Canadian 03/09 Presidential Debate ~ Full Coverage!

Day 469, 21:58 • Published in Canada Canada • by 1ronman

2008 March Presidential Debate – Begun at 12:00AM EST

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1ronman:

Welcome all to the 2009 March Presidential Debate - DadePendwyn will take it from here.

DadePendwyn:

Thanks for coming out gentlemen. I just have a few things to say before we get started. There will be 13 questions, and 6 of them will be answered by just one candidate. If time allows we will take questions from the audience after the official questions.

I’ll will be asking each candidate at least two “less-than-friendly” questions which are meant to be hard-hitting but fair and answerable. Please keep in mind these are not necessarily my personal opinions, but are tough questions that I anticipate the Canadian public would like to hear. You can refuse to answer any question you wish. All other questions will be for all 3 candidates.

At any time please PM me if you’d like to directly rebut another candidate’s response when you wouldn’t normally get a chance to, and I will direct the floor to you once your opponent has finished.

First of all, gentlemen, if you could briefly introduce yourselves. Starting with our current president Zanalan, then Bruck and finally Dominik.


- Zanalan: Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us. As Dade has said, I am Zanalan. I am the current PM of Canada. I am seeking my third term in office.

- Bruck: Hello everyone, I am recently Retired General Bruck and I am running on behalf of the CFC

- Dominik: I am Dominik, president of the Royal Feudalist Party and vice-president of Canada under the Honourable Zanalan.

DadePendwyn: The following 3 questions are for all 3 candidates

DadePendwyn: The following question is a derivative of a question suggested by Halve. How do approach eRepublik – as a game or as a simulation of real life? Are there “morals” in eRep or should they be forgone for “playing it like a game”? Zanalan first.

Zanalan: The first part of the question cannot be separated into two choices. I believe that many of us approach eR as a game that we want to model into a unique real life view.

Zanalan: Are there morals? I would not want to play if there were not morals. Businesses need to be run with some degree of honor. Governments need to retain relations with their neighbours.

Zanalan: I believe that we all need, and do, operate with morals. We expect to be treated fairly by others. We expect to have committments honored. We expect fair dealings with employers. All of these are moral issues.

Bruck: Quite frankly, eRepublik is a game and nothing more. In no way should it represent real life ideals or circumstances. If something seems wrong or incorrect in reality it’s likely it is quite acceptable in eRepublik. New citizens should come into this game with an open mind.

Dominik: I think the main objective of eRepublik is to role-play, so that is what the RFP does. However, we must also be down-to-earth with our ideas (primarily admitting and recognising it is a game). Simulating "morals" might be fun, but we need admin support to make those morals logically significant. In the meantime, we must work with what we have to get the most out of the game.

DadePendwyn: Ok thank you gentlemen. I apologize for not being more clear about the format.

DadePendwyn: What experience will you bring to the presidency that your opponents lack? Dominik please answer first.

Dominik: I've been a part of the game for over 10 months now, I've served as vice-president of Canada. I've done more or less everything the game does and doesn't allow. I've run companies, I've been Mayor, congressman in 2 different countries. However, the other 2 candidates are experienced individuals as well, so I don't believe I can say I have much more in terms of experience than they do.

Zanalan: I bring the only political leadership experience in the campaign. Bruck has been a fine General--the country should honor him for his service--but he is not a politician. Dominik has served as Vice President for my two terms, but he has not been involved in much of the ATLANTIS discussions. He has no relations with that group.

Zanalan: I have been in the office. I have the experience of dealing with citizen issues on a daily basis. I understand that we will not always meet everyones expectations. At the same time, I have the experience to try to find the middle ground on most issues. That is a skill that is critical for the President.

Bruck: As eCanada’s former top ranking soldier I bring experience that no other candidate has in the form of proven and lengthily leadership, organization on a large scale, and a knowledge of military tactics. All three are not only important for eCanada’s top office but essential and any Commander in Chief that does not present these skills cannot properly accomplish this task.

