On The Choice of Vote

While my blog has been notably...let's say anti-Conservative, and pointedly anti-Harper.  I have generally attempted to not be particularly partisan in my support of either Liberals, NDP or Green.  Or Pirate for that matter, although Mikkel Paulson has struck me as a rather nice and well-informed guy.

The reason for this is that there are a multitude of salient points which should influence any Canadian citizen on who deserves their vote.

First and foremost, let me say that even though it is perceived as naive, I honestly believe that the Candidate matters as much, if not more than the party.  The particular Candidate you vote for must be someone you believe will represent you.  They and their party might not agree with every point you and your fellow constituents perceive, but their job is to represent you.  You elect them.  Don't let them ever forget that.

In Calgary, I voted in past elections against Diane Ablonczy.  Over the course of my adult life, I have written in excess of a hundred physical letters, innumerable emails, and made a daunting number of phone calls.  Diane Ablonczy, the incumbent Conservative MP of Calgary-Nose Hill has never responded to any of my concerns with anything more than a form letter.  When parliament was prorogued last year, approximately 5000 fellow constituents of mine in Calgary - Nose Hill wrote a substantial petition and signed it, we received no response to our inquiry other than that it had been received.

I truly believe, truly, that Diane Ablonczy values her party above her constituents.  And that if push came to shove, if our entire constituency rose up in referendum over an issue we took particular umbrage against, I don't know what that would be, but if it occurred, I fundamentally do not believe she would cross the floor and represent our views.  I believe her party ties to be stronger than that of any sense of civic responsibility to her constituents.  Certainly since I came of majority, all my inquiries have been steadfastly ignored, disregarded, or marginalized.

This year, I am voting in Edmonton City Center, as has been my home for the last three years.  I am blessed in that there are two candidates whom I truly believe listen.  Who will accurately, and fairly represent the constituents if they were elected.  Mary MacDonald and Lewis Cardinal are challenging Incumbent Laurie Hawn.

So I believe the first choice should be who your candidate is.  It's hard to not be partisan about this, but the awful truth is that generally Conservative candidates have a bad history of choosing party over constituents.  There are far fewer cases of Conservative candidates crossing the floor than there are liberal ones or independents.

The second thing is to recognize that there are two wars of policy being fought when it comes to the parties, and by extension their leaders.

The first one is more straightforward.  It is the economic one, the fiscal one.  Literally the platform upon which the parties reside.  The truth is that I will confess, I am generally fiscally a Conservative.  I would prefer if the government intervened less in taxation, I do think there are a number of sectors and industries that can govern themselves and regulate themselves accordingly.  You have to think for yourself and find out which party generally aligns with your beliefs.  Do you support public healthcare, private, or a mix of both?  What do you think of crown corperations?  Do you think big business should be taxed more or less as a cost of existing in our nation, do you think it's fair what they pay now, do they not pay enough, do they pay too little?

What about education, veterans, First Nations people, do they deserve money, do they deserve attention, or should they be self-regulating.

I am naturally of a skewed opinion in that I literally work in the arts and culture industry, I deal with that sector every day of my career, and have seen the continual decline of it since the Conservatives took power.  In that sector, I believe government intervention is necessary.  That government intervention isn't or shouldn't be in the form of payouts though, just because I'm an 'artist' I don't expect someone to just hand me a cheque.  Rather we need to form organizations, granting agencies, cultural connections between our own nation and the international stage, we need to create lasting impressions and exchanges of art to enrich both our lives, and the lives of the greater human condition.

EDIT:  I also want to point this out.  Fiscally, Harper inheritted a fairly stable economy.  Over the previous four years of the Chretien/Martin Liberal tenure, the liberals had managed to eliminate 42 billion dollars from the deficit.  It was their own deficit to be sure, but the economy was on the upswing.  Martin was also the one who instigated tighter banking controls that had helped weather the Canadian Economy.  As of January 2010, the federal deficit did an abrupt turnaround down 36 billion dollars.  How much of that you attribute to the recession, conservative or not, is your own business I suppose.

The second war of policy is considerably more obfuscated, more grim, and more difficult to understand.  It is no less important.

What I am about to say will sound to a great number of people as being sensationalist, partisan, 'dramatic' or any other number of words that are of similar nature.  We live in Canada.  Our rights, and freedoms, are being slowly eroded.  A small nip here, a tuck there, an incident here, an event there.  Tiny moments, tiny things, incidences that reveal a changing world.

A girl had a picture on facebook of herself and Ignatieff.  An officer took her name, screened her, looked at that facebook picture, and had her removed from an event for students.  A peace officer literally went online, searched out her name, saw an image and violated her right to attend a rally her peers were allowed to go to.

