Canada General Discussion

[DC Al Fine]

Safe, unless John Tory runs

I thought I had scrubbed my brain of all memories of that guy.

[DC Al Fine]

Dunno why Ivison spent a whole column restating the obvious Lib/NDP ideological incompatibility, but to each their own.

It's a stock column for people who don't want to write yet another Rob Ford story.

[DC Al Fine]

Something that never ceases to amaze my Maritie parents is Toronto's awful unemployment rate. Many non AB/SK cities including Halifax and Ottawa have lower unemployment rates than the big TO

High five Earl!

[DC Al Fine]

Anyone read the declassified Cabinet documents on abortion? Nothing really surprising that Epp and MacDougall led their respective factions, though anything now would probably get shot down by the Supremes on Charter grounds, IIRC McLachlin has hinted as much.

No but I'd be interested. Link?

[DC Al Fine]

Here you go.

Thanks. Quite an interesting read. Does give me good reason to be wary of the Red Tories

[DC Al Fine]

Forgot to mention this yesterday, but Ivison absurdly implied in a Kenney column that his vocal pro-lfie stance could doom his chances of being PM. The Gallery and social liberalism...  sigh.

The Gallery was enamored with Kim Campbell. 'Nuff said.

[DC Al Fine]

Stoffer rules out NS NDP leadership run.

Maureen MacDonald will be interim leader. That's a good pick. She's the most senior member of caucus, has cabinet experience, and will make the NDP's left happy.

[DC Al Fine]

In less depressing news, Hastman is running in Edmonton St. Albert. Great news, hopefully he climbs the ranks quickly.

Is Rathberger going to run again?

[DC Al Fine]

Kenney will run in Calgary-Midnapore, he just announced.

So Harper takes Heritage? That would leave a nice safe seat open in Calgary Shepard

[DC Al Fine]

Personally, I would've called the riding "Calgary - Acadia - Spruce Meadows" or perhaps just "Acadia - Spruce Meadows", but perhaps Calgary hasn't graduated to the point of being able to have ridings that don't have the city name in it (like Toronto, Montreal or... Winnipeg)

Heck, even Halifax has Dartmouth-Cole Harbour and Sackville-Eastern Shore.

[DC Al Fine]

A three way clusterf[inks]ck election would be fun.

Parts of Quebec City could be a legit 4 way race like Gatineau in 08.

[DC Al Fine]

The Parti Quebecois: F[inks] economics, f[inks] the anglos, and f[inks] the foreigners.

[DC Al Fine]

What do you think of the Tory leadership speculation? I guess Baird would have to reconsider. Raitt maybe?

Some of the also-rans might throw their names in if it isn't a coronation. Alexander is the prime example.

[DC Al Fine]

What do you think of the Tory leadership speculation? I guess Baird would have to reconsider. Raitt maybe?

Some of the also-rans might throw their names in if it isn't a coronation. Alexander is the prime example.

You think Alexander would run? Plus Bernier and Moore.

Well I didn't mean him specifically, I just meant that people who wouldn't have had a chance against Kenney will have to reconsider. Alexander running against Kenney is battling it out with Moore, Prentice etc for 2nd. Not much incentive to run. The same race without Kenney at least gives him a fighting chance of breaking away from the pack in a crowded race.

[DC Al Fine]

We don't lack in rapid response or air war capability now, and Kenney ain't Day. I'm not worried about Harper or Kenney's prospects against Trudeau.

I'd put it down as a concern, but not a deal breaker. Kenney doesn't have the same history of pontificating on this sort of thing. He's been pretty quiet about AFAIK.

[DC Al Fine]

Liberal MLA Joachim Stroink is apologizing for posing with a guy wearing black face. Apparently it's a Dutch Christmas tradition. The local NDP youth is up in arms about it, which I would consider a positive because most of them aren't nearly as well balanced as Hatman or lilTommy.

