Canpol: Election Imminent?

[KrazyHorse]

This is fascinating politics.

[embalmer42]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


We're in minority government territory right now. It's very unstable. When we have a majority government (most of the time) we have elections every 4 years or so (the legal maximum for a government's term is 5 years, but most majority governments choose to call after 4 years, unless they feel like they're in real trouble).

IIRC the Liberals under Chretien (spelling?) never went a full 4 years before calling an election. I would be interested in knowing exactly how long each of their terms lasted before they pulled the plug (not interested enough to look it up myself mind you)

[Agathon]

How many people do you think will vote? I get the impression that most people don't care.

Of course the journalists are slavering, because it will enable them to get away from contemplating their own empty, meaningless lives.

[KrazyHorse]

25 Oct 1993
2 June 1997
27 Nov 2000
28 June 2004

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Agathon
How many people do you think will vote? I get the impression that most people don't care

I've voted in every federal, provincial and local election for which I have been eligible.

[embalmer42]

Originally posted by Agathon
How many people do you think will vote? I get the impression that most people don't care.

I would imagine an actual election campaign would change things (a lot might still not care but they would vote, although probably not in any greater numbers then usual).

[Fake Boris]

I don't vote.

[Agathon]

I've voted in every federal, provincial and local election for which I have been eligible.

So you want a hero biscuit?

[St Leo]

I neglected to vote in recent municipal elections because I had no idea who the candidates were and what platforms they were running on.

Federally and provincially, I have voted in all the elections I could have -- one each.^-^

[Agathon]

Do you live in a safe riding? If you do there is no point voting. I used to vote for the NZ equiv of the Monster Raving Loony Party as the Communists didn't stand in our town.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


Actually, they're trying to get the Commons to pass a motion telling the finance committee to tell the government to resign. Not quite the same thing. The only definition of a confidence vote that I could find goes as follows:

Originally posted by notyoueither
It should be pointed out that the motion in question is only necessary since the government is shielding itself by not allowing opposition days.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Agathon
Do you live in a safe riding? If you do there is no point voting. I used to vote for the NZ equiv of the Monster Raving Loony Party as the Communists didn't stand in our town.

There is always a point in voting in federal elections now since your party of choice gets funding per vote cast for them.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by Agathon
Do you live in a safe riding? If you do there is no point voting. I used to vote for the NZ equiv of the Monster Raving Loony Party as the Communists didn't stand in our town.

Dude, voting is the honourable thing to do. It sets a good example, and it motivates you to get involved and promote your party of choice.

Marxist sillines aside, humanity is composed of individuals, not masses. Each vote is the decision of an individual. If I vote, then that indicates that individuals similar to me are also likely to vote, and my goal in life is make more people resemble me.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
The key here is what language is in the amendment, nye. Does it "state explicitly" that the government does not have the confidence of the House, or does it just ask the finance committee to ask the government to resign? Those are two different things.

That's because Tory strategists, in their bid to trigger a snap election, have taken a page out of the play book of their 1920s Conservative colleagues who, led by leader Arthur Meighen, forced Liberal prime minister Mackenzie King to resign in 1926 using a motion that amounted to a censure of government.

A very similar motion turned up in Parliament last month on April 22 when Conservative Leader Stephen Harper moved a motion to amend a committee report on the budget that had been reported back to the Commons from the House Finance Committee. That motion calls on the "government resign over refusing to accept some of the committee's key recommendations and to implement the budgetary changes that Canadians need."

It is expected to come to a vote on May 17 or May 18.

Such a tactic, of trying to bring down the government by amending a committee report with a censure motion, was used by Meighen's Conservatives 79 years ago this spring.

At the time, Mackenzie King's Liberals were in a minority situation and facing a government scandal, much like Paul Martin's Liberals of today. Mackenzie King's problems were linked to corruption in the customs department, however, not public works.

On June 22, 1926, Conservative MP Henry Stevens moved an amendment to a committee report on the alleged scandal. It described "the conduct of the government and the Prime Minister" as "wholly indefensible" and "the conduct of the minister of customs" as "utterly unjustifiable."

The motion, however, never came to a vote. Knowing his defeat was at hand, the wily Mackenzie King asked for a dissolution of Parliament from Lord Byng, the governor general of the day.

The intent is obvious, nonconfidence in the government. The Liberals have left the opposition no other choice by yanking opposition days and dinking around with the budget. If it passes when it comes back to the house, the government should fall.

If Martin is such a whore for power that he decides to ignore a majority against him on this measure, then it will be a sad day indeed in Ottawa.

[Agathon]

Dude, voting is the honourable thing to do. It sets a good example, and it motivates you to get involved and promote your party of choice.

When you live in a borough that has been gerrymandered to make anything but a conservative win impossible, that just doesn't work.

Under FPTP only about 20% of seats in NZ were realistically contested. Those people decided the elections.

Your argument is fallacious BTW.