CANPOL: Today is election day

[Fake Boris]

Flubber, the Bloc does not feel okay. It started the campaign with more than 50% support, and it went down to 43%.

[Garth Vader]

Originally posted by RedFred


No! Not tax cut giveaways! God save us from those evil tax cut giveaways!

When it's a capital gains tax cut that's only going to affect the richest Canadians I think we'd rather just have the extra tax revenue.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Oncle Boris
Flubber, the Bloc does not feel okay. It started the campaign with more than 50% support, and it went down to 43%.

True but lost only 3 seats-- I didn't say they were "happy" but when they started to see the re-emergence of the conservatives they had to be worried that their support could have melted down even further.

I'm betting they feel "OK" with the result-- ie not great , not crushed-- its "ok"

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Garth Vader


When it's a capital gains tax cut that's only going to affect the richest Canadians I think we'd rather just have the extra tax revenue.

The capital gains debate has been going on since the implementation of income taxes and I think the debate will continue forever. Proponents of a capital gains tax will say a "buck is a buck" and should all be taxed as income. Opponents say that investment is different, that we should encourage people to invest since it creates jobs, wealth, prosperity etc and that investment often carries risk

[Ben Kenobi]

Not terribly shocking, but it was interesting to see how poorly some of the high profile "christian conservative" candidates did around here, even with (or, as BK will be sure to argue, because of) the great job Harper did of muzzling them. Darrel Reid, Cindy Silver and John Weston all lost very winnable ridings in Vancouver suburbs.

That is the disappointment. I plan to talk to a good friend of mine to discuss this very point. If the candidates do better by being open and forthright on this issue, then Harper is doing his party no favours on election day by muzzling them.

I can't say for certain whether they were helped or hurt, but Russ Heibert who took plenty of shots from the Left seemed to be immune. The other candidates would do well to take note of Russ's efforts.

[Ben Kenobi]

Opponents say that investment is different, that we should encourage people to invest since it creates jobs, wealth, prosperity etc and that investment often carries risk

It's not that the investment is different, but that it gets taxed twice.

[Ben Kenobi]

But looking at the results, it was a whole bunch of "I'll send back the same MP as last time"-- incremental rather than wholesale changes

I thought conservatives favoured slow change.

I see it like this. Daddy has a beautiful new convertible. He just wants to ride in the car with Harper before he lets Harper take off on his own.

The Conservatives have to see this as a training run, and force the Liberals and NDP to be obstructionist. The Bloc are not going to be belligerent, since in another election, they would face a Conservative party that actually has organisation and strength in rural Quebec.

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi The Bloc are not going to be belligerent, since in another election, they would face a Conservative party that actually has organisation and strength in rural Quebec.

That's one way of looking at it. On the other hand there's always the "The country is now being led by a bunch of social conservative - redneck cowboys from Alberta who don't know anything - and don't care about - Quebec. Hell, they can't even speak french." rhetoric that they can use.

[Garth Vader]

Originally posted by Flubber


The capital gains debate has been going on since the implementation of income taxes and I think the debate will continue forever. Proponents of a capital gains tax will say a "buck is a buck" and should all be taxed as income. Opponents say that investment is different, that we should encourage people to invest since it creates jobs, wealth, prosperity etc and that investment often carries risk

I am not going to argue too much on this because I don't know enough about capital gains. But I'd think if I had that kind of money I'd still invest it, even if I took a bit of a tax hit. You are still better off than if you just piled it up in your bathroom.

[Peter Triggs]

Allowing people to roll over capital gains is good for pensioners. It makes it easier for savers to build up a fund which they can then draw on in their more advanced years.

[Garth Vader]

Originally posted by Peter Triggs
Allowing people to roll over capital gains is good for pensioners. It makes it easier for savers to build up a fund which they can then draw on in their more advanced years.

RRSP's are already tax sheltered and deductable.

[Fake Boris]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
That is the disappointment. I plan to talk to a good friend of mine to discuss this very point. If the candidates do better by being open and forthright on this issue, then Harper is doing his party no favours on election day by muzzling them.

Get a reality check - it would NOT help them. Why do you think that Harper's organization denied access of the local candidates to the national press?

[Ben Kenobi]

Why do you think that Harper's organization denied access of the local candidates to the national press?

Who is talking about national press? I'm talking about responding to questionnaires and the like directed at specific candidates.

Right now, the Conservatives won't even allow the MPs to speak within their own riding, let alone nationally.

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Right now, the Conservatives won't even allow the MPs to speak within their own riding, let alone nationally.

Well, how else would their kooks get elected?

[Ben Kenobi]

Darrel Reid, Cindy Silver and John Weston all lost very winnable ridings in Vancouver suburbs.

Plus Eidsvick and Forseth. That makes 5 ridings in Greater Vancouver lost in close races. Looks like they had some hard luck.