Canadian Election 08

[cookiecutter]

Not to be outdone by their neighbor to the south, the Canadians are having an election this year in October. It was called by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. I can't vote but I do live here two-thirds of the year so it does matter to me. I know there are a couple of Canadians here so what are your thoughts?

If I could vote, I would likely vote NDP or Liberal, depending on who has a better chance in my riding (at the moment I'm in a solidly NDP riding). I like many parts of both the Liberal and NDP platforms and even if they're not quite the shitheads that the Republicans are, the Conservatives here are doing some worrying things, especially when it comes to the environment.

It seems so far that the biggest issue so far is Liberal leader Stephane Dion's plan to tax carbon emitters based on their emissions. The Conservatives are bashing this by saying that it will just raise costs for everything, while Dion said he will offset the cost by lowering income tax rates. Personally I'm a little skeptical of the details, but I think the overall idea is good. Every economy will need to reorient itself towards green technology sooner or later, and if Canada can be a leader in it, so much the better.

Hopefully, this gets some responses.

GOBAMA!

 

[seedofvengeance]

So... Lil Wayne? What's up with that?

 

[cookiecutter]

I adore Lil' Wayne for various reasons that are hard to articulate. Either way, he has nothing to do with Canadian Elections, which apparently only I care about.

 

[Vossyrus]

I'll be honest, I really don't care for politics so I'm not going to vote.

 

[Gold]

Lil wayne > canada > america

 

[GodAm]

I am not a fan of Harper. However I am more than skeptical of the Liberal Party in general. I just have a little left over resentment. Dion seems pretty legit though, I like that the environment is going to play a major role this year.
I do loves me some Jack Layton. He always seemed less 'out of touch' with the young people, compared to past leaders of certain other parties.
I am currently living outside of the country so I'll admit I haven't been keeping up with coverage these last few days, but what the hell is this about puffin shit on Dion's shoulder? It's getting hilarious AND ridiculous already.

 

[cookiecutter]

I didn't see it but I did see Harper apologizing for it. I also like Jack Layton. Sometimes I think NDP are focused on the wrong things, but I can't fault what they are trying to do. I am living in Olivia Chow (Layton's wife)'s riding, so I see NDP signs everywhere. Tons of students here obviously since it contains U of T so I think you're right when you say they are closer to young people.

I did hear a funny story from one of my professors the other day that made me like Dion a little more though. Apparently the Archbishop of Calgary told him that he was going to burn in hell unless he changed his position on abortion. Dion replied: "I don't plan on moving to Calgary"

 

[grimmy82]

 

[GodAm]

Some of the things Layton says are just cringe-worthy.
Looks like the Green Party is going to be able to participate in the debates! Very exciting, I never understood how they let the Bloc on television and not the Greens. - According to the Toronto Star Layton played a part in it.

"I don't plan on moving to Calgary"
Looks like I'll have to pay more attention to the adorable broken English that is Dion if he keeps throwing those kind of statements around!

 

[cookiecutter]

What part of Canada do you live in if you don't mind me asking?

 

[GodAm]

I don't mind, I am from the Niagara Falls area.
And to be honest with you besides wine we have very little going for ourselves. Numerous industry jobs have been cut, and its looking pretty grim. Even the tourism industry blows.

 

[Death Aflame]

I always vote NDP (seem like the most sensible, a more viable alternative [in theory] to the Liberals), but I am in a useless riding to do so--it is dominated by Conservatives and occasionally Liberals (Waterloo or Cambridge, ON).

I haven't kept up with any of the news regarding the election, so maybe I should start now.

 

[Death Aflame]

I don't mind, I am from the Niagara Falls area.
And to be honest with you besides wine we have very little going for ourselves. Numerous industry jobs have been cut, and its looking pretty grim. Even the tourism industry blows.

Hey that is where Silicon Knights (game developer) is from, I am hoping I can get a job there once I graduate from school this year. So it can't be all bad in that region, can it?

 

[GodAm]

Indeed they are! They are based in St. Catharines if I'm not mistaken. Nice place, hopefully more companies like that can locate there rather than just the heavy industry that's been failing.

Are you studying at the University of Waterloo? Or am I assuming? That's RIM territory!

 

[Death Aflame]

Indeed they are! They are based in St. Catharines if I'm not mistaken. Nice place, hopefully more companies like that can locate there rather than just the heavy industry that's been failing.

Are you studying at the University of Waterloo? Or am I assuming? That's RIM territory!

Laurier, but close enough.

 

[cookiecutter]

Waterloo was the football team U of T finally beat to end a 7 year losing streak.

 

[Kirsty]

Hmm, some of you guys pretty much summed up the parties. It was REALLY bothering me that May wasn't in the debates. I never liked the Conservatives and have never voted for them; something about being told what to do with my uterus makes me angry Some of the shady dealings that Harper has had also scare me - remember the softwood lumber dispute that he settled with the USA without anyone in Canada hearing about it until it was too late??

I've always liked a socially-liberal, fiscally-conservative platform, environmentally-conscious platform, which means that depending on the riding I'm in I'll vote Liberal, NDP or Green.

In this election though, my dislike of Harper over-rides all else, so I'm going to brand myself a Liberal and crossé mes fingers for Dion!

 

[GodAm]

@ Death Aflame: I went to Laurier, they still doing a boat load of construction? I never got to see the end results of ANYTHING when I was there. Just the big mess.

@Kirsty: Dion better do something fast, things ain't looking to good these days. Seems like his loss is the gain of the NDP and Greens though.

 

[cookiecutter]

I have a feeling that the Conservatives will increase their minority but not get a majority. If anything good comes out of it hopefully it will be either Dion figuring out how to appeal to people better or the Liberals will find someone else who can.

 

[Death Aflame]

@ Death Aflame: I went to Laurier, they still doing a boat load of construction? I never got to see the end results of ANYTHING when I was there. Just the big mess.

Yeah the DAWB has been finished and they finally renovated the Arts Building Lecture Hall--it looks really nice now, but since I am fourth year I no longer have classes there or in places like it.

Edit: What did you take there and what are you doing now?