[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

According to Wiki:

The word riding is descended from late Old English *þriðing or *þriding (recorded only in Latin contexts or forms, e.g., trehing, treding, trithing, with Latin initial t here representing the Old English letter thorn). It came into Old English as a loanword from Old Norse þriðjungr, meaning a third part (especially of a county), cf. farthing. The modern form riding was the result of initial th being absorbed in the final th or t of the words north, south, east and west, by which it was normally preceded.[2][3]

A common misconception holds that the term arose from some association between the size of the district and the distance that can be covered or encircled on horseback in a certain amount of time (cf. the Walking Purchase).

[Rex Francorum]

Yeah, the latest polls are even more strongly in favour of the NDP.  308 pointed out that in 2012 there were no polls the last week ofthe campaign, which explains how pollsters missed the shift against Wildrose.

I guess I'm back to voting Wildrose.  Not going to make a difference, so I might as well vote with my conscience.

Heaven help us - an NDP government.

Well, it's the time to see what the other parties have to offer after 44 consecutive years of conservative government, no?

[Barrister]

Yeah, the latest polls are even more strongly in favour of the NDP.  308 pointed out that in 2012 there were no polls the last week ofthe campaign, which explains how pollsters missed the shift against Wildrose.

I guess I'm back to voting Wildrose.  Not going to make a difference, so I might as well vote with my conscience.

Heaven help us - an NDP government.

Well, it's the time to see what the other parties have to offer after 44 consecutive years of conservative government, no?

Uh, no.  The NDP has plenty of track record in running provincial governments.  I know what I'm going to get with the NDP in power - higher taxes and less business.  Just what we need in a recession.

Unless of course they follow the 1990 Bob Rae philosophy of "spending our way out of a recession" in which case we'll just get monstrously high debt levels causing the province to flirt with bankruptcy in a few years.

And besides, the PCs haven't been "conservative" ever since Ralph Klein left office.

Alberta actually had a very good track record under more conservative premiers.

[Rex Francorum]

I guess the track record of the only party who maintained itself in power for so long in Quebec (Liberal Party, 1897-1936) does not compare well with the Conservative governments, which explain why I am suspicious to let a party to stay in power over 10 years.

[Monoriu]

Looks like Alberta will fall when even BB gives up hope

[saskganesh]

The NDP has had very successful and enduring governments in Sask and Manitoba. BC's have been less fortunate, but one term Dave Barret back in the 70's did a lot of good. Harcourt was OK, but Glen Clark was a circus. Ontario's NDP under Rae was unsuccessful, but the reigning Liberals today have adapted many NDP-like policies. Nova Scotia's recent premier I'm really not that familiar with.

It's a mixed bag, as one would expect.  Anyhow, it won't be the end of the world. Inexperience rather than ideology will be more important factors in assessing the next Albertan government's performance.

With that in mind, an NDP government will lean heavily on the civil service.

[Barrister]

The NDP has had very successful and enduring governments in Sask and Manitoba. BC's have been less fortunate, but one term Dave Barret back in the 70's did a lot of good. Harcourt was OK, but Glen Clark was a circus. Ontario's NDP under Rae was unsuccessful, but the reigning Liberals today have adapted many NDP-like policies. Nova Scotia's recent premier I'm really not that familiar with.

It's a mixed bag, as one would expect.  Anyhow, it won't be the end of the world. Inexperience rather than ideology will be more important factors in assessing the next Albertan government's performance.

With that in mind, an NDP government will lean heavily on the civil service.

Manitoba's NDP government has been enduring, I'll grant you that.

Disagree it's been successful.  Why is it one third of my old university buddies have all left the province since 1999?  Why is it Manitoba is still a have-not province with high taxes?

Leaning on the civil service too heavily is not a wise policy IMHO.

[Grey Fox]

No Gas & No Manufacturing base, it can not not be a have-not.

[Admiral Yi]

Yeah Beeb, i don't see how the greatest policies in the world would make any difference.  A frigid agricultural province will always be a frigid agricultural province.

