[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[PRC]

Alberta and has an NDP government with a female premier and Calgary has a gay muslim as its mayor.  The old Albertan stereotypes are overplayed.

[crazy canuck]

Says more about the people who are trying to use the dog whistle than the Albertans they are trying to attract 

[viper37]

Interesting coverage of the Canadian media, for similar topics (but not the same news)

If it's related to Quebec:
Intolerance, xenophobia have permeated political rhetoric in Quebec
Kinda non neutral, for a political rethoric between the Premier and the Opposition.  It's stated as a fact, really, right there in the title.

But when it comes to actual hard facts, here we go:
Majority of Canadians want a 'Canadian values' screening test for immigrants: poll

There.  If we dig into the article, we see a survey on xenophobia and racism, with pretty similar numbers between Quebec and the ROC.  People are equally xenophobic and racist, overall.  Alberta is much more xenophobic&racist than Quebec, BC much less.

But does it say something like "Racism is a real problem in Canada" ?  Or maybe, "Canada just as xenophobic as Quebec" given the way we were treated by the medias as recently as last January?
Nope.  Just that people want a "canadian values tests".  Pretty neutral, doesn't say much in the headline.


Anyyyy wayy.

What do you make of that poll?  Surprised are you or are you not?

[HVC]

Canada can be pretty raciist too, but it seems to be a different kind. Roc is more of a ghetoisation type thing, do what you want, but do it away from me. Quebec leans more towards change to my sensibilities because your turban scares and angers me.

[Monoriu]

Interesting coverage of the Canadian media, for similar topics (but not the same news)

If it's related to Quebec:
Intolerance, xenophobia have permeated political rhetoric in Quebec
Kinda non neutral, for a political rethoric between the Premier and the Opposition.  It's stated as a fact, really, right there in the title.

But when it comes to actual hard facts, here we go:
Majority of Canadians want a 'Canadian values' screening test for immigrants: poll

There.  If we dig into the article, we see a survey on xenophobia and racism, with pretty similar numbers between Quebec and the ROC.  People are equally xenophobic and racist, overall.  Alberta is much more xenophobic&racist than Quebec, BC much less.

But does it say something like "Racism is a real problem in Canada" ?  Or maybe, "Canada just as xenophobic as Quebec" given the way we were treated by the medias as recently as last January?
Nope.  Just that people want a "canadian values tests".  Pretty neutral, doesn't say much in the headline.


Anyyyy wayy.

What do you make of that poll?  Surprised are you or are you not?

I took the immigrant test before I was granted a Canadian passport.  That test was super easy.  Any brain dead person could pass.  I actually studied for it, but the questions were like "who was Canada's head of state" etc.  Kindergarten level stuff.  Or below.  So I don't mind if they up the difficulty a bit. 

[viper37]

Quebec leans more towards change to my sensibilities because your turban scares and angers me.

Two solitudes...  It's a if there was a cultural and linguistic divide between our 2 nations

[Barrister]

So Jason Kenney wins the PC leadership convincingly over the weekend - 76% on the first ballot.

And now it just gets tougher.  Kenney is supposed to talk with Wildrose leader Brian Jean today to start negotiations on merging the two parties.  I wonder to what extent the their mutual history plays into this - both were members of Harper's caucus, but Kenney as a senior minister, and Jean as a backbencher.  But they definitely have known each other for years.  How motivated does Jean feel to negotiate himself out of a job when he is technically leading the polls?

STay tuned to find out.

[viper37]

How motivated does Jean feel to negotiate himself out of a job when he is technically leading the polls?

The questions are simple:
1) Can Wildrose form a majority government with 35% of the vote?  (I know that's the minimum required in Quebec, 33-35%, I have no idea for Alberta).
2) How solid is this poll (historical comparisons of other polls could be helpful, i.e. do they have a tendancy to lead in polls and crash at election)?
3) If concessions are to be made, how likely will Wildrose and PC voters stay at homme instead of voting and how much of a problem does it create.

If #1 is impossible and #2 highly volatile as per previous polls, than it is in his interest to consolidate the votes of the two party. 
#3: Compromises will need to be made for sure.  It will piss off some Wildrose supporters and some PC supporters.  They won't vote Liberal or NDP for this, though they might be inclined to stay at home.  I know for the Federal and Quebec Liberal Party, given their strenght in many ridings, half their electors could decide not to vote and they'd likely make a government too.  People voting Liberal here tend to vote Liberal, no matter what.  Corruption, loss of identity, mismanagement and general lack of qualifications to hold the job they are assigned for is not sufficient to prevent a vote.  Heck, you could be under investigation for fraud & corruption, even arrested, and the people will still vote for you if you're a Liberal in Montreal's West island.  That's how much the Anglos despise the Francos. Anything, even a pig in red tie is better than franco power.

[Barrister]

Wildrose are at 36% in the polls.  That's not guaranteed majority territory.  You'd want more like 40%+.  Plus who knows what impact turning down Kenney's offer to merge would have on their own poll numbers.

And remember we're in completely uncharted territory in Alberta politics.  We've consistently had right-wing governments since at least the great depression - but now with an NDP government who knows what else can happen.

And there is some risk in merging the two parties.  It's never as simple as 2+2=4.  Not all supporters of either party will automatically support the new, merged party.  But who will gain those supporters?  Will they go to the NDP (shockingly a sitting PC MLA did join the NDP a few months ago)?  Will they go to the moribund Alberta Liberals?  If it becomes a 2 party race then you need over 50% of the vote to get your majority government.

[viper37]

And there is some risk in merging the two parties.  It's never as simple as 2+2=4.  Not all supporters of either party will automatically support the new, merged party.  But who will gain those supporters?  Will they go to the NDP (shockingly a sitting PC MLA did join the NDP a few months ago)?  Will they go to the moribund Alberta Liberals?  If it becomes a 2 party race then you need over 50% of the vote to get your majority government.

yes, I know, that's why I was asking about it.

How close are the Alberta Liberals to the Trudeau Liberals?

[Barrister]

And there is some risk in merging the two parties.  It's never as simple as 2+2=4.  Not all supporters of either party will automatically support the new, merged party.  But who will gain those supporters?  Will they go to the NDP (shockingly a sitting PC MLA did join the NDP a few months ago)?  Will they go to the moribund Alberta Liberals?  If it becomes a 2 party race then you need over 50% of the vote to get your majority government.

yes, I know, that's why I was asking about it.

How close are the Alberta Liberals to the Trudeau Liberals?

Close.

They're also at 5% in the polls, with only 1 MLA (their leader).

[viper37]

Aside the tax break for gay couples & singles who want to have kids, there does not seem to be anything really atrocious in this budget.  Or is it only that I got selective headlines?

[Jacob]

Aside the tax break for gay couples & singles who want to have kids, there does not seem to be anything really atrocious in this budget.  Or is it only that I got selective headlines?

Well Rona Ambrose is up in arms about the removal of a variety of tax credits, so maybe you should check out what she says.

That said, I have an impression that Morneau is a pretty reasonable and conscientious guy, so I wouldn't expect him to present a budget full of atrocities.

[crazy canuck]

The really painful tax changes were in the last budget but went largely unreported while the media was in full love in mode  - wise political move on their part.

[viper37]

Aside the tax break for gay couples & singles who want to have kids, there does not seem to be anything really atrocious in this budget.  Or is it only that I got selective headlines?

Well Rona Ambrose is up in arms about the removal of a variety of tax credits, so maybe you should check out what she says.

Ok, I'll wait tomorrow morning until someone tells me to be outraged then.