Hey - Canadians - what is your good party? Liberal? Conservative? Other?

[Rabrrrrrr]

The New Democratic Party? How many parties do you have? What is the actual name of the party that's actually in charge?

I'm watching the "no confidence" debate on C-SPAN, but I startede this debate having no idea which side is what, and I also can't tell because, unlike the US, the good guys and the bad guys are ALL literate, well-spoken, well-dressed, and respectful (while being nasty). I'm also getting confused because they use the words "liberal" and "Conservative" sometimes, and words "New Democrat" and "Democratic Party" and some other stuff...


In the US, it's easy to tell the republicans because they speak nonsense, speak it poorly, and tend to offer obfuscating and confused bile as opposed to actual sentences.

And I think it's totally cool you have an African woman as Speaker of the House! FUCKING COOL!

[derby378]

1. Is it the Western Guard?

I am so gonna get smacked for that one... :evilgrin:

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. I thought it was the strip clubs in Windsor?

[GirlinContempt]

3. the NDP is the good party

The Liberal party is actually sort of in charge, though they have a minority government which is where the no confidence voting comes in.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. And that's the New Democratic Party?

And I'm glad I'm not mishearing things - I thought they were making illusions to a minority party somehow having the Prime Minister. How did that work?

What the hell is happening in Canada?

Is it the NDP that made the motion of no confidence, or another party?

[GirlinContempt]

5. Yes, thats the New Democratic Party

The Liberals don't hold a majority (half or more of the seats), but they hold more than the other parties, so they have the PM.

Really, the cons are pushing no confidence, but the NDP are backing them in it. Which is pretty dumb. Especially since most people don't want to deal with this in the dead of winter over the holidays.

EDIT: The Bloc is also backing the vote

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. Thanks! So whose side should I be on?

[GirlinContempt]

11. Hmmmmm

You'll have to decide for yourself :P

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. I don't know enough about them to make that decision,

which is why I am asking.

I'm trying to understand Canada more.

[GirlinContempt]

19. Well, of all the political parties

I'm an NDP supporter. I dislike the Liberal party, the masquerade as left wingers when it serves their purpose, but they're middle of the road, slightly right leaning in reality.

My PERSONAL interpretation of the situation:
The cons are trying to gain the ground they hoped to gain in the last election. They didn't manage to pull it off (not really surprising), and I don't think they'll manage to pull off what they want now. Canadians, in my opinion, showed the cons that they could gain a few seats by bitch slapping the Liberals, but they aren't going to gain the house in this lifetime. Calling another election is, I think, just going to piss Canadians off, the Cons are shooting themselves in the feet with this. The NDP are supporting them hoping THEY will gain seats (we just barely lost our power in this minority government, and it rankles in the soul of Layton, I'm sure). The BQ (with the angry screaming guy on right now) will go with anything that they feel gives them political weight to have another referendum called.

The cons are totally out of touch with what Canadians want. They see the Sponsorship scandal as a wedge with which to push canadians to the right, while completely ignoring the actual feelings of Canadians on most issues. They seem to have this idea that the ONE thing (scandal) will be enough to cause Canadians to abandon all the things they like or want from a party. I think they're wrong. Canadians tend to be issue voters, not personal voters, and the cons are lacking in the issues department. Like I said, totally out of touch with reality, especially since Canadians already said "no".

While I'm annoyed with my party for supporting this, and don't back this action, they're still my NDP

[ghostsofgiants]

28. That about sums it up I think.

[Ekirh]

8. Didn't they try

A Non cofidence earlier this year? Maybe I'm wrong but I remember talk about it earlier in the year.

[Bassic]

9. They tried and lost by one or two votes.

One of those swing voters (indepedent MP) has since died of cancer.

[Ekirh]

10. "Nods"

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Bassic]

12. My pleasure

[Bassic]

6. The Liberal Party

has a majority of seats, but not an absolute majority. That means that the opposition parties, ie the Conservatives the NDP and the Bloc Québécois have more seats between them than the Liberals. That means that they can hold a vote of confidence. If the three opposition parties vote against the current governement, and they will, than the Liberals have no choice but to hold an election.

[GirlinContempt]

13. Oh, does CSPAN broadcast it with

house sound or english sound?

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. House sound, except translation when they're speaking French

[GirlinContempt]

16. So english sound, then.

thats not house sound. House sound they don't translate.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. Gotcha!

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. Ooh, now a Quebecois guy is talking about the benefits of separation

"It will leave behind a unified Canada, with a nation next to it that is also unified".

[GirlinContempt]

20. Yeah, thats Giles "Foaming At The Mouth" Duceppe

You GOTTA hear him in French

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. I wish I could! The English translators have no emotion in their delivery.

[GirlinContempt]

23. go to cpac.ca

and watch it there in House Sound

[Magrittes Pipe]

21. Masquerade ball.

It sure was a great party der when Tom went dressed as a beaver and den he got so drunk he was pukin' in da suit, eh, and he passed out and we had to cuttem outta dat der beaver suit and it was all fulla puke and we just trew it in da lake, but da lake was frozen, eh, and it just laid der out on da lake all winter till da May thaw comein it finally fell trew da ice der, eh.

[name not needed]

24. Yous is gonna have to pay me back for dat der beaver suit, eh

Dat costume store I bought it at dey ain't gonna be happy aboot all dat der puke in da costume, eh.

[ghostsofgiants]

25. Here's the way Parliament works...

There are 308 seats.

Currently, this is the division amongst parties:

Liberal Party: 133
Conservative Party: 98
Bloc Québécois: 53
New Democratic Party: 18
Independent: 4
Vacant:2

The fact that the Liberal party has the most seats means they form government and their leader, Paul Martin, is Prime Minister. If there is a vote of non confidence, or if government is defeated on a money bill, then there are two options: An election can be called, or if the other parties offer their confidence to any particular MP to be prime minister, the Governer General could appoint that person prime minister and their party, now having the confidence of parliament, forms government. (It's rare, but possible. An election is much more likely.)

As for the "good" party? I'm a supporter of the NDP personally.

[GirlinContempt]

27. What do YOU think about

all this crazyness?

[ghostsofgiants]

29. Not really looking forward to an election...but if one is called...

It could potentially hurt the Conservatives, I think. Since they seem to be the driving force behind trying to end this government, doing so and sending people to the polls again might annoy some voters. Not saying it definitely will, but it's possible. So hopefully, if government is defeated and an election is called (which will most likely happen), the NDP can pick up some seats, maybe get a balance of power position. I don't really see the Conservatives forming government. (And I hope to god I'm right about that.)

[ghostsofgiants]

26. And the African lady is Jean Augustine, one of three deputy speakers

Our Governer General is also black.