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October 16, 2008 16:03 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Politics 3

This wasn't the only reason of course, but a number of political expert-types are pointing to this video as a major reason for their losses in Quebec. Without a good number of seats in Quebec, there was no way for any government to acquire a majority in the House.

Just after Harper made his idiotic comments about arts funding going to "rich people and their extravagant galas", a Québecer published this video on youtube and made some serious rounds throughout the provice as well as across this country. If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth checking out:

October 08, 2008 20:15 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Green Party Liberals NDP Politics 0

The CBC hosted a televised debate for Vancouver-Centre candidates not too long ago and they'll be running the show tonight at 4:30pm, 7:00pm and 11pm PST on CBC Newsworld. While the "victor" has not been released, the following claims that the Greens did very well. If you're currently living in Vancouver-Centre or are just interested in how some of the lesser candidates are doing, it might be worth checking out:

The X Challenge with Mark Kelly / 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm and 11 pm PST

Tune in today (Wednesday, October 08) to CBC Newsworld and watch Green Party deputy leader and Vancouver Centre candidate Adriane Carr triumph in debate and studio audience polling on The X Challenge with Mark Kelley. The program airs at 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm, and 11 pm PST.

Adriane appeared with two other Vancouver Centre candidates, the NDP's Michael Byers and Conservative's Lorne Mayencourt, as well as Liberal Ujjhal Dosanjh, in a debate format that enabled voters to put their questions directly to the candidates, and to vote on the results.

After 90 minutes of debate, questions and answers, and voter polling, a final poll asked the audience to indicate if any minds had been changed.

We promised not to reveal the results of this pre-taped program, but let's just say that Green Party supporters will be delighted by Adriane's performance in the debates, and thrilled by her final placement in the polls.

It would be hard to imagine a better outcome!

The audience of about 100 was selected to represent political leanings as indicated by CBC's latest rolling poll and the idea was to gauge how many voters were influenced, and in which direction, by candidate's participation in the debate and answers to audience questions.

The X Challenge will air today, Wednesday, October 08, at 4:30 pm, 7:00 pm and 11 pm Pacific Time on CBC Newsworld. Don't miss it!

Strange that Hedy Fry, the Liberal candidate in Vancouver-Centre didn't show up and sent Dosanjh instead. I'm interested to hear their reasoning on that one.

I have no idea if it'll be available online, but if I find it, I'll post the link here.

Update: 2008-10-09 00:04:14 -08:00

True to form, the CBC has posted the entire debate online. Enjoy!

October 02, 2008 23:38 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Green Party Liberals NDP Politics 1

I just got an email from someone promoting voteforenvironment.com and I really wanted to rant here.

I really, really hate that site. Aside from the fact that it flat-out tells you not to vote for a party that wants to make the environment better, it openly advocates for a party with a long record for doing the opposite. Has everyone forgotten that the Liberals are the ones who actively gutted health care and the environment for twelve years before they were finally kicked out of office? How can anyone claim that they're better than the Conservatives on either of these issues when they've done everything they could to support big business over clean air and fresh water in the last two decades?

Sure Stefan Dion might be different from his predecessors, but you can be sure that the people under him like Hedy Fry (my current MP) haven't changed. Innaction and fear-mongering are the tennets of the Liberal party and claiming to support them in the name of the environment is either naive or misleading. Take your pick.

It's sites like this that foster fear and promote a complete lack of action on issues that they claim to support. If they just wanted to advocate that Harper's Conservatives are bad for Canada, I'd be right behind them, but claiming that a Liberal government would be better for the environment is like claiming that white cats don't eat mice. It's laughable.

Elections are at the core of democracy. We take what the people want, tally up the votes and move our government in that direction as a result. It's not a betting pool, it isn't a chess game. To use a phrase I read earlier today: "Don't vote for the lesser of two evils, vote for the one that isn't evil". It's not like you don't have a choice ladies and gentlemen, there are at least 4 candidates in every riding in this country and if you're interested in the health of the environment, I can promise you that the Liberals and Conservatives aren't the least bit interested in doing anything about it.

October 02, 2008 18:14 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Green Party Liberals NDP Politics 1

For those of you not following the federal election, the Big Debate is tonight, and for the first time in history, the Green Party will be represented.

It all starts at 9pmEST, which for the West coast folks, that's 6pm. I'll be attending a shindig at Soho pub on Denman with the rest of the Greens to watch Elizabeth May in action. If the French debate is any indication, it should be a really good show.

For my friends living outside the country, the CBC will be hosting the debates online as well. Just go to CBC.ca and follow the links from the front page. They use a form of streaming Windows™ media, but it should work on a Mac as well.

Is anyone else annoyed that CBC hasn't done more stuff with Bittorrent?

