Canada may get a new government today (page 2)

Village Idiot

Are Canadian Liberals all talk and no walk? What has their past performance been like?

The weather has been positively toasty here in Calgary so that will help turnout. It could have been -20 and several feet of snow but it's lovely right now. Halloween is going to be crazy if it stays like this, esp as it falls on a non-school day (Sat).

Just like in the US, a higher turnout is usually better for the liberal party and the conservatives rely on lower voter numbers to get results.

twinkle toes

This is only my second federal Election.

I chastised myself for looking around the voting center ( public Rec. center) for witnesses. It's hard to get used to being a voter.

Watching the results come in is exciting though.

tt

GrreatTeacher

That is a very clever political ad! You don't "get it" until the end. Watch it, everyone!

Now, pardon me if my ignorance is showing, but is a "riding" a voting district? Is it determined by population?

Also, are you just voting for prime minister or also representatives for parliament? The US splits those elections up, but I shouldn't assume it's the same everywhere.

And, is it "winner takes all" or is there proportional representation?

I apologize for my ignorance, but in my 16 plus years of education I have never once learned anything about the Canadian government. Pretty pathetic, now that I think of it.

Simon

It's representative democracy. You pick the rep for your area and the party with the most votes has the leader. You don't vote directly for the PM as such.

It is first-past-the-post system with 170-ish seats needed to get a majority government. Any less and someone could form a minority government or combine to create a coalition government.

Canada seems to be an almost exact copy of the UK system which is no surprise.

OrphanCrow

GreatTeacher, the Canadian political system is different than the American. Canada models its parliament on the British House of Lords.

Now, pardon me if my ignorance is showing, but is a "riding" a voting district? Is it determined by population?

Yes. A riding is a voting district. Generally determined by population. Canada has 338 ridings.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/election/election-2015-riding-map-of-canada

Also, are you just voting for prime minister or also representatives for parliament? The US splits those elections up, but I shouldn't assume it's the same everywhere.

We vote only for the representative in our riding. The leader of whichever party wins the most ridings becomes the Prime Minister.

And, is it "winner takes all" or is there proportional representation?

Winner takes all. Because we have a predominantly three party system here, we sometimes end up with a minority government. Which works out if the third party sides with the one who holds the most power. It doesn't work if the third party decides it doesn't like the party in power. Then...it is sometimes results in Canada going back to the polls in short order.

GrreatTeacher

Thanks, Simon. I wonder if the reason politics is so volatile in the states is because it's basically a two party system, so if you're in a small party like the green party you never get representation. Hmm...

So, anyhow, you're voting for everybody: PM and representatives. The whole federal shebang!

Yeah, maybe we all should be paying more attention...

truthseeker100

If what Simon says is correct about voter turn out being favorable to the Liberals then its a good sign locally for the Liberals. Any thing I say is representative of only a half hour at the polls that have been collecting votes all day. So regard it as anecdotal. I have never had to wait in line like I did tonight and there were a lot of pissed off people.

I ask that others here give us a little bit of a break tonight. Canadians have traditionally given so much globally without much respect or acclaim. So bear with us tonight.

GrreatTeacher

So, Orphan, I'm trying to understand the going back to the polls thing. When would that happen? If parliament is all locked up and won't pass any laws?

I mean, the US has had a do-nothing Congress for years since the conservatives have Congress and we have a liberal president. That's status quo here! (Tongue in cheek, guys. We know it's a problem.) However, we only have regularly scheduled elections, so there's nothing to be done until the term of office is up.

Do they all just throw up their hands and call for an election? What would a triggering event be?

OrphanCrow

Polls aren't even closed and a Liberal win is being declared. Now we wait to see if it is a majority government or a minority and who will be the opposition.

http://www.cp24.com/video?clipId=720794

Canada is now Liberal.

Yay Trudeau!

Canada may get a new government today

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