Enough About the USA...Thoughts on the Canadian Election?

No offense to my American neighbors or anything, but thanks to your mainstream media I am in American Election Brain Overload, and I'm not even an American!

So, to my Canadian brothers and sisters out there (and from abroad too if you're aware of Canadian politics), I ask you this...what are your opinions on the following Canadian issues leading into the very strong possibility that Stephen Harper is about to call an election for the fall:

1. Climate change and Stephan Dion's proposed "carbon tax".

2. Arctic sovereignty as it pertains to our land claims going against the United States and Russia (to name a few!).

3. The alleged "Americanization" of Canada by Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, and Canada's involvement in the alleged North American Union (let's keep the childish bickering to a minimum on this one, but respectful debate would be awesome).

4. NAFTA from a Canadian perspective; as well as the Canadian economy in general.

5. The United States' War on Terror and Canada's involvement.

6. The United States' War on Drugs and Canada's involvement (without breaking the T&C of this site).

7. The Canadian Health Care system.

8. Recognizing Quebec as a "nation within a unified Canada".

9. Same-sex marriage.

10. National unity in general.

Those are just some of the issues, but feel free to add more as you see fit. I'd love for this thread to become a forum for open and respectful Canadian debate from all sides, and it would be sad to see this thread ignored or just turn into a flame war. Looking forward to reading everyone's views!

Hey, wait a minute...I live on the southern shore of Lake Ontario....you guys have elections? Just kidding. I've spent a lot of time up your way and know how you get bombarded with everything US. I do get to watch hockey night in Canada out of Kingston so thanks for that. Anyway, keep the faith, we're all Americans (North Americans) and you all should be proud that, as Ian Punnett puts it so well, you are the "free range" Americans (so the aliens should eat you first).
Have a good one and good luck.

Sorry to burst your bubble but Candians care more about US politics. The next US president will affect Canada more than the next Canadian PM.

Stephen Harper is Bush's little puppet to the north and Dion is going to be Obamas puppet once they both get elected.

Quotes by matth.



I think it would be a good thing to spawn alternative energies, and if the tax rebates equal to what is paid out, that is good, if one could get tax rebates anyway if you use cleaner energy, it would be like getting paid to be more responsible.
Those taxes should go to help fund alternatives, which I think is the plan.


This is Harpers re-election strategy, I know it, you know it, heck, even my cats are starting to think that! He is trying to get a kick ass 'take charge' attitude image, like his puppet master pal down south. Funny he starts this retoric just as he announces an election.



Harper is way to close with Bush, Harper was an attendee at the Bilderburger meetings, that makes me suspicious of his motives.


Keep the DEA out of my country!
Free Marc Emery!



Let them get married, I mind my own business, and I don't care, it ain't affecting my life one bit.

reply to post by Toadmund

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The rebates cannot possibly equate to what is doled out. The Liberals are giving tax breaks to offset the carbon tax, however according to the Green Shift, the carbon tax will increase by the same amount every year for four years. By year four the carbon tax will be 4 times higher than year one, and our tax break will not have increased.

Arctic sovereignity is but a small part of the re-election strategy. The main parts of the strategy are competence in economic downturn, better leadership, less taxes.

The Harper Conservatives are further left than even Obama is, and frankly this Bush lapdog thing is getting boring.

Stephane Dion is also a Bilderberg attendee.
www.google.ca...

Canada will deal with her own drug enforcement.

SSM is a done deal. The Conservatives accepted that over two years ago. The only question that remains is when are the supporters of the far left going to realize it.

Personally, I don't believe climate change is our fault. I think that its a natural process and we will do more damage to this earth trying to stop it. I am however for reducing emissions, and pollution....a carbon tax is not the way to go about it tho.



our claim to the Arctic is already made, and I don't feel that our sovereignty is significantly threatened.



I have noticed this since Harper has taken over from Chrétien. I don't like it and I regret that I was fooled into voting for him by my parents. I believe we need to remain friends with the USA, but I think we are a different people and we need to stay that way.



