Canada General Discussion 1.5: The Countdown Begins

[Boston Bread]

Amazing that Danielle Smith is among the crossers! She was probably screaming about their traitors not that long ago.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/danielle-smith-among-wildrose-mlas-crossing-to-alberta-pc-party-1.2875672
They may lose opposition status soon.
I don't think it's right for PC to give the crossers any power though. Seems a little shady.

[MaxQue]

PC betrayed its voters by allowing Wildrose to access any inch of power. If people wanted Danielle Smith in the Canibet, they would have voted for her.

[Njall]

PC betrayed its voters by allowing Wildrose to access any inch of power. If people wanted Danielle Smith in the Canibet, they would have voted for her.

Keep in mind that no firm decisions have been made yet.  My MLA has been reaching out to our board of directors for input to take into the PC caucus meeting tomorrow morning.

[Hatman 🍁]

I guess it's impossible to keep conservatives apart for very long. I imagine UKIP wont last very long in Britain, either.

[RogueBeaver]

Braid suggesting Smith gets Treasury Board and Anderson Solicitor-General by splitting those portfolios.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I guess it's impossible to keep conservatives apart for very long. I imagine UKIP wont last very long in Britain, either.

Or perhaps UKIP will end up absorbing the remnants of the Tories.  Granted, not very likely, but neither is it impossible.

[Njall]

There are now reports that 9 MLAs will cross the floor.  Rod Fox (Lacombe-Ponoka), Bruce McAllister (Chestermere-Rocky View), and Bruce Rowe (Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills) have been mentioned as crossing in addition to the six identified earlier.  I'm also hearing that WRP MLA Heather Forsyth (Calgary-Fish Creek) will resign effective Jan. 1 for health reasons.

[njwes]

So has any compelling reason emerged for this merger? I was looking forward to the next election

[Hatman 🍁]

Great piece by Dave Cournoyer explaining what happened: http://daveberta.ca/2014/12/wildrose-party-danielle-smith-jim-prentice-floor-crossing/

[You kip if you want to...]

Not exactly the healthiest thing for a province with an already unhealthy attachment to one party.

If I were a PC, I wouldn't trust their kind as far as I could throw them. Danielle Smith, the Nick Clegg of the Canadian right?

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/recent-quotes-from-alberta-s-danielle-smith-1.1686899

[DC Al Fine]

So has any compelling reason emerged for this merger? I was looking forward to the next election

It's not quite a merger yet... just a crippling mass defection.

As for reasons; careerism, access to power etc.

[Linus Van Pelt]

The basic idea of the Alberta PC party is to use oil revenues to fund a welfare state comparable to other provinces with a much lower rate of taxation. It's hard to run to the right of this, because most conservative voters' - as opposed to conservative activists' - dislike of services is just grounded in their dislike of having to pay for the taxes that pay for them. It may also be on the MLA's mind that the recent drop in oil prices will make this even harder.

[RogueBeaver]

Back to federal politics: CBC panel believes 1) economy/jobs 2) leadership/ethics 3) energy/environment 4) national security 5) surplus will be top electoral issues. My list would be Economy, Energy, Leadership.

Typically great article from UC's Paul Fairie on Alberta's saga being continuous with its history of business dynasties.

[Njall]

Not exactly the healthiest thing for a province with an already unhealthy attachment to one party.

If I were a PC, I wouldn't trust their kind as far as I could throw them. Danielle Smith, the Nick Clegg of the Canadian right?

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/recent-quotes-from-alberta-s-danielle-smith-1.1686899

It would appear that many of us PCs would share your opinion.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be on the PC board of directors conference call on Tuesday (as I had two exams that day), but a friend of mine who was characterized it as a 'gongshow.'  Numerous MLAs and members of the party's board of directors are wary of how this whole series of events will turn out in the long run. 

So has any compelling reason emerged for this merger? I was looking forward to the next election

Smith's given rationale has been that, essentially, the socons in her party eventually drove her out

The basic idea of the Alberta PC party is to use oil revenues to fund a welfare state comparable to other provinces with a much lower rate of taxation. It's hard to run to the right of this, because most conservative voters' - as opposed to conservative activists' - dislike of services is just grounded in their dislike of having to pay for the taxes that pay for them. It may also be on the MLA's mind that the recent drop in oil prices will make this even harder.

That's pretty true, more or less.  That's not to say I completely agree with that orientation as an active PC member, but it is hard to find fault with that analysis.

[Hatman 🍁]

The PCs won a lot of support last election from moderates who normally vote Liberal/NDP in an effort to stop Wild Rose. This flies in the face of those people. One could say they get what they deserve, as someone on the centre-left should never settle for a party on the right (I'm looking at you, John Tory voters).

[RogueBeaver]

CROP provincial: 35/28/27.


CROP federal: 33/30/21/12 among Francophones, 37/30/17/13 topline.

Quebec City: 37/31/21.

[DC Al Fine]

The PCs won a lot of support last election from moderates who normally vote Liberal/NDP in an effort to stop Wild Rose. This flies in the face of those people. One could say they get what they deserve, as someone on the centre-left should never settle for a party on the right (I'm looking at you, John Tory voters).

It should make for an interesting election in 2015.

Fantasy scenario: PC's crash and burn as lefties leave for progressive parties and right wingers go to Wildrose

[RogueBeaver]

Trudeau's interviews: carbon price yes, tax increases no, childcare bonus maybe, coalition no. CBC panel ranks him #1 pol to watch next year. So a bit of a retreat on childcare.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Participated in a Forum poll today about the state if politics in Ontario. Got the seasonal questions about "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas."

I was disappointed that they didn't ask where I place myself on the political spectrum. To them, I'll just look like a typical Liberal, which isn't very accurate. But whatevs. 

[DC Al Fine]

Participated in a Forum poll today about the state if politics in Ontario. Got the seasonal questions about "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas."

I was disappointed that they didn't ask where I place myself on the political spectrum. To them, I'll just look like a typical Liberal, which isn't very accurate. But whatevs. 

What are you exactly? I've never been able to figure it out.

[RogueBeaver]

Cirillo and Vincent have been named Newsmakers of the Year.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Participated in a Forum poll today about the state if politics in Ontario. Got the seasonal questions about "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas."

I was disappointed that they didn't ask where I place myself on the political spectrum. To them, I'll just look like a typical Liberal, which isn't very accurate. But whatevs. 

What are you exactly? I've never been able to figure it out.

People laugh when I say "pro-union centre-rightist," but I do think that's the most accurate description. In the end I guess it evens out to being a bit of a moderate. I will vote for the federal Conservatives for the foreseeable future, but the PCs in Ontario have disqualified themselves from contention during the last few elections. Probably would've voted for the party under Jon Tory. Christine Elliott may yet be able to win my vote. But right now I have to go for the Liberals, even though I'm disgusted by their lack of restraint in certain areas.

[RogueBeaver]

Mulcair won't rule out a coalition.

[politicus]

People laugh when I say "pro-union centre-rightist," but I do think that's the most accurate description.

That's a common position here in Denmark based on the belief that strong unions allow employers and employees to work things out without the government having to interfere (or having a pretext to do so). Our Conservatives have generally been quite union friendly for that reason, but it seems to be an exotic position outside of Scandinavia,

[RogueBeaver]

Awful story out of BC.