Progress For Progressives

Warren Kinsella on the census

2010-07-16T12:47:00.001-04:00

Makes me reconsider my position.

Kudos on the gun registry

2010-04-22T10:40:00.002-04:00

I'm a little late to the party on this one, but still very happy to see this step in a progressive direction from our leader.

I can be as critical as the next guy, but at first blush I'm very pleased by this news.

Kudos.

Why haven’t anti-choice Liberal MPs been punished?

2010-04-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

I’m still upset with Michael Ignatieff over the whole abortion vote fiasco in the House a few weeks ago. Why? He promised that those who defied the party line would be dealt with.

What’s happened to those anti-choice Liberals that helped the Tories defeat our motion that day? Paul Szabo is still Chair of the Ethics Committee – that’s an extra $10,000 a year in salary he gets. And Dan McTeague is still a full Liberal Party critic.

So Michael promises our core that he will deal with these rebels, yet nothing happens.

I tell you this...Bob Rae wouldn’t have had this happen in the first place.

Jack Layton all too silent on HST

2010-04-07T10:26:00.002-04:00

I don’t often post about provincial politics but this caught my eye.

Our Liberal Premiers in Ontario and BC have taken a lot of flak for their decisions on the HST, most vocally by provincial NDP parties and from Jack Layton in Ottawa.

That’s why I find it a little rich now that an NDP government in Nova Scotia is proposing to raise their HST to the highest in the land, and we hear nothing but crickets chirping from Jack Layton.

That’s so typical of the NDP – do as I say, not as I do.

Can we please stop defending the oil sands?

2010-01-12T13:27:00.001-05:00

Why is our leader out defending the oil sands again, really?

Moreover, Mr. Ignatieff said that oil sands exploitation in Alberta is not the only cause of climate change.

Can we at least maintain some progressive credentials, or are we going to cede all that ground to the NDP now? What the heck is our position anyways?

At least with Dion people knew where we stood.

Far and Wells

2010-01-04T09:41:00.002-05:00

I don't want to wade too deep into this little brou-ha-ha that erupted over the weekend, except to say that I think both Paul Wells and Steve V have a point here.

I think it would be hard to say with a straight face that what's coming out of the OLO these days hasn't left most of us out here in the grassroots a little perturbed. I think it would also be hard to say with a straight face that dozens of comments on Steve V's site and Wells' blog regarding this dust-up, on a Sunday afternoon during the holidays no less, is nothing to sneeze at either.

What has failed to be mentioned so far is that the OLO is just in the process of emerging from a full-scale revamp. And our new chief, Peter Donollo, has been away from politics for a couple of years now too.

We can't expect a 10% turnaround in the polls to happen overnight. And we can't expect that a revolt on the OLO will fix anything either.

Janine Krieber has a point

2009-12-01T13:11:00.001-05:00

Like many of you, I've been following Brian Topp's series in the Globe and Mail with much interest. And it got me to thinking:

What if Janine Krieber wasn't so wrong after all?

I mean, think about it. Here we are basically a year later and what have we gotten? We're down in the polls big time. From climate change to the justice system Harper and his cronies are tearing up our country. Right now we could be in government implementing much needed, and more importantly progressive, policies instead of sitting on the sidelines. I know much of what she said was off-base and not entirely representative of current Liberal thinking.

But on the most important part, ridding us of Harper and installing a progressive government, she wasn't so wrong. Now was she?

Let's not change positions on the HST

2009-11-24T13:20:00.002-05:00

I know a lot of people who were quite happy a couple months back when the arrangement was hammered out by our Federal and Provincial leaders.

Ignatieff had derided the HST as "the Harper Sales Tax" while in British Columbia, which is also bringing in the blended tax next year. On Monday, he clarified his position, saying a Liberal government would not repeal the levy. "He is prepared to accept any agreement entered into between our government and the federal government, and that is good enough for me," said McGuinty.

With both Andrea Horwarth and Tim Hudak trying to turn this progressive policy into a hot potato, the last thing we needed was the Federal Party also trying to score points off the back of it. Liberals attacking Liberals never works out in the long-run, as we've learned in the last couple of years at the Federal level.

So, needless to say, I was pretty dismayed to find out today that the HST is once again starting to be looked at as a stick to score some cheap points with. In a Conservative writer's column, no less.

Liberal caucus members were set to debate the new tax last night, but it certainly appears as if the party is backtracking from the favourable reception it has given the HST in the past.

I'll withhold judgement for now because I've liked some of the moves Michael has been making lately (like bringing in Peter Donolo and taking a strong stance against torture) and nothing has been set in stone yet, as far as I can tell. But I hope Bob Rae speaks out against this tomorrow in Caucus and continues to defend our Premier like he did at the Economic Edge Conference when he said:

I salute Premier McGuinty for having had the courage to do it and I encourage him to keep on going. ... it’s such a logical thing to do when you think about it. The big problem with doing it is there’s a short-term issue for some people but there’s clearly a long-term benefit for everybody. And if you have the money to deal with the consumer shocks, the consumer problems that are there, in terms of the immediate impacts. For example double the size of the GST tax credit which is a huge benefit for lower income people. They’ll end up being better off, in fact they’ll end up paying less in taxation which should be the case.

Bob Rae understands this is a progressive policy. I'm not the only provincial Liberal who thinks that; and some would be less likely to sit on their hands at the Federal level when our leader recognizes it too.

On Ruby Dhalla we can do better

2009-11-20T10:23:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry, but how is it progressive at all to go after one of our own MPs? Especially when they are a woman and member of a minority ethnic community?

I'm very upset about this.

We shouldn't be helping set up a witch hunt on one of our own. We can do better.

Where's Peter Donolo?

2009-11-12T15:59:00.003-05:00

You can count me amongst those happy about the move to bring in Peter Donolo. We had begun to drift around for most of the fall without a real focus.

But I have to say, now, where is he?

I'll admit, I thought we could make a winner for ourselves out of the H1N1 vaccination too. The poll out today basically proved me wrong though.

Now we're trying to make an issue out of Remembrance Day? And again it's blowing up in our face.

Mr. Donolo, where ever you are, get up here quick! We need you.

Nigel Hannaford in PMO?

2009-10-22T11:04:00.003-04:00

I'm probably going to get jumped all over for writing this, but I'm going to do it anyways:

It's disingenuous to get worked up about Harper bringing in anti-gay Calgary Herald columnist Nigel Hannaford to write his speeches.

After all, he also hired openly-gay Dave Forestell as a policy advisor.

Hannaford is just writing speeches, Forestell is actually advising on policy. If Hannaford is all-of-a-sudden setting government policy, this corner will be the first to call them out on it.

Sure, I'd be happier if Harper's new speechwriter was a progressive. But this is pretty much a wash, imo.

Why can't we shoot straight?

2009-10-21T13:56:00.000-04:00

We had a really good week last week highlighting the Reform-Conservatives abuse of handing out cheques for stimulus spending as if it was coming from their own pockets. But let's not spoil it.

The downside of that good week is that some of the leader's policy initiatives got overshadowed. I know that's bound to happen from time-to-time, but the house is back this week. Let's put some of our own policies in the window.

Today was looking like it was going to be one of those days, with the release of our Pink Book on women's issues. Instead, we get this:

Three sombre -looking Liberal staffers stand behind Easter with 8 x 10 photos of Conservative MPs who have, according to Easter, denounced the whole cheque-signing "scandal".

Easter explains how this is must be stopped.

Wouldn't be a bad little stunt if only: in the room right next door the Liberal caucus is launching the Pink Book on women's issues.

Cameras and reporters gathered around Easter.

And although there were other reporters and cameras in the room for the launch, one media event can't outdo the other.

Suddenly, Ignatieff's director of communications, Jill Fairbrother arrives in the scrum and abruptly whisks Easter away.

She didn't look pleased.

And the "stunt" ended awkwardly.

A sign of duelling communications strategies?

Hopefully our message about the Pink Book still gets out. I'd still like to see our Clean Energy policy from last week rehashed somehow since it was lost in all the cheque coverage.

Are we being iffy about tax hikes?

2009-10-07T21:30:00.000-04:00

Just before going out for dinner tonight I received this:

OTTAWA - Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is gearing up to talk about tax hikes and cost-cutting to slay the country's ballooning deficit. Senior party sources say it's part of a politically risky `adult conversation' he wants to have with Canadians about the painful measures necessary to deal with the debt.

At dinner, a parliamentary friend told me this was deliberate pre-positioning by the OLO. I was thrilled by this sudden – and unexpected – progressive turn from our not-so-progressive leader.

