Upcoming elections in Canada

[envy me]

Soon there will be federal elections in Canada and I just wanted peoples thoughts on it. Also, because of the short warning regarding the no-confidence vote, I haven't had much time to research the views each party had on a number of topics. Anybody know their policies on:

Health Care
Taxes
Iraq (biggest one for me)

I voted for Paul Martin last election only because I did not want Canada to have anything to do with the mess in Iraq. I know that he and his cronies have stole millions, but I will have no problem voting for him if he is the only leader that will keep Canada out of Iraq.

Anybody more familiar with the parties' policies?

 

[ntdz]

None of the parties are going to take Canada into Iraq...way too late for that.

 

[envy me]

I just have a very weird feeling about Harper though. I feel like he has something up his sleeve. Like he has sold us out to Bush or something, but that is probably just unwarranted paranoia on my part 🙂

 

[Kntx]

liberals... lots of new spending on some things... some tax cuts... don't really deserve to form another government

cons... lots of new spending on other things... some different tax cuts... Harper is kind of weak, have a unknown "scare" factor... but if they F around too much we'll have a liberal majority in 5 years so who cares... i'll vote for the local candidate.

ndp... lots and lots of new spending on lots of things... no tax cuts... my cousin is the candidate for london centre... but im still not voting for them!

 

[silverpig]

I would gladly pay another $100m as insurance for not having to scrape dead babies off the street of the next foreign country to piss of Bush.

NDP - no realisitic idea on how to run a country.
Green - possibly a viable alternative... I'd like to see them get a few seats this time around.

I'll probably vote liberal this time around again.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: envy me

Soon there will be federal elections in Canada and I just wanted peoples thoughts on it. Also, because of the short warning regarding the no-confidence vote, I haven't had much time to research the views each party had on a number of topics. Anybody know their policies on:

Health Care
Taxes
Iraq (biggest one for me)

I voted for Paul Martin last election only because I did not want Canada to have anything to do with the mess in Iraq. I know that he and his cronies have stole millions, but I will have no problem voting for him if he is the only leader that will keep Canada out of Iraq.

Anybody more familiar with the parties' policies?

Just pointing out: Martin had nothing to do with the $millions "stolen". Most of the cronies are also long gone from the scene.

Right now it seems to be a Push, with both Libs/Cons promising the same end results, with only a ddifference in the Method in which to acheive the End.

Harper is a very weak leader IMO. He really seems to have little going for him other than a scandal that's proving to be a tempest in a teapot, which is why this election had to be now rather than after the final report on the scandal. It just wouldn't have the effect to sway Votes anymore.

Martin has been weak, but mostly because he hasn't been in a position to Govern independently. This doesn't mean he'll make a strong leader with a Majority, but so far his Weakness/Strength as PM can't be judged with his hands tied. He has acted with Principle though, calling an Election shortly after becoming PM in order to receive a Mandate and in calling the Inquiry into the scandal that now politically hurts him. That's not a lot to go on as far as his PM doings, but it's something. His record from his Finance Minister days is impeccable though and is what keeps me in his camp(yes, I will be voting Liberal this coming election).

BQ and NDP I never seriously consider. BQ mainly because I'm nowhere near Quebec, NDP mainly because they make a good Opposition Party, but I would never want to see them as Government(or if I did see them as Governmental material, it would be because something horrific occured and the Libs/Cons were just out-to-lunch about it).

 

[Forsythe]

Originally posted by: silverpig
I would gladly pay another $100m as insurance for not having to scrape dead babies off the street of the next foreign country to piss of Bush.

NDP - no realisitic idea on how to run a country.
Green - possibly a viable alternative... I'd like to see them get a few seats this time around.

I'll probably vote liberal this time around again.

hehehe... NDP .. NsDaP. hehehehe. Took me like 2 secs to spot the similarity.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Forsythe

Originally posted by: silverpig
I would gladly pay another $100m as insurance for not having to scrape dead babies off the street of the next foreign country to piss of Bush.

NDP - no realisitic idea on how to run a country.
Green - possibly a viable alternative... I'd like to see them get a few seats this time around.

I'll probably vote liberal this time around again.

hehehe... NDP .. NsDaP. hehehehe. Took me like 2 secs to spot the similarity.

I'm confused?

