Election news 2011

[styky]

Conservative minister Shelly Glover has drawn the ire of CARP

http://www2.macleans.ca/category/need-t ... ent=180086

CARP should be embarrassed for falling into this with both feet. There was no ageism just a Liberal twist and they took their word for it. If I had any confidence as a senior in CARP before I certainly don't now.

[Dogpatch]

<center></center>

Ignatieff accuse Conservatives of divisive tactics

By Althia Raj, Postmedia News March 28, 2011

TORONTO — Michael Ignatieff chastised Prime Minister Stephen Harper for calling immigrants "people who come from other lands" at a rally in Mississauga, Ont., Monday night, saying the Conservatives' were leading a campaign of division.

Ignatieff told an audience filled with many Canadians of Sikh and Muslim backgrounds that during Harper's visit to Brampton, Ont., on Sunday, "he looked out at the same crowd and he said, "You people, you people who come from other lands."

"What an unbelievable way to talk about the Canadian people," Ignatieff said, as the crowd chanted "Shame! Shame!"

"The way these people talk tells you everything you need to know about their basic contempt for us," the Liberal leader said, noting the Conservatives had divided up the country into "ethnic areas" and "very ethnic areas."

"The last time I heard somebody talk about the ethnic vote, it was out of the mouth of Jacques Parizeau the night he lost the referendum," Ignatieff said. "He blamed it on the ethnic vote."

"We have got to put an end to the language of divisions," Ignatieff continued.

"I don't want to be the prime minister of you people, I want to be the prime minister of the Canadian people."

Although Ignatieff said he found the expression "ethnic vote" offensive, he spent Monday afternoon glad-handing Chinese-Canadian business owners in Toronto's Trinity-Spadina riding, and his party has explicitly reached out to ethnic voters in its advertising.

The Liberal leader told reporters the Conservatives, and especially Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, are practising divisive politics.

"I think it is contemptuous to tell people we are going to target your religion, we are going to target your ethnicity, we are going to target your national origins. No! We must target the fact they are Canadian citizens."

Ignatieff suggested he didn't want people to view his stops as courting the ethnic vote but Liberal MP John McCallum had no problem explaining how the Liberals are reaching out to minority communities with specific policies.

"My riding has large numbers of new Canadians, he said. "For example, Chinese people want Canada to have a close and growing relationship with China.

"We stand for a strong Canada-China relationship."

Ignatieff's advertising in Quebec also talks about how citizens can be Quebecers and Canadians — in whichever order they choose.

The party also has unveiled advertisements featuring ordinary Canadians speaking languages such as Urdu, Hindi, Cantonese and Mandarin, Punjabi and Portuguese.

It wasn't the only slightly discordant note for the Liberals Monday.

McCallum also found himself on the defensive trying to explain whether the Liberals would raise taxes.

"We are rolling back corporate taxes, but the dollars that we obtain from that would be put into the pockets of middle class Canadians who will spend that money and that will create jobs," he said.

The corporate tax rate is 16.5 per cent and the Liberals promise to pin it at 18 per cent, where it was until the end of last year.

"That is an increase," McCallum admitted, but added small and medium businesses would be spared.

Tory advertising has targeted the Liberals as being ready to increase taxes.

Later, McCallum told Ignatieff's chief of staff, Peter Donolo, he was "sorry" he had spoken with reporters on the issue and had veered slightly off message.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/Ignatieff+accuse+ ... z1Hwqy8K9M

From <a href=http://www.stephentaylor.ca/>Stephen Taylor</a>

here’s a Liberal Party media alert describing an event Michael Ignatieff attended yesterday,

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff to visit Etobicoke and Markham on Working Families Tour

For a copy of the tour itinerary, please see: http://lpc.ca/wf2media

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011
Event: Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and Liberal MP Kirsty Duncan to meet with Sikh community members. Media availability to follow.

Time: Media availability to follow at 2:00 PM.

Location:
Sikh Spiritual Centre
9 Carrier Dr.
Etobicoke, ON

One presumes that Michael Ignatieff’s press release meant to describe his meeting with “very Canadian” community members.

However, we see that Michael Ignatieff too recognizes the value of ethic community outreach despite his previous awkward pronouncement about being of a different mind with respect to voter and constituent contact.

Let’s be clear. There are strategies by both major parties to reach out to new Canadians, however, one difference is evident in each approach. While the Liberals have traditionally considered different ethnic identities as boxes to check, Conservatives are instead speaking to the values of these communities.

fellow Liberal MP Navdeep Bains admits he has no problem with terms like Indo-Canadian and Greek-Canadian, while ethnic Canadian is offensive.
Rick Dykstra, St. Catharines Member of Parliament

and from <a href=http://www.newstalk1010.com/blogs/danielproussalidis/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10212091>Newstalk1010</a>

Last November, Brampton-Springdale MP Ruby Dhalla issued a news release that twice referred to "ethnic communities" being hurt by the census changes the federal government had made. Need we really ask pedantic questions now about what Ms Dhalla meant by that? Do we really think she meant that "ethnic communities" were any less Canadian than other communities?