I need to do more reading on NAFTA, but as it stands I do think free trade between our boarders are a good thing. Although I would like to see our economy gain some independence from the US economy.



I think we need to finish what we started in Afganistan, but we need to take on more of a role of educating the youth that what their culture has done to women is wrong, and that they need to rise against the Taliban to form some sort of stable government.



The war on drugs is a never-ending sinkhole of money, and the US seemingly will never realize this. We need to legalize, regulate and tax the use of drugs, as well as have laws that specify where we can use. The government can take over production thus removing the "dealers" etc. and introduce some sort of system to keep track of how much an individual can consume. We also will need to FULLY educate TRUTHFULLY the effect that each drug can have on you, and their effects if abused. (including alchohol)



I think our health care system is functioning quite well, although I would like to see some more funding for better service & more equipment.



No. I don't think Quebec should be a seperate nation, we already have two national languages thanks to them, and I think it is very offensive they want to seperate. If you want to become your own nation, go find some uninhabited land, and start your own country.



I am ok with this, so long as they are not allowed to adopt children. I think that if you cannot produce your children naturally then you have no business raising them.



With all that being said, I am upset with who we are given to vote for. I do not like Harper's ideals, and I have found that I am not a Conservitive. I do not like Dion either, he is an idiot, has no charisma and I can not see him running Canada as I see fit. I don't like either men on a personal level at that. That leaves NDP, and I don't like Layton either.

In my ideal situation Justin Trudeau would take over for Liberal leadership, I would vote for him. He has charisma, he's young with fresh ideas, and he just seems like an outstanding individual.

lol i thought they had a Regina queen lady..go figure lol
you know the one on that coin

see i know nothing outside my cubby hole i admit it

reply to post by matth

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I just want to pay my respects to the fact that Canada is one of five countries bearing the brunt of the load in Afghanistan . New Zealand role is confined to a Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Bamyan province which is discussed here .

Cheers xpert11.

To quote Johnny Carson; "I did not know that"
'Sigh', I miss Chretien

I'm going to abstain from commenting because I have yet to fully immerse myself in this area of study. I'm afraid I won't be able to vote until I make the effort to totally understand this.

I do have a comment regarding Canada's potential involvement as a mediator for foreign civil issues.

As for the uncivilized nations of the world, those powered by theological indoctrination will inevitably sway to the world of civilized men. However, our interference might only serve to affirm fundamentalism in an unstable region of the world. It's not our responsibility to oversee and condemn the civil affairs of a nation other than our own. Although if they are members of an international treaty expressly concerning the rights and liberties of enterprising civilians; they must possess the responsibility to maintain their promises. If they want to be included in this foray, if you will, into modernity they have to act their part. Otherwise it becomes our own obligation to castigate those potential members. Iran is a member state of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and so as are we, the Canadian government must admonish that state about their obligations. The age of Imperialism and those contrived ambitions of Western men to introduce freedom and liberty of their own eidetic is long gone and long proven redundant. I'm glad we're not still running up and down the Congo, acquainting naive cannibals with the authentic life. This "sedulous" pursuit of correcting another peoples' ways have made lunch of many "civilized" men. A life's worth of seasoning oneself in knowledge... Apparently, civility is the spice of life.

[edit on 5-9-2008 by cognoscente]

My god, I live here, and I barely pay attention to what's going on in politics unless it affects my life directly. To me, they are all crooks with phony promises.
The best insight came from believe it or not, my 12 year old daughter.
Last night while watching TV with me, one of those Stephen Harper ads came on whilst he talked about how much time he spends with his kids..then another one about his vision of the future of Canada, or some such silly thing...
Regardless, my daughter turns to me and says..
"Why doesn't he just wear a toilet around his neck, because all that is coming from his mouth is crap."
I was completely roaring with laughter.

add one more:

11. Free Vancouver's Marc Emery.


subfab

12. Repatriate Omar Khadr (like the courts ordered)