Canada's elections - October 14

[Sheriff Roland]

With less than a week left before the election here, the economy is finally starting to be part of the discussion.

Mr. Harper has taken the position that things will be fine and that now is not the time for a new, activist plan. (Scott Reid)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081006.welxnstrategists1006/BNStory/politics

Sounds a lot like what the Republicans have been saying ... up until about 2 weeks ago.

Canada has been recording surpluses and paying off it's debt for the past 15 years or so. However ...

At least three banks say Canada may slip into recession as the world's eighth-biggest economy suffers the effects of the U.S. slowdown and the deepening global financial crisis.

Avery Shenfeld, senior economist at CIBC World Markets Inc., told a meeting convened by the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto yesterday that the best-case scenario is "just an ordinary recession.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=av6C8tQ84Md0&refer=canada

The latest polls have the Conservatives with a 5 point lead over the Liberals (29% - 24%) which is likely to result in a minority Conservative government.

Since we've already had 3 elections in the past 5 years, I doubt Harper will be able to follow through on his threat to make every bill in parliament a matter-of-confidence-in-the-government bill. (Which means that any defeated bill would bring down the government.)

So Harper is unlikely to succeed in imposing his hardline-conservative agenda on this country for at least another little while.

Stay tuned.

Edit:

I love this quote from the already mentioned Globe & Mail article : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081006.welxnstrategists1006/BNStory/politics

So we all share the same failing; no one, of any ideological stripe, knows how to stop the downward spiral. That's why today we find political leaders of all stripes - from progressives like Mr. Layton and Gordon Brown in the UK to centrists like Barack Obama and Mr. Dion to screwball conservatives like John McCain and real ones like Mr. Harper - all united in pretty well total ignorance. ( by Gerald Caplan)

[Sheriff Roland]

I love that it's truly multi-party.

Last week's debates were set up as a round table affair. The leaders were actually talking to one another, not just spouting out their talking points (Oh they did that to, mind you.)

People what watched both found the Canadian debate model much more informative, and much more civilized (even though it was mostly a 4 against 1 exchange).

[Sheriff Roland]

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hWPAi3zbqaRcQ58kiQDyw8Y-snag

New poll out. but first ...

The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday that Canada will outperform other well-off countries, but can't escape a global slowdown as the world works through "the most dangerous shock in mature financial markets since the 1930s."

Prime Minister Harper's been putting his foot in his mouth again ...

Earlier Wednesday, NDP (New Democratic Party) Leader Jack Layton pounced on Harper's comment Tuesday that the market meltdown offers Canadians "a lot of great buying opportunities" for investors.

...

The survey put the (Conservatives) at 31 per cent, the Liberals at 27, the NDP at 20 and the Greens at 12.

Looks like we may yet have ourselves a real race.

[Sheriff Roland]

Liberal ads, linking Bush policies to Harper's policies ..., first on the Economy

http://bushharper.com/policy.html

I can especially relate to the second commercial "Same on Foreign Policies"

[Lumière]

Salut Roland. 
Thanks for keeping this thread going.


Tuesday is coming fast, isn't it?
I was going to opt for advance voting but decided I needed more time..
After some deliberation, I have concluded that my vote lies with The Green Party , headed by Elizabeth May .

[Sheriff Roland]

Advanced polling - Ahh! My nearest local advanced polling place is about 4 km away. But it's all good cause I'm not completely sure of voting NDP yet - what with the Liberals having a significant surge going for them right now.

Here in Ontario, (or at least in Toronto and in the North), the Conservatives run 3rd in most ridings, and the useless local Liberal (Allan Tonks) is most likely to win, no matter how I vote. Locally, the NDP would do more that Tonks and if Tonks' numbers go significantly down, maybe he'll retire for the next elections.

You, however are in the Conservative (Tory) heartland. Who's likely to come in 2nd in your riding? a Liberal? I'm sure the plurality of your Tory MP (member of Parliament) is likely to be huge - it usually is, isn't it?

Did you hear today's Harper's 'doomsday' scenario? He's refering to Dion as 'Prime Minister' Dion. In some quarters, that dosen't sound so bad. I for one never got use to "Prime Minister Harper", but I guess that's just me.

[Lumière]

Ah yes.. I am in Tory Heartland as you say. 
I fear no matter what, majority of Albertans will vote PC (Ed Stelmach heads the 11th straight Tory government elected by Albertans);
The Liberals are likely to come in 2nd, followed by NDP.

Did you hear today's Harper's 'doomsday' scenario? He's refering to Dion as 'Prime Minister' Dion. In some quarters, that dosen't sound so bad. I for one never got use to "Prime Minister Harper", but I guess that's just me.

You are not alone... I was never enthusiastic about Harper either.

Speaking of Harper, what did you think of his dragging his mother's stock market woes into his campaign?
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=868805

[Artiste]

There are no real political party in Canada !

[Sheriff Roland]

Speaking of Harper, what did you think of his dragging his mother's stock market woes into his campaign?
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=868805

I hadn't bothered to read up on it. Should I?

[Sheriff Roland]

Michel Rivard has produced a wonderful video using 'La complainte du phoque en Alaska' (I trust you're familliar with the legendary song?)

in defence of cultural funding in Canada. It's Sooooo funny Better than tete-a-claques!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhgv85m852Q[/youtube]