Canadian politics for Non-Canadians

[RandomUser]

Our neighbor to the north is having an election at the end of this month. I found this piece that might be of interest. It explains in detail the Canadian system, descriptions of the various parties, what the major issues are in this month's election -- and is aimed at non-Canadians readers :)

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Canada is having a general federal election on June 28, 2004. This article is a brief synopsis of the election, the election issues, and the Canadian political systems, aimed mostly at non-Canadians. People from other British or British-derived countries should find much of the introductory section ("The System") boring, as most British Parliamentary systems tend to work about the same.

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/6/8/103220/5255

[RandomUser]

1. Question for Canadians

Who are you voting for?

[Spazito]

3. I am voting Liberal...

the faux Conservative party is repub wannabes. The NDP is a good party but cannot win the election so am hoping for a Liberal minority government that will have to work with the NDP to get bills passed.

[Minstrel Boy]

4. NDP here.

And it would take a lot for me not to vote NDP. Apart from my first election, when I voted CP Marxist-Leninist (Enver Hoxha rocks! :evilgrin: ) I've been a New Democrat.

The electorate is really volatile. In two weeks we've gone from expecting a Liberal majority to a Conservative minority. I'm not of the Martin-and-Harper-are-as-bad-as-each-other school. Harper, with majority rule, would be a calamity. (More Martin would be merely awful.) But a Conservative majority is simply not in the cards. And if the NDP is ever to govern federally, as we do provincially, we need to supplant the Liberals as the natural alternative to the Conservatives. If the Liberals go into free fall, which could happen, the NDP could make historic gains this election.

We'll know better next week, after the debates.

[ibegurpard]

5. Sounds like a Liberal minority government could be a good thing.

Unless the conservatives can capitalize on it somehow.

[Minstrel Boy]

6. Liberal minorities have given us the most progressive federal govts,

because they've had to accomodate the most progressive party.

On a certain level, this hasn't panned out well for the NDP, because while the policies enacted during a minority are popular, the Liberals claim credit during the next election and are returned with a majority, while the NDP has usually wound up with a reduced number. But on a deeper level, it's been good for the NDP and for Canada at large, because we've seen some of our social and economic agenda become reality - some, like universal health care, which actually defines Canada to some measure today - without having formed a federal government.

[Spazito]

7. I agree, it is a plus for Canadians as a whole....

arrogance has to be put by the wayside and cooperation has to be in the forefront and that makes for good government, imo.

[RandomUser]

2. double post, n/t