The latest Nanos tracking has the Conservatives dropping in the new year with a dead heat between the Tories and the Liberals. The Conservatives continue to lead in the Prairies and British Columbia but are statistically tied with the Liberals in Atlantic Canada, Ontario. The Bloc Quebecois leads in Quebec at 33% followed by the Liberals at 29% and the Conservatives at 22%, the NDP at 11% and the Greens at 5%.
Although the Harper Conservatives ended the year with a comfortable 10 point margin, their advantage in the ballot box has all but evaporated.
Methodology
Nanos conducted a random telephone survey of 1,002 Canadians, 18 years of age and older, between January 29th and February 4th 2010. A survey of 1,002 Canadians is accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20, for 783 committed voters, it is accurate to within 3.5 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20. Margins may be larger for smaller samples.
Ballot Question: For those parties you would consider voting for federally, could you please rank your top two current local preferences? (Committed voters only - First Preference)
The numbers in parenthesis denote the change from the last Nanos National Omnibus survey completed between December 10th and December 13th, 2009.
National Committed Voters Only (n=783)
Conservative 35.6% (-3.9)
Liberal 33.9% (+3.7)
NDP 16.4% (-2.3)
BQ 8.5% (+0.8)
Green 5.6% (+1.6)
Note: Undecided 21.9% (-3.8) of total voters surveyed
What do you think?
Cheers, NJN
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Most Read Comments
Highest Rated Comments
While it is disappointing to see the numbers for the Conservatives drop the fact... more
hollinm (Saskatchewan) 08 Feb 08:57
There are many ways to look at the numbers Nik like Conservatives are only 4.4% ... more
4Logie (Ontario) 08 Feb 09:51
It is interesting to note that there are still 22% of undecideds. I wonder how t... more
neveratory (suspended) (Ontario) 08 Feb 08:31
Hello Ronald: Yes, that is some progress. As the Office of the Prime Minist... more
Tom Good (British Columbia) 08 Feb 22:40
Ronald: Our only hope is that the worm will turn and, like you, I rather doubt t... more
Tom Good (British Columbia) 08 Feb 23:00
Ronald: Did not both the Liberals and NDP support the budget???? They could ... more
Tom Good (British Columbia) 08 Feb 23:31
Comments
neveratory (suspended)
It is interesting to note that there are still 22% of undecideds. I wonder how that compares to a normal pre election poll.
With the MOE being what it is in a poll this size it contineus to reflect the rise of the Liberals and one would presume the same MOE has the quebec results slightly skewered unless Nik is picking up some signals that the bloc is finally receding in popularity, something that is overdue to happen.
[updated Mon Feb 08 08:31:22 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 08:31
5 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
hollinm
While it is disappointing to see the numbers for the Conservatives drop the fact is it is a reaction to the prorogation issue that is causing the drop. The Libs have done nothing to cause their numbers to go up and particularly Iffy who is still seen as a weak leader.
The good thing is that Iffy is now beginning to talk and that will turn out well for the Conservatives. His gambit on abortion and national daycare will prove to be flash points for the electorate. Of course the Libs forget that they have many anti abortion caucus members and it could spell trouble for the Iffy within the caucus.
I suspect that with the Olympics coming and parliament working through till the summer break that the polls for the Conservatives will begin to turn around.
It's interesting to note that the prorogation issue was a media driven issue. The torqued headlines and outrageous columns accusing Mr. Harper of all manner of things caused Canadians who probably could care less about proragation to take notice.
Not an column or editorial was written when Chretien prorogued the House for four months trying to avoid the adscam scandal and giving Martin time to form his new government. Double standard within the lame street media? You bet.
[updated Mon Feb 08 08:57:05 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 08:57
107 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
Bernie
I haven't seen anything definitive in the polls for quite a while. There's a small volatility that swings with every "event" that takes place. It responds to the spin that a particular party gives to political news item. One time it's one party, a few days later it's the other. usually it's not something that's very significant but the party makes it seem so to the unsophisticated voter. A few days later and it all dissipates until something comes up. There are no solid trends. The two leading parties each have a dedicated one third of the electorate. It's that small group that changes the poll results from time to time.
