New Conservative Party? Yes Please

I’ve felt badly for a while now that conservative voters have no ethical right wing party to vote for in Canada (or the USA, for that matter). The Conservative Party of Canada is the only Canadian political party with the word “coalition” in its Constitution. The CPC coalition of the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservatives, removed right wing voters’ choice, so Harper’s new CPC could more easily cheat their way to victory.

Rathgeber: "There is speculative talk about starting a new political party and even reviving old ones." brentrathgeber.ca/brents-blog/—
Paul Wells (@InklessPW) June 17, 2013

With the future crop of Conservative Party of Canada MPs already heading toward jail, what are conservative voters to do? The present parade of perps, is patently preposterous. Do they stay home? Vote Liberal? Hold their noses and vote for more election fraud and other crime while simultaneously endorsing unbalanced budgets and the bigger Harper Government?

I’m opposed to the Liberals, NDP, and Greens merging their distinct parties, since electoral cooperation can be achieved without uniting under one (corruptible) banner. Putting all eggs into one basket is an efficient means to move them from point A to Ottawa, but you’ll never unpack those eggs when they get to Ottawa. They’ll be “Ottawashed”, says Rathgeber. A multi-party system serves Canada best, since there are many distinct regions with their own interests. The problems have been a lack of electoral reform (to keep pace with technology), and a centralization of power in party leaders, the unelected staff of the PMO, and an antiquated, unaccountable, appointed Senate.

“Leadership” “Stealing”

Conservatives have created a new idea. It’s Leadership Stealing. You can Steal, like a Leader.

“How can the Liberals actually, with a straight face, pretend to stand up for the middle class, when Liberal senators are stealing money from taxpayers?” – CPC Minister Moore

“Conservatives praise Duffy’s ‘leadership’ in Senate expense scandal”

Senate committee told about Wallin expense concerns 18 months ago > bit.ly/16ak0CD #cdnpoli—
Global Regina (@GlobalRegina) June 11, 2013

PRISM: NSA Watching the Innocent

Technology and civil liberty experts knew PRISM was a very real possibility. I knew, and wrote about it last August. The National Security Agency (NSA) (star bad guy org. in the Will Smith movie Enemy of the State) has been collecting domestic Americans’ phone and Internet records since at least 2007. This activity is a clear violation of the American Constitution, and was overseen by Bush II, Obama, Al Franken, and other high level leaders who’ve betrayed the trust of Americans and broken the law.

A WARNING: The U.S. is undergoing a "calamitous collapse in the rule of law" -Julian Assange ow.ly/lU0zC #OWS—
Occupy Wall Street (@OccupyWallStNYC) June 11, 2013

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who also serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Bloomberg that the “[the] idea that a 29-year-old individual with so little experience” had access to the material Snowden did is “absolutely shocking.”

What’s shocking is Senator Collins, who is ignorant as sin. Seven years younger, and a year from a computer science degree, I had similar security clearance to Snowden (in Canada). Of course, I never saw the sort of gross violations of law observed by Snowden, and Canada at that time had an effective Commissioner designed to protect Canadians from secretive surveillance programs that ended up collecting intel from out-of-bounds citizens.

So what can you and I do? Give up Facebook and Skype? Don’t use a Verizon phone at either end of a conversation? Vote Republican? Vote Democrat? Vote Liberal? None of those options will protect you or enhance your life, so what can we do? The party system in the US, and Canada, is not protecting citizens from overbearing governments. The US surveillance state convinced supposed good-guys like Obama and Franken that the illegal spy scheme they inherited wasn’t worth exposing or even shutting down.

We first of all have to defend the people who leak evidence of crimes to responsible media like Glenn Greenwald who helped break this story into the international press.

Go read 2001/2002 debate over the Patriot Act – NOBODY thought it enabled mass, indiscriminate, bulk collection of all Americans' records.—
Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 11, 2013

What Happens to Snowden Now? 5 Government Whistleblowers Under Attack From Obama | Alternet alternet.org/news-amp-polit…—
Pamela Allard (@pam_unapathetic) June 11, 2013

People like Bradley Manning, and Ed Snowden are people who’ve done heroic things to uphold the highest laws of their country, while people more powerful than them try to use lesser laws to punish their actions.

ConCalls: “The Liberals Did It First”(TM) #RoboCon #cdnpoli

The Conservative trolls will have to get new talking points so they don’t look hopelessly dated. Multiple Conservative parties, the NDP, and another Liberal MP were all fined thousands of dollars for broadcasting robocalls in a deceptive manner where the true identity of the caller was not revealed.

