DM> we had Kim Campbell (ie, 1st female PM in Canada) ... But, after
 DM> Mulroney, her party (ie, Progressive Conservatives, equiv. to
 DM> Republican) didn't stand a ghost; they were reduced to 2-seats. 
Wow, too bad RayGun didn't do as much for his party.  
He was as talented as the PC party at creating a huge deficit.
 DM> Political cartoonists had them plotting strategy in telephone booths. 
Is that a dangerous profession in Canada?
 DM> In truth, the difference between the U.S. and Canada is that, in the
 DM> former, you vote your politicians in; in Canada, we vote them out!  :) 
So how come you have any left? -)  Where did they all come from anyway?
In Canada,
 DM> now, we have five which should make the next election lots of fun.  The
 DM> Liberals are incumbent and, although losing popularity quickly in some
 DM> circles, still may be the best choice for us next election.  What are
 DM> the choices: Progressive Conser- vatives, breathlessly resuscitated
 DM> from a 2-seat near-death succeeding the public's backlash against
 DM> Mulroney by terminating Kim Campbell with a single stroke.  
Resurrection from the dead?  
Reform (ie,
 DM> Progressive Conservatives ... in a hurry); thus, trans- forming Preston
 DM> Manning into Presto! Manning.  Lots of support in provinces outside of
 DM> Quebec ... lots of concern with some of the personal ideologies
 DM> APPARENTLY espoused by potential candidates attracted to the Reform
 DM> platform (ie, racism, sexism, etc.)  I think Reform might actually
 DM> disappear if, for example, Preston Manning abandoned leadership of the
 DM> party; HE seems to be charismatic, intelligent, competent ... and a
"leader."  
These are the fundamentalists that attempted to take over the Republican 
party.  We'd like them to go away also.  They have actually cause a spilt 
within the Republican party but, sigh, it was patched over.
 DM> Then, we have that venerable institution: the New Democratic
 DM> Party (ie, some refer to it as the Neo-Depression Party); Audrey
 DM> McLaughlin handed over the reigns to the incumbent Alexa McDonough just
 DM> before the last election.  It is primarily concerned with social
 DM> services and labour and other issues, important to the citizenry vs big
 DM> business; I'd fully expect the U.S. to declare war on us, if the NDP
 DM> ever get voted in ... probably led by the Republican far-right!! 
What's the NDP attitude about corporate wealthfare?  So why would we go to 
war with the NDP?  Are the radical socialists?
Short
 DM> of the incumbent Liberals, that leaves the Bloc Quebecois, the only
 DM> party in the country, fully represented in Parliament, totally
 DM> dedicated to splitting up the country by a unilateral declaration of
 DM> Quebec soverignty! 
What you mean 'fully represented in Parliament'?  Is this the only national 
concern?
 DM> As for the Liberals: after 2-terms of the Progressive Conservatives'
 DM> launch of our deficit into the stratosphere, 2-terms of Liberals have
 DM> managed to - reduce it to zero; they're now attempting to lower our
 DM> accumulated debt, as well.  I suspect that Paul Martin - the architect
 DM> of this economic miracle, would be well-received as a replacement for
 DM> the current Jean Chretien. 
If they can do this why are they losing popularity?  Clinton seems to be 
doing fairly well but I don't think he's really serious.
 DM> Ah, well.  Only the next election will reveal the collective fantasy
 DM> of the voting public.  :)
So how many vote?  We're lucky to get half of the public.
Parties below are Canadian choices?  I'm not so excited, are you?
Progressive Conservatives - Republican
Reform - Radical Republican
Liberals - Democrats
New Democrats - Socialists
Bloc Quebecois - Seperationists
I'd vote liberal but only after some study.
Are your choices possibly better than ours?
In America we have the Democratic and Republican parties.  We also have the 
Libertarian party (pseudo Republican) that has actually won in local 
elections, very bent on individual liberty with little concern for society in 
general.  Then we have the American party, a leftover from a campaign of a 
Texas Billionaire, that talks common sense about government but lacks 
environmental concern.  The Pacific party, an American remnant of the Greens, 
actually place Ralph Naider on the presidential ballot.  He was my vote.  
There's also a no account Socialist party that still survives.  And lo!  Now 
comes a new party, the Natural Law Party.  Rather interesting as it is backed 
by Transcendental Meditation.  Election law in the US makes it hard for these 
'third' (in the sense of third world) parties to get campaign funding, 
placement on the ballot, etc.
Here in Oregon we have launched an initiative revolt.  Recently, each ballot 
has a dozen or two citizen sponsored initiatives on it.  Politicians hate us, 
want to stop or limit us.  California has some of the same.  About half of 
the states have no provision for initiative process.  Canada?
... Cutting edge of blunt statement isn't pointless, pricks listeners.
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