Canadian Elections 2011

I think on May 2nd I had a nightmare, in that nightmare I saw that the Liberal Party was practically annihilated, BQ was gone, the NDP became the official opposition, and Harper won a sizeable majority.

Oh no, this nightmare is going to last at least four years.

GONE


GONE

At least this was one of the few good outcomes of election night. I always felt that the Bloc was irrelevant and it is about time that Quebecers joined the federal parties.

OFFICIAL OPPOSITION

I'm sure he and the NDP must be very happy. I hope that they will do a good job of being an effective opposition; although it is going to be hard given the autocratic tendencies of the big cahoona. Layton did considerable damage to Michael Ignatieff when during the debates he told him that he was absent 70% of the time from the House of Commons, and his relentless attacks continued during the election. Because of that considerable damage was done to the Liberal Party, especially in Ontario, where vote splitting in many ridings helped Conservatives to win their majority with sometimes one-third of the vote in these ridings. It looks that Layton unintentionally did help the big cahoona for his majority.

THE BIG CAHOONA

Here is your Prime Minister with a new majority mandate. Given his ultra-conservative background, it is worrisome how much damage he will do to social programs, especially healthcare, and he's indeed a big fan of America. I hope we don't become the 51st state. One can only pray and wish Canada well, it looks like a very rough ride for the next four years.

Since election night, I did not feel like blogging and I still feel the same way, that's why it took me so long to write something about the election outcome. Hopefully time will heal this hurt, we as Canadians will do alright. We should keep in mind that in 1993 PCs were completely annihilated with only 2 seats; who would have thought that a regional party like Reform would collude with the Tories and today have a majority in the House of Commons? We should not be so despondent, hopefully Liberals will get themselves a good leader and start the reconstruction and rebuilding work right away.

Recommend this post

Professor Ignatieff

And then there is the professor. The choice is yours.

UPDATE: Professor Ignatieff will give you more money for education, $1000 per year for four years, when you go to university. Sounds good, more people get educated.

Recommend this post

Ignatieff: Tarsands More Than Just a PR Problem

Ignatieff is on the right track on this issue; he recognizes the environmental problems created by the tarsands; unlike Stephen Harper who couldn't care less about environmental consequences, who only thinks in terms of profits for oil industry executives.

Click here to read the story.

Recommend this post

Dion questions Canada’s training mission in Afghanistan

“OTTAWA - Former Liberal leader Stephane Dion on Wednesday (Nov 24, 2010) questioned why Canadian Armed Forces need to train Afghan military to fight the Taliban, when the Afghans were strong enough to defeat the forces of the Soviet Union in the 1980s.” The Vancouver Sun

It makes sense that if Afghans can defeat former Soviet Union and so far U.S, Canada and other NATO forces have made not much of headway then who is the better trained to fight in Afghanistan? Who is in need of training?

Does this also mean that there is a revolt within the Liberal caucus over Afghanistan? It looks war hawk Michael Ignatieff is in further trouble.

Read the Vancouver Sun story here.

Recommend this post

Michael Ignatieff: People touch my privates all the time

Ignatieff gives his views on the airport pat downs. He loves them. :)



If it is done to Americans then it is good for him too.

Watch the video here

Recommend this post

Michael Ignatieff’s Bus tour

How did his bus tour go? Does anyone know? Did anyone notice it?

Recommend this post

Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff duet

Conservatives and Liberals are almost tied in approval ratings. Both below 30%. It looks the Conservative’s wonder boy Harper and the Liberal's magic worker Ignatieff are not up to par. What next?

Recommend this post

Michael Ignatieff: When the Queen calls, you jump

He also said about the Queen that "You're looking at the most experienced political figure in the world.” Looks like she will be his political advisor.

Michael Ignatieff added, "she's an absolute joy to meet and has a wonderful sense of the absurd." There, a perfect team-mate and he can indulge into his absurdity as much he wants and Queen can help. Is he really with it?

To read the full story,click here.

Recommend this post

Republican Joe Barton: The day of apologies

This guy actually apologized to BP that they will have to compensate the victims of oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.



First there was Joe the Plumber, along came Joe Wilson and now topped by Joe Barton fartin’ on the Capital hill. Republicans have enough Joes to go around.

Here is a take on Barton by Keith Olbermann of Countdown, MSNBC.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Why doesn’t our magnificent leader of the Liberal Party Michael Ignatieff learn politics? Let Harper put his foot in his mouth. Instead Iggy does it for himself time and again - the latest with his proposed extension of the mission in Afghanistan. Harper having enemies (opposition) like Iggy needs no friends.

Recommend this post

Michael Ignatieff’s Bo Diddley

What they say diddly doo and diddly da. Michael Ignatieff wants our troops to stay in Afghanistan and train Afghanis. Train for what? We will be there for 10 years come 2011 and we did not defeat the Taliban. What qualifications do we have to train the locals? We don’t understand their culture and Western forces, including the former USSR, never succeeded in Afghanistan given its terrain. So what are we going to train them for? It just does not make any sense.

Recommend this post

Michael Ignatieff Stumbles again

Which planet does this guy live on? Now he wants Canadian troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond the deadline of 2011. Even Conservatives are saying that they will abide by the resolution of Parliament and end the mission in 2011. What is with this guy?

