U
unimaginative2
Guest
Interesting... the Globe said that the Tories have targeted Beaches East York which they hope to win on a vote split.
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spmarshall
Guest
Considering the Jim Harris decided to run there this time around (is Harris' hidden agenda to run in ridings where the NDP has high hopes? 
) , he'll take votes from the NDP and maybe the Liberals. It will be an interesting race to watch
) , he'll take votes from the NDP and maybe the Liberals. It will be an interesting race to watch
M
Mislav
Guest
You shouldn't look at it that way - strategic voting never got us anything better than the Liberals and Conservatives.
A
afransen TO
Guest
Stategic voting shows us that there is something fundamentally flawed with our political system.
S
scarberiankhatru
Guest
^ Isn't it unavoidable when there's more than two names on the ballot?
A
afransen TO
Guest
It's possible to have voting systems that mostly eliminate the need for strategic voting.
C
cdl42
Guest
For one, preferential balloting.
U
unimaginative2
Guest
For a more ridiculous side to the election, I give you... Jason Kenney.
Tory MP lacking omniscience
Misunderstood blog
Siri Agrell
National Post
Thursday, December 01, 2005
A science fiction magazine that hasn't been published for seven years was yesterday at the unlikely centre of a battle between a Liberal speechwriter and a Conservative MP.
Jason Kenney, who is running for re-election in the riding of Calgary Southeast, held a news conference in Ottawa "to respond to insults directed towards multicultural Canadians on a Liberal blog."
Mr. Kenney had wrongly interpreted a statement that mentioned Omni as a reference to OMNI television, a broadcaster of multicultural programming, and immediately took offence.
Scott Feschuk, a Paul Martin speechwriter, made the posting that raised Mr. Kenney's hackles on his "Blackberry Blog," which is posted on the Liberal party Web site.
"People keep saying this campaign is a carbon copy of the 2004 election. But that's not true," Mr. Feschuk wrote. "Stephen Harper has a right handsome new hairstyle. Paul Hellyer has grabbed hold of the campaign agenda, blowing the lid off the whole UFO invasion thing, the number one priority of Canadians who are socially awkward Omni subscribers."
"What's he saying," Mr. Kenney asked reporters. "That people from ethnic minorities who are the television viewers of Omni are paranoid, are abnormal, are ungrounded in reality? I think he has to explain himself, and so does the Prime Minister."
Mr. Feschuk did explain himself, pointing out the MP's mistake on his next blog posting and joking that he would soon make a reference to the popular band The Killers so the Conservatives could issue a "Paul Martin Supports Indiscriminant Homicide" news release.
(Mr. Feschuk is a former film and television critic for the National Post. He still writes a weekly football column for the newspaper.)
Mr. Kenney apologized after learning of his mistake, and Mr. Feschuk said via e-mail that he was surprised his blog had become a campaign topic.
"I'm probably naive, but it never occurred to me that the Tory war room would waste their time reading it," he wrote to the Post. "I mean, I'm writing about how cramped the bus is and what happened to the giant PM head that was on the side of the bus in 2004. Not exactly the hardcore issues of the day."
But nasty exchanges between Liberals and Conservatives appear to be the order of every campaign day, thus far.
The Conservatives have vowed to quickly respond to any slights from the ruling party, and the Liberals have wasted no time taking advantage of Tory mis-steps.
Mr. Feschuk said he did not actually expect Mr. Kenney to apologize, as he had suggested on his site.
"He made a mistake. We all make mistakes. His just happened to be in public."
The speechwriter said his blog is not designed to fuel partisan flames, but as a "collection of incoherent ramblings about campaign life."
In his inaugural post he reminded readers that "views expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent the policies or beliefs of Paul Martin. Except when I write about the hypnotic musical stylings of Nana Mouskouri. We're totally in sync on that."
But Mr. Feschuk is an employee of the Prime Minister's Office and wields one of the pens that script Mr. Martin's public voice.
On Tuesday morning, Mr. Feschuk wrote on his blog that "millions of innocent Canadian children will be confronted with the onerous task of staring into the television this Christmas season and trying to tell Stephen Harper from the Grinch."
