Canadian DUers. Which party will you be voting for?

[Cascadian]

Elections are coming to Canada soon. To all you Canadian DUers. Which party will you be casting your vote to?

Speaking for me as a neighbor (or is it neighbour? ;) ), I would LOVE to see Jack Layton's NDP gain ground. I cannot think of anything that would put brown in the Bushies' and Neocons' pants then to see a left-of center government in Ottawa.

Looking forward to the CBC election night coverage BTW!


John

[Screaming Lord Byron]

1. I'm a proud supporter of Stephen Harper and his moderate, sincere platform

You just can't do sarcasm on-line, can you?
I'm working for the NDP in my riding, Calgary Nose-Hill. No chance in hell, of course, but you've gotta fight the power regardless.

[Cascadian]

2. Good luck!

I was watching Harper on the CBC News here. Is Harper trying to play that "compassionate conservative" line that Bush was using or what?

John

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. That only works if you have something approaching charisma.

Harper is desperately trying not to say anything that could possibly offend anyone. You can see the strain in his face, you just know he wants to blurt out 'Privatize Sidewalks! Arrest Homosexuals! Burn Liberals in the street!'

[C_Banana]

26. Calgary Nose-Hill, huh?

That's the riding my father is running in as an NDP candidate. He'll certainly appreciate your vote.

Of course, I'm going to be voting for the NDP despite the fact that I'm certain the Conservatives are going to win my riding.

--
GO FLAMES GO!

[ConcernedCanuk]

27. Here's a website to steer your Conservative "friends" to (Harper's lies)

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.
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First off:
WELOME TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND!! :hi:













And I'm voting NDP

But definitely place Martin way above Harper as our desired PM.

Actually, I'd prefer ANYONE to Harper.

Harper has openly supported the war previously, and his backsliding now only degrades his image in my mind even more.

Harper would be our Canuk version of Bush

So in Canukinese

- I'm ABH

Anybody But Harper.

once again

WELOME TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND!! :hi:

[Village Idiot]

31. I got such a laugh

from reading all the out of context Harper quotes at stephenharpersaid.com...

Go CPC!!!!!
Go Harper!!!!
Demand Better!

[newyawker99]

28. Hi C_Banana!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Screaming Lord Byron]

3. I believe all other Canadian DUers are Christian Heritage Party supporters

http://www.chp.ca/

[ironflange]

13. How did you know?

:silly:

[Screaming Lord Byron]

15. It's the secret handshake, m'dear boy.

[RBHam]

5. The NDP

There's a good chance that new leader Jack Layton could double the votes the NDP got last time.

[gula]

6. NDP because

First of all, for the first time in my memory we actually have a decent, intelligent, well spoken NDPer running in my riding, and
second, Martin put Jean Lapierre in my riding and no way am I going to vote for him. We already have one fake liberal in Québec City we don't need another one at the federal level. AS for the Bloc or the "conservatives" (read Alliance), no way Jose.

Unfortunately I am going to miss all the fun since I am leaving for Europe for 4 weeks tomorrow. At least, I'll be back in time for the election.

Could anybody save me some of the good bits?

[Minstrel Boy]

7. NDP

Layton was my city councillor. In 2000 I was watching the largely sorry election returns at the NDP candidate's concession bash, drinking beer next to Jack, and cheering our simply retaining official party status. This year is a very different year.

We'll do really well, and we have a real chance of a dramatic breakthrough. (My mother is voting NDP for the first time in her life. That's a dramatic breakthrough right there.)

Environics Poll came out yesterday. The NDP's the only party to have gained from its last poll, up two points. (Note this: Socialist (NDP) and Social Democratic (BQ) parties are claiming a full third of the vote.)

Liberal 38%
Conservative 29%
NDP 21%
BLOC 11%
Other 1%

Regional breakdown:
Libs/Cons/NDP/BQ/Other

Atlantic 63/24/12/NA/1
Quebec 32/10/10/48/1
Ontario 46/29/22/NA/2
Prairies 24/51/24/NA/1
BC 27/34/36/NA/3

http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=003264

[gula]

10. As for the Social Democratic BQ

I just read that their leader Duceppe would choose the Conservatives over the Liberals? Didn't have time to read the whole article, so maybe it's just a personal beef, but still, Why would he want to sell us down the river?

[Minstrel Boy]

20. Didn't see the article, but it's interesting he'd say that.

It makes some strategic sense, as the Conservatives have no presence in Quebec, and there are elements of Harper's gang which would love to see the last of Quebec.

