# I Pit Every Politician In Canada **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499 "2008-12-10T03:32:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/41 "2008-12-15T18:55:11Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So, do French-Canadians in general speak English with that curious accent, or is it just Dion? I would say that Dion has more of a Parisian French accent than a lot of French Canadians; he sounds about halfway between the two to me. It’s a little bit funny how French-Canadian accents on American tv are usually a Parisian French accent, not a Quebecois accent, however. **Elvis** , we’re complaining because we DO feel responsible for good government; it wouldn’t be bothering us if we didn’t care. I think most of the people complaining here vote in the elections and follow politics and try to make informed decisions; we’re doing our part, and we would like it if our polticians would stop being such shitheads. ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/42 "2008-12-15T20:39:09Z")
**ElvisL1ves** , I don’t doubt that many who enter politics do so with non-venal motives. There have certainly been instances where politicians have managed to achieve something good. I haven’t seen anything good lately from the current crop of federal party leaders (not really including Iggy, he barely got the job), so I think I’m justified in being ticked off with them all. When any of them start behaving like statesmen instead of scum, complete with policies that are actually about trying to improve the way the country is governed in a realistic way rather than merely trying to broaden their support base or score points, then I’ll start having respect for that politician again. I don’t want to vote for any of these clowns right now, lest they take my vote as an indication that I support them, 'cause I don’t. When my choice has to be “who appears to be the least incompetent of this bunch to run the country” AND I have yet to figure out an answer to that question, then I think I’m justified. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/43 "2008-12-15T20:57:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > What a \*great \*way to excuse yourselves from accepting responsibility as citizens for your democracy. :rolleyes: Straightforward, clear, requires no thought, makes you feel self-righteous, all the good things a simpleminded attitude has … Your comments are stupid, miss the point, betray a complete ignorance of the events in question, and in any event [you are a proven liar](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=478980), and seem to hate Canada, so anything you say on the subject is unlikely to be honest or valuable. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/44 "2008-12-16T06:48:24Z")
I thought of another reason we are feeling this way about politicians right now - if we are going to have a serous economic crisis, I want the politicians running the country working on THAT, not playing petty power games. Jerks. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/45 "2008-12-16T14:03:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Your comments are stupid, miss the point All invective, zero content, as usual for you. Thanks for providing additional evidence of my statement, as if any were needed, which it weren’t. Now do try to grow the fuck up. “In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve.” - Tocqueville ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/46 "2008-12-16T14:15:37Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > **Elvis** , we’re complaining because we DO feel responsible for good government I certainly hope so. You have a funny way of showing it, though: > [@](#): > > we would like it if our polticians would stop being such shitheads. It really is distressing to see so many of you showing so little interest in your nation as a whole, beyond what you see in it for your region or even province. While we certainly do have our problems down here with many seeing the national government as just a cow to be milked, it does seem as if there is a far smaller percentage of you who see yourselves as citizens of a nation before you are citizens of a province or region. You don’t seem to have much interest as a whole in any of your parties even trying to represent an overall national interest. Is your rampant regionalism the fault of your politicians being “shitheads” or the fault of their constituency for not wanting anything more from them? The example of the current antidemocratic squabble in Commons does, at least, provide a good answer for the regular assertions in GD about how the US needs a third party. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/47 "2008-12-16T14:30:03Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > All invective, zero content, You’re right, actually, my post was mostly invective. My reference to your being stupid and a liar should have been put in the Pit. Oh, wait. This IS the Pit, _the place for invective-laden, content-light posts_. Go away, troll. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/48 "2008-12-16T16:07:48Z")
Recognizing that you have a problem is the first step to solving it. Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/49 "2008-12-16T20:55:49Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > It really is distressing to see so many of you showing so little interest in your nation as a whole, beyond what you see in it for your region or even province. How disingenuous. Despite all the Canadians who have posted in this thread, nobody has shown any interest at all about what they see in it for their region or province, but have shown plenty of interest in their nation as a whole. > [@](#): > > it does seem as if there is a far smaller percentage of you who see yourselves as citizens of a nation before you are citizens of a province or region. I do not for one moment believe that Canadians are more likely to identify as citizens of a province or region (before the nation) than Americans are to identify as a citizen of a state or region (before the nation). Even in the unlikely event that it’s true, the posters on this board (to whom you are referring) do not demonstrate it. Can I please see your evidence? It seems that **RickJay** is quite right about you: > [@](#): > > Your comments are stupid, miss the point, betray a complete ignorance of the events in question, and in any event you are a proven liar, and seem to hate Canada, so anything you say on the subject is unlikely to be honest or valuable. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/50 "2008-12-16T22:19:25Z")
It’s good to see that **Elvis** can be an idiot about foreign politics, and not just domestic. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/51 "2008-12-17T01:03:39Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > I do not for one moment believe that Canadians are more likely to identify as citizens of a province or region (before the nation) than Americans are to identify as a citizen of a state or region (before the nation). Even in the unlikely event that it’s true, the posters on this board (to whom you are referring) do not demonstrate it. Can I please see your evidence? Limiting it to just this thread, disingenuously? You know better. Anyway, playing along: > [@featherlou](#): > > this is the lives of 30 million people and (arguably) six almost completely different regions we’re talking about here. > [@prodicus](#): > > Also, I agree with foolsguinea in that NF should be viewed as quite distinct from the Maritimes, and I think Newfoundlanders would agree. > [@Euphonious Polemic](#): > > Thanks for not lumping BC in with the Prairies. We’re whacko here! . Shall we continue? :dubious: Do note, btw, the absolute lack of any constructive suggestions from any of you about how any of them should do their jobs better, to be the \*national \*party leaders you claim to want. Granted, this is the Pit, but there’s nothing beyond “They all just suck” in GD either, even at this moment of what should be a crisis - perhaps you’d care to give it a try? Do note, too, that the fact is that your major parties \*are \*all essentially regional, and one is even devoted by policy to destroying Canada. Why do you think that is - is it that they all really do suck, or that they’re just tailoring their marketing approaches to the consumer demand that exists? > [@](#): > > It seems that **RickJay** is quite right about you: Is this going to be more of the typical pattern from you folks here? Me: You guys aren’t as wonderful as you might like to think, you know - here’s an example of why. Canadian 1: Invective! CITE? Invective! Me: Links and quotes, including from Canadians, supporting observation. Canadian 2: Invective! You haven’t given any cite or evidence! Invective! Me: Scroll up, fool. And here’s more for you, too Canadian 3 (with growing incoherence): Invective! Invective! Nope, I see no sign of true acceptance of responsibility of citizenship here, no action, no goals defined, no alternatives discussed, just tut-tutting and condemnation merely labeled as responsibility. 'Tis a pity. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/52 "2008-12-17T01:12:45Z")
Have you visited IMHO or GD lately, where we have had multiple multiple-page threads discussing exactly what is wrong and exactly what should be done to fix it? Or are you judging all of Canada from one frustrated Pit thread? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499/53 "2008-12-17T01:32:10Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Have you visited IMHO or GD lately, where we have had multiple multiple-page threads discussing exactly what is wrong and exactly what should be done to fix it? Or are you judging all of Canada from one frustrated Pit thread? Don’t bother. You won’t get an honest response; it’s turned into a thread about his hatred of Canadians. I’ll ask the thread be closed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-every-politician-in-canada/476499.md?page=2)