Wildroses in Alberta – but the grass is not always greener on the other side

Danielle Smith and the Wildrose Caucus, (R to L) Guy Boutilier, Heather Forsyth, Danielle Smith, Paul hinman, Rob Anderson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In an interesting twist of fate Alberta, long a stronghold for the Conservatives, is going through some family issues. Till death do us part is not the motto for conservatives today. Alberta is going through growing pains. With an influx of Canadians, of all stripes, change seems to be affecting the province as a whole. The Wildrose party has surged in popularity, but will it last? Cracks in the foundation are already apparent; with Wildrose members sounding both intolerant of immigrants and out of step with Canadian values. In some sense we can draw a comparison to the Republican Party in the United States. With forces split between what is seen as moderates, like Mitt Romney and The Tea Party elements of the Republicans. I sense that this is more of a protest vote; similar to the ADQ in Quebec. The Progressive Conservatives are holding true to the name “progressive”, but will the residents of Alberta give them another chance. With the election near Wildrose party members are under close scrutiny. Can the Wildrose Party grow into a sustainable political force? Or will they continue to bloom and show their true colours?

http://www.thestar.com/mobile/news/canada/politics/article/1164711–tim-harper-alberta-s-wildrose-leader-danielle-smith-s-bumpy-road-to-history

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• Alberta election poll shows Wildrose Party ahead (cbc.ca)
• Alison Redford condemns Wildrose party for having ‘small Alberta’ vision (calgaryherald.com)
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NDP Convention: Thomas Mulcair leads the first round of balloting

Français : Thomas Mulcair le 23 avril 2011 à Montréal lors de la campagne électorale fédérale (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Seems that the first round has shown Thomas Mulcair leading in the NDP leadership race. Thomas Mulcair won 30% of the vote on the first ballot. However, can the Quebec MP get enough support to win the race to succeed Jack Layton?

http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/?lang=en

 [yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS9jpCMBHUY&feature=related’%5D

First Ballot Results:

Thomas Mulcair: 19,728 votes

Nathan Cullen: 10,671 votes

Brian Topp: 13,915 votes

Peggy Nash: 8,353 votes

Paul Dewar: 4,683 votes

Martin Singh: 3,821 votes

Niki Ashton: 3,737 votes

Update: It looks like Thomas Mulcair is closer to winning the leadership of the NDP. He remains in the lead on the second ballot, but just short of a victory.

Read more:

http://www.canada.com/news/Thomas+Mulcair+remains+lead+short+victory/6354549/story.html

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/

Related articles

• Rae vs. Mulcair (macleans.ca)
• NDP releases first ad featuring Thomas Mulcair (ctv.ca)
• Winning the weekend vs. Winning the race (macleans.ca)

Astral Media has just been bought by Bell for over 3 billion dollars

News has just broken that Bell has bought outright the entire assets of Astral media. This means that the popular News Talk 1010 is now owned by Bell. Definitely showing that convergence is not dead in Canada. It will be interesting to see how this will play out in the media landscape and if Rogers or Telus will make any moves on the media front in Canada.

Read more:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/938567/astral-enters-into-definitive-agreement-for-acquisition-by-bell

The deadly asbestos trade

Asbestos is a mineral with long, thin fibrous crystals. The word asbestos (῾ἀσβεστος) is derived from a Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks termed asbestos the miracle mineral because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its ability to withstand heat.

Asbestos is known to have toxicity. The inhalation of toxic asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis (also called pneumoconiosis). Since the mid 1980s, many uses of asbestos have been banned in many countries.

