Why would you support Harper?
Because down here, I'm a Republican. Up there, I'd be CPC.
That's not a reason. That's like saying you believe in God because you are a Christian.
October 19, 2015-the day that Canada changed for the better
- Thread starter Shaka Zulu
- Start date
That's not a reason. That's like saying you believe in God because you are a Christian.
Totally agree. Vote for whoever you want based upon whatever it is you believe.
I am a Conservative who voted Liberal last week. In my case, the reason was the we didn't have Conservatives running against Liberals - we had Reformers (read that to mean the Tea Party) running against the Liberals. They swung tooooo far to the right, trod on too many groups, and got far, far too full of themselves.
With regard to the recent election, don't believe all the hyperbole you read about everyone abandoning the Conservative party. They really didn't lose too many votes from the previous election. Here is what CBC has reported as the voting change:
Party Change in vote totals from previous election
Liberal +4,133,373 +59.66%
Conservative –54,268 –0.97%
NDP –963,704 –27.85%
BQ –80,515 –9.84%
Green +38,860 +6.42%
The Liberal Party gained a tremendous amount of support.
What transpired here was the overwhelming desire for change and it came at the hands of people who voted NDP during the last election and those voters who came back to the polls. It didn't come at the hands of disgruntled Conservative voters, although I would like to have seen more of that because, as I said earlier, it's more Reform Party than Conservative.
Even the BQ lost a bunch of votes, yet gained over half a dozen more seats.
The biggest loss of the election went to the NDP. People jumped off that Jack Layton lovefest bandwagon in droves.
It'll be an interesting four years here. Trudeau has a lot of promises to keep. The Conservative Party has to do a complete makeover. The NDP - well, who knows, and in my case, who cares. I think you'll see the Green Party continue to increase their vote percentage as the years go on and the world becomes more fucked up. The Bloc - I wish they'd just fade away into obscurity.
In the end, and in full circle, stick to your guns. Your opinion is your opinion whether I, or anyone else agrees or not.
Critical thought is not required when you follow the other sheep. It's easier.Why would you support Harper?
Because down here, I'm a Republican. Up there, I'd be CPC.
That's not a reason. That's like saying you believe in God because you are a Christian.
Time will tell after any elected victory. We shall see... oh god I'm dreading our election time coming up here shortly. It's been a long decade of stress.
^ The one thing I hate about elections the most is all the name-calling. Smearing campaigning? Yeah that's it. It's like watching a bunch of children pick fights on the playground, except it's grown men and women. Pathetic.
Yeah, there's been a lot of of that during these elections, when in the past Canada managed to avoid that for the most part.
True.... and refreshing.
I never said that people are not entitled to their opinions. My post was meant in the context of "are you sure you have enough information to make that decision?". I rather suspect, based on the response, that the answer is no. The Republicans and the Conservatives are not the same.
People did not reject Jack Layton. The message he left to Canadians in his Last Letter is still very much applicable. For some people, Thomas Mulcair was not able to carry through with Layton's legacy - he's a competent speaker, but not someone who inspires. I do think that if Layton had survived the cancer, he would be our Prime Minister-elect now, not Justin Trudeau.
No, the NDP losses were partly a rejection of Mulcair's less-inspiring leadership (the niqab controversy certainly didn't help) and partly the realization that if we really wanted to get rid of the Conservatives, support had to go toward one major Opposition party, not both. There have been a lot of people who would otherwise have voted NDP or Green who have said that they regretted having to vote Liberal, but it was the only way to ensure a Conservative defeat.
Back when there were per-vote subsidies, I voted for the Green Party. If we do get the promised electoral reform I will once again consider voting Green. I like Elizabeth May, and if we could vote one of the party leaders directly into the office of Prime Minister without regard to the number of seats the party won, she would definitely get my vote.
I think the Bloc will eventually fade away. Duceppe lost, and has resigned as party leader.
Some of the comments on CBC.ca have been unbelievably vicious regarding Margaret Trudeau. They're absolutely sickening.
Positive, for the most part. This was an election that saw quite a few candidates dropping out or being kicked out because of things they posted on social media. One of the earlier ones was a young Muslim woman running for the Liberals, who had posted some rather vile things on Facebook. But it wasn't only Liberal candidates with this problem. Just about all the parties lost candidates this way. The ones dropping out on/before September 28 were replaced, but those dropping out afterward were still on the ballot.
Harper's specialties were attack ads and lies. The Liberals didn't go that route, so that in itself won them some votes.
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Speaking as an outside observer, it's true. It seemed a lot more positive than Harper and the Conservatives were, but then that wouldn't have taken much.
Yeah, the "he's too young, he's not ready" ads have been particularly vicious. But you know, the one really good thing I'm already starting to see from these last few days, is how much more approachable and relateable he is to a younger generation of voters, and that, in my opinion can only be a good thing. I find it refreshing, actually.
I wasn't referring to the attack ads; I found them obnoxious, but not vicious. And people were able to turn them back on Harper, openly wondering why he was so obsessed with hair (Harper had his own personal groomer traveling around with him).
