The 2011 Canadian Federal Election Thread of Hidden Agendas

[Madrun Badrun]

No.  That would be the election.  We actually don't have a parliament right now so really they only have 60 days to make new laws (or appeal this decision).

[T234]

Is this one of the major campaign issues?

[Madrun Badrun]

No not really outside of NDP wanting legalization.

Nothing will come of this though so don't get your hopes up, lol.

[T234]

I'm gonna write a letter to Canada. And try to get it published somewhere up there.

[Madrun Badrun]

Publish it in the Readers Digest, so i can read it while pooping.

[Boogie]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTT

Is this currently the top priority of the Canadian Funky Parliament?

Haven't been this interested in something from Canada since Trailer Park Boys. Have NEVER been this interested in Canadian politics.

Single-issue voters.   

Is this one of the major campaign issues?

 

[drew]

t234 is the chumlee to evilbore's pawnstar

[Boogie]

t234 is the chumlee to evilbore's pawnstar

I don't know what that means.

[drew]

must be an american thing i guess, it's a show about a pawn shop in las vegas that's on the history channel

[T234]

I thought Canada was more liberal?

It's weird. The Canadian Reefer Scene as I see it from far away has progressed in the past decade from "Haha, that's cute. The Canadians are growin' dope even all the way up there" to "Holy shit, what's that smell." to where even the outdoor weed from the prairies (much less proper British Colombian or Toronto indoor, that shit is fucking FIIIRE) matches up real well to most of the homegrown for sale (the best is kept) down here and this place is pretty famous for it's legendary outdoor. There are families in this state that have been growing weed since before the Revolutionary War. You would think it was legal up there.

The second it does become legal in either country it will be legal in the other.

EDIT: And drew is the Steve Erkel to Evilbore's Family Matters.

[Boogie]

I thought Canada was more liberal?

In broad strokes, yes.  Criminal sentences for marijuana possession and cultivation are mere slaps on the wrist in Canada compared to the States, for example.  But it's still illegal.

And we have had a Conservative government for the past five years, one that is flirting with majority-territory in this campaign.  Though Conservatives do not exactly = Republicans here, no matter how hard the Grits try to make that association.

The second it does become legal in either country it will be legal in the other.

Yes.  If by "either country" you mean "America" and by "the other" you mean "Canada."

Canada does not lead in the bilateral dance.  I expect the judge's ruling to be appealed the moment the election is over.

[T234]

Well you'll be glad to know that our brothers in Washington State are probably gonna be the first to do it. It shall progress east, then north, then everywhere.

One day I will to able to share a fine cigar with you, boogie. One day our brothers from the North Pole all the way to the southern tip of Australia shall rejoice.

[Madrun Badrun]

[T234]

Both of those guys look BAKED

[Boogie]

In a positive election story:  Religious engagement in politics done right.

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/04/15/18013136.html

In a religious first with an election twist, leaders from several major faiths in London have joined forces to preach the same message at the same time to Christians, Muslims and Jews.

The message: Vote and vote for the person or party you believe does the most to bridge the growing gap in Canada between the rich and the poor.

It’s likely the first time leaders of different religions in London have blanketed their followers with one message, and a political one at that.

“It is stunning. How often do all faiths in one community hear the same message, never mind at the same time?” said Rev. Kate Crawford of First St. Andrews United.

From Temple Israel’s Shabbat service last weekend and the London Muslim Mosque’s prayers Friday to Christian services this Sunday, the message is being spread through the city.

“We are one family at the end of the day,” Imam Jamal Taleb of London Muslim Mosque said Friday.

“We believe the gap between the rich and poor is growing. The change has to be made in Ottawa. Therefore we are encouraging our people to go and vote.”

Religious leaders stressed they don’t want to tell voters whom to choose in the May 2 federal election.

“We are not partisan. We want to use the process to effect change without giving an opinion about which candidate is doing it better,” said Rabbi Debra Dressler of Temple Israel in London.

But the religious leaders are making it equally clear they want their followers, and candidates, to focus on poverty.

“We have an obligation to the homeless, to the poor, to ask all the parties the question: what are you going to do?” said Rev. Jeffrey Crittenden of Metropolitan United.

The foray into the election arises from a new association of church leaders in London called the Religious Social Action Coalition.

So far, the coalition includes three large downtown Protestant churches — First St. Andrews United, Metropolitan United Church, The Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Anglican) — and the Sisters of St. Joseph, Temple Israel of London, and the London Muslim Mosque.

Church leaders and their congregations have been battling the symptoms of poverty for decades with food banks and meal programs, said Rev. Kevin Dixon of St Paul’s Anglican. Now they must push politicians to help find solutions.

