Canadian Election 2011

[assassinfred]

The NDPs just past the Liberals in the polls, putting them in second place. Looks like the NDP might actually become the official opposition. Who knows, pretty soon, Layton might actually be Prime Minister. Maybe not this election, but there is a political shift going on in Canada, as in the Liberals are starting to move towards the NDP. I think this year they will be the official opposition, and next election, who knows? They might actually win it. I'm glad the NDP is gaining ground.

EDIT: Also, Marxist Communism and Soviet Communism are two very different things. Lenin didn't really have time for Capitalism to occur in Russia first, so he planned a political revolution. Marxist Communism requires spontaneous revolution in a Capitalist state. Marxist Communism has actually never been achieved in the world yet.

 

[VKCA]

That's neat.
Although in the past couple of elections NDP have done better in the polls than they have at getting seats, thanks to the fpp retardation.
That sentence was pretty poor. I'm sorry.

 

[Iconic]

i can explain the influx of ndp support on smogon:

 

[capefeather]

The power of Smogon does it again.

And yeah, Iggy's been screwing up. At this rate, the Liberals might be obliterated some time in the future O.o

 

[billymills]

Two polls one, one predicting massive NDP gains and Conservatives losing quite a few seats.

One predicting the Largest conservative majority since 1984.

...

 

[Morm]

I am still wrestling with this. I am certain I don't want to vote for any of the 3 major groups or lolgreen....

South park totally called it: picking between a douche and a turd. I honestly think I can't make a right choice here. All this american style negative campaigning hasn't helped my desire to vote either, it's just underlining why every group is a pile of jerkoffs and how none of them represent my views (more moderate conservatism)...

On the bright side, I guess maybe I'll vote conservative if only because the one running in my riding is hot. If that's what it comes to, honestly...since it is illegal to spoil a ballot (though it's profoundly unconstitutional to gather evidence to support any charge), I think it should be considered acceptable for someone not to vote- if they aren't represented in any way and have considered things carefully, why is it so negative to support nobody that is running?

On the funnier side of things, someone suggested I vote for some new Alberta group as they are more moderate conservatives. I told them that provincial interest parties should not be allowed to run federally. If the Bloc is a piece of shit gimmick group, why would this be any different?

ARGH

 

[Eraddd]

Whats wrong with Communist? I didn't know communist immediately meant russian totalitarian government.
I was talking to my dad about layton. Apparently he was super crazy 30 years ago.

The word "Communism" carries with a negative implication. Essentially, it carries the remnants of the Cold War and the whole big Soviet threat. It's similar to calling right wingers "Fascists" (Or whatever the hell left wing nuts call em). Calling them "Communist" dismisses them as some sort of nutbag who believes in equality, which in the past, dissolved into some sort of totalitarian gov.t.

In terms of definition, Socialism and Communism cannot be defined as whole, mainly because there's no real definition of it. Do we accept Marx's version of Communism, Stalin's, Lenin's, Mao's, or Castro's? They all carry different ideological values.

 

[Triggz]

And Triggz, the Conservatives helped introduce the HST in Ontario, and BC (albeit it was decided provincially, the gov.t still had support from the federal gov.t) and I believe raised income taxes from previous levels. Are you looking at the fact that the Conservatives lowered the GST by 2(!!!!!!)%?

Of course the federal government is going to support anything that means more money. In times like these money needs to be in the hands of the people to stimulate and even out the economy not in the hands of big brother

Im not voting blue because I think they are a great party nor do i agree with everything they do/stand for... I just think in these times, they are the lesser of the 3 evils.

 

[Firestorm]

By people I assume you mean corporations? Conservatives put the tax rate on low-income families from 15% up to 16% while reducing corporate tax rates from 22% to 16.5%.

The Conservatives, contrary to the stereotype associated with the name, have been the most ridiculous spenders in recent memory running up the federal deficit to the highest amount in Canadian history. We used to be posting surpluses during the 90s under the Liberals. Now we're back in debt.

