The 2011 Canadian Federal Election

[Oerwinde]

The strength of the Canadian dollar, low unemployment in comparison to Europe and the United States, Canada's financial system not melting down, Canada not being utterly crippled by debt the way the United States and Europe are, etc.

I'm not saying that he's the most competent leader out there or anything, but when you successfully manage to keep your country on it's own two feet during some of the harshest economic times out there in decades, you're going to be rewarded for it by the voters.

All of that was due to Paul Martin. He balanced the books and paid down the debt, regulated the banks so the banking meltdown that happened worldwide didn't happen to us, etc. Harper was coasting on Paul Martin's accomplishments.

While I am certainly not gonna act like an expert of Canadian politics but whose stupid idea was it to pass a Contempt of Parliament for no real reason against a leadership that has been seen as competent in leadership in regards to Canada's economy?

The contempt charge was in regards to his party refusing to let parliament know the cost of his crime bills as well as altering documents that had already been signed so that they meant the opposite of what had been agreed to. He was found in contempt by the speaker of the house based on a comittee report, and the confidence vote was forced due to them already being found in contempt. They had no choice but to vote non-confidence, to vote for confidence meant they think its ok to have contempt for parliament.

Obviously 40% of Canadians think contempt of parliament, attempting to stifle opposition by cutting the funding of opposition parties, committing 30 billion to jets with no engines without a bidding process, lying in every single campaign ad, taking credit for Liberal accomplishments, crippling stats canada so the population is less informed, subsidizing oil companies, cutting all climate change research funding, etc. etc. etc. is good governance and deserving of a majority.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The most positive thing about this election was the destruction of the Bloc Quebecois. That was the biggest millstone on Canadian politics for 18 years straight.

I will gladly take a Harper majority as a price for that prize. Even if it means having to register myself as a licensed sodomite at the new Office of Religious Freedom.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Parliament did has a whole, but the Liberals held the balance of power and ultimately they were the ones who decided to defeat the budget, likely because propping up the government made them look weak. However it didn't work for them, because the other major left wing party in Canada, the New democrat Party, came in and took their support and most of their seats. So the Conservatives gained a majority of seats in Parliament, the NDP became the new official opposition party, leaving the Liberals in a bad spot, with way fewer seats and being only the third most powerful party in Canada. It be like the Democrats losing to the Republicans , badly and then the Green Party getting more seats in Congress then them as well.

Well the Liberals were a bunch of idiots. They deserve to get replaced by the NDP. They seem a lot more competent and organized than the Liberals.

 

[hippie_hunter]

All of that was due to Paul Martin. He balanced the books and paid down the debt, regulated the banks so the banking meltdown that happened worldwide didn't happen to us, etc. Harper was coasting on Paul Martin's accomplishments.



The contempt charge was in regards to his party refusing to let parliament know the cost of his crime bills as well as altering documents that had already been signed so that they meant the opposite of what had been agreed to. He was found in contempt by the speaker of the house based on a comittee report, and the confidence vote was forced due to them already being found in contempt. They had no choice but to vote non-confidence, to vote for confidence meant they think its ok to have contempt for parliament.

Obviously 40% of Canadians think contempt of parliament, attempting to stifle opposition by cutting the funding of opposition parties, committing 30 billion to jets with no engines without a bidding process, lying in every single campaign ad, taking credit for Liberal accomplishments, crippling stats canada so the population is less informed, subsidizing oil companies, cutting all climate change research funding, etc. etc. etc. is good governance and deserving of a majority.

But you see, a lot of voters just don't care about that other stuff when the economy is sound and not headed towards oblivion. That's how it works in pretty much every country. It's why the Democrats replaced the Republicans in 2008 and then the Democrats were soundly defeated in 2010 by the Republicans. It's why Labour was soundly defeated in Britain in 2010 by the Conservatives.

All that other stuff is just icing on the cake. People always tend to care about their pockets first and foremost.

 

[Oerwinde]

But you see, a lot of voters just don't care about that other stuff when the economy is sound and not headed towards oblivion. That's how it works in pretty much every country. It's why the Democrats replaced the Republicans in 2008 and then the Democrats were soundly defeated in 2010 by the Republicans. It's why Labour was soundly defeated in Britain in 2010 by the Conservatives.

All that other stuff is just icing on the cake. People always tend to care about their pockets first and foremost.

People are stupid. They elected him again because he didn't screw up too badly and because they spent millions more on attack ads than all the other parties combined.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I despise Harper, but really, just look at our big brother to the south right now. The great recession never ended for a lot of people, their employment base is still in the crapper, and things weren't that great to begin with.

I'm not going to give Harper too much credit for Canada avoiding that fate, but at the same time you can't blame Canadian voters for wanting to keep the course we're on now. Who else would be our Prime Minister? Ignatieff was a major bust, and and NDP government full of first-time MPs would be a disaster.

 

[Oerwinde]

Honestly I was hoping for another minority. Sure we have elections every 3 years, but it keeps people in check. When 60% of the country voted against the ruling party, he shouldn't be able to run willy nilly doing whatever he wants.

I'm all for a preferential system. Ranking our ballot choices and doing automatic runoffs until one candidate gets 50% of the vote. That way people like me can't ***** about majorities being made up of a minority.

