Media coverage

[UnknownResident]

Is proportional representation more difficult to achieve in Canada compared to European countries? I think we're such a large diverse country it would be very difficult to get there. I agree our system is flawed, but I don't see a practical alternative that can work here. Even though you don't like this argument, I don't think it's fair representation when 35% of Canadians vote for one party and they could end up with a majority from it, regardless which party benefits from it.

[Urbane]

I just looked on the CBC site in the section where poll results are displayed and saw the Leger poll released today. It still shows only a 5 point gap between the Conservatives and the NDP but I suspect that was done over a number of days and it hasn't caught up to the ebbing of the NDP surge. Anyway, for some reason the Nanos poll, which shows the Conservatives rebounding and the NDP down isn't on there. Anyone have any idea why the CBC hasn't put that poll on their site today?

[NAB]

LOL

i was watching a news item earlier where that CBC journalist Terry Milewski was reporting on a Harper rally and bitching about Harper (apparently the folk present even booed Milewski).

What actually happened was Milewski asked Harper what he was intending to do if he only got a minority government (same old *bleep* he has been pounding on all along), and he asked it in a very beligerent way as is usually his on screen personality (and probably his private one also LOL). Harper clearly answered that he had no intention of speculating on that, much the way other leaders do in similar circumstances - most recently even Duceppe when pressed to speculate on what he would do if or if or if or if or ad nauseum...

Milewski asked again a short time later, and got the same answer ("As I told you last time yada yada"), and Milewski got even more beligerent barking things like "what are you afraid of!" and similar, with that nasty look of cocky arrogance and hurt pride on his face that only Milewski can deliver (and does much of the time even when the topic doesn't call for it).

He's an embarrassment to the CBC, and even more of an embarrassment to himself and the country. It's no wonder a Prime Minister gives short shrift to some of these "reporters" and limits the number of questions he will take, particularly from the obvious "biased unfriendlies" like Milewski. Some reporters simply report the news, but Milewski appears to want to create it with himself as the star performer and spin master.

Nab

[steven lloyd]

An American perspective ...

Michael Ignatieff may want to be prime minister too much for Canadians to give it to him.

Will Michael Ignatieff's ambitious nature turn voters against him? In 2005, Michael Ignatieff returned home to Canada with a gilded résumé. In the 36 years since he'd left Toronto, he had become one of the world's leading public intellectuals: reporting extensively on human rights issues for the BBC and the New York Times; writing more than a dozen books, one of which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize; and teaching at Harvard, where he'd helped codify the case for humanitarian intervention that President Obama invoked to justify bombing Libya. He seemed eminently qualified for his new chosen field - politics - and his sights were fixed on Canada's top job.

In 2006, Ignatieff was duly elected to Parliament, and three years later he became leader of the Liberal Party. Now he is finishing up his first election campaign at the helm - and he's all but certain to get trounced. Canadians' minds appear to have been made up from the start: The ambitious Mr. Ignatieff needed a comeuppance. In Canada, you can be disqualified from leadership for wanting it too much.

http://www.slate.com/id/2292413/

[NAB]

By the way, I have a question for those who are so anti-Harper or anti-Conservative. Do you actually take the time to research, even listen, to what they have to say? Or do you only listen to the leader and candidates of your chosen party to root for, or read / watch only the spin of those who have some personal axe to grind, .....or may even be trying to incite political instability or anarchy in North America? Heck, for all know you may even be one of "them".

Nab

[UnknownResident]

By the way, I have a question for those who are so anti-Harper or anti-Conservative. Do you actually take the time to research, even listen, to what they have to say? Or do you only listen to the leader and candidates of your chosen party to root for, or read / watch only the spin of those who have some personal axe to grind, .....or may even be trying to incite political instability or anarchy in North America? Heck, for all know you may even be one of "them".

Nab

There's three levels when you think somebody is wrong.

1) Assume ignorance - explain the facts and they'll see the light and come over to your team

If that doesn't work go to step 2

2) Assume they're idiots - they have the same facts as you, but can't put the pieces together properly.

When that doesn't work and it turns out they're actually intelligent people go to step 3.

3) They're evil. They're have all the facts and put them together and are just being devil's advocate - or trying to incite political instability. ;)

[Al Czervic]

By the way, I have a question for those who are so anti-Harper or anti-Conservative. Do you actually take the time to research, even listen, to what they have to say? Or do you only listen to the leader and candidates of your chosen party to root for, or read / watch only the spin of those who have some personal axe to grind, .....or may even be trying to incite political instability or anarchy in North America? Heck, for all know you may even be one of "them".

Nab

There's three levels when you think somebody is wrong.

1) Assume ignorance - explain the facts and they'll see the light and come over to your team

If that doesn't work go to step 2

2) Assume they're idiots - they have the same facts as you, but can't put the pieces together properly.

When that doesn't work and it turns out they're actually intelligent people go to step 3.

3) They're evil. They're have all the facts and put them together and are just being devil's advocate - or trying to incite political instability. ;)

When it comes to lefties it is almost always #2. Most (but not all ) Lefties are idiots when it comes to discussing the actual facts involved in Government. Most lefties just have blind hatred and believe everything their Union Leader or Political leader tells them. This is why they are almost always told only half of the story or why lefty leaders dream up platforms and don’t even both to try and make them add up. They know the average lefty could care less. As long as the lefty is promised more tax dollar spending on them and they believe they really will not have to pay for that, a lefty is always happy. That is basically lefty politics 101.

