Time for New Predictions

Well, the current round of political betting has ended and a new one will need to occur. This new round will then focus on, what will Stephen Harper do as PM, and how long will he last as PM in this session.

Let's start with the second. As most others have noted, he will likely have at least 6-8 months as the Liberals try to reform, regroup and find new leadership. Along this lines I would not think that many Canadians would be all that keen on a new Liberal leader attempting to bring down the government as one of their first acts. Thus, I will extent Harper's timelines until at least the 12 month point, probably 14 months.

With Harper lasting that long, I expect a number of promises to have to be kept. And budgetary ones I would think would best be done befoer the Liberals choose a new leader. Thus, by summer, the GST will begin its drop (at least legislatively - maybe kick in around the January '07). I would not be surprised to see the child care tax credit rolled in there as well. I also expect Harper's Native deal, based on programs that the Liberals have killed will also come about during this first year and maybe by summer. Military spending improvements, that will wait until the budget after the Liberal leadership race has been completed.

That's the start...let's see what Stevie H. does.

Source of all election results

After my previous post, I have switched primary election results provider. I am going right to the source...that's right....Elections Canada!!

Updates every 90 seconds. The chance to have up to 4 separate riding results also posted.

What more can one ask for?

Nonethless, it definitely looks like my predicted Orange sweep of Steeltown is occurring (although Valeri is keeping it interesting and since many in Ancaster and Dundas would love to de-amalgamate I won't include A-D-F-W as part of Hamilton).

As part of the clase race in Hamilton East, I would be interested to know how the anonymous phone messages that were left for constituents have affected the results in that riding? Did their smear of Valeri give him a boost or at least shift some votes away from the NDP or Conservatives? As an interesting aside, I would love to find out who the source of the anonymous messages were from as they have no explicit party affliation.

Let's wait and see....

Pansy Election coverage

Ok....the polls close locally and the coverage and results begin with all of the Atlantic results already in. Immediately Kevin Newman and Peter Mansbridge are giving the "Stephen Harper is the next Prime Minister" speech but without any minority/majority prediction.

Come on folks.....if you are going to predict something and be gutsy enough to do it right away, give us something real. Screw this who knows the size crap. Predict the full outcome or nothing at all.

They weeble and they wobble......

Sat down for my daily reading of the local press....others complain in some manner or other about bias in the press, that this paper should not be suppoerted for this reason or that, usually an editorial position or the like...

Rarely do I notice such blatant confusion on the part of an editorial board as I have in terms of the Hamilton Spectator this weekend as the Canadian election winds down and voters move toward the polls.

Let me provide a couple of quotations, the first is from the Opinions page, written by Casey Korstanje.

"This time we are calling for change; it is a position we have not come to easily.....Philosophically, The Spectator's world view is fiscally conservative and socially progressive. Given that, we find that Liberal policies overall fit more closely with our thinking than either the Conservative or New Democratic view. But that's no longer enough for us to support the current government.It would be incorrect, however, to conclude that the paper is endorsing Stephen Harper's Conservatives...Nor do we back Jack Layton's New Democratic Party. We can't in all good conscience support anyone whose program costs out at $87 billion over the next five years.Now back to the Liberals....Our conclusion: The Liberals need a time out to rebuild from the top down if they hope to regain the confidence of voters.Where does that leave us on Monday? Barring a dramatic shift, it seems Stephen Harper will likely get his kick at the can to form the next government.
Our immediate advice to Harper....If Canadians decide to make Stephen Harper prime minister on Monday..."

So what Casey is saying seems to be....It is time for a change (i.e. we need to get rid of the Liberals as the government), we don't Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, nor do we support the NDP led by Jack Layton. We don't know who to vote for, but the Liberals aren't that bad, especially when they regroup, and Canadians will choose the Conservatives even though we don't think they should.

Then, take Dana Robbins' column on the same day. "In a race this tight, I'm loath to make any predictions, save this one -- The Spectator will provide the most comprehensive, and timely, election coverage of any Hamilton media."

Dana, doesn't the paper make a strong prediction on page A25? "Stephen Harper will likely get his kick at the can to form the next government"?

Well, I guess this means that we don't need to worry about the Spec providing biased reporting from their own particular stance on the issues....they can't seem to figure out what their stance is on the issues from across thier editorial table to begin with. This shoddy work from the top gives a fairly clear indication of how the series on Valeri's home shopping was given approval for as much page space and reporting time and effort as it was.

Notwithstanding....

Paul Martin and the Liberal party always tell the truth.

Notwithstanding, that thing about Stephen Harper and the army,

But don't worry....if the Liberals are elected Paul Martin will take away the chance to use the Notwithstanding clause.

He promises.

Notwithstanding the possibility he was not telling the truth.

Where does Paul Martin get his ideas from?

As a periodic contribution to the Paul Martin attack ad critiques....

When Paul Martin was at the University of Toronto he joined a fratenity.

William Lyon Mackenzie King also joined a fraternity at the U of T.

Mackenzie King also got political advice from the a dead Wilfrid Laurier.

Is this something that King learned in his secret society?

Does Paul Martin learn to do this too?

Is Paul Martin doing his father's bidding from the beyond?

We just don't know.

Choose a living Canada.

Great beer...and cheap enough to buy popcorn

I was recently reading Rick Mercer's blog and read about his little petition regarding the devaluation of beer in the present election campaign.

I began to think....you know he's on to something about parents not being able to buy beer with the Tory Child Care Tax credit because beer is too darned expensive. Then I reflected....is Stephen working with Steeltown brewery Lakeport, home of the increasingly famous 2-4 for $24 Honey Lager?

With that kind of price, parents can a weekly case of Honey suds and pick up a pack of microwave popcorn to enjoy with it. Makes ya wonder if this could be a devious plot to increase Lakeport sales and even the score with a donation or two to the Big Blue Machine...

I think we will have to look for piles of empties with a big Lakeport logo in Scott Reid's garage in exchange for that gaffe.

But then again, are our politicians really that organized? HA!

Who?

Will anyone read?

Should anyone read?

Is this more than vanity.....

Who knows, who cares.....let's just see where the thoughts go.....