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Free World
Joined: 01 Apr 2005 Location: Drake Hotel
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 4:59 am Post subject: Canadian election? |
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It looks like there will be a federal election in the next couple months here in Canada. How many Canadian expats plan on sending a ballot over? Is it a fairly simple process to vote from overseas? |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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Check this out:
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House passes motion calling on Liberals to resign
Last Updated Tue, 10 May 2005 19:19:25 EDT
CBC News
OTTAWA - The House passed a motion that opposition parties claim should topple the government – but the Liberals have dismissed it as nothing more than a procedural matter.
The motion passed by 153 votes to 150 on Tuesday night.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper votes on the motion in the House of Commons Tuesday. (CP photo)
All 99 Conservative and 54 Bloc Québécois MPs voted for the motion calling on the public accounts committee "to recommend that the government resign."
The NDP and two Independents voted with the Liberals against the motion. Two cabinet ministers, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and Natural Resources Minister John Efford, were not there for the vote.
Liberals have rejected claims by the opposition that this was a confidence vote, saying it is just a set of instructions to a committee, and that the outcome won't affect the government.
Following the vote, Conservative Opposition Leader Stephen Harper demanded that Prime Minister Paul Martin call a formal vote of confidence.
"I would challenge the prime minister, if he believes he has the constitutional authority, to rise in his place and to call for a vote of confidence," Harper said.
Liberal House leader Tony Valeri responded to Harper's challenge, repeating that the vote was not a motion of confidence.
The Speaker then ruled Harper's demand out of order.
Outside the House, Harper slammed the Liberal's position, saying they are ignoring the democratically expressed will of the House of Commons.
Harper said the government does not have the moral, financial or constitutional authority to govern.
He criticized Martin's behaviour, saying it "has gone from dithering, to desperate, to dangerous. This is a very serious situation."
Harper said his party will take "additional steps" Wednesday to deal with the situation, but provided no details.
Despite the Liberal refusal to treat it as a matter of confidence, the Conservatives have previously said they'll come to work as usual and look for other opportunities to force an election.
Earlier Tuesday, Valeri announced that the opposition parties will have three days at the end of May during which they can introduce formal non-confidence motions.
On those days, the opposition controls the parliamentary agenda.
"We're not afraid to be held accountable," Valeri said at a news conference. "There will be legitimate confidence votes."
The Liberals have already dismissed a similar motion – involving the finance committee and scheduled to be voted on next week – as a procedural matter and not a matter of confidence. |
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Free World
Joined: 01 Apr 2005 Location: Drake Hotel
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I'm glad the government is tending to the business of the nation.
Has anyone in Korea ever voted in a Canadian election? I'm sure it's possible but I don't know how convenient it is. |
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winnie
Joined: 08 May 2005 Location: the forest
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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Not sure if it can be done...heard of Americans doing it, but I don't think we can.... |
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PEIGUY
Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Location: Omokgyo
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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yes you can.. get an absentee ballot from Elections Canada sent to you and then simply drop it off at the Canadian Embassy and they will send it to Elections Canada. Quick and Simple. Just phone the embassy or look on elections Canada website. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder if it will backfire. Canadians don't like being forced back to the polls in a power play and tend to punish the politicians that make them vote again. Usually it's the sitting government that thinks it can capitalize on a good economy and calls a snap election a couple years into its mandate. In Ontario both the Peterson government and that cranky old liberal lady, whatshername, both called a snap election and both got voted out of power.
There was an election about a year ago. Despite the scandals, do Canadians really want to go through a power grab election and maybe return another minority government to power? |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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>. Word has it BC is holding a provincial referendum on "proportional" representation ( i.e. EVERY vote counts & is mirrored as such in parliament ).
Too bad a few more of us aren't there to do the good ol' "pencil & paper" thing. |
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FUBAR
Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: The Y.C.
