Support NeoGAF

[firehawk12]

So huge upswing for the grits and massive loss for the tories. B-b-but progressive vote split

Poll results two years from an election? Yeah... I hope that koolaid hasn't gone bad by then.

Does anyone know how absentee balloting works? I'm likely to move to Japan this year, and will pretty much be an ex-pat. I know the federal elections aren't until 2015 but still.

It's really easy. You print off some forms to ask for an official ballot that they mail to you. Then you "vote" and mail it back.
They might have/will change it next time around, but it was easy.

Also, even though Canada has cut back on consular services (my relatives in Malaysia were annoyed when Canada pretty much pulled out and they had to get Visas from like Thailand or some place), I would have to imagine they have an embassy in Tokyo that you could probably vote at.

 

[diaspora]

Poll results two years from an election? Yeah... I hope that koolaid hasn't gone bad by then.

It's more of a jab at that particular fuckstupid rhetoric more than it is about actually thinking a useless Forum poll is actually worth shit.

 

[lupinko]

Poll results two years from an election? Yeah... I hope that koolaid hasn't gone bad by then.


It's really easy. You print off some forms to ask for an official ballot that they mail to you. Then you "vote" and mail it back.
They might have/will change it next time around, but it was easy.

Also, even though Canada has cut back on consular services (my relatives in Malaysia were annoyed when Canada pretty much pulled out and they had to get Visas from like Thailand or some place), I would have to imagine they have an embassy in Tokyo that you could probably vote at.

Yeah my Japanese friend who lives in Tokyo (an international student at SFU who is doing school via online in Japan), mentioned that even Japan got hit with the cutback of consular services.

Thanks for the info on the voting too.

 

[SRG01]

Well, we got sent to Community

Anyhow, Robocall developments: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...bo-call-appeal-clears-tories/article12121319/

In short, they got off the hook.

 

[bonesmccoy]

In short, they got off the hook.

I'd like to see Mulcair or Trudeau introduce a bill than bans robocalling during campaigns and near elections. There's points to be scored there.

What does LPC-Gaf think of Trudeau and the recent favourable polling data? Do you guys think he'll fare well in a campaign against Harper and Mulcair?

 

[Complex Shadow]

I'd be surprised if Stephen Harper didn't resign by 2015.

He's just too secretive. It's starting to make him look less and less like a leader. As if he was in over his head. Is he just visiting?

nobody cares. people who do care don't bother to get involved. and its not like the news outlet will do anything. if it doesn't involve crack. its not worth it.

how about someone talk about the fact that 78 million dollars went to the action plan propaganda. i still don't know wtf the plan is. i have an action plan sign near my block. and guess what. that sign has been there for YEARS, nothing has happened. also the sign it self explains NOTHING. it just says action plan, like its some kind of morning after pill.

i think rick mercer did rant on this a few times now. this is actually one of the rare occasions i agree with him. (mainly because i rarely watch his show.)

 

[diaspora]

What does LPC-Gaf think of Trudeau and the recent favourable polling data?

Personally I think it's useless in terms of gauging actual likelihood of winning, useful for riling up and trolling tories and dippers.

 

[bonesmccoy]

nobody cares. people who do care don't bother to get involved. and its not like the news outlet will do anything. if it doesn't involve crack. its not worth it.

It's also virtually the same thing people have been saying about Harper since 2004. The sinister-sounding 'Harper Agenda' accusation has long since lost traction with the voting public, if it really had that much to begin with.

Personally I think it's useless in terms of gauging actual likelihood of winning, useful for riling up and trolling tories and dippers.

What about Trudeau? Do you think he has the plums for an ugly, negative campaign (as 2015 promises to be)?

 

[firehawk12]

It's more of a jab at that particular fuckstupid rhetoric more than it is about actually thinking a useless Forum poll is actually worth shit.

Fair enough. lol

Yeah my Japanese friend who lives in Tokyo (an international student at SFU who is doing school via online in Japan), mentioned that even Japan got hit with the cutback of consular services.

Thanks for the info on the voting too.

Wow, so there's no mission/embassy in Japan? What the hell? lol

 

[diaspora]

What about Trudeau? Do you think he has the plums for an ugly, negative campaign (as 2015 promises to be)?

There's going to be a negative campaign, he doesn't have a choice in the matter.

 

[firehawk12]

There's going to be a negative campaign, he doesn't have a choice in the matter.

I hope someone at NDP or LPC HQ has a slew of ads based on their massive fuckups ready in a 60 second package that they can run and run to death in 2015.

