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Federal Carbon Tax

Halifax Tar said:
and I think that could be solved or equaled out with a redistribution of seats; and a blocking parties from being able to run unless they can field candidates all over the country.

That would pretty immediately - and quite rightly - be stomped down as a violation of a couple fundamental Charter rights. I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think the problem justifies that kind of extreme attack on our democratic freedoms.

Yup, Quebec casts a lot of votes for a regional party that pushes their interests. Nothing stops anyone else from doing the same. Of course they have to do so in the knowledge that they will not be able to form a government that way- and that if they go about it the wrong way, their regional interests could end up carrying very little weight at all depending on the make up of a given Parliament.
 
Brihard said:
That would pretty immediately - and quite rightly - be stomped down as a violation of a couple fundamental Charter rights. I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think the problem justifies that kind of extreme attack on our democratic freedoms.

Yup, Quebec casts a lot of votes for a regional party that pushes their interests. Nothing stops anyone else from doing the same. Of course they have to do so in the knowledge that they will not be able to form a government that way- and that if they go about it the wrong way, their regional interests could end up carrying very little weight at all depending on the make up of a given Parliament.

We have adjusted seats distribution many times.  In fact it should be done more often. 

As for party banning it should be done.  Its gaming the system.  Separation is a provincial issue. Just for a minimum number of ridings. And  may it a percentage of the country like 80% of the ridings.
 
[quote author=Halifax Tar]

I have to ask why the second largest province in Canada needs those less populated to support it financially ?
[/quote]

Good question.
 
Halifax Tar said:
We have adjusted seats distribution many times.  In fact it should be done more often. 

As for party banning it should be done.  Its gaming the system.  Separation is a provincial issue. Just for a minimum number of ridings. And  may it a percentage of the country like 80% of the ridings.

I’m fine with seat distribution to keep things proportional, though am not wedded to the idea that it has to be bang on; electoral divisions need to be coherent lest we see the gerrymandered circus found in US congressional districts.

Strongly disagreed about banning political parties that cannot get national candidates. It would be illegal anyway, but even if it weren’t, the principle of freedom of association is too important to sacrifice on that political altar. I get your frustration with the Bloc, trust me. As a Quebec born Anglo and avowed Canadian federalist, I have zero time for them. But our essential freedoms, both individual and collective, demand that we allow such a party exist. Same goes for any regional tent anyone feels they can get the political support to erect. The onus is on the federalist parties to present a better option. Please think further on the thin line we’re treading when we start saying that the government of the day can legislate such a high bar to political parties even existing. The current bureaucratic threshold for a party being able to form and register is appropriately very low, and most never make it to more than a blip on the radar- but it’s still essential that we allow the freedom to associate politically.

Standing up to the BQ, or to any regional party that uses FPTP to wield disproportionate power, is a political decisions. It’s not grounds to curtail basic democratic freedoms.

For what it’s worth, I’m in favour of moving to a mixed member proportional representation system with a minimum threshold of 5% popular vote nationally to sit anyone off a party list in Parliament. 5% would keep most of the looneys out.
 
Brihard said:
I’m fine with seat distribution to keep things proportional, though am not wedded to the idea that it has to be bang on; electoral divisions need to be coherent lest we see the gerrymandered circus found in US congressional districts.

Strongly disagreed about banning political parties that cannot get national candidates. It would be illegal anyway, but even if it weren’t, the principle of freedom of association is too important to sacrifice on that political altar. I get your frustration with the Bloc, trust me. As a Quebec born Anglo and avowed Canadian federalist, I have zero time for them. But our essential freedoms, both individual and collective, demand that we allow such a party exist. Same goes for any regional tent anyone feels they can get the political support to erect. The onus is on the federalist parties to present a better option. Please think further on the thin line we’re treading when we start saying that the government of the day can legislate such a high bar to political parties even existing. The current bureaucratic threshold for a party being able to form and register is appropriately very low, and most never make it to more than a blip on the radar- but it’s still essential that we allow the freedom to associate politically.

Standing up to the BQ, or to any regional party that uses FPTP to wield disproportionate power, is a political decisions. It’s not grounds to curtail basic democratic freedoms.

For what it’s worth, I’m in favour of moving to a mixed member proportional representation system with a minimum threshold of 5% popular vote nationally to sit anyone off a party list in Parliament. 5% would keep most of the looneys out.

I have no hate for the Bloc.  What I hate is people using our political system to hold the country hostage in what is essentially a temper tantrum by vote. 

I say again, Quebec holds way too much power in our system and that needs to be curtailed.  Right now we are living the Animal Farm fantasy where some are more equal than others.
 
Humphrey Bogart said:
Regardless, what does this have to do with the Federal Carbon Tax?

Good question.

But, if anyone is interested in electoral reform, there's 42 pages of it here,
https://army.ca/forums/threads/25692.1025
 
mariomike said:
Good question.

But, if anyone is interested in electoral reform, there's 42 pages of it here,
https://army.ca/forums/threads/25692.1025

We get it dude, there are other threads. Conversations flow and shift direction; chop the posts over to another thread in a day or two to clean up if necessary. At least we’re having a successful political discussion on army.ca without raging douchebaggery and excessive casting of personal aspersions. It ain’t broke.
 
Brihard said:
; chop the posts over to another thread in a day or two to clean up if necessary.

It's locked. But, it does have some good ideas on electoral reform in case anyone is interested in using it as a reference.
 
Brihard said:
We get it dude, there are other threads. Conversations flow and shift direction; chop the posts over to another thread in a day or two to clean up if necessary. At least we’re having a successful political discussion on army.ca without raging douchebaggery and excessive casting of personal aspersions. It ain’t broke.

Well said.
 
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