In a Quandry... Vote or Not

[erinmore3775]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout_in_Canada

Historically only 60 to70 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. I believe that politicans count on a lack of interest and a disinterested populus. At the moment all parties are promising expensive spending schemes without a method to pay for them. I am not certain a change in the voting system will make/force our politicans to be more accountable.

What is required is for the electorate to be more concerned about who they elect. Currently, my incumbent is a career politicans who is more interested in their parliamentary pension than providing constituency service. I will be voting for the best candidate not the party. I will base my selection on community service, personal principals, parliamentary participation, and parliamentary expenses. My current MP has done little for the community, their office only supplies flags on Canada Day and answers questions with Internet references. They also have above average expenses when compared to other BC representatives.

Perhaps our government would be in better hands, if we sent the best representatives to Ottawa.

[Alien Head Dude]

Generally, I vote conservative, although I did vote for Trudeau for his first term in office giving the young guy a chance but realized he was a complete idiot and went back to voting for conservatives again.

I can’t remember ever voting Liberal federally. I do remember supporting the Conservatives ever since the country screwed up by electing Jean Chretien to be Prime Minister (and cancelling the contract to replace our Sea King helicopters – idiot!) and voted twice to support the Harper government. In 2015 I voted for our local NDP incumbent because it was time for Harper to go. I was wary of granting Trudeau a majority even at that time. Another reason for voting NDP.

It is time for this government to go as well, and my strategy (yes, I admit I am a strategic voter) is to support the candidate with the best chance of ensuring the Liberal candidate doesn’t win. I don’t yet trust the Conservatives and I am long past trusting Trudeau and the Liberals, and with very little chance of the NDP forming government my strategy and hope is to elect a strong opposition to whatever government gets into power.

[Nedroj]

[ Currently, my incumbent is a career politician who is more interested in their parliamentary pension than providing constituency service.

https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/defa ... e/Salaries

This is the route of all problems with our political system and politics in general.

Senators make 160,000$ year plus expenses and perks like residence and car allowances
The Prime Minister and all House of Commons make 185,000$ plus expenses and perks.
The Govern Generals offices across Canada costs taxpayers 600 million every year.

This is on top of very generous lifelong pensions granted to these people after 4 years of service.

The average salary for a Canadian is 51,000$ a year.
Anyone making over 124,000$ a year is in the top 10% of earners.

You'd have to be an idiot NOT to get into politics........

[Septuagenarian]

Self removed.

[foenix]

[ Currently, my incumbent is a career politician who is more interested in their parliamentary pension than providing constituency service.

https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/defa ... e/Salaries

This is the route of all problems with our political system and politics in general.

Senators make 160,000$ year plus expenses and perks like residence and car allowances
The Prime Minister and all House of Commons make 185,000$ plus expenses and perks.
The Govern Generals offices across Canada costs taxpayers 600 million every year.

This is on top of very generous lifelong pensions granted to these people after 4 years of service.

The average salary for a Canadian is 51,000$ a year.
Anyone making over 124,000$ a year is in the top 10% of earners.

You'd have to be an idiot NOT to get into politics........

....and it seems like that's exactly the type that gets in.....it's a choice of who the lesser of two evils is..

[fluffy]

I hope I'd never be of the mind that my vote didn't count for something. Even in an elections such as we are currently faced with, where neither of the national front-runners are particularly attractive, there are still options. This time I will vote from a long term perspective. I have said many times that the real problems facing us right now have been fifty years in the making and certainly aren't going to be cured in one election. If I can vote to keep us moving in what I believe to be the right direction then I'm okay with that.

[Septuagenarian]

Self removed.

[Alien Head Dude]

This time I will vote from a long term perspective. I have said many times that the real problems facing us right now have been fifty years in the making and certainly aren't going to be cured in one election. If I can vote to keep us moving in what I believe to be the right direction then I'm okay with that.

Good strategy as well, I think. Despite Trudeau's ethical gaffes the Conservatives hold no ethical or moral high ground, and we have little reason to believe their ideological perspective that benefits to corporations and the wealthy will somehow someday benefit the middle and lower class has changed. They are campaigning on “growing the economy” and I think anyone who is concerned about climate or environment should consider carefully just how the Conservatives would go about doing that. I am hoping and voting for a strong opposition as that may be more important then ever. Not voting never an option.

[my5cents]

As I see it, the very best outcome for this election would be a Liberal minority.

A big, complete, waste of time, AND MONEY, but it would give time for parties to reconsider their leaders and platforms.

Especially the Liberals.

[fluffy]

As I see it, the very best outcome for this election would be a Liberal minority.

Me too, that and significant improvement for the NDP which would send a clear message to the Libs and the Cons that real change is the order of the day, not vague promises and toothless policies.

[Septuagenarian]

Self removed.

[Nedroj]

As I see it, the very best outcome for this election would be a Liberal minority.

Me too, that and significant improvement for the NDP would send a clear message to the Libs and the Cons that real change is the order of the day, not vague promises and toothless policies.

I'd much rather a conservative minority. This means they have to work with one other party that is completely opposite to them in order to get anything passed. kind of a best of both worlds if only they can get along.

Unlike a Liberal minority whose views align more with NDP and both widely left-leaning which doesn't represent all Canadians.

If we're being completely honest we need all three major parties in charge running this country. But without their clueless leaders and over-inflated salaries.

We need the conservatives because they are generally fiscally responsible, where the NDP and Liberals are not at all.
We need the NDP because they keep the conservative's social progressiveness up to date and
We need the Liberals because they are the middle ground between the two opposite parties.

[Septuagenarian]

Self removed.

[lesliepaul]

You don't have to go back too far and see the party battles for the leadership title.........they all had bigger names most of whom had been in politics for years. What we get now is an age group entering politics who see no reason to have the headache of the leadership role........just sit back in a lowly position and do as little as possible once elected then pray for a second term for the pension.

There was a Federal Conservative by the name of Shelly Glover in Winnipeg who out of the blue decided to run a dozen years ago or so........and won. This woman sat on her and did NOTHING for her voters........she did plenty for herself over her two terms though. AND as predicted by EVERYONE with the City of Winnipeg Police (where she was employed and not liked) she announced she was not running for a third term.......PENSION SECURED!!! She has to support those 5 leaches of children from at least THREE different fathers I guess.

This is what we get today........self-serving with personal agendas and ZERO credentials. Although reading comments here on Castanet where some cannot heap enough praise on the likes of Trudeau and the bulk of his MP's, it looks like Trudeau found some leftover Jimmy Jones cool-aid for his believers........

[Veovis]

But if they don't get along there will simply be another election.

I disagree. I think we will see federally what occurred in BC, if the Conservatives win a minority you will instantly see Jagmeet go right back into lap dog mode and partner with Justin to prop up that government instead of trying to be their own party.

That's my bet at least.

The only way I imagine that not happening is if the Bloq get enough and partner with the cons. NDP never will, it'll be like Weaver in BC, might say they will work with whoever but we have already seen how voting for NDP turn out......he's been in Justins pocket for some time now.