Canada Election 2011

[Vaspinne]

Ew.. Tories get overall majority - my condolences to you guys. I realize they have the appearance of not being as bad as the GOP is here, but with a full four years to do anything they want don't be surprised when Harper goes crazy right-wing.

{Ignore this first paragraph, as it's incorrect}

I didn't really know what to expect from this election. I had a feeling the Conservatives would take it, but I didn't see a majority, and I didn't see the Liberals getting beaten as badly as they did. Well done to the NDP, and HAHAHAHAHAHA at the Bloc.

[Snick]

I love elections now. It makes trolling Facebook so easy.

[Skjie]

Just to correct you, the Tories can stay in charge for up to 5 years before another election must be held. Of course, depending on circumstances, it can happen before then. But it's not a set 4 years like in the US. Also, party leaders can serve how many ever terms they'd like (Harper's on his third now) as long as the party still wants them to lead.

Well, technically there is a law that mandates an election every 4 years.

[Blarg]

4 years until the next election lol

[Kaylia]

As a number of pundits have already said, not having the Bloc around could actually revive Separatism in a big way. For now, we see what happens over the next 4 years and who turns out to be right.

Unlikely at this point. With the bloc gone, and a very weak leadership for the Parti Québecois, I just don't see it happening.

They would need some major fuck up from the federal goverment, combined with a strong leading figure to reappears. It could happen of course, but it the odds arent there.

Ew.. Tories get overall majority - my condolences to you guys. I realize they have the appearance of not being as bad as the GOP is here, but with a full four years to do anything they want don't be surprised when Harper goes crazy right-wing.

And do what? Go to war with our 12 jets and sinking submarine?

[Vaspinne]

Well, I was wrong. And I'll admit it

Edit: I used to be right, but not since 2007:

Historically, the Prime Minister could ask the Governor General to call an election at virtually any time, although each Parliament has a maximum term of five years after the return of the writs of the last election under section 4 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The same provision applies in all provinces and territories, although some provinces have local laws that require elections to be even earlier. However, in 2007 Parliament passed an act fixing federal election dates every four years, unless the government loses the confidence of the House of Commons. Nevertheless, this law is largely symbolic[citation needed] as it does not curtail the power of the Prime Minister to request the dissolution of Parliament at any time, as demonstrated by the same Conservative government's call for elections one year prior to the legislated date without having lost a confidence motion.

In my defense, I graduated High School in 2006, and when I was taking Social Studies in school, it was a maximum of 5 years >_>

[Takedown3]

what we fucking need is goddam mandatory voting, i know so many fucktard 'liberals' who sat n there ass and didn't vote while the tories got to ride in on their golden helicopters. now those same retards are going to complain about the change that starts happening in their country.

you get 95% of the vote out like in Australia and let's fucking see who wins next time.

[aduidarnenye]

Ew.. Tories get overall majority - my condolences to you guys. I realize they have the appearance of not being as bad as the GOP is here, but with a full four years to do anything they want don't be surprised when Harper goes crazy right-wing.

I don't mind the PC fiscally because, well, Canada was the only western country to survive the economic meltdown more or less in tact. Not really much to do with Harper and more to do with good banking regulations but he was around during. As long as they don't reopen the abortion debate, like Harper promised, I won't mind it too much I suppose. Have to deal regardless. I can still write him emails. Not that I ever get anything but automated responses.

All the people on my Facebook are expressing utter disbelief at a Conservative majority, which tells me either this is completely surprising or I need to broaden my Facebook friends.

you get 95% of the vote out like in Australia and let's fucking see who wins next time.

I was talking to one of my students from Brazil yesterday who told me he doesn't understand why so few people in Canada voted because it's illegal to not vote in Brazil as well. My Saudi students looked on in confusion.

[Vandalhart]

Well, it's all over.

I'm not pleased with a PC majority, but truthfully, this election shouldn't have happened. It really seemed as if it was a whiny little child (the liberals) causing a fuss to try and get their way. The downfall of both the Liberal and Bloc parties has me pretty pleased as I believe they were the ones trying to orchestrate this.

I will give Harper his props. Things definitely didn't get worse after the economic crisis, and he does appear to stay out of the news scandal wise so I can at least respect him in that regard.

Perhaps in a few more elections we'll actually see an NDP get voted in as Prime Minister.

[Kaylia]

what we fucking need is goddam mandatory voting, i know so many fucktard 'liberals' who sat n there ass and didn't vote while the tories got to ride in on their golden helicopters. now those same retards are going to complain about the change that starts happening in their country.

you get 95% of the vote out like in Australia and let's fucking see who wins next time.

It would probably be the same result. The polls barely changed since last weeks.

[Mytiwar]

what we fucking need is goddam mandatory voting, i know so many fucktard 'liberals' who sat n there ass and didn't vote while the tories got to ride in on their golden helicopters. now those same retards are going to complain about the change that starts happening in their country.

you get 95% of the vote out like in Australia and let's fucking see who wins next time.

I'm just curious about what makes you think that if more people voted the results would change?
At least in Quebec the liberal voting demographic is pretty fricking old and we all know these people are the ones that actually show up the most at the voting poll. And well that didn't really happen so..?

Idk man, the people not voting are the ones that have to "deal with it" so the joke's on them. I'm just affraid mandatory voting would obligate people that don't give two shits about politics to go vote for the most physically appealing candidate because they just don't know any better. Really not sure the end result would be to have more people following the government's actions.

[Thoronas]

To the surprise of no one Michael Ignatieff has resigned.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/dec...297/story.html

Edit: Didn't notice but Duceppe stepped down too.

[Kaylia]

To the surprise of no one Michael Ignatieff has resigned.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/dec...297/story.html

Edit: Didn't notice but Duceppe stepped down too.

I find it funny these two wanted to start the election, and their head ended up rolling. They couldnt have picked a worse timing.

[aurik]

To be fair, the election would have been forced by the budget failure, and that would have been on Layton, but instead Ignatieff and Duceppe swooped in to steal the credit with the Contempt of Parliament motion.

[Cantih]

Interesting
http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...?docId=6744237

[Thoronas]

Interesting
http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...?docId=6744237

Wow for a 19 year old that's the sweetest gig you could ever get. 191,000 salary and since the Cons have a majority you will never do anything but sit and watch.

[Cantih]

you get 95% of the vote out like in Australia and let's fucking see who wins next time.

If I remember correctly how it was explained to me, the mandatory voting in Australia is part of what gets them governments with no clear majority. Leading to small, fringe, whackjob parties having the balance of power. Getting you things like the attempted ban on porn featuring team 34B, or the inability to establish an 18+ video game classification resulting in straight bans on a number of games.


Anyways, does anyone have any idea yet how the Bloc got completely abandoned in favor of the NDP?

[Hyriu]

I did not vote Bloc and I think(like many others, probably) that after 21 years of constant opposition in Ottawa that people wanted to try something new and that something new was the NDP and Jack Layton. There were no real incentives to vote massively for the Bloc like in the past with the Meech Lake Accord failure or the sponsorship scandal.

On top of that, the NDP bashing campaign Duceppe started around April 20th really didn't go as well as he had planned, apparently.

I personally voted Green because the NDP candidate in my riding was the one who went to Las Vegas and lives in Hull/never campaigned and speaks little to no French at all. I was stunned when I saw she was elected...

[Cantih]

Yeah, I'm looking at a news article on some of these people and wow, what a motley crew.
I can only hope that show themselves to be unexpectedly awesome, would be wonderful.

Ok, the Vegas lady is kinda hot.

[Mazmaz]

http://i54.tinypic.com/nme1ao.jpg