 40% to get a majority.

The percentage of "losers" was even higher following the January, 2006 election. So-con Harper won the right to govern with a mere 36% of the vote. The losers were the 64% of Canadians who voted for parties to the left of CPC, i.e., the Liberals, NDP, BQ and Greens.

Not really.. Harper only won a minority government with his 36% of the vote. He doesn't have the power to pass any legislation he sees fit, like a dictator. Chretien...3 majorities...only received 38% to 42% of the vote.

Good, let's make sure that Harper doesn't get another 2% or he'll pass legislation like a dictator.

[blueblood]

Losers meaning the 60% of Canadian's who have very little say in how government is run since it only takes 40% to get a majority.

The percentage of "losers" was even higher following the January, 2006 election. So-con Harper won the right to govern with a mere 36% of the vote. The losers were the 64% of Canadians who voted for parties to the left of CPC, i.e., the Liberals, NDP, BQ and Greens.

Not really.. Harper only won a minority government with his 36% of the vote. He doesn't have the power to pass any legislation he sees fit, like a dictator. Chretien...3 majorities...only received 38% to 42% of the vote.

Good, let's make sure that Harper doesn't get another 2% or he'll pass legislation like a dictator.

Just like Chretien? Remember a dictator from both sides is equally as scary...

[MightyAC]

I guess we can thank the traitors from Quebec for something. Considering we are stuck with a craptastic electoral system for now and Red or Blue majorities are very unappealing options at least strong Bloc support in Quebec makes winning a majority very difficult.

[Saturn]

I guess we can thank the traitors from Quebec for something. Considering we are stuck with a craptastic electoral system for now and Red or Blue majorities are very unappealing options at least strong Bloc support in Quebec makes winning a majority very difficult.

I'm not sure that majority or minority makes that huge a difference anyway. Harper has shown that he can rule as a king even with a minority.

[Canadian Blue]

I'm not sure that majority or minority makes that huge a difference anyway. Harper has shown that he can rule as a king even with a minority.

So your against Harper ruling as a king, but you don't deem it necessary to tell us how to reform the PMO, so the MP's have the power instead of the PMO. All this is, is another rant against Harper, which once again doesn't make sense because in a minority goverment, the PM can be toppled at any time. If Harper were running the government like a "King" I'm sure the government would have fallen by now.

[Wilber]

I'm not sure that majority or minority makes that huge a difference anyway. Harper has shown that he can rule as a king even with a minority.

So your against Harper ruling as a king, but you don't deem it necessary to tell us how to reform the PMO, so the MP's have the power instead of the PMO. All this is, is another rant against Harper, which once again doesn't make sense because in a minority goverment, the PM can be toppled at any time. If Harper were running the government like a "King" I'm sure the government would have fallen by now.

As in the English civil war the MP's will have to take power. The PMO is not going to give it to them. Until we grow enough MP's with the balls to tell the party leaders that they are the elected representatives of the people and that he is just another one of them, it ain't going to happen. All that is required is that our MP's assume their democratic responsibilities to the people who elected them.

[normanchateau]

Just like Chretien? Remember a dictator from both sides is equally as scary...

Sure, but Chretien's own party ultimately gave him the boot. I don't see much evidence that CPC MPs have any control over Harper.

[Wilber]

Just like Chretien? Remember a dictator from both sides is equally as scary...

Sure, but Chretien's own party ultimately gave him the boot. I don't see much evidence that CPC MPs have any control over Harper.

How long was he there before they did? Harpers been PM for less than a year. Doesn't matter because in our system they just pick another dictator.

[Canadian Blue]

Sure, but Chretien's own party ultimately gave him the boot. I don't see much evidence that CPC MPs have any control over Harper.

I believe it was the delegates who were going to give Chretien the boot, not the MP's. As well undermining Chretien was one of the worst thing's Liberal's could have done, so if anything that only offers proof that a PM has to exert "dictatorship" over his/her caucus.

Besides, look at what happened to the Reform Party when they allowed MP's to speak their minds, all it resulted in was them getting their asses kicked in the east. Manning was a strong supporter of individual MP's having more power, and it did him no good. He even said he would vote pro-choice if his constituents wanted him to.

