Canada election watch

[barracuda]

I hope Jeff doesn't take this too hard. He seemed to be putting a lot of stock in this one. Maybe he'll be moved to Blog! That would be the only bright side to this night.

I've got the some friends over and we're closely monitoring his Facebook page.

[Feilan]

their facial expressions are AAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL wrong.

just sayin' ... - OH - wait - i get it now.

too many vodka shots on my part, clearly.

lol.

[DrVolin]

For a progressive, this is not a bad result at all. Going from perpetual third to government, especially minority, would probably have been disastrous for the NDP. They would have faced an entrenched establishment Conservative/Liberal public service and the inexperience and relative insecurity of their own new MPs. A stint as the opposition gives them a chance to blood their troops, get plenty of visibility, and present a real alternative to the Conservatives for the next four years. If they do their homework, there is a real chance of an NDP majority next time around. Gradual growth instead of crash and burn.

[DrVolin]

So who wants to start a pool for when Justin becomes leader of the Liberal Party?

[hava1]

not lounge but my shabby desk at home and I am the instant coffee type, ran out of milk and using now icecream to bleach. BUt glad to have served your imagination this morning...

i've just noticed that you write Kanada as your location. I take that to mean some resentment to the involvement of the USA in Canadian affairs. well , you know, I like Obama...I know that's very unpopular here, but I think that its better to look at the bright side .

In my tarot reading for your elections, i had a funny draw. that was yesterday or the day before...The conservatives got 6 wands which is in fact victory, the NDP got 6 of cups which is...nostalgia, childhood generally a good reading, but not victorious at the moment, perhaps there's work to do. Not sure about the liberals..i cant recall..but it didnt strike me as relevant. )) maybe i'll start an online election tarot service.

Anyway, cheers in Israel media...to add to your demise...

I voted first in 1988, it was for Mapam, sort of NDP , but was a very small party here (now its gone). Then after what i saw in the USA in 1990-1992, before the Rabin victory, I realized the matter is deeply rigged, in ways that we in Israel did not even guess. Namely, that someone in the USA decides who will reign years ahead, and we are like idiots in a theatre. So I said, at least I will not waste those 2 hours on the charade...in a moment of weakness I fell for the same trick in 2005 when the "new left" tapped into the remains of idiocy and hope and voted for Chadash, sort of old communists turned green party, to find out I experience the same sense of being mollested on a bus. So, either you force your representatives to make use of the power you gave them, during this term in opposition, or at least refrain from the drain.

Hava - you are a breath of fresh morning air. I picture you lounging, black coffe in hand in a glass, Israeli style

Thank you for checking in.

I am despondent - in case you can't tell. I thought our system was different too ... but that was years ago, if ever. I think I'm chasing unicorns.

The thing is - my Daddy was a career member of the Canadian armed forces ... which ... HAD a somewhat different meaning once ... and his version of his mission instilled in me (a LOT of argument) AND the irresistable compunction to vote - as a duty - like observing remembrance day - when called on. Not merely to vote - but to be an informed voter, motivated by higher principles of enlightened disinterest. That doesn't really explain how mommy and daddy vote these days ... i'm at a perrenial loss as to how the 'law and order' dude that brought me up could cop over and over again for Harper's SHIT. Pie in the fucking sky.

Anyway. I'm really happy to see you in here tonight/this morning. Wish I could remember some nice hebrew something or other to say to you ... how about - shalom?

xo Feilan

[Fresno_Layshaft]

For a progressive, this is not a bad result at all. Going from perpetual third to government, especially minority, would probably have been disastrous for the NDP. They would have faced an entrenched establishment Conservative/Liberal public service and the inexperience and relative insecurity of their own new MPs. A stint as the opposition gives them a chance to blood their troops, get plenty of visibility, and present a real alternative to the Conservatives for the next four years. If they do their homework, there is a real chance of an NDP majority next time around. Gradual growth instead of crash and burn.

I dunno, this looks like a crash and burn to me. I think Quebec will be disenfranchised and go back to the Bloc. And middle-of-the-roaders will go back to the Liberals to make sure Cons don't win again. I don't think the future looks too bright for them.

[Feilan]

For a progressive, this is not a bad result at all. Going from perpetual third to government, especially minority, would probably have been disastrous for the NDP. They would have faced an entrenched establishment Conservative/Liberal public service and the inexperience and relative insecurity of their own new MPs. A stint as the opposition gives them a chance to blood their troops, get plenty of visibility, and present a real alternative to the Conservatives for the next four years. If they do their homework, there is a real chance of an NDP majority next time around. Gradual growth instead of crash and burn.

I dig that. I'm a sucker for optimism (in case that wasn't already evident) ... but ... i pale (and i'm pretty fucking pale at the outset) at the notion of HOW MUCH DAMAGE 4 unfettered years of Harper majority can do. srsly. His minority schtick was superscary enough.

[Feilan]

:) not lounge but my shabby desk at home and I am the instant coffee type, ran out of milk and using now icecream to bleach. BUt glad to have served your imagination this morning...

i've just noticed that you write Kanada as your location. I take that to mean some resentment to the involvement of the USA in Canadian affairs. well , you know, I like Obama...I know that's very unpopular here, but I think that its better to look at the bright side .