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Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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mindmetoo wrote: |
I wonder if it will backfire. Canadians don't like being forced back to the polls in a power play and tend to punish the politicians that make them vote again. Usually it's the sitting government that thinks it can capitalize on a good economy and calls a snap election a couple years into its mandate. In Ontario both the Peterson government and that cranky old liberal lady, whatshername, both called a snap election and both got voted out of power.
There was an election about a year ago. Despite the scandals, do Canadians really want to go through a power grab election and maybe return another minority government to power? |
I think we are heading for another minority government. In the latest poll, the conseratives are in the lead. Of course that doesn't mean much now. As much heat as Martin is taking for the sponsorship scandal, I just don't see the people trusting Harper to lead the country. I sure hope not because I really think he is going to do alot of terrible things in terms of privatization should he get into power. It's just a good thing that the won't be getting a majority anytime soon. |
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Homer Guest
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 2:33 am Post subject: |
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I will send in my ballot.
I do think that Harper is making a huge mistake forcing an election now. The Bloc...well they just like to stir the pot and have no real clue.
According to most polls about 60-70% of canadians prefer to wait for the Gomery Report to be tabled before going to the polls. I agree with that.
This government has potential to work on certain key issues. The budget was certainly an interesting twist. Perhaps it would be time to discuss this constitutionnal arrangement we have in Canada. Many provinces have had it up to there with how it is working...a minority government would be a good opportunity to work on this.
However, Harper is hell bent (or the hard liners in his party) on forcing an election when the best possible outcome would put them as a minority government. This would not even work as well as the Liberal minority government...go figure. |
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Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Whoever wins the next election it will probably result in a minority government. How long will that government last? My fear is that Canada could end up like Italy. |
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The Man known as The Man
Joined: 29 Mar 2003 Location: 3 cheers for Ted Haggard oh yeah!
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 9:20 am Post subject: |
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The Liberal filth will have a grand time defending their position on that not being a confidence motion, and how they are opening up the democratic process in the House. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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FUBAR wrote: |
I just don't see the people trusting Harper to lead the country. I sure hope not because I really think he is going to do alot of terrible things in terms of privatization should he get into power. It's just a good thing that the won't be getting a majority anytime soon. |
Harper is freaky. The new PC party is freaky. I can't believe I actually miss the sober "what's good for the Thompson corporation and Inco is good for Canada" PC party. God. |
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PEIGUY
Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Location: Omokgyo
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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The budge vote is coming up and whether the liberals like it or not a budget vote is a vote of Confidence. Mind you, the liberals made a lot of changes to get the NDP on side so it will be interesting to see. I prefer to wait until December. Martin made a promise to call an election after that so it would be up to the public to hold him to it. It's just stupid to go from one minority government to another.. it doesn't accomplish anything! |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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PEIGUY wrote: |
The budge vote is coming up and whether the liberals like it or not a budget vote is a vote of Confidence. Mind you, the liberals made a lot of changes to get the NDP on side so it will be interesting to see. I prefer to wait until December. Martin made a promise to call an election after that so it would be up to the public to hold him to it. It's just stupid to go from one minority government to another.. it doesn't accomplish anything! |
Voting a pie laden budget down is political suicide. "The PCs don't want you to have daycare!" |
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turtlepi1
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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Is it just me or should the "Conservative" party be too ashamed to even be considered the "opposition". They are barely in the lead for polling now EVEN WITH the huge scandal facing the Liberal party.
I really don't think "Uncle" Paul is bad for the country. I think he has the knowledge/wisdom and understanding of what Canada needs. The problem is he has no charisma, he has too many people (big business) he is responsible to, and perhaps he has lost touch (or was never in touch) with average Canadians. Not to mention the scandal he has inherited and is not completely clean from either.
A Western leader should have charisma. Leave it to the people he surrounds himself with the have the nuts and bolts skills to run the country.
The only thing that gives me comfort about my grandmother losing her senses, (and eventually passing away) was it happened before she had to witness what happened to the PC party. (poor old girl, I really do miss hearing her talk about "the party") |
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