Last week I wrote an editorial exploring the role of the arts in creating healthy and prosperous countries. With the government of Canada making major shifts across the board last night, becoming a Conservative majority government (I refuse to call it the “Harper Government”) many artists and arts organizations are writhing at the thought of […]
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Polygonic: A future Liberal Party may want to consider…
There’s a lot of personal tragedy in elections, and it couldn’t get any worse for Michael Ignatieff. He’s finally succumbed to wounds meted out by the most vile, relentless attack ad machinery Canada’s ever seen. Shamefully, a huge hunk of the electorate swallowed it all hook, line and sinker – so much for our compassionate […]
Polygonic: Québec’s NDP revolution: the new normal, or a BQ holiday?
Québec doesn’t do things by halves, does it? Some of us have begged and implored the NDP to focus its energies on Québec: to play to its social democratic credentials, and to take the Bloc to task as arrogant, single-minded, comfortable and lazy, and prone to taking its voters for granted. The idea being that […]
The Global Express: A Shift in Canadian Politics
With one of the most unpredictable and unimaginable elections in recent memory, the most accurate way to summarize it all in one sentence would be to say; there is a shift in Canadian politics. We have seen a shift in the status quo, and possibly the re-alignment in the Canadian
Continue readingPolygonic: If this isn’t bittersweet…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times – welcome to Dickensian Canada. The best of times, in some ways – a social democratic party’s never had a bigger share of the Parliamentary pie. And Quebec sovereigntists have never had less. The worst of times, clearly, in that years of fear-mongering […]
Politics, Re-Spun: PoliticsRespun.org Election Night Liveblog, maybe
Tonight’s the night many of us have been waiting for – whether it be because we trudged to a poll today, stood in line with credit card bills, drivers licenses, and other sundry pieces of identification, were handed a ballot, and promptly marked a little “x” next to the least offensive candidate, and now the […]
Continue readingCrush pwns Harper
Ya might want to have a talk with your advance people.
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Masturgate: The Little Scandal That Couldn’t
It’s election time and everyone is abuzz with the ostensibly shocking allegation that Jack Layton might have, possibly, received a happy ending at a rub-and-tug 15 years ago. Let’s let that sink in for a moment: The man might have, possibly, received a handy J from someone other than his wife a decade and a […]
Continue readingDrive-by Times: NDP looking strong on eve of Canadian election
In an EKOS-iPolitics poll for May 1 the gap between the NDP and front-running Conservatives has narrowed to just 3 points. The poll has the Conservatives with 34.6% of support of decided and leaning voters – the NDP is at 31.4%. The Liberals are back a…
Continue readingcultural sn:afu: Vote Nobody and play the Wendy Mesley drinking game instead
I found this brilliant piece of awesomely cynical graffiti eleven years ago beside a Chinese restaurant in Guelph, Ontario. Just like every election cycle as far back as I can remember there has been talk recently, mostly on CBCNN, about … Contin…
Continue readingHelp your local Catch 22 campaign "pull the vote" on Monday
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).
We have to treat tomorrow’s election as if every single vote could be the deciding vote between a minority and a phony majority…
Federal Election Prediction
With the 41st Canadian General Election Day arriving tomorrow, it seems that it is time for me to get my election prediction on the record. I am predicting a Conservative minority government with the New Democratic Party holding the balance of power. At this point, those two predictions are not
Continue reading308 seats
Saw this link from a friend on facebook (!)– ThreeHundredEight.com Basically a blog that keeps track of all the polling nationally, as well as in each riding. I’m not sure how accurate this is, but seems inline with what many expect to happen–another Conservative minority government. What is interesting is a rise in the NDP numbers. […]
Pop The Stack: Canadian Election: Fringe Edition
Warning: This post will only make sense to you if you follow the recurring adventures of the characters discussed in it as they try to save our nation and the world as we know it from imminent destruction…it will also help if you watch Fringe. I’m watching Fringe tonight and we
Continue readingExponential Book: Another election prediction
“Good predictions are only made by luck” (anonymous… nah, it’s me) You would think that, given my ability at guessing the outcome of elections, I would have given up by now… Well, this time I think I am in good company, as…
Continue readingWhy Ignatieff will have his ass handed to him on Monday
Yes, we all know that the only poll that counts is the one on election day. However, after #elxn41 wraps it up, _if_ the results are merely in the same ballpark as the polls, then the Liberals are going to be handed ther worst defeat, EVAR! Everyone knows this. While there are many opinions on […]
Voting Your Heart May Hand Harper his Majority
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…
Continue readingThe Global Express: The Truth About Coalition Governments
At the beginning of this campaign, it seemed as if nothing much would change significantly. We all assumed the Conservatives would form government again, and the Liberals would once again be the official opposition. But if you were to ever tell me the NDP would pass the Liberals and attempt
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: A Compendium of My Prime Minister Layton Posts
I’ve enjoyed writing four pieces about the Prime Minster Layton concept in the last 2.5 years. Originally, it was a wishful thinking hyper long-shot in a prorogation crisis at a time when the Liberals had no firm leader. Then in June 2010 it was a curiosity when polling indicated a Jack Layton-led coalition with the […]
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