Too Late to Start Thinking About 2015? (Canadian Election)

[Max Peck]

A thread where we can take a break from making fun of American presidential hopefuls by laughing at the current crop of boring Canadian politicians.

Heres a primer, courtesy of the CBC: What day 1 tells us about the parties' campaigns



CBC Poll Tracker

ThreeHundredEight.com

[hepcat]

You're all so damn polite, I'm not sure how you get through an election process.

Candidate one: No, no...you should lead.

Candidate two: That's very kind of you, but I think you're a much better candidate.

Candidate three: You're both so wonderful, I'm not sure how our country could possibly choose between you. But I do know you're both better at this than my humble self. Now, who wants some poutine?

[Moliere]

I would vote for the beard. We need to get back to the 1800s when candidates could have facial hair.

[Max Peck]

You're all so damn polite, I'm not sure how you get through an election process.

Candidate one: No, no...you should lead.

Candidate two: That's very kind of you, but I think you're a much better candidate.

Candidate three: You're both so wonderful, I'm not sure how our country could possibly choose between you. But I do know you're both better at this than my humble self. Now, who wants some poutine?

The Conservatives, in particular, might surprise you. They are fully on board with personal attack ads directed at opposition party leaders. They don't even wait for an election campaign to run them.

[Jeff V]

I would vote for the beard. We need to get back to the 1800s when candidates could have facial hair.

I think the middle one should grow a beard then run on a She-Grizzly platform.

[LordMortis]

Polite my ass. I read that the Prime Minister dissolved Parliament!

http://www.wsj.com/articles/canadas-par ... 1438527831

Viva la Prime Minister!

OtOH, I might support a president that dissolves Congress.

[Max Peck]

The view from across the pond (and/or south of the border): Lengthy election could be recipe for Canadian chaos

The Canadians are off and running in what will be the nation's longest general election campaign since 1874. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally launched the nation's electoral season, which will last a whopping (by Canadian standards) 78 days, before voters in 338 electoral constituencies, called ridings, head to the polls on 19 October. (That sound Canadians may hear is laughter from US presidential candidates, who take 78 days just to come up with a catchy name for the "independent" committee they'll use to rake in millions from rich donors.) The decision to kick off the race so early - previous campaigns have lasted about five weeks - is seen as a tactical move by the Conservatives, who can bring the most financial resources to bear over a lengthier campaign season that has strict spending caps (cue more laughter from the Americans).

[El Guapo]

I favor the candidate who is for good things, and oppose the candidates who are for bad things.

Have any of the candidates addressed the issue of Canadians causing earthquakes? That seems like that should be the main issue of the campaign season.

[LawBeefaroni]

October 19th? That's the middle of the MLB playoffs.

"If the Blue Jays are in, the woman will win."

[Max Peck]

Stephen Harper and Elizabeth May prove adept at the TV reality of debates

Now, none of this is to say Trudeau or Mulcair would be incompetent prime ministers. Maybe they'd be fine. They just don't seem very good at TV debates, and this was after all a TV debate, even if it was sponsored by Maclean's magazine and hosted by a print journalist. An awful lot is made of TV debates during elections; the very crystallization of democracy, and so on. And, true, they are sort of a refreshing change from the canned daily tedium of the longest election campaign in human history. But they're also just TV. They're impressionistic, and they require some acting skill. Reality, on TV, does sometimes matter less than delivery. A TV reporter could tell you that.

[Vorret]

I'm kinda tired of Harper... he's not Canadian enough. Trudeau is a bit erratic but Liberal have usually been good for the economy.
NPD I dunno, I fear they're a *bit* too leftist for my taste.

Might vote liberal or NPD, 100% sure I won't vote conservative or Bloc or any of the other parties for that matter.

[Fireball]

Justin Trudeau is sorta hot, for a politician. As I'll have to see pictures of the Canadian PM from time to time, I ask that Canada please elect him.

[LawBeefaroni]

Justin Trudeau is sorta hot, for a politician. As I'll have to see pictures of the Canadian PM from time to time, I ask that Canada please elect him.

Nice clothes, that's for sure.


Well, some of the time.

[Max Peck]

Harper calls economy a liar during debate

Canada’s system of production and consumption of goods and services was put on the defensive at the Maclean’s National Leaders Debate when Prime Minister Stephen Harper accused it of misleading Canadians.

"The economy keeps changing its mind”,” Harper said confronting his invisible opponent. “First, the economy said that the price of oil was $100 a barrel in 2014 and now it’s suddenly $45 a barrel. Then, when GDP is expected to grow, it shrinks. The economy should stop playing politics with the Canadian people and admit that it is hiding the truth that everything is fine."

"The economy’s blatantly untrue facts are clearly designed to undermine Canadian faith in the economy, which thanks to the Conservative government has never been stronger," added the Prime Minister.

[hepcat]

Okay Canada, you win this round.

[Jolor]

I have to admire the courage it takes for a party to separate from the course of current political direction and come out in direct opposition to a tax on Netflix. Must've been a hidden agenda thing of those parties who would see us have us put credence in the scientific community, bail out Greece with taxpayer money, send parkas directly to ISIS (but have nice hair, though).