On June 26th and 27th of 2010, 1105 people were arrested, detained, denied representation for hours, without formal charge.  They were detained on cold concrete, packed in so tightly that often there was not space to sit for hours, without access to food or water.  Widespread reports of police brutality surfaced, police told protesters on multiple occasions that martial law had been declared, (which was wholly falsified), abuse of female detainees.  Amnesty International, called for an investigation, which has not happened.  At one point, facing accusations of brutality Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair unveiled a number of items he alleged were seized from protesters, when confronted however he confessed some items were unrelated.

Diplomat Richard Colvin brought allegations that the Canadian Forces were at least somewhat, if not wholly complicit in the handing over of detainees, many of whom proved innocent, for systemic torture by Afghani forces.  Colvin alleged that the torture involved beatings, whipping with power cables, the use of electricity, knives, open flames, and rape.  In an EKOS poll, 83% of Canadians surveyed believed that the Canadian government was aware that torture was going on, and were at least partially complicit in a war crime.  Instead of going right to the heart of the allegation, Harper instead chose to prorogue parliament.  The High Court of Whales has since corroborated Colvin's accusation, and predicts with a high degree of probability that torture occurs in Kandahar.  While the first specific allegations of abuse surfaced more than three years ago, there has been no official public inquiry. MPs in the House of Commons voted 146 to 129 in favour of a motion to set one up, but the Prime Minister has refused to consider it, stating that "the government of Canada has taken all necessary actions in all instances where there is proof of abuse of Afghan prisoners."

In 2007, The Canadian Association of Journalists awarded Harper the Code of Silence award, for literally maintaining his "white-knuckled death grip on public information".  They cited that the Prime Minister's Office regularly demonstrated contempt for the Public's right to know.  They followed this up in 2010 with an open letter, as seen here.  During the early part of the election, reports were notably kept in 'steel pens' at a stop in Halifax.  Since the election has gone on, the Prime Minister only accepts 5 questions per stop, all pre-approved.  Once when confronted with recent controversial issue over support from a terrorist group, media and campaign managers incited the PC crowd to cheer, drowning out the journalist.  

The problem is that are perceptions of these incidents depends on our own personalities.  Some people fundamentally believe the government is filled with idiots, certainly that is one perception.  Another is that they are maliciously whittling away social rights, norms, and values in order to push their own agenda, whether that be Fundamentalist, Pro-Life, Anti-Gay, what have you.  What I submit though, is that more troubling than any particular 'stance' or 'spin' as it were, is that there is a flagrant disregard for Democracy in the way our government is run.  As Canadians, we should be almost up in arms.  Every single one of us, every single one who reads this blog is practically a second-class citizen in Canada.  We are abused, and at the behest of government politicians seeking to build upon their own legacies, reap the rewards of their social positions.  We are made to think, throughout our lives that we will never be able to aspire to politics, never be able to grasp at politics.

The vitrol of the media is pointed as such, as youth we are told endlessly that we are uninformed, that we are too young, that we have not paid enough in taxes to truly understand.  It's not that hard, Canadians.

The truth is there, all over.  Read what's out there, talk to your peers, have an opinion, think about what matters most to you.  The choice of vote is yours, and yours alone to be exercised.  We live in a time when you can access every and any form of media at your fingertips, global tv, ctv, cbc, newspapers, national post, blogs, twitter.  Everyone is saying something about this election.

It's yours to listen to, and to shape.  That's who you should vote for.

Advance Polls Report 34.5% Jump

Breaking news in Canada.  The preliminary Advance Poll numbers are in, and over Easter weekend, more than 2 million Canadians made it out, all over the nation to vote.  Almost unilaterally (except Nunavut) all provinces showed increasing numbers of Canadians voting in the Friday, Saturday and Monday advance polls.

The number reflects an almost 34.5% increase in voter turnout from the advance poll in 2008.  Numbers like that could be an early indication that Canadians are passionate about their country, and are taking the time to ensure their voice is heard!

Elections Canada has noted that the number may change, and final tally's will only be available once the boxes are opened on May 2nd.  Some stations have not reported in either yet, these are still preliminary.

The Elections Canada Media Release
http://elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&document=apr2611b&dir=pre&lang=e

The CBC Article on Advance Polls
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/04/26/cv-election-advance-polls.html

Convincing Argument

My Roommate and I went for a walk today, we wandered by the advance poll station and peeked in, had a look at the map and chatted for a moment.  It was quiet, but there were people certainly around.

On the way back, I asked him if he'd made a decision on who to vote for.  He told me he had, and then I asked him something which my ever curious mind has been pondering of late (and actually is the poll question to your right).  Did he know, when the election was first called whom he would vote for?  Did he have a good idea, or what party or platform or leader he chose to support?  He said he didn't know then, that he only came to a decisive decision when he saw the sign I had requested from the NDP.

For him, knowing how and for whom I would vote helped to crystallize in his mind his decision.  In a way, he mentioned, he felt it most appropriate to follow my lead, that I was better researched and informed, and evidently my reasoning and logic had prevailed on him to vote in a similar pattern.

