[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Jacob]

I'm pretty sure viperwould still vote for a Canadian trump.

Yeah, that seems about right.

[viper37]

I'm pretty sure viperwould still vote for a Canadian trump.

Or I might not vote in the Federal election, as I often did.
Currently, none of the candidates have any appeal to me, except for Blaney, but he doesn't stand a chance anyway, either at becoming party head or winning an election.

maybe harpers issue wasn't that he started leaning xenophobic last election, but that he didn't go far enough.

Harpers problem, as always, was the media exagerating every non sensical news and the Liberals being able to get away with pretty much everything.  There was zero xenophobia on the Conservative's agenda, except maybe one item, the phone line that got so much coverage in English Canada.  The intention was allright, but the wording far from what we should expect of a government.

Whose our trump though? Gotta be somebody in Alberta who can lead the way. He has to learn French though.

Trudeau does a pretty good job so far.  Has no idea what he's doing.  Pulls out the planes, says bombing is not the solution in Syria, dialogue is, gets booted out of the security conference, then complains there's a massacre and we must do something.  That's what you get for having amateurs.  And a Prime Minister that uses tax shelter to avoid paying taxes and manages to inflate the bill to renovate his official residence, that's just a Trump-like thing to do.  Just wait until Sir Trump gets into the White House and has Melania redecorating everything.

Also, the need to hire 2 or 3 extra nannys plus assorted staff.  At our expense.

I totally understand why the left likes him though.  Apparently, it's by spending that you get rich, and he did promise that.  I'm just appalled that so many people thought it would really work.

[crazy canuck]

the Liberals will have another two decades in power no matter how badly they screw up.

given their liberal attitude with political financing, that's a given.

If the Conservatives are a viable alternative, no.

My hope is that all the press the extremist wing nuts are currently getting is not indicative of who the Conservatives will pick as their leader..

I agree. What I would like to see is a reasonable choice between distinctively Canadian liberals, conservatives and socialists, with each position clearly articulated and grounded in reality (albeit, obviously, different approaches to problem solving). Then, let the best leaders with the solutions that fit the moment win.

I hate with every fibre what is happening to politics south of the border, seeing it degenerate into "post truth" bullshit and demonization of the other. If the Conservatives adopt such tactics because they think it will give them an edge I for one will never vote for them again, and I hope Canadians as a whole completely reject them, too. Just to drive home that such things are not welcome here.

I used to have every confidence that Canadians will never, ever go for such tactics. My confidence has been shaken, because I also had some confidence that Americans would not, either.

We are of the same mind on this 

[Valmy]

My confidence has been shaken, because I also had some confidence that Americans would not, either.

I wonder what in the last twenty years gave you that confidence in us. This was a long time coming.

[crazy canuck]

My confidence has been shaken, because I also had some confidence that Americans would not, either.

I wonder what in the last twenty years gave you that confidence in us. This was a long time coming.

Yeah, but from the Canadian perspective the folks who voted for Trump were the fringe element in your society.  Our bias is toward viewing Americans as being more like us.  Electing Obama to two straight terms confirmed our bias.  Trump's election shatters it.

[viper37]

My confidence has been shaken, because I also had some confidence that Americans would not, either.

I wonder what in the last twenty years gave you that confidence in us. This was a long time coming.

Yeah, but from the Canadian perspective the folks who voted for Trump were the fringe element in your society.  Our bias is toward viewing Americans as being more like us.  Electing Obama to two straight terms confirmed our bias.  Trump's election shatters it.

blaming Republicans for voting for Republican is like blaming a snake for biting.

The problem is the people who didn't vote.

[crazy canuck]

blaming Republicans for voting for Republican is like blaming a snake for biting.

The problem is the people who didn't vote.

I don't understand your logic.  How was Trump the natural or obvious choice to be their candidate?

[Monoriu]

I once thought there is no chance the US would elect Trump in a general election, but I was proven wrong.  Somehow I don't think Canada will be totally immune to populist and/or far right politicians.  Too many countries in the west face the same problem.   

[Josephus]

I once thought there is no chance the US would elect Trump in a general election, but I was proven wrong.  Somehow I don't think Canada will be totally immune to populist and/or far right politicians.  Too many countries in the west face the same problem.

meh I wouldn't be so sure. You only have to go to some suburban bar and listen to the same mantra..."fucking refugees, fucking taxes, fucking immigrants."

A charismatic populist can do well here too. Don't overestimate the Canadian voter (other than those here, in which case feel free to overestimate us).

[frunk]

All that's required is widespread disdain for traditional media.  As soon as people put unsourced and unverified information as being equivalent to media that has a higher standard opinions can change quickly.

[Barrister]

Just remember we still have Kevin O'Leary threatening to run for Conservative Party leader.

[Monoriu]

I imagine it maybe more difficult for a Canadian Trump to take over leadership of a major party, in the absence of US style primary elections.  But once that is achieved, it only takes, what, 35% of the people voting for one party to win the premiership in a first past the post system. 

[Malthus]

My confidence has been shaken, because I also had some confidence that Americans would not, either.

I wonder what in the last twenty years gave you that confidence in us. This was a long time coming.

I (and I think many Canadians), quite wrongly I suppose, thought that Trump and other wacko extremists were a small but vocal minority and that most Americans, including most Republicans, were not really into that.

[Barrister]

I imagine it maybe more difficult for a Canadian Trump to take over leadership of a major party, in the absence of US style primary elections.  But once that is achieved, it only takes, what, 35% of the people voting for one party to win the premiership in a first past the post system.

Maybe, maybe not.

The leadership of Canadian political parties are decided by the membership of those parties.  Trudeau was elected Liberal leader by 104,000 voters.  Because party members tend to have more loyalty to the party itself it can somewhat insulate the party from wild swings.  But because party memberships are available for very small membership fees (and indeed the Liberals did away with the fees) it also means a comparatively small, but dedicated group could "take over" an existing party.

[PRC]

Just remember we still have Kevin O'Leary threatening to run for Conservative Party leader.

Kevin O'Leary is bombastic and full of bluster like Trump, but as O'Leary's mother is a Lebanese immigrant I don't think the anti-immigration stances would last muster with him.