ELECTION DAY CANADA - Conservative Majority

[QUOTE="Tylendal"][QUOTE="foxhound_fox"] Have any sources to back up your claims? Because all I've seen over the past several years is an increasing deficit and the same old ebb and flow of the consumer industry (one moment its up, the next its down). The Liberals gave us a surplus and economic boom for a decade... which was ruined by Harper in little over two years. And one example doesn't make the model work for everything.NVIDIATI

I am curious correct me if I am wrong.. But why would people vote for Conservatives when it was a conservative majority that violated the constitution for the first time in Canada's history which led to this election to begin with?sSubZerOo

[QUOTE="sSubZerOo"]I am curious correct me if I am wrong.. But why would people vote for Conservatives when it was a conservative majority that violated the constitution for the first time in Canada's history which led to this election to begin with?MyopicCanadian

Ah ok my mistake.. From what I heard it was a serious violation (afterall it led to a election out of the blue).. Thanks for the correction.

[QUOTE="MyopicCanadian"][QUOTE="sSubZerOo"]I am curious correct me if I am wrong.. But why would people vote for Conservatives when it was a conservative majority that violated the constitution for the first time in Canada's history which led to this election to begin with?sSubZerOo

Ah ok my mistake.. From what I heard it was a serious violation (afterall it led to a election out of the blue).. Thanks for the correction.

I am actually contemplating moving now that we have a Conservative majority.

foxhound_fox

Where to?

I looked at the election map for canada and noticed that the three northernmost provinces were each a single riding that sent a single MP. Why is that? They each seem to be such large areas to be represented by a single person. I guess they must be sparsely populated (and of course have provincial governments of their own).EJ902

Yes, they're very sparsely populated. Nunavut, for all its size, has a total population of less than 30,000. Nobody wants to live that far north. :P

Do the jobs of canadian MPs have little to do with the local politics of the ridings they represent? Here in the UK MPs are supposed to be present and active in their constituencies as well as in parliament (they have no real powers but they do have influence). Not always the case, but some are like that. As for the election result, it certainly seems an interesting turn. I'm usually vaguely right-leaning but I know little of the canadian tory party and have heard some less than flattering things about stephen harper. I assumed that having a majority government at last that could get things done, regardless of which party formed it, would be better for canada than an unstable minority, but I don't know for sure what the situation is there.EJ902

Every MP is elected to represent their riding, so no, MPs definitely are influenced by the local politics of the ridings they represent.

The thing I find most hilarious is how people expect public services to continue to exist, or to improve, and taxes to go down. I don't care if taxes go up. If that means I get better public services, then so be it.foxhound_fox

Where to?GabuEx

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]Where to?foxhound_fox

What's wrong with canada now? Surely a Conservative majority cannot be that bad. People tell me Canada ranks high in the HDI and such.. and haven't the conservatives been in power for the last few years?

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"][QUOTE="GabuEx"]Where to?Espada12

What's wrong with canada now? Surely a Conservative majority cannot be that bad. People tell me Canada ranks high in the HDI and such.. and haven't the conservatives been in power for the last few years?

Yep. Honestly people are overreacting, and it is not as bad as people are making it out to be.chrisrooR

Not Canadian, but I don't think I'd vote for the Conservatives if I was.

Since the NDP didn't win we didn't have to start tearing down the rockie mountians to plant money trees so its all good :P

Since the NDP didn't win we didn't have to start tearing down the rockie mountians to plant money trees so its all good :P

Cruse34

Cons Majority is good. It was the best outcome, other than ANOTHER minority government, Supringly NDP came second, hopefully that doesn't happen again. bobaban

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

What's wrong with canada now? Surely a Conservative majority cannot be that bad. People tell me Canada ranks high in the HDI and such.. and haven't the conservatives been in power for the last few years?

chrisrooR

Even if their economic plan was the best (which I don't believe so), not all of us can connect with their socially conservative policies/views.

And we can't demand change? We can't demand a proper representation for the will of the people? Isn't that what democracy is about? Not being able to allow people with POWER control the will of the people? We live in one of the freest nations on the planet... and yet our majority government, who values socially backward ideals and forcing them on the people, just won their majority with less than a majority of the votes. People didn't want a Conservative majority, they voted as such... why not have the results reflect that?

