Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW

Categories: Blog Central, Capital Read, Inkless Wells

A note on the stakes

by Paul Wells on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 9:07pm - 42 Comments

“Never will an election have posed to Canadians so starking choice.”

— S. Dion, in North Bay tonight

Tags: Election Watch, Stéphane Dion

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Charles H

“So starking”, or “so stark a”?

I’m curious as to whether it got mangled by his accent or by his English skills.
Wascally Wabbit

Mr. Wells – were you being starkastic there?
http://prairiewrangler.wordpress.com/ Olaf

I just hate starking choices, I almost always flub those.
kody

One thing is certain,

the “anybody but Harper” vote to stop a Harper majority is a facade.

From today on, folks will have to decide, not only if they don’t want Harper, but if they do want Dion.
madeyoulook

C’mon, folks, we wouldn’t have a country worth having if all we did was mock each other’s second language skills. This country is better than that.

POLICY! Can we please oh pretty please have at it on POLICY??!??!

Uh-oh, they’re coming for my con-bot badge…
T. Thwim

No, not really kody. I very specifically do not want Harper. I’d take McKay over Harper even. Or even May if that’s what it took.
http://prairiewrangler.wordpress.com/ Olaf

Who called the fun police?
DR

ROB ANDERS FOR LEADER
BrainDrainXP

DON CHERRY FOR PM!!!!!
Mike514

Has anyone picked up on the “will” part?

He didn’t say “Never has an election.” He said “Never will an election…”

Personally I think this is a great weight off my shoulders. I’m glad there will never be an election with such a starking choice again.
madeyoulook

Mike: “will have posed.” Please read the whole sentence, it’s not that long.

If we must spend the evening dissecting grammar. Yeesh.
Dot

Maybe he was speaking in local North Bay vernacular. What a chameleon.
Scott M.

*I* wanted Joe Clark. Yes, that Joe Clark.

Waah.
Jenn

I agree with madeyoulook, although I’ll add that I love the fact that I live in a two-language country. I only wish I spoke and understood the other one. I would love nothing more than doing like Justin T and speak three words, then switch.

Sadly, I can’t even figure out a telephone number in French without taking the time to un, deux, trois . . .nobody recites a phone number that slow.

I pick Joe Clark.
Jenn

Hey! Can we have a Joe Clark write-in ballot?
Irritated

Seriously? This has been a day with the Conservative “platform” launch and some pretty serious issues to discuss. Picking on someone’s language skills is pretty lame.
DR

That reminds me, here’s a real question regarding the Metric system.

Does the Security & Prosperity Partnership (remember that? talk about a non-election issue!) mean that the US will adopt it in the name of simplifying trade?
http://www.flickr.com/theveil Karen Krisfalusi

The note on the stake reads: “Oh look the polls are touching as they kiss”.
http://arandomprocess.blogspot.com/ Andrew E

I like to live in the alternate universe in which Frank McKenna won the Liberal leadership.

Also, what if both parties replace their leaders, and we get McKenna in charge of the Libs and Lord in charge of the Cons? New Brunswick is Canada! Which is weird because it’s easily the boringest province of the ten.
Geiseric the Lame

I know he doesn’t drink rum but that sounds like bay talk to me.
tc

“Which is weird because it’s easily the boringest province of the ten.”

seems a perfect fit.

i like manley vs prentice. no lose situation.
Brammer

You think it’s easy to make starking choices…?
http://prairiewrangler.wordpress.com/ Olaf

And just when I thought the “You think it’s easy…” jokes were about to stop being consistently and uniformly hilarious, Brammer comes in with that witty offering, and I find myself eating it up with a spoon. Cough.
Jack Mitchell

Starkin’-A right.
sf

I don’t think there has ever been an election where the leaders do not say there are huge fundamental differences between the front-runners. In fact, if I remember correctly, Paul Martin made it his campaign theme “mark my words, we are really, really, really, really, really, different”.