Vote for Change

Harper's Harpies rage against the Cheats and Creeps, the Liars and Thieves who are twisting our country totally out of shape. They scream that they ain't gonna take it no more and call on voters to go vote and get these despicable monsters out of government. This is just the beginning!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG976MStsZY

To Be or YouTu-Be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbt9qDyQffY

There are so many messages to be covered during an election campaign, and this is but one of them presented today by three ordinary citizens.

Candidates Join Esther at Voter Social

Concerned parents and Code Blue for Child Care is working hard to make early learning and child care an election issue and as such, held a "Voter Social" at Centretown Parent's Day Care located at 94 James Street today.

Parents, staff and friends living in the federal riding of Ottawa-Centre were invited to the three story house that has housed the daycare for more than 20 years.

Today's agenda was about learning what the different federal parties have planned for early learning and child care. Esther was joined by Stuart Ryan, candidate for the Communist Party and Paul Dewar, NDP incumbent.

Stuart Ryan, Esther Matharu and Paul Dewar.

Helen Forsey on Canadian Democracy

Canadian Democracy at the Crossroads – Election 2011

Canadians are privileged to live in a democracy. Our parliamentary system has evolved over centuries, and our political parties reflect the diversity and freedom of thought we enjoy as citizens.

One result of this freedom and diversity is that in some elections, no one party wins a majority of seats in the House of Commons. This means that whichever party forms the government has to co-operate with others in order to get laws passed and stay in power. This is called “minority government”, and it can work very well. All it takes is honesty, respect, and a willingness to co-operate across differences.

However, the present government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper has thumbed its nose at our elected Parliament and made “minority” a dirty word. Harper’s Conservatives have misled the House of Commons, kept vital information secret, fired public safety watchdogs, systematically sabotaged parliamentary committees, and twice shut down Parliament itself rather than face criticism.

This election really is about our democracy. Canadians have a right to expect fairness, honesty and respect from our system of government. Instead, the Harper regime has given us five years of injustice, corruption and contempt.

Harper uses a stack of fairy tales about our parliamentary system to trick people into thinking they have to vote Conservative in order to avoid disaster. In reality, his threats about the opposition “seizing power” or forcing a fresh election are shameless scare tactics based on lies.

Lie #1: Coalitions are evil and illegitimate.

Not true. Coalitions are totally constitutional, and can be the most sensible way to govern co-operatively and respect the will of a majority of voters.

Lie #2: Canadians elect the prime minister.

Not true. We elect some 300 Members of Parliament to the House of Commons.

Lie #3: The party that wins the most seats necessarily forms the government.

Not true. The governing party must win – and keep – the confidence of our elected MPs through confidence votes in the House.

Lie #4: Defeating a government on a confidence motion forces a fresh election.

Not necessarily. If a recently elected House votes to defeat a government, the Governor General calls on the leader of the opposition to form a government and seek the confidence of the House.

Lie #5: It is an illegitimate “seizure of power” if the opposition accepts the Governor General’s invitation to replace a government that has lost the confidence of the House.

Not true. In fact, the opposition has what amounts to a constitutional duty to try to form a viable government with the recently elected Parliament, with no need for a repeat election.

As Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has treated our elected Parliament like an annoying irrelevancy. His government has behaved so outrageously that it has finally been formally found “in contempt of Parliament”. Now he wants to win a Conservative majority so he can do even more damage.

People all over the world are risking their lives to achieve democracy. Let’s not allow the Harper Conservatives to destroy ours from the inside.

Fact Sheet prepared by writer and activist Helen Forsey

For more information, see How Canadians Govern Themselves at www.parl.gc.ca/publications.