Are Canada’s conservatives lining up for a federal election this spring? Predicting such things is a bit like scrying, but there are signs that lean that way. First are some questionable polling numbers which show the CPC getting very close to minority government territory, even while their current leader
Continue readingTag: elections
Ken Chapman: ELECTIONS MATTER BECAUSE OF CHOICES AND CHANGES
ELECTIONS ARE TIMES TO TAKE ACTION We are rapidly approaching the May 29th Alberta General Election. Elections are those rare times when political power actually shifts from the elected to the electors. Citizens as electors, can actually make a difference up to and through the election period. This can only
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: An Open Message to Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
The election is over and you can now free yourself from your election handlers. It is time to move your focus from getting elected to making Ottawa a better place to live. So what should your first priority be. During an election campaign it is obviously whatever the largest group
Continue readingScripturient: Looking for Information
I am looking for information — and hopefully confirmation — about some local events that may have involved people who may be — or may wish to be — in “high places.” Some may also intend to put their name(s) forward for the 2022 municipal election. I believe that public
Continue readingScripturient: How to Draw Politicians
Not long ago, in a local used book store, I came across a little book titled, “How to Draw Dinosaurs” and when I opened it, I realized there was a political allegory in my hands. But let me first tell you about the book. In its 64 pages, the book
Continue readingScripturient: Should Candidates and Officials Disclose Criminal Records?
Some questions about openness and truth to consider as we start a year in which we have both a provincial and municipal election coming… Should a candidate for office disclose their criminal records when they campaign? Should they disclose it only if they were convicted of an offence or should
Continue readingNorthern Currents : Chrétien comments show that being out of touch is a feature of the Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is out of touch with the needs of working-class and Indigenous people. More and more people are realizing this as time goes on. This is not new, either. Given the recent comments of former Prime Minister and minister the (previously named) Indian Affairs, Jean Chrétien, this out-of-touchness
Continue readingNorthern Currents : Will elections ever save us? No, but a strong Labour movement will.
Giving Labour more power within the capitalist system should be seen as a win for the Left, especially after decades of neo-liberal decay. If we are to progress as a society, building worker’s power within a strong intersectional, labour, and Indigenous coalition would be a great starting point. Change only
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #Elxn44 Roundup
Assorted reactions to a federal election which changed so little. – The Canadian Labour Congress points out that we can’t afford to be stuck with the status quo when there’s an opportunity for parties to chart a more equitable and sustainable course for Canada. And Aaron Wherry wonders how the
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Ban Campaign Promises and other Electoral Rants
Campaign promises. What are they good for. Absolutely nothing. I wish we could get rid of campaign promises. If you are in government then a campaign promise is just something you think you should have done that you did not do. Maybe it is best not to remind the voters
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On time-shifting
There’s been some discussion about parts of Canada’s federal election campaign which are surfacing somewhat earlier than usual – ranging from party platforms (with the notable exception of the Libs‘), to typical late-campaign scare tactics. But it’s worth noting that there’s obvious reason to make closing arguments from almost the
Continue reading52 Ideas: Calgary Municipal Election Candidates are ignoring the Elephant in the room
If you listen to Jyoti Gondek, Jeromy Farkas or Jeff Davison, you will hear a similar story. In fact, if you listen to most of the mayoral or council candidates, you will hear the same narrative: Calgary’s municipal administration is experiencing a problem of fiscal management and not a revenue
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – David Graeber wrote (just before his death) about the need to do more than default back to an unacceptable “normal” once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. – Arthur White-Crummey and Lynn Giebrecht have been writing a series of stories on the longstanding
Continue readingNorthern Currents –: Why the Liberal Party is Losing the Youth Vote
Many of us voted for Trudeau, giving him a majority government for four years. But since his 2015 legalization promise, Justin Trudeau has done little to help the generation that got him elected. He is losing the youth vote. The post Why the Liberal Party is Losing the Youth Vote
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Can America Be Saved
I am writing this as a citizen of a world that no matter where we live are strongly impacted by whatever America does and whatever happens in America America is celebrating but it will take a lot more than the end of the Trump presidency to save America. Trump promoted
Continue readingNorthern Currents: It’s an American election dumpster fire: Canadians need to be vigilant too
Share this article: The American democratic experiment is stuck in gridlock. It has become clear that Joe Biden will be the next president with a lead of over 4 million votes. More importantly, Biden has passed the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win. However, Trump-style politics are still in
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On advance preparation
I’ve noted before that Scott Moe’s spring election posturing prevented Elections Saskatchewan from putting together a full postal balloting system for this fall’s provincial election. And I haven’t yet heard of any municipalities going to a full vote-by-mail balloting system for their subsequent votes (though I’d be interested to hear
Continue readingNorthern Currents: Fascism on the ballot: Will Americans drown out hate?
Share: Today is the day where we get our first glimpse of whether or not our neighbors to the south choose to vote out fascism. This new, 21st-century style of fascism has emerged in various places across the planet such as Brazil, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and others. Make no mistake,
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On opportunism
When Scott Moe first heard about the coronavirus, he smelled opportunity. And that can take many forms. No, Moe didn’t call the spring election that he initially planned. But he did take the opportunity to prevent Elections Saskatchewan from pursuing a modernized voting process or a full mail-in balloting system
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday #skvotes Links
Saskatchewan’s election day is rapidly approaching (and indeed voting is already underway). And with plenty of content being generated, I’ll plan to offer some link posts dedicated to news of interest to voters. – PressProgress has been providing plenty of important election news – even if it has regularly been
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