IMO the largest issue and most divisive in the country is the AB issue. AB is going to need to adapt as the world progresses, yet they seem reluctant to because they've been living on the hog for so long that every kid coming out of high school feels entitled to $150K/yr.

Personally, it reminds me of the 80's manufacturing sector in Ontario although the circumstances are different. Oil (higher grade) is produced at a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world, and the world will gradually shift away from it's reliance on it. It's a complicated mess, and one that likely doesn't have an outcome that will satisfy most Albertans.
- golfingsince

This is so true!
...and the Liberals will need to walk a tightrope if they want to have a chance at the next election. It's easy politics to pit business vs environment. The base of the left and the right are primed for the fight. The Liberals to an extent (big or small) are trying to capture the middle... But that middle is shrinking as both sides become more vocal/ready to fight.

This is so true!
...and the Liberals will need to walk a tightrope if they want to have a chance at the next election. It's easy politics to pit business vs environment. The base of the left and the right are primed for the fight. The Liberals to an extent (big or small) are trying to capture the middle... But that middle is shrinking as both sides become more vocal/ready to fight.
- RealityChecker

Of course, possibly the largest obstacle of it all is the concern that so many people form their political opinions base on what they read on social media.

I know this guy that blames PQ for the Irving family deciding to buy Saudi oil because it is cheaper. A pipeline isn't going to change that, it costs $12 to produce a barrel of Saudi Oil. They just reap absurd margins because the market will bear it.

This is so true!
...and the Liberals will need to walk a tightrope if they want to have a chance at the next election. It's easy politics to pit business vs environment. The base of the left and the right are primed for the fight. The Liberals to an extent (big or small) are trying to capture the middle... But that middle is shrinking as both sides become more vocal/ready to fight.
- RealityChecker

DP

and here we gooooooo....

Justin Trudeau today vowed to be more sensitive to the needs of Alberta and Saskatchewan and to build the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline in the face of entrenched opposition from environmentalists.

While Trudeau might have to rely in this minority Parliament on vote support from the NDP and Green caucuses — two entities that have expressed strident opposition to Trans Mountain — the project's future does not depend on any one vote in the House of Commons.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/p...-trans-mountain-1.5332365


this will play well with the NDP/Green base... 4 years of compromise/working together? the clock has started.

and here we gooooooo....

Justin Trudeau today vowed to be more sensitive to the needs of Alberta and Saskatchewan and to build the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline in the face of entrenched opposition from environmentalists.

While Trudeau might have to rely in this minority Parliament on vote support from the NDP and Green caucuses — two entities that have expressed strident opposition to Trans Mountain — the project's future does not depend on any one vote in the House of Commons.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/p...-trans-mountain-1.5332365


this will play well with the NDP/Green base... 4 years of compromise/working together? the clock has started.
- RealityChecker

The tradeoff will be pharmacare/dentacare, book it.

Of course, possibly the largest obstacle of it all is the concern that so many people form their political opinions base on what they read on social media.

I know this guy that blames PQ for the Irving family deciding to buy Saudi oil because it is cheaper. A pipeline isn't going to change that, it costs $12 to produce a barrel of Saudi Oil. They just reap absurd margins because the market will bear it.
- golfingsince

i hear ya.

this is what i meant when i said that politics matters more than good governance.

it's easier to rile up the base with half-truths and outright lies than it is to convince people that compromise benefits everyone in the long run.

when you campaign on extremes, your base/supporters see any compromise as capitulation.

The tradeoff will be pharmacare/dentacare, book it.
- golfingsince

how's universal child care working out? oh yeah, it's great on the campaign trail but it gets lost in the shuffle.

The tradeoff will be pharmacare/dentacare, book it.
- golfingsince

Yup.

how's universal child care working out? oh yeah, it's great on the campaign trail but it gets lost in the shuffle.
- RealityChecker

There were some gains, but like pharmacare on dentacare it's impossible to get off the ground right away.

My unpopular take is that even universal healthcare should be taken out of the province's hands. That would also reduce the amount of transfer payments, and so much money that is lost in bureaucracy. I'd love to see some numbers so I could crunch them pretty hard and come up with a more complete solution but I find it very difficult to believe that the system can't be more efficient.

