The 2008 Canadian Election- Merged Thread

[vonGarvin]

Voting for BQ, Green or NDP candidates is the same as trying to put the inmates in charge of the asylum. We are in the midst of a global economic crisis; this is not the time for the Marxists, nor the Marxists-Leninists, nor even the Groucho Marxists.

Ummm.......is it too late to change my vote?  I couldn't help it: I love Duck Soup too much!  ;D

 

[a_majoor]

I am actually with the NDP on one (and only one) issue; ending corporate welfare. Providing State funding to mature, competitive and profitable industries (and the Arts and Culture crowd claims to generate $8 billion for the Canadian economy) is counterproductive, since these industries (Arts & Culture, Aerospace, High Tech, Agriculture and anyone else at the trough) will have less reason to stay innovative and competitive, while potential challengers and new industries are deprived of funds as wealth is taxed away for corporate welfare. In a global economy, they will become less competitive against their foreign challengers in the domestic and overseas markets.

I will have to dig through some old posts to find the figure, but I believe that subsidies cost @ $19 billion per year (and since it might not include Arts & Culture, Agriculture or regional subsidies), it could actually be far higher. Even cutting the $19 billion would create a nice cushion for contingencies and emergencies. Passed back to the productive economy in tax cuts it would provide resources to create @ 380,000 jobs. (BTW Jack, a $50 billion tax cut translates to the resources to create 1,000,000 full time jobs. That's a lot of kitchen tables!)

 

[Edward Campbell]

I am actually with the NDP on one (and only one) issue; ending corporate welfare. Providing State funding to mature, competitive and profitable industries (and the Arts and Culture crowd claims to generate $8 billion for the Canadian economy) is counterproductive, since these industries (Arts & Culture, Aerospace, High Tech, Agriculture and anyone else at the trough) will have less reason to stay innovative and competitive, while potential challengers and new industries are deprived of funds as wealth is taxed away for corporate welfare. In a global economy, they will become less competitive against their foreign challengers in the domestic and overseas markets.

I will have to dig through some old posts to find the figure, but I believe that subsidies cost @ $19 billion per year (and since it might not include Arts & Culture, Agriculture or regional subsidies), it could actually be far higher. Even cutting the $19 billion would create a nice cushion for contingencies and emergencies. Passed back to the productive economy in tax cuts it would provide resources to create @ 380,000 jobs. (BTW Jack, a $50 billion tax cut translates to the resources to create 1,000,000 full time jobs. That's a lot of kitchen tables!)

I agree with you, with only one proviso: a level playing field.

Our industries - aerospace, agriculture, arts, technology, transportation and so on - must all compete in a global market, all of which is broadly and deeply subsidized, especially in the USA, our largest market and main competitor.

It is true that subsidies stifle initiative and inventiveness - but they lower costs and this is a WalMart world.

 

[Old Sweat]

And now for something completely different. In a Pythonesque twist a story has surfaced that Dion and May have cooked up a deal. The report, which Pierre Bourque has posted on his news site, is that in return for urging Green Party supporters to switch their votes to the Liberals, Dion has agreed to appoint May to the Senate and appoint her Minister of the Environment in any government he heads.

Check the story here: http://www.bourque.com/

Bourque admits that his unidentified source is a Liberal and a supporter of one of Dion's leadership rivals. This means he would stand to prosper from a Liberal crash and burn.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Mods: Could  you put up a new poll - in the early evening of 14 Oct 08 - saying:

--------------------
"I voted:
BQ __ (1 person or 0.5% intended to vote BQ)
Conservative __ (157 people or 82.6% intended to vote Conservative)
Green __ (6 people or 3.2% intended to vote Green)
Liberal __ (11 people or 5.8% intended to vote Liberal)
NDP __ (9 people or 4.7% intended to vote NDP)
Other Party of Independent__ (3 people or 1.6% intended to vote Other/Independent)
or
I spoiled my ballot __ (3 people or 1.6% intended to spoil their ballots)
or
I did not vote __ (0 people or )% intended not to vote)"
--------------------

Of course someone (a Mod) would have to correct the 'intended' figures on Tuesday afternoon.

 

[ModlrMike]

And now for something completely different. In a Pythonesque twist a story has surfaced that Dion and May have cooked up a deal. The report, which Pierre Bourque has posted on his news site, is that in return for urging Green Party supporters to switch their votes to the Liberals, Dion has agreed to appoint May to the Senate and appoint her Minister of the Environment in any government he heads.

Check the story here: http://www.bourque.com/

Bourque admits that his unidentified source is a Liberal and a supporter of one of Dion's leadership rivals. This means he would stand to prosper from a Liberal crash and burn.

With Dion exhorting Green voters to vote Liberal today, this story might have legs.

