Who are you voting for?

[totalia]

I agree with CJK.

I also received untold numbers of phone calls from the Conservatives. It's very very annoying. The liberals don't do that and I respect that. I will not be harassed into voting for someone.

I remember when the Conservatives screwed over the country too. But because the liberals did something (that is by no means as bad btw) more recently, people are mad at the liberals now and are voting conservative. Dumb reason to vote it.

I vote for platforms, the way I should vote. Not because I am mad at a bunch of idiots.

I am glad that the liberals won tonight. Too bad its a minority gvt.

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Hope you all like that whooshing sound...

It's more money being sucked out of your paycheque.

Maybe a minority government will be more accountable and less reckless with our hard earned money. Only time will tell.

 

[minnie56]

That it IS a minority government! At least they cannot just continue to do whatever they want without the Conservatives running a little interference!

My next hope is that Paul Martin makes those involved in the scandelous sponsorship fiasco accountable and sends them off to jail! I would love nothing better than for that to include that 'waste of space' Jean Chretian too!

Here's hoping that this leadership follows the trend of the past when a minoirty is in power and lasts two years tops! Can only dream.....

 

[damo]

So, why do you think the undecided vote went to the Liberals?

Canadians too afraid of the changes that Paul Martin was threatening would happen under a Harper leadership?

 

[hawt1]

Given the results of the previous election, the undecided were likely Liberals who were wary of giving the Liberals their support again and some of the PC who were uncertain of the new Conservative party and its platform (or lack thereof).

The first goupr would have been waiting for a reason to vote for the CPC - something very positive - they were already undecided because of the negatives surrounding the Liberals. But I do not think that the CPC gave them enough positives to get their support so they decided to see if Liberals can clean up their act given that they were convinced that it would be a minority government anyways.

I think that many of the old PC party either did not vote or may have moved to Liberals with whom they have alot in common...maybe almost as much as they might have in common with the new CPC once it figures out its platform and policies.

Just my two cents on voter psychology last night.

 

[hawt1]

Given the results of the previous election, the undecided were likely Liberals who were wary of giving the Liberals their support again and some of the PC who were uncertain of the new Conservative party and its platform (or lack thereof).

The first group would have been waiting for a reason to vote for the CPC - something very positive - they were already undecided because of the negatives surrounding the Liberals. But I do not think that the CPC gave them enough positives to get their support so they decided to see if Liberals can clean up their act given that they were convinced that it would be a minority government anyways.

I think that many of the old PC party either did not vote or may have moved to Liberals with whom they have alot in common...maybe almost as much as they might have in common with the new CPC once it figures out its platform and policies.

Just my two cents on voter psychology last night.

 

[tinkerbeth]

Originally posted by minnie56
I would love nothing better than for that to include that 'waste of space' Jean Chretian too!

Can we please remember that these are real people you are slamming, and that some of us may be friends of them or even related to them? My family has been in politics for many years and it hurts when people make remarks like this about someone in your family. And while some of you have stated that you think all politicians are scum, or whatever words you used, I can tell you that I know some who are not. Anyone who thinks they are better than "all politicians" is free to run for office.

Thanks.

 

[minnie56]

tinkerbeth to whomever you may be affiliated with.

I realize there are good and bad in all walks..but that works both ways too. Many Canadians are decent honourable hard working people who deserve much better than we have had for so long. We have been blindsided, promised the moon and lied to over and over.

My daughter just came home with her very first paycheque ever and is heartbroken at the amount of taxes deducted from it. She fails to understand why the Government take so much and is inquiring what they "do with it". It is there in seeking the justification of what they do indeed do with it that I come back to my lack of respect for MANY Politicians. Sorry, it is a licence to rob from the poor and give to the rich in my viewpoint much of the time.

Canadians have been too passive and very tolerant for much too long. I think finally the tide is turning.

By the way, I know a few Politicians too...one of them Allan Rock. I won't tell you what I know about some of them!

 

[Amberle3]

minnie56, when your daughter asks again about where the taxes go, tell her to go online to the government webpage, look at all the various departments and explain that a the money deducted from her paycheque goes to support all the various initiatives listed there, from health care to education to farming to culture etc etc.

My fiance is an American currently living and working in Canada. He's absolutely floored by several aspects of the Canadian governmental and social system. Yes, there are a LOT of taxes that are taken from our cheques. Much more so than in the US. However I'm a lot more comfortable knowing that I can go to a doctor, or the hospital, and know that I don't need to produce a credit card or pay monthly for an HMO to cover the costs of a checkup.*

And despite the fact that our university students complain loudly every year about the rising costs of education, they're still a fraction of the cost in most US states thanks to the money that our government gives them. DF didn't go to ivy league schools, but he still ended up with literally tens of thousands of student loan debt.

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer not to pay as many taxes. But I'm sure not willing to give up the things that we take for granted in order to save a few $$ every month.

Tomorrow is July 1. And although I know a number of people who don't understand why, I love being a Canadian. I love my country, and I'm proud to live here. I wear something with a Canadian flag or maple leaf whenever I travel. And no, the government isn't ideal and sure there are things that could be tweaked, but I'd still rather be living here, with our government, than across the border in the US.

Just colour me proudly Canadian.

* True story: DF's former supervisor, also a transplanted American, had to take his young daughter to the hospital where she was admitted for several days. When he spoke to his parents back in the US and told them, he also mentioned that she was in good hands and that the doctor looking after her was actually the head of the pediatric department. Their response? "Wow, that's going to cost a lot when the bill comes. How much of it will the insurance cover? Do you need any money?" They just couldn't understand that there wasn't going to be a bill.

 

[minnie56]

the points made...our Government also wasted an awful lot of money and lived an extravagant lifestyle at the taxpayers expense.People still sleep on our streets and Adrienne Clarkson took mega trips with a full entourage across the other side of the world all on our dime.

I too have lived in the U.S and know both sides of the coin firsthand.

We may have health care,but soon will be paying for that privilege. People like my husband, self employed, have not long been having it paid for them.It wasn't so long ago the self employed had to pay their own family insurance coverage. Now that is gone again for us.Perhaps if they watched some of the abuses in the system us Canadians wouldn't have to keep making up the shortfall?

And by the way, my daughter also will have debt in the 10's of thousands when she graduates Queen's University in 3 more years. More than $50,000 actually. We aren't so much better off in many ways...

 

[damo]

No matter who is in charge, there will always be waste and excess. Unless we are directly paying for services, someone else is making a profit. There is no way around it. If it isn't the government, it is the insurance company or another third party.

If they don't get you one way, someone else will get you another. If it doesn't come out of your paycheck now, it will come out later.

Our government certainly does give a lot of assistance to special groups and it costs us dearly, but that is what makes Canada what it is.

Here is a website with costs for American Unviersities. Remember that these fees are also in US dollars. It makes our tuition and room and board look pretty good.
http://www.utexas.edu/student/esl/faculty/madden/grammar/elp5_fa2001/tuition.html