Stagnating in public support, the NDP are trying desperately to get back to the days when the passion over Bill C-51; the omnibus bill that is now law, and changes many laws; gave them a bump in the polls. To do that they are planning rallies against the Liberals over
Continue readingTag: Justin Trudeau
CuriosityCat: Justin Trudeau, the King of Growth, leads with honesty
Mulcair took a dangerous step with his pledge not to go into deficit: Despite the low price of oil and Monday’s tumultuous day on the markets, Mulcair said he does not foresee having to go into the red. “We’re of course going to finish the fiscal year on Mr. Harper’s
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On crystallized positions
I’ve largely held off on discussing federal polls since few of them seem to be out of line with my initial assessment of the election as a three-way race with the NDP in a narrow lead, but with plenty of room for movement during the election campaign. But EKOS’ latest
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On needless machinery
Those of us who have seen the Libs focus much of this year on criticizing the Cons’ partisan advertising might be rather surprised to learn they don’t think there’s any room to cut or redirect any current federal spending, and in fact consider it offensive that anybody might suggest such
Continue readingcentre of the universe: How to get engaged in Canadian politics: an educational resource
Here is a handy guide that will help you, disenfranchised Canadian, get engaged with and get involved in the upcoming (eventually, at the end of several more weeks of pre-election hell) federal election! The first step, as the number to the left would indicate, is to click every single link
Continue readingwRanter.com: Jewish issues at centre of partisan sniping
Jewish issues and candidates made headlines last week and became the subject of some distasteful political rhetoric on the campaign trail. In Alberta, a 21-year-old hijab-wearing university student resigned Aug. 18 as the Liberal candidate in the Tory stronghold of Calgary Nose Hill a day after conservative activists publicized noxious
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: How Bernie Sanders and Justin Trudeau Have Changed the Election Narrative
Recently, one of my favourite journalists, Rick Salutin, weighed in on Justin Trudeau’s comment, that the Liberals wanted to grow the economy “from the heart outwards”, meaning from the centre or middle class.
The media and opposition parties went crazy, calling him a Care Bear, not comprehending the meaning of his words. Everyone is looking for that sound bite, to make them look clever, when in fact, it ended up making them look foolish.
Salutin, on the other hand, did know what Justin was talking about, but preferred that it be the misinterpretation.
Why not economics from the heart instead of from the head? We’ve been led to believe that balanced budgets are the Holy Grail, and that the “Economy” is a beast we must feed or risk extinction.
Canada has become the Fisher King; the legendary figure from the days of King Arthur. Wounded in battle, he could no longer perform his duty to protect the coveted chalice, nor could he produce an heir to continue the obligation. As a result his kingdom was reduced to a barren wasteland, while the king amused himself fishing, and waiting for rescue.
The mythical Holy Grail has become a symbol for things most cherished and desired, but unfortunately, we no longer know what those things are. Salutin discusses the economic crash of 2008, that should have taught us that the current system wasn’t working. Yet things continued as before, with misguided tax cuts and mean spirited austerity measures. This election is probably the most important of a generation. We can vote for the status quo, or not vote at all, ensuring the status quo. Neither is an option.
Bernie Sanders is running for the Democratic nomination, in the run up to the presidential election, in 2016. He has become a phenomenon, primarily because he is not campaigning on lowering taxes or fighting deficits, but on the things that should matter to most Americans. And they are listening.
A liveable minimum wage, better working conditions, an end to war; to name a few. These things have not been mentioned in election campaigns for a very long time. This has forced the other candidates, vying for the job, to address the same issues, or at least promote progressive ideas.
He has changed the narrative, which has changed the issues.
Our media and politicos are too focused on Justin Trudeau’s hair, and his famous father, to listen to what he is saying. Like Sanders, he is discussing better working conditions, better wages, and benefits for veterans, seniors and children. A sensible environmental plan, and an improved relationship with provinces, so that everyone has shared goals, and can better reach them.
Stephen Harper is focused on his dubious leadership skills, while scaring us into submission, over the threat of a terrorist attack. The NDP is hoping the fact that they voted against C-51 and the Liberals didn’t, despite neither vote having an impact; will carry them through for the next two months. It won’t.
Most of their policies are the same old tired promises. More fluff than substance. A $15.00 an hour minimum wage, to create a group of “federal employees” who can be unionised; only gave false hope; and a daycare plan that won’t be implemented in this cycle or the next.
In fact, many children needing daycare today, won’t; when the first phase of their plan is rolled out, so it is not an election issue, only some vague notion, made during what Salutin calls “an intellectually threadbare era”..
We need to slay the bastard named “Economy” and create our own goals. As the thoughtful journalist says:
This kind of paradigm shift in economics — I’m calling it, after Trudeau, the economics of the heart — is probably more crucial now than it was in the heyday of what was called socialism. Then the stakes were merely misery for the masses. Now the survival of the species is at risk due to climate change and the current model doesn’t — and can’t — even take that into account. When the environment kacks out, it’s an “externality.” You carry on modelling, oblivious. It really doesn’t matter what you call it but “heart economics” sounds good to me.