When I returned home from dinner this was waiting for me:

OTTAWA - Michael Ignatieff insisted Wednesday he has no plan to raise taxes, denying a report that he's about to embark on a politically risky ``adult conversation'' with Canadians about the painful measures necessary to eliminate the country's ballooning deficit.

May I politely ask: what the hell is going on and which inmate was running the asylum on Wednesday night? Seriously. Day-by-day we are losing our credibility because of self-inflicted wounds. It’s time to clean house.

Time to shake up the Rosedale Gang?

2009-10-01T20:54:00.001-04:00

Although, I am not as anti-Ignatieff as Eugene Foresy. I do have concerns about the advice our leader has been getting lately.

This (below) is only going to get worse.

Infrastructure Funding: Earth to the OLO

2009-10-01T10:00:00.000-04:00

To win an election, we need to defeat sitting Tory MPs. A lot of sitting Tory MPs in fact.

So why are we running around the country and making the case that Tories disproportionately deliver for ridings they already hold?

Earth to OLO...

People vote for MPs to bring home the bacon. We may not like this fact. But all politics is local. Always has been.

By pushing this line of attack, we are actively making the case for the re-election of Lee Richardson, Daniel Petit, Mike Allen and every other second rate Tory MP seeking re-election.

Have we really given up on winning Tory MPs and are only interested in holding the reddest of core Liberal ridings?

Have we?

Some thoughts on the recent developments

2009-09-17T08:15:00.002-04:00

Alright, with an election almost certainly to come soon, I figure I better get in the habit of posting again.

While I would love nothing more than to have an election and watch the ~~Reform~~ Conservatives crash and burn, I think we can benefit from the NDP and Bloc’s decision to vote with the government in a few ways:

a) the video and the ensuing massive media flurry about it has shown Canadians that Stephen Harper truly hasn’t changed. He can preach tolerance and put on a fuzzy sweater, but at the end of the day he is still the same right wing extremist he has always been. We use it in some ads, hammer it home and let Canadians digest it.

b) the NDP are polling so horribly, and have nowhere to go but down. This could open up strategic doors for us, appealing to the left.

c) we can slam the NDP and Bloc for voting with the Conservatives, and play up the angle of a Bloc-Dipper-Conservative coalition.

With all the polls now saying that no one wants an election anyway, we should be viewing this in a positive light. More time to campaign, more time to gain traction, more time to annihilate Harper. And victory will taste even sweeter when it finally happens.

Is this professionally appropriate?

2009-08-25T11:03:00.006-04:00

"In interviews last week some said the new staffing choices have created an awkward situation, as Mr. Davey and Ms. Fairbrother have been a couple since they met while working on Mr. Ignatieff's first run for Parliament, in 2005. The Liberal power couple live on Sparks St., near Parliament Hill, in the small apartment which Mr. Ignatieff and his wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar, vacated when they decamped to Stornoway, the official residence of the leader of the opposition, when Mr. Ignatieff took over from former leader Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Que.).

"How can you be critical of her?" said the Liberal source.

"[It's] awkward in the sense that you have two people dating and if somebody has an issue about how communications are done, or with a quote, or a story, or just media, who do you take it up with? And so if the buck is supposed to stop with Ian then it's kind of an awkward situation that you're going behind her back to complain to Ian about it. If that relationship didn't exist, that would just be sort of the norm."

http://hilltimes.com/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/august/24/himelfarb/&c=2

I am a huge believer in gender equality.
However, I don't know how the OLO can be effectively managed when the Chief of Staff is romantically involved with the Director of Communications. If I worked in the OLO I would be terrified to criticize Liberal communications practices in the Chief of Staff's presence. The whole situation just doesn't seem right. But what do I know? I'm not a Toronto lawyer and I don't live in Rosedale.

Alfred Apps: Not cool anymore

2009-08-20T09:47:00.001-04:00

Forgive me for saying this, but I think Apps is slowly being put out to pasture by Michael. Of the big three who went to down to Boston to lay the groundwork for his homecoming and ascension to leader, Apps is the one guy who isn't getting a reward from the big guy.

Dan Brock has been lured away from a high-paying gig in Toronto to be Michael's Principle-Secretary. He's on the upswing in the inner sanctum of Stornoway and getting accolades from the media.

Ian Davey has been elevated to the pinnacle position of Chief of Staff and comes from the pedigree Rainmaking bloodline.

Meanwhile, where's Alf? Seems like Michael only trots him out to respond to Conservative attack ads. Some reward.

Dan Brock = Promoted.
Ian Davey = Promoted.
Alf Apps = Go mop up the Conservative attacks on us, and make me a sandwich while you're at it.

The Americanization of the NDP

2009-08-14T15:04:00.000-04:00

So it seems the NDP's major speaker is Betsy Meyers. She has a 20k
speaking fee and worked for Obama in some capacity.

http://www.speaking.com/speakerindexes/governmentpolitics.php

I find it strange after decades of America bashing by the NDP their
great hope is bringing in strategists from the US. Also I don't know
if she meshes with the current NDP strategy.

Layton's current plan seems to be "Keep Harper in power by shooting
the left in the foot."

I think someone from the 2000 Nader campaign would be apropriate. You
remember him.

He gave us Bush.

Ottawa, we (may) have a problem

2009-07-17T15:50:00.003-04:00

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/07/17/'bogus'-peacekeeping/

Although I strongly support Michael Ignatieff on the economy, social policy and national unity, he was never my first choice during the 2006 leadership race. I worried that he was too far to the right, too “American” on foreign policy.

Now, I am really beginning to worry about exposure on our left flank. The current issue of Macleans contains some very damaging comments by Ignatieff. In particular, he told an international audience that Canada’s peacekeeping record was “bogus”. The problem is, he made the comments in 2005 when WE were in charge. He also said that he was disgusted by Canadians’ “bitching” about the United States and praised George W. Bush as a human rights champion.

In the article, Liberal HQ refused to tackle the quotes specifically and instead forwarded the writer past controversial statements by Stephen Harper.

I’m sorry, but fighting the Tories to a draw on which party is the most pro-American, anti-Canadian is not a victory for Liberals.

Bush-loving, old Reform Party voters are not going to vote Liberal.

There are no votes to be had by occupying this part of the spectrum. We need to neutralize this issue fast.

Does positive work?

2009-07-10T09:26:00.001-04:00

I have my doubts about this "positive politics" business.

Attack ads seem to work. Dion was irreparably damaged, Ignatieff seems to have lost his momentum for now.

Perhaps we should stop complaining and give this charter assassination business a try.

Yet another lame attack website.

2009-07-06T09:56:00.001-04:00

Republicans for Ignatieff

Weird.

Don't attack NN

2009-06-24T11:44:00.002-04:00

In response to CanPolitico, I think it's pretty clear that he's wrong about National Newswatch.

After all, the Liberals run ads on NN.

However, I think we've all seen anti liberal articles on that site.

Supporting news sites

2009-06-11T09:28:00.002-04:00

It's good to see that the party is supporting National Newswatch by buying ads. If the site shuts down and Bourque becomes the only major Canadian news site it would be a very sad day.

However I think that 'Join Now' is a poor idea for the campaign. Most news junkies have already bought a membership in one party or another. 'Donate Now' would be a friendly reminder to Liberal supporters who have let giving money slip their minds.

Christine Elliot is leading in the Ontario Con Leadership race

2009-06-03T12:38:00.003-04:00

You know, I can't recall a conflict of interest quite like this. It's just a little strange to have the wife of the Minister of Finance be a provincial opposition leader.

I suppose that there's no real issue if Flaherty gets turfed before she becomes leader. That seems likely, so there's no real point in getting upset.

Follow up photos

2009-05-14T12:28:00.003-04:00

Michael proves that you don't have to look silly.

And also that you should keep an eye on Martha Hall Findlay.
Photos from here.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

2009-05-14T10:05:00.002-04:00

I fully support the gay community and the pride parade. However, this picture amuses me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75511860@N00/2877494976/

Ignatieff Button?

2009-05-13T12:23:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: Never mind, it was just removed because it had the old logo

So I’ve got a question for everyone…

Is it just me or did Warren Kinsella get rid of a Michael Ignatieff banner? I could have sworn there was one before, but now I see nothing.

Star Trek Follow Up

2009-05-06T16:18:00.003-04:00

I was reading Susan Delacourt's latest blog post, and it was somewhat familiar.

I did notice one line -- "Too busy," she said. "We have to work."

I think the real reason is that they are true trekkies after all. At least according to The Onion's take on the subject.

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Best of Flickr - Jack Layton Time

2009-05-06T12:34:00.003-04:00

In honor of the new Star Trek movie, it's the right time to post this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scotteh/2939330287/

Worried about Ontario?

2009-03-06T11:08:00.003-05:00

Have you been concerned about Dalton McGuinty's re-election chances, as the world economy continues to decline?

