Canada General Discussion 1.5: The Countdown Begins

[Hatman 🍁]

Wont be the first time someone plagiarized a party logo.

Does this look familiar?

[Citizen Hats]

It does, but it ignores the blatant violation of the campaign finance rules

[RogueBeaver]

Michaëlle Jean is la Francophonie's new SG come January.

[DC Al Fine]

Slightly old story, but too good not to share.

The son of Kings North MLA John Lohr broke into a luxury waterfront home and made his getaway via canoe!

[MaxQue]

Slightly old story, but too good not to share.

The son of Kings North MLA John Lohr broke into a luxury waterfront home and made his getaway via canoe!

Sadly, he died 4 days ago.

[RogueBeaver]

Den Tandt on Tory leadership. My take: Kenney is the Heir Apparent, full stop. MacKay is not running, having long ago been superseded by Moore as Red leader. Raitt: possible, she seems purplish from profiles I've read of her. Moore is the Red who'll lose to Kenney. Clement: his leadership days are long gone, though he's likely the next finance minister. Rempel: Swap her for Poilievre as "round after next" hopeful. Chris Alexander: very swingy riding, no indication of interest or in our career pol leadership culture.

[MaxQue]

The Green Party of Canada has a new deputy leader to replace former hockey player Georges Laraque. A Quebec ecologist, Daniel Green. Quite an appropriate name.

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-canadienne/201412/01/01-4824296-parti-vert-daniel-green-remplace-georges-laraque.php

[RogueBeaver]

Harper won't fire Fantino.

Agreed w/Funke.

[Bojack Horseman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cXcRzQUtgI

[DC Al Fine]

Den Tandt on Tory leadership. My take: Kenney is the Heir Apparent, full stop. MacKay is not running, having long ago been superseded by Moore as Red leader. Raitt: possible, she seems purplish from profiles I've read of her. Moore is the Red who'll lose to Kenney. Clement: his leadership days are long gone, though he's likely the next finance minister. Rempel: Swap her for Poilievre as "round after next" hopeful. Chris Alexander: very swingy riding, no indication of interest or in our career pol leadership culture.

Agreed. Personally I think the race will be roughly as follows

1) Kenney
2) Moore
3) 1-2 MP's pushing an ideology or gunning to increase their profile
4) Random non politicians like you saw in the Liberal leadership. (Assuming the entry rules are loose)

[Hatman 🍁]

Personally, I don't think Kenney is electable as Prime Minister. McKay is probably the most electable Tory.

Problem for the Tories is, even though Kenney is the "heir apparent", Harper's tight ship hasn't allowed for many MPs to get much face time. Except for the constant scandals.

[RogueBeaver]

Bernier would be in that ideology slot. I do not think Wall will run. Usual premier issues aside, why give up being Life Premier to either finish Harper's term and lose in 2019 or lose the first election in opposition?

[RogueBeaver]

Everything else aside, MacKay's very weak. Who else in Cabinet had a key departmental function stripped, had PMO leak about his poor judgment?

[Hatman 🍁]

Those things would prevent MacKay from winning the Tory leadership, but would be irrelevant in a national campaign.

To be blunt, the Tories aren't going to beat Trudeau with an ugly fat guy as leader (which describes most of the so called "front runners")

[RogueBeaver]

Beliveau has died. RIP. City flags will be lowered to half-mast.

[MaxQue]

MacKay isn't a moderate at all. He is an extremist, insulting victims of the Polytechnique shooting and their families. I'm quite sensitive on that, during one semester, I was passing right in front of the memorial to go and come back from a course.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/12/02/mulcair-mackay-polytechnique-shooting_n_6258388.html

[RogueBeaver]

NDP MMP motion defeated 166-103.

[Hatman 🍁]

Surprisingly, some Liberals supported it. Wouldn't believe it by just reading the partisans on Twitter.

[RogueBeaver]

Trudeau not among them. I have my doubts either opposition party touches the electoral system for the foreseeable future.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

How about on a provincial level? I know that Ontario are bringing in IRV local elections now.

BTW, how would changing the voting system work? Simple majority? Two-third? Referendum?

[Hatman 🍁]

Ontario is allowing municipalities to bring in IVR if they so choose. I very much doubt that will happen anywhere, unfortunately.

There have been many referendums for more democratic systems. They are usually purposefully burdened with misinformation campaigns and impossible to reach thresholds. BC's STV referendum saw STV win 57%, but needed 60% to pass. Ridiculousness!

After the failure of the MMP referendum in Ontario in 2007, electoral reform sort of died down. Problem is, most people don't understand the current system, let alone a more complicated voting system. And too many of those in power know that electoral reform will prevent themselves from ever achieving the same level of power.

[RogueBeaver]

Ipsos national: 34L/33C/24N.

Ivison: Harper's mojo is back. Would be something if we tied Macdonald and Laurier.

Mulcair musing about a new gun registry.

[RogueBeaver]

Trudeau hires a lawyer to internally review the harassment allegations.

[Boston Bread]

The federal liberals support STV don't they? I could easily see them considering it if they win because it would still give them a chance to obtain a majority and possibly hurt their rivals. MMP is more of an NDP thing so the liberal leaders not supporting it isn't an indication they oppose any electoral reform.

[Hatman 🍁]

I think, if anything, the Liberals support AV. Makes sense, as they would stand the most benefit from it.