I am actually contemplating moving now that we have a Conservative majority. It all depends on what kind of bills Harper starts passing that makes the decision final. If he criminalizes abortion, repeals gay-marriage laws and starts his own "war on drugs," I'm gone. I can't stand that a heavily religious man who values his own morals over the rights and freedoms of the people, who HIDES his religiosity, is in full control of the country I live in.

foxhound_fox

The people did want a Conservative majority, which is why there is a Conservative majority. The people obviously did not want an NDP majority or a Liberal majority.

We do not have proportional representation in our country. Even if we did, the Conservatives would have the opportunity to form the gov't and the Liberals would be forced to support them.

Or maybe we could have a totally dysfunctional proportionate gov't like Italy which has had 61 gov'ts since 1945. Think about that for a moment.

Also, I am always amazed by so called open minded rights and freedoms persons, except of course when it comes to respecting the rights and freedoms of religious people. Stephen Harper does not emphasize his own personal religious beliefs because he doesn't believe it is appropriate to ram his personal beliefs down other people's throats. It is curious to me that so many self proclaimed open minded persons fail to live up to this simple standard.

Lastly, the Conservative party is made up of red Tories, blue Tories, Reform believers, Reform opportunists, and likely half a dozen other sub-groups. Half the Conservative MPs elected last night do not hold significant socially conservative opinions. Ontario is not the Prairies. And BC Conservatives are not the same, nor are Atlantic Tories, let alone Quebec Tories, who are likely to be very socially liberal. Consequently, there is zero chance of abortion, same sex marriage, and other social matters being on the political agenda.

Indeed, there is essentially zero evidence of a gov't actually leading social policy in this country in the past 30+ years. Instead, our gov'ts have preferred to wait it out and see how the society as a whole is moving, including the courts, and then they act to legitimize what society has already accepted. It has been this way since Trudeau proclaimed that gov't has no place in our bedrooms.

[QUOTE="chrisrooR"][QUOTE="Espada12"]

What's wrong with canada now? Surely a Conservative majority cannot be that bad. People tell me Canada ranks high in the HDI and such.. and haven't the conservatives been in power for the last few years?

one_plum

Even if their economic plan was the best (which I don't believe so), not all of us can connect with their socially conservative policies/views.

>

The people did want a Conservative majority, which is why there is a Conservative majority. The people obviously did not want an NDP majority or a Liberal majority.

SUD123456

[QUOTE="one_plum"]

[QUOTE="chrisrooR"]Yep. Honestly people are overreacting, and it is not as bad as people are making it out to be.Ace6301

Even if their economic plan was the best (which I don't believe so), not all of us can connect with their socially conservative policies/views.

It's not just the number of votes, but also the geographical differences. I guess I can be happy for most of Western Canada and Ontario that got the party they wanted, but Quebec only voted 6 conservatives ridings out of 75 (and this time most Quebecers actually voted for a federal party).

Also, we can't have the same policies that work in rural areas (mostly Conservatives) be also applied into urban areas (mostly Liberals and NDP), such as the gun registry issue.

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"][QUOTE="GabuEx"]Where to?Espada12

What's wrong with canada now? Surely a Conservative majority cannot be that bad. People tell me Canada ranks high in the HDI and such.. and haven't the conservatives been in power for the last few years?

The people did want a Conservative majority, which is why there is a Conservative majority.

SUD123456

60% of Canadian voters did not vote Conservative. Who are "the people" who wanted a Conservative majority?

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

[QUOTE="foxhound_fox"] Not here, lol. I'm looking at travelling to India and South East Asia in the somewhat near future (no idea when though)... but wouldn't really want to move there. At least for now.htekemerald

What's wrong with canada now? Surely a Conservative majority cannot be that bad. People tell me Canada ranks high in the HDI and such.. and haven't the conservatives been in power for the last few years?

Is this due to others getting better or you gettig worse?

How exactly did the Conservatives receive only 40% of the popular vote yet manage to get 53% of the seats in Parliament? Is it the way the districts were drawn, or are elections handled through a fundamentally different electoral system?

How exactly did the Conservatives receive only 40% of the popular vote yet manage to get 53% of the seats in Parliament? Is it the way the districts were drawn, or are elections handled through a fundamentally different electoral system?

coolbeans90

There's no one single popular vote, at least not one that is electorally meaningful. Every riding is its own election, and every riding operates on a first-past-the-post basis - i.e., the single candidate who gets the most votes is elected. If for example the Liberals got 20% of the vote in every riding, then they would get 20% of the nationwide popular vote while getting zero seats.

[QUOTE="SUD123456"]

The people did want a Conservative majority, which is why there is a Conservative majority.

GabuEx

60% of Canadian voters did not vote Conservative. Who are "the people" who wanted a Conservative majority?

The other 40%? :P, I mean if the leftist parties have such split ideals that none of them could go up against the conservative party then I think they need to find some common ground for next time or the conservatives will always win,.

How exactly did the Conservatives receive only 40% of the popular vote yet manage to get 53% of the seats in Parliament? Is it the way the districts were drawn, or are elections handled through a fundamentally different electoral system?

coolbeans90

One of the main reasons is that a vote in the city is worth less than a vote in the country.

Toronto Centre electoral district has 89,851 voters for 1 riding.

Yukon electoral district has 23,357 voters for 1 riding.

[QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

How exactly did the Conservatives receive only 40% of the popular vote yet manage to get 53% of the seats in Parliament? Is it the way the districts were drawn, or are elections handled through a fundamentally different electoral system?

GabuEx

There's no one single popular vote, at least not one that is electorally meaningful. Every riding is its own election, and every riding operates on a first-past-the-post basis - i.e., the single candidate who gets the most votes is elected. If for example the Liberals got 20% of the vote in every riding, then they would get 20% of the nationwide popular vote while getting zero seats.

That answers my question. Also explains the disparity in between the popular vote and the proportion of party representation. Seems to work similarly to the U.S. legislatures (presumably the House of Representatives) with different results due the larger number of parties.

EDIT: Not House of Reps, the Senate, given the different population levels in between "ridings".

I voted in the advanced voting over Easter weekend.

I'm a bit surprised by the results, but overall I think it was alright. I was willing to vote for the Conservatives on almost every issue, but didn't because the Conservative rep in my riding is a fool. Good to see more NDP support and the destruction of the Bloc, although I would have preferred seeing the Liberals get a few more seats.

[QUOTE="SUD123456"]

The people did want a Conservative majority, which is why there is a Conservative majority.

GabuEx

60% of Canadian voters did not vote Conservative. Who are "the people" who wanted a Conservative majority?

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

[QUOTE="SUD123456"]

The people did want a Conservative majority, which is why there is a Conservative majority.

Nibroc420

60% of Canadian voters did not vote Conservative. Who are "the people" who wanted a Conservative majority?

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"][QUOTE="GabuEx"]

60% of Canadian voters did not vote Conservative. Who are "the people" who wanted a Conservative majority?

-Sun_Tzu-

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"][QUOTE="GabuEx"]

60% of Canadian voters did not vote Conservative. Who are "the people" who wanted a Conservative majority?

-Sun_Tzu-

If so many people didn't want the Conservatives in power, then they wouldn't have a majority.

Nibroc420

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"][QUOTE="Nibroc420"] Only 60% of Canadians actually voted. Of the ones that did, the party that got the most votes was the conservatives. I don't think it's fair to say no-one wanted them.bobaban

That makes no sense.

bobaban

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"]

If so many people didn't want the Conservatives in power, then they wouldn't have a majority.

-Sun_Tzu-

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"][QUOTE="Nibroc420"]

If so many people didn't want the Conservatives in power, then they wouldn't have a majority.

Nibroc420

I'm just glad there is now a majority; now we won't have elections every two years and things can actually get done in government.

Canada doesn't need the irresponsible spending the liberals and ndp were trying to coax voters with anyways.Nibroc420

Unless you're supporting the idea that the Conservative Party ought to win by default and that we ought to abolish elections, I'm not sure how this statement is relevant. I mean you're basically saying here, "So what if 60% of the voters didn't vote for the ruling party? I personally wanted them to win; therefore, what the public wants is immaterial."

[QUOTE="Nibroc420"] Canada doesn't need the irresponsible spending the liberals and ndp were trying to coax voters with anyways.GabuEx

Unless you're supporting the idea that the Conservative Party ought to win by default and that we ought to abolish elections, I'm not sure how this statement is relevant.

I'm just glad there is now a majority; now we won't have elections every two years and things can actually get done in government.

Inger1

[QUOTE="Inger1"]

I'm just glad there is now a majority; now we won't have elections every two years and things can actually get done in government.

Lockedge