60 seconds probably isn't even enough to cover everything though. lol

 

[diaspora]

I hope someone at NDP or LPC HQ has a slew of ads based on their massive fuckups ready in a 60 second package that they can run and run to death in 2015.

60 seconds probably isn't even enough to cover everything though. lol

Not one 60 second package, but looks like several 30 second ones.

 

[firehawk12]

Not one 60 second package, but looks like several 30 second ones.

Well, honestly, they should probably start running them now and just keep updating them as the government inevitably continues to fuck up in the next couple of years. Take a page out of the Conservative handbook!

 

[Complex Shadow]

how can you guys be so sure theyl resort to mud slinging this time. and remember the liberals are going against pros. last time the Harper campaign was just making fun of the fact that Ignatieff was part American. which was a chauvinistic display of ignorance. it was so disgusting. that, if they went on further to accuse Ignatieff of being incapable to run for prime minister, just because, he was of Russian descent. i wouldn't even be surprised.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Well, honestly, they should probably start running them now and just keep updating them as the government inevitably continues to fuck up in the next couple of years. Take a page out of the Conservative handbook!

Do they have money for that?

 

[diaspora]

Do they have money for that?

Yes.

how can you guys be so sure theyl resort to mud slinging this time.

Because it's already being worked on? Unless anything radically changes that makes the majority of the board deciding against airing ads...

 

[firehawk12]

The only worry, really, is if the NDP and the Liberals start attacking each other and basically do the job of the CPC for them. Of course, both opposition parties are going to be desperate - Mulcair to try to recapture the Layton charm that he just doesn't have and Trudeau to just make his party relevant in ANY province (probably Quebec), so it could get pretty stupid leading up to the election.

Maybe the Green Party can come up the middle and win some seats!

Spoiler

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Alberta Wildrose fined $90k for robocalls

I just lol'd when I read the headline. The $90k number, the robocalls, a far right party. It's too much.

 

[firehawk12]

Alberta Wildrose fined $90k for robocalls

I just lol'd when I read the headline. The $90k number, the robocalls, a far right party. It's too much.

At least they know who they can call to give them a "loan".

 

[gutter_trash]

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/quebec-t...nies-unless-they-submit-to-bill-101-1.1294129
Quebec to boycott federally-regulated companies unless they submit to Bill 101

The PQ government will issue a controversial edict to make it a condition that all federally-regulated companies must comply with Bill 101 in order to do business with the province.
These include banks, transportation companies, postal services, pipelines, telecommunications and radio broadcasting, grain handling and others, a sector that employs 171,000 employees in total, according to 2011 statistics.


Read more: http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/quebec-t...ey-submit-to-bill-101-1.1294129#ixzz2UDFaQ7fk

Thomas Mulcair actually supports enforcing Bill 101 for Federal institutions inside Quebec. FYI.





Justin'15!

 

[Complex Shadow]

(hopefully) nothing is gonna happen. since all it would do is, make business move else where.

 

[matthewwhatever]

I think it's still fairly similar. For congressional elections the polling is still quite accurate in the US, as it is for senate elections. Even for the president you are dealing with the electoral college votes so it's not just a national popular vote. I think the big difference is the likely voter model. In Canada we simply don't use it, and it shows. Here they just ask "are you going to vote for A or B." Then people say "A," but the poller doesn't take into account that the majority of A's supporters are under 25 which means they are not going to show up at the polls. In the US they use actual voter models to alter the poll results to suit the scientific data (like what Nate Silver does) and it works.

Seriously? I didn't know that. That's just mind-bogglingly stupid then. Though it does make Nanos' performance a few years ago, when he correctly nailed the numbers for two or three successive elections (I feel like it was the 2008 federal election, and then whichever Ontario election was around then) all the more impressive.

RE: 2015's negative campaigns...I think it all depends on the poll numbers and who's leading the Conservatives. If yesterday's National Post numbers somehow hold, the Liberal campaign will be about as upbeat and sunshine-y as you could possibly imagine, and the Conservatives will try and outdo the 1993 ad making fun of Chretien's face (and Mulcair will just do whatever they think gets the NDP media attention). If it's closer -- and it undoubtedly will be -- then hopefully the Liberals spend the next 1.5 years hammering away at the Conservatives with semi-negative ads, before bringing it home with something positive. In other words, I'm hoping Trudeau keeps following the Obama playbook.

 

[lupinko]

Wow, so there's no mission/embassy in Japan? What the hell? lol

The main embassy in Tokyo is still there, but apparently consulates all over are either gone or minimized or something.

My friend as an international student doing her degree online, has to go to a Canadian consulate to do her written exams or something of the like.