Also, for those interested in the U.S. election, the Vice Presidential candidates debate will be held at roughly the same time down south. I expect Palin to look like the complete idiot that she is. That too should be a fun show, and you can expect the guys at OneGoodMove to have some really good video when it's finished.

September 13, 2008 20:32 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Green Party Liberals NDP Politics 2

Slate has a humbling article about the past few years in Canadian politics:

If you're at all confused or curious about how things have been going in our country; who's said what, or changed what laws, it's worth a look. Among the topics mentioned, it covers our about-face on Kyoto, the disappearance of our financial surplus, and censorship in our cultural sector.

September 10, 2008 23:42 +0000 | Conservatives Politics Technology 0

The Twitter user FakeSteveHarper started following me today, so I checked him out. He's hilarious. If you use twitter, check him out.

September 10, 2008 19:24 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Democracy Green Party NDP Politics 1

Stephen Harper and Jack Layton have rescinded their statements that they'd withdraw from the debate if Elizabeth May is permitted to attend. It may have taken an impassioned letter to the Globe and Mail from former Prime Minister Joe Clark and a barrage of hate mail from their supporters to shame them into doing the Right thing, but regardless, my faith in our electoral system is slowly returning.

Update: 2008-09-10 16:16:31PST

Elizabeth May's twitter status has been updated to say "I am celebrating my inclusion in the televised leaders' debates! Going out to dinner at my favourite restaurant in New Glasgow."

September 09, 2008 06:38 +0000 | Canada Conservatives Democracy Green Party Liberals NDP Politics 7

The old white men have spoken. They don't want Elizabeth May kicking their asses in the debates, so they threatened to pull out completely if she was permitted to participate:

The Consortium approached the parties to explore the possibility of including the Green Party in all or part of the Leaders' Debates. However, three parties opposed its inclusion and it became clear that if the Green Party were included, there would be no Leaders' Debates. In the interest of Canadians, the Consortium has determined that it is better to broadcast the debates with the four major party leaders, rather than not at all.

For further information: Jason MacDonald, Spokesperson for the Network Consortium, T (416) 482-1357, C (647) 205-4744, macdonald@veritascanada.com

Or to use Adriane Carr's words: "Five men can agree with three men to exclude the only female national leader in Canada."

The lines split like so: the Liberals were cool with her inclusion, The Bloc were on the fence, and Conservatives where dead against it. But I reserve my foulest bitterness for our "Champions of Electoral Reform": the NDP, who like the Conservatives, flat out said that they would not attend if she were permitted to participate. Shame on them. ...and people wonder why I ditched those cowards when I did.

If their platform wasn't enough to compell you to vote Green, maybe the blind rage appropriate for this situation will. They didn't even offer a challenge this time, instead they just said that they'd take their toys and go home if they had to play with the new kid.

How juvenile.

May said that she'd go after them in court over this and I hope she does. If we can't have our democracy in the debates, then I can only hope that we can take it back through the courts.

June 15, 2007 18:05 +0000 | Agriculture Conservatives Energy Environment Nuclear Politics 1

I'll start with the good news because it's quite exciting and I have a picture ;-)

According to Torontoist, there's a guy by the name of Gordon Graff who wants to build a massive vertical farm right in the middle of Toronto. Imagine, instead of trucking in our food from all of the place, we grow it right here, a 20min walk from our homes.

The structure above is designed to feed 35,000 people and would consist of growing areas for everything from potates, to wheat to chickens for meat and eggs. I've been talking about this sort of thing and people have been telling me that I'm crazy... I guess I'm not the only one :-)

For more information (and pictures!) of other designs by other architects around the world, visit Vertical Farm.

And now the bad news.

The Conservative minority government has seen fit to approve a plan to search for a site to permanently store nuclear waste. Note that I used the word "store" and not "dispose" as the article does, since it's important that we remember that you can't dispose of nuclear waste... ever.

This decision is going to live with the next 1000 generations of Canadians and our government is making it sound like we can just put this stuff in a hole and ignore it 'till it goes away. It won't. Not until it leaks into the groundwater and contaminates the biosphere. Sadly though, I'm not surprised.

May 19, 2007 12:51 +0000 | Conservatives Democracy 0

Stephen Harper's Conservatives have reached a new despicable low. After months of accusing the opposition of stalling the democratic process in the house (which is their job, to criticise the ruling party's policies), a playbook is released to the media outlining the Conservative strategy in how to essentially stifle democratic debate.

NDP MP Libby Davies was quoted saying that this was proof that the Conservatives "have had a plan all along and not just any plan, a 200-page playbook on how to frustrate, obstruct and shut down the democratic process" and Bloc Quebecois MP Monique Guay accused the Conservatives of "flagrant lack of respect" for the democratic process.

Only in Canada would the release of evidence this damning not be enough to humiliate a party in an immediate election. Someone, please prove me wrong. This is fucking criminal.