Let the Americanization begin.

I read some quotes from Harper's speech last night and I didn't read anything about social issues, just economic.... perhaps your Conservative party is like our Tea Party (ok, there isn't actually a real Tea Party) in that it's fiscally conservative and socially ambivalent. Time will tell.

OTB

i hope they leave the social issues at the door...Econmically hold down the fort, make necessary cuts(if need be)....but don't fuck with the rights and freedoms we currently have in this country...
 
No. I called you out for being an asshole.

You came down on another member for his writing skills, and made a very obvious mistake yourself. If you are going to insist on perfection from other members, you should have a look in the mirror first.

Have a good day.

Did you ever consider that I may have done some editing and missed the period. As for attacking torontochris - he was the first one to go on the attack.
 
I read some quotes from Harper's speech last night and I didn't read anything about social issues, just economic.... perhaps your Conservative party is like our Tea Party (ok, there isn't actually a real Tea Party) in that it's fiscally conservative and socially ambivalent. Time will tell.

OTB

I listened to the whole speech. I heard him talk about increasing funding to healthcare by 6% per year, which some people would call a social issue, but you could call economic. On the other hand I don't expect him to announce his policy on abortion, same sex marriage, and prostitution. In the past the Conservatives have always tried to sneak those things in through the back door.

That stuff will be enacted via "private member" legislation that is in fact backed by the Conservative caucus, or by ministerial fiat (i.e., defunding without any Parliamentary debate).
 
I listened to the whole speech. I heard him talk about increasing funding to healthcare by 6% per year, which some people would call a social issue, but you could call economic. On the other hand I don't expect him to announce his policy on abortion, same sex marriage, and prostitution. In the past the Conservatives have always tried to sneak those things in through the back door.

That stuff will be enacted via "private member" legislation that is in fact backed by the Conservative caucus, or by ministerial fiat (i.e., defunding without any Parliamentary debate).

if it does come to that, i hope someone on the Cons will vote against their own party and force another election......
 
i hope they leave the social issues at the door...Econmically hold down the fort, make necessary cuts(if need be)....but don't fuck with the rights and freedoms we currently have in this country...

That's what I hope for our new house members... and so far so good.....

OTB
 
I listened to the whole speech. I heard him talk about increasing funding to healthcare by 6% per year, which some people would call a social issue, but you could call economic. On the other hand I don't expect him to announce his policy on abortion, same sex marriage, and prostitution. In the past the Conservatives have always tried to sneak those things in through the back door.

That stuff will be enacted via "private member" legislation that is in fact backed by the Conservative caucus, or by ministerial fiat (i.e., defunding without any Parliamentary debate).

Perhaps but if they are smart (I don't know them well enough to know the answer, only that apparently they are smarter than the other parties) they will play to the middle on social issues and the right on fiscal issues - that's where most sane people are.

OTB
 
Perhaps but if they are smart (I don't know them well enough to know the answer, only that apparently they are smarter than the other parties) they will play to the middle on social issues and the right on fiscal issues - that's where most sane people are.

OTB

my only worry...the religious right....they have an agenda, and its anti-TERB....
 
Perhaps but if they are smart (I don't know them well enough to know the answer, only that apparently they are smarter than the other parties) they will play to the middle on social issues and the right on fiscal issues - that's where most sane people are.

OTB

And oddly, that is the historic platform of the Liberal Party of Canada. Perhaps it is not that Canada is moving to the right, but that Canadian political parties are moving to the left.

Now if only the Conservatives can learn the sort of fiscal discipline that characterized the Liberal party.
 
Perhaps but if they are smart (I don't know them well enough to know the answer, only that apparently they are smarter than the other parties) they will play to the middle on social issues and the right on fiscal issues - that's where most sane people are.

OTB

I am not sure that the conservatives are smarter, maybe the voters are dumber, it is all relative, as Einstein would have commented. Being right on fiscal issues prevents them from being centre on social issues. It is the well known playbook of consrvatives to overspend wildly on military and tax cuts (who will not want lower taxes) and then because of the deficit thay have to curtail social programs.

In addition, this particular conservative regime has signaled its intention to move from social progarms towards a more expensive penal system.
 
60% voted against Harper. Our voting system should be a relative one as in Europe except Engladn resulting in a minority government again.

Congratulations you are the first one to used this tired old cliche. If this had any meaning one could say that at least 70% of the people voted against who you you voted for.

As far as the abortion issue. The most anti-abortion MP before the election was a liberal in Mississauga. Not sure if he was defeated by a more forward thinking Conservative. And as far as the gay vs. red necks are concerned the largest group of rednecks in Canada are not in Alberta , they are in Quebec (with the exception of Montreal). Guess what? They voted NDP. Good thing for gay rights the NDP didn't get elected.

You guys are so closed minded that you believe all the cliches whithout having the slightest notion to think for yourselves. Its encouraging to see that the voting public are a little brighter.
 