Worry no more.

Worrying about Kinsella

2009-02-24T08:45:00.003-05:00

It seems like there is only one thing that can actually motivate me to post these days.

Once again, our supposed War Room genius is making himself the the issue.

First he insults Chinese Canadians. And then he makes the situation worse by engaging in a public slap fight, apparently unconcerned that it wasn't just him getting cut up and dirty in the press, but the entire Liberal Party.

Now, it appears the author of Kicking Ass is getting his ass kicked (again) by trying to intimidate both a respected journalist and a public broadcaster by leveraging his political connections to pursue one of his online sandbox fights into the real world.

Kinsella's (a) ego and (b) temper are a lethal combination for a party that wants to/needs to make Stephen Harper, and not our warroom staff, the issue.

I could care less that private companies want to spend their moneu on Kinsella but I don't want my party throwing another election out the window because we've entrusted our War Room to a frat boy.

Is Kinsella slipping?

2009-02-03T14:50:00.004-05:00

Oh god, the author of "Kicking Ass" is getting his ass kicked. Didn't this happen to him just before the last provincial election, too?

Kinsella's own rules:

Rule #1 for political advisors: never make yourself the issue.

Rule #2 for political advisors: when you fight back with facts make sure you've got your facts straight.

Except he's now breaking both of them.

He says here that "I had an email exchange with the Conservative Chinese Association about that. I asked their representative, Karen Sun, what her organization thought about Jason's plan to present a fake award..."

The problem is that Karen Sun is actually seems to be the Executive Director of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter - a group that has nothing to do with the Conservative Party.

Warren. Please stop talking about this.

Perhaps Kinsella has simply had a rough month. Or maybe he's just not that good. Sure he won elections for Chretien but Chretien faced a divided right. Ignatieff better have a plan B in case Kinsella flames out totally.

UPDATE (Feb 4): Kinsella has corrected his post to correctly identify Karen Sun as being the Executive Director of the CCNC and not the CCA.

Some Thoughts on the Olympics

2008-08-08T10:20:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Beijing Olympics, and I haven't quite yet made up my mind about them. As I write this, the Opening Ceremonies are being broadcast. While I do acknowledge the necessity for China to continue working to improve their human rights record, surely we also should commend them for the progress they have made on the issue. Conditions in China have improved; no they aren't perfect, but if we don't make use of positive encouragement, can we ever expect them to get there.

It is also important to distinguish between China's people and the Chinese government. The Chinese people have worked hard and want to show off their pride in their nation. They cannot and should not be faulted for the actions of the government. The Chinese people deserve a place on the world stage - while it would be preferential for them to do so in a true democracy, this is not the case. Do not punish the people for the actions of their government.

I guess that my position on the Olympics is to enjoy them but not pretend that the problems aren't there. I believe we can simultaneously enjoy the sports while remaining aware of and recognize the progress that has yet to be made.

How Many More Must Die?

2008-07-24T11:46:00.003-04:00

In light of the recent attention paid to individuals dying in custody after being tasered by police, I would have thought that the sue of these weapons would have lessened. As the risks posed by tasers become more and more clear, would it not have been prudent to avoid and/or lessen their use? It seems to me that tasers are become more of a risk than using firearms to bring order to a situation.

Well, apparently not, seeing a s a 17 year old boy has died in Winnipeg after being tasered by police there. While I do concede that he was holding a knife, surely there could have been a better way to bring him under control that would not have seen him lose his life. If they had shot him in the foot or arm (while by no means ideal), he would have likely stopped struggling and would still be alive.

Tasers interfere with far too many biological functions from the heart to lungs, and beyond. Surely a better, less threatening and risky solution can be achieved. Too many people have died to continue with the status quo.

Bring on the Byelections!

2008-07-23T12:42:00.003-04:00

According to several media outlets, Stephen Harper is poised to set dates for three upcoming byelections: Westmount-Ville Marie, St. Lambert, and Guelph. The first and third are currently liberal seats and the second was held by the Bloc Quebecois.

I, for one, am eager to see these byelections called. I can't wait for voters to have the chance to pass resounding judgment on the performance of Harper's government. It will also give us a chance to practice our messaging for selling the Green Shift to voters and disproving all of the factually incorrect rhetoric currently being circulated by the Tories.

This will be our first opportunity in months to re-energize and re-invigorate our grassroots. I'm excited to see the Liberals come out on top!

It's Not a Bad Thing to Change Your Mind Sometimes

2008-07-21T10:32:00.003-04:00

Often, right-wing conservatives belittle anyone who dares to re-think and modify their positions on any issue, as though this indicates weakness. I disagree; it requires the highest caliber of character and strength to reconsider and improve one's position. Having the courage to admit that one might have been less apt in the past shows the benefit of experience and hindsight. I believe this ability is one of the greatest strengths of the Liberal Party, rather than a weakness.

For example, the Conservatives are quick to point out repeatedly and as loudly as they can that Stephane Dion used to oppose taxing carbon dioxide emissions. Rather than letting them get away with this empty rhetoric, we Liberals should confront and challenge them, arguing that Canada has a more promising future now that Dion has reconsidered and developed the Green Shift plan. This makes Canada stronger, not weaker.

Similarly, I read an article in today's Toronto Star where Bob Rae discusses his past role as the NDP premier of Ontario. While Conservatives like to constantly bring this up and mock him, I prefer that we applaud him for rethinking his political affiliations and joining the Liberal Party.

Changing your position isn't flip-flopping; it's proof of one's ability to think and adapt. Instead of accepting criticism from Conservatives on this issue, it's time we push back and call them out on their lack of flexibility and freedom of thought.

Green Shift Persuasion Suggestions

2008-07-18T12:52:00.003-04:00

Over the coming weeks and months, both Liberal MPs and grassroots Liberals will need to work to persuade Canadians of the justness, necessity, and benefits of the green shift plan. Here are some suggestions that we ought to keep in mind while working to raise the Liberal profile and our environmental plan.

1. We need to know the plan thoroughly prior to promoting it. It is important that all Liberals possess a solid grasp prior to promoting it. This is not a simple plan and we will look like fools if we don't understand it properly or are unable to adequately answer questions on it.

2. Don't waste time debating the issue with Conservatives - they will never come round to the green shift and every minute we spend railing against their ignorance is a minute we should have focused on persuading someone who had not had a prior opinion on the subject.

3. Remember that people are selfish. Although many of us are willing to do our part for the environment because it is the good thing to do, it is a sad reality that many people prefer their luxuries than thinking about the air quality that will be inflicted upon their great-grand kids. WE must emphasize the financial benefits of our plan and not focus solely on the environmental arguments.

4. We must not look like hypocrites on the issue and that means that we must not promote the green shift in anyway that requires the production of a large quantity of greenhouse gas emissions. We will present much more credibly if we personally adopt green shift techniques prior to promoting it.

5. Never give up hope. If we despair or give credence to our opponents' attacks, we will never win. If we turn on one another, we will lose. If we don't try, the environment will have no champions left. The stakes are too important for us not to succeed.

What other suggestions do you have that we could use to sell our plan to Canadians and, especially, voters?

Not Just a Green Shift, We Need an Attitude Shift as Well

2008-07-14T11:11:00.003-04:00

Ever since the Liberals introduced our revolutionary Green Shift program, I've noticed that most of the criticism represents an unhealthy attitude and mentality. These opponents believe that they have already either done enough for the environment, or they just don't feel like doing anything at all. This selfishness needs to stop for the good of the planet and the environment.

For example, this Toronto Sun article argues that saving money on an individual level is more important than helping the environment. The columnist has no shame in describing the gas-guzzling, but cheap, truck she recently bought. How selfish and deplorable!

Many Canadians clearly need an attitude shift and a new set of priorities. No, saving the environment is neither cheap nor easy to do, but that doesn't mean we just give up. Give up some of the necessary luxuries instead, people! Buy the more energy-efficient vehicle, even if it is significantly more expensive. It's time we looked beyond our own selfish wants and look toward the environment's needs.

Canada's Failure to Set a Good Environmental Standard Allows Emitting Countries to Follow our Bad Example

2008-07-03T13:39:00.002-04:00

Instead of standing up on the world stage and working to limit the harm inflicted by the Alberta oil sands as we ought to do, it seems to me that our support for them is setting a very bad example for developing nations. According to a Reuters news story, India's government is promoting investment in the Albertan oil sands.

Developing countries like China and India need to see positive examples of investment in green and renewable energy resources, not encouragement to invest in dirty and destructive energy sources. Unless we set a positive example by denouncing and reducing the oil sands, what hope will we have that other countries will follow suit?

