# The CanaDoper Café (2012 edition of The great, ongoing Canadian current events and politics thread.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014 "2012-01-01T03:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 28
**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:** [February 26, 2012, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/541 "2012-02-26T05:43:58Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > What do you mean by “in and out” ? [In and Out scandal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_and_Out_scandal) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/542 "2012-02-26T18:24:41Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > [In and Out scandal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_and_Out_scandal) This - the Conservative Party has _already been found guilty_ (by themselves…that was their [plea](http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Conservatives+plead+guilty+violating+election+rules/5695342/story.html)) of violating election law. It’s therefore even more plausible that they did so via other means during other elections. I think people are misinterpreting me - I’m _not_ accusing anyone, let alone everyone, in a party of anything or calling for everyone to be taken down over this. What I am seeing, though in discussions about this (mostly in newspapers), is people doing just that, though, against the “other” party. I think doing so is stupid and unproductive, _but_ if it’s going to happen, it’s valid that it goes both ways. Basically, I’m annoyed at opinions that paint an entire party with the actions of a few, but refuse to accept that the same can be done in the other direction. I don’t think we should even be doing it, but it’s what I keep hearing…"Conservatives may have done X’…“oh yeah, well Liberals…ADSCAM!”…“Oh yeah, well Conservatives, ROBOCALLING” “Oh, but that’s only some people!!!” … it gets stupid, because the same was true with the other example. Basically, I’m bitching 🙂 It’s more a rambling commentary on stupid partisan commentary. I want a thorough investigation and I want anyone who knew about this to be punished, whether that’s a high up or low level person. No handwaving or excuses _if_ a higher up person is involved - remove them from office and punish them to the full extent of the law, _point finale_. I hate that people in power get away with illegal shit just because they are in power. I’m trying to decide if stealing money is worse than stealing a vote (or actively preventing someone from voting). You can get money back, through fines, seizure of property, insurance, whatever (and, from a certain perspective, jail time). You can’t get your vote back once the election has passed. How do you make reparations to the person who was disenfranchised? ---
**Author:** ![Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stately_Greek_Automaton)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/543 "2012-02-27T15:27:05Z")
[The plot thickens…](http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1137273--conservative-scripts-misdirected-voters-in-2011-election-say-call-centre-staff) So call centre employees in Thunder Bay are coming forward with what seems to be a pretty direct link between the Conservative Party and the misdirected voters. Thoughts? ---
**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:** [February 27, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/544 "2012-02-27T16:13:22Z")
It’s going to be very interesting as it plays out. If this was truly a concerted act sanctioned by the Conservative party itself I will be extremely disappointed, to say the least. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/545 "2012-02-27T18:24:14Z")
> [@Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](#): > > [The plot thickens…](http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1137273--conservative-scripts-misdirected-voters-in-2011-election-say-call-centre-staff) > > So call centre employees in Thunder Bay are coming forward with what seems to be a pretty direct link between the Conservative Party and the misdirected voters. Thoughts? That really didn’t clear anything up. Reading about all the calling and stuff that was going on election night (six million calls made by the Conservative party), it sounds like 100 people mis-directed actually sounds like it could have been an honest mistake. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/546 "2012-02-27T20:29:08Z")
[Liberal staffer behind Toews Twitter attack: Rae](http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Liberal+staffer+behind+Toews+Twitter+attack/6217188/story.html) > [@](#): > > Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae has confirmed a Liberal staffer was behind the Vikileaks30 account that attacked Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, and that the staffer has resigned. > [@](#): > > “I accept the personal apology from the member for Toronto-Centre (Rae),” Toews replied. “I think it is a heartfelt apology.” > [@](#): > > Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, in turn, apologized for accusing the NDP of being responsible. Funny stuff, really. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/547 "2012-02-27T22:36:01Z")
Heh - I love the whole Vikileaks30 story, and the #tellVicEverything response. I don’t think there was anything posted that wasn’t publicly available for anyone who cared to look for it, so in that sense I don’t think the staffer actually did anything wrong. Doing it at work, using (presumably) government resources…I can see why he’d resign (though I’m not sure he should have had to), and I’m satisfied with that. Does Elections Canada ever actually move polling stations at the last minute, and how do they normally handle notifying voters? Individual calling? Canvassing with mail cards? I’m not sure it’s even the place of a political party to get involved in telling people _where_ to go vote, precisely for the reason that if their information conflicts with what Elections Canada has put out, that could lead to someone being unable to vote. Encourage voting, but leave the mechanics of it to Elections Canada. I’m not content with brushing off having even one person sent to the wrong place as a mistake, as if that’s acceptable. It isn’t - that person may have been deprived of their right to vote because of that “mistake” and that’s unacceptable to me. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/548 "2012-02-28T01:26:13Z")
[Dalton McGuinty hates Alberta’s oilsands.](http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120227/CGy_oilsands_redford_120227/20120227/?hub=CalgaryHome) From the news article: > [@](#): > > McGuinty says the oilsands are responsible for the high Canadian dollar and therefore to blame for Ontario’s economic woes. However, > [@](#): > > A study by the Canadian Energy Research Institute says Ontario enjoys the lion’s share of oilsands benefits outside Alberta. and > [@](#): > > Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives called the oilsands a “national treasure,” and said McGuinty should stop blaming other provinces for the fact his government’s spending created a $16-billion deficit. So, which is it? Is Alberta to blame for Ontario struggling economically, or is it Dalton McGuinty? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/549 "2012-02-28T02:47:12Z")
