Canadian Election - Politics

[Taualumna]

So the Liberals are at 135 and the NDP at 19, one short of forming a coalition. What do you think will happen? Perhaps convince the one Independent to join the Liberals?

[RACooper]

Originally posted by Taualumna
So the Liberals are at 135 and the NDP at 19, one short of forming a coalition. What do you think will happen? Perhaps convince the one Independent to join the Liberals?

I don't see the Independent going left... afterall he was a former Alliance member that didn't win the new Conservative ballot for the riding... I'd seem him staying Idenpendent or going Conservative.

I think the Liberals did much better than predicted becuase of a public desire not to see Harper in power... so swing voters between Liberal/NDP voted Liberal, so as to ensure a Liberal government... That and I think the Conservatives and Harper shot themselves in the foot with statements made by party members and Harper (White's comments or Harper's comments in particular), as well as Harper's support of the Bush administration, all of which added up to cost them votes that ultimately went Liberal...

On another note anyone see Layton's speach last night? The guy right behind him is his son Mike, a Kappa Sigma from UofT (and not a bad dart player), and if you looked or had a chance to see the guy in the grey suit on the far left of the stage... that'd be me!

[Lady Pi Phi]

The Metro this morning said the NDP got 22 seats

[RACooper]

Those were early results, obviously printed before some close ridings had all the results in... the final number was 19 NDP seats.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by RACooper
Those were early results, obviously printed before some close ridings had all the results in... the final number was 19 NDP seats.

Yeah, you're right. It must have been printed before the final count.

I just went to the CBC webiste to get the final results.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by RACooper


On another note anyone see Layton's speach last night? The guy right behind him is his son Mike, a Kappa Sigma from UofT (and not a bad dart player), and if you looked or had a chance to see the guy in the grey suit on the far left of the stage... that'd be me!

Are you from Jack's riding, or were you there for support?

ETA: I just heard on the radio that Harper's considering quitting the Conservatives!

[RACooper]

There for support mainly... for Mike and Sarah, as they are both friends. It is hard to describe how charged and stressful the media coverage was... so I did my best to be a good friend and support Mike and Sarah under this pressure. I didn't want to go onto the stage, but with the press of the press (fun play on words) I was just pushed up there....

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by RACooper
There for support mainly... for Mike and Sarah, as they are both friends. It is hard to describe how charged and stressful the media coverage was... so I did my best to be a good friend and support Mike and Sarah under this pressure. I didn't want to go onto the stage, but with the press of the press (fun play on words) I was just pushed up there....

Cool....totally unrelated question: Is Sarah Greek? Also, you said earlier that Jack Layton is a Sig alum, but I don't see any mention of him on the Canadian Sig site.

[MooseGirl]

I went to bed around 11:15 so I didn't see the absolute final results til the morning - was a lil disappointed the NDPs seats went down to 19 from 23...And although I vaguely remember seeing Jack and his wife on the stage, I don't remember listening to him speak - i was really tired last night!

What I found most amusing was that I was watching it all on diff channels flicking back and forth, but I spent a lot of time watching MuchMusic, and I am suprised to note that Ed the Sock seems to share the same sentiments as I regarding the election...weird considering i normally dislike Ed.

[kappaloo]

Things could have been so much easier:

http://politicswatch.com/VoteSelectorQuiz2004.html

(it said NDP for me)

[RACooper]

>>> BUMP!!!>>>

Well it looks like another election may be shortly in the works, what with all the quasi-campaigning going on as we speak.

I do find the political wrangling interesting, and already getting personal (well as personal as Canadian politics gets usually) - but shockingly for me is the defacto Conservative-Bloq alliance.... I'm sorry but how can the Conservatives get into bed with Seperatists?

If a new election is called I'm seriously in a quandry on who I'd support... and I had so much hope for this minority government; to me it would have been perfect if the NDP had more power and the PCs less... so that to topple the Liberals those two would have had to cooperate.

[NeonPi]

yeah - don't even get me started on how two parties that if they would be in different provinces could be each other (Alberta has always been unhappy about Quebec's special treatment, Quebec has always been unhappy about Alberta's oil revenue) ...

*sigh*

You KNOW Trudeau is rolling in his grave right now ...... and Joe Clark, John Turner & Kim Campbell are making room in the 'short-lived PM' VIP room ....

Gonna get ugly... and I have no idea who I'll support .... each pary has something I don't like to support about it ....

[Taualumna]

Did anyone follow the happenings on Parliament today? Looks like we may very well be having an election some time this summer.

[RACooper]

Interesting happenings in Fedral politics of late... the biggest being the defection of Belinda Stronach from the Conservative to the Liberals.

This could be a major blow to Harper's leadership of the Conservatives - and highlighting his "anger management" and management flaws... as well it could be a crack in the union of the Alliance and PCs that make-up the party, highlighting complaints that the far-alliance has essentially taken over the union.

All of the above aside the shift in the Parliamentary balance that this defection made will make any attempts by Harper to push for a non-commital vote will be difficult... because now the floor is split 151-151...

Anyone else here of Jack Layton's offer to Harper? Specfically that he offered to have a party member stay off the floor, in order to offset the missing Conservative member in the hospital... as show of fair play, and to remove the issue of the MP's health affecting the outcome of the Parliamentary struggles...

Personally I can see why Stronach left... her political viewpoints and concerns are somewhat closer to mine than Harper's... particularlly the Conservative alliance with the Bloq (and attendant seperatist movement).

Any thoughts or predictions?

[bcdphie]

I would be a lot happier with Stronach's crossing the floor, if she didn't pick up a portfolio along the way. Apparently, now, a member of the Liberal party was rushed to hospital with chest pains, so I think the NDP that promised to sit out should be allowed to vote, unless the Liberal MP is back in Parliament tomorrow.

I think we should chuck the whole lot of them out and start from scratch . I don't know what's going to happen federally; we've had minority governments before, but we were all too young (or not even born yet) to have it truly affect us.

I'm just getting over the BC elections; I haven't even been able to get my head around federal politics for a while with all the white noise from the BC provicial campaigning....

I really hope the budget passes, and I think everyone should just wait for the Gomery Inquiry to be over, and then call an election.

Harper's drive to halt parliament isn't doing the country any good... insert rude comment here of I what I think about Harper...

I know there are moderate Conservatives; hell I used to support the PC; but I don't trust what Harper has up his sleeve for this country...

He talks about Belinda being ambitious... dude, you've shut down the Canadian government just so you can become PM, and you say that isn't doing something for yourself and it is for the good of the country.