# The Canadian Election Thread. (Or maybe not...) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 21, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419 "2011-03-21T00:51:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/381 "2011-04-12T19:03:06Z")
59% of whoever was polled dislike the cheating dishonest Conservatives. There’s hope for my country yet. Not my province, though. Alberta should just import some guns and some armadillos and call itself “L’il Texas” officially. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/382 "2011-04-12T19:04:37Z")
That’s about it, **malthus**. I hate all the corrupt shit that the Conservatives seem to be doing (I say “seem” because it’s awfully convenient timing for all of this to be coming out at this exact moment), but I am afraid that a Liberal government will ruin us as a country. I’m not alone in thinking that Liberals in power will mean NEP II: Electric Boogaloo and that will be a Very Bad Thing for all of us, not just people in Alberta and Saskatchewan. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/383 "2011-04-12T19:17:34Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > It is not in a sense that in order to be comparable at a point in time (5 years ago) both sides should have a demonstrable record of governing where one record of governing shows to be ethically better than the other at the same job. Since Conservatives as such did not have experience to speak of there was no ethical advantage to speak of. They had, at best, potential to be better. As demonstrated (5 years later) they suck big time. I don’t think you understood the Globe article you claim to be so wrong. They’re taking about having an edge in the context of an election, in the ability to win votes. They weren’t saying which side was actually more ethical. [QUOTE=The Tooth] Alberta should just import some guns and some armadillos and call itself “L’il Texas” officially. [/QUOTE] Accusing people who disagree with you of being somehow less Canadian than you are is not an admirable approach to political discourse. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/384 "2011-04-12T19:58:49Z")
I am sick of the irrational fear of another National Energy Program. It is as if the province is afraid the ghost of Pierre Elliott Trudeau is going to rise from the grave & steal all the oil & take all their jobs away. Perhaps nobody here has noticed that more than just Alberta has oil now, there is oil in B.C. and Saskatchewan now. Also it seems that they have no clue that the west has far more power than it did in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Even if the NDP got in power, there is no way an NEP like program would be put in place. It is a strawman being promoted by the far right to scare people here into voting Tory. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/385 "2011-04-12T20:59:33Z")
'To wear a shirt that’s relatively clean You needn’t even launder off the dirt If you have two shirts to choose between And always change into the cleaner shirt." - Piet Hein, “A Grook with nothing whatsoever to do with the two party system.” Here’s hoping there will be some good points raised at the debates over the next two nights. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/386 "2011-04-12T21:07:54Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > 'To wear a shirt that’s relatively clean > You needn’t even launder off the dirt > If you have two shirts to choose between > And always change into the cleaner shirt." > > - Piet Hein, “A Grook with nothing whatsoever to do with the two party system.” Heh, brilliant aphorism. Very appropriate. 😃 ---
**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:** [April 12, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/387 "2011-04-12T23:18:48Z")
> [@lexi](#): > > I am sick of the irrational fear of another National Energy Program. It is as if the province is afraid the ghost of Pierre Elliott Trudeau is going to rise from the grave & steal all the oil & take all their jobs away. > > Perhaps nobody here has noticed that more than just Alberta has oil now, there is oil in B.C. and Saskatchewan now. > > Also it seems that they have no clue that the west has far more power than it did in the 1970’s and 1980’s. > > Even if the NDP got in power, there is no way an NEP like program would be put in place. > > It is a strawman being promoted by the far right to scare people here into voting Tory. [Jack Layton wants to eliminate $2 billion in subsidies for oilsands.](http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/QPeriod/20110331/ndp-layton-110331/) [Ignatieff wants to stop oil shipments from being shipped from the West coast, and cap-and-trade policies put in place.](http://www.calgaryherald.com/story_print.html?id=4552528&sponsor=curriebarracks) > [@](#): > > The federal Liberals plan to establish a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, formalize a ban on crude oil tankers moving through the West Coast, and develop a clean energy partnership with provinces, territories and industry…the most contentious section of the Liberals’ environmental platform proved to be the promise to introduce a cap-and-trade system, a mechanism that limits the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by large industries and auctions off permits to companies who can trade and stay within the law. [A look at some opinions on cap-and-trade policies.](http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/Liberal+environmental+policy+will+erode+living+standards/4587919/story.html) Then there’s the whole idea that natural resources are supposed to be the jurisdiction of the provinces, not the federal government. I would dearly love to see the oil and gas industries properly regulated and large efforts put into making them more environmentally sound, but putting a large, federal government boot on the neck of the oil and gas industry is not the solution. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/388 "2011-04-12T23:20:03Z")
I’m watching/listening to the debate on www.cbc.ca and they’re occasionally popping up a survery question. Can’t they tell I’m not in Canada, and won’t be able to vote? I’m answering anyway. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/389 "2011-04-12T23:33:34Z")
For those of you who have a better view on TV, is Harper wearing a Canadian flag lapel pin? ---
**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:** [April 12, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/390 "2011-04-12T23:35:07Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’m watching/listening to the debate on www.cbc.ca and they’re occasionally popping up a survery question. Can’t they tell I’m not in Canada, and won’t be able to vote? I’m answering anyway. 😃 Are they asking for your postal code? Just use H0H 0H0. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/391 "2011-04-12T23:38:44Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Are they asking for your postal code? Just use H0H 0H0. 😃 No, they’re not. I’d just go dig up my old one in Ottawa. Duceppe’s suit looks horrible. He’s asking decent questions, though. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/392 "2011-04-12T23:45:15Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > No, they’re not. I’d just go dig up my old one in Ottawa. Come to think of it, that’s what I did for the political compass thing. There must be a cookie remembering it. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/393 "2011-04-12T23:50:19Z")
Crap. I had it in my head the debate started at 8 and I missed 45 minutes of it. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/394 "2011-04-12T23:51:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Crap. I had it in my head the debate started at 8 and I missed 45 minutes of it. Hah. I’m missing The Simpsons for it! You missed 45 minutes of Layton just flat out kicking ass, by the way. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/395 "2011-04-12T23:59:30Z")
Harper has just pissed me off. It is not valid for a coalition to take the government if no party in that coalition has won the most seats. Duceppe: “You’re full of something!” Canada’s government depends on winning the confidence of the House. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/396 "2011-04-13T00:10:10Z")
The immigration debate is surreal. Since when did we stop letting people immigrate? 2010 saw the highest level of immigration into Canada in my lifetime. Jack Layton - not just tonight, but repeatedly throughout the campaign - keeps making promises that the federal government will do things that are provincial responsibilities. It’s funny that there’s so much talk about Constitutional issues when it comes to Parliament, buit evidently not when it comes to the division of powers between the federal and provincial governments. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/397 "2011-04-13T00:11:42Z")
Oh, and four people’s too many. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/398 "2011-04-13T00:15:07Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Oh, and four people’s too many. I agree, but I don’t see how it can be avoided as things stand now. (Layton’s support of proportional representation would make things even worse.) ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/399 "2011-04-13T00:23:32Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I agree, but I don’t see how it can be avoided as things stand now. (Layton’s support of proportional representation would make things even worse.) Easy. Tell Duceppe he can’t join the party unless he runs candidates in every riding in the country. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/400 "2011-04-13T00:25:19Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Crap. I had it in my head the debate started at 8 and I missed 45 minutes of it. You must not be the only one. The video has just flat out died on me in the last 20 minutes. Audio is OK, thankfully. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419.md?page=21)