Thumper89

The voting system that is...

As a landed immigrant in Canada,I am not intitled to vote.In all the years that I have sat on the side lines and seen what goes on,it still makes no sense to me....

The prime minister calls a federal election,next thing I know everybody and their dog is putting up signs everywhere saying "Vote for me"...
Then when the election happens, everyones talking about A:who won what riding in what ever area..I thought it was a vote to elect a new prime minister?
B:Everyone goes on and on about so and so winning so many seats...what seats??
C:So lets say the NDP gets the majority of the votes(just an example)how the hell does the liberals get the win? Not sure if thats the case in this one, but I hve seen it in the past...

The whole dang thing makes no sense whats so ever...

Can someone explain this to me??

Andrew

Okie....all across the country you have ridings (electoral areas) in those ridings you have party members running for their party in that riding. In the House of Commons, there are so many seats approx. 255 I think.

So, unlike the states where you vote for the person for president, Bush, Gore etc... In Canada, the people are voted by their party to be the leader of that party (Prime Minister Candiate) when you vote in your riding, you are voting for the party, and you don't get to vote for the person.

Now, this year's election propduced a different government. In the past, we have generally had a MAJORITY govt., (the party who won has the majority of the ~255 seats) this gives them complete balance of power. However, this year, as you can see from the results, the Liberals DID NOT get the majority of the ~255. In this case, the Governor General (can't remember her name) has a rarely used power. She can ask the CURRENT Prime minister (if he happens to be the leader of the party who won the most seats) if he feels he can create a government that will receive a vote of confidence from the house. If he says no, then the next party will have to do the same thing. In this case, Paul Martin chose to stay in power.

The balance of power has however, shifted. If the Conservatives create an alliance with the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP they can out-vote the Liberals. Some say this is beneficial because the opposition has to be heard now.

Does that make it a little clearer?

~Andrew

Blinddemonz

^^^ That explained a lot for me lol (not sarcasm) Suddenly politics are starting to be understood in my head. I voted yesterday lol

fazes

It's adrien clarkson, and well explained.

[ June 29, 2004, 03:49 PM: Message edited by: fazes ]

Andrew

Thanks [img]smile.gif[/img]

I can only explain it that well after 29 yaers of it being explained to me ever year! lol

Blinddemonz

Wish someone would'a did that for me maybe I wouldn't hate politics so much that and that reflects on my political science class lol

Thumper89

Makes alot more sense,but still seems kinda dumb...Basiclly as I understand it is if the current goverment doesnt win enough seats to remain in power,the Lt.Gov. can come along and ask if they want to stay...Maybe I'm misunderstanding it,but thats how I read it...
And if this is how it works,then why do we bother voting then?

Personally, I think we should vote for a party..ok thats fine...but then have the party into itself have a leader pre selected/nominated to run for prime minister...Then come time for the federal election, all Mr.John-Q-Public has to is vote for the party they want in power...Then count the votes...winner takes office...simple as that...none of this crap of winning so many seats...

How the hell do they determine how many of these seats a party gets? Its just stupid in my opinion...

Andrew

Hey Aaron, I will see if I can answer some of there for ya [img]smile.gif[/img]

Okay, Each seat represents a riding in the country. That way everyone has a local representative in the House of Commons (MP - Member of Parliament) this person is your local voice on a federal level. This is the person we were voting for on Monday. Those people are members of a party, who at some point during the year, has a big rally and those MP's have a vote within the party to elect their leader.

The way you want it done is exactly how we do do it, except we do have seats. Basically, the only reason there are seats is to have local representatives.

Unlike the US, who has Congress, made of Congressmen and Congresswomen (similar to our MP's) then citizens vote for the actual President (there are only 2 parties - Democratic and Republican)

Some people prefer the US style where you actually have control over the person in charge as opposed to the party. The dilemna people face is, lets say your local MP is awesome, you love them so you want to vote for them, but you dislike their Federal leader..what do you do?? Do you vote for the best person for you locally, or do you not vote for them because of their Federal leader?

Hopefully that helps you a bit, keep asking if there is more you don't understand [img]smile.gif[/img]

~Andrew

Tha-Game

and the worst part of our whole system is how the country is divided up into ridings, according to population, which is why, out government is controled by the "center of the universe" ontario and quebec, and why if 2 ontarians fart at the same time its a national crisis, but the west and atlantic provinces are ignored for 3 years an 9 months outta each term then promised it will change and how important we are to canada.... then we vote, and its like we fall off the radar again..... next election im starting the bloc alberta, my platform will include stopping transfer payments to the east, cuts on gasonline tax (we make it therefore we should get it cheaper) buhbye to kyoto, the gun registry, and lining the pockets of our friends, no more internally voted on raises, they would be dependant on public support, none of this "i feel i should get 20% raise every year for the next 10 years...." what am i a soccer player in spain?? better restrictions on abuse of social services to protect the funds for those who have contributed for 30 years to the CPP rather then individuals moving here at age 64 not working a day, and claiming EI or wanting a pension someone else has contributed to for them, no more cookie jar beside the lazyboy in my government, if u dont contribute, and are able to work, then u work, or u are hungry.

no other political parties are willing to stand up and make changes needed because it will upset some groups of people, id much rather turn off social services for someone who hasnt put in a dime then have to cut back on education for kids, or health care for the elderly who have spent decades contributing money into the system, no more free rides on the gravy train, job placement programs for people on EI who are capable of work (alberta is lousy with jobs out there, sometimes its a matter of swallowing your pride and flipping burgers, or cleaning toilets, and a raise of minimum wage, no one can make ends meet on 6$ an hour


so next election vote for me, party name TBA how do u like the peoples party? do u smell what the budget is cookin???