Canadian Election - 06

[Lady Pi Phi]

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

[bcdphie]

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 .

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

[Sistermadly]

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.

[Taualumna]

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.

[Lady Pi Phi]

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

[Rudey]

HAH A conservative won in Canada.

-Rudey

[bcdphie]

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...

[Lady Pi Phi]

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

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.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by bcdphie
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...

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

[hoosier]

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."

[Taualumna]

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

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.

[Tom Earp]

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?

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

[RACooper]

Originally posted by bcdphie
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...

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...

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

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

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

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

[Tom Earp]

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!

[hoosier]

Originally posted by RACooper

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

[/B]

Interesting, but not surprising.