“There is the implication by only treating the symptoms we are endorsing the policies at the root cause,” he said.

If voters can’t be persuaded to think of the poor for selfless reasons, they might want to consider the impact of poverty on their own lives, said Sister Sue Wilson of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

“The gap between the rich and the poor tears apart the fabric of society,” she said.

Studies have shown the wider the gap, the greater levels of violence, crime and, teen pregnancy in a community, she said.

The coalition has its roots in several casual meetings last fall among the ministers from the three large downtown churches.

They invited other leaders to join them in a fight against poverty, and the election provided the first chance to act, Crawford said.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘we need to do something.’ ”

No bullshit obsession with abortion and homosexuality.  No overt partisan cherleading.  Just the leaders of several faith communities coming together in an ecumenical effort to push a social justice message in the election.  This is what public religion should be about.

[Mandark]

Yeah yeah, won't be so smug when you're forced to gay-Sharia-marry a Mexican!

[Madrun Badrun]

No Boogie won't be smug, just happy.

[Madrun Badrun]

[youtube=560,345]GEYwVb-6TeE[/youtube]

Tommy Douglas

[Boogie]

voted today at the advance polls.

[Joe Molotov]

voted today at the advance polls.

Write-in vote for yourself?

[Mr. Gundam]

Well you'll be glad to know that our brothers in Washington State are probably gonna be the first to do it. It shall progress east, then north, then everywhere.

I don't have a problem with pot being legal, but good luck with that. The big legalization proponents here in WA can't come together and agree on anything, plus the big Democrats won't support them publicly.

[Boogie]

Hmm, I guess I should update the thread as to the completely unexpected and game changing events that have occurred in the past week, which have turned this election from "meh" to "what the fuck is going on?"

The NDP, our "far" left and perennial third place party, under Jack Layton, has surged in the polls in the past week, eeking past the Liberals nationally, and DEMOLISHING the separatist Bloc Quebecois in the polls in Quebec.  The latter especially is frickin' insane.  It's axiomatic that the Bloc is king in Quebec, and everyone else is fighting for second place.

The Conservatives have dipped only a couple percentage points nationally, but it could be enough to kill any hope of a majority, unless the war between the Libs and the NDP splits the vote enough in their favour.

An NDP second place showing would be completely unprecedented.  Off the top of my head, I don't think they've ever placed better than third-most seats in any federal election (but I'll be checking on that).

I do believe that if the NDP places in second, but the NDP + Libs are able to get a majority of seats without the Bloc, that they will vote down the Conservatives on the Throne Speech and form a coalition government.

Prime Minister Jack Layton.  That is actually a possibility.  What the fuck is going on here?

The big loser in the past week is definitely Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff.  He sounds like a desperate man pleading for support in what little I've seen of him on TV in the past week.

[Madrun Badrun]

NDP

Layton being hip to my digital needs
http://www.ndp.ca/press/layton-to-put-consumers-first-in-digital-economy
http://www.ndp.ca/platform/leadership-in-canada#section-5-14

[Boogie]

Layton is by far the most charismatic of the leaders.  He did great in the debates, and he has grown on me. Iggy is a total fail on that front.

But I'm not gonna lie, I'm scared of the idea of the party of Svend Robinson running the country.

[Madrun Badrun]

meh, think of it as the party of Tommy Douglas instead.

Who did you vote for btw?

[Phoenix Dark]

give me the TL DR summary. Who's your Obama, who's your McCain, and where can I buy bumperstickers

[Boogie]

Who did you vote for btw?

I let out a resigned sigh and voted Liberal. C-c-c-c-combo breaker.

[T234]

NDP wants Legalization. I hope those guys win.

[Boogie]

http://www.ndp.ca/platform/leadership-in-canada

Hmm, hadn't seen that list.

5.1:  Fail.  Yes, we have issues with how we have treated our First Nations, but throwing money at the problem is not the issue.  They get enough money in the current framework and it is horrendously squandered.  This from talking with front-line RCMP members who have worked native areas.  I do not know what the solution is, but I know that the NDP is not going to give us the solution.

5.2: don't care.

5.3: don't care.

5.4: don't care....too much.

5.5: okay, that's good.

5.6:  don't care.  Canadian farmers are doing just fine working the system as it currently is, believe me.

5.6:  good.  Pigs are doing barnstorming acts when the NDP becomes the party that is most pro-police.  I consider all the parties' policing platforms to be pretty much lip-service, but I do believe that the NDP is, bizarrely, the most likely to put their money where their mouth is.

5.8: good.

5.9:  ehhhh, we already have a lax immigration system.  Not sure "speeding up" the current process is a good idea.