Just the other day I had to mock a flying monkey that was using this year old canard:
“No mention in the article that the only confirmed case of robocalls involved the Liberals.”
That hapless chap was stuck on the Liberal MP for Guelph sending a robocall that got confused with the Pierre Poutine robocalls pretending to be from Elections Canada. The Guelph Liberals were calling people to say the CPC candidate had a distasteful stance on abortion, but didn’t use their real name, naughty, naughty.

The CRTC got a little more strict after that point. Prior to that case, were the Irwin Cotler slander calls by Nick’s Campaign Research, which the Speaker called “reprehensible”. I don’t think the CRTC gave a fine for those push poll calls.

Bottom line: “The Liberals Did It First”(TM) is a Conservative dismissal that has jumped the robo-shark. If you see a Conservative using this line, send them the link to this blog.

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I’ll point out every so smugly (and with acceptance that this may one day change) that the only national party not involved in a robocall scandal, is the Greens.

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Marc paid a $2500 fine for listing his name at the end, with no address.

@kady @MarcGarneau Seems the issue was he put his name at the end of message instead of beginning & no mailing address—
Stephen Lautens (@stephenlautens) May 29, 2013

Aboriginal Students Centre Launch at UofR

The expanded space for the ASC was launched on Thursday in the RIC building. Many dignitaries were on hand. Shawn Fraser was rep’ing the City, and gave a short and sweet 2 minute speech. Everyone else was a bit more verbose, but all heartfelt and excited by the newly christened space intended for all students to have a common gathering place with support staff nearby. The older space in College West remains part of the ASC.

The reception after had excellent food, including four kinds of bannock! Baked, baked with Saskatoon berries, fried, and fried with cheese.

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I spoke briefly with Regina MP Ralph Goodale, and MLA Warren McCall. I also introduced myself to MLA Mark Docherty afterward, who I learned had heard of my blog. We traded stories of civic politics and our hopes for improved, honest political discussions around hot topic national and provincial issues like alcohol and marijuana. Having both run for city council at times, we each had to agree that anyone putting their name forward for public service is taking a bold step that not everyone cares to make (not saying that to pat ourselves on the back, Mark noted). Try running, and you’ll feel it too I’m sure.

ConCalls: RoboCall Boundary Edition #RoboCon 650 days and counting

Last week I got a robocall from “Chase Research” and listened to it all, taking notes when I realized it was a Conservative push-poll and would cause a scandal. I waited for the number to push to repeat the message or options, but pressing 9 just erroneously thanked me for responding, provided a contact phone number (306-993-2392) and hung up. I called the number to find out more, right away, and got a message that it was Chase Research and to leave a message, which I did. A friend’s place I was at an hour later also got the call while I was there. (Tried the number at 12:30pm today, and it immediately says I reached Chase Research and to leave a message, not disconnected as some media reports state {so they may be working with an alternate disconnected or wrong phone number, or it’s been reinstated since}.)

ADDED: Audio of their voice mail presently.

It referred to “drastic” changes to “traditional” riding boundaries and said the new way would pit “rural vs urban” against each other. After being negative about the situation, it asked for a yes or no option to the changes, or to have options repeated.

The next day I saw the SK media buzzing about it, so provided them with the phone number and notes from the call. The Conservatives federal ‘spox’ spokesperson DeLorey (who has graced the pages of my blog before for saying untrue things), lied about his party’s involvement in the call. He later admitted that the Conservatives were behind the call, and blamed his lie on having apparently been mislead himself due to miscommunication in their tightly centralized party.

I got a call from the Star Phoenix journalist doing the story, but I didn’t say what he was looking for to include in his story, so he quoted someone else who got the call. I stressed that boundary redrawing is a sideshow to real electoral reform such as proportional representation to replace First Past the Post. If non-Conservatives win the urban seats as expected, it still leaves SK disproportionally represented by Conservative MPs when the popular vote would have them winning much less power in the House. This partisan phone call was meant to interfere in the traditionally non-partisan process of riding boundary creation. Efforts to move them for partisan gain is called Gerrymandering and is not an ethical way to win an election.