I am not sure that the conservatives are smarter, maybe the voters are dumber, it is all relative, as Einstein would have commented. Being right on fiscal issues prevents them from being centre on social issues. It is the well known playbook of consrvatives to overspend wildly on military and tax cuts (who will not want lower taxes) and then because of the deficit thay have to curtail social programs.

In addition, this particular conservative regime has signaled its intention to move from social progarms towards a more expensive penal system.


Yes yes, every-time the left loses an election it's because the voters are dumb...

Leaving gay marriage, abortion and prostitution alone won't cost anything.

I think he's said he'll increase federal spending on healthcare

Has the gun registry caused a reduction in crime? What has it cost?

Canada's defense spending is pathetic for a first world power.... spoke to a guy in the program office for the F-35... I think you're in good hands there.

I have to claim ignorance on the prison issue....

OTB
 
60% voted against Harper. Our voting system should be a relative one as in Europe except Engladn resulting in a minority government again.

I agree. It seems logical to me to change the voting system to work well with the political landscape here in Canada instead of forcing the political landscape to conform to the voting system. However, Canadians want their FPP.
 
Cliche or FACT. Fact is being almost all powerful with less than 40% of the votes is highly anti-democratic and no matter how old this argument is, it's still FACT.

It's also a fact that they got more votes (MANY more) than any other party.....

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Cliche or FACT. Fact is being almost all powerful with less than 40% of the votes is highly anti-democratic and no matter how old this argument is, it's still FACT.

Well, it's still the law/process and our system at this time, so it's not anti democratic. It has it's flaws but until everyone stop whining about the cost of an election and will accept an almost $500 million bill for the next one.

Take a look at a Australia's election where the opposition proudly proclaims it's a coalition. It's always us against them. Out of 25+ parties only three won any seats. The people who voted for someone else were not represented by someone they voted for. The more recent election are just the same.



House of Reps (IRV) — 1996–98 — Turnout 95.77% (CV) — Informal 3.20%
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
Australian Labor Party 4,217,765 38.75−6.17 49 −31
Liberal Party of Australia 4,210,689 38.69+1.92 75 +26
National Party of Australia 893,170 8.21 +1.04 18 +2
Australian Democrats 735,848 6.76 +3.01 0 0
Australian Greens 188,994 1.74 +0.82 0 0
Aust'ns Against Immigrat'n 73,023 0.67 +0.64 0 0
Greens Western Australia 53,101 0.49 −0.04 0 0
Australian Greens Victoria 52,810 0.49 +0.46 0 0
Call to Australia 43,183 0.40 −0.08 0 0
Natural Law Party 41,573 0.38 −0.36 0 0
Country Liberal Party 38,302 0.35 +0.02 1 +1
Tasmanian Greens 19,689 0.18 −0.05 0 0
No Aircraft Noise 18,626 0.17 * 0 0
Australia's Indigenous P P 12,507 0.11 +0.08 0 0
ReclaimAustralia:Reduce Imigration6,457 0.06 * 0 0
Australian Women's Party 6,173 0.06 * 0 0
One Australia Party 3,159 0.03 * 0 0
Grey Power 2,815 0.03 +0.01 0 0
Australia's Christian Heritage 2,722 0.03 * 0 0
Central Coast Green Party 1,887 0.02 +0.00 0 0
Richmond/Clarence Greens 1,173 0.01 −0.01 0 0
Pensioner & CIR Alliance 332 0.00 * 0 0
Republ'n Party of Australia 156 0.00 * 0 0
Independents 247,016 2.27 −0.98 5 +3
Not Affiliated 12,945 0.12 0 0
Total 10,883,852 148 +1
Liberal/National coalitionWIN53.63 +5.07 94 +29
Australian Labor Party 46.37 −5.07 49 −31
 
Break out the secret plans, boys. The Eagle has Landed. And break out your guns. Let the gay abortion-doctor hunt get started. Time to change the fabric of Canada. :rolleyes:

I actually hope this happens.

I hope Harper and his merry band of Reformers start implementing their hidden agenda of social conservatism.

Let them defund the CBC.

Let them introduce Private Health care.

Let them ban abortion, or reduce access to it.

Let them repeal Gay Marriage

Let them criminalize prostitution and TERB (gasp)

It's the only thing that will get them kicked out of office.
 
Yes yes, every-time the left loses an election it's because the voters are dumb...

Leaving gay marriage, abortion and prostitution alone won't cost anything.

I think he's said he'll increase federal spending on healthcare

Has the gun registry caused a reduction in crime? What has it cost?

Canada's defense spending is pathetic for a first world power.... spoke to a guy in the program office for the F-35... I think you're in good hands there.

I have to claim ignorance on the prison issue....

OTB

Spoken by a guy whose country is going broke supporting a bloated military to the tune of a TRILLION dollars or more a year. A military you can't afford.
 
yes but we have already agreed to pump it south as fast as we possibly can .

Not good enough since the mainland Chinese pay top dollar to have stakes on oil sands and pledge to fund Encana Natural Gas projects.

Not going to be surprised all of these are threats to America's national security in their backyard and thus every incentive for them to make sure Canada is with US, not against US. :eyebrows: