A few pictures and signs from last night’s protest near Conservative M.P David Sweet’s constituency office. As in the previous protest against Bill C- 38, we were prevented from demonstrating in front of his office by the Hamilton Police, on orders from the property owner, Kevin Vanderlaan (IPC Investments). A
Continue readingTag: Bill C-38
Northern Reflections: A Full Frontal Assault
Bill C-38 is no ordinary piece of legislation. It is a full frontal assault on Canadian institutions and Canadian workers. That point is made this morning by two men from opposite ends of the political spectrum. Andrew Coyne writes that Parliament is defending its vital interests: It should be noted
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Groundswell of Citizen Action for Nature and Democracy
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 On June 4th, the Black Out Speak Out day of action, over 550 organisations, representing millions of citizens, darkened our websites in a symbolic show of support for nature and democracy, while tens of thousands of Canadians tweeted, blogged, signed petitions and wrote their decision-makers. Media
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Budget Bill C-38: Canadians Step Up Fight Against Stephen Harper
It’s the eve of the House of Commons vote on Harper’s draconian budget Bill C-38. Earlier today, the Conservatives moved to shut down debate on the legislation. NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen (pictured) promises to make the Conservatives “feel a little pain” for the arrogance and deliberate assault on
Continue reading350 or bust: Canadian Democracy in Disarray
* There is mounting alarm and opposition across Canada, even among many conservatives, about the Harper government’s omnibus budget bill, Bill C-38. Yesterday Parlliamentary Speaker Andrew Scheer (a Conservative MP from Saskatchewan) denied Elizabeth May’s well argued Point of Order re: allowing Omnibus Budget Bill C-38 as a legitimate omnibus
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Another List of Targeted Tory M.P.s
Yesterday I posted a list sent to me of seven Conservative M.P.s to try to convince to ‘call in sick’ the day of the omnibus vote. Here is the next seven: Action #23: Here are the next seven Conservative MPs. Please email them and ask that they “call in sick”
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: The Bill That Couldn’t Happen Here
Back when I worked for the House of Commons, every time an Omnibus Bill was proposed (and the usual discussions and negotiations around splitting it were occurring) we would joke about the ultimate Omnibus Bill – An Act for the Government of Canada, with everything a government wanted to do
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Bill C-38: Joyce has a choice! Let her hear your voice!
June 9, 2012: Citizens opposed to Bill C-38 pause for a moment outside of Conservative MP Joyce Bateman’s Winnipeg South Centre office before continuing to distribute literature in the constituency. Photo: Paul S. Graham Stephen Harper’s Bill C-38 continues to generate controversy and opposition across Canada. In Winnipeg, a group
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Two Links To Fight The Government Omnibus Bill
Thanks to Dr. Dawg for this link and this link to help us fight Bill C-38. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Haunting Threats To Democracy
Being a rather fitful sleeper at the best of times, I often awake throughout the night, the sole advantage of this affliction being the ability to recall a large number of my dreams. Last night was one such night. In the dream, while I lived in an apparently normal environment,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Protesting The Harper Omnibus Budget Bill
I wrote a post the other day about a Leadnow.ca campaign promoting nation-wide demonstrations at the constituency offices of Conservative M.P.s to protest Bill C-38, the Harper government’s omnibus budget bill that changes over 70 laws, eroding further our democracy, our labour laws, and our environmental safeguards, to name but
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: An Opportunity To Send Harper Inc. A Message
I received the following email message last evening from Leadnow.ca: Since the Harper Conservatives announced their Omnibus Budget, more and more Canadians are rallying against a bill that would put a black mark on our democracy. Now, we’re writing to invite you to join a national day of action at
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: We’re The Real Opposition Party – No, We are – NO, WE ARE
While the federal Liberals have adopted an interesting strategy by teaming up with Elizabeth May to introduce amendments that could delay the passage of the Conservative government’s omnibus budget bill, their childish boast that “We very clearly indicated that we are the real opposition here because we found that the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: What Do Bumper Stickers Reveal About Us? Part 2
I recently wrote a post entitled, What Do Bumper Stickers Reveal About Us? Part 1, in which I contemplated the implications of the one that reads: If You Don’t Stand Behind Our Troops, Feel Free To Stand In Front of Them. I ended that post by offering the opinion that
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Harper Omnibus Bill To Cede Some Of Our Sovereignty
Everywhere we look, more and more evidence of Stephen Harper’s intention to betray Canadians through Bill C-38, his omnibus bill which covers a multitude of sins. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: How The Harper Omnibus Bill Disrupted My Sunday
Yesterday started out pleasantly enough. After enjoying my wife’s home-made cereal, a piece of toast and some coffee, I decided the weather was so fine that it warranted my going out on my bicycle to be among nature’s delights. Returning home after about an hour-and-a-half, in an unusually serene frame
Continue readingEnvironmental Law Alert Blog: Why we should all Black Out and Speak Out
Monday, May 7, 2012 The Black Out Speak Out campaign wants to mobilize concerned citizens, businesses and organizations across the country to speak out for Canadian democracy and our environment on June 4th. Our websites will be going black for a day as a symbolic start of a major online
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Let The Bells Ring
The Harper government is intent on passing its 421 page Budget Implementation Bill in seven days. If Stephen Harper were the Leader of the Opposition, he would be up in arms. In fact, as Leader of the Opposition, he was. “In the interest of democracy,” he fumed, I ask how
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