Beware the Wounded Animal

By turning their back on the CBC against the will of the public and then trying to kill the long gun registry against the wishes of Canada's police forces the Harper government is showing all the signs of a group that knows they will soon lose power. Ever since Ignatieff replaced Dion as Liberal leader the Liberals are moving up in the polls and the Conservatives are moving down. To make matters worse (for the Tories) the Liberals are up in Ontario and Quebec and both the NDP and the Bloc have been losing some ground.

So, with it looking more and more like the Tories will lose the next election (whenever it comes) and the Liberals gaining more and more traction with each poll Harper's conservatives are starting to push their real agenda, trying to gain what they can before being forced from office or, failing that, to get the Liberals to force an election while the polls are still close.

Scary times may be ahead.

Why Canada Can't Have an Obama, and Why I'll Never Join Your Party

Barack Obama ran for President without the elders and power brokers of the Democratic Party behind him. He ran on the vague notion of hope and change and on a set of concrete ideas about health care, the economy, foreign policy, the environment, education etc.,

Canada cannot have it's Barack Obama at the moment because out political structure wouldn't allow it. In Canada you have to get a good number of party insiders and power brokers behind you before you even think of running for the leader of a party - and then you have favors to replay. Then, when there is an election you break out the party platform but it's a targeted document. You make promises that you know you can't keep to the constituencies that you want to carry in the election.

Now before you jump to the conclusion that I'm apathetic, or that I don't think voting matters - there is a difference. Harper is more evil than Layton no question. That said, none of them is really trying to bring the country together. They are saying that if the country would like to unite behind them that the country is welcome to do that.

While I see a clear difference between political parties, I cannot ever see myself joining on of them. The political parties are not about 'ideas': The Liberals used to be, back in the days of Trudea. The NDP used to be, in the days of Tommy Douglass. The Conservatives haven't been about ideas in recent memory. They claim the ideas of the right, but then they do whatever it takes to stay in power. The Bloc may, possibly be about ideas, but they are bad ideas - which doesn't help.

Personally, I like individual people (candidates) and I like ideas (good ideas) but institutions are more interested in power than ideas and political parties are institutions. All of them, from what I can tell, will sacrifice any or all of their ideas if it means staying in power. What is really sad though is that even in the age of social media there is very little independent thought among party members. When a party does something, or makes an announcement, right or wrong the party line is echoed across it's share of the blogosphere generally without criticism (with the exception of Western Conservatives who recently discovered that Stephen Harper doesn't believe in much).

That means that, in Canada at least, the revolution in media is not creating a broader diversity of ideas. It is creating an echo chamber that is less diverse than what the main stream media was serving up before - which is just sad. So while I'm still contemplating what the Un-Party may become I won't join any political party where you are expected to abandon your ideas, on conscience on the alter of the part leaders.

Conservatives Open Fire on Ignatieff

Harper wants his government to fall, I don't see any other way to look at it. Earlier today the Liberals made Iggy interim leader. Immediately after that progressives groaned. A little later in the afternoon pundits began speculating about the Conservatives and the Liberals building bridges, finding compromise and working out a way to avoid the government falling. Tonight the Conservatives opened fire

The Conservatives issued a fundraising letter on Wednesday painting interim Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff as a parachute leader who wasn't rightfully elected by Canadians or his own party members.

"Stéphane Dion has resigned as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and by extension, of the Liberal/NDP/Bloc Coalition," Tory campaign chair Doug Finley writes.

"In yet another stunning and unprecedented demonstration of Liberal contempt for our democratic rights, they've decided to appoint a new leader in place."

The fundraising letter then implores party supporters to donate $200 or $100 to "help us spread this message to Canadians."

Full Story at the CBC

Perhaps Harper, like me, doesn't see how he can create a budget that the Liberals can vote for (or abbstain from voting on) and so they are continuing on in war mode.

Give Me What I Want, Not What I Say I Want

John Gushue likes to post interesting quotes on his website. Yesterday he posted one that seemed especially appropriate to what I've been thinking the last few days. Maragaret Mead once said "What people say, what people do and what they say they do are often entirely different things".

It occurs to me that the recent fate of the Liberal party has been a demonstration in the difference between what people say they want and what they actually want (or at least what they will vote for.)

Stephen Dion is, according to everyone who knows him or works with him, completely honest and ethical, smart, dedicated and sincere. If you took a poll and asked people (without naming names) if they could vote for such a person the reaction would be a resounding yes.

On the other hand Stephen Harper is, according to his colleagues and friends deeply partisan, arrogant, inflexible, and maintains absolute control over those around him. From the Toronto Star

""There's always been this concern that Harper believes he's the smartest guy in the room and that, no matter what, he's never wrong," confides the Harper acquaintance (who's also a Mulroney friend).

In interviews with federal associates of Harper, past and present, a picture emerges of a bright and driven man who does not take dissenting counsel especially well and is prone to profane outbursts.

"The people around him, the stable, has generally been bred for obedience, so that's what you get," says a confrere.

Another insider agrees "there's no question the Prime Minister rules by fear," which is not always productive.

