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Canadian Politics (Yes you know you want to look!!!)

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Wilma
Post subject: Canadian Politics (Yes you know you want to look!!!)
Posted: Thu 02 Feb , 2006 3:53 am
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I just thought I'd start a thread on Candian politics since I just horribly osgillated the State of the Union Speech thread. ;)

Recently we just had an election and a new minority government has been elected. The Conservative party has come back aftre being beaten by the Liberal party in the previous 4 elections (12 years).

There was a scandal in with the Liberal party in power and 100 Million dollars had gone missing. ( That is the very short version). I'll post a link when I find a good one.) Part 2 of the inquiry just came out today. :) Here is a link on the second part if the inquiry http://www.cbc.ca/ on the front page. (The CBC has quite alot of good coverage).

There are also a whole bunch of interesting issues now to be discussed with a new government. It will be very interesting to see if they will be able to keep some of their promises.


EDIT again: The new Prime Minister (we don't have a president) is called Stephen Harper.

EDIT again. Here is an interesting article My only quibble is they skipped over the Gay marriage issue but I'll talk about that once discussion starts. ;)


Also, since everyone is biased to some degree (and I barely know much about politics anyway), I would love to hear from other Canadians on the current state of Canadian politics. :D

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Lord_Morningstar
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Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2006 2:30 am
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At present, the only thing keeping Stephen Harper in power is the fact that none of the opposition parties want to send the nation back to the polls. Even so, he'll have to pull off some fancy acrobatics to get a budget passed. Should he do well and hold out, though, he could probably expect to gain in the next election.

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Wilma
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Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2006 4:31 am
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Thank You LM for showing an interest!!! :D

Well I think he willl have to also be very careful about his lawmaking about certain uh moral issues. There where quite a few things that I liked about the Conservative party's platform, but because he suggested using the not withstanding clause to ban gay marriage (which is an illegal law, but using the not withsatnding clause could make it stick), basically just because he dosen't like it (frankly in my mind gay marriage does not directly affect anyone else eccept the couple involved), disturbs me greatly. That is why I did not vote for him. If it works it can open a backdoor to make a lot other illegal laws legal just because a group of people don't like it.

Here is a bit of history that in part explained why Liberals ended up in power so long. Around the 80's I think, there was a split within the Conservative party. There were moderate Conservative and far right Conservatives. The far right split off and created their own party called the Reform party. They had a great deal of support from western Canada, yet they could never win an election because the province of Onatrio basically decides ahd election. In general Ontarians were wary of the extreme right wing agenda (which had included actually banning abortion (currently there is no law about abortion at all in Canada), also, people had the vibe that the Reform were uh not into ethnic diversity and they seemed shaky on immigration. Ontario is extremely diverse in the southern major cities in Onatrio)). They then switched their name to the Canadian alliance. They still couldn't win. Since the right was split neither the Conservative or the Canadian Alliance could win an election ( The conservatives introduced one of the most visible and hated taxes in all of Canada, called the GST the last time they were in).

Since there were no viable right wing options the Liberals kept on winning basically since ceratin areas of Canada felt there was no other real choice. It wasn't necessarily because they were better. THe Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties came back together under a Conservative banner but, it has a slightly more right wing twist then it used to be (as far as I can remember, I was little the last time).

Anyway Stephen Harper was a member of the Canadian Alliance which is why I am not surprised he dosen't think gay marriage is the greatest thing, but I am surprised he could go as far to make a law against it. He did say in his election campaign the he would do nothing about the abortion issues (yet it seems several conservatives have avoided answering what would happen if a backbencher brought up a bill). Also, he had to minimize the appearance that he was pro U.S (he publcly stated he supported the Iraq war in the past). Me I am comfortable with him in a minority government, I think he can do good things (like curbing corruption), and with a minority it can curb his more extreme leanings.

Depending on how he does though I will not be comfortable with him in a majority government unless he steps back from the gay marriage issue. Or potentially other issues too, several women have said to me he wants to send women back to the dark ages. I don't think that, but he will have that part of the electorate to convince if he wants a mojority. Most of what I have said concerning the party history is what I can remember (and probably biased), if anyone feels like it please fill in the blanks

Many people have said this is a victory for the western Canada since they finally have a government that represents them. But as a PM he has to work to keep Quebec happy. It will be very interesting to see if he can keep such a broad cross section of Canada satisfied to a degree.