That night, Mr. Martin repeated a variation of the line in a speech in Ottawa.
"What family doesn't look forward to gathering together on Christmas Eve, sipping on some hot chocolate and sharing in the joy of watching Stephen Harper as Scrooge on TV?"
Charles Dickens is expected to call a news conference later this week.
© National Post 2005
Tory MP lacking omniscience
Misunderstood blog
Siri Agrell
National Post
Thursday, December 01, 2005
A science fiction magazine that hasn't been published for seven years was yesterday at the unlikely centre of a battle between a Liberal speechwriter and a Conservative MP.
Jason Kenney, who is running for re-election in the riding of Calgary Southeast, held a news conference in Ottawa "to respond to insults directed towards multicultural Canadians on a Liberal blog."
Mr. Kenney had wrongly interpreted a statement that mentioned Omni as a reference to OMNI television, a broadcaster of multicultural programming, and immediately took offence.
Scott Feschuk, a Paul Martin speechwriter, made the posting that raised Mr. Kenney's hackles on his "Blackberry Blog," which is posted on the Liberal party Web site.
"People keep saying this campaign is a carbon copy of the 2004 election. But that's not true," Mr. Feschuk wrote. "Stephen Harper has a right handsome new hairstyle. Paul Hellyer has grabbed hold of the campaign agenda, blowing the lid off the whole UFO invasion thing, the number one priority of Canadians who are socially awkward Omni subscribers."
"What's he saying," Mr. Kenney asked reporters. "That people from ethnic minorities who are the television viewers of Omni are paranoid, are abnormal, are ungrounded in reality? I think he has to explain himself, and so does the Prime Minister."
Mr. Feschuk did explain himself, pointing out the MP's mistake on his next blog posting and joking that he would soon make a reference to the popular band The Killers so the Conservatives could issue a "Paul Martin Supports Indiscriminant Homicide" news release.
(Mr. Feschuk is a former film and television critic for the National Post. He still writes a weekly football column for the newspaper.)
Mr. Kenney apologized after learning of his mistake, and Mr. Feschuk said via e-mail that he was surprised his blog had become a campaign topic.
"I'm probably naive, but it never occurred to me that the Tory war room would waste their time reading it," he wrote to the Post. "I mean, I'm writing about how cramped the bus is and what happened to the giant PM head that was on the side of the bus in 2004. Not exactly the hardcore issues of the day."
But nasty exchanges between Liberals and Conservatives appear to be the order of every campaign day, thus far.
The Conservatives have vowed to quickly respond to any slights from the ruling party, and the Liberals have wasted no time taking advantage of Tory mis-steps.
Mr. Feschuk said he did not actually expect Mr. Kenney to apologize, as he had suggested on his site.
"He made a mistake. We all make mistakes. His just happened to be in public."
The speechwriter said his blog is not designed to fuel partisan flames, but as a "collection of incoherent ramblings about campaign life."
In his inaugural post he reminded readers that "views expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent the policies or beliefs of Paul Martin. Except when I write about the hypnotic musical stylings of Nana Mouskouri. We're totally in sync on that."
But Mr. Feschuk is an employee of the Prime Minister's Office and wields one of the pens that script Mr. Martin's public voice.
On Tuesday morning, Mr. Feschuk wrote on his blog that "millions of innocent Canadian children will be confronted with the onerous task of staring into the television this Christmas season and trying to tell Stephen Harper from the Grinch."
That night, Mr. Martin repeated a variation of the line in a speech in Ottawa.
"What family doesn't look forward to gathering together on Christmas Eve, sipping on some hot chocolate and sharing in the joy of watching Stephen Harper as Scrooge on TV?"
Charles Dickens is expected to call a news conference later this week.
© National Post 2005
B
bizorky
Guest
Great, a long election about little silly stuff.
E
EnviroTO
Guest
I think this whole election is about a pack of Chiclets. Our country hangs in the balance on the question "did Dingwall expense a pack of gum".
Meanwhile in a land not so far away nobody is questioning billions and billions in contracts going untendered to certain connected corporations.