PMO Hostility Likely to Increase Rather than Lessen with New Chief of Staff

2008-07-02T11:50:00.003-04:00

Today is the beginning of Guy Giorno's tenure as Chief of Staff in the Prime Minster's Office. Although I had been pleased to hear that Ian Brodie was leaving the post, I had hoped that his replacement would be a break from his style of hostility and division. This was an excellent opportunity for Stephen Harper to pick someone who would respect the opposition parties, the media, and the Canadian public.

Instead, he picked Mike Harris's former Chief of Staff. Far too many individuals involved with that government are already in prominent positions in Harper's cabinet and staff, such as Jim Flaherty, John Baird, and Tony Clement. Parliament desperately needs less partisanship and rhetoric, not more hard line right-wingers.

Funding Education needs to be a Priority

2008-06-25T13:17:00.004-04:00

A disturbing Globe and Mail news article is very concerning to me. It says that Canadian universities are not receiving anywhere near enough funding per student from governments. Although total funding has increased, it has not kept pace with rising enrollment.

Education needs to be a greater priority than it currently is. We are in a changing and globalizing economy and we need to transition to a higher-educated workforce. Without proper funding, our educations will not be as effective or of a high enough quality. If we can afford to spend billions on a war in Afghanistan, surely we can spend some of it on our students and universities instead.

More Proof of Tory Disdain for the Less Fortunate

2008-06-23T12:02:00.004-04:00

The recent decision of the Conservative government to restore a small portion of the Court Challenges Program shows their small-hearted and mean-spirited nature. By only allowing limited redress to injustices against linguistic minorities, this plan will do nothing for all of the other groups which were so cruelly abandoned: ethnic and religious minorities, gays and lesbians, and individuals living with disabilities.

They Conservatives have shown how little worth they consider these groups to have. Conservatives think that because they don't vote Conservative, they don't deserve to have their rights protected.

Juvenile Conservative Campaign Spreads to Guelph

2008-06-17T09:58:00.005-04:00

This past weekend, I was on vacation visiting some family members in Guelph (in southern Ontario). My restful weekend was interrupted, however, by the appearance of a group of young conservatives, all wearing those horrid bright yellow "Dion's Tax on Everything" shirts! Apparently they were canvassing on behalf of the local candidate, Gloria Kovach.

It truly dismays me that this juvenile and pathetic campaign has spread to other cities besides Ottawa. Shame on the Conservatives for using cheap tactics rather than engaging in a serious debate on a serious issue!

Prentice Exceeds Low Expectations

2008-06-12T12:10:00.003-04:00

Well now that the copyright bill has been tabled this morning, it's not as bad as many, including myself, had been anticipating.

Although it does crack down on the distribution of illegal sharing, the provision allowing legally-acquired music onto other devices, such as iPods and mp3 players, is unexpectedly welcome. Furthermore, allowing individuals to record television shows to be watched later is rightly permitted.

Although I would have preferred to see a less harsh fine ($500) for illegal downloading, I know that we can't expect too much from a conservative government. I say that Prentice exceeds my expectations with this bill, but that wasn't very hard seeing as how low they were.

Conservatives Continue to Disrespect the Immigation System

2008-06-11T12:26:00.003-04:00

After the recent vote to dismantle the equality of the Canadian immigration system, the news for prospective visitors to Canada continues to worsen. It has emerged that several embassies, including the Canadian embassy in China, around the world are permitted to outsource the processing of visa applications to third-party service providers. This is completely unacceptable!

Ever since the Conservatives have come into power, the quality of service administered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada has continued to decline. Canada needs to ensure that individuals applying for entry to Canada (whether that be as a prospective citizen or merely as a visitor) are processed confidentially and promptly. These outsourcing companies cannot guarantee privacy and confidentiality to applicants which is just disgraceful.

We need to get a Liberal government back in power to ensure that Citizenship and Immigration Canada is given the respect and leadership it deserves and requires.

Conservative Attack Campaign Immature and Inaccurate

2008-06-09T14:01:00.004-04:00

The Conservative attack campaign on the upcoming Liberal policy on carbon reflects a juvenile, disrespectful, and presumptive attack on a policy which Canada desperately needs. Instead of waiting for the policy to be properly launched and then having a substantive debate on its content, the Conservatives are spreading misleading and blatantly false information.

The Liberal party has repeatedly indicated that there will be no tax increase on gasoline, and yet the Conservatives are telling Canadians that it will.

The environment is too important an issue to treat it like this. No one should be so cavalier in their treatment of any endeavor to reduce the burden we place on the environment.

Conservatives, it's time to grow up and treat this issue with respect.

Congratulations, Liberals, for Showing your Commitment to Women's Equality

2008-06-05T13:24:00.004-04:00

The Liberal Party announced today that once our Party is back in government, we will create an independent Commissioner for Gender Equality. This just further shows the distinctions between our Party and the Conservative Party who have shown nothing but contempt and hatred towards initiatives which would advance women's rights and equality.

We need to recognize that, while women have made tremendous progress over the past decades, there is still a long way to go before true equality will be reached. Women should not have to choose between their children and their careers. Women should not have to accept lower-paying jobs. Women should not have to struggle to work in upper management and influential positions. Women should be fully respected and welcomed as Members of Parliament.

I am proud to be a member of a party which recognizes the realities faced by women today. Advancing the women's rights movement is one of the most important priorities the Liberals can pick. Also, given that half of the population is women, fighting for women could help us during election time.

The proposed Gender Equality Commissioner would be responsible for examining gender equality practices in all government departments and would be required to submit a report to Parliament and Canadians every year.

Liberal Convention Document Shows the Inclusive Nature of our Party

2008-06-04T14:25:00.004-04:00

The Liberal Party of Canada has posted the guidelines and rules surrounding the delegates and alternates who will attend our party's convention in BC in December on the party's website (www.liberal.ca).

These rules are very positive and will go a long way towards ensuring that we have a productive and enjoyable convention. Firstly, the granting of automatic delegate status to notable party members (leader, former leaders, party officials, national executive, current and past candidates, etc.) will allow the delegations from riding associations to be comprised of grassroots members.

Similarly, the Liberal Party demonstrates its commitment to women's equality by ensuring that no more than half of the delegations from the riding associations can be comprised of men. We are ensuring that spots are set aside for youth and senior delegates to allow the convention to be attended by a broad spectrum of our members. Our recognition of the value that aboriginal delegates will bring to the convention is in stark contrast to the hostility shown to Aboriginal Canadians by the Conservatives.

I look forward to hearing more about the convention as we get closer to December and I congratulate the Liberals for proving their commitment to equality and fairness in drafting the guidelines for delegates.

Conservatives Hate Africa

2008-06-02T11:04:00.004-04:00

Canada's decision to turn its back on the innocent victims of violence in Congo in Africa is a sad reflection of the policies of the current Conservative Government. Apparently, the UN had asked Canada to provide a two-star general and limited support staff to head the MONUC peacekeeping mission in Congo. We weren't even asked to provide peacekeeping troops to the mission, and yet, we still turned it down, claiming that we were stretched too thinly with the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

Canada had the opportunity to really make a difference here and it really wouldn't have cost us much at all. And yet, we refuse!

The Conservative Government just doesn't care about Africa!

Shame on You, Tony Clement

2008-05-30T14:58:00.003-04:00

Tony Clement's editorial today in the National Post shows not only his total lack of compassion, but also his complete lack of understanding and comprehension regarding the Insite safe injection site in Vancouver.

He mentions that "Overall, Insite saves about one life per year," as though this is not a worthwhile enough reason to maintain it. The Conservatives ought to place more respect on the lives of drug users, rather than just dismissing them as useless, irrelevant, and not worth the cost to save their lives.

No matter what the cost, isn't it important that we at least try to save lives. Experts have testified that Insite is necessary and ought to continue its exemption from Canada's drug laws. We should trust their authority and knowledge rather than rely on prejudice and bias against drug users.

Our Methods Must Match our Principles

2008-05-29T09:56:00.004-04:00

My post from Monday saw a great deal of attention and discussion, and I would like to thank everyone for their participation. I believe strongly that the Liberal Party of Canada is better than what we may have become, with the use of questionable tactics like targeting potential voters solely based on their ethnicity.

We as a Party ought not to engage in such practices, but instead to reach out to ALL eligible voters to convey our message to them equally, no matter what their religion, culture, or nationality. We are the party of inclusion and equality, and it's important that we maintain this standard without fail.

Yes, it may be politically expedient to target voters based upon certain innate characteristics, but to do so requires us to sacrifice our dignity, principles, and ideals. If winning elections requires us to turn our backs and ignore that which defines us as Liberals, it may not be worth the cost.

