Oh Canada - Election - Day 1

[Deleted]

So Harper has called the longest campaign in the history of the universe of Canada.
It's only day 1, but what are your issues? What party are you leaning towards? How is your riding?

I am new to this neighbourhood but apparently the Cons defeated the Liberals by a couple hundred votes. It was Liberal for Harpers first term. I don't know about the NDP and I know you shouldn't think 'wasted vote' but since I am more of an 'anybody but Harper' kind of person ...

[anastasia517]

I'm very much hoping Harper gets the out as well. This seems to be the trend I see on social media as well, so I'm hoping it's a good sign.

My riding has only ever gone Liberal or NDP with more than 50% going NDP in the last election. Because of this I'm not concerned about strategic voting, since I'm sure it will go NDP again. I joke that I'm a dirty socialist so I will be one of the many going orange. (Admittedly, my region may play a role in my anti-Harper Facebook feed.) I'm glad that the attack ads have an end date now, at the very least.

[meshaliuknits]

How long is the longest election?

[Deleted]

Aug 2, 2015 19:54:18 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

How long is the longest election?

I think it's a 78 day campaign. Very long for us. It means that third party groups can only spend a teeny bit but candidates can spend about double the normal. So since the sitting party has lots of money, they can have a great long campaign and stop the other parties using the third party groups to keep them afloat.

Silly because Canadians don't like summer campaigns

[meshaliuknits]

Aug 2, 2015 20:33:36 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Aug 2, 2015 19:54:18 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

How long is the longest election?

I think it's a 78 day campaign. Very long for us. It means that third party groups can only spend a teeny bit but candidates can spend about double the normal. So since the sitting party has lots of money, they can have a great long campaign and stop the other parties using the third party groups to keep them afloat.

Silly because Canadians don't like summer campaigns

Thank you!

[LadySusan]

Does "riding" have a specific meaning?

[Deleted]

Aug 2, 2015 20:34:26 GMT -5 Jennyanydots said:

tc.

My dream for this election is an NDP majority, a vastly reduced number of CPC seats and then Harper undergoing a leadership challenge and getting trounced and leaving politics to write more boring books about hockey and adopting a lot of cats.

Does he have other hockey books?
And I love your vision.

[Deleted]

My issues:
1) Harper laid me off.
2) I like the NDP dreams for daycare.

My riding has been redrawn and stands a good chance at moving from Conservative to NDP. I'll vote NDP. I did smile tonight - after my radio ad about how Trudeau "just isn't ready", it followed with a "anyone but Harper" ad. I hadn't heard that before.

[sushi]

Aug 2, 2015 20:50:59 GMT -5 LadySusan said:

Does "riding" have a specific meaning?

I thought it was a typo until it was repeated. Americans know so much about global politics

[secretlyevil]

NDP?

I'm guessing National Democratic Party but I think its completely wrong.

[Deleted]

Aug 3, 2015 5:46:25 GMT -5 secretlyevil said:

NDP?

I'm guessing National Democratic Party but I think its completely wrong.

New Democratic Party.
Not a bad guess.
They are the 'socialist' party. Lol

[Deleted]

Aug 2, 2015 21:56:13 GMT -5 sushi said:

Aug 2, 2015 20:50:59 GMT -5 LadySusan said:

Does "riding" have a specific meaning?

I thought it was a typo until it was repeated. Americans know so much about global politics

Your news is just global so we can't help but hear about it.
And if we had a candidate like Trump, everyone would understand Canadian politics

[patbutcher]

My issues are probably daycare and making sure my h keeps his job (teacher), he would have been at risk if the cons had won the provincial election. Now they are having issues w the liberals.

I am leaning towards NDP right now.

On another note, our neighborhood has been flooded with the most disgusting anti abortion/anti Trudeau flyers. The whole neighborhood is outraged as they have been left on doors and kids have been finding them. Very graphic photos of 20w fetuses etc. it's a huge topic on our fb now. With people outing the authors etc.

[littlesthobo]

My riding doesn't currently have an NDP candidate. If they don't find someone I guess I'll be voting liberal. My main issues this election are Aboriginal issues and C-51. Harper really needs to GTFO.

[aurora]

Aug 3, 2015 6:06:48 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Aug 2, 2015 21:56:13 GMT -5 sushi said:

I thought it was a typo until it was repeated. Americans know so much about global politics

Your news is just global so we can't help but hear about it.
And if we had a candidate like Trump, everyone would understand Canadian politics

Which means you are very lucky!

Is it possible to narrow down to the 3 (or 5?) biggest issues in this particular Canadian election, the things the candidates/parties are talking about the most?

ETA - in case I'm not clear, I see many of you naming issues that are important to you, so I was just curious if these are the ones getting big air time or not.

[saz]

I have only one Canadian friend talking about the election and she's been talking about how Trudeau is the savior for what feels like (and may actually be?) years.

[gibbinator]

Aug 3, 2015 9:34:46 GMT -5 aurora said:

Aug 3, 2015 6:06:48 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Your news is just global so we can't help but hear about it.
And if we had a candidate like Trump, everyone would understand Canadian politics

Which means you are very lucky!

