Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The Daily Show and The Canadian Election
Happened upon this on-air this morning - maybe this is why I would vote for the Conservatives in Canada!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Here's a New One...
In relation to yesterday's Canadian election...the Conservatives didn't get a Minority. According to Wikepedia, they got this...
In voting, a plurality vote is the largest number of votes to be received by any candidate or proposition when three or more choices are possible. With only 2 choices the winner would have the majority. The candidate or proposition receiving the largest number of votes has a plurality.
Therefore with a whopping 143 of a possible 308 seats, the Conservatives will rule with a plurality government. Isn't that the same as double-speak?
In voting, a plurality vote is the largest number of votes to be received by any candidate or proposition when three or more choices are possible. With only 2 choices the winner would have the majority. The candidate or proposition receiving the largest number of votes has a plurality.
Therefore with a whopping 143 of a possible 308 seats, the Conservatives will rule with a plurality government. Isn't that the same as double-speak?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Parliamentary versus Democracy
Yesterday Canada went to the polls for the third election in four years and gave the ruling Conservative Party its third minority government in four years. So what does this mean?
It means that nothing has changed. Again.
Canada's parliamentary system, based on the same system used in Britain, is an antiquated, medieval, form of government that basically allows civil servants to run the country.
Seldom do Canadians elect a true majority government, permitting one party to have control over the country's affairs. Especially with a three party system, Conservative, Liberal and New Democrats - the vote is always split. I think there is even a fourth party - the Separtiste's - but they only get votes in Quebec because they want to join France (there's an entire week's worth of posts!)
The question is - which system is better? Parliamentary or Democracy? Having lived in both I would honestly have to say...Parliamentary.
WHAT?!?!
Here's the thing - the American system gets bogged down in trying to please everyone and often that means nothing really ever gets done. Look at the example of introducing a dollar coin. The American's system tells the people they are going to introduce the coin and then do nothing to support its implementation.
In Canada, the government introduced the Loonie about 25 years ago and here's how they did it; they told the people they will start using the coin and REMOVED dollar bills from circulation! Now how smart was that? It saved millions and millions of dollars.
The people were pissed initially but after a few years I think they actually enjoyed digging in the bottom of their purses and finding spare change that added up to something instead of a dollar here and there!
The government liked it so much, they introduced the Toonie (2 dollar coin) a few years later.
So come on America - throw away those dollar bills and embrace the coin! We could call it the Wannabe!
It means that nothing has changed. Again.
Canada's parliamentary system, based on the same system used in Britain, is an antiquated, medieval, form of government that basically allows civil servants to run the country.
Seldom do Canadians elect a true majority government, permitting one party to have control over the country's affairs. Especially with a three party system, Conservative, Liberal and New Democrats - the vote is always split. I think there is even a fourth party - the Separtiste's - but they only get votes in Quebec because they want to join France (there's an entire week's worth of posts!)
The question is - which system is better? Parliamentary or Democracy? Having lived in both I would honestly have to say...Parliamentary.
WHAT?!?!
Here's the thing - the American system gets bogged down in trying to please everyone and often that means nothing really ever gets done. Look at the example of introducing a dollar coin. The American's system tells the people they are going to introduce the coin and then do nothing to support its implementation.
In Canada, the government introduced the Loonie about 25 years ago and here's how they did it; they told the people they will start using the coin and REMOVED dollar bills from circulation! Now how smart was that? It saved millions and millions of dollars.
The people were pissed initially but after a few years I think they actually enjoyed digging in the bottom of their purses and finding spare change that added up to something instead of a dollar here and there!
The government liked it so much, they introduced the Toonie (2 dollar coin) a few years later.
So come on America - throw away those dollar bills and embrace the coin! We could call it the Wannabe!
Monday, October 13, 2008
I Am Way Too Opinionated!
I really needed an outlet for my opinions. I have gotten in trouble so many times for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time.
I can't help myself - call it passion, call it inquisitiveness, call it stupidity - I just have to express myself.
Over at my other blog, SportsMum, I have been sharing about my family and our life in and around sports. Frequently, I have veered off into Opinionville, which I'm sure has alienated those readers who simply want to know whether my oldest is playing quarterback on his freshman team, whether my middle son won his wrestling match, or whether my youngest son mastered his latest Nintendo DS game! (It's really not THAT boring - but you get the idea)
I recently posted my thoughts on Sarah Palin and her choice to run for Vice-President. This elicited several intense discussions and a call from a Producer at Fox News.
It was then that I knew I needed a place to vent and for others to have their way with me!
Here's my current status - I am a Canadian, living in the United States as a Permanent Resident (Green Card), therefore not able to vote - ANYWHERE! Crazy huh? - I have my reasons and you know I'll tell you about them!
I love Barack Obama but also would vote for Stephen Harper (a Conservative), in tomorrow's Canadian election. I think John McCain has a lot of class, that George Bush is an idiot but his wife Laura is amazing, that Hilary is right on when she says "it takes a village to raise a child", and that our education system can be fixed - if the government would fund it properly! (No Child Left Behind is a joke!)
And that's just what I'm thinking today...
I can't help myself - call it passion, call it inquisitiveness, call it stupidity - I just have to express myself.
Over at my other blog, SportsMum, I have been sharing about my family and our life in and around sports. Frequently, I have veered off into Opinionville, which I'm sure has alienated those readers who simply want to know whether my oldest is playing quarterback on his freshman team, whether my middle son won his wrestling match, or whether my youngest son mastered his latest Nintendo DS game! (It's really not THAT boring - but you get the idea)
I recently posted my thoughts on Sarah Palin and her choice to run for Vice-President. This elicited several intense discussions and a call from a Producer at Fox News.
It was then that I knew I needed a place to vent and for others to have their way with me!
Here's my current status - I am a Canadian, living in the United States as a Permanent Resident (Green Card), therefore not able to vote - ANYWHERE! Crazy huh? - I have my reasons and you know I'll tell you about them!
I love Barack Obama but also would vote for Stephen Harper (a Conservative), in tomorrow's Canadian election. I think John McCain has a lot of class, that George Bush is an idiot but his wife Laura is amazing, that Hilary is right on when she says "it takes a village to raise a child", and that our education system can be fixed - if the government would fund it properly! (No Child Left Behind is a joke!)
And that's just what I'm thinking today...
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