I hope we can continue the discussion we began here in order to regain our principles and ethics. We are Liberals because we believe in equality, tolerance, and opportunity for all. We just need to make sure that the methods we use to win are also in accordance with these principles.

Liberal Targeting of Ethnic Groups Inconsistant with our Principles

2008-05-27T14:29:00.005-04:00

I recently had the privilege to attend a training session for the Liberal Party. While I learned many useful and helpful campaign techniques, some of the training content did concern me. For example, when we were studying Voter Contact, one of the sub categories we examined was "targeting by ethnicity," as you can see below.

Campaign Manager Training - Upload a doc

I am uncomfortable with our party targeting individuals and deciding on their usefulness or lack thereof simply based on their ethnicity. We are supposed to be a party of openness and inclusion, where all Canadians, regardless of race, religion, and background can feel comfortable and welcome.
I strongly encourage our Party to cease targeting voters based on ethnicity and instead focus on recruit the Canadian population as a whole.

Reward Compassion Rather than Fighting it

2008-05-16T13:10:00.002-04:00

I read this story this morning which both pleased and enraged me. In Abbotsford, British COlumbia, a local pastor has begun feeding the homeless and the hungry in a local park, which is an act of compassion and altruism.

Rather than commend this man for his helping actions, local business owners and city councilors are trying to shut him down. What a cruel and unnessecary action! How heartless do you have to be to prefer people to starve rather than be healthy and fed?

These business owners need to look beyond their own self-interested lives to see the suffering around them in their community and participate in its solution, rather than trying to exacerbate the problem.

More Proof that Failing to Invest in Health Care has Dengerous Conserquences

2008-05-15T12:11:00.002-04:00

The Ottawa Sun has an article today on their website which states that one in five Canadian nurses admits making mistakes with patients' medications as a result of being stressed from overwork.

According to a StatsCan survey of 18,000 nurses, 70% of nurses agreed with the statement "I have too much work for one person to do." A further 62% believed that their work load negatively impacted the quality of their work.

Investing in health care is one of the most important things the government can do. Investing more money on nurses and doctors will ensure not only that we have a strong health care system, but it will also lessen mistakes and keep us alive and healthy.

Nurses our our front line workers against disease and injury; we need to properly compensate them for the noble and altruistic work they do on behalf of each and every one of us.

Proud of Liberals for standing Up for Truth and the Freedom of Speech

2008-05-14T11:51:00.004-04:00

Like many Canadians, I saw in today's Toronto Star that the Liberals have filed a statement of defence against Stephen Harper over the Chuck Cadman vote-buying scheme.

Rather than be frightened and cowed into submission as the Conservatives had hoped, we are standing strong and defying their scare tactics and attempts to muzzle free speech. The Liberal Party placed a legitimate and, in my opinion, accurate, criticism of the Prime Minister on the party website. As leader of the Conservative Party he is responsible for the actions of his deputies and must be held accountable for their improprieties.

By suing the Liberal Party, Stephen Harper was not interested in protecting his reputation, but instead interested in interfering with Liberal questioning of his activities. If he had been interested in the former, he would have protected his reputation by coming clean with the people of Canada about the actions of his officials and his full and total knowledge of the incident.

It is up to the Liberal Party to remain strong and unwavering in our decision to legitimately criticize the government. That is the role of the Official Opposition and I am very proud to be member of a party which holds Stephen Harper accountable for his actions.

Rising Food Prices Not a Horrible Thing

2008-05-12T11:30:00.005-04:00

Recently, I have read many articles describing the rise in food prices globally as a very bad thing. I would like to disagree with this view point, and argue that rising prices are actually a blessing in disguise.

Many developed nations will spend billions of dollars every year to subsidize farmers so that they can earn a viable living on their own. Some people complain about rising prices around the world, but this is actually a good thing for farmers. The production of food requires a great deal of maintenance, effort, and financial input. Many farmers in Canada and countries around the world are forced to go into debt in order to acquire the capital to plant their fields in the spring.

Wouldn't it be better if higher food prices meant that these farmers could sustain their operations on their own?

Humanitarian Crisis in Burma Shows the Need for Compassion

2008-05-09T13:28:00.002-04:00

The last few days have allowed the world to see and understand the devastation posed by the recent cyclone in Burma. People's lives, families, and livelihoods have been wiped out

It is imperative that the international world (of both governments and private citizens) continue to give generously in order to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. The government of Burma must also look past its reservations and allow disaster relief teams entry to the country in order to save lives of their citizens.

Dion a Visionary for Canada

2008-05-08T09:39:00.003-04:00

Today's Globe and Mail story on Stephan Dion's expected announcement of a Carbon-Tax policy platform is a refreshing and invigorating addition to the Canadian political landscape. By advocating such a bold and innovative policy, Dion is showing that he has the vision and drive to be Canada's next Prime Minister.

Dion is a very intelligent and far-thinking leader. Rather than being swayed by political expediency and opinion polls, Dion has looked at the facts of our economy and environment and opted for a policy that will both protect our environment and stimulate our economy.

A Carbon-Tax is not a tax grab whatsoever, because it will be used to offset and lower income tax rates for Canadians. Under his plan, those people whose activities and lifestyles inflict the most damage will pay the most. I strongly support such an initiative which will lower the tax burden on individuals and families who work hard to lower their carbon emissions and preserve our environment.

We Liberals are so very fortunate to have a leader who will propose such a needed and beneficial overhaul to our tax system. On days like today, I am very proud to be a Liberal!

Lack of Oversight Unacceptable

2008-05-06T09:26:00.001-04:00

Stephen Harper is a devious, deceptive, secretive, and dangerous Prime Minister. Ever since becoming Prime Minister, he has made the government less open, transparent, and accessible to Canadians.

When civil servants try to do their jobs as they need to be done, if the PMO is unhappy about the content of their work they are disciplined or fired.

When journalists try to cover the government by asking it questions, they are often told 'sorry we don't choose to comment on this issue to you now. Go away.'

And now, it has just gotten even worse with the decision of the government to kill the centralized Access to Information registry. When a citizen asks and pays for the government to publicize certain information, it should be then presented in an open and accessible manner so that other Canadians can see this information without having to also submit and pay for an identical request.

Shame on you, Stephen Harper, for making Canada into a tyrannical and autocratic state!

It's Time to Stand Up for the Safety of Canadians instead of Misguided Gun Owners

2008-04-21T10:45:00.006-04:00

Earlier this month, I wrote a post regarding the wrong and harmful actions of the Conservative government in regards to the federal gun registry. I strongly oppose their efforts to break apart the registry because I am a firm believer in gun control laws and the methods of enforcement. Safety is far, far more important than the ability to own deadly and potentially fatal weaponry.

My outrage on this issue has only increased today in light of a Toronto Star Story which states that the Government has given back to gun owners far more money than it has cost to run the Registry. According to the article, the operating costs since 2006 amount to $35.9 million, yet they have refunded and/or waived $56.5 million!

They could have more than covered the costs of operating this vital Registry, but instead they have undermined it financially, morally, and publicly. When is this government going to wake up and put the safety of vulnerable Canadians before the frivolity of gun enthusiasts? Hopefully soon, before too many innocent lives are lost to gun crimes.

It is time to make a firm stand against firearms here in Canada. Stop refunding money to gun owners when it can be used to support the Gun Registry!

Hillier Deserves Criticism, not Praise and Adoration

2008-04-17T11:31:00.005-04:00

This week's announcement that Chief of Defense Staff General Rick Hillier will resign in the summer prompted a flood of media adoration and rosy comments. They went on and on about his abilities to connect with the soldiers in Afghanistan and spoke about his strength in standing up for the military.

However, it seems that no one has taken the effort to substantively criticize Hillier for his inappropriate politicization of the Department of National Defense. This man has worked very hard to promote the mission in Afghanistan as a military mission, as opposed to diplomatic and/or humanitarian mission. However, his job is not supposed to be political. That is the role of the Minister of Defense, not the Chief of Defense Staff. I believe quite strongly that we would not be engaged in such a combat-oriented mission in Afghanistan if it were not for him

Hillier has spent far too much time criticizing the former Liberal governments under Jean Chretien and Paul Martin. He should have stayed out of the political arena rather than throwing himself into it.

I just wish the media would stop their Hillier love-in for just a few minutes to take him to task for overstepping his boundaries.

Jim Flaherty Doesn't Care about Vulnerable Canadians

2008-04-10T16:27:00.003-04:00

Today, Jim Flaherty proved his mean-spirited and petty contempt for vulnerable Canadians. He told reporters outside of the House of Commons that in order to avoid a budget deficit "We're not raising taxes. There are other ways that governments can balance budgets, of course. We can always restrain spending if that becomes necessary."

