The Maple Leaf Lounge

[Marc]

Reading today’s Toronto Star, Jamie Wattt (a conservative) in his column raised the same thing I did up thread - the govt should reach out to the nps’ers about jumping ship

It would allow for committee positions etc that the ndp won’t have without official party status.

Problem is those left are the truest of true believers.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Canadian Tire bidding on Hudson's Bay assets, sources say

Beleaguered retailer Hudson’s Bay has attracted a bid from Canadian Tire, two sources familiar with the sales process say. The sources, who are not being named because they were not authorized to speak about the matter, say the household goods chain has made a bid for some of the faltering...

toronto.citynews.ca

Interesting. It actually kind of makes sense for them, but I worry they may be spreading themselves too thin. They're already a company that has many sub-companies. At least with Canadian Tire, they could bring it back as a Canadian owned company.

 

[DEWLine]

If there's one Canadian retailer that I would credit as capable of pulling the Bay out of this spiral, I would say Canadian Tire might be able to manage this.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Reading today’s Toronto Star, Jamie Wattt (a conservative) in his column raised the same thing I did up thread - the govt should reach out to the nps’ers about jumping ship

I read a rumour that they're looking for disaffected Conservatives to flip, who might be looking for a shot at government. I have no idea how true it is. TBH, members from the progressive conservative wing of the party would probably be a fairly good fit with Carney, and some might be willing to jump ship for a seat at the table, and to get out from under the thumb of the reform wing currently in charge of the CPC.

I'd probably rather see that, then see them further diminish the small remnant of the NDP that's left. (Although I'm still in favour of the Liberal/NDP coalition idea, since that helps both parties.)

 

[Marc]

I read a rumour that they're looking for disaffected Conservatives to flip, who might be looking for a shot at government. I have no idea how true it is. TBH, members from the progressive conservative wing of the party would probably be a fairly good fit with Carney, and some might be willing to jump ship for a seat at the table, and to get out from under the thumb of the reform wing currently in charge of the CPC.

yes I think it will truly rankle with some of them moderate conservative if the man who cost them the election and lost his riding in the process is keep on as leader and that some-one will step aside for a by-election (and the rumour/expectation is that it will be out west).

 

[Timewalker]

I read a rumour that they're looking for disaffected Conservatives to flip, who might be looking for a shot at government. I have no idea how true it is. TBH, members from the progressive conservative wing of the party would probably be a fairly good fit with Carney, and some might be willing to jump ship for a seat at the table, and to get out from under the thumb of the reform wing currently in charge of the CPC.

I'd probably rather see that, then see them further diminish the small remnant of the NDP that's left. (Although I'm still in favour of the Liberal/NDP coalition idea, since that helps both parties.)

I saw a rumor on FB earlier today about Elizabeth May becoming Speaker. It makes sense in a way, as the Speaker doesn't get to vote and the Liberals need every vote they can get, to pass legislation. She knows the rules and procedures inside and out, and takes no bullshit from anybody. She'd make a good Speaker.

On the flip side, though, is if she'd want to give up her own vote and (admittedly meagre) opportunities to ask questions and have her say in debates.

yes I think it will truly rankle with some of them moderate conservative if the man who cost them the election and lost his riding in the process is keep on as leader and that some-one will step aside for a by-election (and the rumour/expectation is that it will be out west).

The name I've seen being floated to give up his seat for a byelection is Kerry Diotte, in Edmonton. He's an odious jerk who used to be a columnist for the Edmonton Sun before getting into municipal and then federal politics. If there's any truth to this, it should be a safe CPC riding and Diotte would expect to be handsomely rewarded.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Oops, looks like the Liberals are now back to four seats away from majority, after the validation process shows the BQ winning the riding of Terrebonne, instead of the Liberals. The vote difference was close enough that it will still get a judicial recount.

If they’re trying to flip individual MPs, then that will make things a little more difficult.

 

[Marc]

well they've found a way to get poilievre back into parliament with an alberta MP announce he'll resign the loser can run in a very safe conservative seat.

Tory MP for Battle River—Crowfoot says he’ll step down so Pierre Poilievre can run in byelection

Damien Kurek made the announcement Friday after Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would call a byelection "as soon as possible" should Poilievre find another riding to run in.

www.thestar.com

most time there would be backlash from the voters for this sort of crap.

might also go further to pissing off a few moderates and make them more receptive to working with Carneny and the liberals.

 

[DEWLine]

Carney's people actually believe that there's still such a thing as "Red Tories" in the Conservative caucus as presently constituted?

 

[Timewalker]

Carney's out of touch on that point. Harper purged the Red Tories at least 15 years ago, if not more. Some of them stuck with Joe Clark when he kept trying to hang on to the real PC party, but in the end they either gave up or joined the CPC.

Clark never did, though. Funny how I didn't like him back around 1979/80, but if he could turn back the physical clock and run, I'd consider voting for him. That would be the only time I'd ever consider voting for a conservative. He earned my respect.

 

[Ovation]

Carney's people actually believe that there's still such a thing as "Red Tories" in the Conservative caucus as presently constituted?

I doubt they believe it—but there’s no harm in hoping for a little while. Until the throne speech, not much to do except hope re: aisle crossings.

 

[DEWLine]

The news about the new/long awaited King delivering the Throne Speech is a minor, welcome surprise.

 

[Timewalker]

Minor surprise? The last time the monarch delivered the throne speech was 48 years ago. This is not only an endorsement of Canada, but a huge f*ck you to Trump.

 

[MarcKle1964]

well they've found a way to get poilievre back into parliament with an alberta MP announce he'll resign the loser can run in a very safe conservative seat.

