Canadian Politics Thread

[Heretic]

Good opinion:

Carson Jerema: It isn't just Trudeau, the whole Liberal government is rotten (msn.com)

 

Is it time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to show voters his back?© Provided by National Post

Following the Liberals’ embarrassing defeat in Toronto—St. Paul’s, Canadian politics has been consumed with a single question: should the party dump the wildly unpopular prime minister in favour of a leader who has a hope in a Winnipeg winter of holding onto government?

 

For Liberals and their supporters, who imagine the Conservatives are barbarians at the gates ready to smash civilization to pieces, it’s easy to see why that option could be alluring. Whatever the fortunes of the Liberal party generally, Justin Trudeau is particularly reviled. So, it would seem some partisans believe, the public would snap out of its dalliances with Pierre Poilievre’s Tories and embrace a new Liberal leader if only it were presented with one.

Canadians, at least according to Liberals on social media, would suddenly come to realize that nationwide free contraception, which duplicates provincial plans and has only existed for eight seconds, is actually the glue holding this country together. To think, voters are considering ending this sacred pillar of Canadian identity just to toss out an insufferable divorcee who doesn’t understand why no one likes him anymore.

 

The same goes, apparently, for the national daycare program, never mind that it also duplicates what the provinces are doing, or that it’s creating massive wait lists. And certainly don’t forget dental care, but please disregard that it is a program that also barely exists, or that the narrow targeting of those eligible for it is an admission that most people don’t need it.

To listen to government ministers, backbenchers and boomers who are lifelong Liberal voters, the prospect of losing these programs is apparently unthinkable, and merely evidence of the Conservatives’ “cold and cruel and small” agenda, as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland put it earlier this week.

Liberals have leaned into this increasingly hyperbolic messaging, seemingly unaware of how unserious they sound.

 

This has been particularly evident with the framing of free contraception, a policy they claim support for is somehow synonymous with support for “women’s rights,” and abortion rights in particular. If this were even remotely true, as opposed to hilariously ridiculous, why did the Liberals wait nearly a decade to introduce the plan?

The Liberals’ problem isn’t that the public is so vapid that it can’t see past Trudeau’s image to appreciate all the government has done for the country. Only a Liberal would think that. No, the party’s problem is that it has mismanaged the country to such an extent, it is foolish to think that a mere change at the top is all that’s needed to turn its fortunes around.

All governments debase themselves for partisan advantage, but it isn’t clear that this government is capable of doing anything else. Every policy, every action, every pronouncement is designed, not to achieve a particular goal, but to wedge the Conservatives, or appease the NDP.

 

From conversion therapy to gun control, to vaccine mandates to the capital gains tax hike, each is calculated for partisan advantage, without any measurable benefits for the public. Other pieces of legislation, like the online harms bill or the Online Streaming Act, are evidence of the government’s hostility toward civil liberties.

Even with a policy like the carbon tax — regardless of whether you agree with it or not — that seems genuinely designed to achieve a particular goal, the Liberals can’t help politicizing it for partisan advantage.

First, the choice to offer rebates, instead of lowering other taxes to cover the cost of the levy, was a transparent move to try and persuade Canadians they are being given something, rather than being taxed. Then, the government offered an exemption for home heating oil, a fuel that’s disproportionately used in Atlantic Canada, particularly in Liberal ridings.

 

All this might be forgivable, if it were evident that the Liberals even pretended to take the business of government seriously. Instead, they have openly mocked the notion that the federal government exists for any other purpose but to raise funds for the party.

Nowhere is this more clear than in their complete lack of concern for core federal responsibilities, namely national security and defence.

When presented with evidence of Chinese interference in federal elections, the government’s response was not a promise to investigate and ensure elections are secure, but to evade all responsibility and to falsely argue that the Opposition was only raising the issue because it lost the last election. As recently as this spring, during the public inquiry, the prime minister continued to ridicule the idea that election interference even mattered.

When it was revealed by a parliamentary committee that several MPs were witting or unwitting proxies for foreign governments, one Liberal MP responded: “Boo hoo, get over it.” On national defence, the military has been permitted to degrade so far that it’s now so short of equipment and personnel, it even lacks the ability to feed all its soldiers.