I'd also like to see a nominal fee for ER visits, which of course could be waived for serious health risks and/or injury. It doesn't have to be much, just enough to deter the people with common ailments from showing up at ER rooms every 2nd day. It drives me absolutely crazy to see people show up with conjunctivitis or the common cold......and it also places further stress on our health care system by passing these highly contagious ailments along to other people.

There were some gains, but like pharmacare on dentacare it's impossible to get off the ground right away.

My unpopular take is that even universal healthcare should be taken out of the province's hands. That would also reduce the amount of transfer payments, and so much money that is lost in bureaucracy. I'd love to see some numbers so I could crunch them pretty hard and come up with a more complete solution but I find it very difficult to believe that the system can't be more efficient.

I'd also like to see a nominal fee for ER visits, which of course could be waived for serious health risks and/or injury. It doesn't have to be much, just enough to deter the people with common ailments from showing up at ER rooms every 2nd day. It drives me absolutely crazy to see people show up with conjunctivitis or the common cold......and it also places further stress on our health care system by passing these highly contagious ailments along to other people.
- golfingsince

yes, yes and yes.

I really like the people in this thread.

Excellent conversation on politics and the current state, great points being made.

We should have our own separate picnic for like-minded rational people with a sense of humour.

I really like the people in this thread.

Excellent conversation on politics and the current state, great points being made.

We should have our own separate picnic for like-minded rational people with a sense of humour.
- Marwood

Do you think Trump will be able to re-start The Apprentice from prison?

I really like the people in this thread.

Excellent conversation on politics and the current state, great points being made.

We should have our own separate picnic for like-minded rational people with a sense of humour.
- Marwood

GFY

The tradeoff will be pharmacare/dentacare, book it.
- golfingsince

I don’t think either will be needed. JT can dictate his terms for building the pipeline and the conservatives better not oppose it or they’ll look like the ones stalling.

Remember, Albertans are the ones who voted for a NDP government in protest. They ain’t too happy with the cons either.

JT knows he has to build it. Now he gets to do it his way.

I don’t think either will be needed. JT can dictate his terms for building the pipeline and the conservatives better not oppose it or they’ll look like the ones stalling.

Remember, Albertans are the ones who voted for a NDP government in protest. They ain’t too happy with the cons either.

JT knows he has to build it. Now he gets to do it his way.
- bloatedmosquito

Didn't Alberta elect her because they had an "unconstitutional deficit" entering the election? Even then, it took a split right vote for her to get elected.

I thought she did a decent job given the circumstances but most voters there regret it. Trudeau is the dirtiest name in AB, and has been long before Justin came onto the scene.

Even during Chretien's power years the province was mostly blue. I suspect that no matter what Trudeau does in AB it will be spun as not enough and at the next federal election at least 30 seats in AB will be blue.

I don’t think either will be needed. JT can dictate his terms for building the pipeline and the conservatives better not oppose it or they’ll look like the ones stalling.

Remember, Albertans are the ones who voted for a NDP government in protest. They ain’t too happy with the cons either.

JT knows he has to build it. Now he gets to do it his way.
- bloatedmosquito

I don't think JT can dictate terms. When it comes to the pipeline, JT's been playing defence from the start.

No matter if the Albertans get everything they want, they'll still complain about something or another. Why? Politics. It's good and extremely easy politics to bash JT. The people of that province eat that sh!t up. Remember they love the Christian Reform Alliance Party. They love to be fed CRAP.

As for them voting NDP in protest, that was several fiscally horrendous years ago. "Premier the Shrew," alienated anyone who ever thought about voting NDP. And back to the easy politics, it's easy for small c conservatives to now say, "we had liberal policies and look what happened!" Easy politics for the CRAP to throw Liberals and NDP together especially when they are working together in a minority government.

So essentially, Alberta will get what they want and still b!tch about it, which brings me to my last point:

ALBERTA IS THE NEW QUEBEC. albertans are nothing but quebecers with cowboy boots.

Didn't Alberta elect her because they had an "unconstitutional deficit" entering the election? Even then, it took a split right vote for her to get elected.

I thought she did a decent job given the circumstances but most voters there regret it. Trudeau is the dirtiest name in AB, and has been long before Justin came onto the scene.

Even during Chretien's power years the province was mostly blue. I suspect that no matter what Trudeau does in AB it will be spun as not enough and at the next federal election at least 30 seats in AB will be blue.
- golfingsince

bloats will now point out that you said the same thing as me... but in fewer words.