Tory MP for Battle River—Crowfoot says he’ll step down so Pierre Poilievre can run in byelection

Damien Kurek made the announcement Friday after Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would call a byelection "as soon as possible" should Poilievre find another riding to run in.

www.thestar.com

most time there would be backlash from the voters for this sort of crap.

might also go further to pissing off a few moderates and make them more receptive to working with Carneny and the liberals.

In the States, we'd call this kind of thing Wingnut Welfare.

 

[DEWLine]

This brought me to tears the other day:

The Nation That Trump Could Never Break

Canada didn’t just resist, they reminded the rest of us how to endure

substack.com

 

[Timewalker]

This brought me to tears the other day:

The Nation That Trump Could Never Break

Canada didn’t just resist, they reminded the rest of us how to endure

substack.com

I'd agree with that if it weren't for the loathsome thing running the Alberta government (Danielle Smith). She has gone to new standards of VILE.

I just found out that she bought a new carpet for her office. It apparently cost a little more than the amount that would support someone on the disability benefit that keeps me alive for 12 YEARS.

And consider that she intends to claw back a $200/month benefit that was created by the previous government, to help the low-income disabled people of Canada. No other province is clawing it back. But I guess Dani needs a new something-or-other. Take $2400/year, multiplied by over 70,000 people on the AISH benefit. She wants it all. I have no idea if I'm going to have a home next year, due to annual rent increases that I was counting on that $200/month to help offset.

I wonder if she's ever heard of a certain French queen called Marie Antoinette?

 

[Avro Arrow]

Oops, looks like the Liberals are now back to four seats away from majority, after the validation process shows the BQ winning the riding of Terrebonne, instead of the Liberals. The vote difference was close enough that it will still get a judicial recount.

Surprise, surprise... the Liberals are back to 169 seats again after the validation process showed the Liberals actually won the Ontario riding of Milton East--Halton Hills South, instead of the Conservatives. The difference in votes ended up being only 29, so this riding will also be subject to a judicial recount.

well they've found a way to get poilievre back into parliament with an alberta MP announce he'll resign the loser can run in a very safe conservative seat.

I'm still holding out hope that there's enough people in caucus who are dissatisfied enough with his performance to force him out. I know, it's probably a naïve hope, because his followers seem almost cult-like in their reverence of him (remind you of anyone else?), but I can dream.

most time there would be backlash from the voters for this sort of crap.

According to the article, the CPC candidate won with 81.8% of the vote. Even if there is some backlash, I doubt it would be anywhere near enough to prevent Poilievre from winning there.

The news about the new/long awaited King delivering the Throne Speech is a minor, welcome surprise.

You've probably seen my anti-monarchy posts on here before. So I have to say, "surprise", yes; "welcome"... not so much.

I know there has been a lot of discussion online today about whether this is a good look for us or not. I have to come down on the "not a good look" side, even though that seems to be the minority opinion.

This brought me to tears the other day:

The Nation That Trump Could Never Break

Canada didn’t just resist, they reminded the rest of us how to endure

substack.com

What an incredible piece.

Although, I do have to say that I wish we had rejected extremism just a little more forcefully. Yes, it was rejected, and that's great. But it still got 41.3% of the vote. In any other election, that gives them a majority.

I just found out that she bought a new carpet for her office. It apparently cost a little more than the amount that would support someone on the disability benefit that keeps me alive for 12 YEARS.

And consider that she intends to claw back a $200/month benefit that was created by the previous government, to help the low-income disabled people of Canada. No other province is clawing it back. But I guess Dani needs a new something-or-other. Take $2400/year, multiplied by over 70,000 people on the AISH benefit. She wants it all. I have no idea if I'm going to have a home next year, due to annual rent increases that I was counting on that $200/month to help offset.

I'm so sorry that's happening to you. That's awful; how do these people live with themselves?!

It's like all the new support that the CPC picked up this election from young voters, especially young men. They apparently voted that way to improve affordability and cost of living issues. I know they're probably young enough that they weren't really politically aware during the Harper years, but when has a Conservative government ever actually helped anyone that wasn't already wealthy?!

 

[Timewalker]

Alison Redford did. When she called the election of 2012, she made a promise to increase the AISH benefit from $1188/month to $1588/month. She kept that promise, and it made all the difference in the world to those of us whose rents went up during the next couple of years.

I moved to my current apartment building in 2013, and the rent at that time was just under $1000/month. If AISH had stayed at $1188, I couldn't have afforded both food and utilities.

Rent for me now is just over $1400/month and that's with me negotiating with the leasing agent (I gave up a few things that the other tenants take for granted), plus a lot of begging, pleading, reminding him that I've been a loyal tenant even though I have to keep moving every few years (within the same building) due to some plumbing or insulation issue), plus I'm not above guilt-tripping him over the mold issue of 2017 (I'd asked him to check if there was mold in my bathroom, he said no, and a few months later we realized that yes, it was - after it had spread to the adjoining bedroom and ruined the carpet and some of my stuff. Not to mention making my older cat sick enough that she had to be euthanized.

Normally the rent here would have been even more, like closer to $1550. That's what I'm expecting this fall when my lease comes up for renewal.

And that bitch wants to claw back money that would give me and so many others another year's breathing space.

 

[Owain Taggart]

This brought me to tears the other day:

The Nation That Trump Could Never Break

Canada didn’t just resist, they reminded the rest of us how to endure

substack.com

That was an amazing read! Thank you for sharing! Very powerful. It's the little things that make a difference.