My own view is; when are Canadians going to wake up and realize that this government is going nowhere? I didn't think we would accept being stuck in neutral for so long. I guess most Canadians are so conservative as to accept mediocrity and are unwilling to try something new that would set us on a more progressive path.
[updated Mon Feb 08 09:37:41 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 09:37
15 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
The undecided numbers of 21.9% is very noticeable, perhaps if this trend continues, where the Conservatives do not regain their previous position ahead of the Liberals and if the Liberals cannot take over the lead, this would be an indication that there is room for another federal political party such as the Central Party of Canada. Their web site is http://www.centralparty.ca. They indent to register federally and run candidates in the next federal election.
[updated Mon Feb 08 09:47:17 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 09:47
15 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
4Logie
There are many ways to look at the numbers Nik like Conservatives are only 4.4% from majority.The prorogation dip was 100% due to the media.
[updated Mon Feb 08 09:51:47 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 09:51
5 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
morpher (Suspended)
Harper the cover up king.
Dean Beeby
Ottawa — The Canadian Press
Published on Sunday, Feb. 07, 2010 8:20PM EST
Last updated on Sunday, Feb. 07, 2010 8:59PM EST
A federal cabinet minister's aide killed the release of a sensitive report requested under freedom-of-information in a case eerily similar to a notorious incident in the sponsorship scandal.
A bureaucrat had to make a mad dash to the department's mailroom last July to retrieve the report at the last minute under orders from a senior aide to then-Public Works minister Christian Paradis.
The order was issued by Sebastien Togneri, parliamentary affairs director to Mr. Paradis, in a terse email after he had been told the file was already on its way to The Canadian Press, which had requested it.
"Well unrelease it," Mr. Togneri said in a July 27 email to a senior official in the department's Access to Information section. "What's the point of asking for my opinion if you're just going to release it!"
The document was an annual report on Public Works' massive
[updated Mon Feb 08 10:29:33 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 10:29
1 reply so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
morpher (Suspended)
Harper the cover up king now lets down the world with his dishonesty.
How Canada let the world down
AECL says isotope-producing reactor will be out of service until spring; medical officials call delay ‘a disaster,' fear even longer wait
From Friday's Globe and Mail
Last updated on Monday, Feb. 08, 2010 7:44AM EST
Canada, relied upon as a leader in isotope production, is seen as having reneged on its responsibility to the medical world.
The isotope-producing NRU reactor at Chalk River, Ont. will stay shut down until the spring of 2010, at least – marking the third time Crown corporation Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has pushed back its estimated restart date since the aging reactor was taken offline in late May when a heavy water leak was discovered.
The news was met with frustration yesterday, and a growing sense among the international medical community that Canada has bungled its nuclear file.
[updated Mon Feb 08 10:31:04 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 10:31
10 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
General Overreach
The real question is, with the Conservatives dropping and the Liberals rising, can the public accept Ignatieff as a Prime Minister?
I think the Liberals would have to do better in the leadership catagory, and that would mean a different leader.
[updated Mon Feb 08 14:11:23 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 14:11
4 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
BCVoiceofReason
The 22% undecided seems low when asking for a political party without a prompt list.
Out of the 22% how many are really undecided and how many have no clue what parties there are?
A 78% voter turn out would be outstanding.
Where do the people who answer Obama or Democrats go? If someone answers Obama does the interviewer offer Liberal or NDP as a clarifier? If the respondent answers Sarah Pallin or Bush does the talk go to CPC? or all these counted as undecided.... or thrown away from the sample?
[updated Mon Feb 08 14:28:03 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 14:28
No replies yet. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
brynhendricks
What is really interesting are all the comments on here that avoid the real issue and try to spin it away from the responsibility that lies with Harpers Conservatives and their proroguation mistake. I see comments on here deflecting to past Liberal proroguations (which for some reason failed to bring protests in the streets like Harper's did), I see comments insisting on pointing out the undecided numbers simply to show the Liberals are not gaining, I see comments which even spin the Conservative numbers into a positive, which are all clearly coming from Conservatives or Conservative-voters who want to avoid taking responsibility for what was clearly a huge mistake. Let's call a spade a spade here. Harper prorogued, Canadians are mad, Conservatives are paying the price for it, Harper shouldn't have done it. That's all there is to it. To the Conservatives on here cluttering up the comments sections with their partisan rhetoric I say: stop trying to justify that which you clearly know was wrong, take some responsibility for your party's actions by accepting the declining poll numbers, and lets move on already. The numbers don't lie - it was a wrong to prorogue!
