Canadian Election Information

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 10:10 AM

I'm finding lately that I forget to read the newspaper, which is leaving me woefully uninformed on the current election coverage. For instance, the Liberal candidate in my riding was recently fired and I didn't know about it until some friends told me. I need to get up to speed by the time I head to the polling booth.

So I think I need to start having my news 'pushed' to me. I just discovered http://election.rabble.ca/ and it seems to have some interesting editorials, so I added it as a subscription in Google Reader.

Does anyone here have any other recommended sites that I could bookmark or better yet put into a feed? Any idea how I might set up some kind of RSS feed or Google Alert thing to find info specific to my riding? Despite being a software developer I am sadly uneducated in the ways of internet feeds, really only using Google Reader to trap the odd blog I come across.

DaddyTorgo · 10-02-2008, 10:18 AM

what's a riding?

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 10:28 AM

Geez, the election is less than two weeks away...I suppose I should find out who's running!!

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 10:29 AM

A riding is basically a geographical section of land, with representatives from each party running to be the Member of Parliament for that area. Think of it like a county or something I guess. In Canada we don't actually get to vote for the Prime Minister, we only get to vote for the representative of our riding. The party that wins the most ridings (and therefore the most seats in parliament) is the Governing Party, and their leader is the Prime Minister.

Interestingly, each leader runs in a riding somewhere, so it is possible for them to lose to their opponent and not have a seat in parliament, yet still become PM. I think generally one of the other MP's from their party would then give up their seat to the PM, but I can't specifically remember the rules or when it last happened.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 01:18 PM

Either most of the Canadians on this board are absent today or this election is about as low profile/uninteresting as I thought. Maybe we need to crank up some rhetoric and spin like in the Obama/McCain thread. I'll go first:

I hate everyone that doesn't think the same as me and the party to which I have aligned myself. I'd rather a monkey wearing my party's flag have it's hand on the button to launch our submarine than the most well-spoken member of any opposition party.

MikeVic · 10-02-2008, 01:40 PM

I will be moving in the middle of all this, and don't feel like finding out where to vote in my new area, or who the local candidates are in that riding. So I'll be skipping this election.

We'll be voting again soon anyway. :P

Galaxy · 10-02-2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

A riding is basically a geographical section of land, with representatives from each party running to be the Member of Parliament for that area. Think of it like a county or something I guess. In Canada we don't actually get to vote for the Prime Minister, we only get to vote for the representative of our riding. The party that wins the most ridings (and therefore the most seats in parliament) is the Governing Party, and their leader is the Prime Minister.

Interestingly, each leader runs in a riding somewhere, so it is possible for them to lose to their opponent and not have a seat in parliament, yet still become PM. I think generally one of the other MP's from their party would then give up their seat to the PM, but I can't specifically remember the rules or when it last happened.

Basically, a riding is equal to a congressional district in the US?

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I will be moving in the middle of all this, and don't feel like finding out where to vote in my new area, or who the local candidates are in that riding. So I'll be skipping this election.

We'll be voting again soon anyway. :P

You'll be in my riding, and I suspect you would be voting at the Safeway/Zellers mall right by your house. I think you should vote, it's a good thing to do. Just keep in mind that the Liberal on the ballot is actually independent now, because she was outed as a supposed 9/11 conspiracy theorist.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Basically, a riding is equal to a congressional district in the US?

I don't fully know how a congressional district works, but that sounds about right. I was thinking afterwards that the word district would have worked well in that paragraph.

DaddyTorgo · 10-02-2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I'd rather a monkey wearing my party's flag have it's hand on the button to launch our submarine than the most well-spoken member of any opposition party.

You have a submarine? Is it hamster-powered, or diesel?

Fighter of Foo · 10-02-2008, 01:52 PM

Where can I find detailed polling information?

MikeVic · 10-02-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

You'll be in my riding, and I suspect you would be voting at the Safeway/Zellers mall right by your house. I think you should vote, it's a good thing to do. Just keep in mind that the Liberal on the ballot is actually independent now, because she was outed as a supposed 9/11 conspiracy theorist.

Nice, so no Liberal. That narrows it to two parties then.

That'll help then I guess. Do you know if I can just show up with my current voting card thing and just say I moved to this new area recently?

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

You have a submarine? Is it hamster-powered, or diesel?

Haha, powered... good one! Our submarine just sinks. We lift it back up again with tugboats once the threat has passed.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fighter of Foo

Where can I find detailed polling information?

Good question! I'd also like to know. I guess maybe read the National Post?

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Nice, so no Liberal. That narrows it to two parties then.

That'll help then I guess. Do you know if I can just show up with my current voting card thing and just say I moved to this new area recently?