How can Flaherty not realize that millions of Canadians depend on the government to provide vital services to them which cannot just be taken away without dire consequences. Too many Canadians are living paycheque-to-paycheque without any room to spare and they rely on the government for many services. How will they be able to cope if the government takes them away?

Flaherty could have said that, in the event of economic hardship in the government, wealthy Canadians would be called upon to pay more taxes. After, they made their wealth here in Canada, and they ought to do more for our country which has provided them with such opportunity. Instead, Flaherty decided to recover the hypothetical shortfall from the most vulnerable Canadians.

Our government provides many valuable services for our country. I would personally argue that it to do even more to help Canadians (such as access to child care for women and families), but at the very least, we cannot afford to take any of what we have now away from us. We need to invest in Canadians so we can all grow stronger together, not threaten to abandon the most vulnerable members of our society at the time when they need the government the most.

Shocking Threat to Privacy!!!

2008-04-10T14:29:00.004-04:00

On the Ottawa Sun's website, there is a shocking story about Canadians' privacy risks. Yesterday, American Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that an individual's fingerprints are not private and eligible for sharing as biometric information.

He said that "They're not particularly private. Your fingerprint's hardly personal data, because you leave it on glasses and silverware and articles all over the world."

This is unacceptable and I am incredibly shocked that he would not recognize that something so unique and personal as one's fingerprint is not a matter of privacy for that individual. We need to have the right to control how our personal information is used and distributed. Our fingerprints are unique to each and everyone of us and, when examined, have the ability to identify us.

I am not comfortable with the idea of any person or any government having the ability to identify me without my knowledge and consent of it (which I would never give). Conservatives in both Canada and the united states need to realize that our unique personal information is sacred and not of the public domain.

Conservatives Sending the Wrong Message on Gun Ownership

2008-04-09T09:49:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, the federal firearms commissioner made public his report in which he outlined that the Conservative government has refunded nearly $21 million to gun owners in Canada. Rather than forcing gun owners to comply with the gun registry, the Conservatives (led by public safety minister Stockwell Day) have encouraged them to flout the law.

The Conservatives has not only refunded gun owners for the fees they sent in during 2006, it has introduced an 'amnesty' so that unregistered gun owners do not need to comply with the law and register their deadly weapons. According to the report, 234,000 registrations have expired and their owners have not renewed.

Canadians need to be very, very concerned with these developments to our gun laws. Many of us like to think that the government will protect innocent Canadians from harm, but the truth is that they aren't protecting us. They're making it more difficult for police to know a full picture about the individuals they investigate and track. They're making it more dangerous for Canadians by allowing these guns to remain in houses and apartments across Canada where they can be used to harm people.

Guns are used not only by street criminals to inflict harm; it is not limited to drive-by shootings and gang violence. Some of these so-called 'ordinary, law-abiding Canadians' use their weapons in cases of domestic strife, disagreements with neighbours, or even against random innocent Canadians. Sadly, anyone with a gun in their possession has the option to use it on another human being, and some of them choose to do so.

We need to protect society from these deadly weapons, which should be a greater priority than allowing gun owners to keep their firearms outside of the law.

How can we expect to send a message to criminals that gun crime will not be tolerated when the government is enabling ordinaries Canadians to break the law as established by Parliament by not registering their firearms?

More Proof of Racism Amongst the Conservative Party of Canada

2008-04-03T14:39:00.004-04:00

In the past couple of days, documents have come to light showing racist tendencies held by Prime Minister Stephen Harper from a Reform Party policy document he wrote in 1988, as well as statements made as recently as 2001.

Today, it has come out that one of his caucus members, Tom Lukiwski from Saskatchewan, is the exact same. Apparently, Lukiwski as well as Saskatchewan Premier, Brad Wall, appear in a videotape containing sexist, racist, and homophobic statements.

Such beliefs is not the type of beliefs our elected representatives should hold. MPs represent every single one of their constituents, not only the ones with their preferred skin colour, gender, and sexual orientation.

Shame on the Conservatives!

True Respect Requires Actions, not Just Words

2008-04-02T11:19:00.003-04:00

Today, the House of Commons will vote on a motion in favour of lowering the flag on the Peace Tower to half-staff to show respect and remembrance for soldiers killed in Afghanistan. I fully support this motion and encourage all Members of Parliament, particularly those in the Government, to support and abide by its terms.

Conservatives frequently evoke rhetoric on just how much they support the troops serving in Afghanistan - yet, they oppose this motion! If they really care about the soldiers in question, they should want to convey this respect through actions, not just empty rhetoric. This is a tangible action which can be taken to show just how strongly they support the soldiers in Afghanistan and the sacrifices they are making on behalf of Canadians.

The complete text of the motion is as follows:

"That, in the opinion of the House, in order to show respect and to honour Canadian Forces and other Canadian government personnel who are killed while serving in overseas peacekeeping, peacemaking or humanitarian missions, the government should lower the flag on the Peace Tower to half-staff for the day following their demise as a remembrance of their important service to Canada and Canadians and that a moment of silence to be observed in the House, if the House is sitting on that same day."

Immature Attack Website Crosses the Line

2008-03-29T10:13:00.005-04:00

A friend emailed me the following link to a website which attacks the Liberal party.

http://www.ratemyleader.org/

Visitors are asked to watch videos of Dion and other former leadership contenders, such as Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff, and vote on who wins the matchup. The current featured video depicts our Leader's speech following the recent by-elections and Bob Rae's speech following his win.

I think it crosses the line with its attacks on our Leader as well as other members of our united team. This is not a productive dialogue about how best to run and shape our country; it is childish, lame, and immature. Stephane Dion is a strong leader for our party and I am proud to support him and I eagerly await the results of the next federal election.

People who engage in this type of degrading, mean, infantile, and anonymous attacks are not only hurting and making fun of individuals, but hindering the development of a better Canada, under the Liberal Party of Canada

What do you think of this immature website?

Proposed Immigration Reform Wrong for Canada

2008-03-27T14:39:00.003-04:00

Recently, there has been much discussion about the proposed legislative reforms to Canada's immigration policy. Immigration Minister Diane Finley has proposed that her office should have the authority to direct immigration officers to accept certain groups of types of people. This approach is completely wrong for Canada.

We are a country built by immigrants and their descendants. We ought to welcome newcomers to Canada with welcome arms, rather than seek to limit their numbers here. Newcomers bring new ideas, new innovations, new ways of thinking which add to the value of our existing society. Every immigrant, not just the most skilled or educated, brings a wealth of potential to our country and none should be excluded.

In Canada, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to develop and exercise our potential and contribute fully to our society, and we ought not to exclude immigrants just because they are not yet skilled. Skills can be learned and developed, but passion, commitment, and initiative cannot. We ought not to look specifically for immigrants based on the skills they possess, but rather for their willingness to work and grow here. In Canada, we can become anything we want to be

Canada is the greatest country in the world in which to live. I love being a Canadian citizen and I am proud to welcome immigrants from around the world to our country. By interacting, we can learn from them, just as much as they can learn from us. There is hope and optimism for the future of the planet as we all learn from one another.

I implore you, Minister Finley, do not just accept or reject an immigrant on the basis of their resume, but look deeper into what they can become here in Canada.

Buzz Hargrove, Liberal Candidate?

2008-03-26T14:53:00.004-04:00

According to the news aggregator website National Newswatch, rumors are circulating throughout Ottawa that Canadian Auto Workers Union President Buzz Hargrove will be a liberal candidate in the next election. Even more exciting is the speculation that he will run against NDP leader Jack Layton in Toronto-Danforth!

I think this is excellent news for the Liberal Party and shows that we are very capable of attracting A-Level candidates to run under our banner. It further reinforces to the Canadian public that the Liberal Party is the only viable party which will actually stand up for hard-working Canadians, like those who work in the manufacturing industry.

The Conservative Government has stood by idly while manufacturing jobs have been weakened, and many have disappeared forever. If only we had a Liberal government in power, these concerns might actually be addressed.

This also sends a strong message that, like the Conservatives, the NDP lack the credibility to protect the jobs that Hargrove represents. Having him as one of our candidates will send a message that the only worthwhile progressive party in Canada capable of getting results on their behalf are the Liberals. The NDP may be vocal and loud, but they will never form the government and pass legislation.

Three Cheers for Buzz Hargrove and the Liberal Party of Canada!

Women Deserve Better From Society

2008-03-20T14:50:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I wrote a post about the importance of providing quality, affordable, and accessible child care options for working mothers across Canada, and i was quite dismayed to read the negative comments which this post generated.

The same type of regressive attitude towards women which I was striking out against was the attitude portrayed in the comments.