DadePendwyn: What is one area you admit as a weakness in your bid for presidency? Bruck please answer first.

Bruck: My weakness, if you could call it that as Mr. Zanalan has done, would be that I am infact not a politician. I am about leadership, I am about progress, and above all else I am about getting the job done. If everyone else wants to play politics that’s their business, I’ll just stick to progress.

Zanalan: Combat. Some will point to that as a weakness. I would contend that it is not a critical skill for the President. The President cannot leave the country to join a battle. The President should not expect to direct a platoon in a battle. On the other hand, the President need to to know what funds are available to supply the troops. The President needs to know what the other allies are doing. The President needs see the "big picture” not the trenches.

Dominik: I suppose I am somewhat prone to acting without thinking things through properly, which is why I see the importance of electing a string cabinet. I think my eRepublik experience is more than sufficient for the job though I don't have any real life experience in politics unlike some others in eRepublik, but I think the in-game experience is the more important aspect overall, a knowledge of how the game functions is essential in making decisions.

DadePendwyn: Bruck, on the forums you’ve said that the Q5 Defense System should be in placed in Ontario to maximize the safety of the capital while the outer regions are sacrificed. How can you justify this?

Bruck: While some will say that we should expend our valuable currency on defending the outer provinces of Canada eRep military logic tells us that doing so would be the equivalent of suicide. Ontario is a bastion of defense in eCanada and from there we can create resistance wars to liberate the countryside if need be.

DadePendwyn: Dominik, the RFP wasn’t in the top 5 Canadian parties in time to be in the congressional elections. How can you expect the Canadian people to take you seriously as a presidential candidate when your party has no congressional representation?

Dominik: I don't think the in-game congressional statistics are of paramount significance. My party contains many significant individuals that are influential in both congress and the community in general. Despite not being physically in congress, many of my party's members are trusted individuals and government officials who have experience in leadership and eCanadian politics. I don't think anyone can justify the statement that the RFP has insufficient political experience.

DadePendwyn: Zanalan, you still haven’t been able to shake the stigma, true or not, of being a seldom active president. How can you ensure the Canadian people that you’re always there for them if you’re not as active as the other two candidates on the forums and irc?

Zanalan: I think that this issue is being kept alive by a small subsection of the population. I think that if you went to the rank and file you would find that I am their to answer their questions and offer assistance. I weigh in on discussion in the forums when there is something to add. I am on the forums every evening. I am more concerned with getting things done and moving Canada forward than playing nick change games on IRC.

DadePendwyn: We will now go back to questions for all candidates.

DadePendwyn: What will your first priority be if elected?

Zanalan: Rebuilding our reputation in ATLANTIS. We are getting hammered over the actions of certain citizens. I have been working hard to help them distinguish between Canada and individual citizens.

Dominik: The very first thing will be to announce the cabinet, understandably. I would make a presidential statement as soon as possible outlining my plan for the next days. I would then change the passwords to the gov't orgs and begin a shift toward better accountability. After everything is stable, I would begin implementing my proposed reforms.

Bruck: My first priority to eCanada would be to ensure that we establish strong relations with our key allies. There has been a lot of talk lately about issues with large alliances and I will ensure that should issues arise that Canada is in the best position to not only weather the storm but grow as a world power.

DadePendwyn: Currently, what is eCanada’s greatest weakness and its greatest strength? Dominik first please.

Dominik: Canada's greatest strength is our community. With the baby boom, we now have amazing potential for expansion. Some might point to the military as a weaker point of the country, but I disagree with labeling any major concept in Canada a "weakness". Sure there are minor imperfections here and there, that is why I am proposing a series of moderate reforms. I suppose that with the positive effects of the baby boom also come a few negatives- we might find a large portion of the players quitting from boredom, and my focus is to prevent this from happening.