I doubt it. I think there is a number on your card, you call it and register your change of address. I guess the other option would be to just vote in your old area, especially if you had your heart set on voting Liberal or something.

I think you might have more than just 2 choices though, there must be a Green party member, and maybe some other independents? Communist?

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fighter of Foo

Where can I find detailed polling information?

Hmm, this comes up on Google: Canadian Election Opinion Polls

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 02:04 PM

Here we go MikeVic, some info on our riding:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/r...candidate.html

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 02:05 PM

quintuple-dola...

Check out Ross Eadie... he wears shades in every photo I've ever seen. Unless he is blind, I would never vote for someone who refuses to show his eyes! Good grief!

duff88 · 10-02-2008, 02:06 PM

You're not going to like me, but I don't think I'm going to vote...

And you're going to hate me, because if I do I'm voting for the Bloc Quebecois...

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 02:06 PM

I think he's blind.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duff88

You're not going to like me, but I don't think I'm going to vote...

And you're going to hate me, because if I do I'm voting for the Bloc Quebecois...

I think the idea behind the Bloc is horrific, but if I could pick any of the leaders to lead a normal party I'd pick Duceppe hands down.

MikeVic · 10-02-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I doubt it. I think there is a number on your card, you call it and register your change of address. I guess the other option would be to just vote in your old area, especially if you had your heart set on voting Liberal or something.

I think you might have more than just 2 choices though, there must be a Green party member, and maybe some other independents? Communist?

Yeah there definitely is a Green Party and there was a Communist candidate last time...

The Green Party was explained to me by someone that likes them, and I didn't really see how that stuff affected me, so I counted them out. Of course I'm not going for Bloc Quebeqois.

My riding has a great Liberal candidate. I'm not necessarily for Liberals, but this guy is good for the community. You actually see him.

FrogMan · 10-02-2008, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duff88

You're not going to like me, but I don't think I'm going to vote...

And you're going to hate me, because if I do I'm voting for the Bloc Quebecois...

oh man, come on. The Bloc is the most retardest of retarded idea ever to make its way into politics. Seriously.

Fidatelo, I didn't answer cause I have little clue as to how you could follow your own riding (learned a new word there

). Maybe see the online edition of your local paper and see if they have a specific RSS feed for the politics section of the paper?

FM

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 02:59 PM

My Liberal candidate is a friggin' yoga instructor...pffft.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

My Liberal candidate is a friggin' yoga instructor...pffft.

I wouldn't immediately dismiss that as being a bad thing... s/he definitely has a lot of quiet time to ruminate on the issues!

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I wouldn't immediately dismiss that as being a bad thing... s/he definitely has a lot of quiet time to ruminate on the issues!

Probably not, she also owns/runs a day-care...no quiet time there.

Galaxy · 10-02-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I don't fully know how a congressional district works, but that sounds about right. I was thinking afterwards that the word district would have worked well in that paragraph.

Sounds like the same. The House of representatives is made up of congressmen/congresswomen, who each represent a district. They can be re-zone based upon population and growth/lost.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Sounds like the same. The House of representatives is made up of congressmen/congresswomen, who each represent a district. They can be re-zone based upon population and growth/lost.

Ya, that's it then, ours go to the House of Commons, and ridings can be re-zoned based on population as well. So same deal.

We have a Senate too, but ours is appointed rather than elected.

And then of course the biggest difference being that we can't actually vote for the PM. I've never really liked that.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Probably not, she also owns/runs a day-care...no quiet time there.

No, but definitely a lot of experience dealing with spoiled little brats, so she should be great if she has to work with members from the Bloc

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

No, but definitely a lot of experience dealing with spoiled little brats, so she should be great if she has to work with members from the Bloc

Or any polititcian for that matter.

Galaxy · 10-02-2008, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Ya, that's it then, ours go to the House of Commons, and ridings can be re-zoned based on population as well. So same deal.

We have a Senate too, but ours is appointed rather than elected.

And then of course the biggest difference being that we can't actually vote for the PM. I've never really liked that.

The PM is determined by who wins the most seats (so if the Liberal party won a majority of the seats, the PM would be the Liberal leader)? Do you vote the party of the leader?

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 03:44 PM

Yeah, we vote for the party...not the person.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Yeah, we vote for the party...not the person.

That's not true. We vote for our riding's rep, who is likely a member of a party, and that seat gets counted toward the total. Although a lot of people do just vote for a party and completely ignore the differences between their local candidates.

Fidatelo · 10-02-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Or any polititcian for that matter.

Ssshhh, I'm trying to stir things up!

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

That's not true. We vote for our riding's rep, who is likely a member of a party, and that seat gets counted toward the total. Although a lot of people do just vote for a party and completely ignore the differences between their local candidates.

