BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Azizi
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 08:03 AM

Although that elections over, folks here may be interested in reading this daily kos diary and its comments:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/14/83926/514/541/630017
Canada: an overview of where things stand
by heritage watch
Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 06:20:43 AM PDT

**

That diary begins with a listing and succient explanation of Canada's provinces and those provinces' politics going into last nights' election:

"Now for a quick tour of Canada.

NEWFOUNDLAND: The Tories (Conservatives) held the three St. John's seats, the Liberals the four rural ones, but they are the victim of Danny William's ABC campaign and may be shut out. It is all but guaranteed that St. John's East will go NDP, while the other two will probably go Liberal. NDP has a small chance still in St. John's South.

P.E.I.: Completely Liberal since 1988, the two westernmost seats are too close to call, given that Dion's Green Shift came down like a lead balloon here.

NOVA SCOTIA: The NDP has their best Maritime results here and have improved during the campaign. They have 2 very close targets and an outside chance in 3 others. The Tories need to hold Central Nova from the NDP and Green leader Elizabeth May, the South Shore from the NDP and possibly grab West Nova from the Grits (Liberals). The Liberals have nothing to look forward to; Independent Sean Casey will have no problems.

NEW BRUNSWICK: The best prospects for the Tories are here in the Western, Anglophone half of the province, with 3 potential gains. Whether the NDP vote can be squeezed will decide the outcome.

QUEBEC: The Bloc managed to beat back the Tories and is threatening them in the Saguenay and Quebec City. An NDP vote squeeze is key; advance voting in Quebec City is VERY HIGH. Elsewhere they're pretty much set to go.
Montreal is a bit different, where they must defend two very vulnerable seats from the Grits. Both MPs were in one of their ads, and face the former MP in one and Justin Trudeau in the other. The NDP needs to hold Outremont, which should'nt be too hard, and possibly snatch Westmount although this is unlikely.
In Gatineau one Liberal and one BQ MP must stave off the NDP; Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon should be reelected.

ONTARIO: It appears the Liberals have regained the lead. The NDP is quite strong in the province, possibly as high as 26%, and needs to protect one endangered incumbent in Hamilton, make a few gains in the South and romp in the North, mostly at the Liberals expense. It is unclear if and how much the Tories will extend into Toronto; the 416 area code is OK for the Liberals except downtown. Gerard Kennedy was trailing in a recent poll, another poll has the Grit lead there over the NDP cut by two-thirds which could precipitate a couple of losses.

MANITOBA: St. Boniface could fall to the Tories, Churchill in the North to the NDP.

SASKATCHEWAN: The NDP have a couple of too-close-to-cll targets but have improved recently. The Liberals will hold Wascana but not regain the seat they lost in the recent by-election.

ALBERTA: Safe, safe Tory. Well, one exception. Edmonton-Strathcona is too close and some Liberals plan to vote strategically.

B.C.: Whoa! polling is a bit all over the place. The Tories expect to pick up at least 4 seats on the basis of a low Liberal vote. The NDP might pick off a couple, but must defend the open Surrey North and ultra-maginal Vancouver Island North. The Liberals only have a chance in Saanich-Gulf Islands against Nat. Res. Min. Gary Lunn, where the NDP candidate withdrew. The Greens might be out of luck; their best results are here.

NORTH: Yukon: Liberal NWT: NDP win with fairly strong Tories. NUNAVUT: Too close, but the Tories may pick this open seat up from the Grits."

-snip-

Here's one comment from that diary:

this beginning sentence refers to comments written by other posters one who said that Harper is the Sarah Palin of Canadian politics and one who said, among other things, that Harper is a realist

"My view

Markmc03 is too cruel and Doctor Nick is too kind.

Harper is a LOONEY, no question, BUT unlike American LOONEY's he has PROMISED to keep his wingnut religious views OUT of his governing. And SO FAR has kept his word. In Canada the Conservatives are actually a coalition of the Reform Party (the wingnut party Harper comes from) and the Conservatives (what would be the civilized, small government, fiscal conservative end of the Republican Party).

On the other hand Nick is too unconcerned about Harper's Fundy connections. Many Conservative ridings are controlled by the Fundy wing of that party. I DO NOT trust Harper to keep the crazy-right at bay IF he has a Majority government.

Personally, I hope that a Liberal (centerist Democrat) / NDP (Social Democrats - leftist Kucinich type Democrats) coalition government would win.

The results ARE NOW IN and show a Conservative Minority. Any MINORITY is better than a Conservative Majority.

The governing party in Canada for MOST of the last 100 years has been the middle of the road Liberals (by US standards they are left center) this election they had a leader (Dion) who was very poor in English and couldn't win Ontario (think California + NY as far as impact is concerned). Dion will step down and his replacement will bring the Liberals up enough so that next time the Liberals will at least trade places with the Conservatives.

