We love democracy here in Canada, so we're having our fourth Federal Election in seven years. Yes, you read that right.
Polls will start closing soon, and we'll find out whether we have another minority (and go back to the polls within a couple years) or a Conservative majority.
For those south of the border who don't know what's going on:
The Liberal party (Canada's version of the Democrats) have collectively pounded their elitist brains into a brick wall by forcing an election that nobody wanted. They also forgot to check whether anybody actually wanted to vote for them. They are set to fall back to third party status, and may not even exist for long after that. This is the party that ruled Canada for most of its existence. It has never been less than Official Opposition.
The Conservatives (headed by Stephen Harper) are fighting for a majority government, having done a generally okay job during the recession (Tax-Free Savings Accounts, Reduction of the national sales tax) but having to kow-tow to the opposition meant they ran up a huge "stimulus" deficit that now needs to be repaid. And that G8/G20 Summit might have been necessary, but it was a fiscal disaster.
The New Democratic party is now, unbelievably, poised to be the Official Opposition. This is a party so far to the left of the Democrats it cannot be explained in a single post. They are gaining votes from both the Liberals and the Bloc. This is largely an anti-Harper voting strategy, because few in their right minds will actively vote for a fantasy Cap and Trade program that adds 10 cents a litre to a tank of Gas at this point in history.
The Bloc Quebecois, a separatist party in Quebec, is poised for big losses after its leader said he would pursue separatism in his next mandate. The NDP has promised everything the Bloc wants, while working inside the federal system. And Quebecers seem to be responding to that. The NDP doesn't have a reliable ground game in the province though, so the Bloc will probably win most close contests.
The Green Party is essentially irrelevant.
My prediction: A Conservative majority with the NDP official opposition.
Any thoughts? Local insights from voting Canucks?
Polls will start closing soon, and we'll find out whether we have another minority (and go back to the polls within a couple years) or a Conservative majority.
For those south of the border who don't know what's going on:
The Liberal party (Canada's version of the Democrats) have collectively pounded their elitist brains into a brick wall by forcing an election that nobody wanted. They also forgot to check whether anybody actually wanted to vote for them. They are set to fall back to third party status, and may not even exist for long after that. This is the party that ruled Canada for most of its existence. It has never been less than Official Opposition.
The Conservatives (headed by Stephen Harper) are fighting for a majority government, having done a generally okay job during the recession (Tax-Free Savings Accounts, Reduction of the national sales tax) but having to kow-tow to the opposition meant they ran up a huge "stimulus" deficit that now needs to be repaid. And that G8/G20 Summit might have been necessary, but it was a fiscal disaster.
The New Democratic party is now, unbelievably, poised to be the Official Opposition. This is a party so far to the left of the Democrats it cannot be explained in a single post. They are gaining votes from both the Liberals and the Bloc. This is largely an anti-Harper voting strategy, because few in their right minds will actively vote for a fantasy Cap and Trade program that adds 10 cents a litre to a tank of Gas at this point in history.
The Bloc Quebecois, a separatist party in Quebec, is poised for big losses after its leader said he would pursue separatism in his next mandate. The NDP has promised everything the Bloc wants, while working inside the federal system. And Quebecers seem to be responding to that. The NDP doesn't have a reliable ground game in the province though, so the Bloc will probably win most close contests.
The Green Party is essentially irrelevant.
My prediction: A Conservative majority with the NDP official opposition.
Any thoughts? Local insights from voting Canucks?
The evil that we fight is but the shadow of the evil that we do.
The evil that we fight is but the shadow of the evil that we do.