Didn't Alberta elect her because they had an "unconstitutional deficit" entering the election? Even then, it took a split right vote for her to get elected.

I thought she did a decent job given the circumstances but most voters there regret it. Trudeau is the dirtiest name in AB, and has been long before Justin came onto the scene.

Even during Chretien's power years the province was mostly blue. I suspect that no matter what Trudeau does in AB it will be spun as not enough and at the next federal election at least 30 seats in AB will be blue.
- golfingsince

He could start by using the phrase “tide-water” more. And then deny climate change. And then get a bigger truck and a pair of blue jeans with a Copenhagen ring in the back pocket. And then buy a couple of more pipelines that the majority of the country doesn’t want. That might just, just, be enough.

He could start by using the phrase “tide-water” more. And then deny climate change. And then get a bigger truck and a pair of blue jeans with a Copenhagen ring in the back pocket. And then buy a couple of more pipelines that the majority of the country doesn’t want. That might just, just, be enough.
- CubanBuffet

Hahaha

I’d like to point out that while I did not vote liberal, I’m not a Trudeau hater. I’m just disappointed he didn’t even try to keep his promise on electoral reform. I also think he’s a bt of a phoney. On a side note, my late aunt was his father’s personal secretary.

GFY
- A_SteamingLombardi

Suck my balls, hippie.

Hahaha

I’d like to point out that while I did not vote liberal, I’m not a Trudeau hater. I’m just disappointed he didn’t even try to keep his promise on electoral reform. I also think he’s a bt of a phoney. On a side note, my late aunt was his father’s personal secretary.
- golfingsince

I voted against someone rather than for someone this election.

I get the disappointment with voter reform, but I’m not sure how you make that work, wether it’s a referendum or just legislation. It’s a pretty complicated issue, that’s too over simplified when sold to voters. On the surface proportional representation sounds ideal, but in practice it’s a mess. It opens the door to continuous minority governments and fringe single issue parties. Though flawed, our current system consistently produces stable governments.

I voted against someone rather than for someone this election.

I get the disappointment with voter reform, but I’m not sure how you make that work, wether it’s a referendum or just legislation. It’s a pretty complicated issue, that’s too over simplified when sold to voters. On the surface proportional representation sounds ideal, but in practice it’s a mess. It opens the door to continuous minority governments and fringe single issue parties. Though flawed, our current system consistently produces stable governments.
- CubanBuffet

It's a very complicated issue. Ideally you'd want all parties elected to have representation across the country. Parties would also have to choose which ridings and members that have won they're willing to sacrifice. I would think the way to go would be close ridings and large urban centres. Perhaps my favourite aspect of this would be having Bloc MP's scattered across the country telling citizens of other provinces in english why Quebec deserves more. I think i'd start a TV show.

Maybe you'd need a certain percentage of the vote to have party status? That would eliminate the fringe. Under the current system we've already seen the Bloc as official opposition, which at the heart of it is a single issue party. I guess i'll have to think about it for awhile.

It's a very complicated issue. Ideally you'd want all parties elected to have representation across the country. Parties would also have to choose which ridings and members that have won they're willing to sacrifice. I would think the way to go would be close ridings and large urban centres. Perhaps my favourite aspect of this would be having Bloc MP's scattered across the country telling citizens of other provinces in english why Quebec deserves more. I think i'd start a TV show.

Maybe you'd need a certain percentage of the vote to have party status? That would eliminate the fringe. Under the current system we've already seen the Bloc as official opposition, which at the heart of it is a single issue party. I guess i'll have to think about it for awhile.
- golfingsince

Proportionate government would be very hard to manage, makingsure all regions are represented.
Maybe they could look at starting a proportional representation in the Senate.
Every 10 years or so, take a look back at the last 3 federal elections and average out the Senate, accordingly.
Having only Conservatives and Liberals being appointed, makes a mockery of the political system.

Proportionate government would be very hard to manage, makingsure all regions are represented.
Maybe they could look at starting a proportional representation in the Senate.
Every 10 years or so, take a look back at the last 3 federal elections and average out the Senate, accordingly.
Having only Conservatives and Liberals being appointed, makes a mockery of the political system.
- Reubenkincade

just abolish the senate. it's the do-nothing, political rewards chamber.

once a decade, the senate will send back a bill to get re-written because it's an abomination. that doesn't justify the country club the other 9.9/10 years.