Canada is basically a small "L" liberal country. Moderate - sober - universal health - law abiding.

Very much what the US should bebut has never been able to achieve".

by Mylegacy on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 09:22:17 PM PDT

**

Also, this comment and lyrics were included in another comment from that diary:

"I suppose while waiting for the news to come "riding" in :-)...you could try humming this to a certain tune.

O Canada
our home and native land....
We vote today
clos-ing a 6 week campaign
From the Maritimes
to Saskatchewan we'll cast our votes in thee.
Our Mounties vo-ting in Yellow Knife
A Palin menace they can see!
God keep our land
Cheney-Bush free
O Canada we stand on guard for thee
O Canada our bacon is tas-tee!"

by WineRev on Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 06:43:53 AM PDT

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:48 AM

Sian, I never thought he was any more intelligent than average; he just sounds that way because he's an academic. I've never heard him say anything of much real substance, just a fair amount of gung-ho send-the-boys-to-war crap back when he was running for the Liberal leadership, which he may get now. I'd guess it's the only reason he's still in Canada, hoping for that chance to make a grab for power.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Raptor
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:35 AM

I'd gladly pay a carbon tax.

No one else gives a shit about the environment.

Those who voted NDP or otherwise keep telling yourself that spitting votes against baby-bush didn't get us another dysfuntional government.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: gnu
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:06 AM

Coulda been worse. I figure it was Carbonehead.

58%... shameful!

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 07:00 AM

"there's a significant cadre that really likes Ignatieff, ... he's more bush-lite than Harper"

Bee, I'd fear he's more Bush-heavy than Harper. I started off liking his intelligence but, (((((shudder)))) oh boy, he ain't no PET reincarnate. (So Son of Pierre made it in, I see?)

And I really have to say (again) that Canada needs to get some sort of proporational representation voting system. NOT the one they tried to sell in Ontario of late - but SOME type. For the Bloc to get 10% of the popular vote and 50 seats, and NDP to get 18.2% and 37 seats is just stupid.

sian

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 03:01 AM

Canada voter turnout lowest on record:

Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:04am EDT (Reuters) - Canadians shunned the polls during Tuesday's general election with the lowest voter turnout on record, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said.

Some 58 percent of eligible Canadian voters went to the polls on election day, based on preliminary results, breaking the previous record low turnout of just under 61 percent in 2004, the CBC said.

Election Canada officials were not immediately available to comment on Wednesday morning.

Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the first Western leader to face the electorate since the start of the global financial crisis, won reelection with a bolstered minority government.

(Reporting by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 02:55 AM

No way to know, Bruce.
The names and faces are about to change so fast,
you'll think you're in a time warp.
Ignatieff and Dusanj are already making noises about Dion.
Harper & Layton may be safe. Hard to say.
Ms. May is Probably toast.
Watch Duceppe though.
By this time tomorrow, Quebeccers will really be
asking themselves some tough questions.
Like "Why did we just vote for the only party
that doesn't participate?".
They vote for the Bloc but expect the elected government
to take care of them.
Time those guys crossed the floor to whichever party each of them wants and fold up the damn tent.
"If it's good for Quebec" is getting old and spoiling elections.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 02:27 AM

Healthy is 50% plus one. His governemnt will fall within a year and a half, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 02:15 AM

I enjoyed that.
Not the result I was hoping for but a healthy mandate just the same.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 01:00 AM

"and he'd blow Harper right off the stage."

I wish someone would. It'd loosen him up a bit, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:45 AM

As for the Liberals, there's a significant cadre that really likes Ignatieff, for whom I frankly don't care at all - in quite a few ways, he's more bush-lite than Harper, too hawkish by far, and was thirty years out of Canada.

Elizabeth, I think, never thought she had a chance, was surprised to win the fight to get into the debate. I think initially she thought running against MacKay would raise her profile nationally because of it being Peter.

I do admire Elizabeth to some extent, but I think she has the capacity to be ruthless about people. I also wish she'd quit name-dropping - she makes damn sure everybody knows that she personally knows Bill Clinton. Her family came here (to Margaree) from the states when she was quite young. Her parents were eccentric to say the least, nice enough people, but they riled people in Margaree regularly by promoting environmental issues that directly adversely affected their neighbours.

Margaree was what you might call 'insular'. I knew an old Acadian man in the area whose main source of pride was that he'd used a draft horse and a stone sledge to clear the entire side of a mountain on his farm over the years. That and the twenty-one children he and his wife had. (I love that family, actually - they were very kind to me).

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:38 AM

Yeah. Boy, it's a damn shame that Chongo doesn't have dual citizenship, eh? ;-) I have a feeling he's going to be a free agent after the American election is over in November. He'd be way better than Dion, and he'd blow Harper right off the stage.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: meself
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:27 AM

From what the talking heads are saying, it sounds like if Dion doesn't resign, his fellow-Liberals will have the long knives out for him. But who do they have that's any better?

