Comments on: The battle for second place

By: Observant

Observant — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:57:17 +0000

Strong, stable majority govt is urgently needed for Canada because we are going into uncertain economic times and we don't need a divisive Parliament and another snap election within months or weeks after the opposition have voted no confidence in another minority Conservative govt.

Do you think Harper should appeal to Canadians with a direct message to either elect a majority Liberal or Conservative govt?? … otherwise the country will suffer immeasurably due to the US and global situation .. not to mention spending another $350 Million on another unwanted election.

By: Observant

Observant — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:57:17 +0000

By: Brutus

Brutus — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:08:00 +0000

I went “conservative” back in ’94 when Bob Rae was in power in Ontario. Had been NDP but Bob opened my eyes with his policies. Many of my “friends” thought I was wrong. I joined the Reform party, I worked for the Harris Tories, and I wasn’t shy about letting people know who I supported. Lost a lot of “friends” over my political views.
Reason I’m mentioning this is because of a phonecall I just had.
A man who hasn’t spoken to me (civilly) for nearly 10 years called me in order to apologize. His exact words were “You were right, I was wrong.” And then he let me know what he thought about Dion’s Green Shaft… and he wasn’t too happy with Layton’s job killing policy either. This from a man who thought the Liberals were too right wing for his taste.
He’s going to be voting conservative this election. I wonder how many other left wing supporters are thinking the same thing.

By: Gone Fishing

Gone Fishing — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:58:17 +0000

I agree that a Green / Liberal alliance will have serious repercussions for the country. A once middle of the road party (going back to Mike Pearson days) has become more leftist and socially bizzare. I personally feel Wiflred Laurier is rolling in his grave and that John A MacDonald would have given up driking to be more focused on holding power, if he knew that the party of his opponents would have evolved to what it is today.

A green/liberal alliance is simple, it means that the Liberal party as we know it will no longe exist in any form.

Radical forces will hijack this party for their support.

That is why I am so pleased to see the NDP coming on. I can't say that I would ever suppport them but I would rather Jack Layton play the role of conscience in the next parliament than to some dufus who would have to consult the ________ (insert name of special interst group here) before opposing the CPC.

The one thing I think Jack Layton has done wrong campaign wise is cave to Lizzie's demand to be heard. If he had stood pat this would have blown over. It's too hard to call until we see where all the dejected liberals go if they don't just stay home on the 14th.

As mentioned above the Green/Liberal alliance will mean the death knell for the party's return to power. The middle of the road liberals will have to make a choice if the want to stay main stream - Do I call Jack Layton or Stephan Harper for a membership card?

By: Gone Fishing

Gone Fishing — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:44:21 +0000

Brutus I have a similiar story coming from the "mushy middle". My parents and siblings were all Liberal hypocrites who voted that way because my grandfather was so staunch a liberal. They could not get to a point where they could be offended about Trudeau's wreckless turn to the left even when the issues of abortion and same sex marriage were put forth and passed. (Note to all readers, please don't come down on me for a right wing religious view, or a social conservative dogma - I don't have one. I just see a lot of irony in how they can abadon the faith which is so important to them in politics but they didn't recognize my marriage to a non-catholic.)

Anyway, the change began with Harris kicking Rae's sorry butt out of Toronto. I supported Mike and unbeknownst to me my mother did. Later when he was re-elected she spoke proud that he had a chance to finish the mandate he began.

Still, I literally blasted my mother in 2006 in front of my sister for the Liberal sign on her front yard. After we had a long conversation she called and had the sign taken down. She had a lot of misconceptions about what the Liberals stood for and I think she has warmed to Stephan Harper as she did to Harris. My sisters are coming around too. If all conservative supporters are willing to stand up for Canada (an old slogan) and we can turn just a few votes we can deliver the majority needed to fulfill a very open and well understood conservative agenda.

What I find ironic, is how the Ontario PC has gone nowhere since it abandoned principals to join the Liberals in the mushy middle. The one thing I regret with Mike Harris is that he did such a mia culpa about my home town Walkerton and that the party under Ernie Eves went so pink. Thankfully Reform came to the new CPC in a position of relative strength. Pink Tories like Scott Brison, Keith Martin and Joe Clark felt they needed to leave and I believe that it is a case of good riddance to bad rubbish.

I run into so many lefties including union leaders and social activists that are becoming jaded with the idea of big government managing everything. They appeal to so many single women for example who totally jump right over the middle to the right when they have kids and the responsibilities of parents and so realize that the Conservative party is the party of the family.

By: Archie

Archie — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:11:21 +0000

I think it's too early to be commenting whose battling for second place, the election hasn't been won yet and we shouldn't get too complacent. Make sure their dead and buried before we do this. Keep up the pressure on Dion and point out the faults of Duceppe, and Taliban Jack. Dion is toast and will be burnt toast after the debate, the key now is Duceppe. Destroy him and the BLOC will follow, keep up the pressure in Quebec and Ontario will follow. Taliban Jack will sooner or later put his foot in his mouth, but we should give him a little help in doing this. Yes it seems that the CPC is doing better in the polls in Ontario but we should not forget Quebec.

By: stephentaylor

stephentaylor — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:44:09 +0000

Approve
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

By: burpnrun

burpnrun — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:42:07 +0000

@RagingRanter: Ms. May hasn't backed off her “Think Twice/Support the Liberals” stance at all. What she has done recently is to try to muddy the waters and revise history, as she is often wont to do. Example:

“Green party Leader Elizabeth May ended her cross-country train tour in Halifax Saturday, denying reports she's urging supporters to vote strategically in a bid to unseat the Conservatives …

“It's a non-starter,” she said inside the historic train station near the Halifax waterfront. “Strategic voting just doesn't work” …

“I won't say, ‘You've got to vote Green if you believe in our policies.' I'll say, ‘Here's our policies, figure out what you need to do because, frankly, the Green Party has to put progress [on climate change] and principle above short-term power,”' she told The Toronto Star last week …

“I'd rather have no Green seats and Stephen Harper lose, than a full caucus that stares across the floor at Stephen Harper as prime minister, because his policies are too dangerous.”
SOURCE: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.200...

Read carefully. She is still advocating her selective type of voting, to the detriment of the Green Party's growth, funding (cast your $1.75 to some other party), credibility, and perhaps future survival. After the election this full-time lobbyist will move on to find another sucker, having mortally wounded the Green movement. Even the Green Party of Ontario has wisely warned against what May is/is not advocating:
http://www.gpo.ca/node/1814

Just call her position the death knell of the Green Party if it gets any traction. A very arrogant, bitter and self-centred woman, this Elizabeth May.

By: bigcitylib

bigcitylib — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:10:19 +0000

Day too late with Nanos. 36/27 again.

HD shows a bit of narrowing too.

By: stephentaylor

stephentaylor — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:09:22 +0000

Now Nanos shows the polls narrowing. CPC -3, LPC +2