Kanadian Korner

[emma]

We should call from the top of the CN tower.

Or....Sneaky Disease? I can't think of any other easily recognizable Toronto landmarks.

[Amplituden]

We could call from the 501 Queen Street Car or maybe Vesta Lunch.

I was actually thinking about that bar the Communists Daughter because its really small and if 10 people came that would be half full for them on a Tuesday night.

In other news, good ole Stephen Harper is slipping a bit in the polls!  Hopefully it will continue.

[Amplituden]

Election Day!
Don't forget to vote.

[Bryan]

I haven't done it yet, but I'll hit up the polls on my way home from work. Still not sure whether to play it safe and go for the incumbent Liberal (who's an idiot), or go Green. The survey data says that it's safe to vote Green, but yeesh, I'd feel bad if the Tory got in here. I guess I'll have to do it Tom Scharpling-style, and wait until I'm in the booth to tally up the pros and cons for each candidate.

[Amplituden]

I am in a super liberal riding.  I am probably going to vote green just so they get more of a percentage in the popular vote.
The incumbent is running on the very popular "I'm Portuguese" platform, which is proving very popular in little Portugal.

[Bryan]

So, uh, that was a waste of $300 million.

Did anyone else notice that Harper said in his uncharacteristically gentle victory speech that the Cons have proven that minority governments can work?

Wha? That was his rationale for calling the election in the first place - and breaking his own law while he did it: he claimed parliament was dysfunctional! What the hell! He basically admitted that his rationale for calling an election was bogus. But we all knew that anyway, since he was able to pass everything he wanted to.

I'll be interested to see if he does what a minority government is supposed to do: govern in a way that will get other parties on side. His previous strategy - declare every single bit of contentious legislation a confidence bill - really pissed me off.

[samir]

How long before I get to make my "More like a poo-rality" joke?

[Amplituden]

I think that the Libs need to find a really good candidate from BC or Alberta and then start from the ground up.

They ran a terrible campaign, and as much as I like the policies of Dion, the party isn't unified behind him.  Its a bad situation.  I think a sort of eastern intellectual like Ignateiff, or Ray wont sell in the West or in Quebec.

Barf.

Oh well, I guess at least its not a majority.

[Sarah]

Sorry, Kanadians.  At least it could be worse, right?

[Bryan]

I appreciate your condolences, Sarah. And yes, it can always be worse. It's our national motto: "A Mari usque ad Mare" (trans.: "Hey, it could always be worse!")

I think that the Libs need to find a really good candidate from BC or Alberta and then start from the ground up.

They ran a terrible campaign, and as much as I like the policies of Dion, the party isn't unified behind him.  Its a bad situation.  I think a sort of eastern intellectual like Ignateiff, or Ray wont sell in the West or in Quebec.

Yeah, you're right. A Western Liberal would be a smart pick. Are there any prominent ones? And how long before the Conservatives figure out that if they had someone besides Harper, they'd be totally dominating national politics right now?

Thank god for Duceppe - like he says, if not for him and his treasonous party, we'd have gotten that Conservative majority!

[emma]

Okay, so my thing about this being a minority is that at the same time as it will keep Our Stevie from carrying out his deepest, darkest desires, I got super depressed when I found out it wasn't a majority because, what? Two more years of campaigning and doing shitty things in almost-secret (announcing cuts to arts programs over the internet in the middle of the week, anyone?) and then in two years we get to do this all again but with, like, Bob Rae instead of Dion? And then when that election happens nobody talks about the environment because the liberals think it's what screwed them this time around? Sigh. A part of me would almost prefer a majority so we can speed up the apocalypse a little bit.

Almost, of course, being the operative word.

[Bryan]

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Canadian politics became more interesting than U.S. politics.

How do you like that?

In case anyone wants the short version of the story, after just FIVE days in session since our last election, the government looks like it will be toppled and replaced by a coalition of opposition parties! Sometimes the system works.

[Sarah]

This is very exciting news indeed.  Congratulations.

[crumbum]

We could call from the 501 Queen Street Car or maybe Vesta Lunch.

I was actually thinking about that bar the Communists Daughter because its really small and if 10 people came that would be half full for them on a Tuesday night.

How about a Mr. Brooks night? Anyone know yet when it's gonna happen?

This would require someone volunteering their house/apartment, I suppose. I would do so if I wasn't in the midst of a renovation.

[emma]

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Canadian politics became more interesting than U.S. politics.

How do you like that?

In case anyone wants the short version of the story, after just FIVE days in session since our last election, the government looks like it will be toppled and replaced by a coalition of opposition parties! Sometimes the system works.

I was in the office of a medium-sized arts/culture magazine all afternoon and everyone was going completely fucking nuts over this. And rightly so! It is exciting stuff.