[Nickel]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Fishman', 'N')o liberal coalitions can exist. They tear each other apart.

[auscanman]

This election will be totally pointless. The outcome seems certain to be more or less the same minority situation there currently is. Harper won't reach the sort of numbers he needs for a majority, and Dion is perhaps the most pathetic leader politics in any country has ever known. The best outcome conceivably possible IMO would be a thinner Conservative minority, with the Liberals bleeding a lot of seats to the Greens and NDP, and the Conservatives bleeding some support to the Greens.

Both the Conservatives and Liberals seem to be rotten to the core, so neither of them will be getting my vote. I'll probably vote Green, depending on who their candidate is in my riding (although I'm not a fan of Elizabeth May and her strategic alliance with the Liberals).

[Nickel]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('auscanman', 'T')his election will be totally pointless.

[drew]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('venky', 'W')hy is there never an NDP-Liberal coalition (both left of center parties) instead of a minority Conservative government?

[DaleFromCalgary]

"Doesn't the media determine the president & the voters do what they're told?"

Setting aside the fact that Canada doesn't have a president, the problem is that the media are regionalized, and so are the politics. Western Canada will go Tory, and outside the cappucino-drinking urban areas in eastern Canada and Vancouver, few Canucks will trust the NDP with the keys to the Royal Canadian Mint. Bloc Quebecois will be the spoilers in Quebec, and the Liberals have a leader who is incoherent in both official languages.

One reason the Tories seem ready to call an election now is that oil prices are in a lull, so Canadians indignant about how much it costs to fill up their SUV have sunk back into complacency. Gasoline is a rough average of about $1.30 per litre, which converts to about $6 per gallon. That is why I don't have any sympathy for Americans whining about $4 gas.

[drew]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DaleFromCalgary', 'G')asoline is a rough average of about $1.30 per litre, which converts to about $6 per gallon. That is why I don't have any sympathy for Americans whining about $4 gas.

[Maddog78]

3.785 * $C1.30 * $US0.94 = more like $US4.63/US gal but yeah I get your point.

[gampy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('venky', 'W')hy is there never an NDP-Liberal coalition (both left of center parties) instead of a minority Conservative government?

[Nickel]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gampy', 'I') imagine Ignatieff will get the nod next time around.

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('deMolay', 'G')lobalization, whether via the UN or the major corporations is the same thing. Homogenization of the human race. The idea is to make us faceless, uniform slaves who will always work and pay exorbitant taxes. The taxes inturn are used to further enslave. You will get enough to stay enslaved, but will be unable to decouple from the system. There are no gypsy's wandering the roadways anymore free to do as they please. There are laws and rules and regulations to ensure your place at the Oars of the Slaveship.

[gampy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Nickel', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gampy', 'I') imagine Ignatieff will get the nod next time around.

[Snowrunner]

With all the election buzz going on in the US most people have no clue that Canada just called an election yesterday.

Which is remarkable in a few ways.

1. Harper (aka Bush Light) broke one of his own laws by asking the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and get Canadians to the polls again (the third time ni four years).
2. In contrast to established election law the Conservative Party of Canada ran "election ads" weeks before the Parliament was dissolved and signs started going up in some ridings last week. Both in breach of the Election Laws in Canada.
3. And this is the most disturbing thing of all. The Green Party was refused a spot in the two Leader Debates that are being held i the first week of October. They were denied last time claiming that the party didn't had any sitting member in the house of commons, this time around they do though (an independent joined the Green's last week) and promptly three of the four (major) parties declared that they wouldn't come to the debate when the Greens are there, so the networks caved, claiming that Canadian's are interested in the first place.

The reason I am posting this here is that I think it's a sign of times, the ones that are in power (regardless of how much or little they hold) are afraid of anything that is outside of their sphere of influence. If that means Democracy needs to be sacrificed they seem all to willing to do so.

Unlike the US, the PM has quite a bit of power and Harper clearly has been frustrated that he didn't win a majority last time, so now he's trying it with all his might. Meanwhile the Bloc and the NDP (the other two opposing parties) are afraid that the Greens will steal their seats, so they are opposing it too.

It is ironic that the only party who seems to be in support of Democracy right now are the Liberals, who have had anything but a stellar track record the last four years or so (though in contrast to Canada's conservatives they at least only stole money, not the entire country).

Having said this, if you're in Canada and you haven't heard / participated yet, check this out:

http://www.demanddemocraticdebates.ca/

And lend your support, even if you don't like their platform or their attitude.

Thanks.

[RdSnt]

I fully agree that the Green party leader should be part of the leaders debate. I'm not supportive of the Green party, which is really a Libertarian group painted green.
Hopefully the issue will be kept alive for a while because I think Harper has miscalculated on this one and suffer for it. The other party and leader that has miscalculated is the NDP and Jack Layton. He's attempting to run a US Democratic style campaign, which I'm offended by, and that along with the non-support of Ms. May, are going to hurt.

[Nickel]

The Green Party might not be huge, yet, but it has a message that speaks to millions of Canadians, and to people elsewhere who suppose similar parties. Its ideas have a place in our society, and its candidates have a place on the stage in our debates. I'm actually extremely surprised it's the long-entrenched Liberals, who probably have the most to lose in diluting the electoral waters, who are supporting the Greens having a spot, and I'm really disappointed in the NDP for not being the first to speak up. As perennial also-rans, they should know better than anyone else what it's like to be the outsiders looking in. They should ask themselves: would Tommy Douglas have refused to let the Greens on the stage?

[Dreamtwister]

The last election was decided by how many votes the green party siphoned away from the Liberal candidates. The Liberals lost 22 seats because of the Green vote, and 14 of those seats went to their Conservative opponents. That's the difference between a Conservative minority, and a Liberal one.

The Green party can play kingmaker without ever taking a seat. They have that many votes.

The problem here is "flocking". If enough MP's flock together (by shutting the Greens out of the debate), none of them lose a seat to a minority party.

[DaleFromCalgary]

"signs started going up in some ridings last week. Both in breach of the Election Laws in Canada."

In Calgary, the Greens had their signs up two days before the election was called.

The Liberals haven't a hope in Alberta because of their carbon tax plan (Green Shift) but everyone knew before the election was called that Alberta will remain solid Tory. The fighting for swing ridings will be in southern Ontario, Vancouver, and a few miscellaneous urban centres.

Can anyone from Newfoundland advise what the mood is? Will the Liberals lose votes because of the offshore oil rigs?

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DaleFromCalgary', 'T')he Liberals haven't a hope in Alberta because of their carbon tax plan (Green Shift) but everyone knew before the election was called that Alberta will remain solid Tory. The fighting for swing ridings will be in southern Ontario, Vancouver, and a few miscellaneous urban centres.

[Nickel]

Moved from a thread about the US in Geopolitics...

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cashmere', 'T')his has been demonstrated wonderfully in the last two quarters, with Canada already leading the charge into recession, which is being 99% caused by U.S. economic idiocy.

[strider3700]

I'm very unlikely to ever vote green due to their views on firearms but I'm royally pissed that they aren't allowed in the debate. I can understand last years excuse even if I don't agree with it. This years is just a slap in the face.


My biggest fear is that Canada slowly kills off the small party's until we're left with a 2 party US system.

[Nickel]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('strider3700', 'M')y biggest fear is that Canada slowly kills off the small party's until we're left with a 2 party US system.