[Wilber]

One problem is the PM gets to pick and choose which votes will be confidence votes. Other than such things as the budget, no votes should be confidence votes. MP's should be convinced they are voting for the right thing, not bullied into it.

[mikedavid00]

That is true. But the United States of America has the greatest level of democracy that is not matched anywhere else in the world.

I feel we should move their system. We can't keep letting elites run our country from the back office.

Yeah, we just did over a decade of hard time under the Liberals and it will take us at least two terms to recover. But those who hold the reins of power will not go quietly. This idea of changing the Senate is a good shart, though, and guess who's spearheading it? The Tories.

I totally agree. I can't understand why people would support Dion and the Liberals.

Even if you like social services, the Conservatives have given more cash directly to families... I just don't get it.

[mikedavid00]

America has cheque book democracy. While the nation may be democratic at the local level, anything beyond small town municiple is won by whomever can cough up the dough, and that is why we hear so many scandals in washington. Anyone who wants to be a Washington prfessional better be ready to fall on their knees and service the lobbiests.

That's laugable.

Washington is not filled with scandal. Canada is filled with scandal. The largest scandals in recorded history. Canada ALWAYS has one scandal or another. THis is not so in Washington.

[gc1765]

That's laugable.

Washington is not filled with scandal. Canada is filled with scandal. The largest scandals in recorded history. Canada ALWAYS has one scandal or another. THis is not so in Washington.

No, that is laughable.

Let's compare one example:

The Liberals give out approx. $100 million dollars in contracts, and pocket $1 million of that.

The Republicans give out $10 billion in contracts to Halliburton, the same company from which Cheney pocketed $36 million

The difference (aside from the dollar amounts)? The Liberals who ran in the 2006 election, none of whom were directly involved in the scandal, and at worst turned a blind eye, were turfed out of office. Cheney, who directly profited, was re-elected.

[mikedavid00]

The difference (aside from the dollar amounts)? The Liberals who ran in the 2006 election, none of whom were directly involved in the scandal, and at worst turned a blind eye, were turfed out of office. Cheney, who directly profited, was re-elected.

Those are two different scandals all together. The Canadian one is worse IMO.

Also, the Liberals dind't lose because of the Scandal only, they lost becuase of the whole Belinda issue, the antics in the party, Carolyn Parish emberassing the Prime Minster..

The party started to become a farse.. it really did. Poeple got turned off from the Liberals. I don't feel that Dion was the right guy. But I do think he'll get more Quebec seats which is what matters for the short term.

Obviously the immigrant support is still backing the liberals. But the LIberals should know that the immigrants will eventually begin to follow whoever is in power. Ruby might lose her seat next time around. IT's very possible.

[gc1765]

Those are two different scandals all together. The Canadian one is worse IMO.

How is it worse? It was bad (but not worse than Cheney) for people like Gagliano...but for the rest of the party that was not directly involved?

Also, the Liberals dind't lose because of the Scandal only, they lost becuase of the whole Belinda issue, the antics in the party, Carolyn Parish emberassing the Prime Minster..

The scandal was probably THE issue. It was on everyone's lips...everyone I talked to about politics, everyone who was turned off from the Liberals, mentioned the scandal as the reason.

The Belinda issue? I assume you mean crossing the floor? If that's the case, the Conservatives should loose the next election. Remember David Emerson? Much worse IMO.

[mikedavid00]

The scandal was probably THE issue. It was on everyone's lips...everyone I talked to about politics, everyone who was turned off from the Liberals, mentioned the scandal as the reason.

The Belinda issue? I assume you mean crossing the floor? If that's the case, the Conservatives should loose the next election. Remember David Emerson? Much worse IMO.

Well for starters some dont even consider the Haliburtan a scandal.

It was more than just the scandal, maybe in Quebec it was but not the rest of Canada. People fealt that we just needed a change. It was a bunch of things. Remember, the Liberals went into the election with support in the polls showing they would win. After the anouncment of the GST cut Harper went up in the polls which really suprised me. To be honest I thought he was going to lose.

Man at work we got all happy and couldn't beleive it. We live in toronto so our votes don't count becuase we live in heavliy popluated areas of minorities who only vote liberal.