 

[Alex The Great]

I like the system the way it is too be honest. The elections are quick and we don't blow Billions on them, and no ****** two party system. I mean, it's better than America's system at least

 

[Paradoxium]

Canada should separate from Quebec. t:

 

[Pink Ranger]

I like the system the way it is too be honest. The elections are quick and we don't blow Billions on them, and no ****** two party system. I mean, it's better than America's system at least

Actually, I kind of like the American system better in a few key ways. I wouldn't change ours, I'm just saying though:

1. They get to directly elect the leader of their executive branch. We don't. Only the people of Calgary got a direct vote on Steven Harper, and that seems unfair.

2. Their primary system elects leaders who voters actually like. If the Liberals had a system like that, they wouldn't have wound up with two consecutive losers. Right now, especially for the Liberals, you get to run for Prime Minister based on how many backroom deals you can strike with party insiders at a given leadership convention.

3. Their Cabinet and Legislative branch are actually separate. It's hard to see Parliament and Cabinet as separate branches of government when they're made up of the same people. Though in fairness, this is due to convention and not law; I don't think there's anything legally preventing Harper from appointing me as Finance minister right now, it's just that it's never done.

 

[Alex The Great]

Canada should separate from Quebec. t:

Canada has a plan for when Quebec separates. We join them.

 

[Paradoxium]

Quebec adds nothing practical to Canada. Other than being a tax parasite, whiner, George St. Pierre, and forcing every Canadian to learn an archaic French that sounds hillybilly to normal French people.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Quebec adds nothing practical to Canada. Other than being a tax parasite, whiner, George St. Pierre, and forcing every Canadian to learn an archaic French that sounds hillybilly to normal French people.

Actually, the French taught in Western Canada is the proper French. When I went to university in Ottawa, I was complemented for the great Parisien accent, though I couldn't understand a word of that patois they spoke in Quebec and the capital.

 

[Paradoxium]

For real? That's pretty bizarre, since it is hard to communicate between the two. At least a French speaker trying to understand a Québécois speaker.

 

[Pink Ranger]

For real? That's pretty bizarre, since it is hard to communicate between the two. At least a French speaker trying to understand a Québécois speaker.

It's because most of the further west you go, the more likely the teachers you have and the curriculum will be designed by people with actual degrees in French (namely, anglophones who study French the proper way, have lived in France, etc.). Rather than simply a Quebecois with a teaching degree.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

It's because most of the further west you go, the more likely the teachers you have and the curriculum will be designed by people with actual degrees in French (namely, anglophones who study French the proper way, have lived in France, etc.). Rather than simply a Quebecois with a teaching degree.

Exactly. Up until grade 8 I was taking full-french (Parisian), but it wasn't until I took one year of english and then switching to Immersion for Highschool that I lost the Parisian accent and developed the Franco-Ontarien accent. Because of this though, I can switch between Franco-Ontarien, Parisien and Quebecois pretty easily.

 

[Oerwinde]

Actually, I kind of like the American system better in a few key ways. I wouldn't change ours, I'm just saying though:

1. They get to directly elect the leader of their executive branch. We don't. Only the people of Calgary got a direct vote on Steven Harper, and that seems unfair.

2. Their primary system elects leaders who voters actually like. If the Liberals had a system like that, they wouldn't have wound up with two consecutive losers. Right now, especially for the Liberals, you get to run for Prime Minister based on how many backroom deals you can strike with party insiders at a given leadership convention.

3. Their Cabinet and Legislative branch are actually separate. It's hard to see Parliament and Cabinet as separate branches of government when they're made up of the same people. Though in fairness, this is due to convention and not law; I don't think there's anything legally preventing Harper from appointing me as Finance minister right now, it's just that it's never done.

1)Its how a parliamentary system works. I don't mind it that much.

2)Party leadership should be based on a vote of all card carrying members of the party. So yeah, that needs fixing.

3)Harper actually did appoint people to his cabinet that weren't from the Legislature in 2006. He was torn a new one for doing so and promised not to do it again. Canadians I guess don't like the idea of unelected officials holding powerful posts in the government.

 

[Alex The Great]

Sweet Jesus. We elected Five University Students, including a 19 Year old into parliment

Pierre-Luc Dusseault — Sherbrooke

Pierre-Luc Dusseault made history on election night by becoming the youngest member ever elected to Parliament in Canadian history. The 19-year-old applied politics student at the University of Sherbrooke beat out Tory candidate Serge Cardin by capturing 43 per cent of the vote in the Quebec riding. He has also just finished his first year of university and will turn 20 at the end of the month.

Prior to Dusseault's win, the youngest MP was Claude-Andre Lachance, who was 20 when elected to the Trudeau Liberals in 1974.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The biggest problem the NDP will face will be the number of these baby MPs, many of whom never seriously thought they'd win, not adapting to the life of an MP very well and wanting out very badly. 5-6 MPs stepping down at the 2 year point and having to hold by-elections will make the NDP look really bad.

 

[Oerwinde]

The biggest problem the NDP will face will be the number of these baby MPs, many of whom never seriously thought they'd win, not adapting to the life of an MP very well and wanting out very badly. 5-6 MPs stepping down at the 2 year point and having to hold by-elections will make the NDP look really bad.

They need to stick it out to get that pension!

I wish I was a ballot filler in Quebec. I actually have a few ideas that they might like.