On one hand, a part of me was concerned that he had not made an informed decision, that he was following in my own choice.  Then I realized that he was indeed, actually free to do so.  That was an essence point of Democracy in and of itself.  It was his choice.  It was his choice to be as informed or not as he saw fit, to make as necessary a decision as he felt needed attention, or not.  Sometimes I wonder at the influences on myself and whom has led me to certain 'platforms' or 'political points' that I deem important for a party or candidate to address.

And by extension of that, I wonder what we all consider fundamental to what we believe represented?

Vandalism Continues in Canada

The politically motivated vandalism appears to be continuing in Toronto.  Despite massive police presence, tires are still being slashed, grafitti and hate messages are appearing and voters are unfortunately being intimidated.

Areas Toronto Center, and Davenport are now also reporting that Liberal supporters cars are having tires slashed.  NDP and Green Party signs are also being defaced and destroyed.  While candidates explain that they do expect a few signs to go missing or be destroyed each day or night, the campaign has begun to take a hateful turn.

All Party leaders and their candidates are unilaterally decrying the vandalism.  While no one points blame at any other party, an assault on one is an assault on our own democracy.  Intimidation at the freedom of speech, and the freedom to exercise civil right should be met with stringent repercussions for the perpetrators.  I was in a debate with a friend earlier tonight, who thought of the damage in terms of a dollar value.  And while yes, repairing and replacing a set of tires is at most fifteen hundred dollars, the slashing of our democracy is a blow to Canadians everywhere, who we are and what we stand for.

The people out there who lack the way to express their frustration and only resort to physical damage and gross intimidation should be tried and punished as a hate crime on democracy.



CBC Article on Continuing Vandalism
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/04/23/cv-election-vandalism.html

Toronto Star Article on the Vandalism
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/979602--election-vandalism-spreads

What Country Is This Again?

Spell it out for me.  What country do we live in again?  Canada.  Right.  Right.

So on one hand, this is an outlandish, and downright shocking event.  On the other, given what we've seen over the past years that has led up to the election, is it that surprising?

Thursday night, more than 30 homes in the St. Paul Riding in Toronto were vandalized.  Tires were slashed, and vehicles were vandalized in an event not unlike the 2008 brake line cuttings in the same riding.  More chilling, all the homes vandalized were related or supporters of Liberal Incumbent Carolyn Bennett.  Even vandalized was Ms. Bennett's financial officer's vehicle, even though he had no visible sign for the Liberal party.

The form of voter intimidation is distressing to an extreme.  Though incredibly unlikely to be orchestrated by any other party, residents who were victims in the crime point out that the recent slew of attack ads and media may have their hand in encouraging this behavior.

Ms Joanne Mills, who had four tires slashed was quoted in the Star;

• “I attribute this to Stephen Harper’s attack ads that make people think this kind of behavior is acceptable.”

Another woman, who had her tires slashed remarked that a neighbour yelled at her.

• “Vote Conservative. It wouldn’t have happened.”

We expect these tactics, these monstrous un-democratic vandalism and intimidation tactics in other nations, not in Canada.  But here they are.  Wake up Canada.  Our own people are being victimized, being derided for their freedom to choose.  Our own people are being attacked on our own home turf.  And not in a rural nowhere either, in Toronto, the largest metropolitain bastion of our nation.

Do we allow this?  Do people deserve to have hundreds of dollars of vandalism or to be targeted in their own homes and amongst their own families for having the guts to stand up and say "This is what I believe in?"

What's next?  Tires slashed one day, will it be Molotovs, tomorrow?  Machetes?  We have always said our country was proud, was above that behaviour.  That our democracy was fair and free for everyone.  Yet that isn't the case for 30 households this morning.  Will we not take a stand?


The Article from the National Post
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/04/22/liberal-supporters-get-tires-slashed-l-scratched-on-cars/

An Article on the Incident from the Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/979199--residents-worried-after-vandals-strike-homes-with-liberal-signs-in-st-paul-s?bn=1

Election

So unless you've been living under a rock for the last little bit, you should probably know that our illustrious maple flavoured country is well on its way to another federal election. Election 41 that is.

This marks a new blog showcasing the candidates of Edmonton's City Center, their platforms, positions, what they say and do, and the questions or rhetoric we have for them as Canadians.

Edmontonians, Albertans, Canadians. We live in exciting times, we also live in terrifying times. It's not only our privilege but also our democratic right and civic duty to be informed, to be learned, and to discourse on the direction of our country at a fundamental level. Let us hold accountable the people who seek our votes, and let them know that we run our country, that our politicians speak for us, not just our parties.

This blog is maintained by Lester Lee, a freelancing professional Canadian Theatre Artist. I look forward to writing my thoughts about the coming election, and the state of our democracy afterward. Join me on this adventure!

You can also follow me on twitter, lesterleesm