[borgos]

And how does this promote Canadian unity when his positions effectively weaken the strength of the federation?

Why do you care? As a successionist I would think that you'd want a weakened federation, no?

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

Why do you care? As a successionist I would think that you'd want a weakened federation, no?

Call it an emotional response. I may now live in Quebec, but I did grow up in Ontario in a federalist family and was fully indoctrinated with all the notions of what Canada is and why it is such a great place to live. So when I look at the Conservative platform and see policies and positions that look as though they could undermine the federation and offer little benefit to Ontario, and maybe even, damage it, then there is that part of me that still worries about such issues.

And while I might support the Bloc, and if that support defines me a successionist than so be it, I would still rather see a strong Canada with a pissed off Quebec than a greatly weekend federation where Alberta possesed extreme wealth and Quebec was allowed a little more freedom, especially if it was at the expense of the rest of the provinces and the lower class.

 

[spmarshall]

Like I said in the thread on Hargrove endorsing Martin early in the campaign - the two of them deserve each other.

 

[ganjavih]

So when I look at the Conservative platform and see policies and positions that look as though they could undermine the federation and offer little benefit to Ontario, and maybe even, damage it, then there is that part of me that still worries about such issues.

I don't believe in questioning how other people vote but it's a bit confusing why you fear the Conservatives undermining the country and yet are quite comfortable voting Bloc.

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

I don't believe in questioning how other people vote but it's a bit confusing why you fear the Conservatives undermining the country and yet are quite comfortable voting Bloc.

Because the Bloc really dont have any power or ability when it comes to affairs in Ottawa. Yes they have been opposition before, but there role in actually being able to institute change is minimal at best. They offer a voice in the House of Commons, their remarks are put into an official record, and thats about all. Voting for the Bloc is based more on ideology and a symbolic representation for Quebec than it is a 'they are going to be able to cut taxes or do this or do that'.

The Conservatives on the other hand, will have power. They will be cut or raise taxes, create budgets, negogiate and enact new autonomy for the provinces, etc.

I know who I am voting for when I vote for the Bloc, a seperatist party who only runs in Quebec and whos goal is to ensure that the interests of the province are at the very least heard. The Conservatives, I still have a lot of doubt as too who the Conservatives are. Have they actually become a right of center party that truely represents and will stand up for all of Canada equally? Or, are the Reform/Alliance values still very much lying under the newly laid veneer, ready to show themselves in their primarily pro-west agenda once they get into office? Is Harper really a leader who believes in Canada, or, are the days he spent at the National Citizens Coallition still very much a part of his ideology? I know lots of people seem to think that the Conservatives have lost their Reform ways and are closer to the PC's now. I really cant say Im convinced at all that this is the case and there are still too many question marks as too what lies underneath all their campaign promises and talk.

 

[blixa442]

The more I look at the Martin-Hargrove-Layton trifecta, the more I'm reminded of the last scene in Reservoir Dogs. I really thought things were getting ridiculous when Martin attacked Layton for not... attacking Harper. It's clear that Martin is fighting for second place, but what will happen next? Will Layton attack Martin for attacking Layton for not attacking Harper when he should have been attacking Harper? Or will Martin attack Harper for not attacking Martin over Martin's unprovoked attack on Layton for not attacking Harper? Will Duceppe attack Martin for attacking Layton for not attacking Harper when Martin has refused to attack Duceppe for not attacking Harper?

 

[Observer Walt]

Reminds me of an old comedy movie, the title escapes me, involving a group of people coming and going through a series of doors along a corridor. No one knew where anyone else was, and the action just kept getting more and more frantic, without any real purpose.

The past week of this campaign has been close to such a farce, with Layton and Martin each asking the other's supporters for votes, much talk of "strategic" voting which most people don't really understand, ridiculous allegations from Hargrove (with friends like him, does Martin need enemies?), etc. etc. Real discourse seems to have gone out the window. It's a discouraging sight. Would be funny like the above referenced farcical movie, if it wasn't so sad.

 

[adma]

"Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still Gilles Du-ceppy of the Bloc"

 

[adma]

Oh, went to a Parkdale-High Park all-candidates debate tonite. Must be her predilection for short skirts and all, but Sam Bulte made me think of how Kim Cattrall was recently depicted in "The Family Guy"

 

[EnviroTO]

When you vote the Bloc you know where they stand on their vision of a country and they don't run as a federalist party. The conservatives run as a federalist party but have a vision of Canada where the federal government has reduced power and responsibilities and the provincial governments are free to do what they want with the services they manage. There are pluses and minuses to the plan. The biggest minus is that the federal government will probably no longer be in a place to set national standards in healthcare, education, and maybe even food inspection since provinces have ministries in charge of those items... perhaps bye bye Canada Health Act (not necessarily publicly available healthcare). The biggest plus is that the one that sets the agenda pays the price... without federal government setting minimums the province will have less motive for coming to the federal government for money because they won't be able to point at a federal requirement to deliver a service. The upside being the provinces become more accountable for managing service delivery and budgets, the downside being that a lazy or underfunded provincial government would find it easier to slowly reduce service levels than to find efficiency or raise taxes.