We Still Have a Government, Right?: Canadian Politics 2020

We're basically the states but with a slightly higher proportion of liberals vs conservatives

I might be more receptive to that angle if I wasn't living in Quebec (which comes with its own set of unique foibles, mind you).

Every person I know who has conservative family/in-laws reports some amount of Q, Covid conspiracy theory, 5G, Bill Gates etc. among them. My friend's uncle was kept in an ICE camp for months because he attempted to cross the border to save Trump from assassination by the deep state, and refused to ask to talk to a lawyer etc. when in custody

Oh I'm not trying to suggest that we are immune to such idiocy. QAnon has taken root in Germany of all places, so why wouldn't it thrive here? I simply disagree with the notion that Canada will inevitably be taken over by a homegrown Trumpian figure in the near future. I mean, Derek Sloan didn't even make it to the second round of the CPC's leadership election. But perhaps this is all just wishful thinking on my part?

https://twitter.com/qanonindia

Big jump in COVID today in Ontario--over 300 cases, first time since June. I've got my second supply job tomorrow, another next week. Wouldn't be surprised if schools close before the latter.

I simply disagree with the notion that Canada will inevitably be taken over by a homegrown Trumpian figure in the near future

I agree that it's not inevitable - but with a sufficiently imaginative pitch it wouldn't take too much of a push. On the plus side, Canadian conservatives are remarkably unimaginative.

(I came up with what I think is a pretty novel strategy for the Tories the other day, but honestly I don't want to risk giving them any effective ideas by posting them online lol)

but with a sufficiently imaginative pitch it wouldn't take too much of a push

Sounds like you've got a plan up your sleeve. I'd vote for you, Simon.

xp lol jinxed it

The sight of Trump 2020 flags next to Quebec independence flags does raise the question of whether O'Toole's gambit might actually work.

this is probably the single safest place to post something if you want it to be unread by canadian conservatives

Well, this is interesting:

Alberta Provincial Polling:

UCP: 38% (-17)
NDP: 38% (+5)
ABP: 9% (-)
AIP: 7% (+7)

Angus Reid / September 1, 2020 / n=599 / Online

(% Change With 2019 Election) pic.twitter.com/L6q8drBmLj

— Polling Canada (@CanadianPolling) September 14, 2020

my consulting fee starts at one billion dollars an hour

Wild numbers. I mean kenney has horrendous so far, but that's who they voted for so I'm startled

One of the things that distinguishes us from the US, I think, is that overall we’re less prone to binary thinking and extreme points of view. This isn’t to say those don’t exist — especially among those who consume a ton of American media — just that it’s less prevalent. I think the fact the US’s first wave of settlers were Puritans — religious fanatics who essentially weren’t welcome in England anymore — says a lot about how the tone was set from the beginning. Canada is a less deeply religious culture to this day. As well, our parliamentary system militates against some of the excesses seemingly inherent in presidential systems.

There’s more than a grain of truth to the copycat characterization, though.

‘Canada has no culture of its own and just copies whatever the US does’ is a classic talking point among Qc separatists.

The country of Canada has been governed by Quebecers for most of my life.

which tbc is not something I have a problem with but relates to both i) why I have trouble making a clear separation between Canadian and Quebec culture/values/politics and ii) why I don't think of us as just the US on a time delay.

Can’t help but feel like the organic part of our politics is being straight up poisoned right now.

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1788667971656

Canadians are seemingly less prone to believing in conspiracy theories than respondents in most other countries.

Sigh, I still need the occasional reminder of what the Alberta NDP is like:

Jason Kenney's preferred candidate for Prime Minister just killed Energy East. No jobs. No economy. No pipelines. Why did the UCP work so hard to get Mr. O'Toole elected?#ableg #EnergyEast https://t.co/IzR4DLV4az

— Rachel Notley (@RachelNotley) September 14, 2020

The first sign you see in the rally from pom's video (iirc):

Ou êtes-vous allophones? Grecs, italiens, portugais, polonais, etc

What does this person mean by "where are you, allophones?" Does this just mean "why aren't there more allophones at this rally?" (Assuming she made the sign before the rally, that's a little curious.) Or are they questioning the involvement of allophones (European ones in particular?) with something else?

Also, are they chanting "we need a dictator"?

Does this just mean "why aren't there more allophones at this rally?" (Assuming she made the sign before the rally, that's a little curious.)

This was my reading as well. Eerily reminiscent of 'why aren't Muslims protesting against terrorism?' Then again, the 'SOS' undercuts that interpretation somewhat, since it seems to be implying that their help is sorely needed.

As for the chant, I think it's the opposite: 'Fini la dictature!'

Ah, that makes more sense. So is the dictator Trudeau or Legault or ...? And is Trump the leader of the rebellion against the dictatorship, given the "USA" chants and Trump flags?

I'm assuming both Trudeau and Legault are dictators and we need Trump to liberate us from their tyrannical paternalism.

Valérie Plante, the mayor of Montreal, said today that 'ça me fait peur' in response to the protests.

I know you're talking about something else...Interesting questions:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/woodward-trump-canada-response-1.5721009

Reminds me of that other book, Everything Trump Touches Dies.

Carry on.

‘Canada has no culture of its own and just copies whatever the US does’ vs "our Quebecois leaders are dictators and we need Trump to liberate us"

Comme on dit en bon québécois, ce ne sont pas les pogos les plus dégelés de la boîte !

Haha

Oh it seems like "USA" was a mishearing by anglo media but the flags were real.

Tbf there's always been a pro-American separatist current in Quebec:

https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/449b-2a28-51d441e3-b3a8-7322ac1c606d__7C___0.html

What's funny about that history is that the establishment of the province of Quebec was itself, from the pov of the American colonists, one of the 'Intolerable Acts' that led to the Revolution: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/quebec-act

Ha, good catch.

Clemenza's link raises good questions I didn't want to think about.

that will be the response of the vast majority of canadians who read that story I think

Yikes Hajdu does not come out of that piece looking great

I guess their response will be "look at the data," how much better we are in terms of caseload and deaths as a percentage. Which is not unfair.

But yeah, questions you don't want to think about. Not only that they may not have been honest, but that they may have been following Trump's lead in the early stages.

Our numbers are better than the US or UK but nothing exceptional by global standards.

tbf how much better would they be if it weren't for our pesky southern neighbors

Fuck everything about this:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/billionaire-covid-quarantine-exemption-1.5726050

c;mon it's well known that COVID can't enter the rarefied respiratory systems of the wealthy

Complementary information:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/26/mexican-governor-miguel-barbosa-prompts-outrage-with-claim-poor-are-immune-to-covid-19

Proof that solely the mythical middle class has grounds to fear covid.

Disturbing sentence from this CBC piece: "The data suggests that many Ontarians are currently contracting COVID-19 through unmemorable interactions with others in the course of their daily lives."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-ontario-cases-data-1.5726687

Unmemorable interactions without masks, I hope.

Strange. Here in Quebec Legault is about to crack down on big parties, weddings and the like, since those (and schools) appear to be the main vectors at this point in time. The likelihood of getting it at the hardware store or whatever remains extremely low.

Either way, brace yourselves for more protests. The tyranny narrative is about to get a massive boost.

Big parties and weddings in Ontario, too, we're told--but that's why that sentence unsettles me.

on the bright side that gives me a reason to actually look forward to winter (added to the usual relief from the constant sounds of construction, which will be particularly sweet this year)

added to the usual relief from the constant sounds of construction, which will be particularly sweet this year

otfm

It's driving me up the wall as we speak.

I have to actively resist ranting about it to everyone I talk to