I will be the first to admit that I know nothing of how Canadian government works.



However, I will say what I would say to an American with the same complaints. Did you vote? If not, why not?



I'm not trying to sound harsh. Really. And I don't know if you voted. Elections are your chance to get your voice heard. So if you didn't vote, complaining about the results is not really appropriate. If you did vote, and it didn't go your way... then complain away! But what can you get involved in, what can you do more proactively, to ensure a higher voter turnout next time(at least for your province)? (This is going to sound a little trite but...) Be the change you want to see. less

I absolutely voted. In the past I've been apathetic but this time around Harper riled me up so much that I HAD to get out and vote for anyone but him. So I did my research, ranted and raved to all my friends, cast my vote. And then felt serious dismay to hear that Harper got his majority, ugh. Still, at least the NDP had their best time ever. Gotta cling to some shreds of hope there, hah. less

Yesterday, May 2nd, Canada was forced into yet another election.



The Conservative Party of Canada won a majority for the first time in many years, meaning that they hold enough seats to vote in anything they wish, no matter what the other parties say or vote... and they are not nice people.



They want to kill our Universal Health Care.

They are anti-gay.

They are anti-women.

They are anti-immigration.

They are anti-science.

They want to cripple the poor and make the rich richer.

They want to wage war alongside America and ensure our mutual demise.



They want to destroy Canada, but of the 28% of the population who actually voted, there was enough amongst them to give the maniacs power. They gave power to a group who instilled a Young Earth Creationist as *Science Minister*, to the same group of people who were actually found in CONTEMPT OF PARLIAMENT, with a minority, no less!



Goodbye Canada, all that you had stood for is about to end. less

Why on *Earth* did you only have a 28% voter turnout? I think we had a higher turnout for graduate student association voting! How is it that less than a third of Canadians felt that this election might matter?



A majority of the opinions of 28% of the population hardly constitutes a majority of opinion, and I would say it's not fair to govern based on only that. But if those are the only people who cared enough to show up, what else is supposed to happen?



Is this your usual voting time, or was it a special election? Who called it, if so? How did nobody vote? less

Why on *Earth* did you only have a 28% voter turnout? I think we had a higher turnout for graduate student association voting! How is it that less than a third of Canadians felt that this election might matter?



A majority of the opinions of 28% of the population hardly constitutes a majority of opinion, and I would say it's not fair to govern based on only that. But if those are the only people who cared enough to show up, what else is supposed to happen?



Is this your usual voting time, or was it a special election? Who called it, if so? How did nobody vote? less

I looked that up and you are right - 61% turnout; mea culpa. Not sure why my source states 28%, but 61% is still depressing.



I had a thought about voting, though; tie it in with income tax. If you don't vote, you don't get any money back. Basically a non-vote is a vote for being a slave.



Would jump the numbers in a hurry, methinks. less

It was about 60% of eligible voters that voted.



40% of the people who voted had voted for the Cons, so ~24% of all eligible voters put them back in power. With a majority.



Representing Canadians, hah.



We need electoral reform, but we're never going to get it as long as people like Harper can have a majority in the House of Commons with just 40% of the popular vote. less

At the same time, if you make voting mandatory, you encourage people who have no opinion, and who haven't done any research, from voting. And then you'll wind up with elected officials who just happen to have catchy names, or nice colored ties, but might be insidious liars, because the populace didn't make an informed choice about their desires, they were just filling out a form because they "had" to. less

I TOTALLY agree. I spoke with people before our elections who were SO woefully ignorant about the political process, the candidates and the issues that I prefer they don't vote!



Some of the things some people say scare me. In a free country, one should have the right NOT to vote if one doesn't want to.



I always vote, but I do my research and read for months before every election. So many people just vote however some radio talk show jerk tells them to, or believes urban legends or vote the way their friends do that they are better off not voting.



IMO, you should have to pass a test, 5 questions on the facts about current issues, 5 questions about the Constitution, 5 questions about the way government is set up, and 5 questions about American History. If you don't get at least a 60% or 70% score, you don't vote. Clueless people, who refuse to educate themselves tend to vote on things other than facts and the issues, and cause idiots and evil people to get in office.



If you don't know who your Representative is, if you don't know the name of the Vice President, if you can't name at least half a dozen parts of the Constitution, if you can't find DC or your state on a map, if you can't form a cogent argument as to why you vote, why bother? Yes, Virginia, some people simply don't care enough to learn enough to vote intelligently. Whether someone is Conservative or Liberal at least they should KNOW what they are voting for. less