[updated Mon Feb 08 14:35:01 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 14:35
20 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
Tom Good
Although the Conservative's overall programme of governance has met acceptance with the electorate generally, their legal tactics for staying in power have begun to rust. They have managed to bend the procedures and twist expected but unwritten traditions to a new level in the Westminster type of democracy that we supposedly enjoy. I do not know that the Liberals have come up with anything new and exciting but believe the great unwashed and uncommitted centre vote is shifting a bit. If Dion made sure Harper was elected, then, possibly, Harper is returning the favour and trying to elevate Ignatieff in the polls.
Unfortunately, the root of all these problems in governance style IS the too numerous (525++ bodies now)UNELECTED "intelligentsia" in the Office of the Prime Minister who devise "what is needed"---like castor oil----by the Canadian citizenry and use the ELECTED House of Commons as their "echo chamber" for their programmes / tactics. Unfortunate, also, is that the Liberals show no intention to limit the budget for the growing cancer of the Prime Minister's Office as they hope to be government some day, which they will be, and they do not wish to have their "hands tied" in this new governance style that Trudeau started and Harper has perfected.
What sheep we have elected to the House of Commons ! ! !
[updated Mon Feb 08 15:59:07 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 15:59
24 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
rsharp 2
Mr. Trudeau did state that MPs are "nobodies" and ask the wheat board, "Why should I sell your wheat?" But what he started is day-and-night different from what Mr. Harper has "built" now. His absolute control over caucus, House proceedings and the bureaucracy is truly astounding. Manipulative. Muzzling. Punishing. Wrong, almost across the board.
Mr. Harper doesn't appear to have any tolerance for opposing views, and goodness knows there are many of them. MPs who speak out like Garth Turner get expelled and marginalized. Bureaucrats get fired and demonized. What I wonder, day in and out, is why the mainstream media aren't all over this one?
Unless they're (mostly) in on it.
[updated Mon Feb 08 17:22:39 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 17:22
Tom Good
Yes, RSharp, I quite understand what you are saying. I believe what you are saying is that power corrupts and a little bit of ego in there magnifies the whole thing. In one of my earlier replies on a similar topic I suggested one could understand what happened in Europe in the 1930s when an elected head of state got his sheep in the legislature (our House of Commons) to all baah at the same time. Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe is the legally elected head of state but he got his sheep in the legislature (our H of C ) to all baah at the same time to do his bidding and cause Zimbabwe to move from the top to the bottom of southern African states. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela was legally elected but he managed to get his sheep in the legislature to all baah at the same time to allow him to be President for life. With the current sheep in the House of Commons and if there was a majority for the current government, do you think this would be possible for Canada ????? The only savior here is Quebec who would never allow it to happen------thank God for Quebec which is the major stumbling block to the current government which allows the rest of us to keep some of our political sanity.
Another analogy would be those individuals who do not break the law but skate along the border of what is right and ethical and what is "bending" accepted practice to fit their own needs. In our Western democracies, we place a great deal of "trust" in what we expect from our institutions and elected representatives and this "trust" is not legislated but expected as part of our heritage. The sly cookies know how to exploit that "loop hole" to their own advantage. Thus we have the Montreal Joneses or the Victoria Towes who can get away with millions of dollars because we "trusted" them. How about the Bernie who Madoff with billions because of a flaw in our trusting Western thinking. I am sure there are some auto dealerships or used car salesmen who you would avoid like the plague even though they do go to church on Sunday, but they do operate at the very edge of the law. Is there some similarity between operating at the edge of the law and operating at the edge of tradition and accepted practice ?????
I am not one of those who blame the media for what is right or what is wrong or what is skewed. The media tend to be followers of events. The only media "plants" that I know of are the "entrenched" correspondents with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan who, because of compromised independence, report the government line. In their case, it is not wise to bite the hand that is feeding them. Similarly, those media types riding the the busses, trains, planes or dog teams of political campaigners are equally suspect.
Unfortunately, political ethics in Canada in the last decades have devolved.
