[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

Liberals purchase 20 million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-vaccines-covid19-1.5869906

That means a total of 40 million doses from Pfizer, 40 million from Moderna - which if you're doing the math is enough for 2 doses each for 38 million Canadians.

Previously Canada's vaccine plans was relying on other vaccines that haven't been approved yet.

Which is great news - but no announcement on timelines for delivery.  Trudeau sticking with "everyone who wants one will get one by September".

And does nothing to make us think a spring election isn't coming.

[Jacob]

What are your thoughts on O'Toole?

[Barrister]

What are your thoughts on O'Toole?

He was my guy in the leadership campaign (even though I got my ballot off too late to be counted  ).

He'll definitely get my vote in the general (I haven't forgotten WE Charity).

It's always tough being an opposition leader, and doubly so during a global freakin pandemic with the House of Commons largely shut down.  He hasn't really succeeded in getting a distinct message out there very well - I'm not sure what I would necessarily do differently if I were him.  "Canada First" was a cringey bad slogan, but I don't think anyone can seriously compare O'Toole to Trump.

[Malthus]

Sadly, the job of an opposition during a pandemic appears to be to pick up the pieces if the government screws everything up.

If the government does not screw everything up, they are pretty well guaranteed to get re-elected.

[Jacob]

He was my guy in the leadership campaign (even though I got my ballot off too late to be counted  ).

Cool. So sell me on him. If O'Toole's Conservatives win, what's he going to do for Canada? What do you expect his potential government to be like?

He'll definitely get my vote in the general (I haven't forgotten WE Charity).

I find it highly unlikely that you would've voted anything other than Conservative even in the absence of WE Charity 

It's always tough being an opposition leader, and doubly so during a global freakin pandemic with the House of Commons largely shut down.  He hasn't really succeeded in getting a distinct message out there very well - I'm not sure what I would necessarily do differently if I were him.  "Canada First" was a cringey bad slogan, but I don't think anyone can seriously compare O'Toole to Trump.

Yeah it's a tough row to hoe, that's for sure.

[HVC]

What are your thoughts on O'Toole?

He was my guy in the leadership campaign (even though I got my ballot off too late to be counted  ).

He'll definitely get my vote in the general (I haven't forgotten WE Charity).

It's always tough being an opposition leader, and doubly so during a global freakin pandemic with the House of Commons largely shut down.  He hasn't really succeeded in getting a distinct message out there very well - I'm not sure what I would necessarily do differently if I were him.  "Canada First" was a cringey bad slogan, but I don't think anyone can seriously compare O'Toole to Trump.

Canada first?  Might as well go with make Canada great again. Sounds flashier

[Valmy]

When was Canada great?

Well when not playing hockey anyway.

[Jacob]

When was Canada great?

I'd go with "yeah no that's just fucking great eh?"

[HVC]

When was Canada great?

Well when not playing hockey anyway.

Mighty fine house you got there. Be a shame if someone tried to burn it down





sure it was technically the brits, but protocanada helped haha

[Barrister]

He was my guy in the leadership campaign (even though I got my ballot off too late to be counted  ).

Cool. So sell me on him. If O'Toole's Conservatives win, what's he going to do for Canada? What do you expect his potential government to be like?

Jakey, I love ya man.

But I really don't see you as a likely Conservative voter.  O'Toole hasn't rebranded the party is any significant way from Harper or Scheer.  I'm not going to spend a bunch of time trying to convince you to vote Conservative.  I don't really see that as my role or mission on Languish.  I just sharing my view, and hearing what other people thing.

He'll definitely get my vote in the general (I haven't forgotten WE Charity).

I find it highly unlikely that you would've voted anything other than Conservative even in the absence of WE Charity 

True.

But not impossible.  since the 80s and Reagan I've long identified with the GOP in the US - but I totally would have voted for H Clinton and Biden the last two times around.

And I do want to remind you about the WE scandal - and SNC Lavalin.  This is not a good government we have.  But even if you agree with that assessment you will decide who to vote for even in opposition to Trudeau.

[Jacob]

Jakey, I love ya man.

But I really don't see you as a likely Conservative voter.  O'Toole hasn't rebranded the party is any significant way from Harper or Scheer.  I'm not going to spend a bunch of time trying to convince you to vote Conservative.  I don't really see that as my role or mission on Languish.  I just sharing my view, and hearing what other people thing.

Yeah, I didn't mean "Beeb, here's your chance to convince me to vote Conservative" as much as I meant "what's O'Toole's proposition to Canadians?" I'm not so much interested in playing gotcha games as getting an understanding of the substance of the Conservative proposition, and you're one of my inside guys on that.

I mean, I know part of the case for the Conservatives is going to be Prairie identity stuff and Liberal corruption and "Trudeau is a smug feckless twat", and part of the case against the Conservatives is going to be trying to associate O'Toole with Trump as much as possible and "we are taking better care of you that the heartless Conservatives will." But in terms of substance I don't actually have much of an idea of the Conservative program at this point, and what direction O'Toole is taking the party.

It sounds like your answer at this point is "he's a Conservative like Harper and Scheer, and he's not corrupt like the Liberals" which I don't think will be sufficient for most Canadians unless there are substantial developments between now and any election.

True.

But not impossible.  since the 80s and Reagan I've long identified with the GOP in the US - but I totally would have voted for H Clinton and Biden the last two times around.

I hope the Canadian Conservative Party never gets so dire that you'll feel compelled to stop voting for them.

And I do want to remind you about the WE scandal - and SNC Lavalin.  This is not a good government we have.  But even if you agree with that assessment you will decide who to vote for even in opposition to Trudeau.

My riding is solid NDP no matter what I vote, so it's pretty academic (61% NDP, 27% Lib, 9% Green, 3% Con last time around).

And yeah, the scandal is not a good look for Trudeau and his team but I don't think it's strong enough to be your leading argument. I mean, it may play well in the Ontario suburbs and other crucial swing areas but I don't think it's sufficient no matter how much it helps confirm Tory loyalists in their loathing of the Liberals.

Bottom line is I've already heard the expected lefty talking points about O'Toole enabling social conservatives, being a Canadian Trump, wanting to hurt the most vulnerable in our society, wanting to destroy the environment, and all the usual stuff. I wanted to hear the positive case for O'Toole - even if I won't necessarily agree with it - from someone who I expect can make it.

But if you don't feel like it, that's cool. I'll just continue not having much of an idea what O'Toole is about until I find someone who'll make that case

[garbon]

If only one had a way to locate information themselves.

[Grey Fox]

Did O'toole's proposition to extend La loi 101 to Federal jurisdiction employers in Quebec made it to the RoC news sphere?

[crazy canuck]

If only one had a way to locate information themselves.

Yeah it is hard to find any information on what O'Toole really stands for.  He is a bit of an enigma, playing to the hard right, like BB, to get the leadership; and then immediately shifting to look more like an old time Red Tory.

Oh, wait, you were just being a jerk.

[crazy canuck]

Did O'toole's proposition to extend La loi 101 to Federal jurisdiction employers in Quebec made it to the RoC news sphere?

Not here at least.