Have we not done our part? Sadly nothing has been achieved and we lost many soldiers. More recently it has become obvious that the Afghan mission included the one trillion dollar minerals which the former USSR first found in Afghanistan. This Ignatieff guy is a colonialist through and through. He is at the wrong place at the wrong time. Politics is not his cup of tea. Someone cart him away while his hands are still on his eyes and he cannot see. I doubt he can see even if his hands are not on his eyes. Or post him in Afghanistan and he may learn something. He is volunteering other people's lives. Why not put him in Afghanistan to fight.

You can watch the video, and read the story here.

Recommend this post

Sheila Frazer created a Mount Rushmoron

When the auditor general asked to examine the MPs' personal expenses, all three national leaders created a mountain of a barrier to stop her from doing that and that includes Stephen Harper, Jack Layton and Michael Ignatieff. Only Gilles Duceppe said it was a good idea. So much for national leaders. What were they thinking? What are they hiding? Their likeness needs to be carved on a Mount Rushmoron of their own.


Rex Murphy of CBC gave a good commentary on that which you can see here.

Recommend this post

Michael Ignatieff in the dumps when it comes to approval ratings

He is the least liked amongst the three national leaders. What was the Liberal caucus thinking when they appointed him leader? What is next for the Liberal Party? It does not look good. Ignatieff does not seem to connect with voters at all. What is it about him? Highly educated and travelled the world but when it comes to politics he was better off staying in the academic world. I do want the Liberal Party to succeed but currently all the signs are depressing.

Click here to read the story.

Recommend this post

Ambassador Robert Fowler: Afghanistan War Unwinnable.

You can watch the video here.

Iggy, Steve and even Barack Obama should pay attention. The ambassador knows exactly what he's talking about. Iggy's reaction to ambassador's remarks was disappointing to say the least.

The ambassador also indicated that Liberal Party has lost its soul. Pay attention Mr. Ignatieff.

Recommend this post

Harper's Damage to Democracy

This business of proroguing when there was an Afghan inquiry going on was a blatant attack on democracy and on the Parliamentary system. It is indeed unforgivable when Harper got elected on the platform of open and transparent government. Unfortunately, the alternative doesn't look good either. Where does Ignatieff stand on all of this? Every time he opens his mouth, he looks more and more like a Harper-clone or twin. It worries me where Canada is headed.

I came across a very good op-ed on this from the Toronto Star.

You can click here to read the op-ed.

One can only hope that at least Ignatieff will come out of his conservative coma and realize that he is leading the "Liberal" Party and not the "Reform" Party or Bush's Republican Party.

Recommend this post

Frank McKenna’s advice to Michael Ignatieff

"The House of Commons is a hard place for the Opposition to win, so I think he (Ignatieff) is smart to be going around the country exposing himself." - Frank McKenna

What was Frank thinking ;)

"On Sunday, the former New Brunswick premier and Canadian ambassador to the U.S. burst out laughing when he heard that the BBC was poking fun at him." - Telegraph Journal.

Click here to read the story.

Recommend this post

Stephen Harper on Top

Given all the missteps of Harper, being a poodle of Bush and all, he is doing well. What does that tell us about Michael Ignatieff. He is the wrong man for the head of LPC. LPC, you should think and think hard as to what you need to do.

"Harper moved to shut down Parliament and produce a new Speech from the Throne and budget, while at the same time inspiring fear and loathing in the coalition concept.

A Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey released Thursday suggested that 41 per cent of Canadians thought that was the best outcome a year ago.

Another 10 per cent of those polled would have preferred an election ending in a Conservative victory, while 31 per cent would have liked to see the Liberals attain power - either by election or in a coalition government.

There is even better news for Harper when voters are asked about leadership. A majority of 51 per cent had a favourable opinion of the prime minister, set against 41 per cent who view him unfavourably. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff was viewed favourably by 31 per cent of respondents, with 50 per cent viewing him unfavourably."

Click here for the story.

Recommend this post

Evolution of Michael Ignatieff

Liberals had great hopes from the "charismatic" leader Michael Ignatieff, but he has constantly stumbled on many issues from the environment, to the economy, to humanitarian and international concerns. His approval ratings continue to go south. Is there still hope for Mr. Ignatieff's ascendance to power?

Or should I ask the question that, given the leadership in Ottawa, is there still hope for Canada especially given the current recession? We need some stronger voice to get us out of the current doldrums.

Recommend this post

Happy Thanksgiving

Guess who was made the turkey of the year this year by Harper? He is now being served at 24 Sussex Drive for Thanksgiving. The poker game of politics continues.

Recommend this post

What next for Michael Ignatieff?

Surely Stephen Harper must be dancing with joy as he is in majority territory. Michael Ignatieff's pathetic performance has brought his approval rating below 20% and the Liberal Party is 14% behind the Cons. Is there anything Ignatieff can do to change his fortunes and that of his party? Will people forget his views on Tar Sands and the Middle East and unconditional support of Israel's actions in Gaza in December 2008? The US is supposed to be much closer to Israel yet even Barack Obama did not give that kind of support. Liberals are supposed to be liberals and that is why Chretien refused to participate in the Iraq War. Ignatieff has too much baggage already and he is not Prime Minister yet.

I really don't know what more can be said on this issue. Liberals and Michael Ignatieff have to think, what next? Should Ignatieff go back to his academic world and let politicians lead the party? Those are the questions that the Liberal Party and Ignatieff have to think about.

Recommend this post