Election 2011

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · March 26, 2011, 02:21:04 PM

Subject: election

as many of you are aware, the government has just lost a confidence vote bringing an end to the 40th parliament. the PM will be going to the GG tomorrow and we will be having an election in May. One of the last acts of the government was to extend the long gun registry amnesty again to May 16, 2013.

PJ Hardtack · March 29, 2011, 11:01:42 AM

Plus ca change - plus ca meme chose

Under our archaic 'first-past-the-post' system, things will not change dractically. Once Upper and Lower Canada decide the election, the west may as well not vote. Been that way since 1867 ..... can you say "western separatism" .... ?

Making it an offence under the Elections Act to leak out the results in Ontario and Quebec is ludicrous. Even more so is the sovereigntiste/separatiste Bloc running in a federal election! Only in Canada, you say ... ? Pity.

Best scenario - the CPC picks up the 12 seats they need for a majority. Perhaps they can "tweet" and "friend" their way to a majority utilizing the social media. It worked elsewhere to topple governments and create political change .... ;>)

Best of all possible worlds - the people eventually demand rep by pop through a system of proportional representation. That would give a broader political spectrum in the House, negating the anathema of a "coaltion" that terrifies Canadian politicians. And it's the only way the Green party will ever get a seat in parliament., if that matters.

Vote early - vote often. People around the world are dying to gain that right.

kurt250 · March 30, 2011, 02:32:57 PM

i feel sorry for you guys in canada and england. all those regulations and all that "the people b.s." i like the american system. here we have the best government money can buy. so long as we support (bride) our elected officials we are fine.it a much simpler system .kurt250

PJ Hardtack · March 30, 2011, 05:19:06 PM

Kurt

Both of our electoral systems and government are based on the British parliamentary model. You got an elected senate, we chose an appointed one.
I'll bet not one in three Americans understand or can explain the 'electoral college' vote that determines who gets to be President. And I can't explain how once we had a Quebec sovereigntiste as Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition ... ;>)

One major way we differ is that the US has a propensity for political assassination attempts - some successful, others not. It's quite a list, if you care to google it, several in the last few decades.
The only political martyr we've had was one Darcy McGee, an MP shot by a Fenian, late of the Irish Brigade during your un-Civil War. He refused to lend his support to the Fenian cause in Canada and paid for it with his life.

Icebox Bob · March 30, 2011, 06:45:52 PM

Quote from: kurt250 on March 30, 2011, 02:32:57 PM
i feel sorry for you guys in canada and england. all those regulations and all that "the people b.s." i like the american system. here we have the best government money can buy. so long as we support (bride) our elected officials we are fine.it a much simpler system .kurt250

Remember that we have far more in common than we have differences !!

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · March 30, 2011, 07:47:34 PM

Quote from: Icebox Bob on March 30, 2011, 06:45:52 PM
Remember that we have far more in common than we have differences !!

I agree; BUT; I admire Americans for stressing personal freedom over governmental controls much better than most countries.

PJ Hardtack · March 31, 2011, 11:11:10 AM

Sir Charles

What you said may well have been the case 100 years ago, but 'Big Brother' is just as all-pervasive in the US of A as he is here in Kanuckistan. The days of 'free men' as we think of the Cowboy/buffalo era are long gone.
It's a fight to retain the 2nd amemdment in today's world.

Icebox

Yeah, but ....

"Americans and British - similar peoples separated only by a common language." Winston Churchill ;>)

On the 'Peace Arch' at the Blaine, Washington border x-ing, it says: "Children of a Common Mother". To me this implies that "Mother" (Great Britain) was a) common, and b) slept around as we have different national 'fathers'. ;>)

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · March 31, 2011, 11:55:35 AM

PJH said; "What you said may well have been the case 100 years ago, but 'Big Brother' is just as all-pervasive in the US of A as he is here in Kanuckistan. The days of 'free men' as we think of the Cowboy/buffalo era are long gone.
It's a fight to retain the 2nd amemdment in today's world."

Notice that I hedged my comment with "better than most countries"