IT'S OUR TURN!!!! We go to the polls October 14...RESULTS #25

[Catty1]

Federal Election called today (Sunday Sept 7) - we go to the polls October 14. Nice way to spend a Tuesday....

The ruling minority gov't passed a law this year calling for fixed elections, so that the next election would be in October 2009. Well, Harper wanted an election before a) the economy tanked; b) before the US election so if Obama wins he won't lose votes (Harper is very right wing); c) before 100 of our folks died in Afghanistan after he pledged to extend the mission; d) because thwarting all the above will help him get a MAJORITY government. He thinks.

BTW - one nickname for him up here is "Bush Lite".


Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His eyes have creeped me out since the beginning. They look dead...or worse.


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...socialcomments


Vote set for Oct. 14: Harper expects tight, tough election
Federal election day after Thanksgiving is 3rd in just over 4 years
Last Updated: Sunday, September 7, 2008 | 12:57 PM MT Comments855Recommend262
CBC News

Canadians will head to the polls in a general election on Oct. 14, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Sunday in Ottawa after meeting with the Governor General.Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, in calling for an Oct. 14 federal election, says Canadians will 'choose the way forward.'Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, in calling for an Oct. 14 federal election, says Canadians will 'choose the way forward.' (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Harper made the announcement outside Rideau Hall after his conversation with Michaëlle Jean.

"Her Excellency, the Governor General, has seen fit to dissolve Parliament," he said.

The vote will take place one day after the Thanksgiving holiday.Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion says the Oct. 14 election may be the most 'crucial' campaign in election history.


Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion says the Oct. 14 election may be the most 'crucial' campaign in election history. (CBC)

"Between now and Oct. 14, Canadians will choose a government to look out for their interests at a time of global economic trouble," Harper said.

When asked about what the outcome might be, the Conservative leader said, "We believe it is going to be a tough election. We believe it will be a tight election. And, yes, we believe in all likelihood it will be a minority."

Before taking questions, Harper paused briefly to praise Canada as the "best country in the world," and said serving as prime minister has been an honour.

Harper took direct aim at the Liberals, led by Stéphane Dion, and their promotion of large-scale spending and a new carbon tax.

"This tax will pack a cost on to every expenditure every family and every business makes," said Harper who is the MP for Calgary Southwest.

Dion's plan would levy $15.4 billion in new taxes on Canadian industries that produce high carbon emissions. The higher prices for energy that people would face would be offset by broad-based tax cuts, according to the plan.

Dion has countered that his plan is revenue neutral — offset by income-tax cuts.
Leaders react to election call, outline platforms

The Liberal leader said the October vote poses "a stark choice" for the country, and slammed Harper's party for not planning for future generations.

"Stephen Harper has formed the most conservative government in our history," Dion said in the foyer of the House of Commons.

Dion, who represents the Montreal riding of Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, said he would champion a "richer, fairer, greener Canada," and said he does not mind being "the underdog" going into the campaign.


NDP Leader Jack Layton, speaking in Gatineau, Que., urged Canadians to bid farewell to Stephen Harper.

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said it was important to send a large number of Bloc MPs to Ottawa, and said his goal was to prevent Harper from gaining a majority.

"In order to have Quebec respected in Ottawa, we need to have a team that puts Quebec first," Duceppe said in Montreal. He represents the riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie.

"With the Bloc, Quebec can present a united stand in Ottawa," he said. 'We want Quebec to be the winner."

New Democrat Leader Jack Layton, speaking in Gatineau, Que., with the Parliament Buildings behind him, touted his team of MPs and called for a campaign of hope and optimism.


Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, speaking in Montreal, said the campaign should put Quebec first.


Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, speaking in Montreal, said the campaign should put Quebec first. (CBC)

"Unlike Stephen Harper, I will be a prime minister who puts you and your family first," he said in English, after a lengthy start to his speech in French.

Layton, whose riding is Toronto-Danforth, urged Canadians to tap into the political "winds of change" in the United States, saying in French that it was time to say "goodbye to George Bush and Stephen Harper."

Green party Leader Elizabeth May, speaking in Guelph, Ont., said her top priority would be the environment.

"We must live on this planet as if we plan to stay," May said, saying the election "makes all the difference in the world."

May, who is a candidate in the Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova, called for "a better world for us and for our children," and said she would continue to challenge the "massive unfairness of excluding me from the leaders debate."


Green party Leader Elizabeth May, speaking in Guelph, Ont., urged Canadians to make the environment the election's top priority. (CBC)

May's party has been shut out of the leaders debate, usually held in the last few weeks of a federal leadership campaign, because the Greens have never held a federal seat in Canada.

Just last week, they gained their first-ever member of Parliament when former Liberal MP Blair Wilson, a Vancouver-area Independent, joined the party on Aug. 30.

Harper now heads to Quebec City on Sunday and then to Vancouver. Dion will arrive in Montreal later in the day.

Layton will speak in Calgary later Sunday, while Duceppe will attend events in Montreal. May will remain in Guelph before heading to Ottawa.

Conservatives won minority in 2006

Harper's Conservative party has been in power since Jan. 23, 2006, when it won a minority of seats.

