[Unsound]

Just thought it might be nice to have a place to set ur opinion down in straight talk. Up to you to decide what constitutes a nmajor issue. I've been drnking with family all night, so I'm gonna wait to say much but I am interested to know what ppl think aboyut things if they can seperate them from partisan leanings.

[commanderkai]

Sadly, this election has gone a bit over my head, due to my withdrawing from this site for a few months, plus not having regular access to Canadian television, but basically, my main issue is this:

Destruction of the Bloc Quebecois. To me, that's the best thing that can happen in this election. If they're destroyed, with the CPC/LPC/NDP picking at what's left, I'll be a happy Political Science major.

[Bruce_the_vii]

I would have preferred an election about the deficit, balancing the budget. All the parties promised to spend, fudged the fact that eliminating the deficit will take cuts. I sort of lost interest in the lies. They could have limited them selves to modest spending on a few squeaking wheels, like doctors and veteran treatment. The Canadian voters are not proud of the debt but the politicians can't stay away from adding to it. The economy is coming along, I don't think they had to alarm everyone about jobs. If jobs are the issue they could have reduce immigration by half two years ago.

[PostFactum]

Take it all easy guys

[Bruce_the_vii]

LOL, sage advice for sure. Just one thing - that send your kids to school. By the time people have kids they are mostly way over committed. They buy into the "Love" basis of family, and it sort of takes over. The search for the depth of love found in family relations leads to the rat race. It helps if you are a manager and can handle it financially. Mostly for everyone else life becomes a mystery and a miracle.

[OnTheIce]

Bruce_the_vii Bruce_the_vii:

I would have preferred an election about the deficit, balancing the budget. All the parties promised to spend, fudged the fact that eliminating the deficit will take cuts. I sort of lost interest in the lies. They could have limited them selves to modest spending on a few squeaking wheels, like doctors and veteran treatment. The Canadian voters are not proud of the debt but the politicians can't stay away from adding to it. The economy is coming along, I don't think they had to alarm everyone about jobs. If jobs are the issue they could have reduce immigration by half two years ago.

IMO, the big issue for people this time was the economy. It was the big issue leading up to the election and still is during the campaign.

It's clear right now who Canadians trust to do that.

I think Harper has been clear that it will take cuts to spending to bring down the deficit, he's made that clear. The other leaders have said nothing of the sort.

Jack Layton's plan is fiscally horrible for the Country but the other two aren't the greatest either.

[CommanderSock]

Social issues: the more libertarian approach is more favourable in my view. Nanny state-ism, and the legislation of unnecessary laws and regulations pertaining to social stratification are important enough to sway my vote.

Anti-Abortion discussion, tougher drug laws, crime bill, internet surveillance, warrantless wire taps and a few other bills proposed in the past 2 years are very unfavorable in my view. I'll listen to those who are willing to scrap such rubbish and unnecessary legislation.

The Economy: Fiscally conservative, laissez-fare, a balanced budgets approach is favourable without a doubt. I'm all for progressive taxation.

A small population country like Canada must always look to outside opportunities for growth. More trade agreements need to be done with Asian tigers, India, Latin America and Africa. We should be looking at more FTAs with those regions, and Europe should be put on the back burner for the time being. We need to concentrate on where the money is and it's not in Europe.

Medical Care: 2 Tiered is going to be way forward, with one caveat, the better off in society cannot opt out of paying into public care. But if they have the disposable income to pay for a rush service, then by all means they should have that option available.

Currently I share no real affiliation with any party, and no party fully supports my views. The closest was Paul Martin's liberals in 2004-2005.

I'll be strategically voting against the conservatives in May.

[stokes]

My opinion is this:

Economy: Is doing fine, spending more money or interfering more will not return former employment levels sooner. Any future growth will be by companies making money.

Health Care: This is probably the most contentious issue because as our population ages it will become unsustainable. I see a public/ private mix in the future or we will scrap it and copy America(hope not)

Justice: We should have hard caps for sentencing...first offense X...second offense Y...etc. Stop giving judges so much leeway when it comes to sentencing. Lets put our convicts to work no more cushy little existence.

Education: National standard, I work in military recruiting and it amazes me how many people dont take math beyond grade 10 and then wonder why they cant get into college etc.

Provincial equity based on Population: No more blackmail to get more. If your province has X number of people it gets X number of federal dollars, unless you are an honest havenot province...no more we want more money so our population can get daycare for $5 a day...I pay $40 a day per child you should too!!!

Military: not saying we should have the best of everything but a consistent long term procurement program to keep us current and Canadians employed.

[DrCaleb]

I got a big beef here. Here's the jist:

Bria
Saan
Maba
Onio
Quec
etc.

But somehow "Alta" is a correct abbreviation?

And what about all the horrendous spelling and grammar mistakes I see every single day in printed news? How about TV news, when captions are not even spelt correctly? Are there any editors any more?

I think accuracy should be an election issue. Like last night, Harper got a 'gimme' by Global News when he said there was "no credible reason" why Parliament was dissolved. "No proof" he said. /facepalm

[Scape]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

"Not proof" he said.

Fixed

[BartSimpson]

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

Medical Care: 2 Tiered is going to be way forward, with one caveat, the better off in society cannot opt out of paying into public care.

Canada's 'better off' are simply opting out of...Canada.

On the upside of this, the USA is benefitting from all of the wonderful Canadian educated doctors, entertainers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and etc.

If you ask me, I'd like to see you folks implement a progressive payment plan for your public health so you can really sock it to the 'better off' and encourage even more of them to move to the USA.

[herbie]

Yeah some of us even know some. Like the lady down the street who flew down there remortgaged her house and blew all her savings. And then died, just like her oncologist here said she was gonna.
Or the teacher I know who flew down for $25,000 MS treatment they won't do here. Who's now $25,000 poorer, and that's about all.

[raydan]

Getting Harper to pronounce "election" correctly in French, so that it doesn't sound like "erection".


Note: You may insert as many "government screwing us over" jokes as you wish.

[CommanderSock]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

Medical Care: 2 Tiered is going to be way forward, with one caveat, the better off in society cannot opt out of paying into public care.

Canada's 'better off' are simply opting out of...Canada.

On the upside of this, the USA is benefitting from all of the wonderful Canadian educated doctors, entertainers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and etc.

If you ask me, I'd like to see you folks implement a progressive payment plan for your public health so you can really sock it to the 'better off' and encourage even more of them to move to the USA.

The way things are going on in the USA (with the gutting of the middle class, and the creation of the super rich, and everyone else); I don't know if it's really worth for the move.

America is looking more and more like a Latin American country, won't be suprised if slums start cropping up like fungi around major cities eventually.

The rich will need to spend more and more income on heavy security so they can do their own cost benefit analysis for the future. Would they live in a society where the poor are destitute and have created a crime barren wasteland of no go zones with dots of tiny and highly protected 'compounds' for the rich? Maybe…We’ll see in due time.

I'd prefer the other way. A more level society, progressive tax rates, etc.

There's no reason why someone who made $25m USD in the stock market should be exempt from capital gains taxes while some poor shmuck that barely pulled in $60,000 should pay 35% of his income. Madness…

[raydan]

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

There's no reason why someone who made $25m USD in the stock market should be exempt from capital gains taxes while some poor shmuck that barely pulled in $60,000 should pay 35% of his income. Madness…

You can't tax these people, CommanderSock.
They're the ones that create those high-taxed jobs that allow the rich to continue making money without being taxed.