The next federal election: Does it matter who wins?

[moviefan]

I ask the question after reading this column by Andrew Coyne:

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/11/15/politics-all-the-way-down/

To a large extent, I think he's right. The two leading parties can throw all kinds of angry rhetoric at each other, but on the major issues, there's no real difference between them. I would argue neither party stands for anything important these days.

 

[Aardvark154]

The next federal election: Does it matter who wins?

Despite Mr.Coyne's view, Yes.

 

[Tokyo Heights]

In Ontario it matters now, that the ruling party should take control and scrap off HST over here!
The present provincial set up has made everyone's life really very miserable!

 

[nottyboi]

It comes down to: As your Prime Minister, do you want a uncharismatic academic or a FUCKING ASSHOLE...lol.

 

[Don]

It comes down to: As your Prime Minister, do you want a uncharismatic academic or a FUCKING ASSHOLE...lol.

Come on now. Ignantieff isn't that much of an asshole. Layton maybe...

 

[oldjones]

Back when the NDP was formed that was its mantra: The old-line parties are just the same; only the colour of their ties shows which one is announcing their common 'policies'. I'd hafta say Harpo and Co.'s adoption of the American right's win at all costs and by any means approach, and his current President Me behaviour has created some differences, but hopefully only of personal leadership style.

On balance, I'd say it matters less who wins (since there's no chance of the only leader with ability—Duceppe—doing that) than who posts his third straight loss. Iknow all the evidence is against it, but one can hope there's enough collective consciousness left in that brainwashed party to find someone who can propose and carry out policies for all Canadians. Harpo never will.

What would be a win for Canada would be a party without doctrinaire made-elsewhere principles that just got on with the business of keeping as much of government as possible out of the way, making sure that things are run fairly, justly and openly, and leaving the business of the country up to us.

 

[slowandeasy]

Back when the NDP was formed that was its mantra: The old-line parties are just the same; only the colour of their ties shows which one is announcing their common 'policies'. I'd hafta say Harpo and Co.'s adoption of the American right's win at all costs and by any means approach, and his current President Me behaviour has created some differences, but hopefully only of personal leadership style.

On balance, I'd say it matters less who wins (since there's no chance of the only leader with ability—Duceppe—doing that) than who posts his third straight loss. Iknow all the evidence is against it, but one can hope there's enough collective consciousness left in that brainwashed party to find someone who can propose and carry out policies for all Canadians. Harpo never will.

What would be a win for Canada would be a party without doctrinaire made-elsewhere principles that just got on with the business of keeping as much of government as possible out of the way, making sure that things are run fairly, justly and openly, and leaving the business of the country up to us.

I think that it is extremely important who wins. Harpo, Groucho and friends seem to have pissed many people off. However, I believe that they have done a pretty good job so far.
The last thing that our country needs is Iggy running the show. It will take years for him to figure out that things don't work exactly like they are written in the textbooks.

I agree that the role of government should be to stay out of the way. But the problem right now is that we already have so much government involvement in every aspect of business that
we need someone strong enought to move us from our status quo to another level. We need some serious changes in the way that government works, and no one in the Liberals seem to have the balls to
do that.

 

[fmahovalich]

IT CERTAINLY DOES MATTER!!

AND WILL MATTER IN A VERY NEGATIVE WAY IF THE LIBERALS GET IN AND START SPENDING IN THESE HARD TIMES!!!! Htarper spent to avoid a disaster, as the country has come to understand.......Iggy would spend to pad the bank accounts and the useless programs of the Social Left!!!

One guy comments that some complain of Harper...sure!!!! some of the lefty media throws up the odd article....but of more importance is that the largest amount of voters in this country think Harper is the man.....and HE is in these times!!!

 

[fuji]

It's important to change the guard now and then, after too long in power they think they're entitled to their entitlements. The C's came into power by mocking the L's for that, but now they appear to be doing the same thing, maybe even worse.

Even if it's just the same shit, different colour tie, it would be good to have some fresh blood in there that was a little less arrogant.

 

[train]

I may be in the minority but I believe that the bureacrats actually run 90% of things which is why being elected Prime Minister is like being appointed captain of a ocean liner. It takes awhile to turn anything around.

Having said that the Liberal Party, after five years out of power, and few MP's outside of Toronto is not well populated with bright young candidates to run anything at the moment. Ken Dryden and Ruby Dalhia .....please. The other two parties (NDP and Bloc) are just down right scary.