[Corneliousrooster]

When it comes to lefties it is almost always #2. Most (but not all ) Lefties are idiots when it comes to discussing the actual facts involved in Government. Most lefties just have blind hatred and believe everything their Union Leader or Political leader tells them. This is why they are almost always told only half of the story or why lefty leaders dream up platforms and don’t even both to try and make them add up. They know the average lefty could care less. As long as the lefty is promised more tax dollar spending on them and they believe they really will not have to pay for that, a lefty is always happy. That is basically lefty politics 101

Was this taken from the conservative manifesto?

And what about the righties that have turned lefty? i have heard quite a few of them this election campaign - haven't heard of too many lefties going right though (oh yeah , they are all idiots and are too stupid to swing right ....... perhaps some righties know when to abandon a sinking ship.......)

[The Green Barbarian]

When it comes to lefties it is almost always #2. Most (but not all ) Lefties are idiots when it comes to discussing the actual facts involved in Government. Most lefties just have blind hatred and believe everything their Union Leader or Political leader tells them. This is why they are almost always told only half of the story or why lefty leaders dream up platforms and don’t even both to try and make them add up. They know the average lefty could care less. As long as the lefty is promised more tax dollar spending on them and they believe they really will not have to pay for that, a lefty is always happy. That is basically lefty politics 101

Was this taken from the conservative manifesto?

And what about the righties that have turned lefty? i have heard quite a few of them this election campaign - haven't heard of too many lefties going right though (oh yeah , they are all idiots and are too stupid to swing right ....... perhaps some righties know when to abandon a sinking ship.......)

Only in loony-lefty land could you call a party on the verge of a potential majority government a "sinking ship". Yikes dude - seriously - quit while you are ahead with these kinds of posts.

[Al Czervic]

Was this taken from the conservative manifesto?

And what about the righties that have turned lefty? i have heard quite a few of them this election campaign - haven't heard of too many lefties going right though (oh yeah , they are all idiots and are too stupid to swing right ....... perhaps some righties know when to abandon a sinking ship.......)

I do not know ANY Conservatives personally, that I can verify were actual Conservatives, that now tell me they are going to vote for Jack Layton or Iggy.

[UnknownResident]

By the way, I have a question for those who are so anti-Harper or anti-Conservative. Do you actually take the time to research, even listen, to what they have to say? Or do you only listen to the leader and candidates of your chosen party to root for, or read / watch only the spin of those who have some personal axe to grind, .....or may even be trying to incite political instability or anarchy in North America? Heck, for all know you may even be one of "them".

Nab

There's three levels when you think somebody is wrong.

1) Assume ignorance - explain the facts and they'll see the light and come over to your team

If that doesn't work go to step 2

2) Assume they're idiots - they have the same facts as you, but can't put the pieces together properly.

When that doesn't work and it turns out they're actually intelligent people go to step 3.

3) They're evil. They're have all the facts and put them together and are just being devil's advocate - or trying to incite political instability. ;)

When it comes to lefties it is almost always #2. Most (but not all ) Lefties are idiots when it comes to discussing the actual facts involved in Government. Most lefties just have blind hatred and believe everything their Union Leader or Political leader tells them. This is why they are almost always told only half of the story or why lefty leaders dream up platforms and don’t even both to try and make them add up. They know the average lefty could care less. As long as the lefty is promised more tax dollar spending on them and they believe they really will not have to pay for that, a lefty is always happy. That is basically lefty politics 101.

I think your past they're idiots and you've moved on to they're evil.

But Al, I don't think you're looking at the big picture. I think instead of saying "Most lefties" you should say "most people are idiots when it comes to discussing actual facts...". It goes both ways, as hard a pill that might be for you to swallow.

[Al Czervic]

I think your past they're idiots and you've moved on to they're evil.

But Al, I don't think you're looking at the big picture. I think instead of saying "Most lefties" you should say "most people are idiots when it comes to discussing actual facts...". It goes both ways, as hard a pill that might be for you to swallow.

I mostly agree with your statement as it applies to politics, although I don’t view lefties as evil. Lefties are generally well intended as a group, it is mostly a case of they are often unduly influenced by poor leadership within the leftist movement.

[Corneliousrooster]

Only in loony-lefty land could you call a party on the verge of a potential majority government a "sinking ship". Yikes dude - seriously - quit while you are ahead with these kinds of posts.

Kettle black much?

Only a loony-righty would think the conservatives are on the verge of a majority (I would say the likely hood is about equal to layton being leader of a coalition run Canada)

[Al Czervic]

Only in loony-lefty land could you call a party on the verge of a potential majority government a "sinking ship". Yikes dude - seriously - quit while you are ahead with these kinds of posts.

Kettle black much?

Only a loony-righty would think the conservatives are on the verge of a majority (I would say the likely hood is about equal to layton being leader of a coalition run Canada)

Although I am happy to be known as a “loony-righty” I am NOT in the camp who thinks Harper will get a majority…..

[Corneliousrooster]

Although I am happy to be known as a “loony-righty” I am NOT in the camp who thinks Harper will get a majority…..

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well then clearly you must be a loony lefty - there is no middle or deviance from the polar opposites that everyone must fit into - just ask Barbi