In my tarot reading for your elections, i had a funny draw. that was yesterday or the day before...The conservatives got 6 wands which is in fact victory, the NDP got 6 of cups which is...nostalgia, childhood generally a good reading, but not victorious at the moment, perhaps there's work to do. Not sure about the liberals..i cant recall..but it didnt strike me as relevant. )) maybe i'll start an online election tarot service.

Anyway, cheers in Israel media...to add to your demise...

I voted first in 1988, it was for Mapam, sort of NDP , but was a very small party here (now its gone). Then after what i saw in the USA in 1990-1992, before the Rabin victory, I realized the matter is deeply rigged, in ways that we in Israel did not even guess. Namely, that someone in the USA decides who will reign years ahead, and we are like idiots in a theatre. So I said, at least I will not waste those 2 hours on the charade...in a moment of weakness I fell for the same trick in 2005 when the "new left" tapped into the remains of idiocy and hope and voted for Chadash, sort of old communists turned green party, to find out I experience the same sense of being mollested on a bus. So, either you force your representatives to make use of the power you gave them, during this term in opposition, or at least refrain from the drain.

funny you should mention it (the highlighted bit) ... my spelling of Kanada is an anglicized version of the pre-European. Best guess as to where we stole the name from ... Huron for 'the village' ...



While I can often (OFTEN) be heard to wail and lament US interference in our affairs (the mouse that sleeps with an elephant) I opt for a stiff upper lip as often as I can. It may not be quite as spritely as the optimist's face, but it is as honest as I can make it. We will have to disagree about the Obama. I'm not a fan. I respect your optimism though. My husband keeps that kind of coal burning too - in spite of my harping to the contrary.

I enjoyed reading your tarot reading ... in stark contrast to it's portents of course ... I once pretended I knew what the hell I was doing with a deck of tarot in a logger's bar in North Bay, Ontario ... I was a drunken tree planter and they were gullible. That might go some distance toward explaining the way they voted (a 14 vote difference between the victorious tories and the runner-up liberals).

Well. Here's to holding our newly minted Official Opposition to account. May we yet have a future. May they make good.

[lupercal]

Very sad news.. condolences to all Kanadian brethren and sistren..

[Feilan]

... the mood at our kitchen table turns super sour/sombre ... I, oddly enough, have rebounded with a brand new rock hard heart - lowered expectations. Honey glowers under his hoody. He mourns. "We're all amerikans now." - he keeps saying. We were yesterday, I say. He scowls.

The free trade gift of corona was never LESS satisfying.

[Feilan]

thank you lupercal hugs are a welcome and much needed salve.

[hava1]

INteresting the origins of the name, shamefully I never bothered to look up the meaning of the name...learning something every day...

I think Obama is a great improvement over Bush, and that's just what it is. The idea of having a black pres is also good, even if manufactured so to speak. It has done good all over, in matters of racism. as would i presume have happened to feminism if Hillary were elected, although she is no news at all. symbols are silly but powerful and useful, to a limited known extent.

[Feilan]

dearest Hava - forgive me for saying so - but all of a sudden - talking about the merits of Obama in the Canada Election Watch thread feels *a bit* like talking A LOT about men's feelings in a thread about misogyny. Please don't take offense. I could happily engage you on the topic ... on another day. Now, I suddenly can't find my happy place.

Please don't trouble yourself about 'neglecting' the source of my spelling for Kanada. How on earth could anyone expect a person so far away to even suspect? Most card carrying Canadians haven't got a clue. OBVIOUSLY.

...this feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeels like the last word... for the night anyhow ... {CORRECT ME if i'm wrong!} ...there are two butts left to burn. Tomorrow we quit again. Tomorrow we wake up to the sounds of parliamentary horror, darkness and worst possible outcomes .......... honey has gone to bed in a funk. Who can blame him? I? I am drunkish and thusly inured from the worst of it for now... when I wake up it will feel ugly. Not unlike rape if anyone will forgive the analogy - perhaps no one will. Nevertheless I stand by it. That's quite a bit like what it will feel like for so, so many of us - all the ones Steve get's a kick out of fucking in the streets. And yes - i have got some idea about that which i analogize.

It may not seem like much to you (if you're not a citizen up here) but it was everything that might have been different - to us. I would argue we had ACTUAL hope and change within our grasp and it died on the vine. You tell me - what's worse?

[Jeff]

hanging out at an NDP campaign central would be superSTRANGE tonight - a total mind fuck of happy and inoperably sad.

Mood swingy! Though I'm starting to find a numbing equilibrium. I should really be drinking but I don't want to aspirate whiskey in my sleep.

Lots of positives for the party and the Canadian left, though I left wondering if we'd just elected Canada's last parliament. The PQ are almost certain to win government in Quebec, and they couldn't ask for a better backdrop than Harper's Canada to fight a sovereigntist referendum. I wouldn't fault them for saying Fuck this, we're out of here tomorrow.

Oh well. Let's give heightening the contradictions a go and see what happens, I guess.

[Project Willow]

I was at the Saloon at 6pm PSD and as soon as I saw "CBC projects Conservative Government" I knew it would be a mixed bag, but I had a good portion of the tenancy paying attention and alerted to socialist possibilities, so at least for a tiny tiny spec of American politics, it was a good night.

Please tell me however, how can getting one's party established as the official opposition as opposed to being number 3 or worse in all previous races be seen as a complete defeat? Is there not some form of victory to be celebrated this evening?

On edit^^ thanks for that Jeff.