On immigration, Ottawa raised the flow of newcomers beyond the capacity of the country to house or otherwise absorb them. That is not a problem with immigration levels, so much as it is with Ottawa’s inability to manage one of its core responsibilities.

This is even before we get to the government’s obsessions with identity politics and its revisionist approach to history that sees Canada as little more than a genocidal state that doesn’t deserve to exist.

And yet, even all this would also be forgivable to most Canadians if they were getting ahead. Unfortunately, while the national deficit was $50 billion in 2023-24, roughly the same as our annual interest payments on the federal debt, wages have stagnated and the cost of housing has exploded.

At one time, the oil and gas industry was strong enough to mask Canada’s productivity problems, but now that the industry is hesitant to invest — thanks to regulatory uncertainty — almost all job growth in Canada is in the public sector.

Taxes are increasing, housing is unaffordable and good jobs are few and far between. Canada is simply no longer as wealthy as it should be, a state of affairs created by policy choices. It didn’t have to be this way, even under an activist progressive government.

It is laughable to think that simply swapping out leaders would save the Liberals. But it is equally laughable to suggest that Canadians would be throwing away abundance by even daring to think about electing a different government.

 

[Rip The Mesh]

I can't say publically my thoughts on this because it would seem very offensive to many, ( even though I think it more then likely )....

 

 

[Bob Long]

30 minutes ago, Rip The Mesh said:

I can't say publically my thoughts on this because it would seem very offensive to many, ( even though I think it more then likely )....

 

 

 

not sure you'd find much opposition in here to Canada increasing resource projects. 

 

[24K]

My god, just realized we are probably gonna be in a PP and Trump world in a year. 

 

Gonna be scary for Canadians as I see pp bending over backwards to kiss Trump's ring. 

[Elias Pettersson]

4 hours ago, 4petesake said:

 

And yet with short supply already Alberta is pushing the Feds for 10,000 new immigrants (Ukrainians.) Does Smith not understand supply and demand either and will she have this same fight with Poilievre? Or do some immigrants not increase demand?

 

She's asking specifically for Ukrainian workers to help them get permanent residency since their country is being ravaged by a war.  Is that a bad thing?  Why aren't other provinces as proactive with Ukrainians as Alberta is?  She's asking to changer her allotment of immigrants, not the totals that are coming into the country.  Nobody is asking for more immigration, even the Liberal government is scaling back...

[RupertKBD]

21 minutes ago, 24K said:

My god, just realized we are probably gonna be in a PP and Trump world in a year. 

 

Gonna be scary for Canadians as I see pp bending over backwards to kiss Trump's ring. 

 

Actually, I think Trump will have to bend over forward, for that to happen....

[Warhippy]

Canada needs to turf Trudeau asap and find an alternative for the Liberal leadership.

 

The US is now looking like it will be heading towards another Trump presidency and that means the social Conservatives will run the US.  

 

Pierre is looking at a majority here and we KNOW full well he is a social conservative.

 

How do people think our nation will fair against the US when Pierre is confronted by the evangelical driven republicans and Trump?

[Bob Long]

20 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

Canada needs to turf Trudeau asap and find an alternative for the Liberal leadership.

 

The US is now looking like it will be heading towards another Trump presidency and that means the social Conservatives will run the US.  

 

Pierre is looking at a majority here and we KNOW full well he is a social conservative.

 

How do people think our nation will fair against the US when Pierre is confronted by the evangelical driven republicans and Trump?

 

PP won't be able to grab his ankles fast enough. He might like it rough too. 

 

We'd be much too closely aligned with the US right wing. 

 

My vote is for Carney, but I'd like to know your ideas on JT replacements. 

 

[Warhippy]

11 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

PP won't be able to grab his ankles fast enough. He might like it rough too. 

 

We'd be much too closely aligned with the US right wing. 

 

My vote is for Carney, but I'd like to know your ideas on JT replacements. 

 

Carney is the most logical replacement but he's on record saying he has zero interest.

 

If you really want to know where my mind rests.  The most democratically fair point in time in canadian history was during covid when an all party committee of the Bloc, ND, Cons and LIbs made essentially all spending decisions and had some say on major policy decisions during that 18-21 month period.