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Canada’s deadly trade in asbestos by Mark Bourrie Canada is starting work this summer on a billion dollar project to renovate its parliamentary buildings and cleanse them of asbestos, which has been found to cause cancer. The project will take six years to complete but, in the meantime, Canadian government agents are still pushing exports of the fibre. Canada even has gone so far as to argue a challenge at the World Trade Organization that a proposed French ban on asbestos imports would be an illegal trade practice. Despite recent warnings that asbestos was the cause of 500,000 cancer victims in western Europe alone, Canadian asbestos producers continue to promote and sell their fibre worldwide – especially to developing nations. Asbestos is used as a binder in cement, as insulation, and in anti-fire walls. It is also a potent carcinogen with a long, well-documented legacy of death. The danger comes when small asbestos fibres are released and inhaled by labourers. The fibres cause cancerous growths in the lungs, lung lining and abdomen but can take 20 years or more to manifest. In 1997, Canada exported 430,000 tonnes of asbestos – more than 96% of production – most of it to the developing world. Canada is the world’s second-largest exporter of asbestos after Russia. Union activists, who have visited India and other developing countries say, however, that the public relations efforts of the government and the asbestos industry are simply window-dressing to hide the fact that most people who work with the natural mineral fibre risk cancer. Critics of Canada’s asbestos exports say the country is exporting death to protect the profits of a handful of companies and the jobs of 1,600 miners. “What’s the difference between land mines and asbestos?” asks Dr. Barry Castleman, author of a respected book on the danger of asbestos. “A key difference, of course, is that Canada doesn’t export land mines.” At the heart of the issue is Canada’s own precarious political situation. All of the asbestos mines in Canada are in Quebec, a predominantly French-speaking province with a separatist government. Federal and provincial politicians are pushing asbestos exports to prove that they are successful at developing overseas markets, and are protective of Quebec workers. Critics of asbestos exports say the industry would probably be allowed to die if it was centred in any other part of the country. “Personally, I believe this is all about Quebec politics,” says Canadian Auto Workers Health and Safety director Cathy Walker. “The Canadian and Quebec governments are competing with one another to show just how prepared they all are to protect Quebec jobs.” The real costs will be borne by the developing world, she says. Walker just returned from India, where she saw unprotected workers slashing open bags of asbestos fibres. In places where the asbestos was being mixed into cement, clouds of the carcinogenic fibres swirled around workers. In Britain, the Cancer Research Campaign said in January that its study into the European asbestos-linked cancer epidemic should sound alarm bells everywhere, “particularly in the developing world where uncontrolled asbestos is still very common,” said CRC director Gordon McVie. Seven of Canada’s top 10 markets are Third World countries. Still, the Canadian government, the asbestos industry and lobby groups are trying to put a good face on the asbestos industry. Recently, diplomats stationed here were flown to asbestos- producing regions on an all-expense-paid first-class junket. Read more

The bigger story: Justin Trudeau wins Montreal riding. Will he become the next leader of the Liberals

Justin Trudeau

INGRID PERITZ

Globe and Mail Update

October 15, 2008 at 1:22 AM EDT

MONTREAL — Justin Trudeau, heir to one of the most famous names in Canadian politics, will succeed his father to Ottawa after securing a victory in the Montreal riding of Papineau last night.

Mr. Trudeau’s campaign headquarters erupted in chants of “Jus-tin, Jus-tin, Jus-tin” as his victory was announced.

Greeted by cheers from his supporters, Mr. Trudeau promised to fight for social justice and against Tory policies, especially on the environment.

“Canada once again chose to tell Stephen Harper, ‘We just don’t trust you with a majority’,” Mr. Trudeau, flanked by his wife, Sophie Grégoire, said in the theatrical voice that Canadians came to know when he delivered the eulogy at his father’s

He acknowledged that carrying the Trudeau name wasn’t always easy during the campaign. Speaking to reporters, he said he weathered the personal attacks against him by recognizing he was being targeted “because of my name, not because of me.”

He said that while his father’s presence was always with him, he is now is the father of an 11-month-old himself.

“I’m a father now, not a son,” he said.

Margaret Trudeau, his mother, said she hoped politics would be kind to her son, “but I have no illusions.”

“I’m very proud of Justin. This is what Justin wanted and as a mother I wanted him to fulfill his dreams,” she said in an interview.

Mr. Trudeau, burdened by an image as a lightweight, campaigned hard after a tough nomination battle in the Montreal riding of Papineau. Now the 36-year-old political neophyte will head to Parliament, 43 years after his father, Pierre Trudeau, was first elected as an MP. Read More

The bigger story: Canadian Election is the lowest in history at only 59 percent

CLOSE TO 10 MILLION CANADIANS DID NOT BOTHER TO VOTE!!!

OTTAWA — Early figures indicate Canadians avoided the ballot box more than ever before on election day.

Just 58 per cent of eligible voters visited the polls — from a high of 69 per cent in Prince Edward Island to 48 per cent in Newfoundland, according to preliminary numbers.

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Voter turnout is heavy in Durham and York region, the middle class is voting for Harper and splitting the vote to Layton. Dion’s leadership maybe in question?

