Assorted content to start your week. – Maude Barlow offers some background to the Common Causes protests happening across Canada this week: Over the last two years, we have witnessed amazing organizing and mobilizing in Canada — from student movements in Québec, to the “Defend Our Coast” struggle against tar sands pipelines
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Accidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – James Galbraith compares the mindless drones carrying an increasing share of the U.S.’ military load, and those serving to try to attack social programs in the name of illusory deficit reduction. But sadly, Galbraith misses one of the most important similarities: in
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: Harper May Have his Coalition but he doesn’t have Canada
Stephen Harper keeps support of ‘coalition’ of voters: poll
* 44 per cent of Canadians think Harper’s majority government is “working well,” while 56 per cent don’t think it is.
* 45 per cent like the way Harper is “handling his job as prime minister,” while 55 per cent don’t.
* 44 per cent share Harper’s “values” on where Canada should be headed, compared to 56 per who don’t.
* 48 per cent think Harper’s “approach to politics” has been good for Canada, while 52 per cent don’t think so.
* 44 per cent think Harper’s approach to politics has been good for Parliament, while 56 per cent don’t think so.
* 43 per cent think Harper should run for office again in the next election, set for 2015, while 57 per cent think he should quit.”
— | Stephen Harper keeps support of ‘coalition’ of voters: poll
Yes, he has his coalition of old white men living in rural Canada, much of the immigrant “market” of suburbia, and the #BigOil country of Western Canada. But, as the poll makes clear, he still hasn’t got the majority of Canadians – which means he does not really have a fundamentally democratic mandate. He rules only because of flawed electoral and riding systems. See my post on this issue elsewhere on this blog:
The Agonizing Challenge of Voting in 2015 |
Politics and Entertainment: Harper May Have his Coalition but he doesn’t have Canada
Stephen Harper keeps support of ‘coalition’ of voters: poll “Among the findings in the Dec. 7-12 Ipsos Reid poll: * 44 per cent of Canadians think Harper’s majority government is “working well,” while 56 per cent don’t think it is. * 45 per cent like the way Harper is “handling his
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: Harper May Have his Coalition but he doesn’t have Canada
Stephen Harper keeps support of ‘coalition’ of voters: poll “Among the findings in the Dec. 7-12 Ipsos Reid poll: * 44 per cent of Canadians think Harper’s majority government is “working well,” while 56 per cent don’t think it is. * 45 per cent like the way Harper is “handling
Continue readingImpolitical: Electoral reform debate – video
Parkdale High Park Liberal Debate on PR vs FPTP Part 1 from June Macdonald on Vimeo. For those who are interested, this is the first 20 minutes of our debate held on November 15th in Parkdale-High Park on the topic of electoral reform. The introductory statements by the debaters begin
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Elections Canada slow to investigate robocalls.
Perhaps that should read `Elections Canada fails to protect our voting system` or better yet EC protects wrong doers! Either way its pretty clear by now that they have been completely ineffective in investigating the many complaints from across the country regarding the 2011 election both before and after that
Continue readingImpolitical: Joyce Murray’s Vancouver launch
That’s video of Joyce Murray’s Vancouver launch that happened Saturday afternoon. I recommend watching the full video as by the end of it you’ll get a good sense of what she’s about and the bold policies of her platform thus far. It is Sunday after all…
Continue readingPop The Stack: Voting For, Against and Together
Great proposal from Andrew Coyne. I couldn’t have said it better myself, and I’ve tried, and tried and tried. “The opposition parties would agree on a single candidate to put up against the Conservatives in each riding. Were they to win a majority, they would pledge to govern just long enough to
Continue readingPop The Stack: Voting For, Against and Together
Great proposal from Andrew Coyne. I couldn’t have said it better myself, and I’ve tried, and tried and tried. “The opposition parties would agree on a single candidate to put up against the Conservatives in each riding. Were they to win a majority, they would pledge to govern just long enough to
Continue readingPop The Stack: Who ever said Canadian politics was dull?
What an exciting day to be a political addict in Canada. Who says Canadian politics is boring? People who aren’t paying attention, that’s who. At least four exciting things happened yesterday. Yes, four. First, the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, was found in violation of the Conflict of Interest act and will
Continue readingPop The Stack: Who ever said Canadian politics was dull?
What an exciting day to be a political addict in Canada. Who says Canadian politics is boring? People who aren’t paying attention, that’s who. At least four exciting things happened yesterday. Yes, four. First, the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, was found in violation of the Conflict of Interest act and will
Continue readingImpolitical: Last call: Electoral reform debate tonight #php #cdnpoli #topoli
CLICK TO ENLARGEInfo on location and resolution all above on our great flier designed by Graham Bolton, riding volunteer. The debaters are all quite enthused about the night which has been inspiring to hear. They are prepared and looking to get into th…
Continue readingThe Equivocator: The PHP Liberals are hosting an Oxford Style Debate on Electoral Reform on November 15th
When?: Thursday, November 15th, 2012. 7pm – 9pm Where?: Bishop Marrocco-Thomas Merton (1515 Bloor St W, Toronto) Who?: Hosted by the Parkdale–High Park Federal Liberal Riding Association and Fair Vote Canada. The motion: “Be It Resolved That Canada Should Adopt … Continue reading →
Continue readingImpolitical: It is on: Electoral reform debate
In west end Toronto, on the evening of November 15th, the Parkdale-High Park federal Liberal riding association will be hosting a debate on electoral reform featuring some fine Canadian public policy leaders. We are very appreciative that they will be taking the time to participate with us in this event.
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Maintaining Trust and Engagement in Canadian Elections
Extracts from a Speech of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada at the the Economic Club of Canada on September 25, 2012 (my bold) According to any international democracy index you look at, Canada’s democracy is consistently ranked among the top 10 in the world. On standard indicators of democratic
Continue readingPample the Moose: Quebec election and electoral reform
To follow up on my earlier post about the Quebec election, here’s a link to an article in the Montreal Gazette, where I speak a bit about past elections in Quebec and how the first-past-the-post system leads to some particularly wide divergences betwee…
Continue readingPample the Moose: Quebec election and electoral reform
To follow up on my earlier post about the Quebec election, here’s a link to an article in the Montreal Gazette, where I speak a bit about past elections in Quebec and how the first-past-the-post system leads to some particularly wide divergences between the popular vote and the seat count
Continue readingPample the Moose: Quebec election and electoral reform
To follow up on my earlier post about the Quebec election, here’s a link to an article in the Montreal Gazette, where I speak a bit about past elections in Quebec and how the first-past-the-post system leads to some particularly wide divergences between the popular vote and the seat count
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Participative Democracy in Canada
A few weeks ago I became aware of the Online Party of Canada, a new political party which attempts to introduce ‘Participative Democracy’.to Canada. Their mission is “to create a viable alternative to the traditional political system, using internet technology. Online Voting, Participative Democracy, Competence, Transparency and Accountability”, by “re-posting
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