CANADA's English-Lang. Debates: Thoughts?

Is it just me, or does Harper seem TOO confident...?  I don'T want to start this thread to bash one party or another, I just wonder if people have thoughts on how they all behaved, whether is strange/justfied/will get them more vote.  That kind of stuff.

I know who I'm voting for, so no bashing please!

I found it to be painfully dull and utterly devoid of anything even remotely thought-provoking. 

I know who I'm voting for too, but I'm basing my choice on local representation - there's simply not a national party leader I could whole-heartedly endorse.

I don't know if Harper seemed to confident I think he was trying hard to maintain composure and I think he did that well.

I felt bad for Dion. I don't know what else to say about that.

I felt Elizabeth May was well spoken (MUCH better than her French debate) and she had some good points.

I felt Layton was prepared and got me thinking about things more than anyone else.

I felt Duceppe (sp?) was good but because I'm pretty certain PQ has no shot I'm sorry to say I didn't really pay attention to a lot of what he was saying.

I'm no political junkie by any means and I watched the debate because I don't want to just vote the way I always have, I want to be as informed as I can. Which I know sounds like common sense but a lot of people don't always use the same logic.

People need to realize that the party they've always supported isn't always the one they should continue to support. Also, saying that a vote for any party other than Conservative or Liberal is a waste is so very wrong. The way Canada's system is set up makes every vote count. Vote for who you believe in, not against who you don't.

Rant over.

yeah, harper is smug.  i didn't see the whole debate because i was at work, but i caught most of the last half. 

i was pleased to see how well elizabeth may did!  i think she and layton are in touch with reality.  unfortunately, i live in a riding that is almost certainly going to go conservative.  between that and living in the west, where it's all over before our votes are even counted...well, i'll be there on the 14th, but it's hard to get excited.

it'S tough because in canada we CAn vote for a party over a leader, if you know what i mean.  but there's the whole ABC movement--strategic voting--which is also pretty strong.  i feel like a lot of people are going to vote that way, and always have, so teh people we really, truly believe in don't get voted in.  i find that sucks.

i also found that the harper attacks got old at the end.  in teh french-language debates one of the public questions was for each candidate to say something nice abut the person sitting to their left, which was nice, but onyl lasted 3 minutes before the bashing began again.  kinda high school...  but maybe that's what they mean by school prepares us for life...

the bloc was opposition once, so i think it's the only thing they can really aspire for and duceppe knows that.  i think it would interesting to see again since the last tiem was in teh 70s (pr 80s...?  i know it was a while ago).  but i'd personally like to see something other than a conservative with liberal minority, or vice versa, gvmnt.  just for a change in dynamics, what gets done.  ya know?

i was really sur^rised by may tho, even in teh french debates, she had a lot to say about otehr than the environment, which is what i think surprised a lot of people.

i'm voting tomorrow because i can't make it election day.  i also find it funny that the american race is taking like, almost 2 yrs, and we get it done in a month and a half.  very different systems.

Original Post by xs_cargo:

The way Canada's system is set up makes every vote count.

 I wish that were true, but in some parts of the country it's not.  It's absolutely irrelevant who I vote for; the local Conservative candidate will win.  (This is true in many parts of Alberta, and is even more true in our provincial elections.)  I'll vote anyway, but my vote will be ignored. 

me too, susiecue.  not only will my vote (NDP, for the first time in my life) be lost in the sea of conservative ballots, but i'm on pacific time, so by the time my vote is counted, the national decision will already be made.

but i've never failed to vote.

i currently live in one of teh ridings that were going to have the by-election.  i guess that means the torys think they can win it.  i don't know, since a lot of the candidates look good to me.  my old riding (i moved a few months ago) was gilles duceppe's riding.  it's not like he could lose his riding (i'm half french canadian so for me quebec's identity and the french language is important, but i've never voted that way.  if i still lived in that riding though, would i have gone strategic, or not...  i wonder)

I watched the debate last night, and I found it actually really entertaining. I'd like to put a thought out to as many people as possible that... I am 16 years old and therefore cannot vote, but I really care about the election because this government will most likely be in power when I become a legal adult. I think a lot of Canadians are very selfish and lazy by not voting or voting without informing themselves of each party. So for anyone who reads this post and planned not to vote, please reconsider!

Back to the debate... I think Harper was just way too cold as he always appears. There's something weird about him that just makes my skin crawl. He did a good job keeping his cool during the debate, despite the gang up on him. However, he was proved wrong on many occasions, and what bothered me the most out of everything... He looks down way too much when he speaks. It seems like he's reciting something or just speaking untruthfully.

Duceppe caused a stir, which I liked, despite him being a seperatist...

Jack Layton was VERY GOOD. He talked very well, touched on many subjects, and seemed very passionate.

I'm sorry, but I just can't picture Dion as a PM. He gets too flustered and it's hard to understand him.

And as for Elizabeth May... She really knocked my socks off. If I could vote, she'd have mine. She seemed very honest, passionate, VERY knowledgeable, and she brought so many different issues to the table besides the environment. She seems to really care, and has all the right plans in my opinion to make Canada a much better and efficient country. Not to mention her plans really aim to help EVERYONE.

KUDOS to Layton for the sweater remark to Harper, Ahahaha, best thing I heard all day.

