BetterMost Community Blogs > My "Great White North"
Canada's elections - October 14
Sheriff Roland:
Because there is not a majority government, it is possible that we may yet have another election at any time.
250 million$
ka ching!
However, the last 3 elections have produced minority governments and this one last nearly 3 years. The Conservative thought that if they called an election now, they might end up with a majority and be able to press their agenda with fewer compromises. And they almost did, had they not completely misjudge the francophone vote of Quebec.
Before the elections were called, they were expected to double the number of seats they held in that province but instead they (or should I say Harper) fucked up (he keeps his members prety much to party line). Harper went wrong on arts funding and juvenile crime and of course, the world economy had both positive and negative effects on this election.
Mostly, I felt the Conservative ran a very negative ad campain against the Liberals (that started WAY before the 5 week elections was called). Ads that turned Dion's Liberal 'green shift plan' into 'a carbon tax'. He had people believing (through more ads than the Liberal could counter with) that the 'green shift plan' would translate into people paying more taxes. And in English Canada, that's what the message was all about.
In other words, a very negative, Republican style propaganda campain.
I feel sick.
Lumière:
Officials deny Dion to announce resignation Thursday
By The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - Liberal party officials were denying reports that Stephane Dion would be resigning his leadership on Thursday.
There has been widespread speculation he plans to quit after losing 19 seats in Tuesday's vote but will stay on until a successor is chosen. But a spokesman sent an email saying the report in a Toronto newspaper is not true.
"This morning there are media reports that M. Dion will be resigning today," wrote George Young. "This is not the case.
"We will properly advise the media when M. Dion is prepared to speak publicly."
Dion, leader for 22 months, went to ground after Tuesday's election defeat, the Liberals' worst showing in more than a century.
Liberals were full of praise for Dion on Wednesday, but their words sounded more like a eulogy than a celebration. One insider said Dion is a decent man and nobody wants to kick him when he's down.
Party insiders said the bitterly disappointed leader spent the day calling defeated candidates, licking his wounds and reflecting on his future.
Liberals won only 76 seats in Tuesday's election, down from 95 the party had before the election was called.
Their share of the popular vote fell to 26 per cent - two points lower than the party's disastrous showing under John Turner in 1984 and only four points higher than the party's all-time low in 1867.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/081016/delection/fedelxn_dion
oilgun:
Damn! I just now find this thread? Man, to think of all the bitching I could have done!
David, just to add to Roland's post, except for early elections the standard term for a ruling party is 4 years.
I think it's funny that the US election is still to come, it feels like the longest campaign trail in the history of the world! Harper called the election on Sept 7 (never mind that he started campaigning way before and even used tax-payers money to do it, the slimeball) and 5 weeks later it's over. For a total of $350 Million wasted dollars.
Actually it wasn't all a waste. We learned that all parties apparently hired the Three Stooges as their campaign advisors:
-The Greens, who have a strong intelligent and articulate leader proved that they are NOT ready for prime-time by having her run in McKay's riding, an inexplicably popular Tory cabinet minister, in effect losing their ONLY opportunity to win a seat in Parliament.
-Jack Layton, the NDP leader, was convinced he was running for Prime Minister and ran TV ads that effectively called Harper a strong leader but that he himself was the new strong, whatever that means. ???
-The Liberals had an intelligent and compassionate leader with vision but he came across as very weak, expecially in English.
All in all, an embarrassing and depressing exercise.
The only good thing about it all is that although the right of centre only had one party to choose from - the centre-left vote was split between 4 parties - they still couldn't manage a majority government.
The left has to get its act together and unite, but we won't, lol!
--- Quote from: DavidInIndy on October 15, 2008, 01:09:55 am ---I don't understand much of the terminology you all are using so please forgive me if my question comes across as ignorant, but do you all know who won yet? Was this an election for a new Prime Minister? I remember John Harper being elected in a few years ago. I watched the election process on C-Span although I really didn't understand what was going on. I also remember watching John Harper give his acceptance speech.
How long between the elections for Prime Minister?
I'm sorry if I sound like an ignorant American (and I must confess I am) but I'm very interested in these elections in other countries and I don't always understand them. I'd love to learn though! :D
Comcast moved C-Span to its digital line-up so I couldn't watch the Canadian elections tonight. >:(
--- End quote ---
Lumière:
--- Quote ----The Greens, who have a strong intelligent and articulate leader proved that they are NOT ready for prime-time by having her run in McKay's riding, an inexplicably popular Tory cabinet minister, in effect losing their ONLY opportunity to win a seat in Parliament.
--- End quote ---
I know. :-\
The Greens could've had a shot for a seat if they weren't going up against McKay's riding.
There are no Green MPs heading to Ottawa...and it feels like the almost 1 million Green votes (one of those mine) dissolved into nothing.
Still, there is hope because there were over 250,000 more Green votes this time around (compared to the last election).
--- Quote ---I think it's funny that the US election is still to come, it feels like the longest campaign trail in the history of the world! Harper called the election on Sept 7 (never mind that he started campaigning way before and even used tax-payers money to do it, the slimeball) and 5 weeks later it's over. For a total of $350 Million wasted dollars.
--- End quote ---
I just hope that Harper doesn't attempt to call another election in another 6 months.
oilgun:
--- Quote from: Lucise on October 17, 2008, 12:39:30 pm ---I know. :-\
The Greens could've had a shot for a seat if they weren't going up against McKay's riding.
There are no Green MPs heading to Ottawa...and it feels like the almost 1 million Green votes (one of those mine) dissolved into nothing.
Still, there is hope because there were over 250,000 more Green votes this time around (compared to the last election).
I just hope that Harper doesn't attempt to call another election in another 6 months.
--- End quote ---
But he has to within a year, doesn't he?
I just read in the Globe & Mail that Dion didn't listen to his advisers to not mention his "Green Shift" (aka: Carbon Tax aka: Tax increase) during the campaign. I guess it was hard to do when he kept getting grilled about it by Harper. I actually liked Dion but he seemed too naively honest for the job, lol!
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