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Jude
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Posted: Fri 03 Feb , 2006 2:43 pm
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One more part of the history - for as far back as I can remember, the actual name of the conservative party was "Progressive Conservatives". With the new amalgamation of the Canadian Alliance and the mainstream conservative party, they have dropped the "Progressive" and are now simply the "Conservatives".

This in itself is a strong message to voters, and I know many people who used to vote PC who now won't.

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Lord_Morningstar
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Posted: Sun 04 Jun , 2006 3:56 am
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Our Prime Minister was recently in Canada, and there's someinteresting comparisions to be made - both John Howard and Stephen Harper are steady, uncharismatic sort of politicians who rely on sound policy rather than personality to win elections. Both are solidly Christian and Conservative and untouched by personal scandal. Both came into power following a long period of Government by the other side. Both made use of a protest vote by a dissatisfied electorate. John Howard, at least, has been remarkably successful. Will his Canadian counterpart be so as well?

My preditiction is that provided Harper keeps his nose clean and pulls off something, he'll win the next election (depending on a whole lot of other factors as well, which reminds me, who is leading the Liberals now?).

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TWT
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Posted: Sun 04 Jun , 2006 3:34 pm
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Tories = Conservatives
Grits = Liberals

There will be an internal election to determine the next leader of the Grits. Personally I'm hoping for Ken Dryden. Lawyer and infamous hockey goaltender. The fact that every Canadaian has heard the name Ken Dryden since they were little, watching him win the infamous 72' Summit Series against Russia for Canada I think he'll make a prime canidate. Simply on character alone he could bring down the Harper government in the next election.

Personally I think the conservative's future is bleak. Winning this election might only be a one-time stint. Most people said they voted for Harper soley to punish the Liberals for their corruption and not because they agreed with anything that Harper stood for. I believe that in the next election the public will turn on Harper's ideals and be more forgiving of the Grits.


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Lurker
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Posted: Sun 04 Jun , 2006 5:27 pm
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Did somebody mentioned hockey? Go Oilers Go! Ooops wrong thread!

takes out Liberal card :devil:
Definitely Ken Dryden! :cheers:

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Cenedril_Gildinaur
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Posted: Sun 04 Jun , 2006 8:14 pm
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From what I understand of Canada politics, Ottowa is the most influential province due to population and finance, but is held in check by Quebec insisting on as great an autonomy for the provinces as is possible and the threat of secession by both Quebec and the western provinces.

Is this in any way accurate?

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TWT
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Posted: Sun 04 Jun , 2006 9:42 pm
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Accurate? Except that Ottawa is a city, not a province, but it is located in the province of Ontario. And yes, it is safe to say Ontario is the most influential provence due to population.

I think even Quebec has come to terms with the idea that they'll never end up separating. You don't hear about it anymore. Even the Partis Quebecois has better things to think about.

The west is currently happy because Harper is a cowboy from Alberta whereas our last two PMs were from Quebec and concentrated on the east. I have many problems with Harpers reforms but I won't get into it now because I'm starving and about to go eat.

Lurker, Edmonton?!?! NO WAY! GO CANES GO! I hate that sleezy team that is Ottawa. Pronger and Smyth both drive me up the wall. I was hoping that San Jose would make it in the west. And check you're e-mail, I dropped you a message the other day.


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Lurker
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Posted: Mon 05 Jun , 2006 3:15 am
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I was hoping the Sabres were going to win.

Anyways, we're moving to Calgary, Alberta next month, so might as well root for them Oilers. This ain't a joke! I don't want to leave the centre of the universe for Upper Texas. :bawl: My wife got promoted and part of the deal was (in order to convince me to leave Leafs country) I'll work at my wife's company's legal dept. for awhile until I get a job at a local firm. I don't want to leave but the package they offered us which includes housing was difficult to turn down.

You traitor! :blackeye: Why the heck are you rooting for an American team anyways!!!! :rage:

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vison
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Posted: Mon 05 Jun , 2006 4:00 am
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I do hope Ken Dryden gets the nod. Only, what's his French like? You'd think he'd speak it well, having played in Montreal for so long.

I admired him very much all his playing career. He managed to go to law school while playing NHL hockey. I mean, that's incredible. And he wasn't some second string goalie, either, but the best of his era with the possible exception of Vladmir Tretiak.

And he's worked his butt off for the Liberals. He is by no means a drop-in "Star" candidate. The guy has credentials, big time.


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