 

[assassinfred]

On the funnier side of things, someone suggested I vote for some new Alberta group as they are more moderate conservatives. I told them that provincial interest parties should not be allowed to run federally. If the Bloc is a piece of shit gimmick group, why would this be any different?

ARGH

Wild Rose Party, my friend, only I don't think they're moderate conservatives - they're farther right than the conservatives. It's funny, really, Alberta is doing what America is - going farther right. The Americans are going from Republican to Tea Partyers, and Albertans are going from Conservatives to Wild Rose.

Although, Wild Rose doesn't run federally; they are a strictly provincial party, for now anyway. Too bad for my NDP ideology. It seems Alberta is doomed to be right wing forever, especially considering our province had a grand total of ONE riding that isn't Conservative going into this election. Alberta is really not a left wing place.

 

[Vineon]

Apparently the NDP is doing very well in Quebec at the moment, taking a few leads in polls. There goes your conservative majority Vineon.

-No seats won by the NDP in Quebec would be at the expense of the Conservatives. They would be at the expense of the Bloc and maybe the Liberals.

-I said I wanted a Conservative majority with as less support in Québec as possible.

-Any NDP surge elsewhere in the country will be at the expense of the Liberals, quite possibly helping the Conservatives win more seats.

 

[Morm]

The Calgary Herald quoted Ignatieff as basically saying "don't vote for NDP amateur hour, their spending far overshoots their means."

He specifically used the words amateur hour. I think he's butthurt that the liberal vote in Canada looks to be split between them (and he'll lose his ranking as second best party, by the looks) and as a result of this, a unified conservative front could very realistically be a majority. 0.0

 

[FlareBlitz]

I'm not Canadian, but do you guys really want a more conservative government up there? Did you not see what that supply side bullshit did to this country...

 

[Eraddd]

I'm not Canadian, but do you guys really want a more conservative government up there? Did you not see what that supply side bullshit did to this country...

Almost no one in Canada understands/cares about American politics. We see you guys as our trading partner, a place to go to buy less expensive goods such as clothes, and electronics, a nation that's needlessly attacked a few nations and some other viewpoints. A view that's kind of sad actually.

Although, I will admit that our conservatives aren't as bad as yours. Our conservatives may be even seen as Democrats who lean a bit farther to the right. The NDP would probably be seen as the second coming of the Bolsheviks to many of the shotgun toting GOP members though.

I believe Advance pollings and mail in pollings are up now, so if you cannot vote on May 2nd, VOTE NOW. This is your nation, and you should at least put 15 minutes into researching which direction your nation will go in the next few years.

 

[Umbreon Dan]

Almost no one in Canada understands/cares about American politics

i'm sorry which canada are you talking about?

 

[billymills]

I'm not Canadian, but do you guys really want a more conservative government up there? Did you not see what that supply side bullshit did to this country...

One of the key points in pretty much any election campaign are "The conservatives are trying to americanise _____." Sometimes it sticks, sometimes it doesn't. In this election, it's pretty clear that the Conservatives are trying to americanise our election process, our environmental policy, etc.

However, Canadians pride themselves on 'not being American,' and can often just brush these things off and assume it just won't happen here, cause we're above that.

 

[Eraddd]

i'm sorry which canada are you talking about?

I'm talking about the one I live in. I challenge you to find a group of people know how the electoral system works. Or what's even going on with topics such as Universal Health Care.

Also, hint: the internet is not representative of the entire population.

 

[Morm]

Our conservatives are in at least a few ways (probably most ways, I don't know enough to say for sure) more liberal than the american democrats.

 

[Umbreon Dan]

my highschool graduate class knew why americans were arguing about health care

 

[Vineon]

I'm talking about the one I live in. I challenge you to find a group of people know how the electoral system works. Or what's even going on with topics such as Universal Health Care.