[Max Peck]

You mean Harper's courage in opposing a tax that nobody has proposed?

Who's been proposing to bail out Greece or send parkas to ISIS?

[El Guapo]

You have to admit that ISIS has a dearth of parkas.

[Max Peck]

Freedom of speech may not be so free...

'F--k Harper' sign in car earns Edmonton man $543 fine

An Edmonton man was given a $543 ticket for refusing to remove a sign from the back window of his car that says "F--k Harper."

Rob Wells was stopped by RCMP in Leduc, south of Edmonton, because they deemed his large, hot-pink sign a distraction to other drivers. He was fined when he refused to take it down. While Wells admits the sign's language isn't appropriate, he says removing it would violate his right to free expression. He says the sign shows his feelings about Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and his government.



"I want to express my complete disdain for the conduct of the Harper government and that's the only way I know to do it," he said. "I'll gladly pay that $543 if I have to in order to express my rights in a free and democratic society."

[Isgrimnur]

Alberta driving laws

Further, Traffic Safety Act 115(2)(j) - allows police to charge a driver who permits anything, including a pet, to cause any obstruction to the driver's clear vision in any direction.

[Max Peck]

Alberta driving laws

Further, Traffic Safety Act 115(2)(j) - allows police to charge a driver who permits anything, including a pet, to cause any obstruction to the driver's clear vision in any direction.

The article states that he was ticketed because it was a distraction to other drivers (as well it might be, in the heart of Texas North in the middle of the Longest Election Campaign in History®), not because it obstructed his own view. That might just be sloppy reporting, though.

[Isgrimnur]

Well, we can go from (j) to (e)

(e) perform or engage in any stunt or other activity that is likely to distract, startle or interfere with users of the highway;

[Max Peck]

Well, we can go from (j) to (e)

(e) perform or engage in any stunt or other activity that is likely to distract, startle or interfere with users of the highway;

Perhaps, but using that sort of regulation to chill political speech gives me a sad. If they gave him a ticket because the sign is hot pink and says "Fuck Harper" then I hope he beats the ticket. Since he says he'll be keeping the sign up, it will be interesting to see whether this ticket is a one-off or if he gets more of them. If it is a legitmate obstruction or distraction, he is setting himself up to be a repeat offender.

[Isgrimnur]

I would imagine that a large, hot pink sign in the rear window is going to be classified as a distraction, regardless of content.

[GreenGoo]

Perhaps, but using that sort of regulation to chill political speech gives me a sad. If they gave him a ticket because the sign is hot pink and says "Fuck Harper" then I hope he beats the ticket.

Me too. It's so obviously a bullshit reason used to cover what is almost certainly punishment for voicing his political opinion.

Go pre-approved free speech land!

[GreenGoo]

I would imagine that a large, hot pink sign in the rear window is going to be classified as a distraction, regardless of content.

Well yeah, but so are a million other things on the road. It it said "go Edmonton Eskimos!" I think the chances of a $500+ ticket diminish significantly.

He was probably defiant when confronted which I'm sure pushed the officer towards ticket rather than warning.

[El Guapo]

Perhaps, but using that sort of regulation to chill political speech gives me a sad. If they gave him a ticket because the sign is hot pink and says "Fuck Harper" then I hope he beats the ticket.

Me too. It's so obviously a bullshit reason used to cover what is almost certainly punishment for voicing his political opinion.

Go pre-approved free speech land!

Maybe. The officer obviously wasn't acting at the direction of Harper or the administration, though (it's not part of a general plan to squelch speech on the roads), so it's ultimately impossible to know whether it was the content of the speech or the officer being generally overzealous in his application of traffic laws.

[$iljanus]

Okay Canada, you win this round.

He jumped off the back of a goose to take out a dragon with a sword. And he can shoot laser beams from his eyes to defend Canadians from a giant killer robot. Truly, what's not to like about this man?

[GreenGoo]

The officer obviously wasn't acting at the direction of Harper or the administration, though (it's not part of a general plan to squelch speech on the roads)

Actually, the current conservative government has taken many unprecedented steps to squelch critical speech, so it wouldn't surprise me if his home province had some sort of nudge nudge wink wink thing going on, but the more likely story is that an officer decided it was in his power to stop speech he didn't like.

We probably have some god damn public decency laws that prevent large signs of profanity which might be the main cause of all this. I don't actually know, but things are more conservative out there than nearer the capital.

If I had to bet, I would bet that the police officer took notice of the sign because it was eye catching, noticed the hostile words on it (not necessarily to whom they were hostile to) and pulled the guy over. Within seconds the staunch defender of free speech was defiant and abrasive, which drove the officer to decide that something must be done, that he knew the traffic law well enough to find something to stick on the driver, and then ticketed him.

That's my guess at what happened. Not much different than an officer ticketing a jay walker because he's decided to.

[Isgrimnur]

Next time, just spray paint it on the trunk. Or tape stickers all over your car. It works for our political nuts.