But we were hoping that functioning portions of Canada would go Convervative. We knew it would take a LOT of them, and they came through.

Then after Harper was in office, one of the highest job increases ever. They were expecting 20,000 or something and got 120,000 new jobs. I thought that was a misprint.

Polls then came out stating that if there were elections harper would win a MAJORITY! I Was very excited.

THEN A STUPID, STUPID ISSUE CALLED LEBANON that should't even have effected us happened last summer and since then he tanked back to minority status in the polls. Still nothing's changed.

I would love Harper to get a majoirty just so we can have a functioning parlement instead of a political game now that's getting played.

[gc1765]

Well for starters some dont even consider the Haliburtan a scandal.

That's precisely the problem. They should consider it a scandal.

It was more than just the scandal, maybe in Quebec it was but not the rest of Canada. People fealt that we just needed a change. It was a bunch of things. Remember, the Liberals went into the election with support in the polls showing they would win. After the anouncment of the GST cut Harper went up in the polls which really suprised me. To be honest I thought he was going to lose.

I'm not saying there weren't other factors at play, I'm saying the scandal was probably the biggest issue. Also, the polls went down right after the RCMP declared it was launching an investigation into the income trust leak. That likely reminded people of the sponsorship scandal which is probably why it had such a dramatic effect on the polls.

But we were hoping that functioning portions of Canada would go Convervative. We knew it would take a LOT of them, and they came through.

You're saying that Toronto is non-functioning? Come on, I know you can debate the issues without taking an unfounded cheapshot against Toronto, which is "functioning" just fine.

Then after Harper was in office, one of the highest job increases ever. They were expecting 20,000 or something and got 120,000 new jobs. I thought that was a misprint.

And Harper did this so soon after taking office? I think you're giving credit to Harper for something that was done by the previous government....and that's assuming that the government was even the major factor in the creation of those jobs.

I would love Harper to get a majoirty just so we can have a functioning parlement instead of a political game now that's getting played.

I agree that the political games being played are silly, but I'd still rather have a minority government, Liberal or Conservative, than a majority for either. Political games are still played even with a majority. But, it takes two to play the game, and it seems Harper is doing more than his fair share of political games.

[mikedavid00]

I'm not saying there weren't other factors at play, I'm saying the scandal was probably the biggest issue. Also, the polls went down right after the RCMP declared it was launching an investigation into the income trust leak. That likely reminded people of the sponsorship scandal which is probably why it had such a dramatic effect on the polls.

I don't think so. People aren't that astute. Canadians were ready to vote Liberal again and wanted any reason not to. Harper planned a GST cut and the numbers rose from there. People saw there was a new light and the magic 'climate of change' happened that every campaign team tries to get. In Canada, this only happens when YOU screw up as a party. People will vote against you rather than for you.

You're saying that Toronto is non-functioning? Come on, I know you can debate the issues without taking an unfounded cheapshot against Toronto, which is "functioning" just fine.

Mostly the rest of Canada is functioning democratically. My riding has been hijicked by a vote for Islam and immigration issues. Thus, I do not have a functioning riding. Other co-workers were in the same boat so we didn't even bother voting to be honest. Omar Agjabar or whatever his name is my MP. My fiance voted and I put the conservative sign on my lawn, but that's it. I didn't even bother trying to vote in my corrup riding.

Yes that's the same Omar who when he hijacked his liberal membership race, and won, he said 'this is a vicotry for Islam!'. Yes, that's is the same riding where invitations 'mysteriously' didn't get mailed out to 'white people'. This is the same Omar who founded the Palistinian House to house palistinian refugees and linked terrorists. Yes the same Palistinion House where a terrorist has recently been deported from Canada because he is a member of a known terrorist organization.

So no, I do not have a functioning riding. I have no democracy where I live. There is no common will of the people to vote on behalf of Candad here.

And Harper did this so soon after taking office? I think you're giving credit to Harper for something that was done by the previous government....and that's assuming that the government was even the major factor in the creation of those jobs.

Those were the job creation numbers. When people have confidence in their leadership, the market will respond.