[updated Mon Feb 08 21:44:45 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 21:44
rsharp 2
Hmmm. I love this. Too much right now to reply, Mr. Good. But I love the discussion. I absolutely love it.
I'll be back!
[updated Mon Feb 08 21:58:55 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 21:58
Blackacadian
Man, that's some good analysis. The only problem I have with your statement is that it's the overall francophone community that tend to be more progressive, it's not reserved for the province of Quebec. The only thing we can do is to try to stay informed and demand for more transparency and accountability from our government AND our mainstream news media outlets. What do you think about the CAPP movement trying to branch out to adress other issues of accountability?
[updated Tue Feb 09 06:28:08 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 06:28
Tom Good
Blackacadian: Ho Ho----What do I think of the CAPP movement that I prefer called Canadians Advocating Political Participation. On the one hand I wonder why such a movement had not started earlier as none of the federal parties put FAIRNESS, JUSTICE, EQUALITY for all at the top of their agendas. On the other hand, I see the electorate becoming more remote from all government whether that be municipal, provincial or federal------just look at the declining voter turn out percentages. However, when the electorate awakes, it may do so with a vengeance. Is this the time????? I do not know. For me, I know I see a terrible threat to our democracy and our country by base political aspirations of current politicians---I repeat current politicians meaning ALL----who seem only to crave POWER and who manipulate, bend, twist tradition and accepted or expected practice with base political ethics that have not been seen before. Perhaps the electorate needs a couple more painful stamps on their toes before they wake up.
As with Europe in the 1930s and, for example, Zimbabwe and Venezuela currently, it may be too late to act. That was true in Cuba so they had a much more heated reaction called a revolution that, in time, nobody seemed to like as it, too, avoided participatory democracy.
The electoral model in Canada is the workable model conceived in 1867 by the five colonies-----population 3,400,000 souls. That model is like the state of the art 1867 buggy on the highways of Canada today----would you say "acceptable"???? Unfortunately, the Confederation model did not envision anything beyond the occupied areas of 1867 and made absolutely no provision for the huge land mass and population of today. EQUALITY for one's vote from West to East to North to South is not there and it must be addressed. Obviously, the Senate should be a regionally representative and elected body. Obviously, also, Elections Canada must be legislated to automatically oversee EQUALITY in the electoral process and remove that process from being manipulated by the House of Commons.
The other cancer to our democracy is the ballooning size and authority of what is known as the Prime Minister's Office. It appears all decisions for the governance of Canada are made there by UNELECTED intelligensia to be rubber stamped by the ELECTED sheep in the House of Commons. Very wrong. We have TOP - Down government almost of Big Brother----isn't that the wrong direction?????
If the CAPP can stir up support for the wrongs in the governance model for modern Canada, then it will have life.
[updated Tue Feb 09 17:56:57 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 17:56
Blackacadian
I completely agree with you. I consider the federal deficit as difficult to get out of as the generalized sentiment of political apathy by some canadians. Obviously the primary goals for the new CAPP will have to be the generation of political interest in the uninformed or misinformed public in order to strenghten our civics education. Pushing for governmental AND mainstream news media transparency and accountability might be even harder, but primaries can be put in the political forefront before any election (including senatoral positions) with the help of electoral reform and I really like the idea of having earned media coverage of political events only, instead of having meaningless photo ops without having to answer any questions from the media. Finally, limiting the power of the PMO in favor of more parlementary participation will probably be the hardest thing to accomplish, but it's the most important goal to achieve, because Harper is definitely setting the worse kind of precedent for future PMs. Change is always hard to accomplish and it's easy to give up, but these times, it's even worse to be content with the status quo.
[updated Wed Feb 10 21:53:26 -0500 2010]
10 Feb 21:53
Tom Good
Blackacadian: If Canadians Advocating Political Participation can somehow energise the apathetic under 40 vote, then they are modern day miracle workers. South of the border, Obama managed to attract the interest of the young so it can be done given the right stimulus.
Ah, the deficit ! ! ! The deficit is like a line of credit or a mortgage and whether we like it or not, it has to be repaid. The idea that we will pay the interest only has a very major downside as soon as international interest rates go up. Currently, our politicians are playing head games with the electorate----I think that is us ! ! !
