Canada General Discussion

[RogueBeaver]

Bachand said he'd support Moreau if Moreau placed second. Couillard's people expect 60% or so on the first ballot, which will be announced sometime in the next half hour.

[RogueBeaver]

Couillard has been elected PLQ leader with 58.5% on the first ballot. Moreau in second with 22% and Bachand 3rd with 19%. Just like 30 years ago when Paradis edged Johnson for a very distant second...

While I probably won't vote PLQ next time- too soon- Couillard has my 100% support.

[RogueBeaver]

Great speech by Couillard. Talked a lot about listening to everyone, grassroots, regions, etc. Also said getting Quebec's signature on the Constitution is a pet project of his... good luck with that. More relevantly he'll need to find a seat in the Assembly.

[RogueBeaver]

Couillard has been elected PLQ leader with 58.5% on the first ballot. Moreau in second with 22% and Bachand 3rd with 19%. Just like 30 years ago when Paradis edged Johnson for a very distant second...

While I probably won't vote PLQ next time- too soon- Couillard has my 100% support.

[Hash]

Ugh. Couillard is basically what's wrong with contemporary politics.

[RogueBeaver]

Ugh. Couillard is basically what's wrong with contemporary politics.

Porter, healthcare, opportunism (or as the PLQ has it, prodigal son returns)? All of the above?

Also: apparently he won't be seeking a seat before the next election, so Fournier or someone else will remain parliamentary leader.

[RogueBeaver]

Major Cabinet shuffle in late June or early July. Not a moment too soon. Apparently more women- Glover and Bergen?- will be featured.

http://www.hilltimes.com/news/news/2013/03/18/pmo-confirms-harper-plans-%E2%80%98major-changes%E2%80%99-to-cabinet-this-summer/34047

[Hash]

Porter, healthcare, opportunism (or as the PLQ has it, prodigal son returns)? All of the above?

All of the above. Hopefully he goes down in flames as any scumbag of his type should, but voters are morons.

As for this 'major' cabinet shuffle, is this actually going to be a 'major' one or another of the usual yearly replacement of whichever minister turned out to be too much of a retard or a crook since the last shuffle?

[RogueBeaver]

Being billed as the former, obviously we should only believe it when we see it.

[RogueBeaver]

I'm certainly no fan of Mulcair's energy views, but Redford is way overdoing it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/18/pol-redford-slams-mulcair.html

Penashue's current dilemma isn't new.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/18/pol-penashue-warned-to-get-filing-done.html

How?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/03/18/pol-greg-weston-harper-skilled-jobs.html

[RogueBeaver]

Charbonneau extended till April 19, 2015. Interim report next January. Have fun PLQ.

[RogueBeaver]

Ralph Klein won't be with us for much longer. Losing both Western legends in 6 months...

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/sources-say-klein-s-health-failing-1.1203232

Also, Flaherty acted stupidly with his mortgage interference. Should stay out of their business.

[RogueBeaver]

King Ralph has passed away. RIP to a great Canadian.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/29/former-alberta-premier-ralph-klein-dies-at-70/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Hatman 🍁]

RIP to a man I never really liked, but he was quite amusing.

One of my university profs (Rand Dyck) was a high school classmate of Klein's, and told us that he never expected much out of Klein, and he was voted "least likely to succeed" in the class.

[RogueBeaver]

New Leger federal poll: 32 Grit, 25 Dipper/Bloc in Quebec with JT, 29 BQ, 28 Grit and 24 NDP without him. Federally he increases Grit support from 30 to 37.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Trudeau+would+draw+more+Liberal+votes+Quebec+poll/8171424/story.html

On the provincial side, PLQ gets a leadership bounce to 33-29 but still trailing 36-24 (!) among Francophones. Couillard trails in all the important areas: dead last on the economy, third behind None and Marois on integrity and trailing 41-19 on defence of Quebec's interests. They lead in Quebec City and Montreal but trail in ROQ. QS at 9% provincewide.

http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/374540/couillard-propulse-le-plq-au-premier-rang

[Hatman 🍁]

RIP Peter Kormos

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oh, that's a shame. He wasn't that old, was he?

[RogueBeaver]

Oh, that's a shame. He wasn't that old, was he?

60. No one knows the cause of death yet. Art Philips also died today.

[Hatman 🍁]

Apparently Kormos was a Niagara Regional Councillor, having been elected in a by-election almost a year ago to the day. He had replaced Cindy Forster who had replaced him as MPP.  I guess another by-election is in order for Welland.

[RogueBeaver]

Michael Sona has been charged by Elections Canada on robocalls. Hmm.

[Hatman 🍁]

Michael Sona has been charged by Elections Canada on robocalls. Hmm.

Oh wow. You know, he is a friend of a friend of a friend of mine. I've not met him, but one of my best friends has.

[RogueBeaver]

Tories will hit the airwaves with anti-Trudeau attack ads immediately after he's ratified as leader. PG-13 stuff, not R. There'll also be a Grit counteroffensive.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/04/02/john-ivison-conservatives-have-attack-ads-set-to-launch-against-justin-trudeau/

Pam Wallin temporarily leaving her committee work for personal reasons.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/04/02/conservative_senator_pamela_wallin_steps_down_from_committees_for_personal_reasons.html

[Hatman 🍁]

Excellent. Almost makes me want to donate to the Conservative Party. Almost.

[RogueBeaver]

He's also a threat to the NDP, so when are you guys putting up your own ads?

[RogueBeaver]

Doug Ford will seek a PC nomination in the next provincial election. I hope he fails.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/wynne-welcomes-ford-s-challenge-but-no-election-looming-1.1222365