Are you going to be voting? Which party do you support? What do you think of the leaders, etc.

I say, old chaps, when is the election date?

I'm up for it.

Which provincial elections do get to vote in, and in which country?

Ontario, Canada. The question referred to the London area, specifically.

Aussie, who should I vote for?

Progressive Conservatives (The "forwards backwards" party)
Liberals
New Democratic Party
The Green Party
The Freedom Party

I would never suggest voting for a candidate from a party as ridiculously named as "Progressive Conservative." There's definitely something screwy going on there.

The Liberal Party of Canada is proud that they have "played a major role in the country's development over the years", so it seems that the way Canada is today is largely their fault. However, there is a separate Ontario Liberal Party who want you to "choose change". This puts them at odds with the Liberal Party of Canada, who seem to be claiming the status quo as their own work. Choose change? I'd prefer to choose folding money.

I looked at the NDP website, and it's awful. Not so much the orange-and-more-orange design as the crass, smarmy, party-political assholery. There is this gem, though:

haha! Good to see you Canadans know your place in the world. Is some sort of independence movement ever likely to gain ground there?

Your local guy, little Howie Hampton, seems all upset about car insurance. "Hello, Howie? Insurance is a highly competitive industry. Try shopping around. Or just drive more carefully and stop trying to ram Mercs with your BMW."

Yeah, that will work. Hey, why don't we eliminate profits in ALL industries? And while we're at it, let's eliminate wages, too. They're just another unnecessary expense on Ontario motorists.

A monopoly! What a brilliant solution! We all know how effective monopolies are in reducing prices. While you're at it, maybe Ontario could also have just one political party. Think of the administrative savings.

Greens. Well, their green color scheme is much easier on the eye than the orange-on-orange, but it also looks like it was designed by two thirteen-year-olds during their lunch break at school. I like the concept of green policy because much of our lifestyles and enjoyment of life rely on a healthy environment. However, you seem to be stuck with that primitive first-past-the-post system, so a vote for the Green Party is almost as good as not voting at all... another benefit of voting Green. Pencil me in here.

The Freedom Party looks much like the USA's Libertarian Party. The question we should ask is "freedom for who?" They are both misnamed parties. They are parties for the rich who are greedy for more at the cost of the poor; advocating a more extreme disparity between rich and poor, and a stricter class system with less migration between economic groups - i.e., keeping the poor poor and keeping the rich rich. A retarded monkey could effectively refute some of the arguments they use, but that doesn't make the Freedom Party any less bastards.

If you're interested in the political process, don't only vote but also join the party of your choice. Make your contribution to the formulation of policies rather than merely choosing between a few alternatives.

*applause*

But you didn't tell me which one to vote for!

*runs about like a headless chicken*

I wouldn't presume to tell you how to vote, but that's what I would do.

The alternative is to look at pictures of your local candidates and pick the most attractive. I had a roommate who did that. It led him to vote Green (though Australian Greens, not Canadans) because the Greens typically have younger candidates. The other parties' candidates either looked like they could die from a heart attack at any moment, or they looked like they had already died and been dug up.

Can you do a review like that for Australian parties?

No, because my big brother is a member of the Australian Labor Party and he'd beat me up. :unsure:

Alright, then, I'll have a go.

Liberal Party of Australia: A right wing conservative party, suppose to be similar to and aligned with the US Democrats but actually having policy much like the Republicans. Their leader and the current Prime Minister "Honest Johnny", John Howard, when caught breaking election promises, can be quoted as saying, "That wasn't a core promise!" He is yet to explain what a "core promise" is. Current Federal Government.

National Party of Australia: Formerly The Australian Country Party. A right wing conservative party, supposed to be similar to the Repubican party, only with a more rural view. Historically in coalition with the Liberal Party (except in Queensland) and still is Federally, but largely redundant - They'll hate me for saying that, but it's true, it's true!

Australian Labour Party: A supposedly left wing socialist party, but lately with policy much like the US Democrats only, they actually implement them (mostly), not just talk about them and damn the consequences! In recent times, have managed to out poll the Liberal party at every election, but still manage to lose Federally. In this respect, they are just like Al Gore. The current leader, Simon Crean, is the most unpopular party leader of any party since Pauline Hanson. Current State Government in every state and Territory. (Note the "spoiler" effect in State vs Federal politics.)

Australian Democrats: A party set up purely as a spoiler to the two main parties. At inception they had the motto "Keep the bastards honest." Now they are the bastards. Sacked their last party leader, Natasha Stott-Depoya, for being more popular than the rest of the party put together. Nobody likes a show-off. Use to be fairly popular because Aussies have a distinct dislike of politicians of any flavour (unless they happen to be very pretty AND intelligent, like Natasha [:wub:] ), and letting the Democrats have the balance of power upset the two main parties. Policy is a mixed bag of policy from the two major parties plus the Greens and apt to change in random fashion.

Australian Greens: A conservationist party with an interesting mix of mainly socialist policy. What the ALP claims to be but isn't. Now has the balance of power in the senate and generally object to everything, much as the Democrats use to do until they became bastards. Have replaced the Democrats as the "third force" in Australian politics.

One Nation: A party set up by disgrace former Liberal, Pauline Hanson, in an attempt to bring back the "White Australia policy", only didn't make it as plain as that. Lot's of weird and wonderful throwback policy from the 50's & 60's which made little sense then and make even less sense now. Pauline is currently serving 3 years for electoral fraud.

*clears throat* Conservative *clears throat again*

Hey, the federal party is thinking of dropping the "Progressive", go back to being just "Conservative".

Taking a quick look at the websites, al la Aussie, I suggest:
If your retired, vote PC
If your sick, vote LP
If you travel a lot, vote NDP
If you have no idea, vote GP
If you don't have kids, never likely to have kids or hate your kids, and your a sailor, vote FP

The Freedom Party is complaining that elections only come around every 4-5 years. Frankly, I'm guessing most Canadians are grateful!

I don't know...I kind of enjoy elections! I have a feeling I'm in a small minority on that one though!