Election Time in Toronto

Surely it's unreasonable to say that the election is happening now because of Liberal intransigence. Whatever can be said about all of this, it's certainly the case that no Government is obliged, in any sense of the word, to cut its own throat to make the opposition's effort to defeat it more popular.

If the opposition wanted to bring the Government down, it could have tried again whenever. It chose to wait for Gomery because it didn't have the stones to try sooner after losing the first time around.

And it doesn't have the stones to wait for the next Gomery report because it knows that by then many more Canadians will support the Liberals than do now.

The opposition now has a small window for possible victory. All of this opposition whining about the Government not obliging its opponents by cutting its own throat is childish and transparent.

This is disappointing BlogTO. ... finding any excuse to knock christianity isn't cool ... it's a lame attempt to make your site look edgy.

i'm not christian but i can respect people getting ruffled feathers over the timing of the elections ...

While one of Canada's biggest strengths is its diversity - culturaly and religiously - Christianity is still the dominant religion in Canada ... by a longshot. According to the most recent census by Statistics Canada , Christians still make up over 70% of the population in Canada.

If you want to be a strong independent media voice for Toronto, grow up blogTO and stop taking these sort of easy digs. If you're concerned about religious equality then treat all religions with the same respect and don't shorthand Christian names (Xtians and Xmas) to make your post look irreverent. Xmas is a shopping holiday ... Christmas is a religious holiday.

Coward:

There is certainly no question that the government is not obligated to negotiate with the opposition on the timing of an election. That said, in this instance the Liberals were given notice of a non-confidence call, and were given a choice by the opposition to avoid it.

Ultimately then, the decision to hold the election over December rested with them - the opposition put their cards on the table, and the goverment picked the card they wanted. There is no question that the Liberals could have ensured an election that didn't start until January, and so they are responsible for the timing.

Torontonian:

Using the term 'xtian' can hardly be said to be a way of making blogTO look new and edgy. The term (of Greek origin, and coined by members of the Church) has been around for well over a millenium. According to all the dictionaries I've looked at, it is a non-offensive synonym.

St Dan,

you're mistaken--the term X-tian isn't Greek at all. The letter X means Christ in Latin, and putting it together from what I can gather is a modern thing. X-tian, has no real entrenched denotation or connotation. I've checked in several dictionaries, even dictionary.com, and the only thing I can find it in is the Urban Dictionary. You'll notice if you look it up the last two definitions make mention of the term being derogatory.

So I really think you are grasping when you say it's a non-offensive synonym. Unless you are saying that every english speaking human understands words identically? Roland Barthes might have a thing or two to say to you in that case.

Your assertion that ultimately it was the government that chose this path is logically dubious.

You state that there is no question the government is not obliged to negotiate with the opposition, and then continue to say that because they didn't bend to the will of the opposition therefore it was their choice to call an election at this time.

You ignore the fact that the opposition also has free will and also could have chosen to completely avoid the motion in the first place, choosing to wait until Gomery v2 or some other time, or perhaps not at all. If I were to use your logic, I would provide the exact same argument except substitute in my thoughts about the opposition not backing down... would I be correct?

If you ask me this whole election is a desperate power grab by three hubristic leaders (I'd say four, but Martin didn't want the election). It's a waste of Canadian's time and money... I'd predict that things will remain largely unchanged in government and we'll all be left scratching our heads after the election wondering why.

One thing I will say, Stephen Harper will never receive a majority government in this country in our lifetime. If he does I'll eat my hat.

Canada maybe be a 'Christian' country - but to make or not an election during 'shopping' time is a tactical move.

Can you imagine people thinking over which party to vote and why, while they must invent tons of presents, find them, pack them, etc.

It would be completely different to make a campaign in a normal time. And the final results could be also different.

So - it seems that in this case colliding with a religious and sociological/marketing period (Christmas) - indicates only that Canada is quite a laic country :))

By the way how many citizens do usually vote in Canda?

Actually the Xtians were ab old normadic tribe in the mesoptania area ( which in todays world is mosul).

Secondly, the posting is a good one. The holiday season will be damped spirits. Why ?? When I find out I"ll let you know !!

heres a linkin for Xtains

http://peterdawson.typepad.com/blog/2004/10/photopg1.html

Mark:

If you look at Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Xmas) you will see that the word is indeed of Greek origin, and is considered by most to be non-offensive.

Yes, it is true that not everybody understands every word identically. That said, there is a general consensus around most words, Xmas and Xtian included. I cannot be responsible for people taking offence to common words - if I were, I wouldn't be able to use any words at all; there are six billion people in the world, I doubt there are many words that somebody somewhere isn't offended by for random reasons.

You claim that the timing of the election is a power grab - this seems unusual since all the polls (and indeed, yourself in your last two paragraphs) suggest that none of the opposition parties will actually get any power from it. Indeed, it is very likely that at the end of the campaign, Stephen Harper will lose his job. That doesn't seem like a power grab to me.

