Comments on: The First Five Things You Need To Know Aboot Canadian Politics http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/first-five-things-about-canadian-politics/ Taking Back Aboot One Eh At A Time Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:17:45 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Gabriel... http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/first-five-things-about-canadian-politics/#comment-7989 Gabriel... Mon, 29 Oct 2007 08:18:06 +0000 http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/the-first-five-things-you-need-to-know-aboot-canadian-politics/#comment-7989 Titular = in name only. Our Prime Minister is "evangelical" but politically it means something different in Canada, and is only an issue for the far-left who require something to tie him and his politics to George Bush, as though the current Prime Minister's religion is any different than the religion of the other 28 Prime Ministers. Using the word "evangelical" in the political arena is a commonly used and ridiculous fear tactic. The "Evangelical" Right in Canada is a virtually non-existent voting bloc, the "Right" wing in Canada is also very different than the "Right" in America. The anti-American Left, however, has some voting relevance through political parties such as the New Democratic Party and the Green Party. I know all <strong>aboot</strong> GWB's makeover, I don't think it's something he has particularly tried to hide. I also know the role religious makeovers play in American politics. I don't think John Kerry had ever been in a church until he decided to run for President. However, just by virtue of the makeup of American voters religion is more important there than here. For example, a Republican must pay homage to the Religious Right by attending a convocation or some event at an otherwise mostly irrelevant Christian University. At the same time a Democrat must stand in front of a black congregation, usually at a Baptist Church, and talk about the 300 years of slavery and segregation. It is very rare to find a Canadian political leader in a Christian Church, although temples can sometimes be popular. We do have a large population of the Sikh and Hindu faiths. But "Faith Based Voting" has become mostly a myth here. Until twenty-years ago immigrants voting as a block either based on ethnicity or religion was common, but even then not overwhelmingly so. Since twenty-years ago immigration to Canada has changed from a policy of "labourers first" to one of "money/business first". This has changed voting practise substantially away from the Liberal Party of Canada to a mix of Liberal and Conservative Party of Canada. The problem I think we're having is we're pulling apart a short, irreverent piece of writing... if you want to discuss some of this in more detail I have written other, more serious posts on these subjects which, I think, agree with some of the points you're trying to make. But if you want to stick here we can carry on if you'd like. 1. <a href="http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/12/america-may-be-the-gun-but-europes-the-trigger/" rel="nofollow">America May Be</a> The Trigger... 2. Or you can try this one: Good And <a href="http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2006/11/11/good-evil-vs-victimization-justification/" rel="nofollow">Evil vs. Victimization </a>And Justification, it's one of the first things I ever put on this blog but I think it still holds up. 3. And this one has always been a crowd favourite: Canada: Offering <a href="http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/fucking-the-world-back-together/" rel="nofollow">A Safe-Sex Environment</a> Where Humanity Can Fuck Itself Back Together Again Titular = in name only.

Our Prime Minister is “evangelical” but politically it means something different in Canada, and is only an issue for the far-left who require something to tie him and his politics to George Bush, as though the current Prime Minister’s religion is any different than the religion of the other 28 Prime Ministers. Using the word “evangelical” in the political arena is a commonly used and ridiculous fear tactic.

The “Evangelical” Right in Canada is a virtually non-existent voting bloc, the “Right” wing in Canada is also very different than the “Right” in America. The anti-American Left, however, has some voting relevance through political parties such as the New Democratic Party and the Green Party.

I know all aboot GWB’s makeover, I don’t think it’s something he has particularly tried to hide. I also know the role religious makeovers play in American politics. I don’t think John Kerry had ever been in a church until he decided to run for President. However, just by virtue of the makeup of American voters religion is more important there than here. For example, a Republican must pay homage to the Religious Right by attending a convocation or some event at an otherwise mostly irrelevant Christian University. At the same time a Democrat must stand in front of a black congregation, usually at a Baptist Church, and talk about the 300 years of slavery and segregation. It is very rare to find a Canadian political leader in a Christian Church, although temples can sometimes be popular. We do have a large population of the Sikh and Hindu faiths. But “Faith Based Voting” has become mostly a myth here. Until twenty-years ago immigrants voting as a block either based on ethnicity or religion was common, but even then not overwhelmingly so. Since twenty-years ago immigration to Canada has changed from a policy of “labourers first” to one of “money/business first”. This has changed voting practise substantially away from the Liberal Party of Canada to a mix of Liberal and Conservative Party of Canada.

