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Post by Dr. Drum on May 31, 2004 6:05:47 GMT -5
Yes, exactly. There's been a couple of court challenges to the Alliance-Tory takeover merger and now we have this. There's a couple of former PC MPs from Ontario involved apparently. They need 50 candidates to register as an official, a target they reached last Saturday.
They tried to register with Elections Canada under the name Progressive Conservative Party but that name was disallowed so they picked Progressive Canadian Party instead. They've asked to appear on the ballot as "PC Party" and I believe that has been OK'ed. They've got at least one Nova Scotia candidate, a guy over in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour.
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Post by riley on May 31, 2004 7:21:03 GMT -5
Seems admirable on some level, yet futile on another.
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Post by Dr. Drum on May 31, 2004 7:29:26 GMT -5
Yeah, the odds aren't exactly high that the Progressive Canadian Party will exist in 5 years. On the other hand, there are deep philosophical differences between the type of traditional Burkean conservatism that was basically at the core of the old PC party and the variety espoused by Preston Manning/Stockwell Day/Stephen Harper.
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Post by Dr. Drum on May 31, 2004 10:52:08 GMT -5
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Post by Dr. Drum on Jun 1, 2004 5:06:19 GMT -5
10 interesting ridings to watch in the federal election:
1. Trinity-Spadina (Toronto) (Olivia Chow, NDP, vs. Liberal incumbent Tony Ianno. Chow’s husband is NDP leader Jack Layton.)
2. Toronto-Danforth (NDP leader Jack Layton vs. Liberal incumbent Dennis Mills.)
3. Ottawa Centre, Ontario (Former NDP leader Ed Broadbent who retired from politics in 1989 vs. Liberal heavy weight Richard Mahoney.)
4. West Nova, Nova Scotia (Liberal incumbent Robert Thibault, Conservative Jon Carey, NDP Arthur Bull. Bull is popular and well known in riding because of his work with local public service organizations. Could pull off an upset win.)
5. Kings-Hants, Nova Scotia (MP Scott Brison attempts to retain seat as a Liberal after crossing the floor from the Conservatives.)
6. Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, Ontario (Former riding of Sheila Copps. NDP candidate won provincial by-election here immediately prior to federal election call.)
7. Burnaby-Douglas, BC (Former riding of Svend Robinson. Split in Liberal riding association due to cancellation of nomination meeting and appointment of Liberal candidate by Prime Minister.)
8. Random-Burin-St. George’s, Newfoundland (Father Des McGrath, NDP vs. Liberal incumbent Bill Matthews. Possible upset win for NDP. Des McGrath is very popular and has long history of community work in riding. Matthews is a former PC who crossed the floor to the Liberals.)
9. Souris-Moose Mountain, Saskatchewan (Former premier Grant Devine attempts political comeback as an independent after being blocked from seeking Conservative nomination.)
10. Prince Edward-Hastings, Ontario (If the Conservatives can’t pick up this seat, they’re unlikely make many other gains in Ontario.
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Post by phil on Jun 3, 2004 8:51:40 GMT -5
It's a good thing Canadian elections don't spread over a year like in the Excited States of America ...
This year's PM candidates are so dull and vain, I've seen more passion, "heart" and conviction coming from bankers and accountants !!
Poor Paul wanted a mandate from the electors and it starts to look like they're gonna give him a verdict !!
All we see on the TV News are campaign buses riding into towns and the chefs trying to overdo the other
promising more money for this and more money for that.
The Bloc is quite happy to keep its "mouth" shut and watch the Liberals'bus getting stuck in the mud(their own !!). Independance discourse be damned ...
Conservative/Reform homophobes and rednecks are already starting to light fires under Stephen Harper's ass concerning bilingualism and abortion rights. Now that they can smell power, the Conservatives are(for now)rushing to "mainstream-line" their message but they are still wolves in sheep clothes IMO.
Not one candidate has come forward with some/any kind of "society projects", ideas, a vision of what Canada should be heading for the next generation.
It's all about grabbing/keeping power for the sake of power ...
On every ballot there should be a box with the following
NONE OF THE ABOVE ...
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Post by Dr. Drum on Jun 3, 2004 10:05:15 GMT -5
I’ll spare everyone a big screed on this right now (much rejoicing, I’m sure) but Phil – while I’m sympathetic with some of what you’re saying, there is a point where I part company with this era’s default cynicism/disaffection with the political process. I mean, NONE OF THE ABOVE doesn't get us any closer to that vision of where we should be heading for the next generation, does it?
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Post by phil on Jun 3, 2004 10:27:49 GMT -5
Just imagine if 30 % of the electorate
choose to "let'em all hang out in the wind" ...
At least I'll go vote ... !
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Post by Dr. Drum on Jun 4, 2004 7:16:26 GMT -5
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Post by phil on Jun 4, 2004 7:33:19 GMT -5
Taught Rex Murphy all he knows ...Ü...
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Post by Dr. Drum on Jun 7, 2004 9:33:47 GMT -5
So an interesting start to the week with a poll showing the NDP up 20% over its percentage of the 2000 popular vote total in BC. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are apparently continuing to revert to type with an Ontario MP calling for sexual orientation to be removed from federal hate crimes legislation on the grounds that pedophilia could be argued to be "sexual orientation". Try as they might they just can't help themselves!
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Post by riley on Jun 7, 2004 9:46:38 GMT -5
What do they say about leopards and spots?  |
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Post by Dr. Drum on Jun 7, 2004 10:11:26 GMT -5
Hopefully enough voters will realize that.
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Post by phil on Jun 7, 2004 12:24:01 GMT -5
Conservatives are Reform rednecks
hiding under a more PC name ...
VOTE GREEN !!
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Post by Dr. Drum on Jun 7, 2004 12:43:04 GMT -5
The Greens are quite strong in BC - running between 9 and 13% depending on the poll which is enough for one or two seats if it concentrates. Of course, they likely have little in the way of organization on the ground which means that come E-day, a lot of their erstwhile supporters will probably end up voting NDP.  |
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