Wow. TF beats Google News again.

Awwww crap.

Just don't elect Senator Palpatine to the Supreme Chancellor seat.

I <3 parliamentary democracy.

I fully expected this to be a similarity play on the "Supreme Court falling apart" newsflash before clicking the link.

Boy was I in for a surprise. Huh. Hope your process of reestablishing government won't be as tedious as the German election this year. Otherwise, good luck, eh!

And oddly enough, most Canadians are probably going to re-elect the same damn fools all over again, resulting in another minority government.

would someone mind explaining this to me?

Its_just_the_way_it_has_to_be_What_What: And oddly enough, most Canadians are probably going to re-elect the same damn fools all over again, resulting in another minority government.


Yeah, but the other damn fools are scary.

whatshisname: Yeah, but the other damn fools are scary.

testify brother!

In a side note, the interim Treasury has declared Canadian Tire Money the only valid instrument of commerce.

And it can't get up.

With MedAlert...you will always have a lifeline, allowing for that independence late in life.

this better not interupt my weekly back bacon shipments or some hoser is gonna pay

Its_just_the_way_it_has_to_be_What_What
And oddly enough, most Canadians are probably going to re-elect the same damn fools all over again, resulting in another minority government.

That's what happens when the "alternative" is scarier than what you have.

hb0mb: would someone mind explaining this to me?

What do you need explained? A majority of legislators can unseat the Prime Minister at any time if they lose confidence in his leadership - hence, a no-confidence vote. First time it's actually happened in Canada, but it's common practice in India and some other British-style parliamentary democracies.

Looks like this is the perfect opportunity to take over Canada and drink all their beer!

OMG Canada has a government? Next you'll say they have an Air Force ROLF!!!111

Thought I'd speak up for my ignorant American bretheren, pre-emptively.

Canadians are so farking weird. Thats all I gotta say about that one.

thejoyofpi: What do you need explained? A majority of legislators can unseat the Prime Minister at any time if they lose confidence in his leadership - hence, a no-confidence vote. First time it's actually happened in Canada, but it's common practice in India and some other British-style parliamentary democracies.

Okay, I'll bite:

Why did they do this?

And what will be the likely outcome of this?

I, for one, welcome our new boss, same as the old boss, overlords.

Omigah Canadian anarchy! Plaid-shirted lumberjacks chopping up houses and raping Eskimos!

MadTheologian: Looks like this is the perfect opportunity to take over Canada and drink all their beer!

I vote yea

thejoyofpi

i'm almost totally ignorant of politics outside the US.

thanks for the explanation.

Does a dissolution mean they have to hold elections over everywhere?

eh?

To quote Jon Stewart "Hello, Canada? Hi. Um, we're out of wood. Get out."

/watch out, the US is on the way;0)
//i kid.
///we still have wood.

Prime Minister Shatner will have an announcement later this evening.

Their tone doesn't seem very ominous. This will probably be something the average canadian wont feel, but will affect a lot of heavy pocketbooks.

My question to the Farkers north of the border is this:

Are the definitions of Liberal and Conservative the same as down here in the states? Or do the two different parties believe in different issues than the Libs and Cons in the US?

Just asking, would like to hear more on what this means for Canada.

Texian: Why did they do this?

They did it because Steven Harper, the conservative leader, got it in his head he might get elected prime minister this time around. He's betting the fallout from the Gomery Inquiry (investigating a huge advertising scam run out of the liberal party in quebec) will result in people voting for his tories.

He's about to be sadly mistaken.

We need only strike while they are in disarray and the Athabasca tar sands are ours!

Texian:

Okay, I'll bite:

Why did they do this?

And what will be the likely outcome of this?


There are 308 seats in Canada. Last Election the Liberal party didn't win a majority of the seats, but they had more than any of the other parties which put them in charge.

The opposition parties decided that they didn't have confidence in the liberal party and voted to oust them.

There were more opposition than liberals, and now we get to vote again.

yaay.

Texian

A whole lot of it is due to the Gomery Inquiry (Google will tell you more than I can), but health care is another huge platform.

We will likely see the same government with similar numbers back in. We have five major parties (Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Bloc Quebecois, Green), and it's the first two that have the major shots at winning. LOTS of people do not like Steven Harper, leader of the Conservatives. Jack Layton, leader of the NDP, has been described as the "right candidate, wrong party", so it will be a showdown between Harper and Paul Martin.

hb0mb: Does a dissolution mean they have to hold elections over everywhere?

Yup, the Governor General of Canada (appointed by Queen Elizabeth, I think) now dissolves Parliament. New general nationwide elections in the middle of January.

Next you'll say they have an Air Force ROLF!!!111

Not since the CIA sabotaged the Avro Arrow project

i've got a boat with an outboard if we have to go up and rescue peck and Lar and other canuck TFers during this trying time.

Dirtball:

Are the definitions of Liberal and Conservative the same as down here in the states? Or do the two different parties believe in different issues than the Libs and Cons in the US?


Yeah, they mean the same thing. Our old Conservative party (the Progressive Conservatives) were what we call "small c" conservatives .. they were financially conservative, but without the disturbing (imho) social policies. the current iteration of the Conservative party is more in line with the American conservatives/neocons.

The liberals are just liberals. Up here, liberal isn't the 4 letter word it seems to be down there. Most of the Conservative support comes from the mid/west of the country, the praries, much like the americans.

thejoyofpi: First time it's actually happened in Canada, but it's common practice in India and some other British-style parliamentary democracies.

Uh, no, the last time this happened was 1979 and several times before that too.

I hope the Green party wins total, complete control of the Canadian government and gets to do whatever they want.

If you saw who the other MPs in my riding were you'd all vote Liberal too.

/creepy

it's aboot time, I can't stand that paul martin, but then again almost all our politians suck ass, kinda like everywhere else in the word.
/frickin' hoser eh?

GavinTheAlmighty:

Jack Layton, leader of the NDP, has been described as the "right candidate, wrong party"


Wow .. never heard that, but it's damned true. I like Jack Layton, but I could never vote NDP after seeing them bankrupt and destroy Ontario for 4 years.

I'm already tired of the trash talking and it's only been 20 minutes so far.

sigh.

Bono was right!

/joking

MaritimeGirl: Uh, no, the last time this happened was 1979 and several times before that too.

According to TFA: The Liberal defeat marks the first time a government has fallen on a straight motion of no-confidence in Parliament. Other minority governments have been forced into elections after losing budget votes or censure motions interpreted as loss of confidence.

So govts. have fallen before due to the legislature, but never on an actual no-confidence motion.

What Harper forgets as that the Gomery Inquiry found Martin not guilty on anything, it was on Chretien. I have a feeling we'll see the exact same result as we did last time.

Please change the debate format. Please.

It's just sooo damn embarrassing.

I'm not the first to admit - the American debates have a much better format. No yelling.

Thanks GavinTheAlmighty, borkborkbork, and Spin_Doc.

Our time is at hand!

borkborkbork

Thanks. Always wondered if Conservative and Liberal meant the same thing in other governments as it does in 50.

Bwah??? How do you have a minority in power? Doesn't the majority take over Parliment?

/Parlimentary ignorant