A few surprises for everyone

The election was not too out of line as to what was predicted with the exception of the large loss the Liberals took in Ontario. The Liberals finished with their worst record ever in percentage of votes. John Turner can now go back to the cocktail parties and hear jokes about Stephane instead of himself.

There were some nice little surprises for everyone however. The Bloc did manage to claw their way back albeit with 7 or 8 fewer seats. The Liberals in Toronto feel a little better with Kennedy, the Dion Maker making it in what turned out not to be so close a race with the popular Peggy Nash and Hedy the flame thrower in Vancouver Centre confounded everyone again, just how does she keep winning?

The Conservatives have a increased their seat count and have added a seat in PEI for the first time in a generation and managed to hold onto 10 Quebec seats. The Greens rose in a couple of percentage points in the poular vote and Elizabeth May did them proud (mostly) on the campaign trail.

The big winner though not as big as they wanted to be was the NDP. The NDP picked up 8 seats and held onto their one Quebec seat against all odds. Perhaps more stunning was the win by Linda Duncan in Edmonton and the seat in St. Johns Newfoundland and Labrador, like the Conservatives in PEI, its the first time in a generation.

In the end its easy to say we are right back where we started. Thats not the case. Although we have a minority Government, we see that the Liberals are not the party they once were. More on that in another post.

The anti-progressive Liberals

When progressive is regressive...

The following is a list of anti-choice and or anti-gay marriage Liberals in this campaign. The list is compiled from the Campaign Life Coalition voters guide. The incumbent Liberals are in red...

There are several other Liberal candidates that I suspect are anti-choice and or anti-gay marriage, however I have not found enough to list them here. Here is the official vote on Bill 38, third reading, Civil Marriage Act


Ontario

Mississauga East-Cooksville
LIB - Albina Guarnieri, MP (905) 766-1482
Summary: Pro-Life; No to Morgentaler award; 2006:Pro-life

Mississauga South
LIB - Paul Szabo, MP (905) 823-0823
Summary: Pro-Life; No to Morgentaler award. 2006:Pro-life; voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Richmond Hill
LIB - Bryon Wilfert, MP (905) 770-5033
voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Sarnia-Lambton
LIB - Tim Fugard (519) 869-4156
Summary: Mr. Fugard appears to be solidly pro-life

Scarborough-Agincourt
LIB - Jim Karygiannis , MP (416) 321-2788
Summary: Pro-Life voting record; No to Morgentaler award. 2006:Pro-life; voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couple)

Scarborough-Guildwood
LIB - John McKay, MP (416) 431-5980
Summary: No to Morgentaler award. 2006:Pro-abortion based on voting record; voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Pickering-Scarborough East
LIB - Dan McTeague, MP (905) 421-8787
Summary: Solid Pro-Lifer, with a pro-life voting record in Parliament. No to Morgentaler award. 2006:Pro-life; voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry
LIB - Denis Sabourin (613) 936-6878
Pro Life

Thunder Bay-Rainy River
LIB - Ken Boshcoff, MP (807) 623-5121
voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Toronto-Danforth
LIB - Andrew Lang (416) 463-8378
Summary: In an interview with a CLC supporter he said he would like to see a law around abortion and if elected would raise the abortion issue.

Welland
LIB - John Maloney, MP (905) 714-0007
Summary: No to Morgentaler award. 2006:Pro-abortion; voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

York South-Weston
LIB - Alan Tonks, MP (416) 248-2895
Summary: Pro-Life (life). 2006:Pro-life, with exception for rape (based on his questionnaire); however he voted against the pro-life motion M-83 and for C-13 (allowing experimentation on embryos); voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples

Bramalea-Gore-Malton
LIB - Gurbax Malhi, MP (905) 792-9836
Summary: 2006:Pro-life; voted against Bill C-38 (to change definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Carleton-Mississippi Mills
LIB - Justin MacKinnon (613) 836-8901
Summary: Will support pro-life legislation, has exceptions(medical) to allow for abortion and no comment on euthanasia.

Eglinton-Lawrence
LIB - Joe Volpe, MP (416) 787-7345
Summary: 2006:Pro-life, based on voting record

Etobicoke Centre
LIB - Borys Wrzesnewskyj, MP (416) 621-1060
Summary: No to Morgentaler award. 2006: Pro-life with exception for the life of the mother

Huron-Bruce
LIB - Greg McClinchey
Summary: Pro-Life

Manitoba

Saint Boniface
LIB - Raymond Simard, MP (204) 988-4750
voted against Bill C-38 (to change definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

New Brunswick

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe
LIB - Brian Murphy, MP (506) 384-4343
in an interview he stated he did not know how he would vote on the same-sex marriage

Saint John
LIB - Paul Zed, MP (506) 657-3000
Pro-Life statement. 2006:Pro-life (exception for life of mother); voted against Bill C-38 (change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Newfoundland and Labrador

Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor
LIB - Scott Simms, MP (709) 489-6155
Summary: 206:Voted against Bill C-38.

Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte
LIB - Gerry Byrne, MP (709) 634-1021
voted against Bill C-38 (to change definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Random-Burin-St. George's
LIB - Judy Foote (709) 832-2111
Summary: Some Pro-Life responses, exception for Rape, unsure for Euthanasia

Nova Scotia

Cape Breton-Canso
LIB - Rodger Cuzner, MP (902) 849-8822
voted against Bill C-38 (to change definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)

Prince Edward Island

Cardigan
LIB - Lawrence MacAulay, MP (902) 361-5505
pro-life motion M-83; voted against Bill C-38 (to change the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples)



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Stephen Harper's Toppling Economy

Where are my blocks...

Jack's borrowed them to show us what Harper has been doing

make them add up to 155

I can't make them add up to 155...

It looks like this too me...

Porcelain bus has a good list for tonight

Conservatives 125 to 140
Liberals 80 to 100
NDP 39 to 48
Bloc 49 to 57
Green 0

NDP growth to be in BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec

Liberal's will lose seats in Ontario and BC, pick up in Quebec and NFLD. Ontario 905 is vital to the Liberals. They have to hold it or they could have a really bad night.

Conservatives will pick up in Ontario and may lose to NDP in BC but pick up from Liberals. Quebec could be a wipe out!

The NDP stand to pick up to 6 - 9 seats in Ontario, 3 in Saskatchewan, 2 or 3 in Quebec, 1 in NFLD, 2 to 3 in the Maritimes, and 4 to 7 in BC.

I hope I'm wrong and the NDP and Liberal numbers add up to 155

Big money behind Liberal in Vancouver

when is it not enough money...

Yuan has three individual third party advertisers. No other candidate in Canada has this as far as I can tell from Elections Canada's list. Check out Mike Watkin's site for more here.

'Of thousands of candidates running in 308 ridings across the country only one candidate - Wendy Yuan - appears to have multiple third party individuals running election advertising in her support. The by-the-numbers view looks like this:'

I looked at the addresses of the third party advertisers for Ms Yuan. None of them live in the Vancouver Kingsway riding. This is certainly a crafty campaign, they can now spend the maximum for the party and then have these private individuals print ads at no cost to your campaign. All you need are some rich friends...

Read more about this advertising which has in some cases resulted in it being characterised as racist.

Verbatim translation of this ad "Authorised by Yi Xin Chen".
= = = = = = = = = = = =
PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR WENDY YUAN
NDP candidate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liberal Party candidate
Don Davies - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wendy Yuan
union background - - - - - - - - - - - - - - successful entrepreneur
increase taxes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - cut taxes
do not speak Chinese- - - - - - - - - - - - speaks Chinese
no [CHN] community leader support - has [CHN] community leader support

This federal election, the Conservative party candidate is so unknown that he's only an also-run. Please unite, on 10/14 cast a vote for our Chinese community candidate, Wendy Yuan.

Thank you!

Authorized by Yi Xin Chen

It looks like Wendy Yuan, the Liberal candidate in Vancouver Kingsway could be a candidate for the Conservative Cabinet if she wins tonight. Don't laugh, its happened before right? Just who are these people?

recommend this post

playing race politics in Vancouver

Falun Gong, are they Human?...

Vancouver Kingsway

This is a NDP Liberal race. The Liberal candidate is Wendy Yuan, who stepped aside so David Emerson could run for the Liberals.

On an all candidates debate organized by Chinese Radio AM 1320 on October 4, 2008, Yuan in an attempt to appeal to ethnic Chinese voters said this regarding the rights abuses against Falun Gong in China...

"For Falun Gong, our policy is not to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.” - Ms. Yuan. All the other candidates spoke in favour of protecting the basic rights of Falun Gong practitioners.

I expect this does not match Liberal policy, but hey, what ever works...

and in that category we have this ...

Allegations of racist advertising raised in Vancouver-Kingsway election battle

Thanks giving weekend

This thanks giving weekend I was at the farm. Its located in beautiful Lanark county. If you are looking for the colour of fall, this is the place too be. The Maple Syrup Capital for Ontario.

I had to post these pictures for Buckdog who had a different colour outside his door this thanks giving weekend.

Thats me on a local trail, the next picture was taken on the farm in the morning from the summer kitchen...

We had several guys up for a get together, that was a great way to spend the weekend outside the Centre of the Universe (Toronto).

Environment vote sites need a grain of salt

Be careful with the voter advisory sites...

Look at the riding of Thunder Bay-Rainy River. Its a race this time between the Conservative and NDP. Vote for Climate says vote for the Liberal MP, Ken Boshcoff. This despite a warning stating,

"if you decide to support Ken Boshcoff this election, you should still make him earn his vote! MP Boshcoff has not been the most ardent supporter of his party's climate change plan, and he needs to know that you are sending him back to Ottawa to get on with the serious work of cutting greenhouse gas emissions."

Anything but Conservative site says Vote NDP in this riding. And Vote for the Environment says "You Choose" and then goes on to tell us this...

"This is a tough one given this could easily be a three way race. Liberal Ken Boshcoff is the incumbent, but current polling puts the NDP in the lead with the Conservatives close behind. It will be important to avoid a NDP Liberal split with the Conservatives coming up the middle, so please check in later as we try to get some local intelligence as this race progresses."

I did check back later, election day morning, and still no recommendation here.

All indications show that the NDP candidate is likely to win. Why no recommendation on Vote for the environment given the Liberal candidate's lack luster support for environment and why is vote for climate saying vote Liberal given their own stated reservations.