upcoming federal election

Yes, more restrictions and more prohibited guns. It's the bloody Liberal judges we have now still in power where if someone breaks into your house and you defend yourself with anything - you will get charged.

Mulcair wants to bring back the gun registry ffs. The same guy that said people don't need any type of weapon (bear spray, you name it) for defense, they should carry a rape whistle and call the police - let them do their jobs….then after the attack on the Parliament he requests 24 hour armed RCMP protection. huh. He wants good guys with guns for self defence but the rest of us - we can blow a whistle. Cuz hey, if they ban guns for us law abiding citizens, then obviously the criminals will turn theirs in too.

I can agree with that but I think Harper will probably take your guns away too eventually, and be a bigger dick about it.

Best study this instead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk

I can agree with that but I think Harper will probably take your guns away too eventually, and be a bigger dick about it.

Look something up that he is trying to pass right now: Bill C42. There are some Youtube vids that explain it for you. And the opposition is screaming there is going to be chaos on the streets, yet all the transport and storage laws haven't changed. Libtards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nabb_mf4Xhs

Really Zed, guns are that important to you? What about Harper's views on weed? Personally guns don't enter my thoughts on elections, but I don't really see the Cons getting too carried away with American style laws and the Liberals are not going to change the status quo. The NDP winning the election is probably not likely.

Is it just as bad if Trudeau wins a majority with a mandate from just 30% of Canadians?

Nope, but Trudeau has a tougher battle given people that won't vote for Harper might vote NDP, Green, or Liberal. There's one "right" party and multiple "left" parties.

I'm using quotes as the "right" v. "left" of any party isn't set in stone.

Nope, but Trudeau has a tougher battle given people that won't vote for Harper might vote NDP, Green, or Liberal. There's one "right" party and multiple "left" parties.

I'm using quotes as the "right" v. "left" of any party isn't set in stone.

This is true but you also have to remember that most of the votes the Conservatives lose are more likely to end up with the Liberals, which is why the Trudeau character assassination is at full speed. At the same time the NDP is losing support which also tend to go to the Liberals.

I will be tough for Trudeau to get a majority if the Liberals can pull off a win, but despite the best wishes of the NDP hopeful, many of their supporters from the last few elections are heading back home the the Liberals.

Is it just as bad if Trudeau wins a majority with a mandate from just 30% of Canadians?

Yes and no. From the POV of true participatory democracy, yes, just as bad. From the POV of "representing the views of a true majority of Canadians", it would be an improvement. Kind of like getting a better outcome but for the wrong reasons.

Depending on how the polls questions are phrased and when the polls are taken, results fairly consistently show that about 60-70% of Canadians identify with left or centre-left values. If we had a real, functional proportional electoral system then we would probably see few, if any, majority governments being formed, and coalition governments becoming the new norm. Most likely this would mean Liberals leading, with NDP and/or Green participating in the coalition. Cons would fade into being either offical opposition or the third party. In a 338-seat parliament, a well-executed proportional voting system would yield;

Lib - 118 seats
Con - 110
NDP - 68
Grn - 24
Blc - 14
Oth - 4

An easy win for a Lib/NDP coalition that would be truly representative of Canadian values. However, I think that a proportional voting system will change the way Canadians vote. I would be tempted to vote Green if I like the candidate and I knew my vote would really count, and I suspect many others would also. If the system were something like STV, a lot of Cons might put a Lib or Indy candidate as their second choice, so when the Con gets eliminated in the first round, it would boost votes for those other candidates.

We really really really really need a complete overhaul of our electoral system FPTP is a dead horse.

An easy win for a Lib/NDP coalition that would be truly representative of Canadian values.

I would expect that the Lib/Con distinction is less than people really want to admit and the Lib/NDP is a bit bigger spread.

I have personally voted for both the cons and libs but never the NDP. NDP is too out to lunch for my tastes. Their growth was simply because Jack Layton had charisma and was the best leader out of the bunch. If he had a better platform, like running on a liberal platform, he would have been the PM.

I would expect that the Lib/Con distinction is less than people really want to admit and the Lib/NDP is a bit bigger spread.

IMO, tough to nail down. I think guys like Chretien dragged the Libs toward the right, but JT is making the leftward pull lately. They've always been more or less "centrist" or slightly left of center, but I think recently even a bit more left of center … which does appeal to me, but I still identify with more of the Green positions (and fervently disagree with one or two). Agreed that NDP is too much "dreamer, labour-centric" left for my tastes.

And, of course, the Cons were certainly a lot more center-right until Harper. Now they're just plain foaming at the mouth, git of mah lown, bill orly hardcore right.

I still identify with more of the Green positions (and fervently disagree with one or two).

yeah, for the greens to have any real level of success they need to adjust some of their policies in order to appeal to a broader scope of canadians. i suspect that most voters are more influenced by what they don't like or are afraid of than what they do like.

Yes, more restrictions and more prohibited guns. It's the bloody Liberal judges we have now still in power where if someone breaks into your house and you defend yourself with anything - you will get charged.

Mulcair wants to bring back the gun registry ffs. The same guy that said people don't need any type of weapon (bear spray, you name it) for defense, they should carry a rape whistle and call the police - let them do their jobs….then after the attack on the Parliament he requests 24 hour armed RCMP protection. huh. He wants good guys with guns for self defence but the rest of us - we can blow a whistle. Cuz hey, if they ban guns for us law abiding citizens, then obviously the criminals will turn theirs in too.

Because unfettered access to firearms has worked so well in the USA.

And because requiring some minimal regulations and not allowing unnecessary assault rifles equals "taking our guns away".

This whole "I'm protectin' my family" schtick is delusional.

yeah, for the greens to have any real level of success they need to adjust some of their policies in order to appeal to a broader scope of canadians. i suspect that most voters are more influenced by what they don't like or are afraid of than what they do like.

A name change would help too IMO. Calling themselves the Green Party makes them sounds all about one issue.

A name change would help too IMO. Calling themselves the Green Party makes them sounds all about one issue.

Yep, I pretty much viewed them as a one-issue party that just dabbled in other issues. During the last fed election cycle, I downloaded their complete 100+ page platform document and skimmed through it. What I found was a very full addressing of key issues and economics, quite well thought out and presented. I did take issue with a couple of positions that just plain ignore known science, but otherwise pretty damn good.

Still voted Lib though, as a strategic vote.

Because unfettered access to firearms has worked so well in the USA.

And because requiring some minimal regulations and not allowing unnecessary assault rifles equals "taking our guns away".

This whole "I'm protectin' my family" schtick is delusional.

You aren't even close, but it was kinda cute nonetheless. Assault rifles - that's a good one. DO you have an assault car? An Assault bike cuz it looks new"ish"?

Hold your rape whistle tight. I don't call 911, and I do protect and feed my family.

What I found was a very full addressing of key issues and economics, quite well thought out and presented. I did take issue with a couple of positions that just plain ignore known science, but otherwise pretty damn good.

+1

Oh shit, does this mean I'm going to hell too!?!?