Canada: For or Against the Coalition Government

[notslow]

I am against the coalition. At the October 14th election 74% of Canadians rejected the idea of Prime Minister Dion and at the time he actually denied any plans on a coalition government. All of a sudden they are threatened with loosing their tax payer subsidies and out of nowhere comes the idea of a coalition; suspicious to say the least. Many centrical people that voted for the Liberals and other opposition parties voted without the intention of supporting a coalition government with the NDP and the separatists either.

Harper has planned a stimulus package for the Canadian economy and has planned to deliver it in January after the Obama administration announces what their plans are. This wasn't early enough for the opposition, who appear to be more interested in spending money without really consulting anyone else first.

[Cold_Zero]

I saw this on CBC Monday when I was watching TV. Thanks NDP for forming this coalition and the Bloc Quebecios for not standing in its way.

Do you think this is bad idea (forcing a new government) with the current world wide economic? The only reason why I ask is that if the Tories ask the Governor General to prorogue Parliament, doesn't Parliament shut down?

It was interesting that the CBC pointed to the US elections and the transition as being a model for this current government. Which was kind of funny being an American watching a Canadian broadcast...

They also said on the CBC that Dion went from a crushing defeat to potentially becoming the Prime Minister of Canada just by some political maneuvering. bud

[notslow]

Quote »Do you think this is bad idea (forcing a new government) with the current world wide economic? The only reason why I ask is that if the Tories ask the Governor General to prorogue Parliament, doesn't Parliament shut down?[/quote]Yes that Legislative Assembly would be concluded.I think having more voices in government has the potential for great success, however, only if founded on the right reasons. The reason the idea of this coalition exists is Dion was butt-hurt that he lost and they are potentially loosing lots in tax payer subsidies. There is a much larger political agenda involved in the coalition then there is 'the people's'. Furthermore, no more than two months ago, each of these campaigns were battling for votes based on their differences and all of a sudden overnight they can swing together? Given, the Conservatives were always the main contender for any of the other political parties but the Liberals, NDP and BQ have very different policies. Canadians have already decided that they don't support those policies.

Quote »It was interesting that the CBC pointed to the US elections and the transition as being a model for this current government. Which was kind of funny being an American watching a Canadian broadcast...[/quote]Its true though haha, we kinda just go with the flow and do what you guys do. Your state of California (whom BC does lots of business with) has a greater population than our entire country. That, combined with the amount of trade the two nations do makes it crucial that if the government has the ability to follow the wishes of the Canadian people while aligning an economic strategy with the US that those strategies go forward. If we can't model after your government we risk our biggest trade partner.

Quote »They also said on the CBC that Dion went from a crushing defeat to potentially becoming the Prime Minister of Canada just by some political maneuvering. bud[/quote]Wish I saw this program. Yes if this goes through than he could potentially be PM, in which case I might move to the US haha. One day he makes the front of the paper for saying he is conceding and leaving the Liberal party all together and, "will just keep the seat warm for the next guy". Next day he wakes up and thinks he has another shot at PM.

[Cold_Zero]

So Cathy McLeod is your MP?

[notslow]

yes she is preceded by Betty Hinton who served for 7 years

[themadscientist]

As an American living in a foreign country I am always interested in but still confused by other counrties systems of governments. Canada is a parlimentary system right? Japan is and it seems like every couple of months there is a shakeup in the houses and then the subsequent PM shift. It doesn't seem like much gets done because the leadership position is so transient.

[notslow]

As an American living in a foreign country I am always interested in but still confused by other counrties systems of governments. Canada is a parlimentary system right? Japan is and it seems like every couple of months there is a shakeup in the houses and then the subsequent PM shift. It doesn't seem like much gets done because the leadership position is so transient.

Ya Canada is a parliamentary system. Typically we don't have any problems and generally speaking the House of Commons runs effectively. The pressure of the US economy, however, has every MP ****ting bricks about where money should be spent and what cuts should be made. Over the past year we have seen a complete collapse in traditionally respective politics and it has now become a partisan **** show.