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: meself
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 12:19 AM

At least it's another minority ...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:42 PM

Bee ... That I found strange ... why she would run in the New Glasgow riding against the creep MacKay ... his family pretty well has that riding in their pocket.

Overall, I do admire her.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:40 PM

me too

And that's the way it should be.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:39 PM

make that

144 con
74 libs

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:39 PM

This is one election wherein I voted my conscience.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:39 PM

Next time I see Elizabeth, though, I'm givin' her a good boot in the arse. I'd like to see the woman win a seat, but she essentially blew that possibility by running against Mackay, and also likely screwed Louise Loredice out of more than a few votes. Elizabeth's people were literally trolling for NDP voters last week in my riding; I had two begging calls myself, with the 'just this once' line.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:38 PM

at present ...

143 con
75 libs
50 bloc
38 ndp
2 other

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:36 PM

Well ... for us who voted Green or New Dems we shouldn't feel we threw our votes away ... these counts will provide some inspiration for the future (young) voters that there is some hope and need that the old guard (of the machine) must go. Hopefully the next time it will be different. It has to be.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:35 PM

How'dit end up?

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:32 PM

Hmmm ... true Bobad, true.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: bobad
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:29 PM

We can all bestow a little gratitude onto the BQ tonight for saving us from a Conservative majority, a small mercy but it could have been much worse.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:25 PM

The one thing I can say for the Bloc is that often what they want from the federal government(except when it comes to big job-making projects) is usually good for the rest of the country. I'm not that unhappy with the Bloc.

I'm much more unhappy with the ultra-conservative mindset that seems to be heavily concentrated in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. BC may have the big Mary jane farms, but they have a whackin huge number of Harper lovers, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 11:17 PM

The one thing that concerns me with this election is the fact that the Liberals are who are the majority of the minority are weak, and unfocused, the Bloc are well, the Bloc and are only concerned about Quebec and then the New Dems are too small in seat holdings that they won't have a significant effect.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:59 PM

I still don't feel as depressed as I did the night Mulroney won the election, though.

That's gotta mean somethin'.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:51 PM

It's like this with Harper. If Bush stopped short, the only thing that would keep Harper from going all the way in would be his shoulders.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Azizi
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:48 PM

Oh, have the results of the elections been called already?

My sympathies to you from one an American who doesn't know that much about Harper but what I know I don't like.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Azizi
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:46 PM

Here's a dairy with links that folks may be interested in:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/14/21361/261/864/630687

[Live Blog] Canadian Election Night w/ Results Links
by ZenMaster Coltrane
Tue Oct 14, 2008 at 06:44:34 PM PDT

"Canada's 40th General Election is upon us. Only polls in British Columbia and the Yukon remain open at this time. The number to watch is 155. That is the number of seats required to form a majority government . Results from Atlantic Canada are just starting to come in. As of right now

20 LIB
10 CON
5 NDP
1 BQ
1 OTH

ZenMaster Coltrane's diary :: ::
If anyone cares...feel free.

Here are some sites to view results that will begin coming in at 10:00 pm ET.

Elections Canada
http://enr.elections.ca/

CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/ridings/


SFU Election site
http://www.sfu.ca/~aheard/elections/results.html


The Parties & their Leaders

Conservative Party
Stephen Harper - Favored to win. Strong Presence in the West (Prairies and BC). Bush-lite. Basically, if the Conservatives make inroads in Ontario they will have a shot at a majority.

Liberal Party
Stephane Dion - Party of Pierre Trudeau. Favored to be the opposition party. Dion lacks the communicative skills of previous French Canadian Liberal leaders.

New Democratic Party
Jack Layton - Solid communicator heading a party that is spread too thin nationally...resulting in less seats than the popular vote suggests.

Green Party
Elizabeth May - I believe no Green MP has ever been elected.

Bloc Quebecois
Gille Duceppe - Federal party committed to the protection of Quebec and its sovereignty. Power is overrepresented because all of their vote is concentrated in Quebec. They got 10.5% of the national vote in 2006 as compared to 17.5% for the NDP yet the Bloc won 51 seats as compared to 29 for the NDP"...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:30 PM

it certainly looks like it ... very distressing.

I think Canada has made a big mistake tonite ... but all in all there have been gains for the Greens (small, but still significant). This at least will be a message for the future (I can only hope)

Boston losing 11 - 2 to Tampa Bay at the bottom of the 7th.

Damn ... what a gloomy evening.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: meself
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 10:15 PM

CBC is calling it a Tory gov't ... what can yuh say? ...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Beer
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 09:11 PM

To switch the topic for a moment.