Also, hint: the internet is not representative of the entire population.

Canada sure gives intense coverage of American politics, especially during the elections, for a country made of people that 'do not care at all about it'. Sometimes it feels like it gets more coverage than Canada's own elections.

Skarm even once said he'd rather have the right to vote in the American elections.

However, Canadians pride themselves on 'not being American'

If only the greatest majority of their behaviors didn't hint just the opposite of that.

 

[Morm]

I think the majority of canadians pride themselves on not being quebecois or maritimer/Newfy moreso than not being americans, at least in the west.

 

[Eraddd]

my highschool graduate class knew why americans were arguing about health care

Your graduate class doesn't represent Canada (or the youth) as a whole. If you want me to offer my own anecdotal evidence, our professor attempted to have a debate of American health care in a university English class that consisted of 3rd and 4th years. No one knew what was going on, except for me and another student.

And Vineon, I must be missing the news or something, but I haven't seen this "intense coverage," but more of the general "GOP refuses to yield, no progress made" from CBC.

 

[Morm]

This is a really good reference for what is going on this year in the polls. Conservatives are 5 seats from majority, apparently. This site is apparently pretty authoritative as they compile all kinds of polls and data into a comprehensive yet simple display. :D

The chart above shows how the Conservatives have been holding steady, and how the Liberals' hopes have diminished as the campaign goes on. The New Democrats' best-case-scenario before the campaign was only 45 seats, and in Week 4 they stand ready to supplant the Liberals. It is really quite remarkable.

Interesting! The liberals are bleeding seats to the NDP, even though the NDP platform does feature more spending than the budget allows (even with their increased taxes).

 

[Umbreon Dan]

Your graduate class doesn't represent Canada (or the youth) as a whole. If you want me to offer my own anecdotal evidence, our professor attempted to have a debate of American health care in a university English class that consisted of 3rd and 4th years. No one knew what was going on, except for me and another student.

if you weren't going to accept anecdotal evidence, why did you "challenge me to find a group of people" etc

i would agree that canadians tend to pride themselves on not being american though!

 

[Vineon]

i would agree that canadians tend to pride themselves on not being american though!

Right. A weird mixed bag of that and paradoxally a need to make Americans know they are not in fact, any different.

The Molson 'I am Canadian' commercial does both and reflects quite well that double sentiment :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRI-A3vakVg

It starts by saying Canadians are not lumberjacks nor fur traders, stereotypes that simply do not apply, what is implied is that Canadians are 'normal people', which means they are just like Americans.

Canadians do not live in an igloo nor travel using dog sleds : Canadians are normal people, just like Americans.. with a bit of a complex when people start teasing them.

Canadians have a Prime Minister, not a President, which as the first difference stated, should have you relativize just how great those differences are going to be. Starting heavy with the most obvious one?

But they also speak english and french apparently, now that would only be a distinctive difference if that were true ; there isn't a single Canadian in this thread that does. They also don't speak "American", but not a single outsider would notice the difference between a Canadian speaking and most Americans speaking. I've also never heard an American imply he spoke "American".

Canadians do not say 'aboot', they say 'about'. Take notice America, Canadians are just like you and talk like you. Please stop making fun of them.

Canadians believe in peacekeeping, not policing. Yeah, unlike others such as America, when Canada uses guns, it is for peacekeeping.. but where is the fucking line drawn between that and 'policing' anyway? Unlike Americans, Canadians didn't go to Iraq even though popular support to go was higher than support against at first (and both Harper and Ignatieff wanted to go). Take notice, Canadians are different.

Canadians believe in diversity, not assimilation, unlike the United States which knows no diversity. This is clear as day in all major American cities, where only the white anglo-saxon thrive, as shown by who is currently leading their country.

Canada has beavers, they pronounce z 'zed' and they have tuques. Closing huge like it started, with its most obvious 'cultural traits.'

Then there's hockey..... and the Molson Canadian beer.