The shakeup all started because when the Conservatives were first elected in February '06 they were a minority government. This was actually great because they needed the help of the Liberals and other parties to get bills passed. With pressure mounting on him this year, Harper called for another election. At the time they were at 127 seats and after the vote they actually went up to 143 but still short the 155 needed for a majority. After loosing twice the only thing the Liberals have left is to form a coalition and try and get a motion of no confidence put to parliament which could force.....you guessed it......yet another election.

[notslow]

Wasting the canadian broadcasters time and showing up late with a cellphone-like quality video of public address on the parliament crisis doesn't help out Dion's odds.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/Arti...ories

Oh and Harper has agreed with the Governor General to prorogue parliament until January. This bad news for the coalition as they cant get the no confidence motion passed with no parliament.

[Armelius]

Looks like the OJ verdict tops this news. I see this more important as it shows the Queen isn't some figurehead for tourists.

[notslow]

Looks like the OJ verdict tops this news. I see this more important as it shows the Queen isn't some figurehead for tourists.

Thank you for that lovely post. I am glad we have members like you positively contributing to this forum /sarcasm

To anyone that isn't wasting bandwidth trolling this forum, polls are showing that most Canadians support Jean's move to prorogue government until January. Some are also showing that if there was another election that the Tories could get a majority. Demonstrations for and against the coalition are ALL OVER Canada. Its getting crazy.

It sucks to see the country falling apart like this. If the Separatists ever take power Im moving to the US... maybe Arizona or somethin.
Modified by notslow at 3:38 PM 12/6/2008

[Armelius]

As soon as Canadians and Australians or Commonwealth countries figure out that the governor general and the queen/king doesn't have their best interests in mind then I won't give royalists the time of day for hopefully they will be kicked so far back to the days of feudalism that it wouldn't matter.

[notslow]

As soon as Canadians and Australians or Commonwealth countries figure out that the governor general and the queen/king doesn't have their best interests in mind then I won't give royalists the time of day for hopefully they will be kicked so far back to the days of feudalism that it wouldn't matter.

I hope you understand the reason our Governor General had to make the unprecedented decision she made was because your countries' economic situation has ripped our government apart. If she had decided to reject Harper's request to suspend parliament I can assure you the government would have collapsed in which case one of two things would have happened (neither good for the Canadian people): we would have gone to vote... AGAIN... six weeks after re-electing the Tories; or she would give the coalition a shot at government. This is a group backed by a party that wants to destroy Canada. The other party's leader (Dion of the Liberals) led his party to their lowest ever recorded popularity vote at the last election and the NDP has never even hit %25. I can't fathom how either of these options would be in the best interest of Canadians either.

The governor general doesn't necessarily need the best interest of the Canadian people. She is not appointed by the people but rather by the Queen as an independent representative of the monarch. I am curious as to why you don't think the Queen doesn't have our best interests in mind though.

Oh and I wouldn't be jumping the gun bashing the intelligence of our government either. In the early 1900s the Philippines were US territory with several Governor Generals appointed by the United States.
Modified by notslow at 7:13 PM 12/6/2008

[Cold_Zero]

As soon as Canadians and Australians or Commonwealth countries figure out that the governor general and the queen/king doesn't have their best interests in mind then I won't give royalists the time of day for hopefully they will be kicked so far back to the days of feudalism that it wouldn't matter.

Well then good thing you live in the United States, which last time I checked was not a Commonwealth State. So why are you getting bent out of shape about someone else's government?

[Armelius]

Last time I went to the Philippines I barely noticed the government there. Maybe just while I was at the airport. Not only do they look independent but they sure don't have crazy laws and police everywhere. A governor general is just like a military person, a general. Our attorney general is just that, a person that isn't in the military yet is the commander in law enforcement, only the governor or a president might tell him what to do or appoint a person to the position. Just like your queen.

I make light of that because so few people know anything about the queen or what a governor general is. Yet they still have elections and everyone says it's a democracy or parliamentary republic. Maybe a representative monarchy.

There is no bent out of shape about Canada or Australia, though I dislike the idea of immigrating to those places and pledging allegiance to the queen.

My point is our news media is avoiding this issue altogether. Even on the BBC webpage I had to dig for a story. And I sure most people in the state don't understand the whole thing as well.