In October, 2008 Liberal pollster Michael Marzolini is quoted in the Globe and Mail as saying, "Every market segmentation you can find is important, be it ethnic background, income level, education, gender, home ownership." He was talking about the Grits conducting polls in minority groups' languages in various ridings. Does McGuinty really believe the Conservative strategy is unique?

At a Liberal candidate training session in May, 2008 the Liberal Party of Canada included an agenda item that read "Targeting by Ethnicity" under the subject Voter Contact. What does McGuinty think about that?

In January, 2007 the Ontario Liberals bought ads targeted at ethnic minorities. The ads went on Omni and Fairchild Television. Omni is Toronto's multicultural television outlet. Fairchild broadcasts in Chinese. Does David McGuinty think his brother and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is treating Canadians as a commodity?

In August, 2003 former Liberal Party of Canada President Stephen LeDrew responded to criticism that his party was deliberately trying to attract people of Chinese and Sikh origin by wiriting that the Liberals are "the party of immigrants." Does that worry David McGuinty? Is that divisive?

So, we can see quite clearly that the liberals are doing what they do best - fibbing

[styky]

As Ms Dhalla was found to be <a href=http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1600777#1600777>missing 150 times in the last two years</a> I'm surprised she even knows what's happening in Ottawa

[styky]

BTW interesting choice of pictures of all the leaders accompanying this article.


Harper performs campaign-trail duet with young Gaga fan
STEVEN CHASE
WINNIPEG— Globe and Mail Update
Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Stephen Harper paid a visit to YouTube singing sensation Maria Aragon Tuesday while trolling for votes in Winnipeg – and ended up singing John Lennon with the newly famous 10-year-old.

The young Filipino-Canadian chanteuse gained international acclaim for her YouTube cover of Lady Gaga’s Born this Way, which landed her plaudits from the American superstar and a place on stage when the singer performed the hit in Toronto earlier this month.

Mr. Harper, who’s courting the big Filipino community in Winnipeg like every other party in the 2011 election, journeyed to Maria’s home to meet her.

“Maria's going to play something for us,” he told reporters. “She's played in front of big crowds now; she's a big star.”

The Conservative Leader and his wife, Laureen, sat on either side of the 10-year-old elementary-school student as she played Born this Way on the keyboard and sang.

Mr. Harper bobbed his head in tune with the music during the performance, which took place in Maria’s living room. <a href=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/harper-performs-campaign-trail-duet-with-young-gaga-fan/article1962222/>continued</a>

[styky]

Liberals facing rout in Quebec if results of poll stand up


By l. Ian Macdonald, Montreal Gazette March 29, 2011 9:02 PM



MONTREAL - If the polls are to be believed, the Liberals are in big trouble in Quebec, and just about everywhere else in Canada.

The two most reliable public opinion research firms in Quebec are Léger Marketing and CROP. And the numbers they put out on the weekend in Le Devoir and La Presse, were scary bad for the Liberals.

Both pollsters were in the field last week, before the writ dropped.

In the Quebec segment of Léger’s national poll, the Liberals were in third place at 18 per cent, behind the Bloc at 39 per cent, with the Conservatives at 22 per cent, and the NDP at 16 per cent.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Lib ... z1I2ncaCMG

[RedDog]

<img src=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a3cY1xowCDc/TZIIm4W7caI/AAAAAAAAEc0/lE-i5LGEB9c/s1600/Daily+Poll+Summary.PNG width=650 height=857>

The variations in Atlantic Canada are to be expected due to small sampling sizes but I just don't buy than the Liberals are at 33% in Sask/Man. Every other poll has them in the 18-22% range in that region.

Good work Jean. I noticed last time Greens scored highest in BC (as one would expect) and Alberta but are polling lower in Alberta this time than most other locations. They're projecting a real surge in Atlantic Canada for example. Interesting.

[cinyc]

You have to exercise a lot of caution when trying to make anything out of the regional subsamples, except perhaps Ontario's and sometimes Quebec's. The sample sizes of the other provincial/regional subsamples are usually relatively small and margins of error high.

For example, if Abacus polled 1000 nationwide, assuming it polled equally to their percentage of total population, it likely polled about 130 British Columbians, 110 Albertans and 70 voters from Manitoba/Saskatchewan. That puts the margin of error for each of those subsamples somewhere in the +/- 8.5%-12% range. A subsample that includes just Manitoba and Saskatchewan usually has a margin of error that's around the same as Atlantic Canada's. Abacus' Ontario subsample would be about 390, creating a margin of error around +/- 5%.

[braveheart]

CP24/CTV/Globe Nanos poll:
CPC 38.4%, LIB 28.7%, NDP 19.6%, BLOC 9.1%, GRN 4.1%

Yah you are trying to tell me in the past two days the Libs jumped up 5% points - go pound salt Nanos - Shill - What questions did you ask - what is your sample size?

Last election Harris Reid was about on point so was Angus Reid - throw Leger Marketing in to the mix too.

