Author: Catch 22

This is a high level summary of campaign results in ridings identified by the Catch 22 campaign. Over the coming weekend, we’ll publish an editorial. Then in a few weeks we’ll put out a more detailed look at our campaign – strengths and weaknesses, what worked and what didn’t etc. Once that is done, the campaign will be wrapped up.

Obviously, we did not get the overall results we were looking for. With less than a 2% increase in the popular vote, Harper was successful at boosting his…

While I’ve never run for public office, I have run for several union positions over the past 25 years. Having both won and lost elections by just a single vote, I can tell you how important every last vote can be. In the case where I lost, it was because of a mistake made by my scrutineer (yes, we’re still friends).

Unlike the Toronto Star,* the Catch 22 Campaign still thinks it necessary to vote Liberal in those ridings where a Liberal is the obvious choice to defeat a Harper Conservative.

*Edited to add: The Toronto Star is now recommending strategic voting for the Liberals in certain…

There’s an excellent article by Lawrence Martin on iPolitics.ca about Harper’s methods, and how they’ve “brought Canadian democracy to new lows.” 

…The case for painting Harper as an anti-democrat stems from dozens of actions, catalogued below. They can be roughly divided into three categories: Treatment of the parliamentary process; degree of information control; intimidation of…

The Catch 22 Campaign is stepping up its efforts in 15 electoral ridings where defeats for Conservative candidates will help prevent a Conservative majority government.

“While we will keep working hard in the 57 ridings we have identified, we are putting extra efforts into 15 crucial ridings where strong strategic campaigns could result in some serious losses for the Conservatives,” said Gary Shaul, Catch 22 coordinator.

Catch 22 recommends that Canadians residing…

Catch 22 candidate picks unchanged by NDP surge

“NDP moves into tie with Liberals”, screamed headlines in newspapers across the country.

The New Democrats and the Liberals were in a statistical tie moving into the last week of the May 2nd election campaign.

“These polls from …

Most important election in modern times

The Catch 22 Campaign, a grassroots network and Third Party opposing the Harper government in the May 2 election, today announced its plans for the final 10 days of the campaign that includes advertising in newspapers and phone calls to tens of thousands of voters in key ridings.

Catch 22 is also expanding its activities with its…

The Coalition “Debate”: How Stupid Will It Get?

By John Deverell

There is little more annoying than listening to the leaders of Canada’s two larger political parties opine on what the May 2 election result will mean for “democracy.”

Stephen Harper argues that, if the voting system confers a Parliamentary majority or large minority on him and the Conservative party, then they will…

1) Although the Harper Conservatives campaigned on Transparency, the Speaker of the House of Commons had to rule three times that “the Harper government” appeared to breach parliamentary privilege. For the first time in Canadian history, the government was found in contempt of Parliament.

2) The Information Commissioner said “the Harper government” was the least transparent when it came to Access to Information requests.…

By John Deverell

Nobody plays divide-and-conquer more relentlessly than Stephen Harper. The PM this week is selling himself as “Captain Canada,” the only guy to squelch a Quebec separatist revival.

This is the same Stephen Harper who, not long ago, was urging Albertans to build a firewall between Tar Sands Central and the rest of Canada. Then he was…

Catch 22 note: Western Canadian journalist and columnist Murray Dobbin recognized many years ago that Stephen Harper promoted a political ideology that went against the Canadian national interest. Dobbin has tracked Harper’s career from his early days at the right-wing National Citizens Coalition some 30 years ago. Dobbin is a member of Catch 22’s campaign team.

by …

Click for English version

Pour diffusion immédiate – 8 avril 2011

PVI : Pour les médias d’information en général et pour…

“What if they called an election and nobody cared?”

by Gerald Caplan for The Globe and Mail 

Here’s a couple of curious facts from our last federal election three years ago:

First: Compared to the 2006…

James Laxer is regularly asked to comment on current national and global issues by the Canadian media and frequently writes columns in major newspapers and periodicals.

“The Great Disconnect: Stephen Harper’s Platform and What Canadians Really Want“

by James Laxer

Excerpts:

If the Conservatives get their majority, the first two years of untrammeled Harper power, will be very…

Catch 22 note: Western Canadian journalist and columnist Murray Dobbin recognized many years ago that Stephen Harper promoted a political ideology that went against the Canadian national interest. Dobbin has tracked Harper’s career from his early days at the right-wing National Citizens Coalition some 30 years ago. Dobbin is a member of Catch 22’s campaign team.

by Murray…

Catch 22 note: Western Canadian journalist and columnist Murray Dobbin recognized many years ago that Stephen Harper promoted a political ideology that went against the Canadian national interest. Dobbin has tracked Harper’s career from his early days at the right-wing National Citizens Coalition some 30 years ago. In this column, Dobbin, a member of Catch 22’s campaign team, explains how Harper would change the face of Canada if elected with a…

Earlier this week, Catch 22 launched the candidate discussion and recommendation process in 25 online riding groups for ridings that are all held by Conservatives. There were varying levels of participation in the discussions.
 
The central team recommendations have been accepted by our local groups and we’ve added them to the six recommendations finalized last week. You can see the up to date list below.

These ridings are part of the more than 50 ridings where Catch 22 is…

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For Immediate Release April 8, 2011

FYI: For interest of the news media or publication as an op-ed

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GETTING…

Murray Dobbin is a member of the Catch 22 team providing research and strategic advice. We’re reprinting his blog post from April 7.

Dobbin: Recovering our moral compass

I don’t know which is more alarming – the continued contemptuous attitude towards democracy shown by Stephen Harper or the fact that none of these offenses seems to have any impact on Canadians’ assessment…