Canadian Election - 06
 

Well it's the day before the big day, the day that all this election crap stops interupting my hockey games...


Anyways when I got up this morning I was appalled to see the Toronto Sun abandoned any pretext of journalistic integrity - you know the part about presenting a fair and balanced oberservation/reporting of the the news; remaining objective... small wonder these clowns are Bill O'Reilly's favourite choice for conservative Canadian commentary :rolleyes:

This was the front page of the paper:
http://www.torontosun.com/FrontPage/...coverlarge.jpg

I don't care what party a paper may support in it's editorials, that is where the support should be confined - the editorials. I for one hope these clowns get nailed, or more than their usual slap on the wrist fine, for such a blatant viololation of journalisitic ethics...

Rob, it's the Toronto Sun......

True... but even so they should be at least held to the minimal standard that even the neighbour papers have to. I mean damn the broke one of the most basic rules of journalistic objectivity - mixing news and editoral comment... the whole front section of the Sun is news - but not today, instead today it is almost a manifesto of the paper's support for Harper.

It's the very same moronic element that the Sun caters to that destroyed the old Tory party... and led to the rise of that tool that'll probibly win. I for one will be filling a complaint with both the paper and Elections Canada ~ because I know that what they did is at the very least an ethics violation of the rules, if not a legal violation.

But since you seem to be a fan of Harper and his crew, I'll ask you this: What would be your reaction if the Toronto Star, or Globe & Mail, or the National Post ran a front page spread outlining why not to vote Conservative or NDP or Green - followed by the next 8 pages of the NEWS section outlining the paper's support of one party?

Then again why should I expect anything better of a paper that ran editorials calling Stronach a whore?

Before I answer your questions, I'd have to find out:


1. How tasteful/tasteless the front page ads are

2. Havent some papers declared support for particular parties (Globe=Tory; Star=Liberal)?

Yes they have... in their editoral sections - not on the front page or in the "news" sections; nor did they move their editoral to the front of the paper.

See, I was going to say that too, but thought better of it because I wasn't sure how it would go over with an American saying it. Heh.

That being said, I'm planning to wear black and burn candles all day tomorrow and until the next election. I can't even bring myself to say Prime Minister Ste....

*retch*

what she said!
I had just gotten back from a Panhellenic Open House and Mr. 1228's obnoxious friend called and said "I am picking him up so we can go to a rally of our illustrious leader. " He wanted me to call Mr. 1228 to the phone while he was watching the Seahawks game. Not gonna happen

I said: "Yeah whatever...and hung up".

Yes I am an American and I went there! :D

National Post is very much for Conservatives... the whole front section of Saturday's edition was all pro-Tory .... the Star has been Libreal for YEARS, so that's no surprise, and the editorial board for the Globe...well, again, really is no surprise...

It is funny to watch the national news programs - they all have quite the bent to them... can't wait to see what Mike Duffy says tomorrow night duirng the election coverage - probably the best news-bite of the night

:cool:

Besides, its no big deal - we'll be going to the polls again in 18 months because we will be getting another minority govt :)

Re: Canadian Election - 06
 

The Boston Globe does this all the time here - they'll attack Republicans with front-page editorials, and often give pieces like these "above the fold" prominence. The Boston Herald does the same thing against Democrats.

During election time, everywhere, I'd guess there are papers that do this kind of stuff.

I agree with Rob, in that, a paper should not be so blatantly biased and make their opinions news. However, I also agree with Cynthia, in that, it is the Sun and what can you expect from a paper that's pegged at a grade 3 reading level.

The Sun is such a terrible paper. Even their sunshine girls are unattractive. I think we need need to take the Sun with a giant grain of salt, and understand that it appeals to the lowest common denominator.

Alrighty time to stop complaining about the Sun and get out and vote...

As well as engage in a favourite Canadian past-time: watching the results come in and get back to bitching about our elected officials :D ~ personally I'll be watching the results roll on in at the local pub...

I need a drive to my polling station even though it's only at the top of my street. With my lovely concussion, I don't think I will be able to make it up there if I walk. Fonrtunately, the polls don't close till 9:30 so I should have plenty of time to get there.

Re: Re: Canadian Election - 06
 

This is a constant in Europe also.

-Rudey

We've set up 2 TV's in our living room, One for the Leafs Game and one to watch election results. I can only hope the election turns out better than i think the game will.

Personally I think the Leafs are going to have what happened to the PCs in '93 happened to them... at least if this season is any indication.

As for watching the results ~ well the pub will be showing the election results on the normal sized TVs, while the Leaf game will be on the projection screen... but all indications point to a bad night for Toronto all around.

I just cast my vote. Only 6 more hours till the polls close.

I won't be voting for about another 6 hours and the polls won't be closing out here until 6.5 hours. I love it when the rest of Canada has to wait for the west coast :p.

I also have 6 hours to make up my mind on how I'm voting...

