With eight days to go until the election I thought I might have more to say. I thought I would have a least met my candidates at my door. I got to meet and scold Jim Prentice when he was campaigning in my riding of Calgary Centre North years ago. I told him "I am gay and live in Alberta, I will never vote for you or the Conservative Party, ever!!!" I was concerned about any repeal of the newly enacted gay marriage bill at the time, I was also a little peeved at the weather as a summer storm was brewing and I was moving my rather large potted lemon tree and had it in my hands, with the three inch thorns scratching my face when Prentice appeared at my back gate. Cripes! I already have squirells to deal with, I don't need Conservatives roaming around the yard too!!!
Anyway, I was trying to do some research on the new Conservative candidate for Calgary Centre North, Michelle Rempel, but have come up pretty empty handed. Her facebook page has been shut down long ago and I only found a few articles from independent bloggers. All we know is she is 31 years old, holy shit! And she has been a "volunteer" with the Conservative Party for a few years. That's it, that's all folks! We were supposed to have a by-election since Jim Prentice resigned last year but it didn't happen because of this election, we've been without an MP for some time now! One of the other few things I found out about this Michelle Rempel is that she was appointed to this riding, I would say it screams of patronage and total disregard for democracy and disdain for my riding. 31 years old! I can't believe it myself, oh I'm sure there is so much wisdom packed into the 30 some years, sounds like a little too much Blonde Ambition if you ask me. Seems like the Conservatives don't want someone with experience or a thought of their own, they would like a shill, some kid, like a puppy, who will tow that party line. Calgary is so taken for granted, Michelle Rempel will not even show up for debates. My local News showed footage from an all candidates debate recently for my riding, in Michelle Rempel's place, a potted plant. That's what you are going to get my fellow constituents, how fitting! It is also of note here, Calgary East candidate Deepak Obhrai will also not attend debates. It's because they don't have to and the Conservative Party does not want to answer your questions anyway, lest they be too hard or too telling and word gets out they are nothing but a bunch of Right-Wing yes men and women.
My bigger problem is no one cares about Calgary, politically that is. Calgary is the third or fourth largest city in Canada, depending how you count, has the third busiest airport in the country and was recently forecasted as the only city in North America to grow this year, no other Canadian cities made the list, I think the other two were Paris and London. We just elected a new style of mayor in a surge of political interest and yet none of the major leaders have campaigned here. Elizabeth May of the Green Party has so far been the only one to visit during this election, in some Calgary ridings the Green Party has come second in numbers. The Liberals, especially are making a big mistake by ignoring Calgary. I tell you, I grew up here and have spent most of my adult life here, Calgary is not as Conservative as you think it is. We don't, however, like Eastern arrogance, as in, Ignatieff and Layton couldn't be bothered to show up, as well as Mr. Harper, why should any of us vote for you either?!?! The Conservatives are too busy wooing the Toronto vote. I kind of hate all of them right now. The Liberals and NDP for thinking we are apparently all a bunch of cowboy rednecks, and the Conservatives for thinking the same and they don't have to do anything, not even show up to answer questions. Sheesh, no wonder nothing ever happens in this country!
It seems that the only people who do vote in Canada are the elderly, I wonder what will happen in 20 years when they die off? Appointed government from the Monarchy? Maybe more likely, appointed government from oil companies or corporations? Ahh my friends, that is a theory for another day. To my fellow Canadians, you will get what you give, and if that is nothing, or nothing but contempt, then... good luck with that not caring about voting thing! As for politicians who don't care about engaging the electorate, you might get away with it this time, but there are always more elections in the future!
Remple doesn't even live in this riding, nor work here - but she's got an attack on her web-site accusing Ignatieff of 'just visiting'. He's lived in Canada longer than she has - she's the one who is 'just visiting'.
