Canada: Prime minister. Who shoudl I vote for?!?!

[StageLeft]

Still undecided; I'm not voting for Chretien because the Liberals are lazy and careless. Not voting for Day because although many of his ideas are extremely good the man himself seems a bit too much of a zealot - Canada's moral fibre is quite alright thanks Mr. Day!

So, NDP, BQ (haha), or PC. NDP vs. PC - who to vote for?

Was Joe Clark a good prime minister? I was too young to remember really...

 

[kami]

Who cares? Liberals are gonna win.

unless of course, the huge gap between the Alliance and Liberals dropped dramatically in the past couple weeks...

 

[StageLeft]

Saying "who cares" is extremely apathetic you know

The last thing the liberals need right now is to have a very small opposition. Hopefully they will receive the message that many canadians are dissatisfied with them and they should work harder. That is why I won't vote for them.

 

[kami]

of course it's apathetic...and I don't care

but the liberals are still gonna win

 

[skywhr]

i like bush

 

[billandopus]

At the very least, do a quick research/primer on the candidate in your area and what they represent. Then figure out which leader and which party you lean to and what they represent. Find out what your general choice is - then digest whether you think the polls are right and whether the Liberals are going to run away with a majority government.

After you figure this out - then ask yourself if you want to vote for the major players or whether you want to vote with your conscience.

Some argue that a vote for the marijuana party, let's say, is a wasted vote because in a two party race between the Alliance and the Liberals you have to choose between the lesser of two evils.

Some argue against this because in a free and democratic system you can choose who you want to choose.

Well, I guess to sum it all up it's either choosing with your heart or your head.

Good luck.

 

[Optimus]

Although I think the whole "Day is a zealot" thing is purely manufactured by the media (I like the CA), I'll say that between the PCs and NDP - PC definitely!

The NDP are over, and I just heard that if Clark and the PCs don't do well today, we are back to a 2 party system for the first time since WWI.

Something to consider!

But maybe do ask yourself if you think Day is a "zealot" because you decided that independantly from hearing him speak (not quoted) or if it is because the media have been calling him that for months? I just want everyone to decide for themselves, and not let the media decide for us!

 

[Handle]

I agree that Stockwell Day is not scary or a threat to Canada. Exactly what is it about him that scares you (besides saying, "my newspaper/friend/mom says he's evil&quot? His religion (noting of course the illegality of discriminating against people based on their religious beliefs)? His economic policies (which the Liberals are attempting to steal?) His stance on health care (even though the Liberals admit two-tiered health exists already)? His stance on abortion (if the people want to decide, we'll let them directly decide in a democratic way?) So... what is it that you are scared of?

(I have a feeling not many people will respond, but will instead continue to happily believe that Stockwell Day is scary.)

 

[Handle]

double post

 

[GL]

I'm a Christian (Catholic) and find Stockwell Day's religious views fine. I don't, however, believe that his religious views should play a role in his policies which they are. I personally don't think the world is 6000 years old, but if he does, that's up to him. It proves how irrational he is and how little he uses his brain instead of reading the Bible at a literal level (which I believe it shouldn't be read at. The abortion issue is something I'd much rather leave out of politics. I'm against abortion but I think the only effective way to rid ourselves of what I think is an evil in abortion, is to raise our kids so that they don't place themselves in a situation where they will consider an abortion, or if they are in a situation, to let them know that it is much better to raise the child instead of abort it - even if at face value, the situation completely sucks.

I don't like the Canadian Alliance because 1) They're official name is Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance Party, but their marketers have made Canadians refer to them as simply "Canadian Alliance" because they don't want people to know that they're just the Reform party with a new title. And 2) I find many of their politicians to be offensive (i.e. the woman who went on about the "Asian Invasion", the man who made a joke about scalping in front of a speech to Natives, Preston Manning speaking to Albertans about Ontarians and as a result, the Albertans booing Ontarians). I don't like Day because he defended these people when their actions were wrong. 3) And to just talk about their policies (or lack thereof), I don't want a health care system where there is incentive not to use it. A lot of illnesses like cancer can be spotted during regular checkups when you don't feel sick. The CA's policy would deter people from going to regular checkups in the name of getting a few hundred dollars back. These regular checkups are invaluable. What makes the CA completely suck is they have no platform. Everything is "being looked into" but nothing is set in stone, and therefore I have no incentive to vote for them.

-GL

 

[sandorski]

GL: It's a little lat to change anyones mind now, but where does Day's personal beliefs reflect in CA policies?

 

[IronMike]

What's so special about Canada, that makes you think your vote is actually counted?

 

[GL]

sandorski

It's hard to pinpoint a specific platform issue because the CA really had very little. But his opinion on referendums to determine human rights issues is a reflection of his personal beliefs. When it comes to human rights the majority is not always right. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the "majority" is the opppressor of human rights violations across the world. Look at all the ethnic cleansing in the Baltic states as a case in point. In heavily Christian areas, Muslims were persecuted, and vice versa. I'm not confident that Canadians would afford the level of human rights we now provide through referendums. The fact that CA candidates talked about Asian Invasions, getting scalped (in a speech to Natives), and promoting racial profiling in policing efforts...and still got as much support as they did out west almost confirms my suspicions.

-GL

 

[Elita1]

What's so special about Canada?
I'm not Canadian, but from what I've seen, Canada has been a great supplier of talent to the United States, in many different areas; not just the acting and musical industry.
Canada has clean air, friendly and decent people who care about their neighbors, their town, their province, their country, and want to make it a good place for their children to grow up in. Canadians have Honor and loyalty; They support the U.S. in defending and helping others who need them. Canadians came up with basketball and hockey, 2 of the most popular sports in the U.S.

What's so special about Canada?(this answer is for all you guys)
Canada has Shania Twain.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Vote for Ralph Nader

 

[Optimus]

GL - Thank-you, you have put forward the first legitimate argument against the CA I've ever heard.

I want to like them, but quite honestly I too am unsure. But all I ever hear about them is people calling them "facists" or other names based on the fact that "Stockwell is Christian so he must therefore be a right wing, racist, neo-nazi, pro-gun, pro-death-penalty, anti-woman nut". It really sickens me because I can't believe people will a) judge and discriminate based on religious beliefs, and b) use the terms for one of the worst evils of the 20th century to slam each other politically. Argh!

But, a well thought out and presented argument based on thier party platform (or lack thereof), party representative's actions, and policies is a VERY welcome change to our political debates!

Thanks, GL!

And I hope the CA get thier act together soon - I'm not too impressed with Jean and the Liberals.

 

[Elita1]

Well said, GL and Optimus.
It truly is all too difficult to vote for what you believe in these days.

 

[Optimus]

IronMike - here in Canada, the election is decided by the number of seats won across the nation. There are 301 total, so the party with the most seats has thier head person as prime minister. So my vote yeterday was actually for my Member of Parliment. If the Liberal guy won (he did) then that is one of the 301 seats for the Liberal party. The Liberals had 176 of these victories, giving them the majority government and making Jean Cretien the PM again. Some ridings are decided by a very few votes in the end, so yes, your vote does count in the final count here in Canada.

 

[Zucchini]

Hehe i'm from canada I just got my us citizenship, can i still vote in canada?

 

[Handle]

Elita1: If I'm not mistaken, Shania Twain now lives in Switzerland, doesn't she? Although she is probably still considered Canadian.