Thank Frigging God.

[Harper_is_Bush]

Tory support sliding, poll shows

SUE BAILEY

Canadian Press

Ottawa — A new poll suggests Tory support is sliding over voter concern that Canada has become too cozy with the United States on Middle East policy.

The latest results by Decima Research, released to The Canadian Press, put the
Conservatives and Liberals in a virtual tie nationally.

The Tories had 32 per cent support compared with 31 per cent for the Liberals and 16 per cent for the New Democrats.

But the Liberals widened their Ontario lead to 42 per cent of voter support compared with 33 per cent for the Conservatives, and have pulled in front of the Tories in Quebec for the first time since last winter's campaign.
Read rest --> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060802.wpolll0802/BNStory/National/home

I know Canadian politics isn't a huge deal here, but the downfall of Stephen Harper is a huge thing for all of North America I believe.

Our rightwingers love to claim that nobody listens to Canada (because we have a small military), but I can tell they have often.

Long story short here: A leaderless Liberal party has pulled even with the Conservative government.

Next election should be expected in 2007 sometime, and if Stephen Harper holds true to form the Liberals will be back in power...hopefully with an NDP balance of power.

Yah!

edit: profanity.

[eleny]

1. If Canada takes one giant scissor step away from us

I say :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Wisconsin Larry]

2. One step at a time. Good luck and may the great unknown bless! n/t

[Harper_is_Bush]

3. Thx. I feel like it's not so unknown now.

I think Canadians have peered into the abyss of a Conservative gov't.

PM Stephen Harper gave just a little too much of himself away recently on not only just the Mid East issue, and it's paying dividends for Canadians.

[QuestionAll...]

9. Shame! on little boots 2 Harper.

last time I despised a PM as much as him was Mulroney - the sell out piece of shit. I still spit when I see him or hear his name.

just made myself spit.

[Harper_is_Bush]

4. He. I was right, Canada isn't a big deal in the US.

I notice the reaction we get worldwide and assume Americans care about us.

I mean, we're only 1/10th your population!

[bbgrunt]

5. GO Canada!!

We're with you. All of us here in Jesus Land have a vested interest in keeping Canada free and liberal--if for nothing more than to give us the mental/emotional strength to know there is another way. At least you don't have to deal with Diebold.

[LeftCoast]

6. This is good to hear!

Who's in charge of the Liberals now? I haven't kept up on my Canadian politics since the election.

[daleo]

7. There is a leadership contest going on right now

Technically, Bill Graham is leader, but it is a temporary gig until the leadership convention in December. He isn't even in the race.

[LeftCoast]

8. Is there a favorite in the race?

The leader of the party in the last election was new wasn't he? Did he lose the position because they did poorly in the polls?

[daleo]

11. He was new, but he wasn't young (Paul Martin)

He had been Finance Minister under the previous P.M. for many years. After he lost, he stepped down, to start a process of re-invigorating the party. The election had partly hinged on something called the sponsorship scandal, so it was felt the party should do some housecleaning. Whether or not this scandal was a serious matter is a matter of personal opinion. As far as I was concerned it was mostly a product of a conservative leaning media, meant to create a perception that a new government was necessary to give the Liberals a "time-out".

Briefly, the leading candidates are (my opinions only):

- Micheal Igantieff, a writer, academic and intellectual. He is Canadian, but spent much of his professional life in Britain and the U.S. (Harvard, I think). He generally has good positions on domestic issues, but some think he is Blair like in his support of western military adventures like Iraq.

- Bob Rae, a former NDP premier of Ontario. He also has good positions on domestic issues, but some think he might be co-opted by the conservative media and business class. He also has a reputation of being a party jumper. I don't know about his foreign policy stands, but I think the concern expressed above may apply.

- Ken Dryden, a former Liberal cabinet minister. He managed to strike a national deal on public child care, but it was killed in the last election. I think he is generally quite liberal, but some people think he isn't charismatic enough for P.M. He played goal for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970's, leading them to several Stanley Cups. I like him.

- Gerald Kennedy, a former Ontario provincial Liberal cabinet minister. He started up a food bank in Edmonton in his early 20's (in the 1980's), so his social policy qualifications are pretty impeccable, in my opinion. That's not something you go into if you want to become rich or powerful. He was a few credits short of earning his degree, so some people might se that as a shortcoming. I like him too.

- Stephen Dion, a former cabinet minister from Quebec. He also has a rather intellectual persona, and is a strong federalist. I think he is the only Quebec candidate, and the Liberal Party likes to pick francophones every other leader or so. He seems a bit Trudeau-esque to me. I think he would be OK, too.

There are 4 other candidates, but I think these are the ones that have a real shot.

[pepperbear]

10. And kudos for smelling the rotting fish early on...

not so with the USA...we fucked ourselves 2....2.....2X!

:banghead: