http://www.reuters.ca/locales/c_newsArticl...storyID=8142485

 

'Breathtaking' Poll Sees Liberals Losing Power

 

Mon April 11, 2005 8:33 AM GMT-04:00

By Randall Palmer

 

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's minority Liberal government is heading for defeat at the hands of the Conservatives after more than 11 years in power, according to a new poll released on Monday.

 

The EKOS poll, taken after revelations last week of kickbacks to the Liberal Party, showed support for the Conservatives at 36.2 percent, compared with 25 percent for the Liberals -- their lowest showing since taking office in 1993.

 

The Toronto Star, which commissioned the poll, said this suggested a late June election. The Liberals lost their majority in Parliament in the last election, in June 2004.

 

The newspaper, which commissioned the survey, quoted EKOS pollster Frank Graves as describing "a breathtaking shift in what had been a stagnant and listless political landscape."

 

In the most populous province of Ontario, the Conservatives appeared to have made a breakthrough, leading the Liberals by 40 percent to 33 percent, probably enough to take the majority of Ontario's 106 seats.

 

If those polling numbers were translated into election votes, Conservative leader Stephen Harper would become prime minister, though Graves suspected it would be again in a minority government. EKOS polled 1,125 Canadians between Thursday and Saturday, and the poll is considered accurate to within 2.9 percentage points 19 times out of 20. It gave 20.5 percent voter support to the leftist New Democratic Party and 12.6 percent to the separatist Bloc Quebecois, which runs only in Quebec.

 

The Liberals currently have 133 of the House of Commons' 308 seats; the Conservatives 99; the Bloc 54; the NDP 19. There are two independents and one vacancy.

 

Canadian election campaigns must be at least 36 days long, leaving the possibility of a vote of no-confidence sometime in May and an election in mid- to late June.

This is a good thing if you don't want the rest of Canada to resemble Quebec.

This is a good thing if you don't want the rest of Canada to resemble Quebec.

 

There's always been contempt from Quebecers to non-Quebecers and the other way around. Even many liberal Canadians really don't like Quebec so no this isn't stopping Canada from becoming like Quebec, if anything this will make Quebec more like Canada as the conservative parties have always shrugged off the importance of the French language and culture. As it is right now I'd say there is a very good chance Quebec will become it's very own country, but the results of this I can't really fathom.

 

Not sure if you're joking or not.

There's always been contempt from Quebecers to non-Quebecers and the other way around.  Even many liberal Canadians really don't like Quebec so no this isn't stopping Canada from becoming like Quebec, if anything this will make Quebec more like Canada as the conservative parties have always shrugged off the importance of the French language and culture.  As it is right now I'd say there is a very good chance Quebec will become it's very own country, but the results of this I can't really fathom.

 

Not sure if you're joking or not.

 

I've been told that the western provinces tend to be a bit more conservative than the eastern ones, so that's where I'm getting that from. That and the fact that a province with such strong ties to French culture would be more likely to adopt France's liberal policies. But I could be wrong about that.

 

I can't imagine what Quebec delcaring independence from Canada would be like. At the very least, it would reflect rather poorly on the Canadian government.

I've been told that the western provinces tend to be a bit more conservative than the eastern ones, so that's where I'm getting that from.  That and the fact that a province with such strong ties to French culture would be more likely to adopt France's liberal policies.  But I could be wrong about that.

 

I can't imagine what Quebec delcaring independence from Canada would be like.  At the very least, it would reflect rather poorly on the Canadian government.

 

I would agree with all those points.

 

The current scandal is making the Quebec situation much worse.

I can see it now ... Canadien Liberals blame FoxNews and Bill O'Reilly for defeat.

Question, just because I have no idea. Would the rest of Canada LET Quebec declare independance?

Question, just because I have no idea.  Would the rest of Canada LET Quebec declare independance?

 

Because they are most French Canadiens?

This is a good thing if you don't want the rest of Canada to resemble Quebec.

 

 

lol so true.

I can see it now ... Canadien Liberals blame FoxNews and Bill O'Reilly for defeat.

 

 

lol me too.

Because they are most French Canadiens?

 

Just in a general sense. The US didn't let the confederacy leave, would Canada let Que leave?

Just in a general sense.  The US didn't let the confederacy leave, would Canada let Que leave?

 

 

I don't have a clue, nor do I care. It would weaken their Olympic hockey team, so that could be a good thing.

Just in a general sense.  The US didn't let the confederacy leave, would Canada let Que leave?

 

Even today, states like California and Utah are completely different socially, politically, and religiously. Yet they can manage to coexist as part of the United States. Perhaps I'm missing something obvious here, but I don't see why this "let's just get along" mindset can't apply to Quebec and the rest of Canada.

Question, just because I have no idea.  Would the rest of Canada LET Quebec declare independance?

 

Good question. Last time Quebec voted on sovereignty and just loss it was rumoured that Canadian forces might move in and stop it. But I'm not sure. And no this has nothing to do with Fox News, this is their own fault.

Good question.  Last time Quebec voted on sovereignty and just loss it was rumoured that Canadian forces might move in and stop it.  But I'm not sure.  And no this has nothing to do with Fox News, this is their own fault.

 

Oh hell KWF, that was a joke.

Oh hell KWF, that was a joke.

 

Thought it might have been.

This is a good thing if you don't want the rest of Canada to resemble Quebec.

Montreal is one of my favorite cities....

A civil war will not break out over Quebec. The fact is that most Quebecers don't really want independence. BQ is so popular mostly because of the ridings system and areas of quebec where 50 people live vote for the separatists and get seats in parliament.

 

Or so I was told anyways.