[Praxius]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/s ... hub=Canada

Quote:

OTTAWA -- Minority-government fatigue seems to be setting in with voters.

A new poll shows a spike in the number of Canadians who are pining for the days of federal majorities, and who might vote strategically in order to avoid the fourth straight minority in the next election.

The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey showed 64 per cent of respondents prefer a majority over a minority government, up from 52 per cent two years ago.

Only 24 per cent said they preferred a minority, as compared to 36 per cent in 2007.

"What people went in with the hopes of was that it would help facilitate more coalition-building and more consensus-building within the parties, but in practice what it has yielded is more conflict with the parties and less getting done," said Jeff Walker, senior vice-president at Harris-Decima.

In another question, the pollsters gave respondents four different scenarios to ponder: A Liberal majority or minority, or a Conservative majority or minority.

The Liberals came out on top in both respects -- with 30 per cent preferring a Liberal majority, and 14 per cent a Liberal minority, as compared to the 24 per cent who backed a Conservative majority and nine per cent who wanted a Conservative minority.

Walker said the results are an indication that the Liberals are the second choice for a majority of Canadian voters, and that could be a significant factor in the next election......

Bit of a stupid poll where yet again, people are only given two options to choose from.

Wow what a suprise that either the Conservatives or Liberals won out in the poll considering they were the only two options to choose from.

So are you guys sick of Minorities?

[poquas]

Until the Conservatives morphed into the dysfunctional party they've become, I would have said no.

Minority governments used to mean that all sides had to try harder to get along. Harper doesn't seem to realize he's running a minority government and has no interest in working with anyone. The more childish the antics in the house, the happier he seems to be.

[ridenrain]

poquas wrote:

Until the Conservatives morphed into the dysfunctional party they've become, I would have said no.

Minority governments used to mean that all sides had to try harder to get along. Harper doesn't seem to realize he's running a minority government and has no interest in working with anyone. The more childish the antics in the house, the happier he seems to be.

If only Joe Clark would return and save us all.

I think the huge majorities of the past were a dangerous thing because there simply are not enough checks and balances in our system to hold the Prime Minister accountable. A corrupt or devious PM controls the parliament, a stacked senate, influences the RCMP, the courts and the media, and MPs kiss their careers goodby if they speak out against him.

Note that I'm not putting sides to this because a left or right PM running roughshod over the will of the people is just the same problem.

I think we need to reduce party discipline so individual MPs can cross the floor if they don't like what their hearing. The strength of a government comes from all the members working together to a common goal, not being wipped into line.

[poquas]

ridenrain wrote:

:roll: If only Joe Clark would return and save us all.

Actually I'd have preferred Robert Stanfield, but Clark will do.

[Praxius]

ridenrain wrote:

:roll: If only Joe Clark would return and save us all.

I think the huge majorities of the past were a dangerous thing because there simply are not enough checks and balances in our system to hold the Prime Minister accountable. A corrupt or devious PM controls the parliament, a stacked senate, influences the RCMP, the courts and the media, and MPs kiss their careers goodby if they speak out against him.

Note that I'm not putting sides to this because a left or right PM running roughshod over the will of the people is just the same problem.

I think we need to reduce party discipline so individual MPs can cross the floor if they don't like what their hearing. The strength of a government comes from all the members working together to a common goal, not being wipped into line.

Agreed... It's not just the party leader who should have a say, each member of that party who was voted in by the people they're supposed to represent should have a respectable say in how their party is formed and what direction they head to.

Trying to pull off this whole "One Party One Voice" thing is a load of crap imo.... real humans are meant to disagree and it's their democratic right to voice their concerns of the party they are a part of and should very well be able to vote against plans they and the people who voted them into power don't agree with. And they sure as heck shouldn't worry over getting canned just because they spoke out.

What kind of Democracy is that?

It should never be what the party leader wants, it should be what the people of the nation want.

I think if we just gave a basic list of rights for a party leader, such as just being the spokeman of the party, rather then the decision maker, you just might actually see some real work getting done, rather then these fools in all the parties playing their trivial games to ensure they keep their fancy jobs and big pays.

Within the party, present your plans, let each person vote and whatever the majority decides, that's what you do. If people in the party feel they're always in the minority and out of the loop compared to everyone else in the party, perhaps they should reconsider which party they are in.

[Guy_Fawkes]

I think the whole system should be overhauled, with a seperate vote for the PM.

[Scape]

ridenrain wrote:

I think we need to reduce party discipline so individual MPs can cross the floor if they don't like what their hearing. The strength of a government comes from all the members working together to a common goal, not being wipped into line.

Belinda did that and cited those same reasons. Look what became of her career! I think the PMs role is powerful but it has to be in order to set the tempo. It can be abused and the system has a means to correct that at the polls.

[Praxius]

Scape wrote:

ridenrain wrote:

I think we need to reduce party discipline so individual MPs can cross the floor if they don't like what their hearing. The strength of a government comes from all the members working together to a common goal, not being wipped into line.

Belinda did that and cited those same reasons. Look what became of her career! I think the PMs role is powerful but it has to be in order to set the tempo. It can be abused and the system has a means to correct that at the polls.

Unfortunatly the polls seem to have a short memory and just switch back and forth between two parties.... some variety would be nice.

Then again, Nova Scotia has it's first NDP government... so that's a start. Now we'll just have to see what they can do.

[ridenrain]

As much as I'd like to see the Toronto party gone, the NDP is a long way away from replacing them.

[KorbenDeck]

I wish we had a party that was socially conservative and fiscally liberal

[Lemmy]

KorbenDeck wrote:

I wish we had a party that was socially conservative and fiscally liberal

And I wish we had a party that was socially liberal and fiscally conservative, so I don't foresee us swapping spit any time too soon, Korb. But, accepting that neither of us are likely to be satisfied in our wishes, I'll just hope for an honest man and a man of honour and principles. Let's forget their partisanship and speak of the men. We haven't had a leader with the personal character of a Tommy Douglas or Joe Clark or Pierre Trudeau in WAY too long.

[pldfk]

Scape wrote:

ridenrain wrote:

I think we need to reduce party discipline so individual MPs can cross the floor if they don't like what their hearing. The strength of a government comes from all the members working together to a common goal, not being wipped into line.

Belinda did that and cited those same reasons. Look what became of her career! I think the PMs role is powerful but it has to be in order to set the tempo. It can be abused and the system has a means to correct that at the polls.

Scott Brison also crossed the floor and is still going strong

[ridenrain]

Lemmy wrote:

Tommy Douglas, Joe Clark or Pierre Trudeau.

I think you just blew your non-partisan cover.

[Lemmy]

Yeah, I've always been a closet NDP-er...so many of us Libertarians (shit, I hate that tag too, "Classic Liberals"? "Grassroot-ers"? "Small-governmenters"?) are.

[xerxes]

Lemmy wrote:

KorbenDeck wrote:

I wish we had a party that was socially conservative and fiscally liberal

And I wish we had a party that was socially liberal and fiscally conservative, so I don't foresee us swapping spit any time too soon, Korb. But, accepting that neither of us are likely to be satisfied in our wishes, I'll just hope for an honest man and a man of honour and principles. Let's forget their partisanship and speak of the men. We haven't had a leader with the personal character of a Tommy Douglas or Joe Clark or Pierre Trudeau in WAY too long.

For the most part, the Liberal Party usually fits that descrription.