Jagmeet Singh, probably the biggest political loser?

[Fishbone Jones]

It's a corporations business to maximize the profits of their shareholders. If it becomes untenable for the consumer, the shareholders premiums and corporate profits will go down.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Corporations don't "hoard cash" non-productively. "Hoarded cash" - short of being squirreled away between pages of books and in mattresses - is a source of capital for people with ideas and not enough capital to launch a venture themselves. A country with a strong savings culture is a country with a lot of potential.

Corporations don't try to maximize profits of shareholders; they just try to maximize profits. Among the places profits go: reinvestment, pay off loan and bond liabilities of prior investment, dividends (to owners/stockholders, which as noted often includes pension funds), increased employee compensation, savings (which as noted above are not necessarily funds sitting idle).

I doubt many socialists/progressives believe the rhetorical misinformation they spout about various evils of capitalism and markets; those that do ought not be allowed anywhere near government.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Neither the NDP nor Liberals are going to make it out of the next election without being decimated, but neither will they be obliterated. I think the author is discounting the core of each party that will stand fast no matter the party's performance. They may be reduced to an insignificant rump, but that also happened to the Conservatives once.

I agree; but I think we've tested the core vote in this century:

• The Liberals polled just 18.91% in 2011;
• The NDP polled 8.51% in 2000; and
• The CPC polled just 12.19% in the same election.

My guess is that those are very near their respective floors.

One thing about the Canadian electorate is that when they get tired of the Liberals, which isn't all that often, they really throw them to the wolves:

• Diefenbaker in 1958;
• Mulroney in 1984; and
• Harper in 2011.

My guess is that after 10 years Canadians are sick and tired of Justin Trudeau, and Jagmeet Singh has badly tarnished the NDP's brand. I don;'t think Mr Poilievre can pull off a Diefenbaker or a Mulroney level of victory but I do think he can duplicate Mr Harper's 2011 record and quite possibly reduce the Liberals and NDP to 3rd and 4th party status.

 

[Haggis]

I agree; but I think we've tested the core vote in this century:

• The Liberals polled just 18.91% in 2011;
• The NDP polled 8.51% in 2000; and
• The CPC polled just 12.19% in the same election.

My guess is that those are very near their respective floors.

One thing about the Canadian electorate is that when they get tired of the Liberals, which isn't all that often, they really throw them to the wolves:

• Diefenbaker in 1958;
• Mulroney in 1984; and
• Harper in 2011.

My guess is that after 10 years Canadians are sick and tired of Justin Trudeau, and Jagmeet Singh has badly tarnished the NDP's brand. I don;'t think Mr Poilievre can pull off a Diefenbaker or a Mulroney level of victory but I do think he can duplicate Mr Harper's 2011 record and quite possibly reduce the Liberals and NDP to 3rd and 4th party status.

Without a Mulroney level of victory will a Poilievere-led CPC government be able to survive one full term or beyond in the face of a red/orange/Bloc coalition opposition? It will take more than one term to undo what Team Trudeau has "accomplished".

 

[Edward Campbell]

I think a well managed CPC government can produce two solid majorities and then a minority before it runs out of steam, i.e. 25-29, 29-33 and then say, 33-35. My only concern is: is Mr Poilievre a good enough political manager? Can he manage a clear, well planned policy agenda and a fractious caucus - remember, this is the Conservative Party, not an organized body of responsible adults.

 

[dapaterson]

He reminds me of Copps, Tobin and Nunziata - effective in opposition, but would not have been effective as leaders.

 

[Haggis]

He reminds me of Copps, Tobin and Nunziata - effective in opposition, but would not have been effective as leaders.

So, "Just not ready"? Where have we heard that before?

 

[dapaterson]

So, "Just not ready"? Where have we heard that before?

No, not "not ready", rather "has the character of an attack dog, not a leader".

 

[Fishbone Jones]

No, not "not ready", rather "has the character of an attack dog, not a leader".

Trudeau managed almost ten years attacking anyone and anything outside his narrow minded focus. He isn't and never was a leader. Other than leading by fiat. His serfs are simply votes and expedient meatbags to throw under the bus.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Trudeau managed almost ten years attacking anyone and anything outside his narrow minded focus. He isn't and never was a leader. Other than leading by fiat. His serfs are simply votes and expedient meatbags to throw under the bus.