[Jolor]

You mean Harper's courage in opposing a tax that nobody has proposed?

Who's been proposing to bail out Greece or send parkas to ISIS?

Why, that guy that's "just not ready", according to the ads I've seen.

[Jolor]

[Max Peck]

You mean Harper's courage in opposing a tax that nobody has proposed?

Who's been proposing to bail out Greece or send parkas to ISIS?

Why, that guy that's "just not ready", according to the ads I've seen.

Ah, OK, more proposals that are equally as real as the Netflix tax.

So far I've managed to avoid seeing even a single campaign ad from any party since the election was called (I did watch the dragon-slayer ad on youtube, but he's an independent so that doesn't count). I expect my luck to run out on sunday when I turn on the TV to watch Fear the Walking Dead.

[GreenGoo]

There is an awesome one where "executives" are sitting around a board room, looking over CV's. They're like "hey look, this guy including his picture" in some attempt to imply he's vain or trading in on his good looks. They then discuss the contents of his CV, and eventually decide he just doesn't have enough experience, and end with "Trudeau, he's just not ready".

Americans should know that our campaigns and marketing is just not as slick as yours. But we've been trained through years of watching American tv to expect super slick ads. So these ads just come across as heavy handed, ham fisted, 1960's psychology. It makes me hate the parties even more, but not in the way the ad intended.

[Isgrimnur]

I imagine the lack of slick ads comes from the idea that the industry can't budget around a set timeframe like ours can. It's not because of a shortage of TV talent. Heck, how many tv shows have been filmed in Vancouver?

* A lot

[Vorret]

I hate when they just attack each other. Just promote what your own party is and let the people decide.

[GreenGoo]

I imagine the lack of slick ads comes from the idea that the industry can't budget around a set timeframe like ours can. It's not because of a shortage of TV talent. Heck, how many tv shows have been filmed in Vancouver?

* A lot

The talent is imported.

It used to be that you can tell the difference between a Canadian made TV show and an American TV show just based on a single frame. They are "different" somehow.

But as for political ads, there just isn't the kind of money seen in American campaigns. The same can be said for consumer ads. Sure we get the occasional flash of brilliance, but Canadian companies tend to be smaller, less capitalization and therefore smaller marketing budgets.

It's not that Canada has no marketing talent, it's just that budgets aren't as large. At least that's always been my opinion. It's pure speculation I guess.

[Max Peck]

The officer obviously wasn't acting at the direction of Harper or the administration, though (it's not part of a general plan to squelch speech on the roads)

Actually, the current conservative government has taken many unprecedented steps to squelch critical speech, so it wouldn't surprise me if his home province had some sort of nudge nudge wink wink thing going on, but the more likely story is that an officer decided it was in his power to stop speech he didn't like.

Case in point:

Federal public servants warned about social media use during election campaign

A union representing federal public servants condemns a memo sent to employees in the Department of Justice that warns against social media activity critical of the federal government. The email was sent by Bruno Thériault, a director general at the department's workplace branch in Ottawa, advising employees that social media does not "absolve them" from their duty of loyalty to refrain from criticizing the government. The memo went on to list recommendations about personal social media use, saying "you are a public servant 24/7," and reminders to "assist" public servants in "upholding your obligations under the Code." The code Thériault mentioned is the "Department of Justice Values and Ethics Code."

The email eventually made its way into the hands of union officials, who call it an intimidation tactic aimed at putting a "chill" on the rights of civil servants. "This government appears to be using fear and intimidation to shut people down in participating in the way they ought to be able to," said Debi Daviau, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC). Daviau referenced a 1991 ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada that struck down a ban on election activity by federal employees. Public servants can't campaign at their offices but can go door-to-door or post election signs on their lawn. Daviau said social media posts are a similar type of political activity.

[Max Peck]

Duffy trial testimony has Harper campaign on the defensive

When Stephen Harper kicked off the election campaign on the August long weekend he said voters would have a clear choice between proven leadership they can trust, or unproven risky alternatives. Three weeks in and trust has indeed become a central theme, just not in the way Harper intended.

The Conservative leader wants the question of trust framed around which of the federal party leaders is best equipped to manage the Canadian economy, which of them is the one voters can trust to keep taxes low and their families safe. But the past week of testimony at the Mike Duffy trial by Harper's former chief of staff Nigel Wright is helping the other party leaders reframe the question.

[GreenGoo]

The officer obviously wasn't acting at the direction of Harper or the administration, though (it's not part of a general plan to squelch speech on the roads)

Actually, the current conservative government has taken many unprecedented steps to squelch critical speech, so it wouldn't surprise me if his home province had some sort of nudge nudge wink wink thing going on, but the more likely story is that an officer decided it was in his power to stop speech he didn't like.

Case in point:

Federal public servants warned about social media use during election campaign

The Harper government has gone after public servants since they came into power. I understand that some here might find that admirable, and that's fine, but no one should be surprised when public servants aren't happy with the current party in power. Trying to quell criticism from them is going to be a tough road. Unions are strong, and they are public servants, not employees of the PM or his cabinet.