You're in Outremont, right? Omar Aktouf looks like a great candidate. A recent Crop poll put the NDP at 16% in Quebec. Just a little more, and we'll stand a chance of taking seats. I get the feeling that if Jack gets real traction in the polls, it could be enough to give a great number of disaffected leftist BQ supporters reason to vote NDP. I think there are many who are parking with the Bloc because it's been the only viable opposition to the Liberals.

[gula]

25. I seem to vaguely remember that the BQ split off from

the Conservatives, although they do for the most part appear to be the progressive part.

The article was in the Journal de Montréal, I don't know whether it will be carried elsewhere.

I heard Aktouf speak at a Council for Canadians meeting. Also I heard from former students of his that they really liked him and his ideas. So I'll gladly give him my vote.

Too bad I won't be able to follow the debates. It actually looks like it might get interesting this time around.

[TO Kid]

38. BQ isn't socialist

Their membership is from across the political spectrum. The party was founded by Lucien Bouchard, who was Brian Mulroney's top Québec lieutenant, after the failure of the Meech Lake accord. Duceppe would be very inclined to support the Tories now because Harper favours greater autonomy for all provinces while the Liberals have always been very centralist and authoritarian.

[Canuckistanian]

46. He's just a contrarian. BC'ers are always anti-Liberal

Besides, the Liberal party has really suffered in Que due to l'affaire Sponsorship. Duceppe is just playing to his "pure laine" audience.

[TrogL]

22. Do the math

The NDP are going to split the left.

Welcome to the world of fascism.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

24. Now you're getting ridiculous, TrogL.

Firstly, however knucklebrained and misanthropic our CPC opponents are, they are assuredly not fascists. Furthermore, the left is united within the NDP, while the Liberal party is a centrist party. That is a respectable position to take, occupying, as it's greatest hero stated 'the radical centre'. Remember, under a Democracy, people are allowed to vote for a party other than the Liberal party. We New Democrats on the board are always respectful of the Liberals here, and are glad to have the opportunity to discuss common goals and shared aspirations together. It would be nice if you could extend us the same courtesy.

[TrogL]

30. All I'm recommending is strategic voting

The left wants certain things. They stand a fairly good chance of getting them with the Liberals. They haven't a chance in hell with the Conservatives.

I'm the first to admit that the Liberals need their cage rattled and a minority government would be just the thing to do it. I just happen to want a Liberal minority government, not a Conservative one.

I also don't want to lose certain key Liberal seats.

[Village Idiot]

32. The only thing the Left will get with the Liberals

is screwed again.

[Spazito]

8. Canadian Liberal checking in!

Will vote Liberal, I live in a ewwwwwww Alliance, faux Conservative, riding and have thumbed my nose at them consistantly for whatever good it does, lol.

[ironflange]

14. You think you have it bad?

Harper is my MP.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

17. Actually, the Liberal candidate in your riding isn't bad.

We don't have a candidate in Southwest yet, strange seeing there was quite an operation left over from the by-election. The bastards must have squandered it.

[NinetySix]

9. An American in Canada

I'm a Landed Immigrant, and as much time as I spend paying attention to US politics, I also try to keep up with Canadian politics. As an American, the Parliamentary system is still, I must say, a bit foreign and abstruse to me. So here's a question for you.

As long as I've been here, there's been a Parliamentary majority, first Kim Campbell's, then Jean Chretien's, and now Paul Martin's. Polls are showing two trends: Martin's Government projected to win a slim majority, and the NDP polling better than they have in years.

If the Bloc do as well or better than expected, it's likely that Martin will have to form a coalition. How does this work? What are the chances that he will form his coalition with the NDP? Isn't this a good thing, in that it will tend to draw the Liberal Party toward a more progressive approach to governance in order to satisfy the NDP? That's my opinion--but then, I'm just an ignorant American!*

Personally, I don't trust Martin (although I still deeply admire Chretien, if only for his decision to sit out the Iraq war) because I see him as the same kind of CEO-cum-political leader which has plagued US politics in recent years. Am I off the mark here?



(*Before I came to Canada, my Canadian girlfriend, now my wife, asked me to name the capitals of the Provinces, and my only mistake was Saskatoon for Regina. I also knew about the separatist issue in Quebec. Is that grounds enough to cut a poor Gringo some slack?)

[gula]

11. Good opinion

and congrats, Here is some slaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

[Minstrel Boy]

12. A minority government doesn't require a formal coalition.

Since the opposition will be both to the right and the left of the Liberals, they could try playing them off against each other (ie, socially progressive legislation wins NDP support; economically regressive, Conservative). That's easier to do if they fall just short of a majority.

