Musings from the outside...

[bveale]

Just got done watching the big CBC election special before your big day tomorrow and, if you friendly folks don't mind, weigh in a little. I'd like to believe that I've acquired a reasonable idea of politics in Canada, and figured I'd offer some random outside analysis of what I've seen and read so far. Things will probably get sillier as you go

Comments

[donsez]

You really do like Canadian Politics don'y you

[manitoblog]

One of Martin's early achievements was in being able to distance himself from Cretien.

All Paul Martin did was distance himself from the positive aspects of the Chretien years and tie himself to the negative parts.

As for Jean Chretien, he was a damn good politician, he would've won this one, likely with a majority, but a slim one. Whichever way you cut it, the Conservatives will win the next election with a majority, whether they win a minority tonight or not.

If things had gone differently in ontario, and the party was loved, they would be a contender nationally; but that ship has sailed.

Bob Rae's NDP government in Ontario was a disaster to end all disasters. People always attack Mike Harris for supposedly destroying Ontario's public services, but all he really did was get rid of Bob Rae's copious amounts of waste and reduce government to a bit smaller than it was before Rae came in. Mike Harris cleaned up the place, yet people accuse him of decimating the very fabric and structure of the universe.

[donsez]

The last time the conservatives were thrown out, we threw the baby out with the bath water. The bath water being the bad taste left in our mouths by brian mulroney (Conservative). The baby being democratic options.

You seem pretty sure of a conservative victory today.
I think the conservative party (of sorts) getting its act together and presenting a united alternative is a great victory for Canada.
We may as a country be willing to try this new leadership.
However, I think the election will be far from decisive.

My prediction is the liberals will continue to govern with a minority goverment;
possibly with fewer seats than the conservatives hold.

Canadians are going to reserve judgement before fully endorsing them next time,
or replacing them with the alternative new conservaties.

[manitoblog]

Like it or not, Paul Martin's right. A vote for the NDP is just about a vote for the Conservatives.

Like it or not, you're wrong, and Paul Martin's trying to cheapen our votes. A vote for any party is a vote for that party, despite what Liberal fearmongering has been trying to tell us.

If someone held a gun to your head and told you to vote for a certain candidate or you'll get shot, wouldn't you think the person with the gun is a cheap, untrustworthy jerk? Well, Paul Martin and the Liberals are telling us to vote Liberal or we'll get shot in the head, they're telling us that voting NDP or third party will get us shot in the head.

I don't know about the rest of you, but blackmail isn't something I admire in people. Threats aren't something I want from a Prime Minister.

Jack Layton's NDP could suck some of the far-left anti-Harper protest vote away from the Liberals in the same way Ralph Nader sucked the anti-Republican protest vote away from Gore.Canadian politics is different from American politics. The NDP isn't a negligible

[polkaroo79]

Nice post :) It's always intriguing to read what others outside of the country are seeing. Unfortunately, few people actually see it hahah so it's a much appreciated perspective

[u2biscuit]

Damn, you really seem to have your finger on the pulse of Canadian politics

[manitoblog]

Paul Martin: "Let me be clear, I will get to the bottom of this turbulence. This turbulence is a very, very fundamental issue. It's obvious that this turbulence hates Canada, and anyone who supports this turbulence hates Canada. If you're, uh, not a passenger on my plane, you're not Canadian. Sure, we, we, we took money from the 'engine' budget and put it, it, it into the 'my pocket' budget, but at least my plane isn't like that turbulence out there, trying to force me to make our airline better. Oh, and don't vote for the jet stream either, it's too erratic."

[bride]

7. Is anyone else mad that the election happened during the summer, and thus, out of the reach of the 22 Minutes gang?

I prefer the Air Farce bunch, myself, but I haven't had much time for TV in a while.

I'd like to hear what you have to say about the Greens if they become marginally significant in the future =)

[manitoblog]

I liked Air Farce until they became bitter, humourless hacks. As for the 22 Minutes people, they were always bitter, humourless hacks.

[bride]

Haha =) I think I stopped watching before that happened =D