Heading into this election, the Conservatives held 127 seats, while the Liberals had 95. The Bloc Québecois had 48 seats, the New Democratic Party 30, and there were three Independent members of Parliament.

The Green party had one MP and four seats were vacant.

The calling of the Canada-wide vote means the cancellation of four federal byelections.

Three were set for Monday in the ridings of Guelph, Saint-Lambert , and Westmount-Ville-Marie. A fourth was to be held on Sept. 22 in Don Valley West.

After Harper made his announcement, Canada's chief electoral officer, Marc Mayrand, issued a press release confirming that the byelections would not take place.

This will be Canada's fifth general election in 11 years and the third in just over four years, dating back to June 2004.

The Conservatives had set a fixed date of Oct. 19, 2009, for the next vote, but Harper recently suggested he was ready to go sooner, and pulled the plug on his current minority government.
With files from the Canadian Press

[RICHARD]

Federal Election called today (Sunday Sept 7) - we go to the polls October 14. Nice way to spend a Tuesday....

The ruling minority gov't passed a law this year calling for fixed elections, so that the next election would be in October 2009. Well, Harper wanted an election before a) the economy tanked; b) before the US election so if Obama wins he won't lose votes (Harper is very right wing); c) before 100 of our folks died in Afghanistan after he pledged to extend the mission; d) because thwarting all the above will help him get a MAJORITY government. He thinks.

BTW - one nickname for him up here is "Bush Lite".


Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His eyes have creeped me out since the beginning. They look dead...or worse.

He's got Putin eyes.

Please post articles on the woman running, I am sure your media has no problems with women.

[Catty1]

Hee, hee - Elizabeth May of the Green Party appeared on an episode of The Rick Mercer Report last year. (Actually, many politicians have been good sports about appearing on that show - even Conrad Black did a stint!)

Rick found a fellow who needed to cut down a tree to prevent it falling on his cottage. Perfect! The leader of the Green Party took the chainsaw and went at it with gusto! She was a hoot!

Remember - Ms. May won't have the same media pressure as she might in the US. You already know who the P and VP will be depending on which "side" gets the most votes.

Here, we have 5 parties running. Each has a leader - and the leader of the party that wins the most votes is Prime Minister. TECHNICALLY - the party leader could lose the vote in his own riding (electoral district). So we have NO idea who is in charge unless we stay up REALLY late Tuesday night, or until we wake up Wednesday morning!

Here she is:


An editorial cartoonist's dream!





http://www.greenparty.ca/en/about_us/elizabeth_may

A blog bit with some insipid comments:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...-t-do-god.aspx


BTW - we HAVE had a female Prime Minister in Canada, Kim Campbell. She took over the reigns after Joe Clark resigned a number of years ago. Lasted 6 months til the next election...sheesh, we're nearly as bad as Italy!

[lizbud]

They can dissolve Parliament whenever they feel like it?

[Puckstop31]

Yes. Parlimentary Government is much different than ours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Canada

[Grace]

Yes. Parlimentary Government is much different than ours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Canada

Thanks for the link. I've just skimmed through it - need to go back and really read.

Senators for life - sort of like Robert Byrd and Strom Thurmond

It seems there are no specific number of years a member of the House can serve between elections?

I can think of times where this system of government would have been beneficial in this country.

[lizbud]

I can think of times where this system of government would have been beneficial in this country.

Does this mean, if the US adopted their government style, we could have
avoided the last 8 years?

[Grace]

Does this mean, if the US adopted their government style, we could have
avoided the last 8 years?

Very possibly. Darn - wouldn't that have been nice

[Catty1]

Hmmm...maybe Canada should take over the US so you can have the benefits?



BTW - Gilles Duceppe, leader of the Bloc Quebecois (pronounce the c's like k's and you'll be close enough) leads a party that fields candidates in Quebec ONLY. Don't ask me how we got federal representation of one province...makes my head hurt!

STILL want our system?

[Catty1]

Ohhhhhh.....Canada.....I dunno....

K. 5 political parties.
The leaders' debates are coming up.
General rule is that each party must have one seat in Parliament.

Each one does. The Green Party has one that arrived just before the election was called...he wasn't elected, exactly - I think he traded with a Liberal candidate? But anyway, it was fair, and there we are.

SO

The major TV networks - Global, CBC, CTV and another one that eludes me - they decide that Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party (see photos above) cannot participate in the leaders' debate. Three of the other leaders opposed it (what were THEY scared of? )

Excuse me. As I mentioned above, the Parti Quebecois has voters that are only in Quebec. Yet they form part of the Federal Government.

YET - The GREEN Party has candidates all over Canada, and had a great increase in numbers in the last election.

She's taking them to court! GO LIZ!

This is just SILLY - the old boys' club is alive and well.

[phesina]

I've only got the vaguest idea of how the Parliamentary system works, so this will be a good learning opportunity. Thanks, Candace!

Okay, now, so this time around there are five political parties and five candidates. So you can vote for one of the five? And whichever one (or whichever party?) gets the most votes wins, and that party's candidate becomes the Prime Minister?