In Canada, we badly need an analytic, NON-PARTISAN group that will somehow fill the vacuum left with the disappearance of investigative reporting. Maybe those reporters have all been bought off or appointed to government positions to keep them quiet. It is sad and really a political betrayal with what we are seeing in Canada today with the "shift" in political accountability, political transparency and the trampling of our rights as citizens in a representative democracy------some representation in the sheep fold known as the House of Commons ! ! !
[updated Wed Feb 10 23:48:51 -0500 2010]
10 Feb 23:48
Blackacadian
Well, all I can say is that CAPP's efforts definitely worked on this formely apathetic young voter. You know, deep down I was a bit envious of Obama's electoral movement, especialy since there is no real compelling progressive leaders in Canada at the moment. I guess canadians finally got tired after being shoved by Harper's second prorogation of parlement. What older political pundits fail to understand is that unlike hippies having to meet during protests in the streets in order to gather support for the next loosely planned proposed policy, we can use social networking in order to achieve our goals more efficiently. All we need now is the growing political will to get active. Unfortunately, MTV and the rest of the newly created corporate enterteinment companies aimed at catering to younger buyers aren't trying to help. People with vested interests supported new forms of corporately funded ways to achieve greater levels of political apathy, after they perfected the art of corporate funded politicians, especially in the US. The problem is that it also contributed to the rise of academic apathy and the rise of the anti-intellectualism movement.
[updated Thu Feb 11 00:46:01 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 00:46
Tom Good
Blackacadian: Yes, modern electronics do get the message out, through, around, under the barrier Big Brother may wish to place in the way. I think of Iran today. Social networking beats anything that was around when I was young although I never missed a vote after I was of voting age. Pleased you are of the younger demographics and politically active while I am at the other end where the undertaker smiles at a potential customer---Ho Ho.
I believe corporate interests have a much too great an influence on government in Canada but, as you say, not to the degree they do in the US.
Anti intellectualism first reared its head in the post WW2 era. In the school system everybody had to be on a level plane----that was only fair, so we were told, but nobody told the sperms, the eggs and the genes. The less acute mentally or the less inspired educationally or the less goal oriented through family background, had huge resources at their disposal and enjoyed "social promotion". At the other end of the spectrum, the "gifted", the self motivated and those with a strong family background for education, received minimal resources---and these young people were the potential future movers and shakers for the society we live in. Thus the growth of independent schools, charter schools, home schooling, traditional schools etc. This is the great age of "equality" and I do not know equality of what unless it is mediocrity of the school system generally----but there are some excellent public schools in the minority.
Yes, academic activism seems to have markedly lessened in the last 50 years------publish or perish these days. Today, one must try to be a "team player", be "collegial" otherwise that tenure may not materialize nor may the research grants from government and corporations find their way to that particular institution. There are all sorts of little academic and political levers, wedges, pins and needles to be brought into play.
Today, everyone and everything seemingly has a price and seemingly we all want more----think that is called greed but you have to admit that greed and sex do get the wheels turning ! ! !.
[updated Thu Feb 11 02:40:31 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 02:40
Blackacadian
First, I'm glad to have access to the net in order to vent, because most of my friends aren't really as deep into politics as I am "yet". I also apreciate that it allows people to reach across the language and generation gap in order to have reasonable conversations on specific topics with people from across Canada. Politicians have always ignored young voters, I guess we finally had enough and finally found a really clever way to share our frustrations. I really hope it works.
[updated Thu Feb 11 03:54:11 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 03:54
Tom Good
Blackacadian: I, too, hope the internet will cause the younger voter to take a more active part in the democracy of our land. I was a Voting Officer in many elections and I was appalled at the insignificant turnout of the under 40 group who, really, should be vitally concerned with how their tax dollars are spent by their varying governments, the ethics of those governments and the priorities of those governments. Hope you are successful in getting your friends fired up.
[updated Thu Feb 11 05:09:34 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 05:09
RonaldODowd
Tom,
From nobodies to sheep in 35 years...some might call that actual progress!
[updated Mon Feb 08 22:19:57 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 22:19
Tom Good
Hello Ronald: Yes, that is some progress. As the Office of the Prime Minister has evolved so has the elected authority of the House of Commons and meaningful debate devolved----a sad commentary on our system of democracy.
