5 ms·

And blocking a road in protest is now terrorism ("interference with infrastructure"). With the current government Canada is going downhill real fast. Sad, beca

by raquo 11y ago

And blocking a road in protest is now terrorism ("interference with infrastructure"). With the current government Canada is going downhill real fast. Sad, because it's one of the most socially developed countries.

Mikeb85 11y ago
Don't worry, we'll get rid of Harper soon enough. Alberta just dumped a 44-year dynasty, and this is the Conservatives' home ground. Most Canadians are sick of him.
- ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
  Unless the Libs and NDP are willing to join a coalition, I dont see how that would happen (or one party gains a majority). That's the problem with two opposition parties, both of whom are centre left/left (ish).
  - guiomie 11y ago
    In my opinion, Trudeau isn't overrated and will get enough votes for a minority or a majority.
    - Spooks 11y ago
      Sorry if I am wrong, but doesn't he have very little experience in politics? And didn't he partially support bill C-51
      - m_alexgr 11y ago
        C51 voting split down party lines. Cons & Libs for, NDP, Greens and Independent against. Many MPs abstained. https://openparliament.ca/votes/41-2/395/ https://openparliament.ca/votes/41-2/395/
      - guiomie 11y ago
        If I recall his dad didn't have much experience either. I personally don't believe career politician make the best politician.
- dorfsmay 11y ago
  I'm no Harper fan, but he hasn't been anywhere as arrogant as Prentice had become in the last few weeks.
- higherpurpose 11y ago
  The question is will whoever comes to power reverse all of this, or will you get a "choice" that is just as much pro-mass surveillance and pro-unaccountability for abuses like in the US?
- beloch 11y ago
  Albertan here. The NDP win in Alberta has exactly nothing to do with federal politics. In fact, had Mulcair (the federal NDP leader) endorsed the Alberta NDP party it probably would have cost them a lot of votes. He is remembered for demonizing Alberta to cozy up to Quebec voters in the last federal election and remains wildly unpopular in Alberta. Prentice and the Alberta PC's made a litany of key mistakes in rapid succession. Perhaps foremost was flouting their own legislation that "guaranteed" fixed election dates... again. Why was it too much this time? The PC's had just cut the head off the official opposition party by luring their leader (along with half it's MLA's) across the floor. While Prentice claimed he needed a new mandate for his budget, the true reason for this election's timing was obvious. They thought it would be a cakewalk because their opposition was in complete disarray. This is exactly the kind of election manipulation their own law was supposed to discourage. The reason the NDP won the election is because voters had decided on "anyone but the PC's" and Rachel Notley was the only leader who didn't look like a clown in the leader's debate. Alberta isn't afraid of big-spending governments because that's precisely what the PC's were. They also expect the NDP to become a much more centrist, business friendly party now that they're in power. Mulcair might be walking with a bounce in his step right now, but he's going to be choking down a lot of sour news about what passes for NDP policy in the West soon enough. As for federal politics... Harper has now been in power long enough that the West has gotten over feeling giddy about actually mattering in federal politics. A different party with a sound policy and a good leader could easily win a lot of ridings here if they took the province seriously. That means no nepotism, especially regarding the son of a leader famous for flipping the province the bird while riding right on through to the next province on the train. That means no parties that are too afraid to announce their platform. That means no parties that run garbage candidates. (In the last federal election, the NDP ran a grocery clerk from the other end of the province in my riding. She had never been to my city and refused to speak to media. She was nothing more than a name on a ballot.) No federal party that demonizes Alberta as a way of attacking Harper's background (even though he's from Toronto) is going to get a lot of votes here. Finally, I'd just like to add that the liberals voted with the PC's to pass this bill. The NDP get no credit for opposing the bill because they'd oppose practically anything the other two parties were for.
  - Mikeb85 11y ago
- dlitz 11y ago
  The NDP won because the conservative vote was split between two parties (PC and Wildrose) and the voting system is single-member-district plurality (FPTP). Federally, there is only one conservative party and several viable opposition parties (mainly NDP and Liberal), so I wouldn't be surprised if the Conservatives win the next election, for exactly the same reason.
- floor__ 11y ago
  Even if Harper goes (and if he doesn't I call shenanigans) the bill has been passed. The damage has been done. If liberals win it is highly unlikely they would remove that bill, and if NDP wins still i doubt they will abolish the bill. At best you can hope for NDP to win and submit revisions to the bill for more oversight.

by raquo 11y ago

Mikeb85 11y ago

Don't worry, we'll get rid of Harper soon enough. Alberta just dumped a 44-year dynasty, and this is the Conservatives' home ground. Most Canadians are sick of him.

ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
Unless the Libs and NDP are willing to join a coalition, I dont see how that would happen (or one party gains a majority). That's the problem with two opposition parties, both of whom are centre left/left (ish).
- guiomie 11y ago
  In my opinion, Trudeau isn't overrated and will get enough votes for a minority or a majority.
  - Spooks 11y ago
    Sorry if I am wrong, but doesn't he have very little experience in politics? And didn't he partially support bill C-51
    - m_alexgr 11y ago
      C51 voting split down party lines. Cons & Libs for, NDP, Greens and Independent against. Many MPs abstained. https://openparliament.ca/votes/41-2/395/ https://openparliament.ca/votes/41-2/395/
    - guiomie 11y ago
      If I recall his dad didn't have much experience either. I personally don't believe career politician make the best politician.
dorfsmay 11y ago
I'm no Harper fan, but he hasn't been anywhere as arrogant as Prentice had become in the last few weeks.
higherpurpose 11y ago
The question is will whoever comes to power reverse all of this, or will you get a "choice" that is just as much pro-mass surveillance and pro-unaccountability for abuses like in the US?
beloch 11y ago
Albertan here. The NDP win in Alberta has exactly nothing to do with federal politics. In fact, had Mulcair (the federal NDP leader) endorsed the Alberta NDP party it probably would have cost them a lot of votes. He is remembered for demonizing Alberta to cozy up to Quebec voters in the last federal election and remains wildly unpopular in Alberta. Prentice and the Alberta PC's made a litany of key mistakes in rapid succession. Perhaps foremost was flouting their own legislation that "guaranteed" fixed election dates... again. Why was it too much this time? The PC's had just cut the head off the official opposition party by luring their leader (along with half it's MLA's) across the floor. While Prentice claimed he needed a new mandate for his budget, the true reason for this election's timing was obvious. They thought it would be a cakewalk because their opposition was in complete disarray. This is exactly the kind of election manipulation their own law was supposed to discourage. The reason the NDP won the election is because voters had decided on "anyone but the PC's" and Rachel Notley was the only leader who didn't look like a clown in the leader's debate. Alberta isn't afraid of big-spending governments because that's precisely what the PC's were. They also expect the NDP to become a much more centrist, business friendly party now that they're in power. Mulcair might be walking with a bounce in his step right now, but he's going to be choking down a lot of sour news about what passes for NDP policy in the West soon enough. As for federal politics... Harper has now been in power long enough that the West has gotten over feeling giddy about actually mattering in federal politics. A different party with a sound policy and a good leader could easily win a lot of ridings here if they took the province seriously. That means no nepotism, especially regarding the son of a leader famous for flipping the province the bird while riding right on through to the next province on the train. That means no parties that are too afraid to announce their platform. That means no parties that run garbage candidates. (In the last federal election, the NDP ran a grocery clerk from the other end of the province in my riding. She had never been to my city and refused to speak to media. She was nothing more than a name on a ballot.) No federal party that demonizes Alberta as a way of attacking Harper's background (even though he's from Toronto) is going to get a lot of votes here. Finally, I'd just like to add that the liberals voted with the PC's to pass this bill. The NDP get no credit for opposing the bill because they'd oppose practically anything the other two parties were for.
- Mikeb85 11y ago
dlitz 11y ago
The NDP won because the conservative vote was split between two parties (PC and Wildrose) and the voting system is single-member-district plurality (FPTP). Federally, there is only one conservative party and several viable opposition parties (mainly NDP and Liberal), so I wouldn't be surprised if the Conservatives win the next election, for exactly the same reason.
floor__ 11y ago
Even if Harper goes (and if he doesn't I call shenanigans) the bill has been passed. The damage has been done. If liberals win it is highly unlikely they would remove that bill, and if NDP wins still i doubt they will abolish the bill. At best you can hope for NDP to win and submit revisions to the bill for more oversight.