So how often does the winner have an actual majority? Or how often do the votes split more or less evenly among all the candidates running? For example, say, candidate (1) got 21% of the votes, (2), (3), and (4) each got 20%, and candidate (5) got 19%... Candidate (1) becomes Prime Minister? How easy is it then for any particular side to get anything done?

And how many other candidates are running in the same election? Are they elected from various districts throughout each province, sort of like for our House of Representatives?

Stephen Harper looks ..the word that immediately came to mind was "undead," in that photograph of him. Or like a statue on which the eyes have no distinguishing features so they just look empty and flat space framed by their lids.

Pat

[sparks19]

WOOT harper LOL... he is the ONLY one who has actually lowered sales tax (even if only a little in ONtario.... 15% down to 14% and supposed to be another % in the next few years) like he said he would. I don't live there anymore but for me the OUTRAGEOUS sales tax was enough for me

the taxes are unreal.

What ever you do... don't let the Bloc in. Just let them seperate... WITHOUT access to our money.

[Grace]

Some of you seem to disapprove of Stephen Harper. I have no idea what he is as a leader - but he wins me over with one facet of his life. He loves cats. In fact, he and his wife have fostered cats - since he became PM. They even adopted one - an orange tabby named "Cheddar."

[Catty1]

Okay, Pat and everyone:

We have over 300 ridings in Canada. Ridings are like electoral districts.

Each party has (or hopes they have) candidates in each riding. Each of the leaders has their own riding as well.

We don't vote for the leaders (unless they are the candidate in our riding).

To avoid confusion:

There are 5 parties.

They have a candidate in each riding (except the Bloc), so each party has 300 candidates each, one in each riding. This means a candidate from each party is running in an individual riding - each riding has 5 candidates.

So, for example, if the Liberals have 200 of their candidates elected (if they win their ridings), then the Liberal leader becomes the Prime Minister of Canada, because his party won the most ridings.

Each of those ridings counts for a voting seat in Parliament.

Clear like mud?
************************************************** *********************
Speaking just for myself, Harper and the Mrs would be a powerful force in changing lives for pets in Canada.

However, Harper was a Reformer (US friends - extreme right) originally - and a bribe of 2% reduction in the GST is not enough to make me vote for him. It's the PROVINCIAL governments that lower provincial sales tax, not Ottawa.

He broke his own party's law - a federal government law - to have this election. If you want to see real control and evil from Mr Deadeyes, just give the Conservatives a majority.

On the BRIGHT side, Canadians got angry enough that they flooded the other leaders' websites with emails, and pestered the TV networks - and now Harper and Layton (NDP - Major left) have backed off and Elizabeth May will be in the televised leaders' debates! YAY CANADA!

We do have our non-apathetic moments.

[Catty1]

So why did Harper break the fixed-election law and call one now?

1. To avoid any fallout from the US Election that might hurt him or influence voter decision (the same in my books!)
2. To avoid flack before we had our 100th fatality in Afghanistan(I know, US friend, Iraq is hell and this doesn't begin to compare, even with the US having 10 times the population of Canada. Smaller country means the deaths feel like losing family...and somehow, when you can count the individual numbers, it makes it seem worse. Enough to scare Harper into an election).
3. Economic reports from the last quarter show Canada is a whisker away from a recession. Harper didn't want to get blamed for that.

Interesting that he called this "snap" election...and then it was found out that he has been doing election fundraising for the past three months. In my own town, the Conservative election signs were out the VERY NEXT DAY after the election was announced. Sorry, this is just a bit fishy...

Some blog posts from cbc.ca:

CANADIANS SHOULD NOT TRUST HARPER!!!!!

A majority government for Stephen Harper would be one of the most negative political events in Canadian history

Even without a majority, he has cut;
funding for minorities
funding for literacy
funding to students
volunteers
museums
arts and culture groups across the CANADA

his government even cut funding to women's groups and … actually went so far as to remove the federal mandate to advance equality for women

$300 million is a lot of money to waste to come to another Conservative minority. Couldn't he take that cash and improve the economic situations for THOUSANDS OF CANADIANS ??

HE IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE "THE GEORGE BUSH OF THE NORTH"

The government has accomplished nothing under Harper. Whenever these so-called conservatives talk about their accomplishments they always start with the GST cut......you know, the one where us ordinary folks save about 4 cents on a cup of coffee. Then there's the $100 a month child care benefit. Would be better to target that money toward the poorest families, but I guess that wouldn't buy them enough votes. Otherwise it's money well spent I'm sure.

Harper says he's tough on crime, but at the same time insists on being soft on guns. Yeah, he's tough. So tough that he condones the death penalty, unfair trials, and torture in foreign jails. And the economy? Like I say, he's eroded our fiscal capacity with all the bitter candies to the point that we've been flirting with deficits. Considering also their disrespect for parliament, the senate, committees, the charter of rights, and the independence of the judiciary, the multiple scandals, the broken promises on income trusts, fixed election dates and the Atlantic Accord, or extending the mission in Kandahar despite troop and equipment shortages, we can't afford having this party in power any longer. Let's not forget their joke of an environmetal policy where they would rather follow developing coutries rather than take the lead.

Canada deserves better than Harper.