Election Speak

[Emancipation 2]

Soooo tired of the "demonizing" of the Conservatives.. It's a little tiring.. but apparently an election could be coming.. Comparing Haper's Gov to the current US Administration though IMO is kinda wonky..

"uncertainty of dollar parity "THis phrase made me giggle.. only in Canada would we get nervous about our strong currency!!

Here we go kids.. another rough patch in CDN politics!!

Dion fuels election talk with throne speech conditions

Firm end to Afghan mission, reintroduction of clean air bill among Liberals' demands

Last Updated: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 | 2:21 PM ET

CBC News

Stephen Harper's Conservatives must make major changes to the upcoming throne speech or the opposition Liberals will vote against it, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion warned Wednesday, adding fuel to speculation there could be a fall federal election.

"This hidden agenda will be stopped," Dion said after a meeting with Quebec caucus members in Montreal.

He said the Tories would scrap the gun registry and anti-greenhouse gas initiatives the moment they gained a majority — a result Dion contended would allow them to shape a "right-wing" Canadian government modelled after the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush.

"They cannot do it today because they have an Official Opposition facing them," Dion said.

The meeting came amid indications the beleaguered Liberal leader will face an uphill battle in convincing Quebecers to vote for his party in the next election and amid reports of dissent within the party's Quebec ranks over Dion's leadership.

Harper's Conservatives need the votes of at least one opposition party to survive a confidence vote on the Oct. 16 throne speech

The Liberals want the Tory government to make a firm commitment to withdrawing combat troops from Afghanistan in early 2009 and to reintroduce clean air legislation, Bill C-30, that failed to make it into law during the last session.

Dion also said he wants more help for families and combating poverty, as well as a better plan for the Canadian economy as it faces the uncertainty of dollar parity and the unpredictable U.S. market.

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has already outlined five "non-negotiable" conditions Conservatives must accept if they want his party's support.

The conditions include the elimination of all federal spending powers in provincial jurisdictions and a call for the government to respect the Kyoto Protocol.

Since the Tories were elected in January 2006, the Bloc has helped the minority government survive three confidence votes, including two on federal budgets.

"We've laid out our conditions, but we'll see what the Liberals and the others do, and they'll face the consequences," Duceppe told reporters on Wednesday.

NDP Leader Jack Layton has said his party will wait to hear the throne speech before deciding how to vote.

'I am pleased when people underestimate me'

The Liberals have been reeling since the party's defeats in three Quebec byelections last week, including a loss to the NDP in the Liberals' traditional Montreal stronghold of Outremont.

In a CROP poll commissioned by La Presse, only 19 per cent of Quebecers surveyed said they would vote for the Liberals — the lowest percentage since Dion became leader. The poll surveyed 1,001 Quebecers between Sept. 13 and 23 and is considered accurate within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Liberals took another hit Wednesday as Dion confirmed former astronaut and star candidate Marc Garneau was leaving political life. Garneau resigned as head of the Canadian Space Agency in 2005 to run, unsuccessfully, for the Liberals in Quebec in the 2006 federal election.

But Dion said his Quebec caucus was "united more than ever" in its determination to show the province what the Liberals have to offer.

"I am pleased when people underestimate me," he said. "I need to fight and win against a caricature of myself. And I will win."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/26/dion.html

Edited September 26, 2007 by Emancipation

[bradcanuck 1]

I voted Harper and I would do it again.

I got sick of Canadians, we know nothing about politics and really shouldn't be allowed to vote. I'd rather have a monarch. I got out of politics (was a major in university) when I realized how perilous the situation really is.

[trailmix 77]

I voted Harper and I would do it again.

I got sick of Canadians, we know nothing about politics and really shouldn't be allowed to vote. I'd rather have a monarch. I got out of politics (was a major in university) when I realized how perilous the situation really is.

Well that gave me a good laugh - both the article and your comments bradc.

It's all so predictable. I voted for Stephen and co too - and I would again today. I don't know - the whole 'Conservative' 'Liberal' tags are redundant. The conservatives aren't really conservative (and neither am I) and the liberals aren't really liberal.

