In a Quandry... Vote or Not

[my5cents]

I don't remember the last time I didn't vote, likely 40 or so years ago, maybe longer. You know those years.

Yes, I've live in ridings where the party that I didn't support was a given to win, I still voted for the candidate/party of my choice, that's my right and my responsibility.

I've always had the rule, "if you don't vote you can't complain".

In 2006, I intended on voting after work. at around 3:00 PM I received news that my father had suddenly passed away. I voted later that day.

So what is the Federal election atmosphere today ?

The leader of the Federal party in power (although minority) in his "wisdom" decided to call an election years before his mandate was up. The wisdom of such a decision, which worked provincially for our NDP, is questionable. Quite likely will bite him in the butt.

Personally, I don't like any of the leaders of the parties.

Do I vote for the party that I generally support ? I like the local candidate even less than the party leader.

Do I vote for the candidate I like the best even though they don't represent the party I support ?

In my riding, the election of the incumbent is a given, a good candidate but representing a party that I don't support.

Or stay home make some popcorn and watch the results on TV and for the next four ??? years disobey my rule and continue to complain even though I didn't vote.

And a question... Am I the only one to see that the tradition of election promises completely ludicrous ?


• Parties that don't have a snowballs chance in hell to become government
- They could promise anything, it doesn't matter they're never going to have to come through

• Parties that do have a good chance. There's case law (someone tried to sue because a party didn't come through with a promise) that political parties make promises and don't keep them.

- Trudeau promised Election Reform in the 2015 election, got elected and said he wouldn't do it.

So what do we judge a politician on. Judge a political party on ???

and... what do you do when there no correct answer ? Should Elections Canada add another box to each ballot: "None of the Above"

[Nedroj]

I feel the same way.

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. Lesson learned.

Now I don't particularly like the conservative leader Erin O'Toole. Just doesn't feel like the man for the job and neither did Andrew Scheer.
I don't like Jagmeet for his socialist views and overall NDP platform.
Greens are basically done now after their inter-party issues became public.
Maverick and the Peoples Party are interesting but have no chance to get any seats. And I dislike the conservative vote being split 3 ways.

Voting for the local candidate is pointless because at the end of the day they will tow the party line no matter what their constituents say.

Voting for the Party platform is the only logical way to vote in my opinion and unfortunately, all of them are very disappointing.

I wish there was no such thing as a career politician. People should want to serve the country to make it better, not for the generous yearly salary and even more generous lifelong pensions.

[Catsumi]

Eastern Canada decides for us who our masters will be.

[my5cents]

Eastern Canada decides for us who our masters will be.

Yup, maybe each province get's 1 "electoral college vote" for prime minister. But then we'd have the mess the US has with a leader from one party and a parliament (in our case) potentially with a majority from a different party.

[PoplarSoul]

Eastern Canada decides for us who our masters will be.

I haven't done any research on this and maybe you know but doesn't the Conservative Party need Alberta and Saskatchewan to win a majority?

[Catsumi]

Examine last 4 decades of voting outcomes and what weight was applied to outcome in East vs West

[PoplarSoul]

Examine last 4 decade of voting outcomes and what weight was applied to outcome in East vs West

B.C. has no say I understand that but I think Alberta and Saskatchewan have a say.
I will go and research. Thanks.

[Catsumi]

[dirtybiker]

Sad to say, majority of my voting has zero to do with getting anyone "in"
More to do with getting someone 'out'

Not really the way it's supposed to work.

0% of Federal candidates are worth a tinkers damn.
All cut from the same cloth.

[Bsuds]

Sad to say, majority of my voting has zero to do with getting anyone "in"
More to do with getting someone 'out'

Not really the way it's supposed to work.

0% of Federal candidates are worth a tinkers damn.
All cut from the same cloth.

Agree and hardly worth even voting.

There should be a none of the above and if enough picked it they should have to start over with new candidates.

I think our political system is greatly lacking!

[vegas1500]

There is only one person to vote for if you want Trudeau gone……he may not be the best but he’s better, and has some good people around him.

[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.

[Ka-El]

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........

[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..