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High-larious!
(Except of course that some might place Harper at least as far left as, say, John Kerry. If the measure is, for example, social issues, Harper still believes "same-sex couples should be recognized through civil unions."
And also that left-leaning parties outnumber the Conservatives 3:2 in the new House.
And that that margin is slightly higher when you consider percent of the popular vote.
And that Harper didn't ride into office on a wave of conservatism, or one of "values voters", but rather by selling a tax cut as being for "hardworking Canadians", by vowing to clean up a government whose last parliamentary session was bogged down by scandal, and by letting the Liberals shoot themselves in the foot.
But other than that, I guess she's right...)
Not to say that Harper didn't run a practically clean campaign (if at first you don't succeed...), but it seems at the least difficult and at the most absurd to paint this as a great victory for conservatism in Canada (revolution or otherwise). I can't help but point out that in spite of being handed a governing party with scandal after scandal (HRDC, Gun Registry, "Shawinigate", Sponsorship, Income Trusts...) and a leader who seemed to forget the first four letters of the title (I'm told that 'feckless' is a good descriptor of the former PM) and a campaign that couldn't seem to get the laser-sight off its own foot, the Tories still only managed a minority government consisting of fewer MPs that Martin had to work with last time around.
Perhaps now, with a clean slate, we can see how a minority parliament ought to be run, albeit without a coalition. I can only hope (I seem to do that a lot with Canadian politics) that a minority parliament that does work can open the door to some form of proportional representation.
The seat numbers we've ended up with (with the exception of the NDP and BQ swapping places) are pretty close to a PR result. If this can work, maybe we can be one step closer to that kind of electoral reform...
load more posts . . .
January 24, 2006 -- 7:17 PM
posted by alison
just for a break in political discussion, Jason Lee has the chicken pox.
"Jason Lee has an excuse for missing work better suited for a fifth grader. He has the chicken pox.
Production on NBC's My Name Is Earl is being shut down for a couple of weeks "until he's feeling better and presentable to be on TV again," said Greg Garcia, the show's creator and executive producer."
i dunno, i always liked him... funny, though, that the caveat for returning to production is likely moreso the fact that Jason Lee currently has a ton of itchy red spots all over, and not that he's unwell... presentability, folks, that's the key!
January 24, 2006 -- 6:32 PM
posted by P
I know that wasn't the only campaign platform issue.
January 24, 2006 -- 6:26 PM
posted by P
It's funny how Harper argues that people will be able to notice if politicians take money in the form of taxes. Aren't there plenty of 'hidden' taxes that suppliers transfer to consumers with the price of the item? The GST is simply one tax that everyone happens to be aware of. It's quite a step to suggest that the GST is the only tax operating on each and every good you happen to come across while shopping. Also, a few points off the GST will most likely do nothing. We may live in 'just GST' Alberta, but the rest of the country enjoys a pleasant PST as well. If you travel to other parts of the country and figure you don't have to pay PST? Bah. You save nothing. What a freakin' meaningless gesture. I can't believe it's so easy to woo the public like that, taking over the world isn't worth the trouble.
January 24, 2006 -- 6:05 PM
posted by Jess
Well I whoop when I vote.
I agree that a slight minority in the house of commons, with every other party sitting a little further left than the governing one, is hardly a "conservative revolution," especially considering all those circumstances in Paras' post. Having said that, I always say I'm going to move to Sweden (I even have a passport that would let me do it!). And I do think the Liberals needed to lose - just like in Alberta, absolute power and all that.... Maybe after a year (or two or three) of a Conservative government not being that different than a Liberal one we can end this strategic voting nonsense. Unless Harper sends us to war with whoever the US decides to go after next (not that the US can stretch their military any further).
That's my two cents anyways.
January 24, 2006 -- 4:07 PM
posted by Par
Hahahahahaha. Michelle Malkin (known for her spirited defense of Japanese Internment Camps from World War II) writes about the "CONSERVATIVE REVOLUTION IN CANADA":
One wonders what malady Canadian liberals will contract after they lose at the polls in today's election.and
And reader Chris H. in California writes:
"Our losers always tell us they are going to move somewhere like Canada if the voters have the arrogance to elect Republicans. Where do Canadians threaten to go?"
I dunno. Pyongyang?
High-larious!
(Except of course that some might place Harper at least as far left as, say, John Kerry. If the measure is, for example, social issues, Harper still believes "same-sex couples should be recognized through civil unions."
And also that left-leaning parties outnumber the Conservatives 3:2 in the new House.
And that that margin is slightly higher when you consider percent of the popular vote.
And that Harper didn't ride into office on a wave of conservatism, or one of "values voters", but rather by selling a tax cut as being for "hardworking Canadians", by vowing to clean up a government whose last parliamentary session was bogged down by scandal, and by letting the Liberals shoot themselves in the foot.
But other than that, I guess she's right...)
Not to say that Harper didn't run a practically clean campaign (if at first you don't succeed...), but it seems at the least difficult and at the most absurd to paint this as a great victory for conservatism in Canada (revolution or otherwise). I can't help but point out that in spite of being handed a governing party with scandal after scandal (HRDC, Gun Registry, "Shawinigate", Sponsorship, Income Trusts...) and a leader who seemed to forget the first four letters of the title (I'm told that 'feckless' is a good descriptor of the former PM) and a campaign that couldn't seem to get the laser-sight off its own foot, the Tories still only managed a minority government consisting of fewer MPs that Martin had to work with last time around.
Perhaps now, with a clean slate, we can see how a minority parliament ought to be run, albeit without a coalition. I can only hope (I seem to do that a lot with Canadian politics) that a minority parliament that does work can open the door to some form of proportional representation.
The seat numbers we've ended up with (with the exception of the NDP and BQ swapping places) are pretty close to a PR result. If this can work, maybe we can be one step closer to that kind of electoral reform...
January 24, 2006 -- 1:15 PM
posted by edo
The whoopers vote as a block... it must be their fault.
January 24, 2006 -- 10:49 AM
posted by Par
That's odd, I didn't see any voters whooping.
January 24, 2006 -- 12:17 AM
posted by Jess
But his minority is so slight . . . I can't see any of the other parties working with him on anything more than on an issue-by-issue basis. But I was also wrong with my "Liberal minority" prediction so we'll see. I don't think any of the parties can afford to have another election for a while so maybe they'll play nice. And one Liberal MP hardly lets us count ourselves as "Redmonton" (federally at least).
I'm sad Linda Duncan lost (32% of the vote to Mr. No-Show's 41%), though not surprised. One of the people from her office called me early January and I said I was probably going to be voting for her and when I hadn't voted as of 7pm I guess they called here, then showed up at my house, then tried to get my Dad to give them my cell phone number. (before you all jump down my throat - I did vote).
Anyone want to guess how long this government will last?
Oh yeah, and a whooping 4% more of eligible voters voted this time (up to 64.9%)
January 23, 2006 -- 10:57 PM
posted by alison
boo, I don't like the look of this
That's right, the ken doll look alike 
has been elected minority government leader. bugger.
stupid blue alberta
We can't even stake claim to "Redmonton" right now
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