Update (7:56pm):Just came back from voting and turnout is heavy. I had to wait in line for a long time as it went outside of the High School and into the parking lot. Durham residents are voting, are you?

Update (10:14pm): It will be a Conservative win for Harper. The question is how large of a win? In Durham region there are some tight races in Oshawa. There is no way to declare a winner at the moment. Tonight is definitely a strange night. The Conservatives are doing well across the board. However, the Liberals are actually looking strong in Quebec, which is a definite blow to Jack Layton and the NDP. It will be interesting to see the numbers from B.C as they come in. However, no matter how you  put it, at the moment this is the Conservatives night. Albeit, still a minority at the moment they are picking up seats in Ontario. Dion has helped in Quebec, however strangely they are hurting in Ontario, which is there base. An interesting note is Ontario’s north has gone NDP. I am not sure if this is a pattern for Jack Layton to go on, however it’s an interesting note for the future. The NDP vote is definitely up in percentage, however he must be disappointing with the seat total. Also, the Conservatives are doing well in Thornhill with Peter Kent. Better thank Peter Shurman for that pick up! Dion will definitely have to explain the Carbon Tax to his caucus. Canadians were either in fear (a general lack of understanding) of the Carbon Tax. Or is this a message from Ontario on his leadership?

BIG NEWS: Oh my! Garth Turner has been defeated! Harper must be happy….

Update: Voter turnout may have been heavy in Durham, however across the Country it seems NO ONE CARES. Voter turnout was the lowest in Canadian history at only 59%.

Layton appeals to Quebec voters

RICHARD BRENNAN
OTTAWA BUREAU
GATINEAU—NDP Leader Jack Layton today urged Quebec voters to turn their backs on the separatist Bloc Quebecois.

“There’s a new choice for Quebec in this election – a choice of hope and optimism,” he said, adding the province would benefit in many ways from a national party, as opposed to one that has no MPs outside Quebec.

Layton pointed out many things that Quebecers hold dearly, such as the environment, that require strong actions across provincial boundaries that can only be offered by a national party.

The NDP is hoping to make a breakthrough in the riding of Gatineau with Francoise Boivin, a former Liberal MP in the Paul Martin/s Liberal government. The riding is now held by the PQ’s Richard Nadeau.

Throughout the election, Layton has been appealing to voters of all political stripes to side with the NDP, promising a New Democratic government would kill the Conservatives’ $50 billion corporate tax cut and use that money to improve child care, hire nurses and doctors, and bring in pharmacare, among other things.

Earlier in the day in Toronto, the NDP campaign turned to veteran New Democrat war horse Ed Broadbent to shore up support.

“It is good news for the NDP in every part of the country,” he told the adoring crowd, adding that the party is challenging in 20 ridings where the NDP have never been a contenders.

“We will bring in new seat after seat and we will have the largest caucus in the history (of the party),” Broadbent, who had a record 43 seats in 1988, told about 400 supporters.

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Why you should not ignore Jack! Is it time for a new vision for Canada?

Maybe its time for change? Maybe its time for a new Prime Minister? We like to think the Tories are the best for managing deficits, however, Ronald Reagan, Brian Mulroney, Mike Harris (Ernie Eves), George Bush and now maybe Harper, will show us that maybe those ideologies just do not work? The Conservatives say that our fundamentals are sound. However, who are they fooling. They are not true Libertarians. There own platforms calls for an approx 1-2 % growth. Economist say that this is highly optimistic, if not deceptive. With the U.S slowdown it is more likely to be a 1-2 % downward turn. That amounts to, in a recent broadcast on CBC Newsworld of a 3.3 billion dollar shortfall. Hmmm! Sounds familiar? Remember Ernie Eves? Yes, Ontario was left with a large deficit, even though our “fundamentals were sound” in Ontario. Makes me wonder, what are the Conservatives going to cut in order to balance the books? Will there be some form of privatization of Healthcare or key Government corporations? Read more below from a recent National Post article on Jack Layton. It maybe time for Canadians to give the guy a chance.  By: Isaac Thomas / G.T.A Patriot Contributor

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By: John Ivison, National Post
Published: Monday, September 29, 2008

Jack Layton

Jack Layton has never really been taken seriously. Beyond the fiercely partisan types who crowded into a community centre just off Danforth Avenue yesterday, the NDP leader has always been regarded as a harmless buffoon — a man so smug, he’d drink his own bathwater. Jack — let’s call him Jack — has always said outrageous things and nobody has paid too much attention to this point.

