[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[crazy canuck]

The structural issue is the Parliamentary system presumes the autonomy of MPs.  That's why we have votes in Parliament and the leader don't cast proxy votes. Although Trudeau tried to implement that system.

Political parties have asserted control in a number of ways.  I don't think adding yet another restriction on the autonomy of MPs is a good idea. 

Floor crossing is a sign that at least some of the Parliamentary norms are still working as designed.

[viper37]

Federal minister says he's getting lots of inquiries about MPs crossing the floor

The Libs sure know how to press PP's buttons.

He's not getting any sleep anytime soon.

The "lots" part is unlikely true.  But it's enough to throw suspicion around the Cons caucus and fuel paranoia.  And the result is THAT is likely to push some more over the independent way, at the very least.

I may regret my vote on many issues, but I know for sure I voted (indirectly) for the smartest leader.

[Grey Fox]

I believe I mentioned this before. My mp is Carlos Leitao. That pill was hard to swallow to ensure that PP wouldn't be PM.

[viper37]

I believe I mentioned this before. My mp is Carlos Leitao. That pill was hard to swallow to ensure that PP wouldn't be PM.

At least, I knew the Lib MP wouldn't be elected here.  He didn't even get 2$ from my vote, just my moral support.

[Duque de Bragança]

I believe I mentioned this before. My mp is Carlos Leitão. That pill was hard to swallow to ensure that PP wouldn't be PM.

Fixed! 

leitão = porcelet. 

[Grey Fox]

He hasn't put the tilde on any of his publication he sends us in the mail. He doesn't want to be a piglet.

[saskganesh]

I enjoy how Ma went to two different parties. Helluva  dancer apparently.

When he ran in the Don Valley Ma got creamed by 15000 votes, so he trucked up to Markham, and got lucky 'cause the Liberal incumbent (Chiang) disgraced himself. Ma's win was quite close in any event.

[crazy canuck]

Interesting, so at least some part self preservation

[Josephus]

There is a bit of a danger here--for Liberals.

The Conservatives were poised to win an election, as long as Trudeau was leader of the Liberals. When Chrystia Freeland nailed her theses on the PMO's office doors, she started a reformation, that not only brought Trudeau down, but also PP's chances of winning the Prime Minister title.

Fast forward a year. If the Liberals were to call an election, it is likely, in my opinion, they will win. PP has strayed too far to the right for most Bay Street conservatives, his rhetoric seen as too grimacy for many conservatives. But the Liberals' gloating over their recent floor crossing victories, their near-majority, should be tempered by the expectation that this will bring down PP himself. And surely his replacement will be a more-centrist,  candidate, a duplicate, in fact of the ultra-conservative Mark Carney. One who could in fact defeat Carney in a future election, when PP is unlikely to.

[frunk]

I would say that making sure extremists/idiots are safely marginalized and far from power is worth it.  The longer they are tolerated or given bigger platforms the more dangerous they become.

[Savonarola]

From the CBC hang on to your toque Bob and Doug, because:

Linguistic experts urge Carney government to stop using British spellings
Advocates say government should utilize (not 'utilise') Canadian English in official documents

Promoters of Canadian English say the federal government is sending the wrong message to the world with its recent use of British spelling in official documents.

In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, five linguistics experts and an editors association representative say the simplest way to keep national elbows up is to get Canadian style down on the page.

The letter from Thursday, shared with The Canadian Press, notes the use of British spelling — such as utilisation, globalisation, catalyse (instead of utilization, globalization and catalyze) — in documents, including the 2025 federal budget.

Canadian spelling is used widely and fairly consistently in Canada — in book and magazine publishing, in newspapers and other media, and in the federal and provincial governments and their legislatures, the letter says.

"If governments start to use other systems for spelling, this could lead to confusion about which spelling is Canadian."

In addition, Canadian spelling is a vital element of the country's unique identity, the letter writers say.

Canadian spelling used since 1970s

The letter was signed by linguistics professors J.K. Chambers, Sandra Clarke, Stefan Dollinger and Sali Tagliamonte, Canadian English Dictionary editor-in-chief John Chew and Editors Canada president Kaitlin Littlechild.

They ask the Prime Minister's Office, the Canadian government and Parliament to stick to Canadian English spelling, "which is the spelling they consistently used from the 1970s to 2025."

The Prime Minister's Office did not provide a response to a CP request for comment on the letter.

Spelling is one aspect of Standard Canadian English, a distinctive national variety of English recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary, the letter says.