Canada General Discussion

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Perhaps he is upset at redistricting. Him and the Chicoutimi-Le Fjord MP would live in the same riding, now and the party would give a preference to the other one?

Redistricting wont be an issue for a while now, methinks. But we could see some interesting things happening. I can't recall a time where 2 sitting federal NDP MPs had to run against each other for a nomination before.

Does Canada have a residential requirement for MPs? Over here, they would probably run in their redistributed riding (unless it had been adversely affected by the redistribution) and may or not move house after. I knew someone who moved house because he insisted on living in his electorate, and I know of another MP who, at retirement, lived 40km outside his electorate because he didn't move during his career, and successive redistributions kept moving his boundary further and further away (when he started, he lived in the centre of his electorate, or thereabouts). Labor MPs in safe Labor seats generally don't want to live in their electorates, since safe Labor areas tend to be less desirable neighbourhoods.

Anyway, I think it should be up to the voters. I think a local will best represent local interests, but it's like any other policy position - the voters can decide what matters to them and make up their own mind about who should represent them in Parliament.

Canada does not have a residency requirement. As an example, Jack Layton and Olivia Chow lived together (in Trinity-Spadina, I believe) and represented separate ridings.

Yeah, and that's part of why it's almost necessary to not have a residency requirement.  The way the leadership system works for the parties, some of the parties would really suffer if they couldn't try to get their leader elected in a by-election unless it was in the leader's home riding.

[RogueBeaver]

Did anyone see the hilarious mudslinging contest between Lilley and McGregor on Twitter? McGregor won hands-down.

[Hatman 🍁]

NDP in 2nd place.... in PEI!!! http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/13-1-PE-Political-Press-Release1.pdf

[DC Al Fine]

NDP in 2nd place.... in PEI!!! http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/13-1-PE-Political-Press-Release1.pdf

...dafuq?

Rogue poll or perhaps something big is starting on the island...

[Hatman 🍁]

RIP Stompin' Tom.  I haven't been this sad about someone dying since Jack Layton died. 

[Benj]

NDP in 2nd place.... in PEI!!! http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/13-1-PE-Political-Press-Release1.pdf

...dafuq?

Rogue poll or perhaps something big is starting on the island...

If you believe their polling, the NDP has been steadily gaining over the past year (their results go 11-18-18-22-26, Feb-May-Aug-Nov-Feb, for the NDP). 26% (and 16% for the PCs) may be an outlier, but they definitely seem to have gained considerable ground.

The PCs are between leaders at the moment, though. Who knows what will happen when they get a new leader.

[You kip if you want to...]

NDP in 2nd place.... in PEI!!! http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/13-1-PE-Political-Press-Release1.pdf

...dafuq?

Rogue poll or perhaps something big is starting on the island...

If you believe their polling, the NDP has been steadily gaining over the past year (their results go 11-18-18-22-26, Feb-May-Aug-Nov-Feb, for the NDP). 26% (and 16% for the PCs) may be an outlier, but they definitely seem to have gained considerable ground.

The PCs are between leaders at the moment, though. Who knows what will happen when they get a new leader.

I wish our devolved politics was as unpredictable

[Hash]

NDP in 2nd place.... in PEI!!! http://cra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/13-1-PE-Political-Press-Release1.pdf

...dafuq?

Rogue poll or perhaps something big is starting on the island...

If you believe their polling, the NDP has been steadily gaining over the past year (their results go 11-18-18-22-26, Feb-May-Aug-Nov-Feb, for the NDP). 26% (and 16% for the PCs) may be an outlier, but they definitely seem to have gained considerable ground.

The PCs are between leaders at the moment, though. Who knows what will happen when they get a new leader.

The PCs have been in a massive clusterfark for the last month or so, basically with their leader not being Leader of the Opposition at the same time and the dude who is Leader of the Opposition not recognizing the dude who is party leader. Shouldn't be surprising that they've sunk so low (16% in this poll btw, against 26% for the NDP and 51% for the Liberals who are having a field day).

So unprecedented leadership drama/bitching in addition to the PEI PCs being a useless Moderate Hero party...

[Hatman 🍁]

Something you have to remember, PEI is ridiculously tiny.

[Smid]

So unprecedented leadership drama/bitching in addition to the PEI PCs being a useless Moderate Hero party...

You'd think they'd have learnt from the federal Liberal experience that this approach doesn't work...

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

So unprecedented leadership drama/bitching in addition to the PEI PCs being a useless Moderate Hero party...

You'd think they'd have learnt from the federal Liberal experience that this approach doesn't work...

I'd think the experience of the federal Progressive Conservatives would be more to the point.

[RogueBeaver]

A lot of confusion regarding Sen. Boisvenu (C-QC) these days. He's broken off an affair with his assistant but no one knows her employment status ATM.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/07/conservative-senator-now-without-executive-assistant-and-girlfriend-as-controversy-swirls-around-office/

Yeah Coyne, we know Harper's inconsistent on jurisdictional boundaries as on many other things.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/03/06/andrew-coyne-stephen-harpers-logical-federalism-proof-he-is-no-fervent-decentralist/


Quebec's undertaking a miniature version of Harper's EI reform. We're talking $20 million, a drop in the budgetary bucket, but interesting nonetheless. Pratte notes the similarities and is not happy.