If you go to CBC.ca and check out the articles that mention Margaret Trudeau, you might see some of the comments that are still there (many were flagged and deleted, but they still came through the email feed). People called her every sexist, misogynistic name in the book and then some, perpetuating old stories and completely ignoring what we now know, which is that some of her past erratic behavior was due to bipolar disorder.
As for the "he's too young" thing... for crying out loud, the man is 43 years old. He'll be 44 in December. That's old enough to be a grandfather, and it's not his fault that he's got genes that have allowed him to keep his youthful looks.
And he's not that much younger than his father was when he first became Prime Minister in 1968. Pierre Trudeau was 48 or 49 years old when he first took office.
Sorry, I was referring to the attack ads themselves overall, and you did mention them being Harper's specialty in your last line. Guess I should have quoted it. My Bad on that.
But yeah, that was funny seeing them turned around on Harper himself. And speaking of his hair, I didn't find it to be that great. Just rather ordinary.
Thanks, I will. God bless her heart. I think she did fairly well as Justin's campaign manager.
Yep, those ads were ridiculous, and only served to show how desperate they were. Being saddled with good looks should never be a bad thing. But somehow they were being painted as a negative. That was really grasping at straws.
The one thing I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is the aboriginal voter turnout, which helped turn the tide. Harper had a bunch of policies to try to silence their voice and prevent them from voting. They couldn't stand that, and being a dedicated bunch, stuck around the polling stations even when they ran out of ballots until more of them arrived.
I grew up in Ontario (although I am an American) and remember the elections. I saw this joke last week about how there is a cycle in Canada where it switches between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, when one is in power for a long time then people get angry with them and vote the other party into power, then repeating the cycle.
My family all still lives in Canada, and they are deeply divided. My father voted Conservative, as did my sister and my brother's friend. My aunts and cousins are very happy that the Liberals won. My brother's friend is talking like this is the end of the world, lol.
I hope things go well for Canada. My prediction is that people will be happy with the Liberals for about 10 years, then the cycle will repeat, lol.
My family all still lives in Canada, and they are deeply divided. My father voted Conservative, as did my sister and my brother's friend. My aunts and cousins are very happy that the Liberals won. My brother's friend is talking like this is the end of the world, lol.
I hope things go well for Canada. My prediction is that people will be happy with the Liberals for about 10 years, then the cycle will repeat, lol.
Thank goodness they did get out and vote. Quite a few wanted to vote last time, but were deliberately sent to the wrong polling station and they couldn't get to the right one in time before the polls closed.
Some of the seniors were pretty tenacious, too. It got to the point where people were saying on CBC.ca that people should definitely go and vote, but bring a lawn chair to sit on while they wait.
That's about the usual cycle, unless something weird happens or somehow the Liberals lose a confidence vote. I don't see that happening, though, since even if all the other parties combined to pull them down and force an early election, they just don't have the numbers.I grew up in Ontario (although I am an American) and remember the elections. I saw this joke last week about how there is a cycle in Canada where it switches between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, when one is in power for a long time then people get angry with them and vote the other party into power, then repeating the cycle.
My family all still lives in Canada, and they are deeply divided. My father voted Conservative, as did my sister and my brother's friend. My aunts and cousins are very happy that the Liberals won. My brother's friend is talking like this is the end of the world, lol.
I hope things go well for Canada. My prediction is that people will be happy with the Liberals for about 10 years, then the cycle will repeat, lol.
The current topic on CBC is Conservatives whining about Justin Trudeau moving into Rideau Cottage instead of 24 Sussex, which is in such bad condition from decades of neglect that it's really not safe to live in. They carry on as though the repairs are for Trudeau's private home, and not a heritage building that every Prime Minister is entitled to live in. But with the electrical system, the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning not working, it's not up to modern standards for disabled access, the roof leaks, and there's asbestos in the walls, it's more than time to fix it.
24 Sussex has needed to be completely renovated for years now. It's pretty bad when, even 10 years ago, the Prime Ministers house needed plastic on the windows to keep the cold out. It's beyond ridiculous.
Here is an old clip from the Rick Mercer Report that highlighted some some of the problems. It's funny and sad at the same time. Mostly sad.
RMR: Rick Renovates 24 Sussex
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEQeGJTwstY
Yikes, was that creepy picture of Harper taken that long ago?
He never comes off as authentic when he's in cowboy costume (I assume that was for the Stampede).
But yeah, pretty sad that Rick Mercer would have to do the windows at 24 Sussex.
Quite a few people on CBC.ca are suggesting getting Mike Holmes to do the renovations, and make a TV show out of it.
Ahh yeah, I remember that from last time. Shows the length he went to, to get his way, which wasn't right at all. Yeah, I'm glad they got their voice in this time.
Yeah, I think this has been the strongest voter turnout in years, no doubt in part due to the motivation for wanting change.
About the house, heh, maybe Obama should invite him to the White House to bunk. But yeah, pretty sad about the state of that house.