Canadian Vote of No Confidence

[amicus]

Conservative Party leader, Stephen Harper, gave a talk on Tuesday that I just watched being rerun on CSPAN 2.

As some of the very strong left wing advocates from this forum are Canadians, I wondered what the response might be to the coming election in Canada. (January 23, 2006.

In addition, Harper was speaking on Conservative Values, outlining them and noting that Liberals in Canada, lacking their own set of values, have begun to adopt Conservative ones?

From what I heard, Harper and the Conservatives want to lower taxes, ease restrictions, generate more business and industry, more free trade and cut back on government entitlement programs. All issues that mirror Conservative programs in the United States.

Mr. Harper also gave his remarks in both English and French, which I found curious. I am aware of a large French population in Quebec, but large enough that the Federal Government must acknowledge in both languages?

There...at least someone paid some small attention to our neighbors up north.


amicus...

 

[elsol]

Different political system:

The French thing is political expedience... it seems they have 'French' party which sweeps Quebec.

Think of like the Latins all banding together and getting 40 million votes and getting 40/280 representation in Congress.

15% of the House of Representatives, Republicans and Democrats would definitely need to curry favor.

You essentially have a four party system... Conservatives, Liberals, New Democrats and the Bloc Quebec.

Conservatives need at least one of the smaller two... (from my reading which could be wrong)... and the New Democrats are big on Universal Healthcare (that was the article that spawned my question on the forum).

Try to imagine 'Conservatives' and people whose top priority is Universal Healthcare getting into the same political bed.

I have to say, Canadian politics seem a lot more interesting than US.

Sincerely,
ElSol