[DC Al Fine]

Liberal MLA Joachim Stroink is apologizing for posing with a guy wearing black face. Apparently it's a Dutch Christmas tradition. The local NDP youth is up in arms about it, which I would consider a positive because most of them aren't nearly as well balanced as Hatman or lilTommy.

It's offensive, but only due to it's association with minstrel shows, etc. The NDP in the riding are just playing the political game. But then again, you wouldn't see Peter Stoffer with Black Peter, and he's Dutch too.

Yeah, I agree with you there.

Mildly peeved at CBC for posting a bunch of tweets about it, and a significant minority of them are from NDP activists including the candidate in my riding last election I guess we can't expect some random reporter to know "the scene" but it's hardly a "man on the street" view.

As for the unbalanced NDP remark, that was more about an ongoing feud I have with one person.

[DC Al Fine]

In other news, CRA released their quarterly Atlantic Canada polls







Nova Scotia
Liberal: 58%
PC: 19%
NDP: 19%

NS is in the honeymoon period still. The other polls are more interesting. Trudeau ought to sweep Atlantic Canada. Also, look at those PEI numbers. 3rd place for the Tories.

[DC Al Fine]

I glad NB NDP wont gains because he against First Nations protesting!
Dominic must resigns or he will be loser.........

NDP got 10% of the vote last time. They'll make gains.

Didn't PEI PC had severe issues, like the PC caucus refusing to recognise the new PC leader?

They got a new leader after losing power in 2007. They expected to lose more seats in 2011, but actually picked up a few. Then they booted their leader

[DC Al Fine]

The Tories turn 10 today.

[DC Al Fine]

Also, Canada government decided to destroy postal service as we know and force people to go at distant boxes to get mail. Hopefully court cases will delay things until 2015 elections and than the next government fire their incompetent and overpaid CEO.

I've been enduring this savagery for years. God help us all

[DC Al Fine]

You have options too, and are probably not much more foul to you as our options are to us! (There's a Conservative party, there's CAQ, and there's the Liberals too. All parties on the centre-right)

Well the problem for the Anglo right wingers (and Hatman to a lesser extent) is that we're products of a different system. It's like taking a socially conservative CSU voter and telling him to pick between the GOP & Democrats. Nothing quite fits.

[DC Al Fine]

I think the Quebec Conservative Party would be a good fit for RB, but he may be unwilling to vote for a fringe party. Better to vote for a fringe party than no party in my opinion. That's why I support the UCQ in Quebec.

I agree, but I think the main issue is being able to vote for a fringe party. There's the conservatives and UCQ only ran like 20 candidates each last time. Even if you like them, you still have to choose who to support if you live in one of the other 100 ridings.

I'm the same way. I vote CHP when I get the opportunity, but I'm a Tory voter because that's how I'll vote most of the time.

[DC Al Fine]

I think the Quebec Conservative Party would be a good fit for RB, but he may be unwilling to vote for a fringe party. Better to vote for a fringe party than no party in my opinion. That's why I support the UCQ in Quebec.

I agree, but I think the main issue is being able to vote for a fringe party. There's the conservatives and UCQ only ran like 20 candidates each last time. Even if you like them, you still have to choose who to support if you live in one of the other 100 ridings.

I'm the same way. I vote CHP when I get the opportunity, but I'm a Tory voter because that's how I'll vote most of the time.

True.

I have a pro-life friend who claims he'd vote NDP if they were anti-abortion (lol), but because they don't he'd vote CHP. Except, I don't think they've ever run in his district. Last election he spoiled his ballot.

Yeah, doubt that will happen anytime soon lol. I was too young to vote by a few days in 2011, but I would've spoiled my ballot. I'd usually vote Tory but our guy was rabidly pro-choice for a Tory.

Makes you wonder how credible Flaherty is.

Indeed. This raises Kenney's standing in my eyes.

[DC Al Fine]

Paille will resign as BQ leader today for health reasons.

I don't see them going out of caucus this time. Patry's a party jumper and Plamandon's at the end of his career. That basically leaves Fortin and Bellavance as leadership contenders.