# 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:** 59
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1161 "2011-05-05T02:00:25Z")
This is too funny not to post. I’ll grant that Harper’s French has improved over the past five years, but…well…someone might want to teach him that we don’t generally replace Ls with rolling Rs…! [Les érections fédérales de Stephen Harper.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-P08sAY1P4&feature=player_embedded) Only 4 erections in 7 years. Poor guy! 😃 :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1162 "2011-05-05T02:09:43Z")
An update on Ms Brosseau: [NewNDP MP accused of falsifying noination papers](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-ndp-mp-accused-of-falsifying-nomination-papers/article2009898/): > [@](#): > > Already infamous as the NDP candidate who vacationed in Las Vegas during the election campaign, newly elected Quebec MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau is now accused of having bogus names on her nomination paper. > > Four people whose names are on Ms. Brosseau’s endorsement list have told The Globe that they don’t remember signing the document. > … > Other names on the list aren’t riding residents or say that they weren’t told who the candidate was, another breach of electoral rules. > > The allegations, first made by the defeated Liberal and Conservative candidates, raise further questions about Ms. Brosseau, one of many political neophytes who rode the NDP wave that swept through Quebec. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1163 "2011-05-05T03:11:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > An update on Ms Brosseau: > > [NewNDP MP accused of falsifying noination papers](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-ndp-mp-accused-of-falsifying-nomination-papers/article2009898/): That’s some serious shit. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1164 "2011-05-05T03:16:11Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > This is too funny not to post. I’ll grant that Harper’s French has improved over the past five years, but…well…someone might want to teach him that we don’t generally replace Ls with rolling Rs…! > > [Les érections fédérales de Stephen Harper.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-P08sAY1P4&feature=player_embedded) > > Only 4 erections in 7 years. Poor guy! 😃 :smack: Yeah. It’s generally hilarious to make fun of someone who slips up while not speaking in his mother tongue. You wouldn’t believe the knee-slapping hilarity we all had with Jean Chretien. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1165 "2011-05-05T03:27:19Z")
I remain amazed that something like this could be allowed to happen with a major national party. Seriously, you only need to come up with 308 people. That’s it. I know parties put up sacrificial lambs (btw, where the hell is matt and why wasn’t he running in this one?) but you can’t find 75 party volunteers and check out their nomination papers? Jesus, it can’t be that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1166 "2011-05-05T03:38:32Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > An update on Ms Brosseau: > > [NewNDP MP accused of falsifying noination papers](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-ndp-mp-accused-of-falsifying-nomination-papers/article2009898/): Tsk, tsk, tsk. A simple vetting by the party could have confirmed her qualifications amd eligability, but the requirement to run candidates in every riding was more important than ensuring quality candidates. Seems like a basic disregard for the Canadian people and what they expect from their elected representatives. And this Layton fellow would make a good PM when he can’t get such simple things like this correct? Imagine what he would ignore or overlook if he was in power especially those things that are far more complex than a simple candidate vetting? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1167 "2011-05-05T03:43:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > btw, where the hell is matt and why wasn’t he running in this one? Where is Matt? He’s always had interesting and informed commentary during elections, but I don’t recall seeing him much during this past campaign. Is he just busy? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1168 "2011-05-05T04:07:59Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I don’t recall seeing him much during this past campaign. Is he just busy? I think you just answered your own question. 🙂 ---