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-quebecoise/201303/07/01-4628732-aide-sociale-le-pq-fait-ce-quil-denoncait-en-2010.php

http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/editoriaux/andre-pratte/201303/06/01-4628480-une-reforme-mal-menee.php


Moderate Heroism: All 3 parties are on the left or right side of mushy centre these days,  we discussed this a few pages back. Though I am eager to see how the NDP deals with the EU trade deal.


Quebec is ending mandatory intensive English for Grades 5 and 6, now optional. Expect the usual suspects on both sides to start mouth breathing. I think both systems could benefit from second-language courses in the other language if there's demand for it. More cross-cultural contact the better.

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/education/201303/07/01-4628673-les-cours-intensifs-danglais-desormais-facultatifs-au-primaire.php

[Hatman 🍁]

NDP sings a tribute to Stompin' Tom

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/03/07/the-ndp-does-bud-the-spud/

Don't know if Tom was an NDPer, but it makes sense for the NDP to pay tribute to a true Canadian artist...

[RogueBeaver]

Alberta's definitely gone downhill since Ralph left.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/03/08/kelly-mcparland-post-ralph-alberta-has-wasted-his-legacy-and-dived-back-into-debt/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[RogueBeaver]

Ed Komarkicki (C-SK) will retire at the end of this Parliament.

http://www.estevanmercury.ca/article/20130306/ESTMERCURY0101/130309970/-1/estmercury/souris-moose-mountain-mp-komarnicki-will-not-seek-re-election-in-2015

[Smid]

Ed Komarkicki (C-SK) will retire at the end of this Parliament.

http://www.estevanmercury.ca/article/20130306/ESTMERCURY0101/130309970/-1/estmercury/souris-moose-mountain-mp-komarnicki-will-not-seek-re-election-in-2015

Redistribution reduces Conservative seats in Saskatchewan, his retirement potentially allows someone losing a seat to shuffle over?

[MaxQue]

Ed Komarkicki (C-SK) will retire at the end of this Parliament.

http://www.estevanmercury.ca/article/20130306/ESTMERCURY0101/130309970/-1/estmercury/souris-moose-mountain-mp-komarnicki-will-not-seek-re-election-in-2015

Redistribution reduces Conservative seats in Saskatchewan, his retirement potentially allows someone losing a seat to shuffle over?

The seat is in a corner of the province and only significantly expand in Wascana, which is Liberal-held, so, any move would be saw as carpetbagging, doubt it.

[DC Al Fine]

Garneau`s out. Wonder what cabinet spot he got promised.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/13/marc-garneau-dropping-out-of-liberal-leadership-race/

[RogueBeaver]

He probably didn't get promised anything except a return to his Industry post, if that. Garneau, like Rae and Coderre (who'll be ex-MPs in a few months), has never seemed terribly enthused about serving under Trudeau. MHF was just on PP and all buzzwords/talking points, BTW. Funke and Ling seem to be the only journos actually pointing this out.

Kitchen cabinet predictions: Brison, Goodale, LeBlanc, Valeriote, Simms or Andrews.

[RogueBeaver]

New Leger poll: PQ 31, PLQ 30, CAQ 20. PLQ leadership numbers tomorrow (not that it matters with a delegated convention). Hilariously Couillard leads on everything except the economy and integrity. Truth be told I think in addition to Charest's incompetence, his staunch federalism also damaged the PLQ brand with Francophones. He was their first leader since Godbout to be more federalist than nationalist, and we know how that turned out. McPherson goes a bit far when he compares Couillard to Boisclair's civic nationalism since Couillard is a super-smart guy with loads of gravitas, not a joke candidate like Boisclair, but the overall point sticks. So long as Boomers dominate the electoral landscape the PLQ will need a swing back to nationalism. Problem isn't new but it's been so long since they had to cope...

[RogueBeaver]

Couillard doesn't budge PLQ numbers at all, still at 30 and thereby opposition. Unsurprising because apart from the name on their door nothing's changing. I'm sure my fellow Quebecers will take notice next year and vote accordingly.

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2013/03/14/couillard-domine-mais-le-plq-pietine

In other provincial news, BC NDP now leads 51-32 PV and 70-14 in seats per Ipsos.

http://bc2013.com/2013/03/14/ipsos-reid-poll-ndp-51-bcl-32/

[RogueBeaver]

Breaking: Peter Penashue is resigning from Cabinet and Parliament due to that campaign finance scandal. He will run in the by-election. A bit of Coppsian political theatre, I assume the Liberals will try and recapture the seat.

Statement.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/03/14/peter-penashue-resigns-over-ineligible-donations/

[RogueBeaver]

Budget next Friday. BC AuGen blasts Clark govt on Memogate.

[RogueBeaver]

Fycking disgrace is putting this mildly. Not the first time something like this happened either.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/flq-terrorist-paul-rose-major-figure-in-1970-october-crisis-dies-198093971.html

[RogueBeaver]

PLQ leadership convention tomorrow. Couillard will win and Bachand will retire at the next election. Meanwhile Moreau, who's "only" in his mid-50s, has positioned himself well for next time.

http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/vincent-marissal/201303/16/01-4631648-ca-narrive-quaux-30-ans.php

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-quebecoise/201303/16/01-4631674-plq-un-couronnement-previsible-pour-un-parti-mal-en-point.php

WTF moment: Mulroney endorses Bachand.

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2013/03/15/mulroney-appuie-bachand