[updated Mon Feb 08 22:40:00 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 22:40
RonaldODowd
Hi Tom,
We're into the new normal. It's irreversible. Collegial cabinets are long gone, caucus is nothing more than a pathetic rubber stamp (except on the rare occasion when most of their seats are potentially seriously threatened by the leader's conduct = once in a blue moon (just ask Stock how long that lasted after he allegedly spoke up...)
The PMO is all knowing and all powerful. The PM wants it that way and as you said, no future PM, in his right mind, will give up that golden egg in the future.
[updated Mon Feb 08 22:50:59 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 22:50
Tom Good
Ronald: Our only hope is that the worm will turn and, like you, I rather doubt that will now happen. What really gets me is that the NDP have been so silent on what was once their soap box---truth and justice in government and social justice for all.
[updated Mon Feb 08 23:00:59 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 23:00
RonaldODowd
Tom,
I could be wrong but I suspect both the Liberals and the NDP are still keen on both, especially the second but what's the point as long as this government remains in power? It's like trying to get a quick gut reaction from those occupying the cemetery.
[updated Mon Feb 08 23:07:07 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 23:07
Tom Good
Ronald: Did not both the Liberals and NDP support the budget???? They could have questioned the budget for the Office of the Prime Minister. It is the assumed power----should say ABSOLUTE power of that unelected office that is the cancer that is eating away at representative democracy that we have known in the past. That office, wielded by the PM, has castrated MPs and stifled meaningful debate and probing questions in the House of Commons. I would say that sheep, being the stupid animals they are, are completely unable to see the wolf in the Office of the Prime Minister or to see the growing cancer threatening our democracy..
[updated Mon Feb 08 23:31:57 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 23:31
RonaldODowd
Tom,
It's pointless on the government side. Remember that the wolf signs their nomination papers before an election, or more importantly, a RE-ELECTION...it didn't work out too well for Stanfield with Leonard Jones in Moncton but most times, it's likely to work like a "charm". (Bill Casey was Harper's example of it not working.)
[updated Mon Feb 08 23:37:31 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 23:37
Blackacadian
That shows the difference between the old progressive conservative party and the current conservative party. Nowadays politicians like Leonard Jones, who secretly want to repeal the official languages act, would have no problems remaining within the conservative caucus. The problem is that Harper established a kind of "don't ask don't tell" mandate on all conservative third rail policies, like gay marriage, abortion, enforced bilingualism or even aboriginal rights so canadians are kept in the dark about MPs' point of view. The message is; As long as a conservative MP doesn't openly critisize the party leader, like Bill Casey, there will be no real repercussion. Harper isn't big on that type of accountability anyways, unless you forget confidential documents at your girlfriend's place and even then all you get is the political equivalent of a tap on the hands.
[updated Tue Feb 09 10:00:07 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 10:00
RonaldODowd
Blackacadian,
I expect Max is in for a long stay in the doghouse. However, one thing could change that: if their fortunes sink so low in Ontario that Quebec becomes essential to retain government, Max could be quickly "rehabilitated" and returned prominently to cabinet.
If that remote possibility happens, we will know for sure that the wheels have finally come off the cart and they are panicking BIG TIME.
[updated Tue Feb 09 10:06:32 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 10:06
Blackacadian
The fact that Max was even mentioned during the last cabinet shuffle debate says it all. We'll just have to wait and see if the conservatives can manage to pull the brakes before the wheels fall off.
[updated Tue Feb 09 10:19:59 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 10:19
Bernie
Ron Tee hee hee
[updated Thu Feb 11 08:21:19 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 08:21
worldwizard
Some good points there Tom. So when are you running for office? Like all of us, you are probably better at critique than money where mouth is-ing. Incidentally I'm a Social Democrat.
[updated Thu Feb 11 14:30:30 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 14:30
Tom Good
Hey, World, I am in the ranks of cranky old men. I tend to be a centrist but I have my own mind and will change as the circumstances dictate for me. Federally, I tend to vote NDP as I cannot stand the arrogant and shallow guy who is the Con in this riding and the Liberals, in this riding, have been dead for years.