Maybe I do have a problem with people who would call themselves subjects and would have a sovereign. It's really there problem though. Not mine.

[Cold_Zero]

Maybe you should read the CBC. I am fortunate in that I get the CBC on the Radio and on TV.

I almost became a Canadian this past summer when my dumbass brother in laws drove us (accidentally) to Canada with out our birth certificates or passports. Luckily, the US Border Guard let us in, but I did have to turn in my brother in laws for being Al Qaeda in Indiana. I have never seen a night stick be used like that, once I uttered those words. I think they are Gitmo right now.

[Armelius]

What I find interesting about indy is that it has all of those memorials about civil wars or wars that were fought, then they are surrounded by banks and businesses and for good measure a Scottish Rite Temple is darkly displayed with no real fanfare.

People used to cruise south of Washington St. there. Bet that is gone.

[driverdriver]

Part of me was kind of looking forward to seeing Stephen Harper eat some humble pie, but the Governor General granted him his wish to perogue Parliament.

I think it was needless powerplay on his part that's basically frozen Government business till Jan 26, 2009. His focus should be the economy and jobs.

Who knows, between now and Jan 26, 2009 the economy may get worse, there may be another coalition attempt that may succeed or general elections. Canadian's may be both fed up and angry with the Tories and bring in a "leaderless" Liberal government.

[notslow]

I agree that it is disappointing that parliament is dissolved at a time when we really need them but we definitely weren't getting anywhere with all the childish politics. While parliament is closed, Harper is working on his economic stimulus package and he has even reached out for the support and input of the opposition much like Obama has with Palin. I'm not a fan of any of the parties right now but it is clear that Harper is at least trying to be the grown-up here. Every single one of them is power hungry but I feel that Harper is the lesser of the evils.

Living in the West, I can't imagine what would happen here if the separatists took power. I mean the Libs ignore us too but the Bloc wants to destroy us! I guess we would first have to think of a new name for the country encompassing everything West of Ontario, develop new currency and start our own government since we would get absolutely NO backing whatsoever from Ottawa. Maybe NICO can design the new flag lulz.

Armelius, I find it interesting that the Canadian political crisis gets very little exposure in the US. They don't mention it on any American broadcasting at all? I guess I am too used to Canadian companies broadcasting everything about the US.

[Armelius]

Yeah, which is why I have a problem with the whole thing if our press is just over looking the whole thing completely.

Certainly OJ and Britney are important people on some entertainment level but to hear the same thing said about the Queen of England or something and then when something that doesn't happen very often happens everyone is turning their head and just not commenting on it. To me it is very disturbing.

[Armelius]

John Stewart of The Daily Show had a fairly long satirical segment about the whole thing last night. He is Canadian but it's the first I have seen on this subject in American media.

[notslow]

I went to the Comedy Central website and watched the program. You can tell just by the way he talks how under-exposed this issue really is. Kinda sad really.

[Cold_Zero]

Well, seeing is that PBS shows the BBC and CSPAN shows the CBC, Americans have really no excuse for keeping up with what is going on around the world. I also cheat and listen to the CBC Radio One and BBC World News Service on Sirius.

[APEXi240]

When does CSPAN show CBC news? I never seem to catch it.

My wife is Canadian, and that is the one thing she misses most, right after her family...and hockey coverage...and snow...and generally nice and amicable people.

I concur with notslow's take on the coalition government situation.

[Armelius]

I don't have enough information about the whole thing because our news organizations are avoiding the topic. All I can comment about is the Governor General, The Queen, and the Prime Minister and their relationships.

[notslow]

Dion has stepped down as leader of the party. Congratulations big guy... YOU FAIL...again... twice in less than two months!

Rae also backed out too. Michael Ingnatieff is taking the reigns and for their sake I hope the party can get their crud in gear. The funny thing is the support of the coalition by each of the three opposition parties at a federal level is rocky at best. When you look at my province, BC, those same parties that are supposed to be working together are at each others throats over some of the most trivial things.

Our Liberal premier, Gordon Campbell, is actually against the coalition and has said that he feels that Harper deserves his time to table a stimulus which leaves me impressed with him.

[Jesda]

Corner Gas is a hilarious sitcom. Catch it on WGN America.