Canadian Confederal Elections

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/liv...stephen-harper
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34568497

Canada goes to the polls to elect a new government

- Prime Minister (since 2006) Stephen Harper is fighting for a historic 4th term in office
- Highly split three-way race under First Past the Post Westminster system
- Recent polls have shown Conservatives losing ground to the Liberals

Thrones in the Canadian Senate where the Queen of Canada Elizabeth II (or the Governor-General) delievers the Queen's Speech

Canadians have started voting in fiercely contested parliamentary elections that could give them their first new leader in nearly 10 years. Incumbent Conservative PM Stephen Harper is fighting for a rare fourth term but the frontrunner is Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, son of late prime minister Pierre Trudeau. The left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) could also play a decisive role.

Opinion polls have suggested many people are still undecided. Voting hours are staggered across the country and polls opened in Newfoundland at 0830 local time (1100 GMT). Polls will close in the west of the country at 19:00 (02:00 GMT). It is one of the longest and possibly closest election campaigns in Canada's history, with leaders criss-crossing the country to try to sway undecided voters. Mr Harper, 56, is selling himself as the steady hand who can steer Canada's troubled economy back on track. His campaign has run TV advertisements saying that Liberal leader Mr Trudeau, 43, is "just not ready" to take office.

"Every single vote for a Conservative candidate is a vote to protect our economy against Liberal and NDP deficits and taxes," Mr Harper told supporters in Regina, Saskatchewan, on Sunday. As polls opened, he tweeted that a vote for the Conservatives would "protect Canadian jobs and our economy". Mr Trudeau started the race in third place but the Liberals took the lead in opinion polls in a late surge.

It's going to be a tight one last time I read the polls. I do hope Harper remains, I can't lose Stephen Harper just after Tony Abbott as my favourite Anglosphere heads of governments. My amateur knowledge of Canadian electoral politics says to me that as the Conservatives are strongest in the western provinces so there's therefore more chance of a split vote between the Liberals and NDP in other seats? Am I right?

Are any friends in the Dominion on Habbox following the elections? What do you make of it?

[-:Undertaker:-]

A stunning victory by the Liberal Party.

Here's the new Prime Minister of the maple leaf Dominion.

[MKR&*42]

I am pretty surprised the Liberal Party won, considering the polls have only just said in the past few weeks that they would gain a large number of seats... and I don't think any of them predicted an overall majority.

[FlyingJesus]

Can't say I'm a fan of Trudeau but anything's got to be better than Harper at this stage. An unexpected majority in the results to rival our own elections here by the looks of it seems the desire to get rid of the devil they know was stronger than the will to back a third party, although 13% of seats for 3rd place isn't bad going for the NDP. If the US now swings back to Republican that could be interesting to watch

[OldLoveSong]

unfortunately most of the teens/ young adults i know only voted him cuz he promised to legalize marijuana <_< but yeah not really happy about the outcome. if its one thing harper did best it was staying on budget and not overspending, lit scared that justin is now PM, here comes the overspending and debt to come for years and years from a guy who says the budget balances itself *facepalm*

[-:Undertaker:-]

unfortunately most of the teens/ young adults i know only voted him cuz he promised to legalize marijuana <_< but yeah not really happy about the outcome. if its one thing harper did best it was staying on budget and not overspending, lit scared that justin is now PM, here comes the overspending and debt to come for years and years from a guy who says the budget balances itself *facepalm*

Trudeau strongly reminds me of Tony Blair... which isn't a good thing.

But it'll be interesting now to see how the Conservative project (began in the 1990s by the Reform Party) pans out and where it goes.

[Thordenhime]

The legalisation of marijuana is a good move IMO the us has benefited from it greatly.

[OldLoveSong]

The legalisation of marijuana is a good move IMO the us has benefited from it greatly.

He wants to tax it , What I want to know is where will all of this tax money go? In Trudeau's pocket? Where do the taxes put on cigarettes end up? Not only do we have to fear drunk drivers in our neighbourhoods but now people who drive high. I dislike drugs and the thought of it becoming legal concerns me. How will it be controlled?

[Thordenhime]

He wants to tax it , What I want to know is where will all of this tax money go? In Trudeau's pocket? Where do the taxes put on cigarettes end up? Not only do we have to fear drunk drivers in our neighbourhoods but now people who drive high. I dislike drugs and the thought of it becoming legal concerns me. How will it be controlled?

Lmao if you've ever smoked weed people being high while driving will chill them out if anything.

[FlyingJesus]

He wants to tax it , What I want to know is where will all of this tax money go? In Trudeau's pocket? Where do the taxes put on cigarettes end up?

Tax money in general goes into the same pool which is then dished out among various departments according to the agreed upon budgets that the government set - it's how all the "free" stuff in the world is paid for essentially. Health services, highway maintenance, support systems, the emergency services, all that sort of thing. You won't have to worry about Trudeau pocketing anything, that's very much not allowed

Lmao if you've ever smoked weed people being high while driving will chill them out if anything.

That's not a good thing lol driving under the influence is a terrible idea that puts yourself and everyone else at risk. Being super chilled is not what you want from a driver at all