 

[fornax]

I like some things from the NDP and wish they borrowed some of the liberals' pragmatism. They ran Ontario for some time, and BC too. They did worse in BC than in Ontario, although the sky did not fall in either province. Some melange of NDP and Liberal policies would be best for Canada, I think. The Conservatives with Harper in the lead scare me, I don't think they have any fresh ideas or any ideas, for that matter.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: fornax
I like some things from the NDP and wish they borrowed some of the liberals' pragmatism. They ran Ontario for some time, and BC too. They did worse in BC than in Ontario, although the sky did not fall in either province. Some melange of NDP and Liberal policies would be best for Canada, I think. The Conservatives with Harper in the lead scare me, I don't think they have any fresh ideas or any ideas, for that matter.

I don't think they are "scary", but they would change things dramatically(at least according to what they say). Some of that change would likely be beneficial, most of it people would get used to in time. Personally though, I don't think dramatic change is needed. Most of the needed change has already occured under the Chretien government, which is getting Spending under control and ending the era of Deficits. Most of what needs changed now doesn't require as drastic of actions as the Deficit did and certainly not as Harper is trying to campaign on, but that's IMO.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Forsythe

Originally posted by: silverpig
I would gladly pay another $100m as insurance for not having to scrape dead babies off the street of the next foreign country to piss of Bush.

NDP - no realisitic idea on how to run a country.
Green - possibly a viable alternative... I'd like to see them get a few seats this time around.

I'll probably vote liberal this time around again.

hehehe... NDP .. NsDaP. hehehehe. Took me like 2 secs to spot the similarity.

I'm confused?

I was too... then I did a google.

NSDAP = Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei aka the Nazi party of Germany 😛


And no, the Nazis were uber right-wing, and the NDP is pretty far left.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: Forsythe

Originally posted by: silverpig
I would gladly pay another $100m as insurance for not having to scrape dead babies off the street of the next foreign country to piss of Bush.

NDP - no realisitic idea on how to run a country.
Green - possibly a viable alternative... I'd like to see them get a few seats this time around.

I'll probably vote liberal this time around again.

hehehe... NDP .. NsDaP. hehehehe. Took me like 2 secs to spot the similarity.

I'm confused?

I was too... then I did a google.

NSDAP = Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei aka the Nazi party of Germany 😛


And no, the Nazis were uber right-wing, and the NDP is pretty far left.

Oh! :Q

hehe, not the same by a longshot, but ... 😀

 

[imported_Aelius]

The ONLY thing either side is addressing are issues the "average" voter cares about. It doesn't address some hot water issues.

For example civil rights. I have heard zip from either side on this in any detail what so ever. Now you may say "So what Canada is fine compared to the US..." but is that really true?

In many aspects yes but some important ones no. RCMP has held a journalist without the benefit of requiring a warrant (our virtual verbatim version of the Patriot Act and its sibling bills that prop it up even more) and ransacked her home/office for documents. Public outrage is what seemed to get her released but no apology given. Sounds vaguely familiar.

Canada's spy agency (CSIS) and the RCMP may have taken a hands off but still an active part in a rendition of at least one Canadian, possibly others that seem to have little to no evidence against them what so ever. It's not clear if Canada itself has been host to the CIA's rendition program but it appears likely.

The Liberals, along with other parties, passed Canada's version of the Patriot Act as well as many other similar bills that brings it up to similar standards as the Patriot Act II. Not to mention a recent bill floating around that may or may not pass that will grant CSIS and other agencies sweeping new powers where they will no longer require a judge to do much of their work domestically and with a "fox guarding the hen house" type safety check in place. Even if this bill fails with the Liberals you can expect it to come back with the Conservatives.

I have no confidence in any Canadian political party currently running.
I'm voting Spoiled Ballot.

 

[CanOWorms]

Vote for whomever wants to join the 21st century and other progressive nations by removing the Queen.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Vote for whomever wants to join the 21st century and other progressive nations by removing the Queen.

Uh, I don't think this is a very important issue to very many people. Besides, the Queen has no real power anymore and serves only a traditional role. The Governor General is a representative of the queen, and has to sign off on all our laws, but really has no power as she will sign off automatically.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Vote for whomever wants to join the 21st century and other progressive nations by removing the Queen.

Uh, I don't think this is a very important issue to very many people. Besides, the Queen has no real power anymore and serves only a traditional role. The Governor General is a representative of the queen, and has to sign off on all our laws, but really has no power as she will sign off automatically.

He's been told a million times. Monarchy/Colonialism is his schtick, not worth the time discussing it with him. 😉