There’s evidence suggesting that Chase Research is connected to the operator of RackNine that was at the centre of the Pierre Poutine robocalls. When NDP MP Martin said unkind things about RackNine, they sued him for millions of dollars. They are obviously nice, litigious guys. They happen to have an exclusive contact with Conservatives or Conservative approved parties. There are suggestions that they made calls for the Wild Rose Party (which Harper’s Conservatives are linked to). There’s presently no evidence that suggests RackNine’s head honcho Meier knew of Pierre Jones/Poutine’s evil scheme prior to being contacted by Elections Canada’s glacially slow, token investigation.

Here's @RalphGoodale telling me about his CRTC complaint r.e. #robocalls cbc.ca/morningedition… #skcbc—
Sheila Coles (@SheilaColesCBC) February 06, 2013

A little “Ha Ha!” goes out to the Conservatives who gloated about the Liberal MP from Guelph who got a $4900 CRTC fine for running a robocall that failed to identify who it really was from. The Pierre Poutine misdirection and misidentified robocalls have still not even prompted charges for the Conservatives behind that election fraud.

ADDED: Cathie talks about Conservative crime.

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Is it normal to wait 650 days for charges to be laid in a major criminal election fraud investigation that has narrowed suspects to fewer than 5 people in Guelph, and fewer than about 5 in Ottawa with system access required to delete/lose specific logs? Consider, citizens only have 30 days to complain of suspected crime coverups to the courts.

In Conservative Controlled Corrupt Canada, it’s Cromulent & Completely Crooked.

Throw National Post a Lifeline

I haven’t encountered a Kelly McParland article that I can say I agree with. His latest, about Elizabeth May’s attempt to subvert the stalemate in Parliament amongst the opposition parties, is missing the point. May isn’t just out to help the Green Party, which of course is a given, despite McParland’s ridiculous claim that he’s revealed a dastardly, secret trap that the NDP or Liberals could fall into. May’s insistence that she’s putting the country before partisanship isn’t hot air, she’s attempting to win the next election using co-operation. Co-operation was not tried on a grand enough scale the last 3 elections, and the Liberals, NDP, and Greens have come out the losers in them as a result. (Widespread election fraud by Conservative supporters, didn’t help either, of course.)

“Should the other parties agree to pool resources with her in some ridings, as Ms. May suggests, her troops are likely to gain far more than they can contribute.”
This notion that McParland puts forward is built upon the opinion that it’s unfair for Canadians to be represented proportionally in the House of Commons, based upon popular vote election results. May isn’t only out to help the Greens take seats from Conservative MPs, she’s offered to help Liberals and NDP MPs win in place of Conservatives also. The result from another First Past the Post (FPTP) election could very well be totally unbalanced, where the NDP, Liberals, and Greens win all but a dozen seats, and the Conservatives end up under-represented in the House. The next step isn’t to hold onto power unfairly, but to change the electoral system so Canadians can decide and feel more satisfied with the resulting Parliament.

The dull, partisan point McParland is trying to have people agree with, is that it’s better for Canadians to be subjected to FPTP perpetually, than it is to support Greens who oppose it. May is seeking a functional, practical solution to overcoming the system, but McParland wants to protect that system, along with Mulcair, and other power hungry political leaders who think they are better off with all or nothing. The Greens hold a sort of ‘nuclear option’ as does any other national party that can get a million votes or more. If co-operation isn’t reached in time, the Conservatives can basically win by default (or so it seems). This means the NDP and Liberals have more to lose by failing to talk with the Greens, than they have to gain by ignoring co-operation. If it’s more important to Mulcair that May’s Greens not pick up any more seats, than it is for him to win his party a fair amount of power, then McParland and the Conservatives get what they argue for.

So how does a national newspaper writer get national politics so very wrong? Probably intentionally, right? It’s hard to see how his analysis supports the progression of a fair democratic country, unless we assume that’s not his mark.

ConCalls: Are Canadian Elections Unfair Now? #RoboCon

Two people today questioned my point that Canadian elections are growing unfair, and so produce questionable results. This lack of a clear, and legitimate winner of elections erodes peace and democracy. How do I know elections in Canada are moving in the direction of becoming unfair, and unable to produce stable, legitimate governments? The list is sadly long. Here’s a short version of it:

To refresh your memory, the Conservatives in 2006 overspent by more than $1.3M, and paid a $52,000 fine (years later) once they attained power by cheating with an “accounting dispute“.

Several Conservative candidates have over-spent on their campaigns, like Van Loan, DDM, and Penashue, but none have been charged with the crimes. Van Loan was allowed to run under an Elections Canada (EC) condition he underspend next time! Ridiculous favouritism.

