Liberal Vs Conservatives Canadian Politics

[Gorilla]

Whats the main difference between the 2 parties platforms? I find that they are constantly changing there views. And those who say Im a Conservative or Liberal continue to vote for them not knowing what the party actually stands for.

Do we vote just cuz we have the right to do so? Whats the difference between the 2? Are there platforms continously changing?

Can someone with knowledge spread more light?

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Toms-SC
Reserved for me.

WTF?

[ICEBERG]

There is no difference anymore. Liberal + Conservatives = Capitalism.

[Xtrema]

Liberals are left of center, pro public services, welfare

Conservative are right of center, pro business

But both are very close in agenda. Bascially, you are voting for who can represent your area best.

[hjr]

Paul Martin liberals were of a neo-liberal big business persuasion, though still seemed to enjoy large government. the conservatives under harper are not too much different but do indicate a desire to reduce the size of government and reduce public spending.

its hard to determine because the party is often based on the leader, and the leaders are never the same

[GTS Jeff]

Same shit, the only real difference between the parties exists on inconsequential "current events" like gun registry or hating gay people...

[nos_efx]

How's the new liberal leader Dion anyways? Any opinions?

[Toms-SC]

Hes French, you can put the rest together

[nos_efx]

[kertejud]

Originally posted by nos_efx
How's the new liberal leader Dion anyways? Any opinions?

He is taking support away from the Green Party and the NDP, IMO any leader who takes away support from the NDP and likes the environment is good in my mind. Though despite being french, he isn't the most popular candidate for Quebecers oddly enough.

He'd be a typical 'new Liberal' economically, whether or not they're economically conservative with liberal tendencies or economically liberal with conservative policies is really what you get now. No Liberal or Conservative will be spend happy or tax happy for a while as fiscal responsibility is a policy of both parties now. Te country isn't really up for big changes eceonomically either as radical changes will more than likely result in your party losing the election.

[Toms-SC]

Cliffs:

Any questions? No, good.

[kertejud]

The Green party hardly holds extreme left wing economic ideals, most of the candidates in the West are conservatives who just happen to care about the environment. In principle, the Green party are between the Liberals and Conservatives on the economic spectrum. They would definitely be more left on social issues, but the farther one can get away from 'Christian Heritage' regarding social issues the better IMO.

As for Harper being on the LEFT of the CPC, that could only be based on the fact that he was a minority government and needs to appease those to the left of him.

As for Dion, if he were truly closer to the Bloc than the Liberals, he would be a more popular candidate in Quebec, that is not the case. Though trying to place the Bloc anywhere on a grid is tough to begin with, but based solely on the fact that they're more communist than communists and Dion is one of the most hated men among Bloc supporters and nationalist Quebecers, it is safe to assume that he would be to the right of Stalin to say the least.

[ashee]

Our conservative party right now is a form of libertarian conservatism in which they share the same beliefs when it comes to the market economy as liberals but they still hold conservative values towards social issues.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by ashee
Our conservative party right now is a form of libertarian conservatism in which they share the same beliefs when it comes to the market economy as liberals but they still hold conservative values towards social issues.

Libertarian != Liberal

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by ashee
Our conservative party right now is a form of libertarian conservatism in which they share the same beliefs when it comes to the market economy as liberals but they still hold conservative values towards social issues.

Poli 201?

[finboy]

Originally posted by Gorilla

Do we vote just cuz we have the right to do so?

usually the vote is decided out east before poles close in the west, so there isn't much to worry about

[TKRIS]

Originally posted by ashee
Our conservative party right now is a form of libertarian conservatism in which they share the same beliefs when it comes to the market economy as liberals but they still hold conservative values towards social issues.

What?
That's not my understanding of "libertarian".
I don't see any real libertarian values in Canada's government.
I've always understood libertarianism to mean that the freedom of the individual is paramount (as long as it's not affecting the freedoms of others) and that the government should either not intrude upon individual freedoms at all, or should have the absolute minimum authority over it.
Last I checked, our government regulated almost everything.
Drug laws, seatbelt laws, gun control, non-smoking laws, income tax (to a certain degree), welfare (to a certain degree), etc.

I'm not saying I disagree with all these laws, or that I think some shouldn't be in place. I'm simply saying that Canada's government is much closer to socialism than it is to libertarianism.

While I'm not a hardline libertarian (as described above), I do believe the government has their noses way too deep into our individual freedoms.
That said, I also believe in capitalism and, to a certain degree, the class system we currently have.

I could be completely wrong on what a libertarian is, but that's how I've always understood it and Wikipedia agrees with me (I checked so as to not look like too much of an ignorant douchebag).

Kris

[ashee]

Originally posted by TKRIS


What?
That's not my understanding of "libertarian".
I don't see any real libertarian values in Canada's government.
I've always understood libertarianism to mean that the freedom of the individual is paramount (as long as it's not affecting the freedoms of others) and that the government should either not intrude upon individual freedoms at all, or should have the absolute minimum authority over it.
Last I checked, our government regulated almost everything.
Drug laws, seatbelt laws, gun control, non-smoking laws, income tax (to a certain degree), welfare (to a certain degree), etc.

I'm not saying I disagree with all these laws, or that I think some shouldn't be in place. I'm simply saying that Canada's government is much closer to socialism than it is to libertarianism.

While I'm not a hardline libertarian (as described above), I do believe the government has their noses way too deep into our individual freedoms.
That said, I also believe in capitalism and, to a certain degree, the class system we currently have.

I could be completely wrong on what a libertarian is, but that's how I've always understood it and Wikipedia agrees with me (I checked so as to not look like too much of an ignorant douchebag).

Kris

Libertarian CONSERVATISM and wikipedia is edited by joe blows like you and I, it's not always the gospel.

Originally posted by Weapon_R


Poli 201?

No 213, Ideologies, haha.

[Crymson]

I agree with TKRIS,

I'm a big time libertarian, and i don't see it anywhere in our countries politics or politicians.

Libertarianism is the enemy of beaurocracy, and our country is so pitifully inundated with beaurocrats and their self replicating tendencies, that we won't ever see a libertarian goverment until this pathetic form of representative democracy is finally done away with, and a new system arises.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Crymson
I'm a big time libertarian

Are you a heavy pot user?

I dont mean to offend. It just seems like everyone I know who calls themself a Libertarian is most concerned about legalizing pot.