Matt:

Back during the Mulroney era, about three quarters of enfranchised Canadians voted. During the Cretien period, this fell to just under 70%, with the last two elections being under 65%.

Historically, voter turnout tends to be between about 68-76%.

You're right about the timing though - all signs point to a winter election helping out the NDP more than any other party. NDP voters tend to be much more dedicated, and more likely to tromp out in a blizzard if that's what it takes. It certainly won't win them the election, but depending on the severity, it could swing them a few seats.

Hey again.

Perhaps I should be more clear. I think that the election is a power-grab. Seats will shift, the balance of power could (and probably will) change dramatically.

But... I think that Canadians won't be any better after the changes. In fact, worse.

Look at the opinion polls, in regard to both the party positions and general desire to go to the polls period. To me these leaders have a lot of convincing to do in order to sway me that this was neccessary at the current time.

Progress was being made, the NDP was working with the Liberals and some progressive policy was emerging. The Conservatives were more or less powerless, and the Bloq--well they couldn't break up the country.

Who knows where power could lie at the end of this charade. I think it's irresponsible to have called an election at this time, and it's not in the best interest of Canadians or Canada in general.

What if we end up with a razor thin Liberal minority, diminished NDP, and strengthened Conservative and Bloq. I think this situation could very well happen. If the Conservatives under the insane Harper team up with the Bloq who knows what could happen.

I'm scared.

Mark:

I don't think you need to worry about the Tories and the Bloc forming a coalition government - the parties are just far too opposed ideologically, and neither of them wants to be tarnished by the image of the other.

As well, all signs point not to the NDP finding itself diminished, but rather to picking up seat - possibly even enough to actually hold a balance of power, instead of only nearly as the situation is now.

While nothing major will change in terms of seats, there will be huge changes at the party levels. Both Harper and Martin are likely to find themselves replaced after the election. The Tories especially are pointing towards going with a leader more in the Bill Davis/John Tory/Joe Clark mould, which would be good for the country as a whole.

Well - 70% it's quite a big number as for our standards - in Poland now vote some 40% (unfortunately it's more like destorted US voting process).

When numbers falls so low you start to wander who is chosing a government (or a president even though this elections tend to be better - some 50%).

In your case it's still plausible that you all agree (in majority of course) to have a goverment elected.

We don't know if 30% (last election main party) out of 40% is representative?

And why some do not vote (apart those who are disgusted by polititians)? Sometimes it's a good weater (so they go for a week end) - or a bad as well (when it pours no one wants to go).

And we're never waiting to vote (as I can see those huge ques in the USA).

BUT STILL - this time is not the best to have a campaign. OUR last elections were held in autumn, although they sould have been in summer. But to whom they would produse themselves in peak of vacation period? And who'd listen in all that heat? So they agreed to make them later.

Some dates are simply stupid - but not because it's a sacred time... Simply for some it will be not effective - but maybe other parties will gain.

It's always quite a CYNICAL play.

Hello Matt:

That's the problem with not voting - there are lots of reasons for it, and so as a protest it just doesn't say much.

There are many commentators who will argue that one of the reasons many people don't vote is not as a protest, but as the 'politics of contentment'. That is to say that things are going relatively well, and so they don't feel an urgent need to involve themselves. Likewise, when times are rough (depression, war, et cetera...) people are more motivated.

Of course, not voting could also be the result of laziness, cynicism, weather, holidays, or lack of knowledge about how.

This is why, if you want to protest the vote the best way is to refuse your ballot (a process which I will write about in upcoming weeks). This sends a direct message that you are active enough to go to the polling station, and annoyed enough to choose a non-of-the-above option.

Also, just as a brief correction, the last election was held in early-summer, not autumn.

Yes in a way I do agree.

Politicians (in every country) say that if you want to change anything you HAVE to vote. If you are not satisfied but didn't vote - you should stay silent.

This is because it's better for them.

I think that NOT voting is a kind of vote - a vote of non confidence.

When politicians (like in Poland by the way) became a hord of liers and start to steal whenever they can, part of the nation doesn't want to vote. Why to elect them once more - if you have no 'good' choice, why you should chose same discredited people or parties?

But they could vote in other circumstances (also using non valid ballot - that's why probably it's so hard/dengerous to use such methods of voting as they experiment in England - voting via cellulars).

For me it is quite STRONG such a vote of non confidence (I mean NOT going to vote). When ONLY 30% or 40% of the nation vote... this is profoundly wrong, this is not democracy. This is the cry for changes.

I know it very well from Poland - I read extensively and hear about it regarding the USA (for other reasons, more garve than in Poland anyway - such as manipulations, difficulties to register and 'exclusion' of some minorities, etc.).

But unfortunately politicians tend to desdain it, to depreciate it.

Of course - it's the nation that is stupid and doesn't understand anything, not them :))

They are only and exclusively saints....