 

I'd seriously float the idea of giving the seat to a member of the Bloc, or NDP.  Maybe Charlie Angus or Mario Simard.  Since we absolutely know full well that would NEVER happen, as no sitting PM or party would ever give up control to another party for me the options come down to Gainey, Carney or an outside choice in Iveson who was floated back in 2019/2020 as a liberal hopeful for being the outspoken mayor of edmonton.

 

Whatever the case they absolutely can NOT allow for an MP or party member that has been in th party over the last 9 years or so.  Anyone carrying the full weight of the baggage of liberal rule since 2015 is and should be persona non grata as a PM hopeful or replacement.

 

Freeland, would have been viable 3 years ago but now not so much.

[Elias Pettersson]

45 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

Canada needs to turf Trudeau asap and find an alternative for the Liberal leadership.

 

The US is now looking like it will be heading towards another Trump presidency and that means the social Conservatives will run the US.  

 

Pierre is looking at a majority here and we KNOW full well he is a social conservative.

 

How do people think our nation will fair against the US when Pierre is confronted by the evangelical driven republicans and Trump?

 

Both Trudeau and Biden should have been gone a long time ago.  They allowed this scenario to happen whereby Trump and PP could be in office at the same time.  And the chances of that happening went way up last night.  

[Bob Long]

5 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

Carney is the most logical replacement but he's on record saying he has zero interest.

 

If you really want to know where my mind rests.  The most democratically fair point in time in canadian history was during covid when an all party committee of the Bloc, ND, Cons and LIbs made essentially all spending decisions and had some say on major policy decisions during that 18-21 month period.

 

I'd seriously float the idea of giving the seat to a member of the Bloc, or NDP.  Maybe Charlie Angus or Mario Simard.  Since we absolutely know full well that would NEVER happen, as no sitting PM or party would ever give up control to another party for me the options come down to Gainey, Carney or an outside choice in Iveson who was floated back in 2019/2020 as a liberal hopeful for being the outspoken mayor of edmonton.

 

Whatever the case they absolutely can NOT allow for an MP or party member that has been in th party over the last 9 years or so.  Anyone carrying the full weight of the baggage of liberal rule since 2015 is and should be persona non grata as a PM hopeful or replacement.

 

Freeland, would have been viable 3 years ago but now not so much.

 

Agreed, Freelands time has passed as well.

 

 

[Warhippy]

2 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

Both Trudeau and Biden should have been gone a long time ago.  They allowed this scenario to happen whereby Trump and PP could be in office at the same time.  And the chances of that happening went way up last night.  

Scroll way back, we've all said the same thing

[Bob Long]

3 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

Both Trudeau and Biden should have been gone a long time ago.  They allowed this scenario to happen whereby Trump and PP could be in office at the same time.  And the chances of that happening went way up last night.  

 

You won't find many here that disagree, or haven't said this too.

 

I like jt as a person but dude needs to do the right thing and move on, he can no longer be effective.

[Optimist Prime]

On 6/27/2024 at 6:01 AM, Boudrias said:

Big mistake if Trudeau is voted out because he isn't "cool" anymore. The CPC has to layout the Liberal record and concisely explain what it will cost the country in lost opportunity. They will have to lay out a platform on how they will revitalize the economy and reenergize the people's ambitions to build a better future. Can they do that? I certainly hope they can because if they cannot Canada will be in a major free fall. Canada will require a massive investment into industry that can generate actual revenue instead of consuming it. I always talk about energy as the obvious opportunity. It would generate jobs, government tax revenue and foreign income that would strengthen the CDN $. It would weaken the eastern grip on Canada but putting $10's billions into EV batteries is to far out on the risk curve to make me comfortable. The Liberals have put major investment dollars into tech research in universities. The challenge in this sector is developing Canada based tech companies. Yes, there are a few but the usual path is innovation moving south to be monetized. 

 

What looms in the future is another Trump presidency. That does not bode well for Canada as Trump is no real friend to Canada. In a way it might work out for Canada as it will force the country to actually build a more independent economic future. Immigration? IMHO the federal government has to step back to an extent and allow provinces to tailor their immigrant intake by determining what skills are needed. What labor is needed where. I am not against demanding immigrants being allowed in if their location is restricted for a prescribed time. ie a doctor can come to BC if he/she commits to working in Prince George for a 2 year term. Progressive won't like that restriction but what is best for the country should come first. 

we do have trillions in the ground in rare earth metals that are the future of our abundant natural resources. What oil and gas has been for over 100 years, rare earth metals will be for the next hundred or two hundred years.