Hey, maybe I could lie and say I'm a Jamaican bobsledder and get pushed to the front of the citizenship line just so I can vote today. :rolleyes:

I started a new job today, and since they didn't get a chance to set up my computer or my phone, they let me out after my meeting. I cast my vote about half an hour ago.

The good news is, my riding is no longer Liberal.

The bad news is, we now have a Conservative government (albeit a minority). Actually, I don't think it will be as bad as I anticipate. My biggest concern was their social policies and I really think the Liberals and the NDP will keep them in check. I'm not sure which way the Bloc will go.

I believe the final count was (correct me if I am wrong):

Conservative: 124 seats

Liberal: 103 seats

Bloc: 51 seats

NDP: 29 seats

Independent: 1 seat

HAH A conservative won in Canada.

-Rudey

Was anyone else seriously disturbed/concerned when Harper ended his speech last night with God Bless Canada...

I don't think I have ever heard a Canadian PM say that before...

Memo to Harper: separation of church and state does actually exist in Canada...

Interesting fact from the elections: Liberals actually gained seats in BC, albeit one...

I didn't actually stay up to see his victory speech. But if that's what he said, it does disturb me.

Like I said before, I think the Liberals and NDP will keep them in check. I also believe that they won't run their full term. I think we'll be back at the polls before you know it.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is entrenched in the Constitution, states in the preamble that Canada "is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law."

Additionally, Canada funds religious Catholic schools.

-Rudey

Canada Isn't a Red State Yet

The surprising thing about Canada's election yesterday was the extent to which the country's ruling Liberal Party was NOT decimated. Beset by scandal and running a sloppy campaign that never saw it come out on top in any single 24-hour-news cycle, the Liberals nevertheles won 31% of the vote, only about six points behind the winning Conservative Party.

Canada remains a far more collectivist country than its giant neighbor to the south. The Liberals and the socialist New Democrats together won more seats in parliament than the Conservatives. Stephen Harper, the new prime minister, will now to have to form a minority government that will depend on tacit support of at least one opposition party to survive. Far from being able to implement its own platform, every major piece of legislation will have to be negotiated. Luckily, this time the separatist Bloc Quebecois won only 40% of the vote in Quebec and for a while will be unlikely to use its 50 seats in parliament to bring down Mr. Harper's government.

As for Mr. Harper, U.S. conservatives are likely to be disappointed in what he will be able to accomplish in the short term. An economist and policy wonk, he is steeped in free-market theory and personally remains committed to a les intrusive government. But he has greatly modified his view of what is posible in Canadian politics. His party now backs les reform and more spending in dealing with Canada's creaking nationalized health care system. Maclean's magazine reported last year that "whispers about Mr. Harper becoming too soft have replaced those that he is too brittle" and an inflexible ideologue.

That said, Canada's election is a watershed. The Liberals have so dominated the country's politics that they were in office longer during the 20th Century than even the Communists in the Soviet Union. The country was in danger of becoming a permanent one-and-a-half party state. Having been chastened by the voters for their rampant corruption and insider dealing, the Liberals will now have a chance to clean up their act. For his part, Mr. Harper will end the gratuitous America-bashing of recent years and at least make a stab at more sensible economic policies. Grading on a Canadian curve, yesterday's result amounts to a welcome political revolution.

"Used with permission from OpinionJournal.com, a web site from Dow Jones & Company, Inc."

I think it's odd that there are people who have issues with Harper (or anyone) saying "God Bless Canada..." yet have no issues with singing O Canada.

Just guess it goes to show that Canadas Polotics are no more screwed up than any other Countys!:)

According to Anaylists, the New Govt. will work closer with the USA, their Nearest Neighbor. Dah. Who was the Moron who figured that out?:rolleyes:

My old saying is If You dont Vote, then dont bitch!

Well not since way back in the day when Catholics gained the right to hold office - It's considered highly inappropriate (at least for Catholics, High-Anglicans, and some other Protestant denomonations) for a lay person to be see invoking God's blessing as if he where a priest. After the granting of full political rights to Catholics, there was enough public opinion to make it too "gauche" for a political leader to use it... <sorry channelling a loooooooong class about the history of the Catholic Church in Canada>

But then again Harper is Canada's first born again Christian PM, soooo...



Actually as Rudey correctly pointed out, Canada has no seperation of Church and state - at least as how it is viewed in America - afterall our Head of State is the Head of the Church of England ;)

Anyways it's been a long held unwritten rule that political figures don't invoke God's blessing - but things may have changed with a socially conservative government with fundamentalist or "born again" Christians running for office ~ again something frowned upon after the whole Family Compact issue in Upper Canada.

I have a feeling that faith and politics are going to collide again after a 150 year hiatus :(

I was most interested in the fact that the Conservatives were shut out of every seat in the three big cities...

Most happily though voter particpation was up from it's low of 60% last election :D

WOW COOP, and look what it has done to Polorize America!

Now there are law cases and Judicil proceedings to decide if Evolution or Devine Intervention!:eek:

Interesting, but not surprising.