# The "Longest Election Campaign in Modern Canada" Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 2, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807 "2015-08-02T15:45:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/1 "2015-08-02T15:45:22Z")
So, October 19th, Canadians go to the polls. It should be interesting. My 11 year old got up at 6 am today so he “didn’t miss the very start of it.” I though I would post this thread since no one else has, as of yet. It is going to be 11 weeks, up from a recently traditional 37 days. It’s a Sunday of a long weekend in most of Canada. With the New Democratic Party vs the Conservative Party of Canada running close in the polls, and Justin Trudeau trying hard to stay in the game, this should be interesting. So, the writ is issued. Terry Milewski\* assures us we are not supposed to say the writ has been “dropped”, and see the National Post article [here,](http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/what-does-drop-the-writ-mean) but rather issued, and here we go… \*aka the Best Mustache in Canadian TV news. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/2 "2015-08-02T17:11:13Z")
Fixed election dates = longer campaigns. {{sigh}} ---
**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:** [August 2, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/3 "2015-08-02T17:41:02Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > So, the writ is issued. Terry Milewski\* assures us we are not supposed to say the writ has been “dropped”, and see the National Post article [here,](http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/what-does-drop-the-writ-mean) but rather issued, and here we go… > > \*aka the Best Mustache in Canadian TV news. Oh piffle, Terry. In Canada, writs and pucks are dropped to start the game! Next thing we know, he’ll be nit-picking us about ridings! ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/4 "2015-08-02T17:57:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Fixed election dates = longer campaigns. {{sigh}} Agreed. IMHO the fixed election date does not work in a Westminster Parliamentary system. Of course there was an unofficial campaign going on anyway, but I don’t think anyone wanted an 11 week official campaign. It has increased the cost to Elections Canada and the taxpayers. Not necessarily doubled it, but certainly added more than a month to rents for office space. > [@](#): > > Oh piffle, Terry. In Canada, writs and pucks are dropped to start the game! > > Next thing we know, he’ll be nit-picking us about ridings! Do you mean to tell me that the RIDER fan is suggesting that someone will be RIDING us about RIDINGS? 😃 (\<—green grin on purpose… Go Riders! What can I say, I grew up daughter of a Leafs fan (not \*\*Leafsfan \*\*though) and I am a Canucks fan for over 25 years… I love underdogs) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/5 "2015-08-02T18:05:41Z")
Damn, I really have to pay more attention. I didn’t even know we had fixed election dates now. Ewwww… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/6 "2015-08-02T18:07:28Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > With the New Democratic Party vs the Conservative Party of Canada running close in the polls, and Justin Trudeau trying hard to stay in the game, this should be interesting. Huh, all the radio ads I’ve been hearing in Calgary lately are anti-Trudeau from the Conservatives. You’d think they’d throw in some anti-NDP ads if they’re the real competition. (Not that anti-Trudeau is a hard message to sell in Alberta.) ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/7 "2015-08-02T18:28:19Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > So, October 19th, Canadians go to the polls. It should be interesting. My 11 year old got up at 6 am today so he “didn’t miss the very start of it.” I though I would post this thread since no one else has, as of yet. > > It is going to be 11 weeks, up from a recently traditional 37 days. It’s a Sunday of a long weekend in most of Canada. > > With the New Democratic Party vs the Conservative Party of Canada running close in the polls, and Justin Trudeau trying hard to stay in the game, this should be interesting. > > So, the writ is issued. Terry Milewski\* assures us we are not supposed to say the writ has been “dropped”, and see the National Post article [here,](http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/what-does-drop-the-writ-mean) but rather issued, and here we go… > > \*aka the Best Mustache in Canadian TV news. You can “draw up a writ” which probably got shortened from “draw up” to “drop,” but in event, yep! This will be the longest and most expensive campaign in Canadian history. For what it’s worth, the PC’s in Alberta under Jim Prentice also had the deepest pockets going into the campaign, but ultimately they got creamed on Election Day and are now deeply in debt. One can only hope for a similar fate for the Harpers, though having two parties on the left and only one on the right will make defeating the C’s a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/8 "2015-08-02T19:29:12Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > This will be the longest and most expensive campaign in Canadian history. You people are just so goshdarn _cute_! ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/9 "2015-08-02T19:42:19Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > You people are just so goshdarn _cute_! Yes, we even have our own goverment and issue our own currency. We have elections and everything. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/10 "2015-08-02T20:58:43Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > IMHO the fixed election date does not work in a Westminster Parliamentary system. Agreed. Not that it seems to work brilliantly for the US system, either. How long before the powers that be figure that out, or is this going to be a case where monied interests triumph over common sense / good of the nation? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/11 "2015-08-02T21:23:56Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > How long before the powers that be figure that out, or is this going to be a case where monied interests triumph over common sense / good of the nation? That depends on how Canadians react to it, I should think. If there is a consensus that the country doesn’t need or want such extended election campaigns, they’ll be done away with. Otherwise, not. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/12 "2015-08-02T21:29:15Z")
I just hope that this election results in a government which is able to bring about positive change to our political system (some form of proportional representation, an end to the senate’s tomfoolery, etc) ---
**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:** [August 2, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/13 "2015-08-02T22:03:49Z")
There should be a rule that, even if the fixed election day is Oct 15th (or whatever), if they drop the writ earlier than five weeks before, the election should be earlier. Likewise, if nothing else is done, the writ is auto-dropped five weeks before the fixed date. But I thought that, previously, there _was_ a limit: no government could last more than five years. That limiting duration would force an election. Am I wrong? The change to an allegedly-fixed date was an unnecessary complication. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/14 "2015-08-02T22:07:54Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > The change to an allegedly-fixed date was an unnecessary complication. I’m afraid of a minority government hamstrung for four years, frankly, but I have to cling to the hope that ours will be a Loyal Opposition and not a politically spiteful one willing to damage the country like _some parties I could mention_. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/15 "2015-08-03T02:36:32Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Damn, I really have to pay more attention. I didn’t even know we had fixed election dates now. Ewwww… We don’t. Constitutionally, we have an election when the Governor General (on the advice of the PM) dissolves Parliament and calls an election. An Act of Parliament (which is what calls for a fixed date) cannot override the Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/16 "2015-08-03T02:44:41Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > That depends on how Canadians react to it, I should think. If there is a consensus that the country doesn’t need or want such extended election campaigns, they’ll be done away with. Otherwise, not. This will be the first time since he fixed election date law was passed in 2007 that they’ll actually be following the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/17 "2015-08-03T03:03:51Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > There should be a rule that, even if the fixed election day is Oct 15th (or whatever), if they drop the writ earlier than five weeks before, the election should be earlier. Likewise, if nothing else is done, the writ is auto-dropped five weeks before the fixed date. > > But I thought that, previously, there _was_ a limit: no government could last more than five years. That limiting duration would force an election. Am I wrong? > > The change to an allegedly-fixed date was an unnecessary complication. You are correct; the usual length of governance was between three and five years, but apparently that wasn’t “American” enough for Mr. Harper. Of course, what benefits anyone else is of no concern to him, as long as he gets it the way he wants it. And no more than five questions a day, please. Anything more than that might seem too much like accountability. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/18 "2015-08-03T03:11:58Z")
No one should become PM unless tests for psychopathy are administered first and the results made public immediately. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2015, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/19 "2015-08-03T03:14:00Z")
If there ever was a year for a “none of the above” option, this is it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807/20 "2015-08-03T03:17:58Z")
Can somebody explain something re: the parliamentary system? In theory, I’m voting for my MP, NOT the Prime Minister, right? I know my MP is a member of a party, but the way the campaigns seem to work, it’s as if I’m voting for Harper / Trudeau / Mulcair / possibly other directly (edit to add “directly”). How do people tend to look at this? Election of H / Tr / M / etc, election of their favourite party, election of their MP, some combination, something else? It’s a bit more straightforward in the US, where you just vote for the presidential candidate and then have your vote effectively dismissed because you’re not from a swing state. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-election-campaign-in-modern-canada-thread/726807.md?page=2)