Liberals Keep 'fragile' Hold On Power

I'm glad Canada is moving more left. I think the CPC's biggest problem is that they have no stated party policy.<p><p>---<br>"History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme" Mark Twain <br />
"The greatest price of not participating in politics is being governed by your inferiors." Plato

I don't think what happened last night qualifies as moving left. It's more like stumbling around in the dark.

<br><br> <blockquote>I don't think what happened last night qualifies as moving left. It's more like stumbling around in the dark.--Milton</blockquote> <p>I agree it is more like stumbling around in the dark. I just worry now whether we will see more talks of western seperation. I heard a voter for the conservative party on CBC Radio already mention this. Talk about arrogant. <p>I think the problem with the west, especially Alberta is that they already live in a American style lifestyle. They elect Ralph for a reason. Are the people in the west being molded into what we oppose in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada? Which is Americanization. <p>I wonder with the Conservative victory in B.C does this mean they may also elect Conservative provincially next term? They live next door to Alberta so I'm sure they know what goes on there. If they are willing to elect conservative then they must be accepting what these conservative do for them there. I don't get it to be honest. <p>Kevin <p>---<br>"Love actually, is all around us" --From the movie Love Actually.

What I don't understand is how so many conservative MPs get elected in BC. The place is socally liberal, yet they consistently elect those bozos into power.

Hold on - the Conservatives LOST seats in BC. BC has no interest in going the way of Alberta and the US. Campbell ruined the Conservatives chances here as every candidate outside of the conservative ranks was sure to remind the voters about what Campbell has done as an example of what Harper would do on a national scale.

It worked. Maybe its time for a new Conservative name?

---
If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

While the prefence of Canadians is more to the left, it doesn't mecessarily hold that the government will go there. On the surface, it may look that way, but if Martin can agitate the dissension in the Cons ranks, and get the old PC's to splinter, he may be able to attract them (if enough do this) to give himself a de facto majority. Martin is, after all, a fiscal conservative, committed to some forms of privatisation, as well as to Star Wars (regardless of his speeches to the seeming "contrary"), and Jack layton would be an albatross around his neck.

---
RickW

I think it's hard to draw parrallels between provincial results and federal results. Atlantic Canada has all PC governments, yet elects liberals for 22 of 32 federal seats. In Quebec, they have their first federalist provincial government in like twenty years or something, and just gave 2/3 of their federal seats to the overtly separatist Bloc (although I'd rather have the Bloc in their than concervatives), and the rest to the liberals (not even an NDP seat there). Ontario, despite apparently being so pissed off with the Liberals (Federal and Provincial) still gave them another government (which is fine with me, in case that sounded like I was complaining), and BC actually shifted away from the conservatives slightly this election.

I think BC can be explained with it identifying itself as part of the West. The Reform Party, Alliance, and now Conservatives are still very routed in the west, and from 1987 until the last election was specifically there to be the voice of the west in Ottawa. That's what prevented them from haveing a government this time around - eastern Canada didn't see the Conservatives as a national concervative party, but as the Canadian Alliance waving a PC flag with the P cut out. As Martin, I think, said at one point last week: "It's no coincidence that they took 'Progressive' out of their name", but that's another issue.

Did anyone hear Scott Brison's speach? I almost fell out of my chair; it was like me talking about Harper to my friends.

Flying High on Helium
(sorry, not home and can't remember my password)

In order to 'win' the Liberals have alienated Westerners and boosted Quebec separatism besides angering a great many people across the country. This is a win for the Liberal Party - certainly not a win for Canada. Many more 'wins' like this and the Liberal 'Canada' won't extend any farther than the National Capital Region. Then again, vive le National Capital Region Libre....

Quote;
"They live next door to Alberta so I'm sure they know what goes on there. If they are willing to elect conservative then they must be accepting what these conservative do for them there. I don't get it to be honest."


"What goes on" is Alberta is, simply put, a good number of jobs and a booming economy. British Columbians know that - heck, there's thousands of them in Alberta doing everything from working oil rigs to waiting tables and ushering at hotels. There's a lot of folks in BC who only need go as far as their brother, sister, cousin or whatever, who lives in Alberta to see the economy here. Many ask themselves... why is Alberta swimming in money and jobs, while BC tends to struggle every now and then?

Oil tends to be the easy answer. To a certain degree, that's right....

But, with that thought in mind, those same people tend to equate that successful economy to consistant Conservative stewardship; in Alberta, we're now looking at - what, 50? - years of right-wing parties in power.....

Maybe folks in BC vote Tory with the hope that fortune can strike twice.

Just a thought.

--
"It's fortunate for those in power that people do not think."

Well said.



---
"History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme" Mark Twain
"The greatest price of not participating in politics is being governed by your inferiors." Plato

The talk about Western separation is quite understandable, given the negativity of the election campaign. Paul Martin went on and on before the election about his wanting to heal Western alienation. But once the campaign was on and it became competitive, Martin resorted to that well-worn Liberal tactic of whipping up fear of the big bad Western bogeyman. He also resorted to that other tactic he had promised to shelve - Yankee-bashing.

Martin made noises about decriminalizing gun registry offenses, but reversed himself on the issue when he realized that picking on Westerners and rural Canadians plays well in Toronto.

And free-market individualism is not a "problem with the west". It is an alternate economic and social model that many Westerners, particularly Albertans, believe in sincerely. To label it as "American" is to imply that it is not legitimately Canadian. There's nothing wrong with having values and politics that don't match those of Metro Toronto.

They are no more "molded" in their thinking than you are. They just disagree with you. And last time I checked, that was still allowed in Canada.

I don't think the Liberals are entitled to even call their win a "mandate". I bet you a lot of these 135 seats were the result of people voting for the local candidate they thought was most likely to beat the local Conservative candidate. So in a sense the Liberals will now form a government by default. Which is not a happy circumstance, although at least the Conservatives with their mean-spirited vision for Canada have been thwarted for now.

Monday's results may slow Paul Martin down, but I doubt they will divert him from a path that will inevitably lead to dire consequences for Canada, if his record is any indication.

Only problem with that otherwise rosy-for-Harper theory.

Alberta's been making money off two things:
1) Oil.
2) Whining about how ignored it is by the rest of Canada and guilting (or, in some cases, extorting) the Federal Government into giving it money, which Good Old Ralphie then distributes to corporations.

Booming economy, crappy quality of life... Where have we seen that before? *glances south of the border*

Paul Martin's a good man. He comes from a socially progressive family (his father helped usher in medicare), which is more than anyone can say for Harper. I would suggest you let him govern before you judge his mandate.