 

[Edward Campbell]

A few more new polls, probably the last we’ll see:

--------------------

Harris-Decima says:

BQ Up, Some signs of Green Party Slippage

BQ: 10% (+1 from the 10 Oct 08 results)
Cons: 35% (+1 “ )
Greens: 9% (-3 “ )
Libs: 26% (NC “ )
NDP: 18% (NC “ )

-------------------------

The Globe and Mail reports the Strategic Counsel’s national numbers as:

BQ: 9%
Cons: 35%
Greens: 9%  -- Strategic Counsel rarely report national numbers so here is no daily comparison
Libs: 28%
NDP: 19%

--------------------

Two other periodic reports are also in:

Ipsos-Reid presents a detailed report, the ‘big’ numbers are:

BQ: 9%
Cons: 34%
Greens: 8%
Libs: 29% - this is nearly the highest anyone has ‘scored’ the Liberals since the first couple of weeks of the campaign
NDP: 18%

Angus Reid says:

Tories Have 10 Point Lead as Federal Election Day Looms

BQ: 9%
Cons: 38%  --  this is as high as anyone has had the Tories for more than a week
Greens: 6%
Libs: 28%
NDP:  19%

--------------------

There is something for everyone as the “days dwindle down to a precious few” (as Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson put it): big Conservative gains in the final hours or a Liberal surge if you prefer or Layton holds on to his voters, for a change. Take your pick.

 

[George Wallace]

And now for something completely different. In a Pythonesque twist a story has surfaced that Dion and May have cooked up a deal. The report, which Pierre Bourque has posted on his news site, is that in return for urging Green Party supporters to switch their votes to the Liberals, Dion has agreed to appoint May to the Senate and appoint her Minister of the Environment in any government he heads.

Check the story here: http://www.bourque.com/

Bourque admits that his unidentified source is a Liberal and a supporter of one of Dion's leadership rivals. This means he would stand to prosper from a Liberal crash and burn.

Well.  If we ever hear of Elizabeth May getting appointed to the Senate; we can say we heard it here first.  :'(

 

[Edward Campbell]

Here are the latest UBC Election ‘Market’ seat predictions:

BQ: 48 Seats (48 seats held at dissolution on 7 Sep 08) (NC predicted)
Cons: 132 seats (127 seats “ ) (+5 predicted)
(Greens &) Others: 2 seats " ) (3 seats “ ) (-1 predicted)
Libs: 88 seats (96 seats “ ) (-8 predicted)
NDP: 38 seats  (30 seats “ ) (+8 predicted)

On 7 Sep 08 four seats were vacant.

 

[Rifleman62]

If the seat predictions are correct, the Liberals and Greens will for sure get together, with May as Minister for the Environment. Then add the NDP to form the government. Reason: Dion "wins" the election, holds on to the leader position; Liberals again become natural governing party; Jack wants power, any kind of power, just power and he will become deputy PM. Since there has never been a microphone that Jack does not love, Jack will eloquently drive the Liberals/Dion crazy with his pronouncements of how he is 9er Actual, de facto, running the government. May will be happy as she hates. hates Harper. (Also more money for a single mother with her Minister's pay check). Harper will resign. The media can get back to being spoon fed.

 

[George Wallace]

I wonder who is taking responsibility for these ads on YouTube?

Who is behind bushharper.com?

Is it our fanatic GeorgeHarper?

Is that fanatic now in charge of the Federal Liberal Agency of Canada, Agent for the Liberal Party of Canada?

 

[Celticgirl]

Libs: 88 seats (96 seats “ ) (-12 predicted)

Something's wrong with the math here.

 

[TCBF]

Something's wrong with the math here.

- Can't see the Media screwing up basic arithmatic...

 

[Celticgirl]

- Can't see the Media screwing up basic arithmatic...

;D

 

[Edward Campbell]

Something's wrong with the math here.

Fixed! Don't blame the media, it's just old age.  :'(

 

[George Wallace]

Fixed! Don't blame the media, it's just old age.  :'(

You could always chalk it up as an age old problem with political statistics.  They are never accurate.  ;D

 

[Celticgirl]

Fixed! Don't blame the media, it's just old age.  :'(

Blaming the media is more fun.

 

[ModlrMike]

I wonder who is taking responsibility for these ads on YouTube?

Who is behind bushharper.com?

Is it our fanatic GeorgeHarper?

Is that fanatic now in charge of the Federal Liberal Agency of Canada, Agent for the Liberal Party of Canada?

You know, every time the opposition makes the Bush - Harper link the decrease the possibility that I would ever vote for them.

 

[ModlrMike]

Here are the latest UBC Election ‘Market’ seat predictions:

BQ: 48 Seats (48 seats held at dissolution on 7 Sep 08) (NC predicted)
Cons: 132 seats (127 seats “ ) (+5 predicted)
(Greens &) Others: 2 seats " ) (3 seats “ ) (-1 predicted)
Libs: 88 seats (96 seats “ ) (-8 predicted)
NDP: 38 seats  (30 seats “ ) (+8 predicted)

On 7 Sep 08 four seats were vacant.

Given these numbers, it would take all 4 of the opposition parties in coalition to form the government. I doubt there's that much political will on the left for this to ever happen.

 

[TCBF]

Given these numbers, it would take all 4 of the opposition parties in coalition to form the government. I doubt there's that much political will on the left for this to ever happen.

- Ohhhhh... they sure hate Mr. Meanie though.  Yup.  Sure do.  Now repeat after me: Bob Rae as Minister of Finance...