5.10: eh.  we concede enough to French as it is.

5.11: shrug.

5.12: sounds good, mostly.  (I'm not an abortion fan, so sue me.)

5.12: shrug.

5.14:  good.

5.15: good.  Tories were fucking stupid on that one.

5.16: shrug.


Declared immediate platform is okay.  Concern with the finances, of course.

[Boogie]

NDP wants Legalization. I hope those guys win.

Do you think about anything else?

Single-issue voters.  smh. 

[Mr. Gundam]

NDP wants Legalization. I hope those guys win.

Do you think about anything else?

Single-issue voters.  smh. 

Clearly he doesn't. And referring to everyone working for marijuana legalization as "brothers" is kinda weird, dude.

[Madrun Badrun]

It's only one list of many  http://www.ndp.ca/platform , it case you haven't seen the others.

The big thing I haven't seen any talk about that I care about is research grants.  The Conservatives changed the way the sercs worked to be more buisness orientated and I was hoping that libs or ndp would talk about changing it back.

[T234]

NDP wants Legalization. I hope those guys win.

Do you think about anything else?

Single-issue voters.  smh. 

Clearly he doesn't. And referring to everyone working for marijuana legalization as "brothers" is kinda weird, dude.

In this particular election, nothing else that happens would effect me at all except that.

Also, I forgot that there are womenfolk in the struggle. So brothers and sisters it is!

To put it into perspective, Canada could legalize and tax reefer at a rate of 600$/kilo. 15,000+ kilos cross the border every week.





That sounds like an entire national fuckin health care system paid for to me.

[Boogie]

It was interesting to see the largest national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, endorse the Conservatives today:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/the-globes-election-endorsement-facing-up-to-our-challenges/article2001610/


More interesting is, I mostly agree with their analysis.  Odd that I voted against them, when much of that editorial speaks to me.  ah well.

[Madrun Badrun]

There isn't much to that report:  It's basicly, NDP is untested, promoses a lot, conservate are fiscal conseravatives, which is what we need after the economic crisis -- we should just forget about all their social policies in light of this.  Also the bit about conservates really speaking for the county is totally wrong.  They lost the popular vote.  The country leans left, just the left is split into different parties.   

[Boogie]

  They lost the popular vote.  The country leans left, just the left is split into different parties.   

C'mon now.  No one "wins" the popular vote in our system.

[Boogie]

In this particular election, nothing else that happens would effect me at all except that.

Also, I forgot that there are womenfolk in the struggle. So brothers and sisters it is!

To put it into perspective, Canada could legalize and tax reefer at a rate of 600$/kilo. 15,000+ kilos cross the border every week.

A) How does a potential, tho remote, legalization of marijuana in Canada affect you in Kentucky?  Unless you visit Canada, in which case, by your own admission, our enforcement of our laws are lax enough that you have gotten away with use of the product here in any case.

B) Legalized Tax shit....please.   Tobacco is a legalized, regulated product.  And yet, up to 40% of tobacco trade in Ontario and Quebec (ie. the two most populous provinces in Canada) is from the black market cigarette trade.  Which is to say, even if you legalize and regulate a product, it does not mean that you will eliminate the black market trade for that product.  And tobacco is a far more difficult product to produce than is marijuana.  My professional instinct is that even a decriminalization of marijuana will still result in a larger black market than currently exists for tobacco simply due to how much easier it is to grow that product than tobacco.

tl:dr  :   Libertopians and reefer idealists say that decriminalizing marijuana will eliminate the black market, but that is an unrealistic pipe dream given what I know of organized crime in this country.

[T234]

Given what I know of organized crime and the price of cannabis and tobacco ON THIS CONTINENT, 300 per pound is not at all the same as tripling (even quintupling!) the price of a pack of cigarettes through taxation. Good reefer is 2000+ a pound, unless you are in Jamaica (where 80 bucks will get you a trashbag). Quality reefer is NOT AT ALL easy to produce. Most people would much rather be able to grow warehouses full at 1700$ a pound without threat of jail than grow a tiny basement full at 2000$ per pound and have to worry about going to prison because the neighbor caught their first whiff of true dank.

[Madrun Badrun]

  They lost the popular vote.  The country leans left, just the left is split into different parties.   

C'mon now.  No one "wins" the popular vote in our system.

Leave my NDP rhetoric alone!

[Madrun Badrun]

Just voted.  Com'on NDP!

[Mandark]

So what are the big issues?  Is the Conservative party going to pick up or lose seats?  Why can't the center-left parties form a government if they manage a majority among them?  What's the representation system (first past the post, party lists, etc.)?  Did Boogie and that leftist chick get it on?

