First of all, in terms of seats that the NDP could win, the margins from last time need to be factored in with the massive drop in Liberal support. I think it is altogether possible, and dare I say probable, that the Liberals could fall even further.

On the Harper majority: what is the difference between a Harper majority and a minority where the Liberals prop up the government? Really? And don’t resort to scare tactics about coat-hangers and long drawn-out wars (I’ve heard it all). You need to give the Canadian public a little more credit. There are some things that a government can’t get away with, majority or not.

What is far more insidious and harmful is what the Liberals did in the 90’s with their cuts to transfer payments. This barely registered with voters but it starved our social programs, created a health care crisis in many provinces, and shifted the political spectrum in Canada to the right. Something we still feel today.

New Democrats really do want Jack Layton to be Prime Minister. It’s not just something that we say to look like we are in a position of strength. We are not content with Liberal or Conservative minority or majority governments. So we are doing something about it.

Led by Jack Layton, New Democrats are bringing it this time around. We are not going to concern ourselves with your seat projections based on historical voting patterns. We are sensing the winds of change and we are going to let Canadians know what we have to offer as government and see if they want it.

I could go on about the hypocrisy of Liberals suggesting that New Democrats are selling out the left, but I’m sure you have read my thoughts on this before Scott.

(As for the electorate… you can’t blame them entirely if they’re lied to. Yes, in a democracy it’s up to the public to make informed decision, but it’s difficult to sort through truth and lies.)

Stumbled on a paper on Electorial Bias and the NDP. (You can substitute NDP and any established provincial party for the results.) You can see the reluctance for any party to change, especially if they’re an established brand in a province.

Okay, list of provinces that have considered proportional representation referendums:

British Columbia, Ontario: Liberal government in 2005
(They’re going to vote on it again in 2009).

Ontario: Liberal government in 2005

Prince Edward Island: Progressive Conservatives in 2005.

About the Ontario’s referendum on changing the electoral system, I would not totally blame it on the electorate. McGuinty hands off policy is partly to blame. He wants to stay neutral. So in a way, he does not care whether it pass or not. On the other hand, the Conservative ran an effective campaign against it. Ridiculing the system. Something they are very good at. Creating doubt in people’s mind. People were complaining that they have not been given enough time and information to decide. So they voted against what they don’t understand just as you would not sign a contract you don’t understand. Indifference or too preoccupied with making a living? Either way, McGuinty and the electorate share the blame on this one.

I think this comment perfectly reflects the politics of fear upon which the Liberals built their dynasty. If the Conservatives win a majority, it won’t be because the NDP ran a good campaign. It will be because a hell of a lot of voters decided to support the Conservatives. Liberals are always trying to connect these two things when in fact they are unrelated. The NDP is doing the same thing as every other party: trying to gain as much support as it can. No one calls the Liberals’ motives into question when they do the same thing, and no one should call the NDP’s motives in to question when they do it.

Obviously I can’t speak for all NDP supporters, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take the NDP gaining Official Opposition status even if it meant a Harper majority.

Now answer this question, Scott. When election day rolls around would you vote for the NDP if they were ahead of the Liberals in the polls or would you go down with the Liberal ship?

Sounds a lot like, “Yes, we’ll take it, but I don’t want to admit as much.”

Of course, as you say, the Liberals are for pretty much the same thing.

Which is why partisan voters, on any side, are idiots.

Here’s the deal folks, in a Harper minority, whether or not Liberals are official opposition, Liberals still control whether the government remains in power or not unless they’re decimated to the point where their votes aren’t needed to topple the government. And that just ain’t gonna happen regardless.

So NDP opposition or Liberal opposition makes no practical difference in what we’re going to see.

Harper minority vs Harper majority makes a very big difference. The fact that a minority gov’t could be defeated on a policy confidence vote will keep a minority PM Harper from proposing the stuff that would make Canadians go “WTH?” were an election called over it. So you will not see, say, the resumption of the death penalty being brought up in a minority government.

In a majority government however, especially in early days so that Canadians have 4 years to forget about it? Anybody really want to lay bets that won’t come up and pass?

I’m normally against strategic voting in that voting for anything other than what you want only ensures that what you want won’t be seen as an issue that matters enough to get your vote.

In this case, however, what I want most is an end to Harper’s destruction of our parliament, our government, and our Canadian way of life. Unfortunately, I’m in a conservative stronghold riding, so there’s really nothing I can do about it but whine.

Wait a second, the first past the post was brought about by McGuinty (Ontario Liberal Party) and people got the chance to vote on it (the Liberals couldn’t kill it at this point). There were quite a few libloggers who supported the idea. Blame the uninformed electorate for its fall.

Throwing this out there — what provinces proportional representation? How many were brought forth by Liberal, NDP, and Conservative governments?