"At some point, you know, you get up every day and you get kicked in the balls and, you know what, you get tired of it. So when people stop fighting back, I'm telling you, that's a most dangerous, dangerous, dangerous day," he says.

It was Harper who insisted that the Nov. 27 economic statement be used as a political weapon to bludgeon the Conservatives' foes."

If asked (without naming names) if they could vote for such a person the answer would be a resounding no - but Stephen Harper rolls on while Dion is mere days from a very short career as Liberal Party leader.

If you took a poll and asked if Canadians would like the parties in Parliament to set aside their differences, combine their best ideas, and work together for the good of the country during the current economic recession - almost 100% would say that was exactly what they wanted. Sadly when three of the parties try to do just that they are vilified by the one party that has shown that it cannot work with others and doesn't really care what they think. When the Conservatives say that they want input from other parties it makes for good sound bites but it appears that the suggestions of the other parties are not seriously considered, or even taken seriously.

So, who do Canadians like better? The three parties that try to work together to set partisanship aside and find common solutions or the one party (and one leader) that is incapable of being non-partisan and that looks for personal gain in every situation? According to the CBC and Ekos research they like the party that refuses to work with others.

Personally I am sad that things went so poorly for Stephen Dion, but I know there is no changing people's minds about him now. I am disappointed that so many Canadians don't really want to see cooperation and consensus in our parliament but I will keep working to change their minds on that. I can and do support the coalition and it's efforts at cooperative solutions to our economic problems. The coalition may succeed and it may fail but either way, as is always the case in a democracy, Canadians will get what they ask for.

Rick Mercer Explains what Happened

The recent political crisis has many Canadians confused. That's not surprising as there are far too many people who don't keep up with the news - at all. If anyone you know is having a hard time understanding what happened the last few weeks and why we might have a new government soon - Rick Mercer can get them up to speed in about two minutes.

What's all the loco-motion about?

Lou Dobbs says it best “Doesn’t anyone deserve a government that works?”



I think Stephen Harper should listen to that statement loud and clear. After tuning from my favourite Canadian newscast CBC-The National with Peter Mansbridge, I tuned into CNN’s Anderson Cooper to listen to the latest news coming from our friendly American neighbours with a huge concern for our economy, especially our Canadian Auto Workers and to get an ear full of what Anderson and his panel were talking about regarding the current situation in their country.



UAW is promising concessions but resisting the greater pay cuts. The CEO’s testify today and explain to congress they need a $35 billion dollar bailout opposed to the $25 billion dollar one they originally thought they needed…hey what’s an extra $10 billion give or take except oops where has the $350 billion dollars gone that was given to the Feds…that my friends is the $700 billion dollar question.



According to Henry Paulson, Secretary Treasurer, they’re not sure, yes my friends the Treasury department didn’t track it or set safe guards in place so where oh where did the money all go…or where oh where could it be? Banks yes $150 billion of it; $200 billion went to the ‘other’. Corporate bonuses…maybe so.. but how do they find out, well the Treasury department is working on those safeguards as they figure out how to watch where the spending is going and since Henry Paulson gave Wall Street investments the benefit of the doubt it must be somewhere spinning around this unbelievable merry go round we like to call investment banking. It was described as kind of a ‘get out of jail free card’ but for whom?



So the good news first…sorry there really isn’t any, the Senate leaders don’t agree for a bailout plan for the big 3 automakers, feeling “their arrogance and PR bungling” is not sitting well with them, remind you of someone in Canada with an arrogance and PR bungling problem (so many I couldn’t name them all, let’s just say the PM’s PR smells of BO) and the consensus of the citizens in the U.S. on the bailout for the automakers is…drum roll please



36 YES-61% a big NO.



This doesn’t mean the deal is a dud, yet, but they are sceptical, the auto makers are asking for at least a bridge fund until President Elect Obama is in office January 20 or GM is pretty much bankrupt.



Henry Paulson, you know the guy who is like say Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, is asking for the second instalment of the bailout money but tells all it will be business as usual and remembering the Bush Administration who is, (remember what President Elect Obama said “only one President at a time”) under the Bush Administration, doesn’t like to regulation imposed on companies that received money through preferred stocks, even with no safe guards in place.



Now if Paulson gets his Christmas wish of the other $350 billion dollars (I’d be happy with $350.00 right now) that means the cookie jar will probably be empty faster then they can say President Obama.



So where does this leave our own CAW? Well let’s look at the original economic update Jim Flaherty AND Tony Clement seems to believe was a joint understanding with union leaders and let’s speak about coalition talks before hand. Doesn’t seem to me the workers are very happy with this agreement, that was signed in 2005 by Buzz Hargrove and Frank Stronach forming a union-corporate deal called the “Framework of Fairness Agreement”



“Union-corporate deal with Magna that ushers in a plan of union?corporate control of employees that violates almost every premise of traditional labour ideology and social unionism as expressed in a once proud CAW Constitution.”