Bruck: Canada’s greatest strength, as I would rather address the positive first, lies in it’s people and especially the boomers. They are strong willed, active, and generally looking to get involved at every opportunity. They will be the future Canadian leaders and we must help them to this. Our weakness, would be the activity of some of our older citizens including those in government. Unfortunately they can become lax in their positions and stagnation may occur.

Zanalan: Canada's greatest strength is obviously her wealth of resources. These resources will be a key component in expanding Canada's position as an economic world leader. Our greatest weakness is our inability to take advantage of this wealth. We have too many companies fighting for employees. As a result, we to not have a great deal of production excess that can be distributed to our friends.

DadePendwyn: On the forums there has been discussion of leaving ATLANTIS to form a new alliance. What are your thoughts on this?

Bruck: I will not encourage eCanada to leave ATLANTIS, they are our allies and as such deserve our support. But should it become evident that remaining a member would be detrimental to our nation I would not hesitate to take steps to secure for Canada a new alliance, separate from all currently in erepublik, so as to improve our position in the new world.

Zanalan: Those resources that I mentioned in my last answer would be a great prize for many of the countries of the world. Until there is an alliance that can rival the might of ATLANTIS and hold off the imperialists of Peace, it would be suicide for us to leave the alliance. Many have pointed out that Ireland has survived as a neutral. While that is true, they do not have the resources. It is not a territory that needs to be taken. We need strong friends. ATLANTIS gives us those friends!

Dominik: National Security is a matter not to be taken lightly. I would avoid doing anything that might threaten Canada. I have made no secret my distaste at giant Imperial Alliances and would morally prefer to be a part of a smaller coalition. However, like most, I believe the US can be our best friend or our worst enemy and any coalition I'd have Canada join would include our southern neighbours. At the moment I do not believe abandoning our ATLANTIS allies would be a wise choice.

DadePendwyn: The following 3 questions will be directed at one candidate in particular. The first is for Zanalan.

Zanalan, there is still considerable dissent among the Canadian people over the actions of Romania and to a lesser extent the United States. Does Canada approve of these actions? If not, why haven’t we publicly admonished said nations? If so, why haven’t actions been made to explain the government’s position to upset Canadians?

Zanalan: Lets make no mistake. There have been actions by the Romainians that we all abhor. However, part of being in the ATLANTIS alliance means that we do not air our dirty laundry in public. I an many other national leaders have come down hard on Romania over some of their actions. Will they do it again, perhaps, but we can be leaders in ATLANTIS to strengthen the rules to be able to punish them. nThe US action is somewhat different. The Mexican government was taken over by foreigeners. They invited the US to attack. If we look at the battlefield, you will note that the US is actually giving back one of the territories. I am not a fan of what they are doing in Mexico, but I will not publically condemn them. I will do it in the ATLANTIS forum.

DadePendwyn: Dominik, you switched parties last term to create the RFP. How can you ensure that this won’t happen again, and how can Canadians be sure that the RFP is for real?

Dominik: Fair question. In the time I've been in eCanada I've been a part of the CSD. I owe my career to the party so you can imagine it was not easy leaving. However, I feel it was a necessary move on my part. I felt binded to certain stale political ideologies and longed to begin a party not in the image of an ideology, but based on the idea of unity and community. I've reached my political goal with the RFP- it is the result of my efforts to date and I do not take my efforts lightly (as abrupt as my departure may have seemed).

DadePendwyn: Bruck, until recently you were the General of the CAF. Canada’s average strength is a laughable 43rd in the world at 2.40, and we lack the generals and field marshals of other world powers. Without regarding the actual organization of the CAF, why is the potency of the average Canadian soldier so pitiful?

Bruck: Because we are a younger nation, and a nation who shies away from wars while others seek them out. Romania, Spain, the United States, these are all world powers because they go looking for a fight and are always preparing for the next one. Canada needs to be more proactive, look for more wars, and safely reengage in training raids on France if we want to be a respectable power.