Women should not feel they need to remain in their homes because they cannot find quality affordable child care. Women should not be made to sacrifice their careers and individuality to raise their children. The nation needs to step up, do the right thing, and encourage women who want to have children and want to have a professional life as well. For far too long, women have been oppressed and kept back from reaching their full potential by society; in order to make up for this wrongdoing we must make significant steps to ensure that the playing field for women in the workforce is levelled. Allowing women to resume their rightful place in the workforce is something that we as a society should be eager and willing to do.

Furthermore, if the government step up and does the right thing, we can rest assured that all Canadian children receive the fullest and best quality learning opportunities. Some working families simply cannot afford to provide their children with educational opportunities to advance their development. These children should not suffer - they have the right to proper early learning and development.

Criticizing a woman's right to have a professional career and the right of her children to top-notch early learning programs is not the type of attitude we need in today's world.

Working Women Deserve Better and More Accessible Child Care Options

2008-03-19T11:17:00.003-04:00

Today's Globe and Mail has a front page story, "Why more moms do the daycare shuffle" which describes the increasing tendency for mothers to return to full-time work. These women should be commended for their insistence on participating fully in the employment market, and they should be accommodated with better access to quality child care.

The Liberal Party understood these needs, and had worked hard (particularly Ken Dryden) to develop child care options across Canada.

Unfortunately, the Conservative government doesn't value the right of women to be productive members of society with a life outside their home. They scrapped the provincial agreements which would have increased the options and affordability of child care sought by the women interviewed in the article.

According to the Globe and Mail, 68.5% of mothers with children under 16 work between 30-40 hours a week. We need to work hard to ensure that these women don't have to choose between their children and their careers, and the Liberal child care agreements would have gone a long way towards supporting working mothers.

Stephen Harper's government doesn't respect women and it is time for Canada to elect a Liberal government that will!

Another Former Conservative Disagreeing with Harper like a Rat Jumping a Sinking Ship

2008-03-13T14:37:00.005-04:00

Earlier this year, I wrote a post about Kim Campbell's recognition that Stephen Harper and the current Conservative government are bad for Canada. I encourage you to read it: http://progressforprogressives.blogspot.com/2008/01/
even-kim-campbell-sees-just-how-anti.html

Now, Joe Clark has also come out criticising Harper's government. According to Clark, Harper's attitude to foreign affairs and international dealings is "a difficult and potentially dangerous course to follow. There's not a lot of reconciliation in Mr. Harper's makeup. There are issues he's not addressed."

Mr. Clark is entirely right; Harper's attitude on foreign affairs has been overly divisive, obstinate, and wrong. We used to be a nation of peacekeepers and peace-brokers. Now we are little more than the United State's blind following sheep.

Now that Clark has joined Campbell in expressing his reservations about the current government, it really seems like the rats are jumping off the sinking ship that is this government. If former conservative Prime Ministers have a problem with Stephen Harper, it can't be long before he is obliterated in a general election.

RESP Bill a Winner

2008-03-12T10:32:00.003-04:00

Liberal MPs are constantly thinking for new and innovative ways to make life better for Canadian families. The recent passage in the House of Commons of Dan McTeague's bill is a perfect example of this. It would allow parents to make tax-deductible contributions of up to $5000 per child per year.

This policy would be good for Canadians in the present and excellent for Canadians in the future. Allowing parents to invest in their children today ensures that tomorrow those children will be able to pursue their dreams and become highly educated and productive members of society, which benefits all Canadians. No child should have to decide against going to university or college because the cost is too high.

Although I believe that the government has a great responsibility to invest significantly in the education sector, I believe that we should also make it easier for parents to assist in this as well. Innovative thinking is what we need in Canada and I am proud that this idea came from a Liberal MP.

If John Baird Really Cared about the Environment, He Would Actually Do Something About it...

2008-03-07T16:04:00.002-05:00

CBC interview with Conservative Environment Minister John Baird. He said the following in reference to the recent critical environment commissioner's report:

"We want to do a better job."

Wow...

If he actually wanted to do a better job on the ebvironment, Baird would have actually implemented the Kyoto Protocal.

If he actually wanted to do a better job on the environment, Baird would have actually stood up to the oil companies in Alberta.

If he actually wanted to do a better job on the environment, Baird actually listen to environmental scientists rather than muzzling them.

If he actually wants to do a better job for the environment, John Baird needs to resign as Minister of the Environment and let someone competent take over.

Conservative Policy on the Death Penalty is Just Plain Wrong

2008-03-05T14:23:00.002-05:00

It is completely inconsistent for the Conservative government to oppose the recent death sentence of a Canadian in Saudi Arabia while standing by and doing nothing for a Canadian sentenced to death in Montana. The government has decided to seek clemency for 23 year old Mohamed Kohail; however they refuse to seek clemency or support Ronald Smith, simply because he was condemned by the United States.

This government needs to wake up and stop endorsing everything the neo-conservatives do in the U.S. out of blind loyalty. The state should never have the right to take the life of an individual, no matter how 'democratic' or 'fair' the trial may have been.

While I do support Canadian efforts to spare Kohail's life, I want these efforts to also extend to Smith as well in order to achieve consistency in the Canadian position. The government deserves no praise for only doing what's right sometimes.

Chuck Cadman

2008-02-28T15:05:00.003-05:00

Today, I am in no way surprised by the news that has emerged regarding allegations that the Conservative Party of Canada tried to bribe MP Chuck Cadman to support them in a confidence vote in 2005 against Paul Martin's Liberal Government. It's the exact type of sneaky, illicit actions I have come to expect from them.

According to an upcoming book, Conservative officials tried a series of bribes in order to secure Cadman's vote in order to defeat the government. Apparently, he was offered a $1 million life insurance policy among other offers. Several articles in newspapers across Canada cite Chuck Cadman's widow, Dona, as the source of these allegations.

The Conservatives have shown themselves to be a devious and sneaky lot, and this just goes to show to what lengths they will go to win, even if they had to break the law to do it.

Budget Disappointments

2008-02-26T20:28:00.003-05:00

Today, finance minister Jim Flaherty released his newest budget, and it isn't good news for Canadians.

What about Canada's homeless? NOTHING
What about working parents who need affordable and quality child care? NOTHING
What about affordable housing? NOTHING

In my opinion one of the most despicable absences from this budget is the absence of any significant spending for aboriginal Canadians. The previous Liberal government had recognized the importance of acting to improve conditions for Canadian natives, but Stephen Harper quickly killed the $5 billion deal when he became prime Minister. Now they are only prepared to spend $135 million in new funds, which is too small to do anything of consequence. When will this government realize that they also have to take of all Canadians, not just the wealthy and upper-middle class?

Jim Flaherty and Stephen Harper are wrong for Canada and Canadians - we need balanced leadership that will provide for all Canadians, which is exactly what Stephane Dion will do once he is Canada's Prime Minister.

More evidence the government feels they are above the rules!

2008-02-07T16:54:00.001-05:00

It has come out in the news recently that Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty broke the rules regarding who he hired to help writing last year's budget speech. According to a ctv.ca article (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080207/speech_writer_080207/20080207?hub=Politics)
Flaherty hired a man named Hugh McPhie who was paid $122,000 for his assistance. Personally, I believe with certainty that last year's budget (with its abandonment of Canada's aboriginals, the environment, and children living in poverty) was no where near good enough to deserve such an extravagent and exorbitant paycheque.

Although Flaherty is now claiming to follow the rules, his promises ought not to be believed. This is too little and it's most definitely too late.

Is the Government Trying to Purge the Civil Service??

2008-02-04T22:55:00.000-05:00

Recently, I have written about heinous attempts by the Harper government to interfere with Canada's nuclear regulatory agency, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, which culminated in the firing of Linda Keen by Natural Resources Minister, Gary Lunn. This government has taken every opportunity it can grasp to get rid of unco-operative civil servants and bureaucrats. Their policies have been so bad that even government employees have been criticizing them. Unfortunatly, the authoritarian Harper regime can't handle criticism and resorts to firing its critics!

The latest victim is Deanna Allan, who worked as the vice-president of communications for the Canadian Wheat Board. On Friday, she announced that she had been fired by CWB President and Harper Yes Man Greg Arason. Arason himself was hired last year when the Conservatives fired then-President Adrian Measner for his support of the CWB's monopoly on wheat and barley.

Allan, Keen, and Measner were doing their jobs properly, and not according to the wishes of the government, and they lost their jobs for it. Stephen Harper and his cabinet ministers are acting like school-yard bullies, and the Canadian people cannot get rid of them soon enough.

Another Harper Minister Needs to Resign (or why not all of them, inlcuding the prime minister?)!