Investing in Canadians is the best way to grow financially. We can’t just sit around waiting to be rescued, while our country is being reduced to a barren wasteland, and our people to a life of nothing but debt and meagre opportunities.
Sanders and Trudeau have something lacking in politicians today. Genuine compassion and the ability to inspire.
It’s risky in today’s political climate and with the state of our media, to have dreams of a better country, but Sanders and Trudeau have them anyway.
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” ― Paulo Coelho
Pushed to the Left and Loving It: How Bernie Sanders and Justin Trudeau Have Changed the Election Narrative
Recently, one of my favourite journalists, Rick Salutin, weighed in on Justin Trudeau’s comment, that the Liberals wanted to grow the economy “from the heart outwards”, meaning from the centre or middle class.The media and opposition parties went crazy, calling him a Care Bear, not comprehending the meaning of his words. Everyone is
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: How Bernie Sanders and Justin Trudeau Have Changed the Election Narrative
Recently, one of my favourite journalists, Rick Salutin, weighed in on Justin Trudeau’s comment, that the Liberals wanted to grow the economy “from the heart outwards”, meaning from the centre or middle class.The media and opposition parties went crazy, calling him a Care Bear, not comprehending the meaning of his words. Everyone is
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On separation anxieties
Following up on this post, let’s take a look at the first of Bob Hepburn’s theorized lines of attack against the NDP – which gets its own separate post since it needs to be analyzed in radically different ways depending on the party who launches it: Worse, the Conservatives are
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Laurie Penny argues that Jeremy Corbyn’s remarkable run to lead the Labour Party represents an important challenge to the theory that left-wing parties should avoid talking about principles in the name of winning power – particularly since the result hasn’t been much
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Mulcair’s Confusing Stance on Security and C-51
Columnist Ralph Surrette had a piece in the Chronicle Herald this weekend: Harper defeat won’t suffice; this calls for fumigation In it he questions why the NDP did not go on the attack when Stephen Harper announced that he’d institute a “ban on travel by Canadians to areas of terrorist activity
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Mulcair’s Confusing Stance on Security and C-51
After all, the arguments over the anti-terror law, Bill C-51, were still fresh — a law denounced by four former prime ministers (including a Tory one, Joe Clark), five retired chief justices of the Supreme Court, former ministers of justice and pretty well every legal expert in the country, that triggered alarm at the United Nations, that was described by both the RCMP and CSIS as “unnecessary” and that was denounced by the otherwise small-c conservative Globe and Mail as a “quasi-police state bill.” And here was Harper jerking our chains again on the same issue, proposing another broad dragnet largely outside the rule of law. What a political opportunity!
Pushed to the Left and Loving It: Mulcair’s Confusing Stance on Security and C-51
Columnist Ralph Surrette had a piece in the Chronicle Herald this weekend: Harper defeat won’t suffice; this calls for fumigation In it he questions why the NDP did not go on the attack when Stephen Harper announced that he’d institute a “ban on travel by Canadians to areas of terrorist activity
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On guiding influences
Adam Radwanski points out in his latest column that several weeks into the election campaign, it’s hard to see what message might be used against Tom Mulcair and the NDP to any meaningful effect. But let’s note that the factors working in the NDP’s favour – and the challenges for
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On twisted outcomes
At the moment, plenty of Canadians are looking forward to waking up on October 20 and finding that Stephen Harper’s Conservatives have lost the election, to be replaced by a government determined by the MPs elected by voters. And we should certainly be hoping for, and working toward, that outcome.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: Throwback Thursday: Trudeau in Edmonton
Throwback Thursday: Justin Trudeau wows crowd of Liberal supporters in Edmonton.
Continue readingAlberta Politics: The #AngryCon: he learned those attitudes about the media from the party he supports
PHOTOS: A screen shot of the man identified by the Toronto Star as Earl Cowan at the moment he informs a reporter she’s a lying piece of … something. Below: Tory operative Fred DeLorey and Toronto Star columnist Heather Mallick. I have to confess I felt the tiniest bit of
Continue readingwRanter.com: Who will be the next big-name Jewish MP?
Last week, we examined four “Jewish” battleground ridings, including two – York Centre in Toronto and Mount Royal in Montreal – where, one way or another, a Jewish candidate is likely to win. This week, we look at Jews running for all four major parties across the country. Jews have
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Election 2015: Is the Liberal Party ready for October 20th?
Who will be our next PM? Probably Harper We vote on October 19. It will be a cliffhanger, with final results only out early the next day. A minority government is possible, as the Poll Tracker shows with today’s results: The Poll Tracker’s polling average currently awards the Tories 29.3
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