Election 2011

[Good2Golf]

I think he would be the best person for the job. The Conservatives are more likely to work with Layton because he has a level head on his shoulders, and is not arrogant and power hungry. He's happy with whatever seats he gets in the House, and has already leveraged them to get some concessions in the previous Tory budget.

Concur, PC. 

The fact that Jack Layton did get about half of his requests into the Conservatives' budget shows that he knows how to work with the Conservatives, end result of the budget vote notwithstanding.  He is far more eloquent about the wishes of his party and his target electorate than Ignatieff, that's for sure.

Regards
G2G

 

[ModlrMike]

Concur, PC. 

The fact that Jack Layton did get about half of his requests into the Conservatives' budget shows that he knows how to work with the Conservatives, end result of the budget vote notwithstanding.  He is far more eloquent about the wishes of his party and his target electorate than Ignatieff, that's for sure.

Regards
G2G

The flip side, I think, is that Mr Harper can work with Mr Layton more easily than with Mr Ignatieff. I'm not so partisan to not admit that the NDP has some valid ideas. The challenge lies in paying for them.

 

[PuckChaser]

The flip side, I think, is that Mr Harper can work with Mr Layton more easily than with Mr Ignatieff. I'm not so partisan to not admit that the NDP has some valid ideas. The challenge lies in paying for them.

I think that's why I like the current Tory policies. They realize Canada's strengths lay in our social safety net, but any further increases to that net needs to be done cautiously to prevent massive money-dump programs that get little in the way of costs. Fiscal responsibility mixed with a social conscience is perfect for our government right now, and the only party that represents that IMO is the Conservatives.

 

[GAP]

What you are all forgetting is it is the Liberals that Harper found the easiest to work with....

Despite all the rhetoric, the Liberals govern in the same area as the Conservatives.....even provincial NDP parties govern right of centre (eg: Manitoba).....Jack's price is to high.

 

[Edward Campbell]

What you are all forgetting is it is the Liberals that Harper found the easiest to work with....

Despite all the rhetoric, the Liberals govern in the same area as the Conservatives.....even provincial NDP parties govern right of centre (eg: Manitoba).....Jack's price is to high.

Agreed, that's why I said this.

 

[PuckChaser]

What you are all forgetting is it is the Liberals that Harper found the easiest to work with....

You wouldn't have guessed that with all the fearmongering churning out of the Liberal propoganda machine.

 

[Saskboy]

I find Layton's campaign ads attacking Ottawa backroom power brokers who attempt to sway policy behind the scenes rather comical. I think few people are as skilled at that very thing as Jack himself. I don't mean that as a slight against him either. He's generally pretty effective at leveraging his position to gain concessions which he finds desirable.  Much of that has to do with the size of his party relative to the size of government of course but he has a hand in it nonetheless. Frankly, the image of Michael Ignatieff on television makes my blood pressure elevate ever so slightly and causes my head to involuntarily shake. Jack, on the other hand, I find raises some valid points and as others have said, I find him much more likeable than Ignatieff or Duceppe. I think I could live with a House which saw the NDP, under the leadership of Jack Layton, form the Opposition.

The only thing I can bring myself to credit Duceppe with is having balls the size of melons. I was blown away by his attempt to extort $5 billion in the last budget. That takes guts.

 

[ballz]

The only thing I can bring myself to credit Duceppe with is having balls the size of melons. I was blown away by his attempt to extort $5 billion in the last budget. That takes guts.

I attribute it more to his lack of a spine.

 

[Edward Campbell]

An interesting bit of interactive trivia is at the Globe and Mail.

Let me see:

1953 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Drew). They, the Conservatives, lost;
1957 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Diefenbaker). They, the Conservatives, won;
1958 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Diefenbaker). They, the Conservatives, won;
1962 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Diefenbaker). They, the Conservatives, won;
1963 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Liberals (Pearson). They, the Liberals, won;
1965 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Diefenbaker). They, the Conservatives, lost;
1968 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Liberals (Trudeau). They, the Liberals, won;
1972 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Liberals (Trudeau). They, the Liberals, won;
1974 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Stanfield). They, the Conservatives, lost;
1979 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Clark). They, the Conservatives, won;
1980 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Clark). They, the Conservatives, lost;
1984 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Mulroney). They, the Conservatives, won;
1988 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Mulroney). They, the Conservatives, won;
1993 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Liberals (Chrétien). They, the Liberals, won;
1997 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Charest). They, the Conservatives, lost;
2000 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Liberals (Chrétien). They, the Liberals, won;
2004 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Liberals (Martin). They, the Liberals, won;
2006 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Harper). They, the Conservatives, won; and
2008 - the Globe and Mail endorsed the Conservatives (Harper). They, the Conservatives, won.