When somebody asks you who you voted for what do you say? I bet you 99% of people will tell you the party they voted for not the candidate.

johnnyshaka · 10-02-2008, 04:16 PM

Maybe growing up in Ottawa has jaded me somewhat, but I absolutely hate politics and election time.

Ryan S · 10-02-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galaxy

The PM is determined by who wins the most seats (so if the Liberal party won a majority of the seats, the PM would be the Liberal leader)? Do you vote the party of the leader?

**The following comments assume that Canada uses the British system.**

The election of the PM is similar to the election of the Majority leader in the House. The leader of the party which wins the most seats will usually become the PM.

In some cases, if the winning party does not have an overall majority of seats it is possible for a coalition of the minority parties to
join together and take power, but it is far more common to see a minority government (and usually another election shortly afterwards).

The speaker of the house is usually an elder statesman, and is expected to be totally neutral. The speaker is often not a member of the ruling party.

MikeVic · 10-02-2008, 05:24 PM

Yeah we have that minority thing that Ryan describes.

DanGarion · 10-02-2008, 06:10 PM

Since when did Canadian's get to vote in our elections? I thought the USA was your overlord.

MikeVic · 10-02-2008, 09:04 PM

This Canadian debate has a funny moderator guy. Like a skinny Bruce Campbell. He has funny facial expressions.

Fidatelo · 10-03-2008, 08:34 AM

I PVR'd the Canadian debate last night because I was out. Is it worth watching? Or should I just read the coverage in the newspaper and not waste my time?

MikeVic · 10-03-2008, 08:44 AM

I watched maybe ten minutes of it... they were talking about arts funding for the majority of it. And then there was a question, worded something like: "Do you think the Conservatives are monsters?" wtf? For he stuff I watched, it seemed like everyone piled onto Harper. I didn't really watch enough to say if it's worth it or not.

Fidatelo · 10-03-2008, 10:33 AM

Haha, "do you think the Conservatives are monsters?"! That's awesome. Someone should have held up a picture of pedobear with a sweater-vest on next to a picture of Harper and asked if viewers could tell who was who :P

Fidatelo · 10-14-2008, 11:10 AM

So does everyone know who they are voting for today? Sadly enough, I'm still undecided. Looks like I might be making up my mind inside the booth this year

MikeVic · 10-14-2008, 11:29 AM

After reading an article in the Sun a couple days ago, I know who I'm not voting for based on one policy they want. Other than that, nope.

Fidatelo · 10-14-2008, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeVic

After reading an article in the Sun a couple days ago, I know who I'm not voting for based on one policy they want. Other than that, nope.

Hmm, what party/policy? I can't think of anything I've heard recently that would sway me away from someone, but that would be some good info to know today rather than tomorrow.

MikeVic · 10-14-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Hmm, what party/policy? I can't think of anything I've heard recently that would sway me away from someone, but that would be some good info to know today rather than tomorrow.

Oh, it was the Liberals' idea of helping the environment... the carbon tax. I thought that was so stupid, it made me completely not want to vote for them.

FrogMan · 10-14-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Oh, it was the Liberals' idea of helping the environment... the carbon tax. I thought that was so stupid, it made me completely not want to vote for them.

as soon as I read "one policy", I was sure you were going to say the carbon tax.

I do know who I'm not voting for, and it has nothing to do with the carbon tax. You read about it earlier in the thread, heh...

FM

FrogMan · 10-14-2008, 12:23 PM

dola, luckily for you out west, you can't even think about voting for who I'm not voting for, cause, you know, they are not present in your neck of the wood... Yeah, lucky you.

FM

Fidatelo · 10-14-2008, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Oh, it was the Liberals' idea of helping the environment... the carbon tax. I thought that was so stupid, it made me completely not want to vote for them.

Ah ok, I thought it was maybe something that just recently came out in the news (Carbon Tax has been in their plans from the beginning). I agree, it's a poor plan when you consider the current economic situation.

As I've said earlier, I can't vote Liberal anyways because they are no longer running a candidate in my area, so I've kind of stopped even paying attention to their campaign. I've narrowed my choice down to two candidates, and I think I know which way I'm leaning... but I hate being this undecided this late in the process.