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1169 "2011-05-05T04:48:34Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Tsk, tsk, tsk. A simple vetting by the party could have confirmed her qualifications amd eligability, but the requirement to run candidates in every riding was more important than ensuring quality candidates. Seems like a basic disregard for the Canadian people and what they expect from their elected representatives. And this Layton fellow would make a good PM when he can’t get such simple things like this correct? Imagine what he would ignore or overlook if he was in power especially those things that are far more complex than a simple candidate vetting? You realize that it’s not up to the leader of a party to select or vet nominees, yes? NDP organization in much of Quebec has always been pretty thin on the ground, so it’s scarcely surprising that something like this could happen. It would have just been an amusing footnote like that candidate from 2006 or 2008 (can’t remember) who had videos of himself smoking dope online, except apparently the voters of Quebec don’t pay attention to who they’re voting for aside from party affiliation. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1170 "2011-05-05T05:00:36Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > You realize that it’s not up to the leader of a party to select or vet nominees, yes? You do realize that if the Conservatives had done this there would be any number of reasons why Harper was responsible according to his opponents? I’m just turning the tables, so to speak. It is the responsibility of the party to ensure that the people who represent it are the best people for the job. Layton is the leader of that party. The buck stops with him. Now I don’t expect him to be a mind reader and know the innermost mind of every candidate out there. But come on. Very minor and little leg work would have caught this. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1171 "2011-05-05T05:12:44Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > You do realize that if the Conservatives had done this there would be any number of reasons why Harper was responsible according to his opponents? > > I’m just turning the tables, so to speak. > > It is the responsibility of the party to ensure that the people who represent it are the best people for the job. Layton is the leader of that party. The buck stops with him. Now I don’t expect him to be a mind reader and know the innermost mind of every candidate out there. But come on. Very minor and little leg work would have caught this. No, actually, I don’t realize that. Party leaders who try to overrule riding associations on nominees have historically taken flak for doing so. The political leader of a party is not responsible for the running of the organizational apparatus of the party. That is the job of the party president. In the case of the Tories, that’d be John Walsh. In the case of the NDP, it’s… well, I can’t actually find that information on their website. But it’s not Layton. I’m very confident that the NDP party constitution spells out the process for choosing nominees, and I’m equally confident that it doesn’t include a step where the political leader of the party is obliged to review anything. I would expect the riding association holds a nomination meeting during which local party members vote for a nominee. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1172 "2011-05-05T06:19:24Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > …and I’m equally confident that it doesn’t include a step where the political leader of the party is obliged to review anything. Then I’m sure you will be front and center if the Conservatives, or any other party you may not be a supporter of, runs into the same issue in the future with your support. I, on the other hand, expect the leader of a party to show some interest in ensuring the people he expects support from are worth supporting in turn. Because it isn’t the party president who has to stand up in front of everyone to support them. And even if the doesn’t have a say, he should have a clue just in case he does form a government so he doesn’t give the person a position they are totally unsuited for or overlook someone who would be a better candidate than he’d normally choose because of other reasons. > [@](#): > > In the case of the NDP, it’s… well, I can’t actually find that information on their website. A Peggy Nash? I found an old press release from 2009. Maybe they are so disorganized they don’t really know? Or are embarrased to say? Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1173 "2011-05-05T12:15:12Z")
I guess we’ll see what becomes of it; no one has actually filed a formal complaint yet, afaik. It’s a little odd though. One person who complained said “I don’t remember signing it. Sure that looks like my signature, but that other one is definitely not my wife’s signature.” But anyway, if it turns out there are a couple of dicey signatures on a Conservative candidate’s nomination papers, I pinky swear not to rake Harper over the coals for it. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1174 "2011-05-05T13:56:47Z")