2008-01-17T14:50:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, I joined the chorus of calls for Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn to resign over his improper handling of the nuclear reactor situation in Chalk River, Ontario. It seems that the Conservative Cabinet is filled with nothing but incompetent and mindlessly partisan individuals (including the Prime Minister himself).

Stephane Dion has written a letter to the Prime Minister asking Harper to fire Helena Guergis from her position as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. You can read his letter at the following link:

http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/080115_guergis_letter_en.pdf

She publicly discussed the visit itinerary for when Dion and Michael Ignatieff visited Afghanistan last week with the media. Her decision to discuss their security could have engaged their safety and even their lives. Perhaps, that's even what she wanted to do...

It is completely unacceptable for her to have endangered Stephane Dion's life and still remain a minister of the government. She must be punished by losing her position in cabinet.

The Harper government needs to learn that there are some things which are more important than partisanship, such as the safety and lives of others, particularly individuals who they work alongside in the House of Commons every day. Surely Stephen Harper and his minions would rather see Stephane Dion alive than killed by the Taliban. Although, knowing them, that's not necessarily certain...

2008-01-16T12:12:00.000-05:00

Last week I wrote about the current controversy regarding the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ontario and the improper influence by Stephen Harper and his cabinet. Overnight, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn fired Linda Keen, the head of the nuclear regulatory commission. This is an absolutely unacceptable case of conservative interference into the affairs of an independent government organization.

Gary Lunn does not have the scientific and/or technical knowledge required to make such an important decision. She was fulfilling the mandate of her job to keep Canadians safe from a nuclear disaster, which I personally support.

Stephen Harper's government is very dangerous for Canada and Canadians. We need to know that our civil servants can do their job as according to their job descriptions, not in accordance with the political agenda of the Conservatives!

Even Kim Campbell Sees Just How Anti-Women the Conservative Government Is

2008-01-11T11:16:00.000-05:00

I just found an excellent new story on the Toronto Star website and I encourage every Canadian to read it! It can be found at http://www.thestar.com/News/article/292944

Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, herself a Progressive-Conservative Premier, has called Stephen Harper on his exclusion of women from his cabinet, especially from high profile ministries. She said that the government was treating women as an unimportant afterthought by not giving any woman a prominent portfolio.

I have long complained to my friends and family about Stephen Harper's hostility towards women and it's very nice to see that important conservative women agree with me. This government has continually acted to impede women in life; for instance, they killed the child care agreement the previous Liberal government had created. Although the Conservative Party may not like it, women have the right to work and have jobs other than raising children and we need to have affordable and accessible child care options. Women are equal and we cannot allow our rights to be trampled upon so easily by our government.

Stephen Harper needs to go. No Canadian Prime Minister should be allowed to discriminate against women the way he does!

Why We Need Kyoto

2008-01-10T14:15:00.000-05:00

This morning I was walking to my part-time job and I saw something very unfortunate. Traffic had been reduced to one lane in both directions for construction purposes, as it has been for at least a week now. There was a large buildup of vehicles on both sides for the road and traffic was moving very slowly. All this time that each and every car inched along the road, they were spewing untold amounts of greenhouse gas emissions into the air.

surely these drivers ought to have known that the road was blocked off and they ought to have considered alternative transportation methods such as walking, bicycling, taking the bus, or carpooling on order to reduce the traffic congestion. Not only would they have been able to get to work faster, they would have helped protect the environment and limit damage to it. However, it seems like no one actually opted to do so, instead they chose to drive at a snail's pace in environmentally-damaging cars.

Basically my point is that Canadians are seemingly not willing to make the sacrifices required to save their planet on their own. Canada needs the Kyoto Protocol in order to ensure that change actually happens to lower our greenhouse gas emissions.

Keep Canada Safe - Fire Minister Gary Lunn!

2008-01-09T20:35:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a good Christmas/Hanukkah/winter break and a happy New Year!

Although I took some time away from blogging recently in order to relax at home with my family for the holidays, and many days i didn't have access to the Internet, be assured that I am back now and will be sure to give you my thoughts on the important issues with which we are faced in today's world here in Canada.

For my first post-Christmas break post, I would like to comment on the situation which has recently come to light regarding the nuclear reactor in chalk River, Ontario and the Conservative government of Canada. This whole incident was completely mismanaged by Stephen Harper's conservatives who ignored this issue from the beginning! Why were they seemingly unaware of the problems this reactor faced? Should they not have been aware of the issue before it became an issue???

It has recently been made public that Natural Resources minister Gary Lunn had threatened to fire or punish the head of the regulatory commission, simply for doing her job to make sure that any nuclear plant in Canada is safe to operate!! Today, I saw that Liberal leader Stephane Dion has called for him to be fired from his cabinet post for his egregious and offensive actions and I firmly support this course of action. Gary Lunn has no right to attempt to pass the blame onto the regulatory commission when it firmly belongs squarely with him for failing to anticipate this unfortunate situation. He must resign now.

Personally, I am uncomfortable knowing that something so serious and potentially disastrous as Canada's nuclear power plants are under the domain of someone so incompetent and offensive as Gary Lunn appears to be.

Solving Youth Crime Requires More than Scare Tactics

2007-11-21T14:45:00.000-05:00

This week, Stephen Harper's Conservative Government tried to solve the problem of youth crime in completely the wrong manner. Rather than addressing the root causes of youth crime, like poverty and a lack of affordable, high-quality youth programs, he has decided instead that the best way to solve the issue is to lock young offenders in prison.

Criminologists have said that jail does not act as a deterrent for young offenders who mostly commit crimes in the 'heat of the moment' spontaneously. Teenagers think differently than adults, and as such, they need to be treated differently than adults. Instead of recognizing this, the Conservative Government has decided to engage in fear-politics and scare voters into supporting their policies without logical regard to the facts of the matter.

Rather than more jail time, we need more alternative sentencing. Rather than locking children away behind bars, we need to engage in more dialogue. Rather than frightening Canadians into believing that youth crimes are lurking behind every corner, we need to increase support to unemployed and working-class Canadians. Unless we look at the reasons why teenagers commit crimes, we will never be able to solve the problem whatsoever.

It's time for Stephen Harper to come clean...

2007-11-16T13:54:00.000-05:00

It's time for Stephen Harper to come clean to the Canadian public about what exactly he knows about the Schreiber-Mulroney allegations that have been in the media lately. As Prime Minister of Canada, it is his responsibility and his duty to publicly announce everything he knows about the whole affair and for how long he has known it.

This scandal has cast a dark shadow onto the Canadian government and we demand answers!

Tackling Poverty Should be a Priority for Canada

2007-11-14T16:22:00.000-05:00

Last week, I saw that Stephane Dion released his plan on how to fight one of the greatest social problems we have here in Canada: poverty. I really think he ought to be commended for tackling this important issue and standing up on behalf of some of the most vulnerable Canadians.

His plan really focuses on those Canadians who are, regrettably, often overlooked by society and the government, particularly working class Canadians, seniors and children. I like that the plan is not aimed at handouts to the people but instead it helps make sure they aren't overlooked and we help them out of their dire situations.

I think it's especially shameful that in a country as rich as Canada, we have 3.4 million Canadians living in poverty, including 788,000 children (according to the CBC.ca story I read). Something must be done about this, and I strongly believe that Stephane Dion's leadership on this issue will really make a difference.

how small-minded can people be???

2007-11-09T11:52:00.000-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me how stupid, intolerant, and small-minded some people are! How can any decent human being ever be so hurtful!

Just a few minutes ago, I was walking back from class to my res room and a homeless man came up to me and asked for some money so he could get a hot meal for the first time in a week. I gave him a couple of dollars, and then after I walked away I saw him ask a guy for the same thing. He just had this total look of disgust on his face, sneered at the man, and you'll never guess what he said... He said, "yes, I have money, but you're not getting a cent of it. If you really want some drug money, go get a job - although maybe you should have a shower first".

I can't believe that I actually heard that - I was so offended as a human being, and yelled at him for what he has said. he just shrugged his shoulders and told me I was such a stupid socialist! What a jerk!

I will never understand how someone could be so cruel to another human being, but then again, I will also never understand how someone could be conservative at all. Should we not care about one another in society? Should we not help those who are obviously less fortunate than we are?

I certainly think it's our responsibility.

First Post

2007-11-07T15:16:00.000-05:00

So, I've had some other blogs before, but usually they were of a more personal and friends-related nature. I now feel that the time has come to use this medium to reach out about the political issues which are nearest and dearest to my heart.

I want a place where I can write freely about my beliefs without being made fun of. Many of my friends here at university are really conservative, and they never let me express my views without being shouted down and dismissed entirely. As a matter of fact, it's really like the singleminded and hostile type of attitude that Stephen Harper constantly displays. I guess all those Conservatives really are the same...