CanPol: Thread of the Year Edition

[KrazyHorse]

You mean the insignificant part of the country which has produced the prime ministers for 36 of the last 37 years?

[Asher]

That's the one, it says a lot about how screwed up our government is, doesn't it?

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Flubber
The dynamics of this campaign seems weird. The Liberals appear to make gaffe after gaffe yet it hasn't shown much in the polls (I will be interested in the first polls after the "beer and popcorn" comments really settle in)

The Conservatives have the same problem as the NDP. I'd bet the majority of the NDP loyalists don't believe their party can form the next government, and that's why they won't.

Conservatives think the Liberals will do something that will scare away voters, the Liberals will do something to divide Canadians, the Liberals will hoodwink people in Ontario.

Meanwhile, the Liberals are supremely confident that they are the governing party and that attitude sways voters. It gives them a psychological edge over the Conservatives and the NDP.

When the Liberals make a gaffe, they don't sweat about it. When the Conservatives make a gaffe, they start complaining about the "liberal" media. They complain about how it us so unfair.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Flubber
The dynamics of this campaign seems weird. The Liberals appear to make gaffe after gaffe yet it hasn't shown much in the polls (I will be interested in the first polls after the "beer and popcorn" comments really settle in)

Yet at the same time it seems like everyone expects SOMETHING heck ANYTHING to pop up that will kill the Harper campaign-- like a Kleinism or maybe George Bush saying "Harper is my kind of guy". . . or maybe Martin will just chant "gay marriage" for the last 5 days of the campaign . . . It just seems that no matter how harper does, everyone thinks he will explode and so everyone waits for it.

Yet the Liberal "hidden agenda" on healthcare is not talked about. As I understand it, Charest postponed a major healthcare announcement until after the election campaign.

When Klein did the same last campaign the chorus of "hidden agenda" was deafening.

How about it CBC?

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm shocked that Martin talked about being in favour of an elected Senate. He's really scrambling to find votes.

Holy ****

[Ben Kenobi]

The Conservatives have the same problem as the NDP. I'd bet the majority of the NDP loyalists don't believe their party can form the next government, and that's why they won't.

Uh, I'm a 'Conservative loyalist' and I think they can form government.

[Ben Kenobi]

apparently there was at least one other Liberal that gave a similar message the same day but I think it was a toned down version with no popcorn and beer quote to rile people up

I guess you missed out on Mr. Dryden's responses to criticisms that if the government is providing money to parents to put their kids in daycare, that they should also support those who choose to keep their kids at home.

He said that choosing to take care of your kids at home is no different then preventing them from going to the doctor. Child care is best left to the 'professionals.'

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
You mean the insignificant part of the country which has produced the prime ministers for 36 of the last 37 years?

Forget about Prime Ministers: 24 Stanley cups!!!

[Ben Kenobi]

But like many of their promises, if it was something they wanted to do, why haven't they moved on it in the last er I don't know TWELVE YEARS.

Exactly. This has been a core plank of the old Reform party for how long? Glad to know Mr. Martin can lie to Canadians.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


I guess you missed out on Mr. Dryden's responses to criticisms that if the government is providing money to parents to put their kids in daycare, that they should also support those who choose to keep their kids at home.

He said that choosing to take care of your kids at home is no different then preventing them from going to the doctor. Child care is best left to the 'professionals.'

He also said if it wasn't gov regulated daycare it wasn't "real" daycare.

Slap to the face of all stay at home parents.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


I guess you missed out on Mr. Dryden's responses to criticisms that if the government is providing money to parents to put their kids in daycare, that they should also support those who choose to keep their kids at home.

He said that choosing to take care of your kids at home is no different then preventing them from going to the doctor. Child care is best left to the 'professionals.'

NO it wasn't Dryden they quoted but some other Liberal but the message was the same as what Dryden said in that the idea was government knows best.

Of course the ironic thing in all this is that there would be a not insignificant portion of the population that would spend their "child care money" on popcorn and beer. Of course that still compares reasonably favorably to money spent on , adscam, gun registry, party hack senators, cancelled helicopter deals, sweet patronage appointments etc etc

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Uh, I'm a 'Conservative loyalist' and I think they can form government.

Given your US presidential election predictions I'm not sure that's meaningful...

[KrazyHorse]

Given his predictions in the previous Canadian election, it's not.

He hasn't the foggiest when it comes to that.

[Flinx]

Here are my seat predictions based (solely) on polling data collected by The Strategic Counsel between Dec 8 and Dec 13 (n=2500)

Canada .....123 94 24 67 0
BC ..........13 12 11  0 0
AB............0 28  0  0 0
SK MB.........6 20  2  0 0
ON...........71 27  8  0 0
QC............8  0  0 67 0
NB NS PE NL..22  7  3  0 0


Everyone can now get back to discussing the issues

[DanS]

More quotes from the US ambassador...

He said Canada shows little respect for U.S. concerns. He acknowledged irritants such as the softwood lumber dispute and the war in Iraq, but called on Canada to accentuate the positive.

"What if one of your best friends criticized you directly and indirectly almost relentlessly? What if that friend's agenda was to highlight your perceived flaws while avoiding mentioning your successes? What if that friend demanded respect but offered little in return? Wouldn't that begin to sow the seeds of doubt in your mind about the strength of your friendship?" Mr. Wilkins said.