I agree that the political games being played are silly, but I'd still rather have a minority government, Liberal or Conservative, than a majority for either. Political games are still played even with a majority. But, it takes two to play the game, and it seems Harper is doing more than his fair share of political games.

Well I don't like the minority because now what's happening is that parties are threating to topple the gov't over the smallest issues. THey are treating this like a game. At least money being stolen from tax payers the way it was was worth it. But come on, Afgahnistan? the Environment?

These rules are old and this was only meant to happen under extreme circumstances. Now they are playing football with it.

AND THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT THE PEOPLES WILL!

They should be ashamed of themselves.

[Remiel]

So, democracry isn't working because in your riding, a candidate was voted in who you don't like?

In my riding in Ontario, a Conservative won by a landslide, but I don't complain that democracy isn't working. I complain that the last time the riding borders were redrawn, my part of a Liberal (and competetive) riding was merged with a much bigger piece of a Conservative riding. That doesn't mean that democracy isn't working, that means that we happened to get the raw end of the deal this time in the reformation.

I'm hoping that the former mayor of my " town " gets the Liberal nomination for this riding, because I think he would have the best chance of winning. I'm thinking of volunteering and getting involved, and I want a fight.

If you don't like your riding, then move. Don't whine that the majority outvoted you.

[MightyAC]

So, democracry isn't working because in your riding, a candidate was voted in who you don't like?

In my riding in Ontario, a Conservative won by a landslide, but I don't complain that democracy isn't working. I complain that the last time the riding borders were redrawn, my part of a Liberal (and competetive) riding was merged with a much bigger piece of a Conservative riding. That doesn't mean that democracy isn't working, that means that we happened to get the raw end of the deal this time in the reformation.

I'm hoping that the former mayor of my " town " gets the Liberal nomination for this riding, because I think he would have the best chance of winning. I'm thinking of volunteering and getting involved, and I want a fight.

If you don't like your riding, then move. Don't whine that the majority outvoted you.

I have to laugh at that last statement. You think people should shut up about a flawed system or move to an area of the country that has more people with similar political views? That's your solution to our lack of representation?! Nice... What's sad is on average ridings are won with less than majority support.

Democracy isn't working in Canada due to our electoral system. On average the first past the post system elects MPs with 40% of the vote gives the party 60% of the seats and 100% of the power.

The average riding in Canada has more people that oppose their representative than support him/her. What's worse is the 60% of the people that opposed their MP helped create absolute no representation in Ottawa. Does that sound democratic?

Why do you support a system that distorts how Canadians vote so badly? Based on the way Canadians voted last election the NDP was robbed of 21 seats, the Green Party was robbed of 14 seats and the Bloc was rewarded with 19 bonus seats. Shouldn't the amount of representation in Ottawa match how the people actually vote? Shouldn't every vote count, not just winning local votes?

Voter turnout is a major problem in Canada but our system promotes apathy. Why would any non-Conservative from Alberta bother heading out to the polls when their vote is absolutely meaningless? The same holds true for Conservatives from Toronto, Montreal and Toronto…last election 400 thousand people from those 3 cities cast votes for the blue team and helped create zero representation. Why would they come out next time?

Most democracies in the world have shifted to some form of proportional representation a long time ago. Why can't we? Why should we stick with a flawed system just because that's what the Brits used when they created us? We switched to a better system of measurement surely we can do the same for our electoral system.

[mikedavid00]

So, democracry isn't working because in your riding, a candidate was voted in who you don't like?

In my riding in Ontario, a Conservative won by a landslide, but I don't complain that democracy isn't working. I complain that the last time the riding borders were redrawn, my part of a Liberal (and competetive) riding was merged with a much bigger piece of a Conservative riding. That doesn't mean that democracy isn't working, that means that we happened to get the raw end of the deal this time in the reformation.

I'm hoping that the former mayor of my " town " gets the Liberal nomination for this riding, because I think he would have the best chance of winning. I'm thinking of volunteering and getting involved, and I want a fight.

If you don't like your riding, then move. Don't whine that the majority outvoted you.

I have to laugh at that last statement. You think people should shut up about a flawed system or move to an area of the country that has more people with similar political views? That's your solution to our lack of representation?! Nice... What's sad is on average ridings are won with less than majority support.