@laura_payton @kady It was with surprise last night that I learned Van Loan is among Conservatives to overspend in election. @sixthestate—
Saskboy K. (@saskboy) November 29, 2012

One of the penalties for overspending can include not being allowed to run in the next election. A judge never decided if this should be the case for Van Loan. Penasue got corporate donations. It was alleged that DDM got corporate donations also.

Brake lines were cut in some ridings. [Routine, but criminal, sign damage throughout many elections so can't really count that as new and building election crime of great significance.]

SG-I was subjected to misleading, impersonation robocalls in 2008, from CPC supporters pretending to be NDP. EC dropped the investigation because it was difficult to investigate in the US, they said.

The Guelph Liberals ran a robocall in 2011 that failed to follow CRTC guidelines for identifying themselves, and were fined less than $5K. At the same time, someone known as “Pierre Poutine” in Guelph, connected with the Conservative campaign there, ran EC impersonation robocalls that misdirected thousands of voters, following a pattern repeated in over 234 ridings across Canada. The result of the phone calls appears to have had the desired effect for the Conservatives, based on statistical surveys by multiple reputable polling companies. The crime has not been prosecuted yet, although there is a civil action in court that may force as many as 6 by-elections of the ~234 that could have been contested. [Wealthy] residents of affected ridings had to apply to Federal Court within 30 days of learning of criminal irregularities in their riding’s election. Over 600 days have passed since this widespread election fraud. The state is not held to the same 30 day time limit in dealing with the serious legitimacy problem the irregularities created. This leaves the government in power, while notoriously slow EC investigations churn away in secret, possibly to be quiety closed later.

There were various harassing live calls made in the lead-up to the election. Elections Canada blamed the Conservatives for some of these calls as many as 3 days prior to May 2, 2011.

A company called Front Porch Strategies dodged charges despite sending American workers to Canada to assist Conservative MPs with door knocking and phone calling, which at first glance appears to be prohibited in the Elections Act where it describes appropriate involvement of foreigners in the election campaign.

#IdleNoMore: Regina Round Dance on Albert St. Bridge

Another exciting day of protest in Regina, and across the country, as Canadians rise up against the Harper regime and their undemocratic ominbus bills. This was at least the second march down Regina’s main street, Albert St. in the past weeks, and the second appearance of a crowd of hundreds in front of the Legislature too.

I estimated more than 300 people were packed onto one lane of Albert St. for the entire Green Mile (and then some). A few minutes were taken on the Albert St. Bridge (longest bridge over shortest span of water, in the world) to do a round dance.

Last night, Saskatoon’s downtown mall saw thousands of people show up in protest of the Harper ominbus bill C-45, and the removal of fresh and navigable waters protection (among other abuses).

Today, Warren McCall reminded people that it’s not just First Nations this undemocratic bill harms. Chief Spence in Ottawa, starving for justice, is leading the way. Harper has time for Bieber, but not for Chief Spence or other Chiefs?

-Goodale makes an announcement that draws a roar from the crowd.

ADDED – CTV’s report.

Last Updated Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 7:45PM CST

In First Nations culture, a round dance is common – it symbolizes peace and friendship. But Friday afternoon what wasn’t common was where an Idle No More round dance was held .

Hundreds of supporters stopped traffic on Regina’s busy Albert Street bridge. The rally was peaceful. It coincided with dozens of other such events across the nation. First nations elder Mike Pinay told CTV News “ we have to sit down and work together and save this land, this country and these waters”.

Idle No More supporters oppose federal bill c-45 which impacts many aspects of Canadian life – from the treaties of First Nations people to protection of lakes and rivers.

Regina Liberal MP Ralph Goodale argues the bill was “not advanced in a way that was proper and consistent with the democratic process of Canada.”

Organizers vow Friday’s event will not be the last.

F-35 Surprising comments from MPs in 2011

The following are rough notes from a TV clip between Liberal Marc Garneau and Conservative Laurie Hawn regarding the now newly cancelled F-35 project due to skyrocketing costs and American pullback from the plane also.

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Hawn: “sweet spot of delivery”
“confident”
“next 40 years”
“the Liberals…deliberately misleading the public”
“[Marc] you are misleading Canadians”
“being completely irresponsible”

Garneau: “there is no contract to cancel”

Obviously the Contemptible Conservatives and Hawn were revealed as incompetent/liars, triggered the 2011 election (which they promptly tarnished with robocalls that Elections Canada did not approve of), and have today finally pulled back from the disastrous purchase plan.