Blog

Federal Candidates Debate Tonight

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.

What's the Matter with Canada?

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.

There's Democracy For You

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.

A Reddish Orange?

February 19, 2008 21:37 +0000  |  Liberals NDP Politics 6

I received an email today from the Federal NDP with a most extraordinary statement enclosed. Siting the mass failings of the Liberal party to collectively stand up to the Conservatives on crucial subjects like Afghanistan and Kyoto, (choosing instead to abstain from the vote rather than risk an election), the President of the New Democratic Party has offerend the following:

I'm making an extraordinary appeal to all New Democrat supporters to invite their Liberal friends to join our party right now -- the only national party not in favour of three more years of war and the only national party standing up to Stephen Harper's agenda.

Just like we did nearly 50 years ago when we formed the NDP, it's time to build a new political coalition in Canada -- a coalition that will stand up to Stephen Harper and put forward a vision of prosperity, fairness and peace in the world.

Could this be the beginnings of a United Left in Canada? Does the NDP smell death on backs of the Liberal party?

I have no love for the Liberals, and even less respect for them lately in their capitulation to the Conservatives out of fear. I'm not saying that the NDP have everything right, but at the very least, they're standing up for the people who elected them. To all of the Liberal supporters who voted red to keep a balance in the house: how does it feel to know that the people you elected are doing nothing to represent you?

Ontario is Banning the Bulb

April 18, 2007 19:29 +0000  |  Energy Environment Liberals Politics 1

Following in Australia's footsteps, Ontario will soon become the first jurisdiction in North America to ban the old, inefficient, incandescent bulbs. It's a good step in the right direction, I just wish someone had thought of it sooner or at the very least introduced sliding taxes on the whole thing instead.