[Boogie]

So what are the big issues?

There.....aren't any. 

F-35 fighter jet purchase, corporate tax cuts probably the biggest economic debate, Liberals pushed postsecondary education funding. Crime policy.  some health care squabbling.  The Conservatives' record of scandals/bumbles/potential corruption and contempt of Parliament.

But none of them really stand out as  "big issues".

  Is the Conservative party going to pick up or lose seats? 

I'm no poll/stats geek, but 308 is projecting that the Conservatives are going to come out with the same number of seats they had at dissolution.

Why can't the center-left parties form a government if they manage a majority among them?

They can, and likely will, if they can scrounge up the seats.  The fact that Harper hedged when asked directly about it the other day is ridiculous to me.  It's like he's willing to set up a coup or some sort of constitutional crisis or some crazy shit.

What's the representation system (first past the post, party lists, etc.)? 

first-past-the-post.

 

Did Boogie and that leftist chick get it on?

No.

[Boogie]

GAF moderator stumpokapow is illegally posting poll results on the GAF election thread.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27562015&postcount=3786

So, now, GAF has a mod who is a mother-beating drug-advocating violent thug.  And another who flaunts his country's election laws.

edit:  of course, he's edited some of his posts since I casually wondered about looking in to the specifics of the law.

[Madrun Badrun]

Did they look bad for conservates?  That's what I want to know.  When do the BC polls close?

[Great Rumbler]

GAF moderator stumpokapow is illegally posting poll results on the GAF election thread.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27562015&postcount=3786

So, now, GAF has a mod who is a mother-beating drug-advocating violent thug.  And another who flaunts his country's election laws.

edit:  of course, he's edited some of his posts since I casually wondered about looking in to the specifics of the law.

Thread's gone now.

[Boogie]

GAF moderator stumpokapow is illegally posting poll results on the GAF election thread.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27562015&postcount=3786

So, now, GAF has a mod who is a mother-beating drug-advocating violent thug.  And another who flaunts his country's election laws.

edit:  of course, he's edited some of his posts since I casually wondered about looking in to the specifics of the law.

Thread's gone now.

naw, thread's there, he just deleted all of the incriminating posts after I said "I'm mulling making a complaint to elections Canada.  Just letting you know."   

So now it's a mod who flagrantly breaks Canadian laws, then uses his authority as a mod to delete all the incriminating evidence.  good jon, EviLore.

[Boogie]

Current seat projections:

Cons: 133
NDP: 60
Liberals: 26
BQ: 5 (suck it, Duceppe!)

Looks like first time in history Liberals won't be in first or second place in a Canadian election.

My gut says a majority is still in reach for Harper.

[Boogie]

If they win the ridings they're currently leading, and hold their seats in ridings they won last time which haven't reported in yet, Conservatives will get majority +11 seats, according to CBC right now.

[Pringo]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/features/electionlive/

CBC's got a live online feed right now for anyone interested.

[Boogie]

stump's a good guy, an excellent citizen, and a genuine canadian patriot.  I think that info he posted was announced by a Newfoundland radio station, who were asked to remove the information and stop reporting it, and he is following suit with that.

There are a lot of people I'll stand by and allow bashing of, but stump is literally one of the best human beings I've ever known, and I wish our country had a million more like him.

Okay.  It just irked me how gleeful he was in skirting the results.  I'll chalk it up to naive earnest excitement then.

[Boogie]

Majority all but guaranteed now.

[Phoenix Dark]

Soo...Harper wins?

[Boogie]

Soo...Harper wins?

If things shake out as they look.....

huge win.

T234 am cry

[Pringo]

It's interesting to see how irrelevant the Liberal party seems to have become in such a short time frame. Not too happy about the possibility of a Conservative majority but whatever. Is there a possibility of a coalition government as long as the NDP and Liberal seats outnumber the Conservatives?

[Madrun Badrun]

My riding pretty much stayed the same.  NDP went up but conservatives still look it with 66%.

NDP at 100, holy shit.

[Madrun Badrun]

Cons just 3 short now 

[Boogie]

NDP at 100, holy shit.

holy shit indeed

[Boogie]

For historical perspective, there hasn't been a Conservative majority government elected since 1988.

The Liberal meltdown won't match the conservative meltdown of 1993 though, in which they went from their 169 seat majority to....two. (right wing Reform party took 52 seats)

[Mr. Gundam]

We get CBC HD from Vancouver here in Seattle and I've been watching it, but I have no idea what's going on.

[Boogie]

Great to see the Bloc getting pasted.  Down to a projected 3 seats.