[braveheart]

CP24/CTV/Globe Nanos poll:
CPC 38.4%, LIB 28.7%, NDP 19.6%, BLOC 9.1%, GRN 4.1%

Yah you are trying to tell me in the past two days the Libs jumped up 5% points - go pound salt Nanos - Shill - What questions did you ask - what is your sample size?

Last election Harris Reid was about on point so was Angus Reid - throw Leger Marketing in to the mix too.

Last Election polling by Nanos - under estimated near election day teh Tories by 3.5 points - so given this - I would put Tories at 41. Libs still around 25/26.

What Naons is doing is a tracking poll with a nightly sample size of 400 - dropping the oldest 400 on a rotating basis.

Here is the historical polling numbers
http://www.electionalmanac.com/canada/polls.php

Here is the link for the recent CTV Nanos Poll:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le1962815/

[Canadian Dad]

I wish I could just avoid polls for the rest of the campaign. They vary so wildly that they tell you absolutely nothing in the end, so really just a big waste of time.

[styky]

Canadians warming to Michael Ignatieff – a little
JOHN IBBITSON and BILL CURRY
Globe and Mail Update
Published Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 5:42PM EDT
Last updated Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 5:56PM EDT
While support for all parties has changed little in the opening days of the 2011 campaign, Michael Ignatieff may be starting to catch some voters’ ears.

A rolling poll conducted for the Globe and Mail and CTV by Nanos Research shows a tentative improvement in the Liberal Leader’s typically dismal Leadership Index Score, a compendium of responses measuring voter attitudes toward trust, competence, and vision among the party leaders.

Although Mr. Ignatieff still trails far behind Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who scored 89.5 on the most recent survey, Mr. Ignatieff’s score of 46.7 per cent is an improvement on previous findings.

It places him for once above NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose score dropped sharply to 43.6.

more - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le1963870/

[Dogpatch]

The two most reliable public opinion research firms in Quebec are Léger Marketing and CROP. And the numbers they put out on the weekend in Le Devoir and La Presse, were scary bad for the Liberals.

Funny thing about Léger Marketing - they always invite me to participate in their polls when it;s about money, shopping, etc.

BUT, when it's politics, all of a sudden - I'm too old or they reached their target, or (I hate to say this - I suspect it may have something to do with my first language being English) - you get the picture

[braveheart]

Canadians warming to Michael Ignatieff – a little
JOHN IBBITSON and BILL CURRY
Globe and Mail Update
Published Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 5:42PM EDT
Last updated Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2011 5:56PM EDT
While support for all parties has changed little in the opening days of the 2011 campaign, Michael Ignatieff may be starting to catch some voters’ ears.

A rolling poll conducted for the Globe and Mail and CTV by Nanos Research shows a tentative improvement in the Liberal Leader’s typically dismal Leadership Index Score, a compendium of responses measuring voter attitudes toward trust, competence, and vision among the party leaders.

Although Mr. Ignatieff still trails far behind Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who scored 89.5 on the most recent survey, Mr. Ignatieff’s score of 46.7 per cent is an improvement on previous findings.

It places him for once above NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose score dropped sharply to 43.6.

more - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... le1963870/

Given the Leger poll about the Liberals in Que. I suspect this article is wishful thinking.

[styky]

Harper makes no apologies for Conservative patronage
The Canadian Press

Date: Thursday Mar. 31, 2011 1:29 PM ET

OTTAWA — There's nothing like a serving of pork and patronage on the election trail.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is making no apologies for hundreds of Conservative patronage appointments as he campaigns through Atlantic Canada.

A Tory hiring binge at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency has sparked an investigation by the Public Service Commission of Canada in response to a Liberal MP's complaint.

Harper, asked about the issue Thursday in Halifax before he flew on to Newfoundland, shrugged it off as a non-starter.

"If you look at the nominations, if you look at the appointments our government has made, you will find that two-thirds of appointments have no links at all with the Conservative party," Harper said in Halifax.

"We base our appointments first and foremost on qualifications."

The Liberal campaign quickly extrapolated the prime minister's math to suggest that Conservative partisans have snapped up more than 1,500 of some 4,700 Harper government appointments over the past five years.

The Liberals are reminding voters that Harper shelved his 2006 election promise of an independent appointments commissioner after his first choice for the job -- a prominent Conservative fundraiser -- was rejected by the opposition.

Considering the rich and well-chronicled Maritime history of patronage and pork-barreling -- both Liberal and Conservative alike -- Harper's frank assessment of his record was likely well considered.

Former Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney was famous for stating "you dance with the one that brung ya," while former Liberal cabinet ministers such as Allan MacEachen and David Dingwall were renowned Atlantic "godfathers" who funneled money and jobs to constituents. <a href=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SpecialEvent7/20110331/harper-apologies-patronage-110331/>continued</a>

[styky]

They say all is fair in love and politics but sometime people go just a little to far and it borders on absurd

Take note of the second comment http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/opinion ... n-position Am I seeing things or is this person actually accusing Tony Clement of causing death.