Jack Layton is a buffoon, I can barely stand to hear him speak.  His strategy is to attack and make promises he knows he won't have to keep because he won't get in. He came across, as he always does, greasy and slick. I thought the sweater comment was  rehearsed. How long was he hanging on to that? Low shot from a guy who is just trying to win at any cost. I wish the NDP would find someone genuine to represent them.

Dion, while very intelligent was disappointing, he let blustering Jack knock him down and seemed to lack the energy to deal with the loud mouth. He was genuine and I did believe he was speaking from his heart about his convictions. I wish I could vote for him, but he lacks the ability to deal with brutes.

May, performed very well and put to rest the complaint that they are a one issue party, but by the end of the debate she was coming off as momish, wagging her finger in the PMs face.  She horrified him.  Over all she seemed over eager and nervous. Never the less, my respect for her has grown. I am not ready to give her my vote, but I am very glad she was at the table.

I always liked Duceppe. I trust he means what he says and I admire any leader who does not always weigh the consequences of speaking his mind and has the strength of his own convictions.  I am glad he was there.

I thought Harper out shone all the other participants.  He was confident and handled the relentless attacks very well.  The others seemed diminished in their efforts to score of the PM.  He spoke bravely about his choices, after all, he is the current PM, dealing with an economic situation that changes daily.

I came out with a deeper respect for Harper and a very diminished respect for Dion. My repulsion for Jack grew and I think of May now as a real politician not just a protest vote.

*Compared the the over rehearsed and stilted made for TV US VP debate, the Canadian debate was real and lively. Glad I watched the Canadian debate.

~k

i'm with you, illingal.  and i think it's great that you're paying attention, even though you don't get to vote yet! 

i'd love to vote green, but we don't have a candidate in my riding. 

harper's refusal to admit that our economy is in trouble is terrifying.  he sounds just like mccain a few weeks ago.  we're not in the same kind of fix that the US is, but we're certainly not invulnerable.  harper and his buddies, of course, are in a position to benefit from the falling markets.

Original Post by katonick:

I thought Harper out shone all the other participants.  He was confident and handled the relentless attacks very well.  The others seemed diminished in their efforts to score of the PM.  He spoke bravely about his choices, after all, he is the current PM, dealing with an economic situation that changes daily.

that's what bugs me though, his confidence.  don't get me wrong, i think the oethrs were a bit too «on attack» and it was childish, but i feel as though he's keeping something from us.  namely: his econimic plan.    he asks for 30 minutes on economics, but talks nothing of his own, only criticised the others.  that's fishy to me...

PG - it's too bad that you can't vote swap with my friend the staunch Conservative.  Then you could both feel like your vote elected your MP. 

The Conservatives only get about 13% or less of the vote in any election where I live - we'll either be red (per usual) or Orange.  The NDP in my riding only lost by 648 votes last election.  In fact, pundits are predicting that all 5 ridings in North-western Ontario will be going Orange, despite Michael Ignatief coming to town and telling us "A vote for anything but Liberal will give the conservatives a majority".  Sorry - not scaring me.

I was watching CBC Newsworld the other morning and they mentioned in passing that for the first time in history, single voters outnumber family voters.  And they suggested that if one of the candidates were to jump on that particular bandwagon they could win some surprise seats.  But, IMO, that will never happen because families are perceived as the most important citizens.

Yeah! It's always family this and family that, it's hard to stay interested when nothing applies to me!

I am doing my best this time though...I actually watched the debate and with no preconceived ideas (translate: I know nothing about tha parties or their stands, except in the most general kind of way) I thought Layton was annoying and slimy, sounded like the kind of guy who loves to grandstand and criticize and make big dramatic statements about ideals...I would be interested in how he would act differently if he were leader...would he have real confidence or just continue to bluster? Harper I like. I found him well-spoken and not a big ole hothead....but I don't think I can vote Conservative, just on priciple, I mean aren't they against abortion and all that? Scary. I found May very intelligent, passionate without being a zealot or a bulldog, and I appreciated her stance on most issues, but I would be scared about how expensive things will become with this "pollution tax" she's pushing. Dion was clearly a very intelligent man, and yes more quiet and not as aggressive, but he tended to become unintelligible at times so I am not sure what his stance on a lot of things was. And the Bloc guy...haha well good for entertainment.

So essentially, the debate did not help me decide who to vote for at all. My bf says the best case scenario seems to be keeping a minority govt so that the party in power can't really run away with their most rightest/leftist issues, or risk a non-confidence vote. So that's what I am hoping for. How do I vote to help achieve that? Not a clue.

The Conservatives I think are kinda playing on the down low... y'know, literally being conservative because I don't think they have the right things in mind, and I don't think they're telling the truth. I think they're being sneaky. Just like the nature of calling this election... Using tax dollars to try and gain majority power... and especially in 36 days! The quickest time by law, and it caught many Canadians off guard. If he had what's best in mind for Canada, why would he spend these millions of dollars on an unnecessary election instead of putting it towards something to help the citizens? And the cutting of arts and cultures? COME ON. That really got on my nerves because that's where I'm headed in life and that's an aspect that defines Canada. I just really don't like this guy. Sorry for the Anti-Harper rant, but I'm just so frustrated! I just don't want him to get a majority because I think he has a hidden agenda.

illingal, don't apologize; you're totally right!  it was harper who put forward a law fixing the federal election date so that PMs couldn't pick and choose to suit them, and he's breaking his own law by calling this election (otherwise it would have been more than a year away).  he's trying to get re-elected before the **** hits the economic fan.