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  • Canadian Conservatives to Form One Party

    From:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/17/in...partner=GOOGLE

    By THE NEW YORK TIMES
    EDMONTON, Alberta Oct. 16 — After more than a decade of often bitter relations, Canada's two conservative parties reached an agreement Thursday to unite into a single party in an effort to give the governing Liberal Party a competitive race in national elections next year.

    The Canadian Alliance, a populist party strong in the west, and the Progressive Conservative Party, which is strong in the Maritime Provinces, remain far behind the Liberals in the polls. But the leader of the Progressive Conservatives, Peter MacKay, predicted that the unifying of the right will spark "a groundswell of support" that would completely change the political dynamics of the nation.

    The Liberals dominate the House of Commons, and recently won provincial control in Ontario and Quebec, the provinces that dominate national politics.

    Mr. MacKay said the goal is to create an "exciting national conservative party that brings people together and offers Canadians a choice."

    The parties face difficult issues on how to unify behind one leader, work out who will be responsible for their respective party debts, and mesh platforms. The Canadian Alliance has espoused more conservative positions on social and economic issues and uses sharper rhetoric.

    "There has to be a big tent and diversity of views" in the new party, said Stephen Harper, the Canadian Alliance leader.


  • #2
    I think it would be very beneficial for the US if the Conservatives came into power in Canada. There would be alot less economic issues between the US and Canada, they would probably send troops to Iraq and assist us in endeavors all over.

    Just think, the US, Canada, UK, and Australia working together. That just leaves NZ.
    "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

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    • #3
      Maybe the Canadians will get there act together, although I'm not that hopeful.

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      • #4
        it wont be for the 2004 elections, because the Liberal Party is running a conservative candidate. So that gets them a portion of the leftwing vote (just for being the Liberal Party), a large section of the centre vote, and a small section of the right vote. Once Paul Martin is gone, then the Conservatives will have a chance.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by ironman420
          That just leaves NZ.
          /shudders, Helen Clark.

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          • #6
            And God:D


            "Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

            I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

            HAKUNA MATATA

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            • #7
              The Conservatives have just as many screw ups as the Liberals. Those of us who remembered the Somali Crisis and the military funding issues as well as the first woman Prime Minister of Canada (non-elected, just assumed the head of the Party in power and then abruptly disastrously lost the election) who was also the Minister of Defence.

              The CF was screwed by both parties.

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              • #8
                Anglophone Canada should be welcomed into the American Union. Western Canada will elect Republicans and Eastern Canada Democrats, it will work out smartly.

                America needs the land, resources, petroleum and water. Canada needs the protection of a Superpower, the direct access to the American market, the Federal Reserve Note and the likes.

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                • #9
                  they would probably send troops to Iraq and assist us in endeavors all over.
                  Didnt the Progressive Conservative Party oppose the war in Iraq like the Government did?

                  Anyway if a Conservative Government in Canada ever did lead the country on one of Bush's crusades somehow I dont think they would ever be getting reelected again.

                  I seriously doubt this new party will do what it says it will, it will be internall divided forever and although their share of the seats will be larger than what both parties had combined due to the nature of Canadas electoral system their share of the vote will almost certainly go down. The PC had more in common with the Liberals than they did with the Alliance and a hell of a lot of PC voters will probably switch to the voting Liberal now. In the long term however it may be a good strategy for them, without proportional representation they would never have stood a chance but if they can shake off their far right image the Alliance will bring them with they may be a potent threat to the Liberals in about 10 years time.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by JulianStarr
                    Anglophone Canada should be welcomed into the American Union. Western Canada will elect Republicans and Eastern Canada Democrats, it will work out smartly.
                    That is a very over-generalized statement. NDP (a very leftist party) has been provincial governments all over Canada. And Anglo-Canada is the most adament Canadian nationalists there are, trying to preserve the Dominion with Quebec. They won't fight to keep Quebec just to hand themselves over to the US.

                    Originally posted by JulianStarr
                    America needs the land, resources, petroleum and water.
                    That's what NAFTA is for.

                    Originally posted by JulianStarr
                    Canada needs the protection of a Superpower,
                    Never did. Never will. The only power we needed protection from is the US and against her, bend over and kiss our collective butts goodbye.

                    Originally posted by JulianStarr
                    the direct access to the American market, the Federal Reserve Note and the likes.
                    NAFTA.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by bobbylad
                      Didnt the Progressive Conservative Party oppose the war in Iraq like the Government did?

                      Anyway if a Conservative Government in Canada ever did lead the country on one of Bush's crusades somehow I dont think they would ever be getting reelected again.

                      I seriously doubt this new party will do what it says it will, it will be internall divided forever and although their share of the seats will be larger than what both parties had combined due to the nature of Canadas electoral system their share of the vote will almost certainly go down. The PC had more in common with the Liberals than they did with the Alliance and a hell of a lot of PC voters will probably switch to the voting Liberal now. In the long term however it may be a good strategy for them, without proportional representation they would never have stood a chance but if they can shake off their far right image the Alliance will bring them with they may be a potent threat to the Liberals in about 10 years time.
                      It's a question of leadership of which Canada has been sorely lacking. Public opinion should never be the criteria to go to war or not since most of the populace is not privy to sensitive information.

                      That's what the elected leadership is supposed to do. They have to examine the data and determine what is in the best interest of Canada and follow that path and stand up and take the responsibility for it.

                      Instead, we say one thing and do another. We say we won't help in Iraq and ended up being the 4th largest force in that war doing behind the scene support (ie naval protection).

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                      • #12
                        Never did. Never will. The only power we needed protection from is the US and against her, bend over and kiss our collective butts goodbye.
                        You are refering to the 19th Century not today right?

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Praxus
                          You are refering to the 19th Century not today right?
                          Just responding theoritically. The only viable possible threat comes from the US.

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                          • #14
                            That is true, you set up that Confederation two years after we defeated the Confederate States of America.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by JulianStarr
                              That is true, you set up that Confederation two years after we defeated the Confederate States of America.
                              The US House of Representatives passed a bill outlining how Canada would be annexed. I think it was a quite serious matter. I don't know what happened to it, don't know if it was defeated in the Senate, put on the backburner to disappear or what.
                              "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

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