 

[Sharpshooter]

2 hours ago, 24K said:

My god, just realized we are probably gonna be in a PP and Trump world in a year. 

 

Gonna be scary for Canadians as I see pp bending over backwards to kiss Trump's ring. 

[Optimist Prime]

A trump win in the US may harm P.P.'s polling numbers here in Canada. Too far out from our election to project any numbers yet, but it is important to keep in mind the swing is roughly 7.5% at the moment between a CON 15 points lead and a statistical tie. P.P. as PM is not a conclusion yet. 

[24K]

7 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

A trump win in the US may harm P.P.'s polling numbers here in Canada. Too far out from our election to project any numbers yet, but it is important to keep in mind the swing is roughly 7.5% at the moment between a CON 15 points lead and a statistical tie. P.P. as PM is not a conclusion yet. 

I do not even mind pp as pm as long as it is a minority. Heck might be good for the country if nothing else it force JT to let go of the Libs. 

 

I am scared shitless of a con majority especially with Trump in the Whitehouse.  

Edited Friday at 07:24 PM by 24K

[Warhippy]

42 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

we do have trillions in the ground in rare earth metals that are the future of our abundant natural resources. What oil and gas has been for over 100 years, rare earth metals will be for the next hundred or two hundred years.

 

The Pentagon has been given a war chest worth tens if not hundreds of billions to secure what the US designates as a strategic weakness in rare earth metals as China now owns like all of them.  They've indicated Canada as a source of REMs and have a fortune to spend here.

 

With a conersvative majority it will be EXACTLY like the late 70s early 80s with the OPEC crisis and energy issues in which the US did the EXACT same thing and spent what was then an insane amount of money campaigning against the NEP to ensure Canada only sourced our oil to the US for strategic purposes.

 

A conservative majority will risk giving it all away to US interests again for nothing, refining nothing here again and telling us we should be happy to send out insanely vital resouces for pennies of their actual value

[RupertKBD]

26 minutes ago, 24K said:

I do not even mind pp as pm as long as it is a minority. Heck might be good for the country if nothing else it force JT to let go of the Libs. 

 

I am scared shitless of a con majority especially with Trump in the Whitehouse.  

 

Yeah, I think a minority government is the best we can hope for at this point.

[Sharpshooter]

23 minutes ago, RupertKBD said:

 

Yeah, I think a minority government is the best we can hope for at this point.

NDP need to over perform to make up for the losses of the Liberals and the surge of the Cons. 
 

Just facts. 
 

 

[King Heffy]

5 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

NDP need to over perform to make up for the losses of the Liberals and the surge of the Cons. 
 

Just facts. 
 

 

The problem is they siphon votes from the Libs.  Except in clear NDP ridings, we're better off with those going to the Libs.  Strategic voting sucks but it's a necessary evil without ranked ballot.

[Sharpshooter]

Just now, King Heffy said:

The problem is they siphon votes from the Libs.  Except in clear NDP ridings, we're better off with those going to the Libs.  Strategic voting sucks but it's a necessary evil without ranked ballot.

As long as the vote is split between the NDP and Libs to deny the Conservatives, that’s all that matters. 

[RupertKBD]

8 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

NDP need to over perform to make up for the losses of the Liberals and the surge of the Cons. 
 

Just facts.

 

1 minute ago, King Heffy said:

The problem is they siphon votes from the Libs.  Except in clear NDP ridings, we're better off with those going to the Libs.  Strategic voting sucks but it's a necessary evil without ranked ballot.

 

At this point King, barring Trudeau falling on his sword, it's more of a case of hoping those voters who used to vote Liberal but have now bailed, decide to give their votes to Jag, instead of PP....

[Bure_Pavel]

50 minutes ago, RupertKBD said:

 

 

At this point King, barring Trudeau falling on his sword, it's more of a case of hoping those voters who used to vote Liberal but have now bailed, decide to give their votes to Jag, instead of PP....

The good old throw away vote, PP majority probably incoming... 

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Sharpshooter said:

NDP need to over perform to make up for the losses of the Liberals and the surge of the Cons. 
 

Just facts. 
 

 

 

What good is a bigger NDP minority if PP gets a majority?