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Carol Moore's avatar

Oh, Walt, if only what you've said was true, but sadly it is not. We've squeaked by on this election, just barely, tho' you will hear it described as a resounding win for the Liberals because they came back from so so so far behind. BUT -- while Poilievre lost his seat and the Conservatives are in the minority instead of the massive majority that was predicted back in January, our beloved country suffers from the same ills as yours, and this was a very scary election for many of us. There has been a massive "dumbing down" here, massive cuts in education, a curriculum that no longer teaches history and civics (and in the rabidly conservative-run provinces like Alberta and Ontario, education is being privatised by governmental majorities that favour such things as vouchers). As for our mainstream media -- yes, thank the gods the CBC will now continue to receive public funding, but the large majority of Canadian newspapers and TV "news" is now owned by Postmedia, an American corporation that pushes the conservative agenda. Many of us on the Liberal and Left side have turned to platforms like this one for our news. And don't forget that the MapleMAGAs literally shut Ottawa down for weeks "protesting" vaccine and mask mandates, all full of their F*CK TRUDEAU hatred. All of this contributed massively to the Conservatives being way ahead in the polls for the past two+ years. I am quite certain that the Conservatives would have won this election if Trump hadn't threatened our sovereignty. That threat brought enough of us together to be able to push back -- but please note, the Conservatives won ALMOST as many seats as the Liberals. Like in the US, nearly half of Canadians who voted (and there was a huge turnout) voted Conservative knowing full well what Poilievre stood for. So while your sentiments above are heartfelt, I'm sure, they are incorrect on every point! That said, I am proud (and greatly relieved) that Canada is the first country to say a resounding "NO" to Trumpism! Big Love from the Canadalands!

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Linda McCaughey's avatar

So appreciate the reality correction from an actual native, and I am abjectly devastated to learn that the mean-stupid-evil virus has jumped the border to infect members of your population. Quelle horreur!!

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Gina's avatar

we're an echo of the US in many ways, but we want to remain an independent echo (with fewer guns and more healthcare)

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TJTarheel's avatar

Because it worked here it was bound to cross borders. The French though sent a conservative candidate to prison. I don’t recall what she did exactly but I remember it wasn’t half of what Trump has done

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CAM from 🇨🇦's avatar

Not sure that this a correct assessment of our situation. Ontario certainly doesn’t have a voucher system to contend with and certainly in Ontario the province still supports French and French Catholic school boards, as well as English Catholic and English non denomination (public). Private institutions do not receive financial support to the great chagrin of other Canadians whose faiths are not supported by special allotments. As to the Liberal win, you are correct that it was not a resounding win. But when you look at the data prior to Trudeau’s retirement from the party in January, the Party was estimated to win only 49 seats. When you look at yesterday’s data, they won 168 and the Conservatives 144 seats. It was a resounding comeback and a personal victory for Mark Carney. It’s important to note that in Canada, the Prime Minister must first win a seat in the House of Commons and if they do and they’re also the Leader of the Party, they automatically become Prime Minister. We do not elect the Prime Minister directly per se as you do in the 🇺🇸.

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Joe Witkowski's avatar

At least Canada has a Carney. The US has a stupid fucking Nazi carnival barker.

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Carol Moore's avatar

Hey CAM -- my comment about school vouchers did not say Ontario (where I live) or Alberta are now using a voucher system, but that the Conservative leaders WANT to bring in school vouchers. Steven Lecce, our recently former Ontario Minister of Education (he's now Minister of Mines, etc) was a very vigourous proponent of school vouchers and privatisation. And don't get me started on what been happening to the privatisation of health care services under Doug Ford!! Personally I do not agree with public funding for the Catholic boards for the very reason you've identified! Cheers.

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CAM from 🇨🇦's avatar

I appreciate your attempts to clarify your comments, but in re-reading them, I still maintain that your comments are unclear and tend to portray Canada as something, it isn’t. For sure, Premier Ford had none of your purported comments as part of its election platform last June. That being said, the Fraser Institute and the Canadian Taxpayer Federation (both right leaning organizations) are advocating for vouchers and other changes to the educational system and I should emphasize that responsibility for Education in Canada is the responsibility of each province and territories. We’ll just have to disagree on our perceptions of this great country.

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mary's avatar

We don't directly elect the US President, unfortunately. We have a colonial-era scheme known as the Electoral College and it has at times served us quite poorly.

(And that's all I'll say on the matter tonight so -- Trolls please "walk on by."

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TJTarheel's avatar

I never knew that, interesting, so prime minister is the same as president but no election except a seat in the House of Commons.

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CAM from 🇨🇦's avatar

As long as the person is elected leader of the party. If their party wins enough seats to win an election either as a minority or majority rule, the leader of the party does become prime minister.

In our last election, the leader of the Conservative Party lost his seat in his Ottawa riding, hence he can’t sit in Parliament but can still retain leadership of his Party. He is now running in Alberta, trying to replace a Member of Parliament who’s already relinquished their seat so that the Leader of the Party could run in an assured Conservative riding. Should he win, he’ll sit in the House as a member of an Alberta riding and as Leader of the Opposition.

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Ellyn's avatar

I’m so very sorry to hear the 60+ years of republican lies & propaganda has been exported north. It breaks my heart. I’m hoping Canadians will see what’s going on here in the US as a cautionary tale/wake-up call and address these things before a fascist trump-clone dictator (bought and paid for by oligarchs around the world) tries to turn Canada into an American style third-world circus led by mafia sewer rats.

Please, please, PLEASE don’t let that happen to your beautiful country!!! Also- congrats on your election success!! It looks like an excellent start to repel propaganda & fascism!! 💕💙💕

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Gina's avatar

also, Fox News is available here, and I know people who avail themselves with it

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Linda McCaughey's avatar

Oh, god, no.

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Gina's avatar

(of it)

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Mary Brock's avatar

To laugh mostly. But we do have our kooks.

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TJTarheel's avatar

I couldn’t suffer five minutes of Fox. I tried once

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Gina's avatar

I have popped in once in a while...and POPPED BACK OUT AS FAST AS I COULD HIT CLICK

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Rosemary Orlandi's avatar

I am hospitalized currently, so it's hard to get news. I watched last night, couldn't get away fast enough !

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TJTarheel's avatar

I can understand that. Use your phone, get the hospital WiFi and down load the AP app, Reuters and some others. I googled the most reliable and truthful and the AP was the first.

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Walt Svirsky's avatar

My understanding is that it is available, but not publicly broadcast.

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Gina's avatar

cable - which nearly everyone has

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TJTarheel's avatar

History is key to any education. That’s a major reason people don’t realize what’s happening and why it should be clear.

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Walt Svirsky's avatar

Carol, thanks for setting me straight. I’m horrified to read this. Wishful thinking and poor research on my part.

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Anne Whitney's avatar

Wondering if you think things will shift if Carney can get some traction over stuff Trudeau was mired in? Do the recent realignments with EU/NATO partners over trade and Ukraine help your libs at all?

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