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[timferius]

Can I start calling Harper Friend Computer now?

[FArgHalfnr]

Oh dear, I didn't know it was illegal to have an opinion, I swear! No need to send me to the reeducation center, I'm working just fine! I would never support having illegal thoughts anyway! And hail the party!

[Devastator]

I'm not willing to support the Greens after they removed a good local candidate I knew here, because he wasn't a woman and the party had to meet quota.

I plan on voting federal liberal.  In this age of ideology-based thinking, I think the strongest move for both myself and Canada would be a party that isn't dominated by group-think.

[Descan]

I'd maybe vote Liberal if they picked anyone but Trudeau. I don't like what I've seen him vote on, and I don't want Canada to go the same way America has with political dynasties.

[Devastator]

TBH, I'm not really intimidated by that.  I figure if they get in, we'll have more of a decentralized party.. that is, other ministers will have a lot more influence on policy, rather than it being a Harperesque top-down led party.

I'm also not comfortable with the NDP.  I'm from BC, and the local NDP has a few odd issues.  In the leadup to the last provincial election, their campaign strategy was basically to spend two years badmouthing everything and blaming it all on the government.  What happened to specifically demonstrate that to me was that a brewery fell afoul of tax laws due to selling enough to not qualify for the local microbrewery tax rate.  The government sent a guy up, and two days later changed it to a series of stepping stones.  The NDP blared out how this whole problem was a complete sign of utter incompetence on the part of the government, who.. came up with a good solution in two days.

A lot of their other stuff was the same way, or it was stuff they tried to claim both sides on, like saying that something was both too much and not enough at the same time, or claiming that things were totally unfixable or unacceptable, when they were hardly philosophical measures at all, just numbers.

Anyway, think what you like, but my opinion is that a Liberal government would be able to fix a lot of Harper's bullshit, while not going crazy in some other direction.  It also does appeal to me that in this age of increasing polarization, to go middle.  I can see the point about not inviting in a dynasty.

[Zrk2]

I'd maybe vote Liberal if they picked anyone but Trudeau. I don't like what I've seen him vote on, and I don't want Canada to go the same way America has with political dynasties.

Same here. He's just a head of hair and a last name.

[Devastator]

I'd maybe vote Liberal if they picked anyone but Trudeau. I don't like what I've seen him vote on, and I don't want Canada to go the same way America has with political dynasties.

Same here. He's just a head of hair and a last name.

What's wrong with that?  After Harper, that's precisely who I want in charge.  Not another ideological firebrand to replace the last one.

[FArgHalfnr]

I'd maybe vote Liberal if they picked anyone but Trudeau. I don't like what I've seen him vote on, and I don't want Canada to go the same way America has with political dynasties.

Same here. He's just a head of hair and a last name.

What's wrong with that?  After Harper, that's precisely who I want in charge.  Not another ideological firebrand to replace the last one.

I'd rather have someone who is ideologically opposed to harper. That way there's more chance for them to fix the mess that he did. Trudeau will probably do nothing but maintain the current system.

[Levi]

Canada spent 61.7 billion dollars on interest payments because of our massive debt.  That is more money than our entire primary/secondary education system.

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/cost-of-government-debt-in-canada.pdf

[FArgHalfnr]

Oh great, I've been looking for an occasion to talk about this:

The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is currently being negotiated in secret by 12 countries, including Canada, U.S.A, Japan and Australia. This "Free trade agreement" have barely anything to do with trade, having only 5 out of 29 chapters about it, and it is neither free, as it will mostly be used as a censoring and competition killing tool. The environmental chapter contains absolutely no obligation, only a few recommendations that will undoubtedly be ignored, the IP chapter is SOPA/PIPA on steroid, forcing ISP to spy on their customers, will make piracy and copyright infringement a criminal offense, and make punishment for these ridiculously exaggerated. If you are found to have a picture of anything copyrighted, you could be forced to pay a fine higher that what you would have to pay if you had killed someone by neglect, does that sounds like justice? It will also be possible for a corporation to force any site to shutdown if they believe it might contain copyrighted content, just like what SOPA/PIPA wanted.

The worst part? This isn't even the worst there is. The TPP will create a private tribunal with corporate-funded judges that will allow any corporation to sue an entire country if they do anything that might harm their expected profits. This means no more environmental protection, no food safety, no worker's rights and no "buy local" initiatives. The sued country will not even be allowed to defend itself in any way, and will have to pay with taxpayer money. Another thing, this deal is being kept secret, and will remain like that until four years after it is passed. All we know about this deal was leaked by wikileaks. It seems that those who want this deal passed will attempt to pass it around the end of July.

There is also an European equivalent being negotiated, the TTIP. It is essentially a carbon copy of the TPP. There is also the TiSA which is similar, but I don't know much about it other than it is another clone of the TPP, which is enough to be highly concerned.

https://youtu.be/Y4OQeekSD6s
https://youtu.be/DnC1mqyAXmw

http://www.exposethetpp.org/
https://wikileaks.org/tpp-enviro/pressrelease.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/why-the-transpacific-part_b_6422088.html

I wouldn't be posting this if I wasn't seriously concerned by this. This thing is seriously horrifying.

Edit:

Canada spent 61.7 billion dollars on interest payments because of our massive debt.  That is more money than our entire primary/secondary education system.

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/cost-of-government-debt-in-canada.pdf

And then he goes around claiming that anti-austerity measures only lead to financial crisis. What a liar.

[Sheb]

We have a TPP/TTIP thread somewhere.

[timferius]

Had a Harper minion come to my door the other day and ask if they could count on my vote.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA
NO!

Seriously though, I just said "Nope, thanks" because I was brought up WELL damnit.

[KingofstarrySkies]

Nice work, Tim.

[FArgHalfnr]

We have a TPP/TTIP thread somewhere.

I must've missed it then. Still think it's relevant here since we're one of the negotiating country.

[Levi]

Apparently Anonymous has started leaking cabinet documents on the Canadian government.  Of particular interest is CSIS attempting to spy on Obama, but getting caught and spoiling our relationship with him.   

I haven't had time to look closely at any of it yet, as I'm going on vacation tomorrow, but I applaud any attempt to make the government more transparent.