I recall when Dad would wait and see what the Liberal/Conservatives would offer before going to vote. And here is what I mean.
Knock, knock on the door. Mr Doucette if you come and vote for us today we will give you a lift and a box of chocolates. Knock, knock. Mr Doucette, if you come and vote for us today we will give you a lift to the poling station and a pint of the finest dark rum the Maritime's have to offer. Dad's reply would be; "Now will that be two pints?, for you see my wife is voting for you as well". Oh, for sure.

Well that is the way it was for a long time and that is the way dad voted. But tell the truth in the in between years the way he spoke about the Conservatives, I'm sure that is where the "X" went.

But to finish the story, one year Mum got wind of what was happening and when she found out that votes were being bought this way, Dad never got his second pint.
Adrien

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 09:10 PM

Hey!
I found a site that's giving out the results.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 09:02 PM

"Canada has a 3 1/2 hour difference in times from Nfld to BC/Yukon (as a btw)."
4 1/2 hours, Bruce.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:55 PM

LOL

Hey, man, this is ALBERTA. Hot bed of same old same. Conservatives will win here for sure.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:55 PM

One more thing ... then I'm outta here.

Deer Island ... my favourite spot here in Canada. Downright beautiful and no corporate/politikal machine will ever destroy it.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:53 PM

thanks Peace .... it could be 3 hours and 34 minutes ... round it off it would be 4 .... :)

ok ..... I'll shutup and go mope somewhere.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Mooh
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:53 PM

NDP, though the Greens were tempting this time. I like Jack Layton and the local boy Tony McQuail, who is greener than green.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:53 PM

I've been to Deer Island. My great-grandmother was from Campobello Island, came to Baddeck as a maid with the Bells.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:51 PM

Canada has a 3 1/2 hour difference in times from Nfld to BC/Yukon (as a btw).

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:50 PM

I'm buying a shack out on Deer Island and never coming back.

Part of the reason of the sell out here in New Brunsiwck was the consertative applying the fear factor of the 'Green Shift' and the equation of losing jobs.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:49 PM

When you can vote:
Time zone         Polls open (local time)
Newfoundland         8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Atlantic         8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Eastern         9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Central         8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saskatchewan         7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Mountain         7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Pacific         7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Source: Elections Canada

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Bee
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:46 PM

I am full of gloom and considering moving to Newfoundland.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:45 PM

They are announcing the results from Atlantic Canada now ... 1 hour before the polls close in Quebec and Ontario ... 4 hours before the close out west.

Harper's getting slaughtered in Newfoundland. Good!

but still ... it doesn't look too promising for Canada.

And to top it all off Boston's getting beat 5-0 by Tampa Bay at the top of the 3rd inning.

Depressing evening so far.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:44 PM

They have tried to ameliorate that with new voting times across Canada.

Found this article.

"The news is not all bad, however, as the latest result represented an upturn. In June 2004, Canada suffered its lowest-ever voter turnout for a federal election, with only 60.9 per cent of those eligible choosing to vote.

To those who maintain their vote is meaningless, we argue that they are wrong. Politicians do pay attention to what voters think, since their future employment hangs in the balance. Those who do not vote, however, throw away that leverage.

Democracy, to stay strong, has to be exercised. Otherwise, it is in danger of withering away – and with it, the democratic rights that perhaps too many of us take for granted. Democracy is surely not a spectator sport, either; it is, by definition, participatory.

In other words, if we say we believe in the right to vote, we ought to put actions behind those words.

The political campaigns are now over. Today, Canadians choose who will govern this country, whether by minority or majority government, in the immediate future. That choice is yours, thanks to the countless battles fought long ago by people who believed the right to vote was something worth fighting for.

Exercise your right to have your say. Vote."

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: CarolC
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:41 PM

When will Canadians know who won? Do they do the sensible thing and tell everyone after all of the polls close, or do they do like we do here in this country and announce it while people are still voting?

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 08:29 PM

"Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?"

Looks like it's not ending in New Brunswick.

Geeezuz   .....   looks like Harper has bought us out.

I just don't understand it.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Peace
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 06:38 PM

"there is nothing power really hates more than those damn citizens in those booths."

With you on that. I think it was Archie Goodwin (of the Nero Wolfe novels by Rex Stout) who said that voting was the cheapest game in town. Didn't cost a cent and for a few seconds ya got to be boss of the whole thing. He was right. I have gone through blizzards to vote, even when it was only to mar a ballot or leave a note for the Chief Electoral Officer. There is no excuse for any reasonably well person not to vote, and not to vote imo shows a complete disrespect not for the politicians--who may rightfully deserve all the disrespect they can be shown--but rather for the people of this country.

Good post, Peter.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Stephen Harper's Rule Ending ?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 14 Oct 08 - 06:26 PM

Liberal government took away my vote back in the Eighties.
So did the Socreds for the Provincial vote in BC.
Lucky for yous!