After watching the Liberals in the 90's and the current Ontario Government we see what happens when a Party is in power too long so Haper needs to go in another year or two unless he does something miraculous. His performance this year has been the worst of the five I think.

 

[oldjones]

IT CERTAINLY DOES MATTER!!

AND WILL MATTER IN A VERY NEGATIVE WAY IF THE LIBERALS GET IN AND START SPENDING IN THESE HARD TIMES!!!! Htarper spent to avoid a disaster, as the country has come to understand.......Iggy would spend to pad the bank accounts and the useless programs of the Social Left!!!

One guy comments that some complain of Harper...sure!!!! some of the lefty media throws up the odd article....but of more importance is that the largest amount of voters in this country think Harper is the man.....and HE is in these times!!!

You can't seriously imagine anyone can pile up a bigger deficit than Mr. My Government Will Never Run Deficits. At least not the party that left Harpo surpluses he squandered. If you must shout, try to have some facts in the holler.

The largest number of voters in the country is defined by not voting for Harpo's party two to one. A one in three minority might have voted as they did because they thought he was the man, but if you understand our system, you'll realize that's only one of the possibilities. No one votes for PM, you see.

Two elections, one as incumbent called at a time of his choosing and both times he can't get more than a third of the votes. Loser.

 

[dirk076]

You can't seriously imagine anyone can pile up a bigger deficit than Mr. My Government Will Never Run Deficits. At least not the party that left Harpo surpluses he squandered. If you must shout, try to have some facts in the holler.

The largest number of voters in the country is defined by not voting for Harpo's party two to one. A one in three minority might have voted as they did because they thought he was the man, but if you understand our system, you'll realize that's only one of the possibilities. No one votes for PM, you see.

Two elections, one as incumbent called at a time of his choosing and both times he can't get more than a third of the votes. Loser.

LMFAO......... Chretien won his governments with practically the same percentage of votes so two thirds of the Country did not vote for the Liberals, a fact Liberals conveniently pass over when blathering this bullshit.

I prefer Harper to an American who is only in this Country because his friends convinced him to come back because he could be Prime Minister. How long do you really think he will be here when he loses an election and leadership of the party? Give me a fucking break. Your time in the political wilderness is not over.

 

[SkyRider]

LMFAO......... Chretien won his governments with practically the same percentage of votes so two thirds of the Country did not vote for the Liberals, a fact Liberals conveniently pass over when blathering this bullshit.

Chretien won because of a divided right. The amalgamation of the Reform and Conservatives changed the electoral landscape. Does anybody wonder why Prentice left and is McKay also leaving?

To be fair to Harper, Canada is in far better fiscal shape than the U.S. and the E.U. (with the possible exception of Germany).

 

[flubadub]

LMFAO......... Chretien won his governments with practically the same percentage of votes so two thirds of the Country did not vote for the Liberals, a fact Liberals conveniently pass over when blathering this bullshit.

I note that you don't dispute that the liberals have been much more responsible in their handling of the economy then mr economist Harper.

 

[capncrunch]

To be fair to Harper, Canada is in far better fiscal shape than the U.S. and the E.U. (with the possible exception of Germany).

That's the whole reason that the worldwide recession/depression largely gave Canada some breathing room. I mean, sure, we endured hard times (still do to an extent) but nothing on the scale of what took place in the US.

The reason? Strong banking regulations. The whole laissez faire thing looks nice from a distance, but when you`re swimming in the middle of it, the results are pretty grim. It makes no difference who is in power; the regulations run themselves.

 

[dirk076]

I note that you don't dispute that the liberals have been much more responsible in their handling of the economy then mr economist Harper.

I do dispute it. The prosperity the Liberals enjoyed were due to the policies of Michael Wilson. Martin downloaded massive costs to the Provinces.

If you want to see how the current crop would handle the economy look no further than McGuinty here in Ontario and Rae in Ottawa. No fucking way.

 

[Eric Blair]

Best result in the realm of the possible, an Iggy victory in a minority that is totally reliant on the NDP for its majority. Otherwise Coyne is correct. Iggy and Harpo, Tweedle dum and Tweedle Dumber.

 

[Rockslinger]

totally reliant on the NDP for its majority.

The NDP will turn Canada into another Greece.

 

[flubadub]

The NDP will turn Canada into another Greece.

No, everyone shifted right one seat last time the music stopped.
Conservatives are now republican
liberals are red conservatives
ndp are liberals

 

[ogibowt]

The NDP will turn Canada into another Greece.

i believe that greece has been governed recently by right of centre governments.......but nice try Rockslinger..