Another reason to oust Harper and the Cons in 2015!!!

Well for me especially anyway providing my ex-pat plans pan out very soon.

 

[bonesmccoy]

I'm hoping Trudeau keeps following the Obama playbook.

Keep in mind that the 'Obama Playbook' was so successful largely because the Bush and the GOP became so wretchedly unpopular after 2006. The CPC's two current scandals - Senate expenses and the robocalls - don't appear to have the same kind of resonance as, you know, a grossly unjustifiable war.

I just saw on my timeline that an NDP MP has been removed from their shadow cabinet after it was revealed that he hadn't paid his taxes between 2007-2011. He owes $58,000. What timing!

lupinko, what are you going to be doing in Japan? Is this a permanent move?

 

[firehawk12]

The main embassy in Tokyo is still there, but apparently consulates all over are either gone or minimized or something.

My friend as an international student doing her degree online, has to go to a Canadian consulate to do her written exams or something of the like.

Another reason to oust Harper and the Cons in 2015!!!

Well for me especially anyway providing my ex-pat plans pan out very soon.

Yeesh, go figure. Canada wants to pretend to have a presence around the world but can't be bothered to have an actual presence anywhere.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

I think despite what the polls say, it's a steep uphill battle for the Liberals. Playing all the right cards isn't enough, you need to exceed expectations and become a choice rather than a protest vote. If things go the current pace, I predict a Conservative minority, a strong Liberal opposition and the NDP in a distant third place, but a lot can change in two years and I hope it does. Underestimating Harper and hoping all his scandals speak for themselves would be a huge mistake.

 

[gutter_trash]

forget about Stephan Dion's cap-n-trade
forget abotu whatever Iggy was running on, I couldn't remember

Liberals need to run on the economy, the economy, jobs, the economy, surpluses and the economy.
Bring the Center-Right voters in Ontrario back home to the Paul Martin Center-Right wing of the Liberals.

that is how you win
.............

let the activists and protesters split among Greens and NDP.

Liberals need to run on the economy, jobs and surpluses. Fuck the Denis Coderre acivists Left wing of the party.

Fiscal conservatives return home to Liberals

 

[CitizenVectron]

Premier Brad Wall of Saskatchewan no longer believes the Senate can be reformed, is calling for its abolishment.

http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Sask...r+believes+Senate+reformed/8432416/story.html

That is telling, because he is connected to elements inside the federal Conservative Party (though he is a member of the Saskatchewan Party, which was a merger between the PCs and Liberals, it is a right of centre party, though still closer to the PCs than to Wildrose, to give a comparison). If Wall is coming out and saying this, it could be because there might be a concerted push coming soon.

It does put him on the same side as the NDP on one issue, at least, lol.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Premier Brad Wall of Saskatchewan no longer believes the Senate can be reformed, is calling for its abolishment.

http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Sask...r+believes+Senate+reformed/8432416/story.html

That is telling, because he is connected to elements inside the federal Conservative Party (though he is a member of the Saskatchewan Party, which was a merger between the PCs and Liberals, it is a right of centre party, though still closer to the PCs than to Wildrose, to give a comparison). If Wall is coming out and saying this, it could be because there might be a concerted push coming soon.

It does put him on the same side as the NDP on one issue, at least, lol.

Brad Wall is centre-right? I thought being pro right-to-work would be put him squarely in right. But it's refreshing to see a person who doesn't play team politics and makes the right choice, the senate needs to be abolished or at least dissolve the current group of crooks before you reform it.

Ontario politics -

The Ontario NDP announced their candidates for the byelections. Windsor-Tecumseh looks like it's in the bag. Their choice in London West is a bit more questionable, the candidate doesn't live in the riding and is a school board trustee and she was chosen over an Sudanese immigrant who joined the Armed Forces and did a lot of volunteer work fighting poverty. The PC candidate looks stronger. I think this is going to be a toss-up. I am just hoping for an anything-but-Liberal lovefest like Kitchener-Waterloo, the Ontario Libs need a good kick in the stomach after their terrible handling of the chemo scandal. Voting them in again would send a very wrong message. Them not having fielded any candidates yet hopefully speaks volumes instead of feeding my confirmation bias lol.

 

[CitizenVectron]

Brad Wall is interesting in that he generally comes from the old PC party roots and so is right-wing, but he is a fairly pragmatic politician. There have only been a few cases where ideology has trumped pragmatism in his case. I don't agree with his politics but I do respect the man for doing what he thinks is right, and he seems to genuinely reach out to everyone to get things done. That's probably why he's the only premier in Canada with a net positive approval rating (I think he has something like a 70% approval rating). He's the type of guy that would make me consider voting Conservative, as he's definitely more of the old PC style where he will consider making some decisions based on merit even if they fall in the centre or even centre-left sometimes (not often, mind you).