Democracy isn't working in Canada due to our electoral system. On average the first past the post system elects MPs with 40% of the vote gives the party 60% of the seats and 100% of the power.

The average riding in Canada has more people that oppose their representative than support him/her. What's worse is the 60% of the people that opposed their MP helped create absolute no representation in Ottawa. Does that sound democratic?

Why do you support a system that distorts how Canadians vote so badly? Based on the way Canadians voted last election the NDP was robbed of 21 seats, the Green Party was robbed of 14 seats and the Bloc was rewarded with 19 bonus seats. Shouldn't the amount of representation in Ottawa match how the people actually vote? Shouldn't every vote count, not just winning local votes?

Voter turnout is a major problem in Canada but our system promotes apathy. Why would any non-Conservative from Alberta bother heading out to the polls when their vote is absolutely meaningless? The same holds true for Conservatives from Toronto, Montreal and Toronto…last election 400 thousand people from those 3 cities cast votes for the blue team and helped create zero representation. Why would they come out next time?

Most democracies in the world have shifted to some form of proportional representation a long time ago. Why can't we? Why should we stick with a flawed system just because that's what the Brits used when they created us? We switched to a better system of measurement surely we can do the same for our electoral system.

I completely agree with this post.

Most people don't understand the seat imbalance issue that ruins democrocy. The Bloc noly got twice the number of votes than the Green Party accross Canada. Yes Green doesn't hold a single seat.

While I don't believe in a free vote system due to the fact that 80% of our population now resides in and around cities, I do feel that we should dastically reform our electoral system.

[Saturn]

As in the English civil war the MP's will have to take power. The PMO is not going to give it to them. Until we grow enough MP's with the balls to tell the party leaders that they are the elected representatives of the people and that he is just another one of them, it ain't going to happen. All that is required is that our MP's assume their democratic responsibilities to the people who elected them.

Absolutely. But the leaders have too much power over the MPs if the MPs don't do precisely what the leaders tell them to do, they get thrown out of caucus. Like Garth Turner who complained in public about Mr. Harper's appointments of unelected people to the cabinet and about Emerson. He got tossed out of caucus without an explanation and now the PM has decided that Turner cannot run as a conservative even though the members in the riding elected him to represent them as the conservative candidate in the next election.

The PMO won't give up any power without intense pressure from inside the caucus and from the general population outside. It is us who have to make it clear that we won't accept MPs who serve their leaders' interests and not the interests of those who elected them.

[blueblood]

Our country is much too vast and diverse to have PR, if that were so there would be more power focused in central Canada, no I think that more administrative and financial power should be given to the provinces and that the federal gov't should be strictly about foreign policy, the army and the RCMP.

[Saturn]

I have to laugh at that last statement. You think people should shut up about a flawed system or move to an area of the country that has more people with similar political views? That's your solution to our lack of representation?! Nice... What's sad is on average ridings are won with less than majority support.

Democracy isn't working in Canada due to our electoral system. On average the first past the post system elects MPs with 40% of the vote gives the party 60% of the seats and 100% of the power.

While this is part of the problem, the other part of the problem is that even when there is minority government in power, the PMO has 95% of the power, the rest of the party has 5% and the opposition parties have 0%.

Prime Ministers in Canada truly have the power to run the country as kings (and the current PM is making the most of his powers). How many other democracies do not require the approval of Parliament to go to war? Going to war is one of the most serious decisions a country can make. In Canada the PM and his unelected advisers make the decision to go to war, without even consulting the cabinet, the caucus, or any of the opposition parties. It is beyond me that Canada can go to war at the PM's whim and that Parliament has no say in it. That's true for most other important issues as well. The only time the PMO has to consult with Parliament is on the budget and then the PMO + finance minister can throw a million other issues into the budget and get it passed.

[Saturn]

Our country is much too vast and diverse to have PR, if that were so there would be more power focused in central Canada, no I think that more administrative and financial power should be given to the provinces and that the federal gov't should be strictly about foreign policy, the army and the RCMP.

That's the most ridiculous argument I've heard so far. What does vast have to do with anything? Why would PR in any way change the balance between provinces/regions? Will PR produce acid rain too?