Meanwhile in a land not so far away nobody is questioning billions and billions in contracts going untendered to certain connected corporations.
A
Antiloop33rpm
Guest
Call it a Canadian version of preemptive politics. Argue over gum now so that the terrorists dont attack us over here, or something like that.
S
spmarshall
Guest
Looks like Martin is trying to promote strategic voting again - telling NDP voters to vote Liberal to keep out the Conservatives. Hey Paul - where did that get you last time? Ass.
And I wonder what Buzz Hargrove is going to get out of endorsing the Liberals, besides the re-election of the Tory in Oshawa?
___________________________
Vote Liberal, PM suggests to NDP supporters
Dec. 2, 2005. 01:44 PM
CANADIAN PRESS
Prime Minister Paul Martin says the Jan. 23 election is a fundamental clash of vision and values between his Liberals and Stephen Harper’s Conservatives.
Martin says only he or Harper will emerge as prime minister after the election, suggesting New Democrat supporters who strongly who oppose the Conservatives should vote Liberal to ensure there’s no change in government.
Speaking to the Canadian Auto Workers, Martin accused Harper of ``being silent†on key issues such as the economy, the environment and child care.
He said “maybe he (Harper) is silent because he doesn’t want to let you know his intentions regarding private health care.â€
Martin again dismissed the Conservatives’ promise to cut the GST, saying Canadians would be far better off with the Liberals’ plan to cut income taxes.
He also suggested only the Liberals could convince Quebec to stay in Canada and lead the federal cause in the next referendum campaign, and said he was proud to campaign on the record of his 17-month-old minority government.
And I wonder what Buzz Hargrove is going to get out of endorsing the Liberals, besides the re-election of the Tory in Oshawa?
___________________________
Vote Liberal, PM suggests to NDP supporters
Dec. 2, 2005. 01:44 PM
CANADIAN PRESS
Prime Minister Paul Martin says the Jan. 23 election is a fundamental clash of vision and values between his Liberals and Stephen Harper’s Conservatives.
Martin says only he or Harper will emerge as prime minister after the election, suggesting New Democrat supporters who strongly who oppose the Conservatives should vote Liberal to ensure there’s no change in government.
Speaking to the Canadian Auto Workers, Martin accused Harper of ``being silent†on key issues such as the economy, the environment and child care.
He said “maybe he (Harper) is silent because he doesn’t want to let you know his intentions regarding private health care.â€
Martin again dismissed the Conservatives’ promise to cut the GST, saying Canadians would be far better off with the Liberals’ plan to cut income taxes.
He also suggested only the Liberals could convince Quebec to stay in Canada and lead the federal cause in the next referendum campaign, and said he was proud to campaign on the record of his 17-month-old minority government.
S
spasongs
Guest
I can't believe Hardgrove supported Martin. What a kick that must be to the NDP who have always stood with thhe Unions.
To me this election is about getting rid of a corrupt, useless government. Period.
Gomery, SDRC,Dingwall, Gun regisrty,etc etc etc.
To me this election is about getting rid of a corrupt, useless government. Period.
Gomery, SDRC,Dingwall, Gun regisrty,etc etc etc.
C
CliffColeclough
Guest
If anyone comes across that 'questionairre" website again, where it askes you, I believe, 20 questions on how you leaned towards certian issues and then at the end told you - who your best party to vote for would be - please post it. I have a feeling I am even more Conservative this time!
E
EnviroTO
Guest
So... replace the Liberals who had a public inquiry into themselves, passed rules on campaign financing restricting themselves, requested an RCMP investigation into the scandal, etc. and replace them with a party that is more like Bush's Republicans in that it supported the war in Iraq, has strong moral policies it would like put into law based on religion, who probably have at least the same likelihood of a some members being involved in a scandal? What good could come from voting Conservative other than a few moments of satisfaction knowing the Liberals were punished for the scandal which would be followed by four years of horror with what the Conservatives are doing to the country? Mike Harris and GW Bush give a preview of what we can expect from the Conservatives... hope you like deficits, privatization, service cuts, and higher user fees along with those tax cuts.