Canadian Politics

[andytheace]

Dare I bring up the topic? Sure why not. I'm a little surprised that nobody more politically minded than myself has brought up the topic already (is there some unwritten rule against it?). What do you think of the coming election? Do you that anything will really change? If so, what? Are people finally fed up with the liberal party

Comments

[blue_lightning]

It's not subjective to say Harper won't "stand up" to Bush as much as Martin. The new Conservative party shares a great many economic values with the U.S., and some Conservative members of parliament are even on record belitting the softwood lumber issue as a mere "trade dispute". Conservatives see a strong alliance with the U.S. as inherently good for Canada, whereas Liberals on the whole see a strong alliance with U.S. as historically good for Canada (on the whole), but not absolute - just as subject to potential change as any other economic relationship. Conservatives would also side more with Bush on matters of "continental security", and thus are more likely to support initiatives with outcomes that would see us lose a great deal of decision-making power when it comes to our own borders and airspace (not to mention emphasizing a culture of fear in a society that needs no such thing

[andytheace]

I can see how there is more accountability with a minority government, but how about with a majority? I'm sorry about my apparent ignorance - I definitely know my American government a lot better than my Canada government.

[blue_lightning]

Study it from the angle of election dates, and it makes a lot more sense. In the U.S., Election Day is a fixed date, like any holiday, and that stability transfers well onto the position - the president knows impeachment is a long, drawn-out process, and that aside he's in the clear for four years, no matter what he does. This sort of system encourages a stronger sense of allegiance/acceptance; the population knows there's really no budging the guy without a serious fight. The fixed-date approach is likely partly to blame for the leader-worship that occurs in some quarters of the states. Moreover, the senate is also pretty partisan, thus making legislative accountability only certain if the senate is stacked against the president.

In Canada, however, the Prime Minister is far more easily ousted. A vote of non-confidence will do it, as will a single failed budget. Moreover, election dates are very flexible, so Canadians are less likely to feel resigned to the whole "four more years" approach, and they expect that with enough public

[andytheace]

American senate isn't always partisan, particularly when the country isn't sure which party it wants, such as the last decade. About half of Bush's first term he actually had the senate against him. Since Congress is elected every 2 years (a third is elected every two years, so each stays in office for 6 years) this means he may not necessarily have friends in Congress. I believe the reason this happened to Bush was that one of the independant senators (there's was only 2) went Democrat, giving the Democats a 51-48-1 majority in Senate.

[lambda_calculus]

I think there's also this sense of ... in the States you have two equally opposite (some disagree, but at least in the popular culture) choices who are always fighting for the side of twuth and bweauty. The crazy Liberals versus the nutty Conservatives ... there really doesn't seem to be a place for the Centrists to go to. Pop culture makes it sound like people need to direct the nation away from certain doom, and depending on who has the more pervasive influence, one always has to choose the right path.

In Canada I see more of thise ... well, the Liberals are the middle of the road, so we let them keep things hunky dory. If they screw up, we steer the ship by placing the Conservatives or the NDP in, then kick them out and put the liberals back in. There's this sense of "politicans suck anyway", so let's pick the lesser of X amount of evils.

That's what CNN and This Hour has 22 minutes tells me...so maybe I'm just making it up.

And here's the site for Elections Canada

[andytheace]

yeah, I checked on there a few days ago. It seems I have to call to get a form mailed to me. I figured there must be some way you can apply online, but it looks like not.

I find it rather ironic (as I'm sure millions of people before me have too) that the Liberal party is the most conservative party you can vote for.

[lambda_calculus]

Where, in Canada or in the States?

Assuming you mean Canada, it's not that weird ... Canada is, on the whole, more socially left-leaning than the States, right? If so, then a conservative party would stick to the status quo ... it would be like the conservative Swedish party, fighting those crazy Commies and Capitalists.
At the same time, on an absolute scale the Liberals are more "liberal" than the Conservatives.

Liberal != liberal, Conservative != conservative. It's all relative!

[andytheace]

Canada.

....a conservative party would stick to the status quo...

My point exactly. Therefore because the Liberals like the way the country is now they should call themselves Conservatives. I propose they switch names.

I know Liberal <> liberal, but still, it would make things make more sense if it did.

Interestingly enough, in the states, the term liberal has a slight negative connotation (perhaps subjective). If you look back in American government, Democrats == liberal and Republicans == conservative, although they've pretty much done away with that.

[angie_spuc]

I think it's funny that you asked if we were "finally fed up" with the liberal party.

I've been fed up with them since I started voting. I've never voted for them, or the conservatives, and I don't intend to, unless some major stances change.

I'm a sign-holding, chant-singing, protest-attending, tree-hugging green party supporter. I think as things are, my vote will continue to go 'wasted' on the green party.
And that's that.

[blue_lightning]

You mean the actual Green Party, or NDP? Because the Green Party is actually a very conservative group - and where a lot of red tories (like me) and blue libs are ending up these days. They're socially liberal, but definitely fiscally conservative.

[a_chatterbox]

What's the difference between a red torie and a blue liberal?

[angie_spuc]

Official party allegiance, really.

[a_chatterbox]

I don't expect much to change. And I'm not fed-up with the Liberal party

[enigmaticdan]

I'm not totally sure about this info, but I think this is how it works:

The national list of electors should have been updated with the last address info you sent to the federal government - probably your income tax returns. Wherever you're getting your GST refund cheques is probably also where you'll receive your card with your voting station in the mail when voting time comes around.

If you come to a polling station with your ID and I believe two pieces of ID, one with your current address, they'll let you vote there. It might just take a bit longer. Or sometimes at the university, a week or so before the election, they have peopole around campus, who will check your the same ID and get you to fill out a form and they'll get your card mailed to your current address. (I believe that happened before the federal election in 2004.)

[andytheace]

Good to know. Since I'll be on campus next term I can just wait 'til then.

[backguy]

If you checked the "Give my contact information to Elections Canada" box on your income taxes last year, you should be in the clear.

[andytheace]

quite honestly, I don't remember.