Oh and the headlines on the news regarding the dollar parity - makes me shake my head every time - you're right Emancipation - only in Canada would anyone worry about it.

Edited September 26, 2007 by trailmix

[misa 2]

I didn't vote for Harper and I think I'm pretty well versed in both Canadian and U.S. politics. But I digress...

Anyway, are we allowed to vote even if we're living in the U.S.?

[bradcanuck 1]

The liberals CAN NOT enact any legislature that is too left or too right, which means they never do anything. If you look at the record they have it shows they don't do ANYTHING that could anger any one side because Liberals rely too heavily on NDP/leftist swing voters and Rightwing/PC/Conservative voters.

But then when the "Conservatives" do something they SHOULD do, they get slammed. They need to change their name to the "All Canadians" and they would not get so much flak.

Harper is doing a fantastic job. Look at the dollar.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I didn't vote for Harper and I think I'm pretty well versed in both Canadian and U.S. politics. But I digress...

Anyway, are we allowed to vote even if we're living in the U.S.?

I don't know enough about Canadian politics to comment on this (the differences between Canadian conservatives and liberals vs American conservatives and liberals always seems to trip me up), but I do seem to recall reading somewhere that for Canadians to legally vote, they need to residing in their own country. I'm not sure if this means the Canadian in question needs to be "present" in Canada or if the Canadian only has to have a legally registered home in Canada.

Regardless, I'm not Canadian, so at this point, it doesn't really pertain to me. I imagine it will, at some point, to my fiancee, should she wish to vote in Canadian politics in the future. She's said she has no interest in becoming an American citizen, so if she can't vote in Canadian elections and she won't be able to vote in American elections, she'll probably feel somewhat "out of the loop." I know I would.

Edited September 27, 2007 by DeadPoolX

[trailmix 77]

Anyway, are we allowed to vote even if we're living in the U.S.?

I found this at Elections Canada: At home or away, Canadians have a say! (how cute is that title!)

Voter eligibility criteria

To vote, you must be a Canadian citizen and be 18 years of age or older on polling day.

You may register to vote by special ballot using the form in this guide provided:

A. you resided in Canada at any time before applying for registration;

B. you have resided outside Canada for less than five consecutive years since your last return to Canada (some exceptions apply); and

C. you intend to resume residence in Canada.

Do not use the form in this guide if:

Your primary residence is in Canada. Instead, contact Elections Canada immediately for instructions.

You are a member of the Canadian Forces. Instead, click here.

[Cassie 8]

at least the pre-election nonsense doesn't start 2 years before the election, unlike a certain country who shall remained unnamed......

[designermedusa 0]

at least the pre-election nonsense doesn't start 2 years before the election, unlike a certain country who shall remained unnamed......

But that's only because of the mess the country is in now. Some people need something to focus on in hopes that things will change.

I don't know anything about Canadian politics, and I asked my husband and he didn't have a clue. I did get him into U.S. politics though.

[Krikit 1,163]

at least the pre-election nonsense doesn't start 2 years before the election, unlike a certain country who shall remained unnamed......

I know! I got all excited when they started talking about the elections here because I'd really like to see the current person gone. When my husband told me it wasn't for another two years I was like "Whaaaat?.... Then why are they.....? Never mind. sigh"

[Emancipation 2]

tee hee.. i agree.. having no set date for elections as Canada does is awesome.. i love the Drama of never knowning if a gov will last a sitting.. it's kinda like the lottery.. maybe she'll go down this week maybe no!!

hee hee..

I am such a freak of nature!

[Cassie 8]

at least the pre-election nonsense doesn't start 2 years before the election, unlike a certain country who shall remained unnamed......

But that's only because of the mess the country is in now. Some people need something to focus on in hopes that things will change.

This isn't a recent phenomenon.

[Cassie 8]

tee hee.. i agree.. having no set date for elections as Canada does is awesome.. i love the Drama of never knowning if a gov will last a sitting.. it's kinda like the lottery.. maybe she'll go down this week maybe no!!

hee hee..

I am such a freak of nature!

hehehe make that two! We get 6 weeks of election blahblahblah and it's done. But the "when will the election date drop" buildup is priceless. hehe