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Poutinegate
March 1, 2012 - 9:09am
I wonder what would need to be known in order for the Government to fall and a new election need to be called? Could Harper win a snap election now while both the NDP and Libs have interim leaders?
Oops! Could a mod please fix the spelling in the title?
It would have to be pretty extreme for that. Something on the scale of thousands of votes. And even then, the government wouldn't fall. There might be demands to have a few by-elections... Harper could give into that demand, which would be to admit wrongdoing. Or he could pretend nothing went wrong, and try to hold on until 2015.
Unfortunately, they have a majority, and they can do what they want with it.
Is there a correct way to spell "poutinegate"?
In answer to the opening question, I don't think a new election is in the cards. I think criminal charges, up to and including sitting MPs is in order. But I don't think anything will actually happen, as usual.
Obviously, Catchfire, you just spelled it correctly, with an "e". The food item is spelled poutine, not poutin.
Somehow, pronouncing the word spelled "poutin" out loud sounds a little like "putain" (whore). And the spelling of poutin could be an alternate transcription of Vlad. Putin's surname. Both are strongly suggestive of unpleasantness in politics. But I still think that technically "poutinegate" (= poo-teen)* is more correct.
*Also a good pronunciation for non-Francophones, considering that the wit who thought up the pseudonym was pretty sophomoric.
This is not how I pronounce poutine.
How do you pronounce it? With a Scottish brogue?
I'm saying it right now. Listen close.
I never would have guessed at that pronunciation in a million years.
A visual aid:
La Banquise. When it's 5am in Montreal, you're stoned, and you absolutely need to eat 4 different kind of poutine.
(Not me personally. People I know.)
The most common pronunciation approximates pootsin.
I don't have to be stoned to want poutine.
I'll be in Montreal in a few months, and I'm so going there. I'll start preparing for the heart palpitations now.
You're right, Unionist.
I stand corrected. It sounds more like poo-tsin.
Accent on the "-tsin".
That's pretty much how I've been saying it (unless I've been at La Banquise at 3am, but somehow they know what I'm saying regardless of the pronunciation).
Hoodeet
Be careful, Maysie. Babble would miss you if you were to overdose on that stuff.
Thanks Hoodeet. I plan to run up and down the mountain first, that oughta get my heart nice and pumped.
How telling, CF. Personally I only frequent dining establishments where a request for poutine, no matter how it's pronounced, elicits no more than a raised eyebrow.
*sniff*
What is the reaction in Québec? Perhaps we'll hear some insight tonight from Chantal Hébert when the 'At Issue' panel convenes to discuss Robo-gate.
Do Quebecers suspect the Cons as behind it? Do they think it has overtones of anti-Quebec culture as Alexandre Boulerice and Denis Coderre said in the House this week?
Why, I hope it elicits at least a raised eyebrow and a poutine. Otherwise, what a deserted gastronomical existence you must lead. After all, even Martin Picard serves poutine.
The Roots of Robocall - by Lorrie Goldstein
http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/02/29/the-roots-of-robocall
"You don't have to look far to find the source of many of the allegations the Conservatives engaged in illegal voter suppression in last year's May 2 election. It's right there in the official report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, under the heading: 'Provision of polling information to political parties..
This explains why many allegations of voter suppression against the Tories (particularly live voter calls versus robocalls) have them identifying themselves as Conservative workers and then sending voters, primarily their own supporters - to the wrong polls, which makes no sense.
If you were engaging in illegal voter suppression why would you tell people you were working for the Conservatives and why target Conservative voters? If Stephen Harper, the PMO or the Tory elections hierarchy were masterminding a huge, illegal Machiavellian conspiracy to steal the election via voter suppression, why would they use a plan crafted by Laurel and Hardy?.."
Here is a point of information that I feel needs repeating again and again. According to the former head of Elections Canada, Jean Pierre Kingsley, as well as the lawyer for the Council of Canadians, an election in a riding can only be overturned if a voter, not an organization, notifies Elections Canada WITHIN 30 DAYS of discovering an electoral problem that he/she wants it investigated. While Elections Canada can investigate on its own and can take a substantial amount of time to do so, this can only lead to a fine up to $5,000 and and a five year prison term - a substantial issue problem for the Cons if it occurs. However, the clock is already running for potential byelections. We cannot wait for the Elections Canada's findings if we want to have a byelection called. The demand must occur now if there is to be any chance of a byelection (i know the chances of it happening are remote but voters need to know how the process works now to have any choice in the matter). In my opinion, if people want to do this, they probably cannot even wait to determine if they have enough other voters who feel they were disenfranchised in a particular riding, unless the vote difference was only a handful. They need to protest to Elections Canada and then gather whtatever evidence is available to support an overturn of the election in the riding. According to Kingsley the criterion is if a person does something to change their vote or block their vote through deceptive practices, this counts as a violation.
If I heard the Kingsley correctly (and I could be wrong on this) the protesting voter does not even have to be the one who felt disenfranchised. I know a byelection call as a result of this is remote, but I still feel it is not my right to not tell people about their choices.
Please pass the above information on to other voters.
Catchfire something went terribly wrong with that pootine.
ben non!
Found this in the comments at the National Post. Sing in your best Gordon Lightfoot voice.
The Wreck of the Federal Election.
It might have been him or it might have been her. It seems to defy all detection. Not Harper, for sure, someone much more obscure, did The Wreck of the Federal Election.
Suppress 8,000 votes in 18 swing seats, do it all with a throw-away cell phone. Get rid of the file before your trial and proceed to the Speech from the Throne.
My telephone chimed more than 29 times calling me and my son and my daughter. "Don't bother to vote unless you've got a boat. Your polling booth's moved to Stillwater."
And no one can tell why voter turnout just fell. Just watch the King of Deflection. There's no story here. Just Liberal smear, but no Wreck of the Federal Election.
OMG I love this, bekayne! Thank you!
There's just no way to make poutine LOOK good, is there? But boy does it taste yummy!
bekayne, that is awesome. Whodathunk it could have come from the NP online comment sewer?
RE: the rather unappetizing photograph:
A basic question from a gastronomical ignoramus: is that white stuff cheese curds? and I assume the red is ketchup?
A further question (not that I ever plan to make poutine): is the gravy meatless? if not, was it traditionally made with stock or with lard (as in fèves au lard)?