on Sunday the Federal riding of Ottawa Centre officially went into election mode. Now that Mac Harb the previous mope who was elected here was pushed into our, for the most part useless, senate, the time has run out for Prime Minister Martin who had to call a bi-election by constitution law. What remains to be seen is how much the locals will buy into the Liberal, who fought dirty as hell to get the nomination, or will they decide to swing to the left and elect Ed Broadbent the parachuted NDPer who many years ago used to the leader of the NDP and surprisingly still holds true to his socialist leanings. (Its been my view that as we get older we swing right, but I digress). Anyway the by-election here can be seem as a trial for the expected general election, which was promised for the spring, however may be pushed out a bit, which if it is then the bi-election will happen.
The issue is whether the liberals can remain in power. When Martin succeeded Prime Minister Cretion late last year he was running high in the polls, however the moment Martin stepped foot in the House as Prime Minister he has been attacked by all on a number of issues. The main one is the so called sponsorship scandal, where it appears Liberal party supporters received millions of dollars of public money for their support to that party. The opposition is doling it out, the shit is hitting the fan from all directions and it does not look to good for the Liberals.
Even with the scandal plagued Liberals the opposition is, as usual is in total disarray. The right is trying to form into a new party called the Conservative party of Canada and are in the process of finding a leader, this alone is becoming highly divisive primarily because the half of the member of this new party hate the candidates running for the leadership, who are being blamed for causing the disintegration of the old Progressive Conservative party. The NDP although now under strong leaders ship and with the return of Broadbent seem to be gaining stream they still are scoring low in the polls and finally the Bloc Quebecquois for some reason are in fact gaining popularity. All of this makes one wonder what a potential outcome would be if a general election is called.
If the Liberals remain scandal ridden and Martin has to go to the polls it is very possible that a minority government would be the outcome. Since there is only one conservative party the amount of vote splitting will be reduced and our first past the post system will be more decisive. It is possible to see the Liberals with the most seats in the house but not a majority which means some bargaining will be the order of the day, but with who? In the past its been the Liberals and the NDP who form the government, however this time around it may be different. Imagine the Conservative party wins the second largest number of seats and if the Bloc continues it strength perhaps these two combined can out number the Liberals/NDP and they could form the government. Wouldnt that be something? Mind you the Bloc are a social democrats party and the conservatives are rather right but the Bloc is really pissed about the Liberals being in power for over ten years with neigh a positive thing for Quebec, and these scandals, it could be enough to push them over. Politics as you know makes strange bedfellows. Think of it though, a right leaning party anxious to come to power and a left leaning deal breaker. The two together could in fact make nice centrist legislation.
So with the bi election in my home riding just heating up it will be wait and see. I sure hope the general election is pushed off to the fall. This way us Ottawa Centrists get to vote twice and I get to bring you more poop on the Canadian election front
The issue is whether the liberals can remain in power. When Martin succeeded Prime Minister Cretion late last year he was running high in the polls, however the moment Martin stepped foot in the House as Prime Minister he has been attacked by all on a number of issues. The main one is the so called sponsorship scandal, where it appears Liberal party supporters received millions of dollars of public money for their support to that party. The opposition is doling it out, the shit is hitting the fan from all directions and it does not look to good for the Liberals.
Even with the scandal plagued Liberals the opposition is, as usual is in total disarray. The right is trying to form into a new party called the Conservative party of Canada and are in the process of finding a leader, this alone is becoming highly divisive primarily because the half of the member of this new party hate the candidates running for the leadership, who are being blamed for causing the disintegration of the old Progressive Conservative party. The NDP although now under strong leaders ship and with the return of Broadbent seem to be gaining stream they still are scoring low in the polls and finally the Bloc Quebecquois for some reason are in fact gaining popularity. All of this makes one wonder what a potential outcome would be if a general election is called.
If the Liberals remain scandal ridden and Martin has to go to the polls it is very possible that a minority government would be the outcome. Since there is only one conservative party the amount of vote splitting will be reduced and our first past the post system will be more decisive. It is possible to see the Liberals with the most seats in the house but not a majority which means some bargaining will be the order of the day, but with who? In the past its been the Liberals and the NDP who form the government, however this time around it may be different. Imagine the Conservative party wins the second largest number of seats and if the Bloc continues it strength perhaps these two combined can out number the Liberals/NDP and they could form the government. Wouldnt that be something? Mind you the Bloc are a social democrats party and the conservatives are rather right but the Bloc is really pissed about the Liberals being in power for over ten years with neigh a positive thing for Quebec, and these scandals, it could be enough to push them over. Politics as you know makes strange bedfellows. Think of it though, a right leaning party anxious to come to power and a left leaning deal breaker. The two together could in fact make nice centrist legislation.
So with the bi election in my home riding just heating up it will be wait and see. I sure hope the general election is pushed off to the fall. This way us Ottawa Centrists get to vote twice and I get to bring you more poop on the Canadian election front