10-02-2008, 10:29 AM	#4
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	A riding is basically a geographical section of land, with representatives from each party running to be the Member of Parliament for that area. Think of it like a county or something I guess. In Canada we don't actually get to vote for the Prime Minister, we only get to vote for the representative of our riding. The party that wins the most ridings (and therefore the most seats in parliament) is the Governing Party, and their leader is the Prime Minister. Interestingly, each leader runs in a riding somewhere, so it is possible for them to lose to their opponent and not have a seat in parliament, yet still become PM. I think generally one of the other MP's from their party would then give up their seat to the PM, but I can't specifically remember the rules or when it last happened. __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

10-02-2008, 01:18 PM	#5
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	Either most of the Canadians on this board are absent today or this election is about as low profile/uninteresting as I thought. Maybe we need to crank up some rhetoric and spin like in the Obama/McCain thread. I'll go first: I hate everyone that doesn't think the same as me and the party to which I have aligned myself. I'd rather a monkey wearing my party's flag have it's hand on the button to launch our submarine than the most well-spoken member of any opposition party. __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

10-02-2008, 02:04 PM	#17
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	Here we go MikeVic, some info on our riding: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/r...candidate.html __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

10-02-2008, 02:05 PM	#18
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	quintuple-dola... Check out Ross Eadie... he wears shades in every photo I've ever seen. Unless he is blind, I would never vote for someone who refuses to show his eyes! Good grief! __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime." Last edited by Fidatelo : 10-02-2008 at 02:06 PM.

10-02-2008, 02:06 PM	#19
duff88 College Prospect Join Date: Aug 2005	You're not going to like me, but I don't think I'm going to vote... And you're going to hate me, because if I do I'm voting for the Bloc Quebecois... __________________ The Battle of Quebec [EHM:EA Dynasty]

10-02-2008, 10:18 AM	#2
DaddyTorgo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Massachusetts	what's a riding?

10-02-2008, 10:28 AM	#3
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	Geez, the election is less than two weeks away...I suppose I should find out who's running!!

10-02-2008, 01:40 PM	#6
MikeVic Head Coach Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hometown of Canada	I will be moving in the middle of all this, and don't feel like finding out where to vote in my new area, or who the local candidates are in that riding. So I'll be skipping this election. We'll be voting again soon anyway. :P

10-02-2008, 01:52 PM	#11
Fighter of Foo College Prospect Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston, MA	Where can I find detailed polling information?

10-02-2008, 02:06 PM	#20
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	I think he's blind. __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime." Last edited by Fidatelo : 10-02-2008 at 02:09 PM. Reason: no longer a six-tuple dola

10-02-2008, 02:59 PM	#24
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	My Liberal candidate is a friggin' yoga instructor...pffft.

10-02-2008, 03:44 PM	#32
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	Yeah, we vote for the party...not the person.

10-02-2008, 04:16 PM	#36
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	Maybe growing up in Ottawa has jaded me somewhat, but I absolutely hate politics and election time. Last edited by johnnyshaka : 10-02-2008 at 05:29 PM.

10-02-2008, 05:24 PM	#38
MikeVic Head Coach Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hometown of Canada	Yeah we have that minority thing that Ryan describes.

10-02-2008, 06:10 PM	#39
DanGarion Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Great Northwest	Since when did Canadian's get to vote in our elections? I thought the USA was your overlord. __________________ Los Angeles Dodgers Check out the FOFC Groups on Facebook! and Reddit! DON'T REPORT ME BRO! Last edited by DanGarion : 10-02-2008 at 06:10 PM.

10-02-2008, 09:04 PM	#40
MikeVic Head Coach Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hometown of Canada	This Canadian debate has a funny moderator guy. Like a skinny Bruce Campbell. He has funny facial expressions.

10-03-2008, 08:34 AM	#41
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	I PVR'd the Canadian debate last night because I was out. Is it worth watching? Or should I just read the coverage in the newspaper and not waste my time? __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

10-03-2008, 08:44 AM	#42
MikeVic Head Coach Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hometown of Canada	I watched maybe ten minutes of it... they were talking about arts funding for the majority of it. And then there was a question, worded something like: "Do you think the Conservatives are monsters?" wtf? For he stuff I watched, it seemed like everyone piled onto Harper. I didn't really watch enough to say if it's worth it or not.

10-03-2008, 10:33 AM	#43
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	Haha, "do you think the Conservatives are monsters?"! That's awesome. Someone should have held up a picture of pedobear with a sweater-vest on next to a picture of Harper and asked if viewers could tell who was who :P __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

10-14-2008, 11:10 AM	#44
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	So does everyone know who they are voting for today? Sadly enough, I'm still undecided. Looks like I might be making up my mind inside the booth this year __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

10-14-2008, 11:29 AM	#45
MikeVic Head Coach Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hometown of Canada	After reading an article in the Sun a couple days ago, I know who I'm not voting for based on one policy they want. Other than that, nope.

10-14-2008, 12:23 PM	#49
FrogMan Hattrick Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Pintendre, Qc, Canada	dola, luckily for you out west, you can't even think about voting for who I'm not voting for, cause, you know, they are not present in your neck of the wood... Yeah, lucky you. FM __________________ A Black Belt is a White Belt who refused to give up... follow my story: The real life story of a running frog...

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