[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[crazy canuck]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

I think because that's an enormous "if".

Yeah, that has got to be their argument.  A form of vote for us because we are the Natural Governing Party, but don't look to closely.

[Malthus]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

I think because that's an enormous "if".

Yeah, that has got to be their argument.  A form of vote for us because we are the Natural Governing Party, but don't look to closely.

They would phrase it something like: 'vote for us, because a vote for the Greens is basically a vote for the Conservatives. The NDP is hopeless, but they split the progressive vote - NDP and Greens - and so neither party will ever actually win. Your real choice is between Liberals and Conservatives, and so if you don't vote Liberal, you are effectively supporting the Conservatives.'

Problem is, that has a certain amount of logic to it.

[Josephus]

Indeed, my parent's MP has switches sides from NDP to Green. 

It has reinforced their tentative decision to vote Green. Singh has not been a good choice for the NDP.

"not good" is an under statement.

[Josephus]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

Why are the Greens a better choice for progressives than Liberals?

[crazy canuck]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

Why are the Greens a better choice for progressives than Liberals?

One easy answer, election reform.

[Malthus]

This reminds me somewhat of what happened in Ontario - the Liberals sucked, so the NDP gained voters at the expense of the Liberals, but the beneficiary was the Conservatives, as the progressive vote was split between NDP and Liberals.

So we got rid of the Liberals, but at the expense of electing Ford.

[viper37]

Indeed, my parent's MP has switches sides from NDP to Green. 

It has reinforced their tentative decision to vote Green. Singh has not been a good choice for the NDP.

"not good" is an under statement.

I'm glad the first massive rejection comes from New Brunswick.  Otherwise, the Globe&Mail would have had a field day with "Racist Quebecers massively reject first NDP ethnic leader".

[viper37]

Sounds about right!

[Zoupa]

The NDP have become irrelevant and the Liberals a poor choice for progressive voters.  I wondered whether that group of voters would find a home with the Greens and the events of today seems to answer that question.  The question for the Liberals is if the Greens can position themselves as a viable way to keep the Conservatives out of government, why vote Liberal?

Why are the Greens a better choice for progressives than Liberals?

Because the Greens are actually progressive.

[Camerus]

If Justin "Because it's 2015" Trudeau isn't progressive enough for you, your views are probably far enough outside the Canadian mainstream that you have little chance of seeing your preferred party in power anyway.

[crazy canuck]

If Justin "Because it's 2015" Trudeau isn't progressive enough for you, your views are probably far enough outside the Canadian mainstream that you have little chance of seeing your preferred party in power anyway.

You mean Justin, this will be the last first past the post federal election, Trudeau?  If you look at his actions there is not much difference between him and Scheer except the last name and the rhetoric.

[viper37]

If Justin "Because it's 2015" Trudeau isn't progressive enough for you, your views are probably far enough outside the Canadian mainstream that you have little chance of seeing your preferred party in power anyway.

You mean Justin, this will be the last first past the post federal election, Trudeau?  If you look at his actions there is not much difference between him and Scheer except the last name and the rhetoric.

Well, Scheer is walking a fine line, he needs to ensure the ultra religious Christians support, for if they were to pull another Reform Party move, he will watch another 4 years of Justin "Viper told you so" Trudeau, and that will be the end of his political carreer.

On the other hand, he needs to please the moderates real hard, convince them he's not one of them while still being one of them, and avoiding the double talk of past eras in both official languages, since today, with the internet, the news tend to travel a little faster than in the 90s.

[crazy canuck]

I agree that will be Scheer's issue.  So far he has handled the footage from an old speech on same sex marriage well.  I think we can all reflect on how far our own thinking has come on the issue during the same period of time.

[Zoupa]

If Justin "Because it's 2015" Trudeau isn't progressive enough for you, your views are probably far enough outside the Canadian mainstream that you have little chance of seeing your preferred party in power anyway.

Trudeau talks the talk but never walks the walk.

The pipeline bullshit was the last straw for me.

[Grey Fox]

So you'll let the racist forced birth demagogue win?