politics

How to win an election: go knock on doors

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Wed, 08/10/2011 - 8:01pm

ANDREW STEELE, Globe and Mail

Everyone has a theory about why elections go the way they do:

“Barack Obama won the election because he understood new media.”

“In 2008, Obama only won the election because he won the critical states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin by differentiating himself from McCain on trade.”

“The Bush Economy won the election for Obama”

All of these are interesting theories, but they are difficult to prove.

But there is one thing that is proven to increase voter turnout for your candidate: canvassing. Read more »

When will our politicians start levelling with us?

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 4:42pm

Editorial, Orangeville Citizen

IF THERE’S ONE THING to be said of today’s politicians at every level, it’s that they all are unable or unwilling to deal honestly with their electorates about taxes.

While the situation is far worse in the United States, where there’s a continuing refusal by both Democrats and Republicans to acknowledge that taxes must go up significantly if anything resembling balanced budgets are to be achieved, the same malaise exists here at the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government. Read more »

Playing the politics of slogans and fear

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Mon, 02/28/2011 - 6:23pm

By: JEFFREY SIMPSON, Globe and Mail

In a country of “peace, order and good government,” any government should worry about order, including threats to that order from crime. Crime rates are falling for many offences, according to Statistics Canada, but crime remains a legitimate concern for people and communities, a concern magnified by pervasive media coverage. Read more »

Harper's Conservatives Follow, in Lock-Step, the US Right Wing's Dirty Playbook

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Tue, 09/14/2010 - 11:50am
By David Myers, Vancouver Sun Community of Interest Blog
 
There is a disturbing trend going on amongst Canadian right wing proponents including the Harper government. They are attempting to copy US right-wing methods in Canada in lock-step formation. These methods include trying to establish a national right-wing media like FOX “News” that purports to be an unbiased factual based news media, but is in fact the propaganda tool of a right-wing political movement and its chosen party (the Republicans in the US and the Conservative in Canada).
 
Now, here in Canada, the Conservative government of Steven Harper is trying to use the power of government to control and manipulate the free flowing distribution of scientific information. (See “Tightened Muzzle on Scientists Is Orwellian” in the Vancouver Sun, page B2, Monday September 13, 2010).

Harper lets the ethics slide

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Sat, 05/29/2010 - 6:16pm
By National Post editorial board
 
When Stephen Harper’s Conservatives came to power in 2006, they took to calling themselves Canada’s New Government, determined to signal a break from the discredited Liberal way of running the country. It was to be all about accountability, openness and ethics in government.
 
Fast forward four years or so and the government is fighting a running battle to keep security documents from the eyes of Parliament, stonewalling the auditor general’s request to audit MP’s expenses and refusing to allow ministers’ aides to testify before committees. And now we have Tony Clement, the Industry Minister, flogging products to China on behalf of a private company.

NDP, Liberal, Conservative politicians petition to stop Marc Emery's extradition to the US

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 4:26pm
By Carlito Pablo, Georgia Straight

Members of Parliament from three parties—Conservative, Liberal, and New Democrat—are poised to present petitions with thousands of signatures seeking to stop the extradition to the U.S. of Canada’s Prince of Pot, Marc Emery.

Read more »
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