DadePendwyn: Well gentlemen I have one last question for you before we open things up. This is a bombshell, so please consider it carefully. It may be answered in any order, just shout your answers out. Who is easier to take seriously? Mike Tyson in a bikini, or Jessica Simpson in a bikini?

Bruck: Jessica Simpson in a bikina any and every day

Dominik: Me in a bikini

Zanalan: Who cares about serious--Jessica Simpson in a bikini!

The Debate Officially Ended at 12:58AM EST.

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People to Candidate Unofficial Questons:

DadePendwyn: If Canada were under attack and losing terribly, what would be your first and upmost priority to the people? (from Shaddy Joe)

Zanalan Consolidate a last bastion of defense. Where would be a matter of how the battle had unfolded.

Dominik I would make a call to arms for all citizens. I would fight with everything that I have. On the logical side of things, I'd be requesting help from our allies. *done*

Bruck: To use every means within my power to defend Canada including using reserve funds and our stockpiles of weapons set aside for just this case. Assuming Ontario still holds it would be our bastion of defense and from there launch resistance wars to harass the enemy, use up their supplies and attempt to liberate our nation. I would also make every effort to call on foreign powers for aid.

DadePendwyn: What steps will you take to address the growing desire for transparency in congressional debates? (from Josh Taggart)

Bruck: I support conditional transparency. I support government reporting on the activities of Congress and the Cabinet, I support a Congressman's right to bring transgressions to the public, but I do not support public access to the Congressional forum. We need congress to make important and security sensitive decisions in private and by their concisences, not under public pressure and foreign scrutiny,.* done*

Zanalan: The CSD has been the one party to call for transparency in each of the past three session. We will continue to make that call for openness. I have also committed to presenting Josh's "openness motion" once it is finalized. Canadians have a right to know what Congress is doing.

Dominik: I have been a supporter of transparency for many months. In my presidency, I would push for read-only access to congress for all citizens. Immediate actions I would take include appointing a top Canadian journalist to work under the Social Service wing of my cabinet and be in charge of posting regular articles on cabinet affairs. Basically, I would do what I could to establish near-maximum transparency (with the exception of sensitive info)*done*

DadePendwyn: Zanalan, you never took a stance on the Dean22 issue. Did you support Dean22's ejection from Canada, and what was your stance on his attempt to strongarm the Canadian government into doing as he and his business cronies wanted? (from Augustus Baldwin)

Zanalan: Dean was able to screw over the people of Canada because the President allowed him to. He should have been stopped far earlier by the previous administration. I guess I have a question about the methods of his ejection. The Supreme Court heard the case and rendered a decision and punishment. I believe we should have honored that decision. At the same time, I think certain people screwed up by not launching the expulsion case in Congress first.*done*

DadePendwyn: Do you believe the boomer generation has been fully integrated into eCanada, or are there further measures you would enact to ensure that young citizens remain active? (from RoyMunson)

Dominik: I've outlined numerous ideas in the first part of my platform. I believe the boomers have been partially/temporarily integrated, but we need to establish more programs to keep them interested and make sure we receive a long-term addition to our community. Hopefully, the boomer generation will be among the leaders of Canada in a couple of months. There are many skilled individuals, and my ultimate gain is to make the hierarchy of Canada competitive, ensuring boomers will stay interested. In the meanwhile, my reforms will ensure a wide range of institutions boomers can participate in.

DadePendwyn: How can you justify being supported by the separatist Bloc? Is political power and votes more important to you than Canadian unity and national interest? (from Augustus Baldwin)

Dominik: The Bloc liked the idea I was proposing which would include the reformation of our government system into a more decentralised regional system giving the Quebecois more control over their own affairs. And yes, if a referendum confirms the desire of Quebec to separate, I will fully support Quebec sovereignty.

Thanks for reading,
President of the PPC,
1ronman