Election speculation is always fun but I think Harper will somehow cleverly cling to his minority government for another 2-3 years.

If that doesn't happen, I think the news media (which, I believe, control the format of the leadership debates) will include Elizabeth May of the Green Party since climate change is such a hot topic. (get it? climate change... hot topic... hahaha!) This may translate into actual seats for the Greens and a parliament with 5 parties again.

I really hope we don't have an election, because I'd rather see the children in parliament learn to work together instead of endlessly chasing a majority.

To answer your question though: I will not vote CPC in the next election because I cannot support my local CPC candidate, John Baird. He's a weasel, a meddler, and just generally an offensive personality. That said, I also will not vote for the Liberals or the NDP. I was thinking maybe Green until May came out and trumpeted the "guarenteed annual income" policy, which pretty much makes me want to vomit. Independant then? I don't know.....

Time to form the Canadian National Bloggers Party, Andrew.

Weird. I was thinking of not voting CPC if the rumoured copyright changes go through. Otherwise, all the way.

On the other hand, if Dion wins Canada will easily make its Kyoto numbers. Unfortunately, this will be through the shedding of a province, as with most Quebec Liberals, his view of the rest of Canada as a resource region populated by declasse hicks.

For purely non-partisian reasons I hope we have an election soon. I absolutely do not believe a minority government does anything truly great for the nation, because contrary to those that say "the government must all work together to get things accomplished" what really happens is the party in power begs borrow and steals votes from whatever opposition bunch suits their needs at the time. Granted, anything truly big and offensive to the majority of people who did not vote for the minority folks is usually avoided (and in this most recent case, not spoken of for fear of scaring folks away or reminding the lobbyist people who put them in power of what they originally intended).

I am probably as always voting for Peter because honestly, i like him, trust him, and have had a drink with him in his livingroom. None of the other local candidates have offered me a drink!! But seriously, I am for the most part behind Dion's spoken ideas, even if a lot of it is vote begging propaganda (isn't it all) but he is smart enough to know he won't be re-elected on charisma alone and willl likely follow through with promises.

Were it not for Peter, and did they not run a holistic fortune telling dogwalker as they are want to do, I would consider voting Green.

<i>...this will be through the shedding of a province...</i><p>Hah! You have bought the paper tiger line completely. As oil prices drop, the call of "liberty for my windfall" of the twelve real Alberta separatists always subsides. Stop reading the small, the dead and the brainless for your own good. Here is a quick test: do you also know in your heart that Harper is the only smart person in the world? I think the PMO has got you under the mind control ray thing.

If everyone else is talking more 'green' to whatever degree, is this good for the Greens or bad for the Greens, vote-wise?

Good point. BTW, you can tell of you are being made subject to the PMO's mind control ray if you hear a sort of whirring sound when you start up your computer.

Actually, I don't think Harper or anyone in the CPC will make the claim I'm making.

If Dion's plan to do Kyoto is on Alberta's back ... and I think this is likely ... Alberta will erupt. The reason I think it's likely is (a) Kyoto means money flowing through the government, to be distributed to the pals of the government -- i.e. buy off Qbc; (b) that's where the carbon is; (c) Abt is weak politically.

As an entirely independent conversation before Dion was elected (I think) my US Very Big Investment Bank contact ... a good Quebec Liberal, BTW ... said this is Alberta's last chance and they know. If they blow this boom, the place will be scooped up at bargin prices by cleverer countries with very long term outlooks, and furthermore, everyone in Albt knows it.

There is no political will for disrupting Canada in the US. There is nothing near a majority in Alberta that will entertain actual separation or even triggering a constitutional crisis. Even Harper is thinking now of somehow limiting polluting industries and oil and gas cannot be exempted. Alberta cannot defend itself. There is no cultural link to the soldiers based there as in Quebec. How does this dreamland of "independence" actually get triggered. Alberta separatism and separatists generally make absolutely no sense.

I'm still up for a Quebec-Maritimes-Ontario separation from the west. Except BC. We want them for vacation land. THen we finally scoop up the Turks and Caicos Islands and boom, we're a superpower with a landlocked promised land that the Conservalites can emigrate to work in their oily kibbutzes.

I am all for retaining Layton as NDP leader. The longer he and his wife stay off Toronto city council, the better. Sure he has that smarmy, oily vibe, but for the good of the city he should stay as far away from its committees and budget allocations as possible. His ability to do harm is greatly lessened in Ottawa. I would even be willing to cough up a few hundred bucks to his next campaign to ensure he stays there and doesn't come back home with his tail between his legs.

I agree with Chris re: layton.. is is harmless where he is.. WAIT A MINUTE.. not true.. He props up Harper and the Harpies if they let him grandsatand a bit and give him free bearclaws every lunchtime.

... There is that downside, yes. But for Tories like me it is no downside at all. Win-win all around. =)

Can I make a recommendation for any NDP Junior-A league scouts? Please, please recruit David Miller next. I don't think he'll be any better than smilin' Jack but he will probably cram his foot in his mouth a little less. And in return we might actually get a mayor who can herd his cats for long enough to get a simple yearbook photo done.

For sheer entertainment value I like elections monthly.

I suspect this one will be fun - whenever it occurs - simply because all the leaders will be, how do you say....ah, lying their pants off. Ms. May will have to throw her nuanced position on abortion under the bus, Harper will have to pretend that he really does think GW is real and Kyoto is the solution, Dion will have to pretend that Canada can reach its Kyoto goals and have an economy, Smilin' Jack will have to maintain the NDP is somehow relevant to, well, something and M. Duceppe will have to keep the separatist flame aglow.

With luck the election will be all about the environment which will let the public in on the little secret of the costs of Kyoto compliance and the rather doubtful benefits.

As a horse race it will provide thrills and spills: nothing in the Tory performance to date suggests they have expanded their base. What they have done is run a fairly competent and relatively "unscary" operation. Dion has embraced green and that will work to some extent although everytime he mentions Kyoto he puts his own and the Liberal's record into play. Is there a yearning for the Liberals return? None that I can see.

The trouble with an election call soon is that there is really no serious issue. I mean the Grits and the rest of the Opposition could defeat the government on a Kyoto bill but I really can't see Canadians being very pleased with that. So what's a winnable issue for either side?

<i>...relatively "unscary" operation...</i><p>Except perhaps if you are in that part of the government not housed in the PMO.<p>I do not think that it is about winnable issue so much as a windo w of opprotunity. The Bloc and CPC may see their prospects not being any better, the Liberals may like to go with unknown and untested quantities and the NDP just like elections as it is the only time they get equal press.