The problem I think we’re having is we’re pulling apart a short, irreverent piece of writing… if you want to discuss some of this in more detail I have written other, more serious posts on these subjects which, I think, agree with some of the points you’re trying to make. But if you want to stick here we can carry on if you’d like.

1. America May Be The Trigger…

2. Or you can try this one: Good And Evil vs. Victimization And Justification, it’s one of the first things I ever put on this blog but I think it still holds up.

3. And this one has always been a crowd favourite: Canada: Offering A Safe-Sex Environment Where Humanity Can Fuck Itself Back Together Again

]]> By: John http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/first-five-things-about-canadian-politics/#comment-7982 John Mon, 29 Oct 2007 03:08:49 +0000 http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/the-first-five-things-you-need-to-know-aboot-canadian-politics/#comment-7982 My previous comments make it appear I think I don't apprecate the difference between constitutional speration and political gamesmanship: regarding political gamesmanship and religion, I think you're correct in your assessment of the US overall but you should realize the majority of Americans aren't evangelical Christians and aren't overly religious anymore so than the average Canadian. Politicians recognize there's a constituency that they can play to, they certainly aren't a majority like some (many) misinformed non-Americans would think, but they do tend to vote as near to a block as can be expected. I think non-Americans and some far left Americans pay way to much attention to this phenomena. As an example, George Bush has proven to be much less conservative and right wing than many true believers would like. And President Hillary Clinton would be much more middle of the road than many true believers would want. My previous comments make it appear I think I don’t apprecate the difference between constitutional speration and political gamesmanship: regarding political gamesmanship and religion, I think you’re correct in your assessment of the US overall but you should realize the majority of Americans aren’t evangelical Christians and aren’t overly religious anymore so than the average Canadian. Politicians recognize there’s a constituency that they can play to, they certainly aren’t a majority like some (many) misinformed non-Americans would think, but they do tend to vote as near to a block as can be expected. I think non-Americans and some far left Americans pay way to much attention to this phenomena. As an example, George Bush has proven to be much less conservative and right wing than many true believers would like. And President Hillary Clinton would be much more middle of the road than many true believers would want.

]]> By: John http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/first-five-things-about-canadian-politics/#comment-7981 John Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:47:40 +0000 http://culturalsnafu.wordpress.com/2007/01/28/the-first-five-things-you-need-to-know-aboot-canadian-politics/#comment-7981 The Prime Minister is an evangelical Christian isn't he? George Bush was raised a Methodist, a mainline Protestant. He comes from an old New England Yankee family. He was born in New Haven, CT, and attended high school at Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, MA. He attended Yale and Harvard.These places are as old school, middle of the road, noblesse obliges as they get, yet he got elected Governor of Texas. A man who's the epitome of the Eastern Establishment Old School Yankee got elected Governor of Texas, speaks with an exaggerated Texas/Southern accent when it suits him, and pretends he's just a good old country boy. Nothing is as it seams. The Prime Minister is an evangelical Christian isn’t he? George Bush was raised a Methodist, a mainline Protestant. He comes from an old New England Yankee family. He was born in New Haven, CT, and attended high school at Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, MA. He attended Yale and Harvard.These places are as old school, middle of the road, noblesse obliges as they get, yet he got elected Governor of Texas. A man who’s the epitome of the Eastern Establishment Old School Yankee got elected Governor of Texas, speaks with an exaggerated Texas/Southern accent when it suits him, and pretends he’s just a good old country boy. Nothing is as it seams.

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