He's well-respected in Saskatchewan because of this, and I could see him having a future federally in a post-Harper party (assuming the social conservatives don't take over the party with someone like Kenney).

 

[diaspora]

Brad Wall is interesting in that he generally comes from the old PC party roots and so is right-wing, but he is a fairly pragmatic politician. There have only been a few cases where ideology has trumped pragmatism in his case. I don't agree with his politics but I do respect the man for doing what he thinks is right, and he seems to genuinely reach out to everyone to get things done. That's probably why he's the only premier in Canada with a net positive approval rating (I think he has something like a 70% approval rating). He's the type of guy that would make me consider voting Conservative, as he's definitely more of the old PC style where he will consider making some decisions based on merit even if they fall in the centre or even centre-left sometimes (not often, mind you).

He's well-respected in Saskatchewan because of this, and I could see him having a future federally in a post-Harper party (assuming the social conservatives don't take over the party with someone like Kenney).

He seems like someone who could very well do what Brison did.

 

[Divvy]

Arthur Porter, a man accused of being at the heart of a scandal involving the McGill University Health Centre mega-hospital project in Montreal, has been arrested in Panama.

Porter is facing multiple charges including fraud, conspiracy to commit government fraud, abuse of trust, secret commissions and recycling the proceeds of crime.

His wife, Pamela, was also arrested. She is facing charges for recycling the proceeds of crime and for conspiracy.

More to come.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/05/27/montreal-arthur-porter-muhc-scandal-fraud-arrested-panama.html

 

[firehawk12]

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...magazine_will_relaunch_online_in_october.html

Wow, Frank magazine is coming back. I'm actually excited to see what kind of hijinks they can come up with. lol

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Aaaaandddd LOL... Ontario Progressive Conservatives being fined $85k for robocalls. I'm noticing a trend.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/28/wildrose-and-ontario-pcs-to-be-fined-by-crtc-over-automated-polls/

In more positive news, Harper opposes EU plans to arm Syrian rebels, offers aid to those caught in the crossfires instead.

http://o.canada.com/2013/05/28/john-baird-cautions-against-sending-weapons-to-syria-but-wont-press-issue-with-european-allies/

 

[gutter_trash]

Fresh from the Canadian Mint: A $90,000 'Duffy buck'

http://youtu.be/nUWvzcHlN-A

a funny parody of the polymer bills unveils.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Fresh from the Canadian Mint: A $90,000 'Duffy buck'


http://youtu.be/nUWvzcHlN-A

a funny parody of the polymer bills unveils.

LOL this channel is awesome.

 

[gabbo]

In more positive news, Harper opposes EU plans to arm Syrian rebels, offers aid to those caught in the crossfires instead.

http://o.canada.com/2013/05/28/john-baird-cautions-against-sending-weapons-to-syria-but-wont-press-issue-with-european-allies/

See, when they doesn't try to get all hyper partisan, Harper and Co can actually be almost agreeable.

 

[lupinko]

lupinko, what are you going to be doing in Japan? Is this a permanent move?

Work, new life/permanent move, if it doesn't pan out, I'm moving to Lalaland, especially now since Jerry Brown's high taxes are bringing more California Love to that state's wallet.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Continuing from the Toronto thread.

I saw studies that showed the amount of money saved for the average family per year was pretty pathetic. The amount of revenue lost by the federal government though was substantial. Eh, I'll see what she does as leader as opposed to a cabinet minister before passing judgement on her.

That's misleading, everything that had 5% GST + 8% PST now has 13% HST. I'm not very aware of the detail of the differences between the HST as opposed to GST+PST, but considering dropping 2% of GST didn't make much difference at all to the pocketbook of Average Canadians I think the differences between PST and HST is minor.

Fair enough, if you want to respond to this post there then that's cool with me.

Cutting sales tax by 1%, going by Manitoban, Ontarian and Canadian figures, saves the average household almost $350 a year. A 2% cut in the GST could have easily saved households almost $700 a year. It probably doesn't mean much for a household earning $100k+, $700 a year is a HUGE amount for anyone living to paycheque to paycheque, which is sadly all too common in cities like Hamilton and Oshawa which Wynne likes to conveniently ignore to the benefit of her GTA fanbase. Now Wynne wants to add $477 per household in regressive taxes, while giving corporations $1.3 billion in HST tax credits, on top of the $1.6 billion that already exist (and let's not forget cuts to the corporate tax rate which gives the Province almost $4 billion+ in lost revenue).