Oh and that’s not all my friends of wondering why we need a coalition agreement against the party in power and now in question even more, let me highlight some more of this for you:





The CAW leadership has struck a blow against the entire Canadian working class, destroyed the universality of its constitution by creating “different members without the right to strike,” wiped out generations of sacrifice and struggle by giving away the right to strike. They are the first large industrial union to negotiate a union?corporate partnership to control workers, and become a direct agent of management by safeguarding efficiency, productivity and profit levels. The “No Concessions” programs of 2005 are not much more than crumpled paper in CAW President Buzz Hargrove’s wastebasket.



So when Flaherty and Clement speak of this deal of the public sectors right to strike which may have been taken away if the Opposition just stood down, look at what may have happened to many of our supposed union leaders that seemingly are taking care of those people who want a voice. Sound familiar. So those CAW you see standing and protesting they want Harper to stay in and no coalition, I wonder how many of them also turned their backs as did the CAW union leader on rights to workers. Read the full document on The CAW–Then and Now

No wonder Flaherty was so quick to recant his decision on public sector and taking away the right to strike, he was speaking of this agreement that there had been talks of and deals made on right to strike in a private sector union agreement, not public, and even the CAW workers weren’t happy with. Even without the Conservatives in power at the time, it really has to make you wonder which hand was feeding who. The Throne Speech advances far right agenda

Here’s an interesting one about Delegates walkout highlights struggle with CUPE for those wondering about our own Ontario Liberal Premier, Mr. Dalton McGuinty.

My support for Bob Rae as Leader of the Liberal Party has surely strengthened, even though at first I was relunctant because of voting for him during the Rae Day’s but that was then and this is now, he has admitted he made mistakes but he also learned from them. I’ll be watching this Liberal Leadership race as close as a Hawk on a mouse. Watch your backs boys and girls, there are a few Liberals that maybe shouldn’t be there, and if Stephane Dion must step down, my vote and voice for any leader will now be even more informed then ever before.

On a more pleasant note, things seem to be progressing well in the U.S. as the Republicans are actually happy with President Elect Obama’s choice of team and relieved that the “socialism” isn’t what their own Republicans rhetoric through the campaigning about Obama was they found out he can run a country in a bipartisan manner. At least one government seems to be working



…for now.

Nabweekly.ca

Time to Unite Against Stephen Harper

In his speech at the Democratic convention Barack Obama laid out plainly the choices before Americans, pointing out the failure of George Bush neo-con policies on almost every front. Canadians will soon have a similar choice to make. Stephen Harper is, perhaps more than Bush himself, a George Bush style neo-conservative. Harper's policies are essentially the same as those of George Bush even when those policies benefit the US and harm Canada.

Since taking over as Prime Minister Stephen Harper has waged a non-stop attack on Canada and everything Canadians value. He has repeatedly assaulted Canada's natural environment right down to allowing Canadian lakes to be used as toxic dump sites at no cost to polluters.

Although he promised open accountable government, Harper has lead one of the most secretive, authoritarian governments in Canadian history.

And while he was elected in part due to corruption on the part of the Liberals, Harper has lead one of the most deeply corrupt governments in recent memory. From the in-out scheme to the Cadman affair and beyond.

He has waged a relentless assault on the arts from attempts to kill the Canadian film industry, to a copyright bill that is good for big media companies but bad for artists and that would make most Canadians into criminals to his rejection of a Heritage Committee recommendation that would have strengthened and improved the CBC and most recently his cuts to export subsidies for the arts.

He has been no friend to Canadian cities, he has bungled the economy (one of the few areas the Tories are supposed to be good at) and may soon take us back into deficits.

He reneged on his promise not to tax income trusts, costing many small investors - including retirees small fortunes, because Harper had promised not to tax these trusts many were buying them until days before his announcement.

Finally he has done considerable damage to Canada's reputation abroad. From refusing to attend the world aids conference to insulting the Chinese people (and Canadian athletes) by his absence from the opening ceremonies. His administration has interfered in foreign elections by leaking private information and left classified documents with girlfriends. The have also damaged Canada's reputation as a refuge from wars and war crimes by deporting asylum seekers.

In short Stephen Harper's government has been inept, corrupt, incompetent, immoral and staunchly anti-Canadain on almost every important issue. So, like the Americans, Canadians have a choice to make between the failed policies of the Bush Administration (echoed by Harper) and a reversal of that course.

Stephen Harper and his Tories have never enjoyed more than about 35% support in Canada, yet they manage to cling to power. If they truly care about Canada it is time for the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party to put aside their differences, focus on areas of common ground and at least temporarily come together in Coalition.

If the next election results in anything less than a majority parliament, Stephen Dion, Jack Layton and their parties should make it clear to Stephen Harper and the Governor General that they will act in concert and prevent the Harper Neo-Con agenda from going any further, that they can and will form a coalition Government and will block any further legislation by Stephen Harper until given a chance to do so.

To this end I have created a Facebook Group to act as a kind of petition in and of itself. While everyone is certainly welcome and encouraged to use the group to share information and ideas, and everyone is also encouraged to write to the Jack Layton and Stephen Dion and tell them to get over their squabbling and get Canada back on track - just joining the group will send a signal to everyone involved.

Please join at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29529380865 and invite your friends, family and co-workers to do the same!