2015 Canadian Federal Election

[Kong Wen]

I'd be remiss if I didn't also create a general discussion thread for an election that's much more imminent: Canadians will go to the polls on 19 October, 2015 to elect their new members of Parliament. The party leaders are already in place and have been kind of unofficially campaigning for some time now (you know, posturing). With the election recently made official, the campaign has begun in earnest. Debates are underway, signs are up, and the party leaders are travelling across the country.

Let's use this thread for any discussion of policy, election-related events, and news that comes up.

[The Shoemaker]

I'm really not a fan of all the attack ads the conservatives having been making against Trudeau. I understand it's normal with Canadian politics and it happens every year, but it really just comes off as immature everytime. Especially their most recent one where they have party members having a meeting of some sort discussing Trudeau. I feel like a lot of the comments they make aren't really related to him being prime minister, like when they say "I see he sent his photo with his resume" and "Nice hair though". Comments like these aren't even focusing on his campaign but just trying to make viewers think that Trudeau really cares about his appearance. I can't remember exactly but I believe there was another comment that said something like "He wants to send coats to Sierria" and another member replies "Like that will stop ISIS". I fail to see how those two points are even related, and it's just the Conservatives trying to make Trudeau look like an idiot.

I don't really have a stance on either of the big three parties at the moment - need to learn more about them. But attack ads just really bug me, one because it's a waste of money, and two because that money could have been spent making ads that tell me what your party wants to do. When I see attack ads I just assume the party has nothing good to say about themselves so they instead try to sabotage others. They just really bug me!

[Kong Wen]

You feel that way because you have more than a scrap of critical reasoning, Shoe. Attack ads really work on some demographics. You wouldn't believe the number of people I hear parroting some crap like "Trudeau just isn't ready" (more or less word for word script from Conservative attack ads). They're a cynical attempt to make people feel a certain way without thinking about it.

[The Shoemaker]

You feel that way because you have more than a scrap of critical reasoning, Shoe. Attack ads really work on some demographics. You wouldn't believe the number of people I hear parroting some crap like "Trudeau just isn't ready" (more or less word for word script from Conservative attack ads). They're a cynical attempt to make people feel a certain way without thinking about it.

Hahaha I would laugh if I heard someone say that.

I think that might be what bugs me the most about them, when I watch them I feel like the party thinks I'm stupid and I'll eat up their amatuer level psycology tactics. But like you said, obviously they're effective on some people if they keep pushing them out. Especially since right now if you don't follow politics and all you see are attack ads on TV, you don't really have anything else to base your judgement on.

[VictorViper]

They've started to show off attack ads with the same ridiculous "roundtable" theme for Mulcair.

So far the polls show the Liberals and New Democrats very close and ahead of the Conservatives, which sucks, in a way. My vote this time around will be primarily strategic - priority is to have Harper gone, so I'll be paying close attention to the polls, especially in my riding, to avoid contributing to another split vote.

[Jordan]

Emperor Harper's glorious reign will continue unabated, obviously. I liked that angry, old aide he had who was cursing out the press. I laughed pretty hard at that.

[The Shoemaker]

Emperor Harper's glorious reign will continue unabated, obviously. I liked that angry, old aide he had who was cursing out the press. I laughed pretty hard at that.

I feel like at this point no one really cares who gets in, so long as Harper gets out :p I don't think anyone feels he's done a terrible job, we're just ready for change.

[VictorViper]

No, you're wrong about nobody thinking he's done a bad job. I feel he has done a terrible job and furthermore has damaged the things I hold dear as part of my/our Canadian identity. Harper needs to be gone.

[Kong Wen]

Emperor Harper's glorious reign will continue unabated, obviously. I liked that angry, old aide he had who was cursing out the press. I laughed pretty hard at that.

I feel like at this point no one really cares who gets in, so long as Harper gets out :p I don't think anyone feels he's done a terrible job, we're just ready for change.

You couldn't be more wrong about that I'm afraid, very unfortunately. Harper has unequivocally done a terrible job, and furthermore has almost-irreparably damaged core Canadian values and Canada's reputation in international politics. He's an embarrassment, and the reason he has to go is not simply because we want change, but because he is bad for Canada, is bad for Canadians, and another term would risk damaging Canada almost beyond repair.

[TheGreatNads]

and another term would risk damaging Canada almost beyond repair.

Talk about over the top. You and Vic are beginning to sound like those people who said if Obama is elected people are going to start being thrown into FEMA camps, or the U.S. will become the next Greece or whatever silliness. Partisan politics sure seems to bring out the stupid in people.

Harper's done bad things. If he's back, he'll probably do more bad things. But another term is not even remotely a risk for damaging Canada beyond repair.