[crazy canuck]

The NDP has had very successful and enduring governments in Sask and Manitoba. BC's have been less fortunate, but one term Dave Barret back in the 70's did a lot of good. Harcourt was OK, but Glen Clark was a circus. Ontario's NDP under Rae was unsuccessful, but the reigning Liberals today have adapted many NDP-like policies. Nova Scotia's recent premier I'm really not that familiar with.

It's a mixed bag, as one would expect.  Anyhow, it won't be the end of the world. Inexperience rather than ideology will be more important factors in assessing the next Albertan government's performance.

With that in mind, an NDP government will lean heavily on the civil service.

I agree with your assessment Sask.    One thing that I think a lot of people forget is how well received a lot of the NDP legislative initiatives were under the Barrett government.  One example is the Labour Code they introduced.  The Minister of Labour was and remains the most respected Minister of Labour this province has ever had.  He brought in three well respected academics with ties to both labour and business to draft the Code from the ground up.  It has lasted the test of time with only minor amendments by successive governments and it became the model code for most other provinces to follow.  There is a long list of other legislative reforms that have also met the test of time.

After 40 years of one party rule in Alberta it will be interesting to see what the NDP can do for Alberta.

@BB - Manitoba is going to be a have not province regardless of its government. No significant natural resources and much more attractive destinations for business in other parts of Canada because of geography make it very difficult for Manitoba to ever be amongst the most prosperous provinces.

[Barrister]

@BB - Manitoba is going to be a have not province regardless of its government. No significant natural resources and much more attractive destinations for business in other parts of Canada because of geography make it very difficult for Manitoba to ever be amongst the most prosperous provinces.

Disagree.

First, they do have some oil.  Remember all the oil drilling they're going in North Dakota?  The same basin, the Bakken Formation, crosses the border into Manitoba.  The province also has extensive hydro power, forestry, and mining resources.  And geography?  It's the centre of Canada.

[Malthus]

@BB - Manitoba is going to be a have not province regardless of its government. No significant natural resources and much more attractive destinations for business in other parts of Canada because of geography make it very difficult for Manitoba to ever be amongst the most prosperous provinces.

Disagree.

First, they do have some oil.  Remember all the oil drilling they're going in North Dakota?  The same basin, the Bakken Formation, crosses the border into Manitoba.  The province also has extensive hydro power, forestry, and mining resources.  And geography?  It's the centre of Canada.

If only they could put the mosquitoes in Manitoba to work ... 

[Neil]

I saw an interesting excerpt from a book the other day, relating to Nova Scotia politics.  It about how the leader, when he was in opposition, had damned the government up and down for their policies and the effect they had on the economy.  Then, when they finally won an election, they had to face the fact that Nova Scotia had no natural resources, no manufacturing, and a small population.  The full weight and power of the Nova Scotian government probably had less effect on the Nova Scotian economy than a few bankers in Toronto or New York.  But for political reasons, they were caught on a ride of trying to scapegoat failures and take credit for successes, even though they really couldn't influence things at all.

I just found it interesting, and somewhat relevant to the Manitoba discussion.

[Neil]

@BB - Manitoba is going to be a have not province regardless of its government. No significant natural resources and much more attractive destinations for business in other parts of Canada because of geography make it very difficult for Manitoba to ever be amongst the most prosperous provinces.

Disagree.

First, they do have some oil.  Remember all the oil drilling they're going in North Dakota?  The same basin, the Bakken Formation, crosses the border into Manitoba.  The province also has extensive hydro power, forestry, and mining resources.  And geography?  It's the centre of Canada.

Being at the centre of Canada is a problem.  The two important areas in Canada are the stretch from Windsor to Montreal and the stretch from Vancouver to Calgary.  Both of those areas connect south to the United States, but Manitoba is far from either.  Free trade has made that through route less important.

[Admiral Yi]

Disagree.

First, they do have some oil.  Remember all the oil drilling they're going in North Dakota?  The same basin, the Bakken Formation, crosses the border into Manitoba.  The province also has extensive hydro power, forestry, and mining resources.  And geography?  It's the centre of Canada.

If you had unlimited dictatorial powers, what exactly would you do to cash in on Manitoba's natural advantage of being in the middle of Canada?