Is it possible to narrow down to the 3 (or 5?) biggest issues in this particular Canadian election, the things the candidates/parties are talking about the most?

ETA - in case I'm not clear, I see many of you naming issues that are important to you, so I was just curious if these are the ones getting big air time or not.

This is a concise article www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com//news/canada/canadian-politics/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-parties-platforms

[gibbinator]

I will likely vote liberal. My riding tends to vacillate between red and blue so I'm very much in the vote against Harper route.
I'm hoping the economy crash in Alberta will lose the Conservatives a good number of seats. I'd be pretty happy with either a liberal or NDP majority. I have more confidence in Mulcair vs Trudeau, but I side slightly more with the liberals plans.

[patbutcher]

Aug 3, 2015 10:22:37 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Aug 3, 2015 9:34:46 GMT -5 aurora said:

Which means you are very lucky!

Is it possible to narrow down to the 3 (or 5?) biggest issues in this particular Canadian election, the things the candidates/parties are talking about the most?

ETA - in case I'm not clear, I see many of you naming issues that are important to you, so I was just curious if these are the ones getting big air time or not.

This is a concise article www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com//news/canada/canadian-politics/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-parties-platforms

Thanks for posting this.

[aurora]

Aug 3, 2015 10:22:37 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Aug 3, 2015 9:34:46 GMT -5 aurora said:

Which means you are very lucky!

Is it possible to narrow down to the 3 (or 5?) biggest issues in this particular Canadian election, the things the candidates/parties are talking about the most?

ETA - in case I'm not clear, I see many of you naming issues that are important to you, so I was just curious if these are the ones getting big air time or not.

This is a concise article www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com//news/canada/canadian-politics/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-parties-platforms

Thanks! I wish we had that much choice.

[gibbinator]

Aug 3, 2015 11:02:34 GMT -5 aurora said:

Aug 3, 2015 10:22:37 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

This is a concise article www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com//news/canada/canadian-politics/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-parties-platforms

Thanks! I wish we had that much choice.

The Green and NDP parties have historically been considered a wasted vote, federally (provincially the NDP has done well for a couple decades). Up until the last federal election anyway when the NDP formed the official opposition for the first time. They have never won a federal election.
The bloq quebecois used to be a power in Quebec (the separatist party) but no one seems to even be talking about them since the huge thumping they took by the NDP in 2011.

So in most previous years it's always been a liberal or conservative government, like you have the democrats vs Republicans. I think this is really the first year people are truly considering the possibility of an NDP prime minister.

[Deleted]

Aug 3, 2015 6:14:11 GMT -5 patbutcher said:

On another note, our neighborhood has been flooded with the most disgusting anti abortion/anti Trudeau flyers. The whole neighborhood is outraged as they have been left on doors and kids have been finding them. Very graphic photos of 20w fetuses etc. it's a huge topic on our fb now. With people outing the authors etc.

Those came through Saskatoon a few weeks ago. Awful, awful, awful stuff.

[anastasia517]

Aug 3, 2015 11:28:00 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Aug 3, 2015 6:14:11 GMT -5 patbutcher said:

On another note, our neighborhood has been flooded with the most disgusting anti abortion/anti Trudeau flyers. The whole neighborhood is outraged as they have been left on doors and kids have been finding them. Very graphic photos of 20w fetuses etc. it's a huge topic on our fb now. With people outing the authors etc.

Those came through Saskatoon a few weeks ago. Awful, awful, awful stuff.

I don't get this.  Even Harper has refused to touch abortion law (not that the Supreme Court gives him much choice).  And obviously Mulcair and Elizabeth May are just as anti-abortion as Trudeau.

[anastasia517]

Aug 3, 2015 10:22:37 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Aug 3, 2015 9:34:46 GMT -5 aurora said:

Which means you are very lucky!

Is it possible to narrow down to the 3 (or 5?) biggest issues in this particular Canadian election, the things the candidates/parties are talking about the most?

ETA - in case I'm not clear, I see many of you naming issues that are important to you, so I was just curious if these are the ones getting big air time or not.

This is a concise article www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com//news/canada/canadian-politics/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-parties-platforms

This has just reaffirmed my NDP stance.  Everything I care strongly about is very similar to their platform.  I'm hoping that the massive support Jack Layton had as a person* extends to Mulcair this go around.

* Something like 2/3 of Canadians said they would most like to have a drink with Jack Layton of all 5 of the major party leaders last election.  When he died later that year of cancer, there was a ton of mourning and orange - the NDP colour - going around in honour of him.

[cookietime]

Oh, this is so interesting! H is Canadian, but we live in the US so he can't vote, and he's been kind of sad about it recently. He's not very good at explaining Canadian politics though, so can I ask some questions?

Harper's Prime Minister because he's the head of the Conservatives, who are in charge because they have the largest minority now, right? So does he only leave power if another party wins more seats, or is there any possibility of the Conservatives picking a new leader, or of him losing the election in his riding? If the Conservatives remain in power, but Harper somehow leaves, would it make any difference?

