rae05

So it certainly does seem that an October 14th election is in the works for us Canadians, whether we like it or not. What do you think about the situation and party leaders? What do you believe the outcome will be? Do you feel its actually necessary for an election at this point, or are there some alternative motives on behalf of Stephen Harper? Is Parliament really not functioning, or does Harper really just want an election before the Americans vote in November because he feels that Dion stands a better chance of Obama does in fact get elected?

(sorry, I feel like I just wrote a final exam question for my Political Science courses hahaha)

Sarahkka

Uh oh.
You just asked a preggo with an established ranting problem what she thinks about the upcoming election?
Watch out, baby!
This is going to be one long post!
Okay, to state my bias, I am a social democrat. I am happy to pay higher taxes if it means we all get proper roads, safe water and food, universal healthcare, etc. I'd pay even more tax if it meant we could have universal daycare and post-secondary schooling. I have lived in countries like Sweden where I saw how this worked firsthand, and I'd jump at the chance to have that in Canada.
So those are my values.
As well as environmental protection, women's rights, etc.
Having stated all this, you can imagine how pissed I get when I look at Harper's revolting neo-con policies. He is the biggest bully. He's deceitful and mean-spirited. He preached accountability yet muzzles the press, restricts access to information, and is a complete hypocrite on just about everything.
His environmental policies will give us a toxic sludge pool for a country.
His economics are a joke! I know the sponsorship scandal sucked, but at least the liberals got us well out of the deficit spending. The conservatives have us right back in.
I think Harper wants an election because the economy is finally going to show that his mismanagement is going to beggar all of us. He's hoping to squeak a majority so he doesn't have to answer for that.
Despicable.
And don't even get me started on the funding cuts to the arts. It's blatant censorship!!!
Problem is...
Dion has a real image problem. My impression of him is that he is easily manipulated. That is not going to win him votes.
His policies aren't bad - even the Green Shift - but he doesn't inspire confidence. The sponsorship scandal is still too fresh for people to just buy in to the liberals. They need a way stronger leader.
Jack Layton is a little better, but I don't think the NDP have the clout to take enough of the left vote. They might have a shot as the opposition.
The Bloc? Totally regional and just frustrating because it splits the vote in Quebec.
Elizabeth May from the Green Party is awesome. I would vote for her in a second, but is that a wasted vote?
Argh!
We don't need an election. Nothing has changed! There are no new choices!

rae05

Oooooh haha.

I think that the Conservatives are going to be unpleasantly surprised at the results, despite the early public opinion polls. Stephen Harper drives me insane, I usually turn the television off when I see his face.

I do think that Dion comes across as a weak public figure, but I do believe that he does have the brains to make the right decisions. I've read many articles by him before he was even in the running to be Liberal leader and I do think he's quite brilliant. I have also read some works by Micheal Ignatieff as well, and I am quite disapointed that he didn't win the leadership convention because I feel he's a stronger personality. I like Dion's envoirnmental policy but Harper is riding off of that now too.

Jack Layton is someone who I feel should be given a chance at something, even if it is the opposition. He's such a strong politician and I do believe he can pretty much reform Canada the way it needs to be if he was given the opportunity to do so. I think we'd have a lot more jobs created, even more universal health care than we already have (France, anyone?), and post-secondary education would be put at the forefront.

I don't know too much about Elizabeth May, but I do feel that voting for a party that really doesn't have much of a chance...that is just one more vote that could have gone to the Liberals or NDP that would knock Harper out.

The Bloc, I won't go there.

I don't feel that we need another election right now. I do think Harper is panicing over the American election because there has been a LOT of speculation within the political science world that if Obama does win in the states, Dion would have the upper hand in Canada. A lot of Canadians are welcome to a split Obama/Dion leadership in North America at the moment. It is amazing how another country's politics can influence ours so much.

Sarahkka

My brother read a lot of Ignatieff in uni and was really impressed with him.
I think the libs missed the boat with their leader pick and it might really cost them. Ignatieff would probably have been the stronger choice. I don't doubt Dion's intelligence. I do doubt his leadership qualities.
I hope Harper does get his ass kicked. He is such an arrogant prat. And he's pissed a lot of Alberta oil money right off. He broke some major campaign promises here and it may cost him.
Problem is, people in Alberta will light themselves on fire before they will vote ABC. It's pathetic. The provincial tories have been in majority here for over 30 years. They suck, but they get away with murder because they just throw oil money at everything. We had one of the lowest voter turnouts ever at our last prov. election. It was so embarrassing. And infuriating.

I usually vote NDP federally because I really want their voice in parliament. My riding is a sweep for the tories, but at least I know the NDP get elections money for my support. If we get a viable green, I might consider voting that way, but only because I really doubt that anti-tory will make much of a difference in my riding. Seriously, our MP is Jim Prentice. He had something like an 86% win the last two elections.

But I repeat: this election is a huge waste of time and money and I hope it pisses Canadians off enough to kick Harper's ass. That would make me happy.

Rae - Paul Martin was on the brink of announcing a national daycare policy when the tories toppled his govt. The universal tax credits that Harper introduced instead are a) taxable - gee, thanks. and b) not even enough to cover one month of childcare. And he pretends to support family values?

You can't see me, but I'm throwing up right now.

ryder

Haven't paid much attention yet... I only just saw a commercial the other day.

However, I dont know about the dayare system... I personally dont like actual daycares all that much... When my LO needs childcare she is going to a private home that only cares for a couple kids at a time, in someones home (this person is very credible as i've worked for her through Childrens Aid).

Im afraid if the governent gets their hands in daycares too much this will take away from the good private home daycares.

Steven Harper is ugly haha, he annoys me.

Tyff

Sarahkka

Tyff,
That's called proportional representation and it's something Jack Layton was advocating awhile ago.
If that was the case in Canada, as it is in Germany, the conservatives would not be in power right now.
As for the whole wasted vote thing, I think you need to vote with your conscience. If your values align with NDP then go ahead and support them. As I said above, I do that federally because I don't stand a chance of knocking my cons candidate out in my riding, so I feel quite free to vote for my ideal. I think the strategic voting is worth considering if you have a particularly vile candidate that might win otherwise, or if you are in a riding that is pretty evenly balanced. Then it might be cool to consider another party.

rae05

I vote for whoever I feel is going to do the better job. In the case of this election though, there is no way on this earth I am voting anything but Liberal, just for the fact that if we go by history, the NDP don't have a particularly strong chance of gaining a majority, or even a minority for that matter, over the Conservatives. I want Harper out so bad that I would rather vote for the party that has a half reasonable chance of knocking them out of their position, than the party that really has no chance. But that is just this election.

Sarahkka

Urgh!
CBC just released poll results that have Harper at 38% approval for a leader.
Jack Layton was at 15%.
And Dion was at 13%.
This does not look good.
Harper may be a the razor's edge of a tiny majority.
Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!