Canadian Politics

[CGM]

OK this is kind of interesting. First of all a little background.

Candada has four main political parties, and also some fringe parties. When you vote in Canada, techically you are voting for the local representative of one of the parties. The winner of a Canadian election is the party that has the most representatives elected to parliament. Because there are more than two parties, it is possible to have a minority government, which means that the governing party has less representatives than the total of all the other parties combined. This is the current situation, a minority government. The Conservative Party (Right Wing) currently forms the government.

OK, so it seems that the three main opposition parties, Liberal, NDP, Bloc Quebecois, all left wing, have formed a coalition. The plan to defeat the Conservatives in a confidence vote next Monday. They have indicated they wish to form a new government rather than force an election. They can do this. It is most likely that this coalition will assume the reins of power and function as a single party. A less likely scenario is that the governor general of Canada, who is ostensibly a representative of the Queen, can decide to call an election.

This sort of event has not happened in Canada in over 80 years, governments have been defeated more recently, but elections have been forced, not the coalition assuming power.

It's kind of strange, a major shift in who is running the country, that does not come about as the result of an election. Strange for a major western democracy anyways.

IMO a few Canadians may get upset, most will shrug their shoulders, and life will go on. Myself I'm not too concerned.

I am pretty sure that this sort of thing can't happen in the US, and if it did, people would go berserk.

Here'a the full details if you are interested.

CANOE -- CNEWS - Politics: Opposition signs coalition deal

[CFH]

Wow. I'm fully in support of that. When I heard they were going to defeat the gov't, I couldn't figure out why. It makes sense now.

I'm fully in favor of this.

[Youngblood]

I hope they kick their ass, take their candy, and don't offer any consolation hugs.

We've been dicked around here in the north for forever and could use some representation for a change that actually means something. Not that I'm over-optimistic that would happen...but it couldn't get much worse.

[CGM]

If all this does come to pass, it will be interesting to see whether this coalition can hold together, or eventually dissolve into infighting.

[CFH]

If all this does come to pass, it will be interesting to see whether this coalition can hold together, or eventually dissolve into infighting.

I'd put money on the latter. At some point, one the Liberals will burn an American flag, Layton will give a 2 hour speech on the virtues of Leninism, and the Bloc will introduce bill after bill with the goals of dissolving the country, removing all traces of the English language from Quebec, and putting Patrick Roy on a stamp. All the while Steven Harper will quite weep in a dark corner.

[amat]

CFH and Youngblood what was that commercial I posted? That was great political stuff.

[CFH]

CFH and Youngblood what was that commercial I posted? That was great political stuff.

Was it a Canadian politcal ad? One of Steven Harper maybe?

[amat]

Yes it was a canadian political ad I was stoned and found it hilarious one night. I'll find it.

[amat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ytiDSYOVjE

[CFH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ytiDSYOVjE

Good ole' Harper and his famed sweater-vest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny8Z5DC4UIY

[Youngblood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ytiDSYOVjE

Good ole' Harper and his famed sweater-vest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny8Z5DC4UIY

looool - we're so lame.

[CGM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ytiDSYOVjE

Good ole' Harper and his famed sweater-vest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny8Z5DC4UIY

LOL where's your platform, under the sweater?

Kind of strange hearing an NDPer bragging about balancing budgets, aint it?

Jack Layton is a good talker, a decent guy as commies go, , but not in a million years would he ever come close to winning anything. I remember Ed Broadbent who was leader of the NDP for many years. He always won in the polls as the most honest politician, or the guy who would make the best prime minister, but his party always finished a distant third.

[Kirkland Laing]

I hope Harper manages to cling on. He won't pass any kind of economic stimulus so if he continues not to Canada can act like a control experimant to compare with all the other economies that did.

[CGM]

Heh heh, the last time a minority government was brought down in Canada was Joe Clark's Conservative Party, in 1980, because he wanted to introduce a gasoline tax We all know what happened after that.

[CGM]

I hope Harper manages to cling on. He won't pass any kind of economic stimulus so if he continues not to Canada can act like a control experimant to compare with all the other economies that did.

It seems that as the US goes, so goes Canada. US goes into a recession, so Canada does. US recovers, things get better for Canada. I think that is why Harper waits to act, because acting independantly of the US would be foolish. Of course, the opposition parties come up with their own self serving spin on this, regardless of what the truth is.

I don't know what other countries are like, but the Canadian Financial industry has always been heavily regulated, so the control group theory may not be relevant. Joe's Bank and Grille would never fly, nor would company names like fannie mae and freddie mac