OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Since there's quite a few Canadians on the forums here, I thought I'd bring this up. However, please DO NOT do anything to potentially offend others, get this thread locked, etc. Please state opinions in a reasonable manner! I'm sure no one will do anything negative, but I have to say it anyways http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Ok, so what I'd like is for you to state who you will be voting for and preferably why. I'm making this post a poll, since it seems more people are willing to voice an opinion when all they have to do is click and not type http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Feel free to discuss election issues (Health Care, Gun Control, etc) to your heart's content, or to totally ignore this as I'm sure a lot of people will do http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif However, if you voice an opinion, please be prepared to explain why that is the opinion you hold, since I'm sure people will want to know. Well ok, I'll want to know. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

VOTE REPUBLICAN!

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

And what would Republican be analogous to in Canadian politics? I'm really not that familiar with the American political divisions.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I would think that the date selected for the election would be suspect. At that time of year it would certainly have an effect on the rural turn out. And could also be greatly influenced by weather, preventing people from casting their votes.

But I guess it was a case of necessity, considering the recent activities of those currently in power. Next we’ll be hearing the free Quebec slogans again http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Republican platform used to be for a small federal government with more power resting with the states and as such, low federal taxes. Recently it has been taken over by the religious right.http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif Republicans were also known to be much less liberal in their views. These days, who knows what you’ll get. It has become a war between the parties with both sides becoming slaves to instant polls, shifting positions faster than Clinton switched babes. [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Cold.gif[/img]

I would like to see a party form somewhere in the middle, drawing moderate members from both existing parties. Then we could return to having our elected officials represent the people, instead of toeing the party line and damning everything else.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Don't know yet. Not sure I trust any of the major ones, don't know anything about the green candidate.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Frankly I don't trust any of them to keep their promises beyond election day. After all their no. 1 job is to get elected and they'll do what ever it takes to accomplish that.

Some comments on the comments to date:

Thermodyne, it seems to me more rural residents would get out to vote in the dead of winter. Not much else to do. And frankly the weather doesn't stand much chance against even a mildly determined Canadian.

I do agree the party platforms shift with the wind of polls. Do these guys have an opinion of their own?

Hmm, "a party somewhere in the middle". To me that would mean a shift to the right. They are all left wing!

Issues: I have only one. Keep your promises! This, however is a losing strat. The last government to come close to this was the Mulroney government and they were crushed in the following election, and I do mean crushed!

All the other so called issues are merely a matter of degree. IE. how much money should be spent on child care, what minor modifications should we make to the health care system. Details, details! Doesn't anyone have a platform that will give me a real choice?

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I voted Green during the last election, probably will again this time.

I think however it will be another Liberal minority gov't and will be back here again in another couple of years.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Preston Manning had an opinion and look what happened to him.

(Canadian politician that got kicked out of party leadership for 'Not consulting the rest of the party' - Either that or 'Not consulting the rest of the party when proposing a pay cut for MP's for an immediate vote')

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Here in Australia we had an election about this time last year where the opposition lost and a few months later, for health reasons, the opposition leader quit. 6 months after the election he wrote a book basically criticising his own party and pretty much everyone. The opposition foreign spokesman actually came out and said we were lucky they didn't win.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Only 6 votes thus far http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif I thought there were either more Canadians or more Canadians with an opinion! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Personally, I'm voting Conservative. After all, I detest the entire concept of the Green party, the NDP wants to spend spend spend, and the Liberals have already proven they only want to line their pockets. Not to mention the fact that the Conservative philosophy is much more in line with mine, especially opposing the moronic gun control laws Martin has proposed *shudder*. Anyone notice a pattern here? First it's a registry of all guns. Then they want to take away all legitimate handguns from us. Can anyone predict the next step? I sure can, and although many people may see no need for people to own guns, I surely do. When a bear/coyote/wolf is chewing on a calf I'd rather have something more than a big stick to chase them away with! A rifle does the trick quite nicely http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I don't plan on voting this election because I am not a canadian citizen (still a landed immigrant - never bothered to take the citizenship oath).

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I'm not voting because it's been so long since I lived over there I don't have a bloody clue what's going on.

No more Preston Manning? Who knew?

I might just come back now.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Edit: Deleted double post

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

We only have one saying around here "Vote and vote often", so get out and vote and then go vote again or else someone else might win! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Two words: vote Cthulhu!

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Yes! Why vote for the lesser evil???

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I plan to vote Green Party, as I did in the last election. It gives me the right to complain (because I do cast my vote) and more importantly, it shows my dissaproval of the other parties which I have all but lost confidence in.

Nuf said, Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I don't know who I'll vote for yet. I haven't been watching the news much lately so I'm kind of out of touch with what the issues are or what each party stands for. I think I'll know by election day.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

So, anyone care to comment, seeing as how the election is this coming Monday? Predictions, diatribes, rants, raves, etc?

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Go minority government!

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

When I looked at Elections Canada website to find election information, I see the list of registered political parties. I'm surprised to see some of these parties that I have never heard of.

Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada
Bloc Québécois
Canadian Action Party
Christian Heritage Party of Canada
Communist Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
First Peoples National Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
Libertarian Party of Canada
Marijuana Party
Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada
New Democratic Party
Progressive Canadian Party
Western Block Party

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

You never heard of the bloc?

They won a significan number of seats last time.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I think he just listed all the registered parties, SJ... I don't know much about Canadian politics, but I do know that some of those (Bloc, Conservatives, Greens, Liberals, and NDP) are pretty fairly well known... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Ah, that makes sense. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif I see the other biggies there too.

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I nominate citizan Sucide Junkie for EMPEROR of Canada!

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Bah! Only as long as I get to be Vice-Emperor of Canada http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Well, looking pretty good! Conservatives have a minority, and while I would have preferred a Conservative majority, it could have been worse. Too bad a ^#@$*( NDP got in in my riding... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I'd like to see the following to make us some nice representaional government without too many changes needed:

- All candidates with over 5% of the vote "win" in the riding.
- If you have X% of the popular vote in your riding, you get X% of a vote in parliament.
- If you have X% of the popular vote in your riding, you also get X% of the normal salary.

- In order to keep the physical number of chairs from ballooning, the candidates could jointly pick someone to go in their place, and/or telepresence in via the good old internet when nessesary.

Note that spoiled ballots, no-shows and other failed votes would count against the percentages.
This will both encourage people to vote, and encourage the politicians to encourage the people to vote. And it will encourage them to try hard even in ridings they would have a majority in.

The best part is, your vote will count even if your candidate dosen't come in first, and even if your candidate wins by a large margin.

-

What do you think?

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

Interesting system SJ, but probably a little too much for most normal people to understand.

I'm just glad it wasn't a Conservative majority, and in 2 years or so I'm sure they'll work themselves out of gov't. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: OT: Canadian Federal Election, Jan. 23
 

I wish it was a conservative majority. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif That way they'd be able to undo some of the things the Liberals did. Now they're going to have to appease Ontario and Vancouver (where they did poorly) in hopes of getting more votes next time. The west is yet again not a blip on the radar. Wonder when we'll finally get a brain and separate from the rest of Canada... everyone west of Ontario.