But perhaps it’s time people actually started listening.

The NDP leader unveiled his party’s platform yesterday in front of a boisterous crowd in his own riding. It was a virtuoso performance.

“Friends, I sense a real excitement out there. A sense of hope that this time, in this election, we can really make a difference,” he said.

“And maybe we can even make a little history.”

If current polling trends continue, he could do just that, by taking possession of the keys to Stornoway, the residence of the leader of the Official Opposition. The NDP started the campaign as much as 19 points behind the Liberals — some polls now put them in a statistical tie.

On the surface, much of the New Democrat platform will seem appealing to many Canadians — families would receive an enhanced child benefit payment of up to $400 a month; billions would be spent on affordable housing; students would be given a $1,000-a-year grant; more doctors would be hired and their loans forgiven if they work in family medicine; and everyone would get an extra day off work in February. Unlike in days of yore, this would not mean plunging the country into deficit. Budgets would be balanced and personal income taxes would be held steady.

In short, Jack made a convincing case that if he became prime minister, we could trust him to spend our money wisely. There he is in his campaign literature, sleeves rolled up, in the living rooms of the hard-pressed Canadian families helping them make ends meet. No wonder he’s flying high in the polls — he’s identified real problems, real issues and promised real solutions.

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Undemocratic Canada? Parties excluded and FPNP Challange the Democratic Process

Response letter to CTV New cast Sept 11th, 2008 Re: “Fringe parties excluded”

Canada

Dr. David Suzuki spoke on Canada AM Thrusday morning September 11th, to promote his new book on the enviroment. He was asked about the Green party leader, Elizabeth May, and her participating in the leader’s debate. To paraphrase Mr. Suzuki he stated that GREEN values should be integral in all political parties, and because it is not, we need the Green Party. With the Green Party included in the debates the environment will definitely be an issue during the leaders’s debate.

The First Peoples National Party (FPNP), Canada’s newest offical and federal party is also excluded from the debate. The FPNP ran 5 candidates in the last election with more votes collectly then most of the other small parties. When these small official federal parties are labled “Fringe” parties by the media and excluded from the debate where is the democracy?

Canada’s First Peoples are the only ethnic group governed separately then the rest of the Canadians and under the responsibility of the federal government. Therefore, the First Peoples are Canada’s unifying element. The Bloc Quebecois on the other hand are a non-federalist political party with a goal to separate from Canada. They will be included in this debate.

Canada’s First Peoples are not part of the political system and is the reason why the First Peoples National Party (FPNP) was formed. Any country that excludes its indigenous peoples from its political system is a colonial society.

Inspired and formed by Canada’s First Peoples the FPNP is the only party that can be truly called a National Federal Party yet we are left out of this national debate. The First Peoples values of inclusion is the reason why Canada exists today. It is this value of inclusion that guides the FPNP and our policies.

Just as Mr. Suzuki suggested of the Green Party, the FPNP has the MORAL RIGHT to be included in the national leader’s debate. Only then would the centuries old injustices be addressed and healing for all Canadians can begin.

The First Peoples National Party is putting people first, giving voice to all people. No other federal party can say that. Until those voices are heard by all Canadians we don’t live in a democracy.

Will Morin
Eastern Director FPNP
Offical FPNP Candidate, Sudbury, Ontario
1-705-561-8004, toll free: 1-877-248-4133
email: willpower@ontera.net
http://www.fpnpoc.ca

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A list of all Canadian Political parties this election

Well in case you “really” need to know, some details on the parties asking for your votes in this upcoming election are below.