 

[ArmyRick]

Really? @Haggis @dapaterson and surprisingly @Edward Campbell , even on a thread about Singh, you manage to take pot shots about Pierre P and the Conservatives? Wow. At least take your digs over to the CPC threads.

However on that note of "just not ready" well Harper was correct and in the context of attacking Pierre and looking for a perfect candidate, your never gonna find one. Never. Right now Pierre P is the best COA we have, he is the 80% solution we need.

Singh? I am still waiting to see if he can craft this break up into some political gain for the NDP or did he really make a political fumble?

 

[The Bread Guy]

... Singh? I am still waiting to see if he can craft this break up into some political gain for the NDP or did he really make a political fumble?

More than one commentator I've listened to have asked the same thing: stroke of genius or knucklehead move? We'll see how it unfolds, what cards are played next by who and how he plays them.

 

[ArmyRick]

More than one commentator I've listened to have asked the same thing: stroke of genius or knucklehead move? We'll see how it unfolds, what cards are played next by who and how he plays them.

The biggest thing he needs to do to put distance between him and Trudeau is attack Trudeau and his failings more than he is wasting time attacking Pierre P. Pierre doesn't have to defend his record as Prime Minister because he doesn't have one. Trudeau (the chief complaint according to the NDP was they were seeing the party as one and the same with the Liberals) on the other hand, is a gold mine of legit political attacks. He plays his cards right and he can get a bunch of hard left and maybe Union workers back to his camp.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The biggest thing he needs to do to put distance between him and Trudeau is attack Trudeau and his failings more than he is wasting time attacking Pierre P.

Agreed - but I don't know if he has enough time to do that enough to be seen as a true third alternative, especially given no Team Orange track record running Canada.

 

[ArmyRick]

especially given no Team Orange track record running Canada.

That could be a good thing or a bad thing...Time will tell.

 

[The Bread Guy]

That could be a good thing or a bad thing...Time will tell.

It seems voters are more likely to give Orange a chance to run things provincially - hell, even Ontario once

 

[YZT580]

It seems voters are more likely to give Orange a chance to run things provincially - hell, even Ontario once

with the emphasis on ONCE, at least for Ontario. If Jagmeet is going to get any political mileage out of the divorce he is going to have to act quickly otherwise he becomes yesterday's news. Pierre is going to introduce as many non-confidence acts as he can. If Singh votes with the libs his words become hollow and any supporters that shifted as a result of his proclamation will go elsewhere. As far as I can see his window of opportunity will slam shut within a couple of weeks of parliament returning. To have a chance of surviving as a viable party on the federal scene they will have to suck up the financial burdens and go for it.

 

[brihard]

Pierre is going to introduce as many non-confidence acts as he can.

I believe he’ll do ‘as many as he can’, but I don’t think that’s much. The CPC might introduce a confidence motion when the chance arises. That’s not a bill, it’s just whatever they write up and move, and the House will vote on it. The CPC don’t have any real ability while in opposition to tie confidence to an opposition bill when, for instance, an opposition day comes up. Really it will come down to the fall estimates and then the spring budget, which are conventional confidence matters. The challenge the LPC will face will be putting enough in the estimates and the budget to placate the NDP… Though I donMt think that will really require anything beyond what they’re currently working on.

The NDP simply are not in an advantageous position for an election, and neither are the NDP. Singh’s theatrics notwithstanding, the strategic math has not changed.

 

[Haggis]

Really? @Haggis @dapaterson and surprisingly @Edward Campbell , even on a thread about Singh, you manage to take pot shots about Pierre P and the Conservatives? Wow. At least take your digs over to the CPC threads.

To be clear, my comment was not a pot shot at PP, simply an observation that attack line was tried before and ended up giving the target a majority government.

 

[DBNSG]

It seems voters are more likely to give Orange a chance to run things provincially - hell, even Ontario once

Yah Nova Scotia tried the NDP Provincially. One and done and rightly so. Dexter and his Premiers Office borrow 500 Mill to top up the Civil service pension plan but don't tell their Finance minister. Always fun for the Left to spend other peoples money for "their" people.