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
Bringing a new Canadian vision to the people.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
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.
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.
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.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
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.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Let's Hear it for Proportional Representation
Esther writes:
It is not surprising that one of WAP/PAF's key concerns, and also that of an increasing number of citizens, is a call for a radical change in the way we vote. Women especially, noting that the current system is simply not working for them, are joining Fair Vote's efforts (see link on our website) to get rid of our first-past-the-post FPTP system of voting and adopt a form of proportional representation or PR.
The article below is clear that we are on the right track. Unless Canadians realize that this is our biggest hope to initiate change and stop dragging their feet on the issue, connect the erosion of our democratic space to the unfairness, even undemocratic way we vote, and push for electoral reform, we will continue to be at the mercy of the partisan politics that is destroying our voices at a very fast pace.
The article by By Ian MacLeod, The Ottawa Citizen April 23, 2011, is a good reminder.
Proportional representation seen as a way to make more votes count by critics of first-past-the-post
By Ian MacLeod, The Ottawa Citizen April 23, 2011
The Conservatives could win 69 fewer seats if an election were held today and Canada used proportional representation (PR) rather than the existing first-past-the-post (FPP) electoral system, according to an analysis of the latest poll results.
That's reason enough not to expect any federal government to switch to what many believe is a fairer system that rewards almost all votes, not just those that go to winning candidates.
Under the current winner-takeall system, "there are legitimate points of view which are not being heard in the legislature when public policy and legislation are being discussed," says Phil Elder, co-chair of the Alberta-based Democratic Renewal Project. "That's absolutely unacceptable because it closes the door to the democratic participation of a group which has acquired a voting base."
Please read the rest of the article:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Call+reform+gets+louder/4663550/story.html
It is not surprising that one of WAP/PAF's key concerns, and also that of an increasing number of citizens, is a call for a radical change in the way we vote. Women especially, noting that the current system is simply not working for them, are joining Fair Vote's efforts (see link on our website) to get rid of our first-past-the-post FPTP system of voting and adopt a form of proportional representation or PR.
The article below is clear that we are on the right track. Unless Canadians realize that this is our biggest hope to initiate change and stop dragging their feet on the issue, connect the erosion of our democratic space to the unfairness, even undemocratic way we vote, and push for electoral reform, we will continue to be at the mercy of the partisan politics that is destroying our voices at a very fast pace.
The article by By Ian MacLeod, The Ottawa Citizen April 23, 2011, is a good reminder.
Proportional representation seen as a way to make more votes count by critics of first-past-the-post
By Ian MacLeod, The Ottawa Citizen April 23, 2011
The Conservatives could win 69 fewer seats if an election were held today and Canada used proportional representation (PR) rather than the existing first-past-the-post (FPP) electoral system, according to an analysis of the latest poll results.
That's reason enough not to expect any federal government to switch to what many believe is a fairer system that rewards almost all votes, not just those that go to winning candidates.
Under the current winner-takeall system, "there are legitimate points of view which are not being heard in the legislature when public policy and legislation are being discussed," says Phil Elder, co-chair of the Alberta-based Democratic Renewal Project. "That's absolutely unacceptable because it closes the door to the democratic participation of a group which has acquired a voting base."
Please read the rest of the article:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Call+reform+gets+louder/4663550/story.html
Some form of PR is used by most of the world’s major democracies, including:
- Germany
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Holland
- Greece
- Spain
- Austria
- Australia
- Mexico
- Portugal
- Japan
- Russia
- Italy
- Ireland
- Israel
- Poland
- Hungary
- New Zealand
- Iceland
- Brazil
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Finland
- Venezuela
and more
Thursday, April 21, 2011
BC Bound?
Esther and I were at a Dialogue for Democracy meeting earlier in the week and the man sitting beside me came up with a startling idea. We were talking about the election, of course, what else, and he said that he wished with all his heart, that Elizabeth May wins the seat in Saanich. He said if Esther and I really want to make a difference, that we should go to the west coast and help Elizabeth win.
What a sterling idea!
What more would encourage a voter to vote Green than two women from another federal party based in Ottawa and who live in Ottawa, traveling to the coast to essentially bring Elizabeth back with them.
Knock, knock in Sidney, BC, it's Esther and Shannon from Ottawa and we need Elizabeth May there so please consider voting Green on May 2.
We'll see if we can swing the plane fare.
What a sterling idea!
What more would encourage a voter to vote Green than two women from another federal party based in Ottawa and who live in Ottawa, traveling to the coast to essentially bring Elizabeth back with them.
Knock, knock in Sidney, BC, it's Esther and Shannon from Ottawa and we need Elizabeth May there so please consider voting Green on May 2.
We'll see if we can swing the plane fare.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Some Harperesque Tidbits of Enjoyment
Canadian Women's Favourite Pick-up Line
Did you enjoy the video? We did. Lots.
At the same time, we acknowledge that it is not just women who have suffered directly from Mr. Harper's unilateral decisions to cut funding, but everything and everyone linked to women: men, children, First Nations who need clean drinking water, the poor who receive help, the sick who receive medication, the elders who are parked in homes with inadequate care, the homeless, the mentally ill people who roam our streets, the young who come out of jail and have no support, the immigrants, their families, their job opportunities, their children who need to learn English.
Are we exaggerating? Not so. Click here to view a really interesting comic strip that SAYS IT ALL!
http://compellingcomics.justsomeguy.com/CanadaVotes2011/Canada.html
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