Even more trivia; since 1953 the Good Grey Globe has:

1. Endorsed the Conservatives 13 times (out of 19) - the Conservatives won eight of those 19 elections;

2. Endorsed the Liberals six times. The Liberals won 11 of 19 elections; and

3. Backed the winner every single time it endorsed a Liberal.

 

[Saskboy]

I attribute it more to his lack of a spine.

Also a likely culprit.  ;D

 

[Edward Campbell]

Take a look at this graphic, which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions (§29) of the Copyright Act from ThreeHundredEight.com

Source: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r_7YdFXP6Sg/TbHEclrZ82I/AAAAAAAAE4w/wr6aMjB3ILU/s1600/Daily+Poll+Summary.PNG

Three of four national polls have the NDP leading or tied with the Liberals; the fourth has the Dippers trailing by 2%. Given the degree of accuracy all four polls are really showing a statistical dead heat, but ...

In the regions the NDP leads the Liberals in BC, the prairies and Québec. They trail consistently in Ontario and are roughly competitive in Alberta and Atlantic Canada.

This may be a historic breakthrough for the NDP and may, also, spur some sort of national realignment, leading, eventually to the demise of both the Liberals and The New Democrats, as now constructed, and the creation of a New Liberal Party, which is firmly Centre-Left and Left of Centre, with periodic intrusions (when in government) into the centre, per se; a bigger, broader Conservative Party, which straddles the Centre, Centre-Right and Right of Centre regions of the political spectrum; and a couple of new fringe parties – one on the Right and Hard Right and the other on the Hard-Left and Left.


                <============================================================================>
Spectrum: Hard-Left  Left  Left of Centre  Centre-Left      Centre      Centre-Right  Right of Centre  Right  Hard Right

 

[Old Sweat]

Indeed it could be. The question may be how many voters will have second thoughts and move back to the Liberals over the next eight or nine days? Apparently the turnout at the Advanced Polls has been quite heavy in our riding in Eastern Ontario. If this is true across the country, then the figures Edward just posted may be quite important. I can't remember for sure, but it seems to me that at the last Federal election somewhere around 20 percent of the voters used the Advanced Polls in North Grenville.

I wonder how many Grits are harking back to the good old days with Stefan Dion at the helm?

 

[Journeyman]

I too hit the Advanced Polls yesterday, so all this electioneering is for naught. 


For my riding, the Advanced Polling Station was set up at Queen's -- I have to admit to a tremour of fear for our future after overhearing some of the vacuous discussions around me....dude.  :-\

 

[GAP]

The Advance polls may or may not be good news.....most of the students voting at the universities are NOT voting Conservative....

 

[Old Sweat]

The Advance polls may or may not be good news.....most of the students voting at the universities are NOT voting Conservative....

I'm sure that is the case. However, this also tends to concentrate their vote into a few, largely urban, ridings. I have no idea at all of their vote distribution, but suspect the NDP and Greens would benefit most. Despite the publicity given to the vote mobs movement, I suspect the student turnout would still be far below the national figure, like.

 

[wannabe SF member]

Not too much of a problem in my opinion. Student vote is sprinkled all across their home ridings therefore unlikely to have an effect in the place where they are studying.

Furthermore, right now is exam season and I suspect many of my peers will be too occupied with thir "hectic" revision schedule to find the time to care.

 

[Old Sweat]

True, however if they vote at a special poll such as at Guelph, they will vote in the riding that houses the university. Your point re exams is moot. Thanks for that.

 

[Journeyman]

Not too much of a problem in my opinion. Student vote is sprinkled all across their home ridings.....

The majority of the students in the line-ups had just registered, using their local (Kingston) Utilities bill, etc, as proof of residence. Their vote will be for this riding, rather than their family home.

As for the numbers, and excuses for not voting, it's anyone's guess.



Edit: Yes, what Old Sweat (the faster typist) said. 

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Furthermore, right now is exam season and I suspect many of my peers will be too occupied with thir "hectic" revision schedule to find the time to care.

[sarcasm]

Not trying to pigeon hole the student bodies, but given most of the press that comes out of our establishments of higher learning, I would've figured that with a long weekend, those that aren't travelling would be drunk off their asses and incapable of getting to the polling station.

How's that for a broad brush ;D

[/sarcasm]

 

[Kat Stevens]

[sarcasm]

Not trying to pigeon hole the student bodies, but given most of the press that comes out of our establishments of higher learning, I would've figured that with a long weekend, those that aren't travelling would be drunk off their asses and incapable of getting to the polling station.

How's that for a broad brush ;D

[/sarcasm]

Love it... cynicism is an area weapon!