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Animal Alliance
The Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada was founded in 2005 and the current leader is Liz White. Their headquarters are in Toronto Ontario and currently hold no seats, nor historically have they ever won a seat in the House of Commons. “Animal Alliance of Canada is committed to the protection of all animals and the promotion of a harmonious relationship among people, animals and the environment.” View their official website at – www.animalalliance.ca

Bloc Quebecois

The Bloc Quebecois are a centre-left party that is devoted to the goal of sovereignty for Quebec. It only runs candidates in Quebec and does currently have seats in Parliament. Founded in 1991 the current party leader is Gilles Duceppe. The party headquarters are in Montreal Quebec. Visit their official website at www.blocquebecois.org

Canadian Action Party

Former federal defence minister Paul Hellyer founded the Canadian Action Party in 1997. The current party leader is Connie Fogal, and they have their headquarters in Vancouver British Columbia. CAP currently does not have any members of Parliament, nor have they had any elected in the past. The Canadian Action Party is a nationalist party and their website can be found at www.canadianactionparty.ca

Christian Heritage Party

Looking for Canada to be governed according to biblical teachings, the Christian Heritage Party of Canada was founded in 1987. The current leader of the party is Ron Gray, and the headquarters for the party is located in Ottawa Ontario. The CHP has not won any seats in Parliament in its history. Visit the CHP website at www.chp.ca

Communist Party of Canada

Even though the Communist Party of Canada has no seats in the federal Parliament, it has been able to influence through the courts Canada’s electoral laws, making them more democratic and inclusive. The Communist Party of Canada’s leader is Miguel Figueroa, and the party was founded in May 1921. Party headquarters are in Toronto Ontario and the official website can be found at www.communist-party.ca

Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada

Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada as it is known for official election purposes, prefers the party be called CPC-ML – Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist). Founded in 1970, the party has no seats in the Canadian House of Commons and is headquartered in Montreal Quebec. Visit the official site at www.mlpc.ca

Conservative Party of Canada

The Conservative Party of Canada is a creation of the merger of both the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. The merger of the parties took place in December 2003 after the Conservative Party Agreement-in-Principle between the current Prime Minister Stephen Harper (then leader of the CA), and Peter MacKay (then leader of the Progressive Conservative Party). The party currently forms the government of Canada in a minority position. Party headquarters are in Ottawa Ontario, and the party’s official website is www.conservative.ca

First Peoples National Party

Advancing the issues of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada, the First Peoples National Party of Canada, or FPNPC, was founded in 2005. The party nominates candidates in ridings with large Aboriginal populations, but have yet to win a seat in the House of Commons. The party headquarters are in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario. Visit the official website at www.fpnpoc.ca

Green Party of Canada

The largest of the federally registered political parties without seats in the House of Commons, the Green Party of Canada was founded in 1983 around a green platform. The current party leader is Elizabeth May, and the party headquarters are in Ottawa Ontario. The Greens ran candidates in every riding in the last two federal elections. The official site for the Green Party can be found at www.greenparty.ca

Liberal Party of Canada

Canada’s oldest continuously running federal political party is the Liberal Party of Canada. Founded July 1, 1867, the Liberal Party has often been the party to lead Canada. This centre-left party has its headquarters in Ottawa Ontario, and is currently the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament. Current party leader is Stephane Dion, and the official website can be found at www.liberal.ca

Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Canada was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Embrun Ontario. Adhering to libertarian tenets the party has yet to win any seats in the House of Commons. The party leader is Jean-Serge Brisson and the official website is www.libertarian.ca

Marijuana Party

With a goal to end the prohibition of cannabis, Marc-Boris St-Maurice founded the Marijuana Party of Canada in 2000. The current party leader is Blair T. Longley, and the party headquarters are in Osoyoos British Columbia. The Marijuana Party does not have seats in the House of Commons but has been instrumental in changing Canada’s electoral laws. The party website is www.marijuanaparty.com

The New Democratic Party

The New Democratic Party, which was founded on June 17, 1961, currently holds seats in the House of Commons and forms the governments of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The federal NDP are a centre-left party lead by Jack Layton, and the party headquarters are in Ottawa Ontario. Visit the federal NDP website at www.ndp.ca

Progressive Canadian Party

Members of the former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada who opposed the party merger with the Canadian Alliance founded the Progressive Canadian Party in March 2004. The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, or PC Party, currently has no seats in Parliament and is lead by Sinclair Stevens. The party headquarters are in Toronto Ontario. The PC Party official website is www.progressivecanadian.org

Tories widen their lead. Is Canada becoming more conservative or do we just like Harper?

A new poll suggests the Conservatives have solidified a substantial lead over their closest rivals, thanks at least in part to a lack of confidence in Liberal helmsman Stéphane Dion. The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll, conducted Sept. 10-13, gave the Conservatives 40 per cent support across Canada, followed by the Liberals at 26 per cent.

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