How does campaigning work? Are there laws about how much candidates and parties are allowed to spend, or when they can start? Before Harper announced the election would be in October did you all pretty much know who your candidates would be, or do the parties have to wait to announce until the election is called?

[gibbinator]

Aug 3, 2015 13:24:47 GMT -5 cookietime said:

Oh, this is so interesting! H is Canadian, but we live in the US so he can't vote, and he's been kind of sad about it recently. He's not very good at explaining Canadian politics though, so can I ask some questions?

Harper's Prime Minister because he's the head of the Conservatives, who are in charge because they have the largest minority now, right? So does he only leave power if another party wins more seats, or is there any possibility of the Conservatives picking a new leader, or of him losing the election in his riding? If the Conservatives remain in power, but Harper somehow leaves, would it make any difference?

How does campaigning work? Are there laws about how much candidates and parties are allowed to spend, or when they can start? Before Harper announced the election would be in October did you all pretty much know who your candidates would be, or do the parties have to wait to announce until the election is called?

Harper actually has a majority government which is why he's been able to unilaterally make so many changes that all the leftists hate.

Basically, the way our election process works is that each riding votes for their local MP. So that constituency elects their party representative. The party that ends up with the most elected MPs forms the government. In the case of a minority government, MPs from the losing parties would outnumber the MPs from the winning party - so they're able to block the passing of bills etc if they want to. This can result in the government being dissolved and another election called.

If a party wins the majority, that means they collectively have enough representatives in Parliament to pass any motions they want because they outnumber all other parties combined.

Even if Harper loses in his riding/constituency he would stay PM if his party wins the most seats in Parliament.

There are campaign laws but I'm not really familiar with the spending restrictions.

[cookietime]

Aug 3, 2015 13:48:52 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Aug 3, 2015 13:24:47 GMT -5 cookietime said:

Oh, this is so interesting! H is Canadian, but we live in the US so he can't vote, and he's been kind of sad about it recently. He's not very good at explaining Canadian politics though, so can I ask some questions?

Harper's Prime Minister because he's the head of the Conservatives, who are in charge because they have the largest minority now, right? So does he only leave power if another party wins more seats, or is there any possibility of the Conservatives picking a new leader, or of him losing the election in his riding? If the Conservatives remain in power, but Harper somehow leaves, would it make any difference?

How does campaigning work? Are there laws about how much candidates and parties are allowed to spend, or when they can start? Before Harper announced the election would be in October did you all pretty much know who your candidates would be, or do the parties have to wait to announce until the election is called?

Harper actually has a majority government which is why he's been able to unilaterally make so many changes that all the leftists hate.

Basically, the way our election process works is that each riding votes for their local MP. So that riding elects their party representative. The party that ends up with the most elected MPs forms the government. In the case of a minority government, MPs from the losing parties would outnumber the MPs from the winning party - so they're able to block the passing of bills etc if they want to. This can result in the government being dissolved and another election called.

If a party wins the majority, that means they collectively have enough representatives in Parliament to pass any motions they want because they outnumber all other parties combined.

There are laws but I'm not really familiar with the spending restrictions.

Ah, OK, H thought they had the largest minority - did it used to be a minority government?

That ability to dissolve the government if everything's getting blocked sounds like it could be pretty handy. It would have been nice to fire everyone and start over when the US government shut down. 

[gibbinator]

Aug 3, 2015 14:02:59 GMT -5 cookietime said:

Aug 3, 2015 13:48:52 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Harper actually has a majority government which is why he's been able to unilaterally make so many changes that all the leftists hate.

Basically, the way our election process works is that each riding votes for their local MP. So that riding elects their party representative. The party that ends up with the most elected MPs forms the government. In the case of a minority government, MPs from the losing parties would outnumber the MPs from the winning party - so they're able to block the passing of bills etc if they want to. This can result in the government being dissolved and another election called.

If a party wins the majority, that means they collectively have enough representatives in Parliament to pass any motions they want because they outnumber all other parties combined.

There are laws but I'm not really familiar with the spending restrictions.

Ah, OK, H thought they had the largest minority - did it used to be a minority government?

That ability to dissolve the government if everything's getting blocked sounds like it could be pretty handy. It would have been nice to fire everyone and start over when the US government shut down. 

Prior to 2011, Harper did have a minority government. I if I remember correctly (others can correct me if I'm wrong because I don't feel like googling) that minority government was dissolved due to the Parliament hitting an impasse. It's kind of a blessing and a curse that elections can be called at any moment. It's a waste of time and tax money to be constantly running campaigns, and voters get irritated. But at the same time, if a PM proves him or herself really inept the opposition parties can come together and block everything. Even in a majority, members of the elected party could choose to vote against the PM.

[gibbinator]

Lol, Mulcair is what, 5yrs older than Harper?
I need to see this ad.

[rugbywife]

I will vote Liberal b/c my riding will never go NDP. It is also currently held by Lisa Raitt, who has been fairly high profile as a Cabinet member, not sure how that will play out.

My only issues are that I want the Conservatives and Harper out of power. My job is only affected by Provincial politics, so that isn't an issue. Economically I probably sit slightly more Liberal than NDP but socially I sit NDP.