Election Time in Canada. Conservative government loses vote of non-confidence

[JR]

OK, Canuckistan, we're off to our fourth election in seven years. Double J & I will certainly have a bet on this sucker.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/960565--conservative-government-falls-in-non-confidence-vote?bn=1

Speaking to reporters later, Harper confirmed that he would be going to Rideau Hall Saturday morning to brief Governor General David Johnston and “take the only course of action that remains.”

That means a federal election on May 2 or May 9

Yeah, that's right. Six weeks from calling an election to voting. We don't screw around up here.

Harper and his gang have spent over $26 million dollars of taxpayers money in attack ads over the last few months in this lead-up to the election.

There's media and pundit talk of coalition among the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois but it seems kinda clear that the Liberals will rally the troops to take votes away from the other opposition parties and go for a majority.

I have my doubts---Liberals don't own Quebec any more and you know the West is going to vote for Harper.

Unless the Liberals put on an extraordinary campaign, I suspect another Conservative minority government, in which case Harper will probably resign as leader.

At least the Liberals have history in their favour: whenever the Conservatives appear to have a clear advantage, they shoot themselves in the foot.

OK, Canuck SportsJournalists.comers, who you got?

Let the games begin!

 

[RickStain]

Agree with the prediction that little will change, Conservatives win a plurality and a minority government after coalition talks end up nowhere.

 

[Gomer]

Most of the ethics breaches have little to no impact on the average Canadians' daily life.

The Conservatives' economic policies — their strong suit — do have an impact.

I absolutely hate the PC MP we have, and might have to vote Green because there's no Liberal candidate announced here. That said, I think the economy could well propel the PC's into a majority.

 

[slappy4428]

Ko-Dos! Ko-Dos!

 

[Gomer]

Ko-Dos! Ko-Dos!

 

[JR]

Neither Ignatieff or Harper come across very strongly in the "guy I'd like to have a beer with" category.

Harper's reputation as a control freak along with his nerdy guy public persona goes up against the perception that Ignatieff is a Harvard educated elitist, out of touch with ordinary Canadians.

I just hope to God that the Conservatives don't beat that old "but...but...but..Iggie lived abroad for twenty (or whatever) years". So ****ing tired.

 

[YankeeFan]

I'm worried that with a quick election the Muslim Brotherhood will be at an advantage. They're the best organized group.

They should hold off and allow other political parties to form and organize.

 

[Gomer]

JR, if the Conservatives pulled those attack ads and only ran 'look at our damn economy, we kick ass' ads, they'd sweep this thing. But we both know that won't happen.

The opposition's best chance is an attack campaign over an eroding democracy. A lack of real policy options will stunt that effort, however.

 

[JR]

JR, if the Conservatives pulled those attack ads and only ran 'look at our damn economy, we kick ass' ads, they'd sweep this thing. But we both know that won't happen.

The opposition's best chance is an attack campaign over an eroding democracy. A lack of real policy options will stunt that effort, however.

It depends what you mean by attack ads. Saw the "Iggie left Canada" ad the other night.

Many Canadians are aware that Harper rules his party with an iron fist and controls every message. There is absolutely no room for anyone speaking off message in his party.

Here's the problem: he can't control every message during a campaign and as sure as the sun rises , some Conservative candidate will shoot himself/herself in the foot at which point the other three parties will jump on it and turn it into an election issue.

The Conservatives should have won a majority in the last election. The fact that they didn't is hanging over their heads. If they don't win a majority this time around, Harper's head will be on a pike by the Rideau Canal.

 

[Stitch]

I'm for the Bloc because it's obvious a good number of French speakers in the province frankly don't want to be a part of Canada, but sure like the federal dollars coming in.

It's time to cut Quebec loose.

 

[JR]

I'm for the Bloc because it's obvious a good number of French speakers in the province frankly don't want to be a part of Canada, but sure like the federal dollars coming in.

It's time to cut Quebec loose.

The idea that Canada should "cut Quebec loose" is ahistorical nonsense.

You can trace the Bloc's success directly back to the failed Meech Lake Accord. And from there you can go back to the FLQ and from there to the Quiet Revolution and from there...back to the Plains of Abraham.

Quebec isn't going anywhere.

 

[Batman]

I'm for the Bloc because it's obvious a good number of French speakers in the province frankly don't want to be a part of Canada, but sure like the federal dollars coming in.

It's time to cut Quebec loose.

The idea that Canada should "cut Quebec loose" is ahistorical nonsense.

You can trace the Bloc's success directly back to the failed Meech Lake Accord. And from there you can go back to the FLQ and from there to the Quiet Revolution and from there...back to the Plains of Abraham.

Quebec isn't going anywhere.

Yeah. **** Quebec.

 

[Football_Bat]

Quebec would make it maybe eight years as an independent before they applied for U.S. statehood. Then we'd have to accept Alberta to balance them out. **** that ****.

 

[HejiraHenry]

Losing a "vote of non-confidence," when read literally, seems like it would be a good thing.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

Another election? During the playoffs? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I hopevthe ground opens up and swallows all of them

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Having a minority government in a parliamentary system strikes me as the best possible small c conservative situation for voters. That is, you have people in place to run the government, but they can't get away with anything too different that'd unite their opposition and cause the government to fall. So unless Canadians are really unhappy, why change it?

 

[dooley_womack1]

I for one am awaiting Boom's take on the situation.

 

[Huggy]

Election day is May 2.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/03/26/cv-election-writ.html

Four elections in seven years. Ridiculous.

 

[Stitch]

Ignatieff rules out a coalition with the NDP and the Bloc. I can't blame Ignatieff for shutting the issue down, because he had to either commit to one now or call it off.

A good number of right-leaning Liberals wouldn't stomach a coalition.

I still think Harper will come up about a dozen seats shorts of a majority. The only other factor is how much will the NDP be hurt. They're much like the Lib Dems in the U.K. were no one takes them seriously. Except now that the Lib Dems are in the coalition and Nick Clegg is deputy PM, they are hated on the left as well.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

What was the point of an opposition party causing the downfall of a minority government if it continues to insist on a splintered opposition to said minority? Isn't that more likely to cause voters to decide to make the minority a majority just to end the anomaly?