Too bad Matt didn’t run. Would have been fun for him to become MattMCLMP. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1175 "2011-05-05T15:48:05Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Tsk, tsk, tsk. A simple vetting by the party could have confirmed her qualifications amd eligability, but the requirement to run candidates in every riding was more important than ensuring quality candidates. Seems like a basic disregard for the Canadian people and what they expect from their elected representatives. And this Layton fellow would make a good PM when he can’t get such simple things like this correct? Imagine what he would ignore or overlook if he was in power especially those things that are far more complex than a simple candidate vetting? Tsk nothing, an accusation is an accusation and we’ll see what substance is behind it soon. In the meantime Brosseau was knowingly elected by the people of her riding; I’d call that a strong confirmation of both her qualifications and eligibility. [ > [@](#): > > The exit poll analysis found that everyone knew about the NDP’s so-called “Vegas girl.” Indeed, Ms. Brosseau won office even though it was well-publicized that she barely spoke French, that she had spent little time during the election in her Quebec riding and that she went to Vegas on holiday. ]([http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/why-voters-elected-the-ndps-vegas-girl-anyway/article2010885/](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/why-voters-elected-the-ndps-vegas-girl-anyway/article2010885/))Take that with the fact that [There’s nothing new about placeholder candidates becoming MPs](http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/theres-nothing-new-about-placeholder-candidates-becoming-mps/article2001781/?service=mobile) > [@](#): > > Brian Mulroney had more than 100 rookie MPs among the 211 elected September 4, 1984. Among them was a Purolator driver enlisted to run by party activists when he was delivering a package. Some went on to infamy in the many scandals that plagued Mr. Mulroney’s government. > Others, such as school principal Benoît Bouchard, went on to become one of Mr. Mulroney’s most reliable ministers. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1176 "2011-05-05T16:26:45Z")
Another one of Mulroney’s rookies in 1984 was Jean Charest. For me, one of the strangest events of this election was that we lost Gerard Kennedy, Mario Silva, Ken Dryden and Martha Hall Findlay from the Liberal caucus, but managed to keep Jim Karygiannis, who, as far as I can tell, is a clever device for turning water into piss but has no other notable talents. Of all the Liberals to have kept… Just as the Conservatives lost Verner, Blackburn and Cannon, but managed to keep a knob like the fellow in Lethbridge… ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1177 "2011-05-05T16:32:01Z")
I think you literally could run a door knob in Lethbridge under the Conservative banner. Although they did take an 11% hit with this guy. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1178 "2011-05-05T16:33:17Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Tsk nothing, an accusation is an accusation and we’ll see what substance is behind it soon. In the meantime Brosseau was knowingly elected by the people of her riding; I’d call that a strong confirmation of both her qualifications and eligibility. Obviously we’ll have to wait until the accusation is proven to see about eligibility, which has nothing do with how many people voted for her. You can’t believe that just because a person is elected that they are qualified, can you? Really? Note: I’m not saying she can’t do a good job, because I don’t know. Maybe she can. People surprise me every day, good and bad. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1179 "2011-05-05T17:09:53Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Another one of Mulroney’s rookies in 1984 was Jean Charest. > > For me, one of the strangest events of this election was that we lost Gerard Kennedy, Mario Silva, Ken Dryden and Martha Hall Findlay from the Liberal caucus, but managed to keep Jim Karygiannis, who, as far as I can tell, is a clever device for turning water into piss but has no other notable talents. Of all the Liberals to have kept… > > Just as the Conservatives lost Verner, Blackburn and Cannon, but managed to keep a knob like the fellow in Lethbridge… Also amazed Joe Volpe lost, but apparently I’ve overestimated his star power in the past! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419/1180 "2011-05-05T17:18:09Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Just as the Conservatives … managed to keep a knob like the fellow in Lethbridge… > [@Raygun99](#): > > I think you literally could run a door knob in Lethbridge under the Conservative banner. Although they did take an 11% hit with this guy. Well, we didn`t actually _keep_ him. This Conservative was new–he replaced the very popular, non-knob, previous MP, who was also Conservative. So yes, the riding remains Conservative, although we now have a knob representing us. But **Raygun** is correct–you could run a doorknob under the Tory banner in Lethbridge, and it would be elected. I think I said upthread that the Tory candidate could kick puppies, strangle kittens, and streak down Third Avenue, and still get elected. Either way, the CPC has a lock on this riding. What was interesting was the strong showing of the NDP here. No, it was not a tight race, but the NDP candidate did come second to the CPC knob, with the Liberal candidate a distant third. And for all that we have our share of Fundamentalists, the Christian Heritage party came in dead last. Even the Greens beat them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419.md?page=58) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadian-election-thread-or-maybe-not/575419.md?page=60)