WOW!!!! I'll be able to vote!!!!
Im gonna need to do some more research though
Congratulations!
Research is very important - read your local paper and watch the news. Attend at least one election forum in your riding so you can see and hear the candidates in person. That way you can see if their body language matches up with what they say. It's easy to lie or be insincere and get away with it in print. It's a lot harder in person.
And don't let anybody tell you how to vote. Don't let anybody try to intimidate you. This is a matter of your own conscience, and it's between you and the ballot. Nobody has the right to make you tell how you voted, either. They might ask, and it's up to you whether or not you want to say.
Somebody asked me how I voted in one of the referendums back in the Mulroney years... I told them, quite truthfully: "With a pencil."
As far as scandals go, well the Liberals have a habit of giving juicy goverment contracts to their buddies (what else is new). They also like to reward their supporters in the private sector with cushy goverment appointments (senate seats for life are a favourite).
The Conservatives do that, too. Else how did Mike Duffy get his Senate seat?
Hmm. What social issues are those? Euthanasia? Gay Marriage?
I haven't heard much recently about euthanasia, except as it applies to the Robert Latimer case. He spent ~10 years in jail for the mercy killing of his severely disabled daughter. Gay marriage became legal a long time ago, so it's not something anybody would want to use as an election issue.
I'm not sure if this would be properly considered a social issue, but there have been some controversies involving denying government services to Muslim women who are veiled, and whether to allow Sikhs to carry krpans in government buildings.
I'll vote either Liberal or NDP. Will likely depend on some big statement by either candidate, or a snap decision inside the voting booth. I'm leaning Liberal at the moment. Not that it will make a frakking difference of course; riding will go at least 60% Tory. Thank the gods for Albertans and FPTP.
Well, at least one Albertan won't be voting Tory (me). Never have, never will.
Honestly, if the Tories win yet another plurality, it's probably a good thing overall. After failing to win a majority 3 (4?) times, the Tory leadership will have to catch on to the fact that Harper is simply unelectable. If we get rid of him, Tory rule would likely be pretty bearable.
Who do you think would be a good replacement for Harper?
And yeah, I like Iggy too. I really don't get all the hate that gets directed his way.
As I understand it, the problem is because he spent most of his working life in the U.S. and only came back to Canada because of the opportunity to become Liberal leader when Stephane Dion was backstabbed out of his position. Consequently, some people wonder if he would be more loyal to Canada, or to the U.S.
It's a disgusting feature of FPTP that forces that sort of tactical voting choice to be made.
It's quite disagreeable, to be sure. It's frustrating that people have to figure out whether it's tactically better to vote their conscience or hold their noses and vote for who they think can beat the party they hate most.
I support Quebecois independence. My family has actively worked for a free Quebec for many years. I guess that makes me bloc quebecois even though I dislike a lot of their politics.
So you are eligible to vote in Quebec, then?
Is Harper still as awesome as he was 3 years ago?
Of course he is. He was never awesome before, and he's even more not-awesome now.
As an American, can I just take a moment to have a friendly laugh at your country for not having regular elections?
Certainly! We frequently laugh at ourselves for our ridiculous politics. But at least it doesn't take us a whole year and numerous court challenges to figure out who won.
Your last GG made a bad error in allowing Harper to shut parliament down before a vote of confidence was taken.
This I can fully agree with. Mme Jean did us no favors with that.
We have our flaws, but at least we know when our elections are going to take place.
But isn't that boring? It takes all the spontaneity out of politics!