Layton's announced that the NDP's bottom line for participation in a coalition is a referendum on porportional representation. It's not clear Martin would go for that. If he's looking for coalition partners, he may be more inclined to look elsewhere than the NDP. He may prefer the BQ, if they could strike a deal.

[NinetySix]

19. That tells me a lot...

...especially the interesting bit about forming a minority (or, I guess, plurality) Government. I also didn't know about the NDP's condition for joining as a partner in a coalition, although given the NDP's roughly 20%, it stands to reason. PR is the democratic wave of the future, and I hope it succeeds sooner than later.

But while the Bloc is no longer openly nationalist and secessionist (as they were when they were the "Loyal" Opposition), doesn't the taint of their recent anti-Federalist stance undercut their likelihood of participating in any Government coalition (or is all forgiven)? And since they are the ones who will likely impede the Liberals from gaining their hoped-for majority, what would the motivation be for the Liberals to bring them into the Government?

BTW, thanks for the extra-generous portion of slack, gula.

[Spazito]

16. Wow, you ask some VERY good questions!

I will give you my opinion as I am sure other will as well, and will start with the "coalition" question:

If the Liberals win only enough seats to become what is a "minority" government, they will have to find supporters among one, if not more parties, to ensure they have enough votes to pass bills. I am going to assume the faux Conservative party will win enough seats to become the "Loyal Opposition" so the Liberals will have to find their support from either the NDP or the PQ. The natural lean will be toward the NDP because the PQ is totally provincial in its interests, separatism being their goal. It would depend on the bill in question as to how the vote would go in any minority government situation and, without support from the opposition members in one form or another, the government will fall and another election will occur. If it is, indeed, a minority Liberal win, my hope is that a coalition will occur between the NDP and the Liberals because they have more in common than the other parties.

Re Paul Martin: I find him an enigma myself even though I will be voting for him. His family history is very liberal in its leanings but I don't know how much of that has been inculcated within Paul Martin himself.

Edited to: correct grammar

[Alerter_]

18. Can we get some NDP down here in the States?

From everything I'm reading, if I were in Canada I'd vote NDP. How about a USA branch for your southern neighbors?

[TrogL]

21. Liberal

Just spent two hours stuffing leaflets in mailboxes.

[Hand]

23. NDP...

I'm a yellow dog NDPer, if there is such a thing...
:hi:

[Village Idiot]

29. Layton BAD, Martin BAD, Harper GOOD.

[Spazito]

33. Yeah, good for bigotry, war, sell-off of our resources, kissing bush's

ass, ummm, what have I missed........oh yeah, good for NOTHING!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

41. And we have the new candidate for most ironic username ever.

[Spazito]

42. LOL! Seems truth will out sometimes, doesn't it!

*

[ConcernedCanuk]

44. ya know what they say 'bout "birds of a feather . . "

.
.
.

must be true - eh?:freak:

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. Out of curiosity, how do Greens fare in Canadian elections?

And do the different progressive parties up there get at each others' throats like ours do down here?

[Spazito]

36. The Greens have never won a federal seat in government...

and, like in the US, the Green vote tends to split the NDP vote in some parts of the country.

[GreenPartyVoter]

37. What type of voting system do you use?

Plurality or ranked?

[Spazito]

39. Here is a good description of our system...

First past the post

Canada’s electoral system is referred to as a "single-member plurality" or "first-past-the-post" system. In every electoral district, the candidate with the most votes wins a seat in the House of Commons and represents that riding as its member of Parliament, or MP. This means that candidates need not receive more than 50 percent of the vote (an absolute majority) to be elected.

Any number of candidates may run for election in an electoral district, but each candidate may run in one electoral district only, either independently or under the banner of a registered or eligible political party. Each party may endorse only one candidate per riding. Candidates who run for election without party affiliation may be designated as "independent" or as having "no affiliation."

Here is the link to Elections Canada site where I found the above information:

http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=elecsys&dir=ces&lang=e&textonly=false

[GreenPartyVoter]

40. Thanks

That explains why you guys are also dealing with "spoiler" issues.

[LeftistGorilla]

35. NDP

CHEH!
:thumbsup:

[qwertyMike]

43. N D P eom

[Canuckistanian]

45. NDP here. Every election. Like clockwork.

I can't see the NDP taking the whole show, though.
The ideal scenario is an NDP/Liberal Coalition.