It is rather obviously Dalton McGuinty. A high dollar’s a disadvantage for some companies but an advantage for others. Seriously, if someone needs to various effects of exchange rates explained to them, they aren’t qualified to run a dog walking business, much less a province. Obviously, Dalton knows this, but you have to understand that right now in Ontario politics, he really, really needs a distraction. The reason McGuinty is doing this is because of the [Drummond Report](http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Blunt+report+urges+tough+cuts+eliminate+Ontario+deficit/6157724/story.html), which he is desperately, and unsuccessfully, trying to get people to forget about. The Drummond Report effectively says “the province’s finances are a disaster and the things the McGuinty government has promised and unaffordable and cannot be done,” and he’s already dismissed simple math and reality and refused to admit the truth. The time bomb that is Ontario’s provincial finances is something he can’t politically deal with because he caused most of it, and dealing with it woul mean rolling back the promises he’s made, so he has to seek out external villains. I’m sure the Toronto Star will agree with him - it’s their job to - but nobody else in Ontario buys this bullshit. Ontario’s electricity pricing strategy alone is itself quite possibly the most idiotic government policy in the history of Canada. It, by itself, costs us more money than this alleged problem with oil prices. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/550 "2012-02-28T03:33:52Z")
Is it just me, or is this…awkward. > [@Stephen Harper](#): > > While the Conservatives supported the NDP motion, Prime Minister Stephen Harper denied his party was involved in the dirty tricks. > > “ **The calls in question are calls the Conservative Party of Canada placed to its own supporters** ,” Harper said Monday during question period. > > “If the NDP has any information that inappropriate calls were placed,\*\* and we certainly have information in some cases \*\*and we have given that to Elections Canada, then I challenge that party to produce that information and give it to Elections Canada.” I’m _not_ implying that Harper is covering anything, but…either it’s just the most awkward sentences ever or…his own investigation has unearthed something? I don’t know, I’m very tired and I’m having trouble parsing it. Combined with his previous “In this case…” I’m wondering whether Harper is, at the least, less of a smooth talker than I though he was? 😕 Also, this is hilarious: > [@](#): > > “The really important thing is that 34 ridings – that we know of and the number are growing everyday – received these terrible phone calls advising people that their voting station had changed,” Martin said. “ **And they go trundling down to this phoney voting station – some may never come back**.” The mental image of some poor people wandering around empty malls and schools looking for the polling station so many months after the election and never being able to leave or come back… … yep, I’m tired, because I’m laughing like a loon. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/551 "2012-02-28T03:46:37Z")
If you wander around aimlessly for the rest of your life because a phone call directed you to a location, perhaps it would be better if these people didn’t vote. 🙂 ---
**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:** [March 1, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/552 "2012-03-01T01:24:22Z")
[Taking fighting out of hockey is re-visited again.](http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120229/CGY_hockey_fighting_120229/20120229/?hub=CalgaryHome) I guess I’m okay with fighting being taken out of hockey; I’m more of a lacrosse fan anyway, a sport that hasn’t attracted enough attention to have itself fully emasculated yet. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/553 "2012-03-01T15:08:51Z")
In my opinion, the best hockey only comes around every four years when the olympics happen. Anything that makes the NHL more about players’ skills is fine by me. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/554 "2012-03-01T17:16:16Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > In my opinion, the best hockey only comes around every four years when the olympics happen. Anything that makes the NHL more about players’ skills is fine by me. I agree. Especially since it’s the only hope I have of my team actually winning anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/555 "2012-03-01T17:38:52Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Ontario’s electricity pricing strategy alone is itself quite possibly the most idiotic government policy in the history of Canada. I am glad to know that I am not alone in that belief. And I like how Toronto Hydro is pleading poverty because they didn’t get a rate increase recently. Part of me almost has to believe that the entire Hydro system in Ontario is corrupt. Oh, and did anyone see, that Via train that crashed outside of Toronto was going more than 4 times the speed limit for that section of track? ---
**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:** [March 1, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/556 "2012-03-01T18:25:58Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > … > Oh, and did anyone see, that Via train that crashed outside of Toronto was going more than 4 times the speed limit for that section of track? Only if it was switching rails, which it was. I heard on the radio the Transportation Safety Board is trying to determine if the signal lights in fact indicated this to the Train Engineers. ---
**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:** [March 2, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/557 "2012-03-02T04:10:42Z")
Fighting in Figure Skating, now _that_’s a different matter - I think it would liven things up immeasurably… ---
**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:** [March 2, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/558 "2012-03-02T18:54:25Z")
Have I mentioned that I really admire Calgary’s mayor, [Naheed Nenshi](http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/politicians%2Breally/6238983/story.html)? I couldn’t agree more with him in this case. Better still, I’d love to find a way to get rid of the politicians who _are_ trying to con us. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/559 "2012-03-02T19:46:17Z")
Simcoe County School Board (Ontario) is out of control with tax dollars. School buses, and therefore school (pretty much) were cancelled Wednesday morning because they \*expected \*freezing rain **in the afternoon**. It snowed. School buses, and therefore school (pretty much) were cancelled Thursday morning for reasons immediately inevident to me. Maybe because it had snowed (gasp!) Wednesday night? Infuriating, to many a parent who had to make special arrangements, or miss work for the care of their normally-in-school-all-day child, and also to taxpayers who aren’t best pleased with the Board simply finding a reason to use some secret snow-day quota before they missed their chance. What a waste. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014/560 "2012-03-02T19:51:56Z")
In other news, [Iceland is looking at adopting the Canadian dollar](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/iceland-eyes-loonie-canada-ready-to-talk/article2356634/). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2012-edition-of-the-great-ongoing-canadian-current-events-and-politics-thread/608014.md?page=29)