[updated Thu Feb 11 16:17:49 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 16:17
rsharp 2
Some of the the unknowns:
1. Which opposition party will vote for the budget. It depends on deal-making going on right now.
2. Whether the Libs have peaked in their comeback since Mr. Harper's disastrous prorogation.
3. How the opposition parties will handle the Afghan detainee issue. The Cons are right now in a contempt of Parliament situation
4. hollinm is right, the economy is foremost. Unemployment is the biggest issue and the Cons are very vulnerable on point. They can't even tell us how many jobs were saved/created as a result of the stimulus package.
5. What Canadians think, right now, about whether there should be an election.
6. What gaffes the Cons commit between now and whenever the polls become clear.
7. The scheming taking place right now among the opposition parties.
In other words, who the hell knows?
[updated Mon Feb 08 16:03:57 -0500 2010]
08 Feb 16:03
9 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
RonaldODowd
Only Jack Knows For Sure.
Jack said at a press conference that he's feeling pretty good. Glad to hear it. Hopefully, his treatment will go fine, without any hitches.
That brings us to the big imponderable: will the NDP caucus aggressively challenge this government or will they prefer to stand down in the spring because of Jack's health?
This is one I can't call.
[updated Tue Feb 09 10:12:13 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 10:12
2 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
rsharp 2
On moderation. I know Nik is sensitive to discrimination against religious types. I posted this a few minutes ago on CBC,ca/Politics:
buddhawest (rightly) complains about CBC.ca's inability to apply its own submission policies (11:35). Like refusing to post or remove comments that advocate hate and violence, personal attacks.... that sort if stuff.
Heck. Go to any CBC story on terrorist attacks. The anti-Muslim vitriol is sad, sad, sad. Countless posters say bomb them. Nuke them.
That's advocating murder against innocent civilians but CBC.ca lets them up/stay.
[updated Tue Feb 09 12:53:13 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 12:53
No replies yet. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
JasonC
This video is doing the rounds for its utter disgrace. Harper is tanking for this very reason.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_4D2qUbXuw&feature=player_embedded
It'll turn your stomach when you watch the bold faced lies.
[updated Tue Feb 09 20:59:31 -0500 2010]
09 Feb 20:59
5 replies so far. Join this conversationHide this conversation.
RonaldODowd
Just Think Of The Game Show!
Next time bureaucrats get into a little spot of trouble regarding Access to Information requests thanks to pesky ministerial exempt staff, just take a pill and think of Reach For The Top.
Quite obviously that habit is rather prevelant in some circles. Personally, I like the way Chris Selley summed it up in the "Big Blue Bible":
"The government has made vaguely reassuring noises. "Due diligence [on Access to Information requests] is and should be done by public servants and not political staff," Dimitri Soudas, Mr. Harper's spokesman, told The Canadian Press. "The process ... should be followed and respected by all ... It applies to everybody across government (including) political offices." Sadly, there's little reason to believe he means it. Asked whether ministers had been explicitly told not to meddle, or if the staff involved would face sanctions, he replied: "I don't comment on internal matters."
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Perhaps in a month of Sundays...
[updated Wed Feb 10 14:29:30 -0500 2010]
10 Feb 14:29
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Zachary Smith
It would appear that the numbers are not very good from Ekos and Nanos, judging from the absense of comments by the left on the actual poll numbers and the direction that they are indicating.
The most recent poll (Ekos) shows that the Liberals have dropped in just one week from 31.9% to 29.0% that is a drop of almost 3.0% in this weeks poll and it is interesting that the Liberals ended the week at just 27.3% on Feb 9th and the Nanos poll has the Conservatives with a 2.0% lead.
It does now have the appearance that as Canadians become better informed on the issue, they are now dismissing the Liberal and media talking points and are concentrating on the truth and that is starting to be reflected as shown in the two most recent polls, Ekos and Nanos were the Conservatives are now leading the Liberals again.
And it would seem that the more that Ignatieff is out there talking, the lower the Liberal numbers go and that Canadians are requesting that the Liberals provide alternatives and public policy and they have nothing to talk about.
[updated Thu Feb 11 09:43:24 -0500 2010]
11 Feb 09:43
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rsharp 2
Environomics today gives the Libs a 4 point lead. A 15 point swing in less than 2 months. Wow!
[updated Fri Feb 12 19:45:54 -0500 2010]
12 Feb 19:45
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