No it's not misleading. Home heating and gas, one of the highest expenses for any household, had 5% sales tax. When McGuinty introduced HST, all those shot up to 13%. The PST also didn't apply to services, like getting your hair cut or legal services, but the HST did. That brought in huge revenue for the Province. That revenue was intended for input tax credits for corporations. Thankfully, the NDP (with political cooperation from the PCs) blocked those tax credits.

 

[Azih]

Alright I concede the points. Sales taxes are regressive after all and I'm no fan of that. However as long as corporations are hit as well to raise money for transit I am still not very troubled by the taxes suggested by Metrolinx.

 

[CitizenVectron]

Yeah, sales taxes are the best form of collecting money (harder to get out of it), but are also generally regressive. That can be combated with tax rebates every quarter, but it's still not as fair to poor people as income taxes where they can avoid paying them altogether.

 

[diaspora]

saves the average household almost $350 a year.

For all the bloody good it'd do me over 365 days.

 

[Azih]

For all the bloody good it'd do me over 365 days.

Yeah that is the other thing. 30 dollars a month really would do a hell of a lot more good if pooled to invest in infrastructure.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

For all the bloody good it'd do me over 365 days.

Then please send $350 (or $700) over my way when your family is living paycheque to paycheque, if you truly believe it is a negligible amount.

 

[Azih]

Then please send $350 over my way when your family is living paycheque to paycheque, if you truly believe it is a negligible amount.

How much are the HST/GST/whatever rebates like nowadays? I remember getting them a long time ago.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

How much are the HST/GST/whatever rebates like nowadays? I remember getting them a long time ago.

The maximum is somewhere around $280 a year, sent every month.

 

[Azih]

The maximum is somewhere around $280 a year, sent every month.

That does reduce the bite a fair bit, no? I understand the regressive nature of it, but the same money to reduce congestion or to build an affordable daycare system would benefit everyone way more than the 1-2% drop itself right? Not to mention create jobs in construction and for child care workers etc.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

That does reduce the bite a fair bit, no? I understand the regressive nature of it, but the same money to reduce congestion or to build an affordable daycare system would benefit everyone way more than the 1-2% drop itself right? Not to mention create jobs in construction and for child care workers etc.

It is not $280 for every 1% of tax, I think it is a flat $280. A 1% tax hike will eat that up and some more.

I'm not against building infrastructure. Corporations are making record profits and families are struggling to make ends meet and losing jobs in this sluggish economy. I'm against Liberals reducing corproate taxation to a loss of $5 billion+, and then turning around and telling everyone that the province is broke and needs to raise household taxes to fund critical infrastructure, is disgusting and morally wrong.

If Ms. Wynne had a real spine she would tell her fat cat friends on Bay Street to pony up, not people living in Hamilton, Oshawa and Toronto's subsidized housing and living on minimum wage.
---

Speaking of Ms. Wynne, Ontario is backtracking on its previous position on the Senate, and is now calling for reform instead of abolition. Pretty disappointing to hear after Brad Wall's announcement of his position earlier this week.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/29/ontario-premier-kathleen-wynne-wants-to-reform-senate-not-abolish-it/

She's a real disappointment.

 

[diaspora]

Then please send $350 (or $700) over my way when your family is living paycheque to paycheque, if you truly believe it is a negligible amount.

Sure, once I accumulate enough on my current minimum wage. $350 over the course of the year is fuck-all, I can save more cash by stopping or even cutting back on my daily coffee intake.

Speaking of Ms. Wynne, Ontario is backtracking on its previous position on the Senate, and is now calling for reform instead of abolition. Pretty disappointing to hear after Brad Wall's announcement of his position earlier this week.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/29/ontario-premier-kathleen-wynne-wants-to-reform-senate-not-abolish-it/

She's a real disappointment.

Wynne is right, and Cowan is a testament to what a good senate can accomplish.

 

[firehawk12]

So, Dr. Morgentaler passed away today and I just thought it'd be worth mentioning given his impact on abortion in Canada:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/05/29/morgentaler-death-reax.html

That said, I find it a bit appalling that, because we live in America Jr., we can't have mature, calm, and even medical discussions about abortion and abortion law. Instead we live by a system of rules and limits that are fairly ill-defined and self-governed by the medical community and social standards (ie, no third-trimester abortions, gender remains hidden during ultrasounds in some provinces).

I hope we'll get there eventually. The problem is that I don't think any political party in Canada is willing to lead the cause - in either direction.