ReplyDeleteDoug
re Liberal heaveyweights in Calgary: in 2008, Dionne held an open mike townhall meeting here - something Harper has never done in Calgary, or Canada. Ignatieff was here last summer he's been through here/in here a couple of times this year; Bob Rae was here a couple of weeks back. They're not ignoring Calgary, but the Calgary Herald is sure ignoring them
ReplyDeleteDoug
Here’s some sites that look at the Harper government’s actual track record, vs. their PR and the newspaper lack of coverage:
ReplyDeleteThoughtful and accurate: http://compellingcomics.justsomeguy.com/CanadaVotes2011/Canada.html.
His supporting news articles at:
http://compellingcomics.justsomeguy.com/CanadaVotes2011/Canada_Links_2.html
Check www.rubbishthatharperdid.com (or the original www.shitharperdid.ca ); check the videos in the lower left tab – well done!
A newspaper article from the Montreal Gazette regards the above site: http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Anti+Harper+site+attracts+million+hits+crashes+hours+within+launch/4652057/story.html
And I think I’ve just figured out why Harper is killing anything to do with climate change and other long term issues: he believes in the literal interpretation of the bible, Armageddon, and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. If things are ending shortly (and properly for a true believer), then you don’t have to worry about climate change. Or – perhaps – you shouldn’t fight it ‘cause it’s part of the whole end of the world thing. Have a look at this article from the Vancouver Sun: http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/thesearch/archive/2008/09/10/why-stephen-harper-keeps-his-evangelicalism-very-private.aspx
Then check Wikipedia for Harper’s biography and his faith, and the link to the evangelical group that he’s involved with, and its core beliefs. Also have a look in Wikipedia for the comments on how the National Citizen’s Coalition financed him getting into Parliament and then he was their chief policy adviser and president for several years – then punch over on Wikipedia to the National Citizens’ Coalition and find out secretive and scary they are, and that they were formed to destroy health care. And then think back on how reliable Harper’s “promises” (per the previous sites) have been.
And an animation that pretty much is spot on regards Michelle Remple, the Tory candidate in Calgary North Centre riding – she doesn’t live there, is 31 years old, works as an administrator at the UofC, and is the best they could find when someone pointed out that she’s a friend of Harper’s wife. Oh – and one of the several all-candidates meetings that she was too busy to attend was held at the University of Calgary, where she works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwo3QG7xOiw&feature=youtu.be
If you go to Remple’s web-site, you’ll find an attack ad against Michael Ignatieff, with the label “Just Visiting” because he’s worked for so many years in Europe and in New England. So – I did the numbers and Ignatieff has lived in Canada longer than 31 year old Michelle, who doesn’t live in the riding and is “just visiting”.
Here’s an animation that discusses democracy, and pretty much also is spot on in identifying the mindless Conservative reaction to parliamentary democracy:
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11827552/this-is-why-we-cant-have-nice-things-canada
Remember that we’re having an election because the MPs who represent the 64% or so of Canadian voters who did NOT support Harper finally got sick of his sabotage of our democratic principles and institutions and declared that Harper had lost the confidence of they and the millions of voters they represented - similar to the US impeaching a President, I guess. This is the first and only time that that has ever happened in any Parliamentary democracy – not just Canada.
And Harper with his deficit? The last Conservative Prime Minister who won an election and converted a deficit to a surplus was – wait for it: Sir John A. MacDonald.
Kindly circulate what you find interesting to any and all of your friends, as it is your future that you should be worried. Harper isn’t, because he knows Jesus is looking out for him, and you he doesn’t care about. And if anyone says we are full of hooey, suggest that they learn how to read and give them these sites
And if you’re concerned about how Harper has been sabotaging Canadian women and children, there’s a list circulating on this very topic: circulated by Maureen McTeer, wife of Joe Clark, Conservative Prime Minister of Canada (briefly) in the late 70s/early 80s, and yeoman cabinet minister in the Mulroney conservative years. If Mrs. Conservative doesn’t like or trust Little Stevie…..
ReplyDeleteDoug
Ahh yes, almost forgot, Rempel doesn't even live in my riding, thanks for the reminder. In the US this would be a huge issue! I truly believe candidates should have to live in the ridings they represent, call me crazy. I wonder if she could "slum it" in Crescent Heights???
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