Jack Layton's New NDP Platform

If Jack Layton wants economic credibility, he should get Paul Hellyer and Mel Hurtig involved. There is no other party that will even look at monetary reform.

Until the system is changed, we will have more tax cuts and programs slashed to fight the deficit and debt. With the proper reforms, we could pay the debt down faster, and there would be more money in the pot for social programs.

There is no politician out there or on the horizon that gets my attention these days. They don\'t seem to have a brain. None of them.

That being said, if things don\'t change, I will spoil my vote in the next election, since I have no one to vote for.




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"Arrogance in Politics is unacceptable"
Jim Callaghan
Minden, Ontario
705-286-1860
www.misterc.ca

<P>To me, "economic plan" means at least a sketch of Plan B for the morning after the unified coalition government abrogates NAFTA. <P>That probably looks something like Chretien's Team Canada scramble, but more grassroots (more scramble, too) and with more of a micro-credit, micro-trade focus on lots of little businesses in small, developing countries. That would be instead of stuff like a horrendous freedom trigger contract for the nuclear landmines in our Onliest and Biggest Market Down Below. <P>This, i.e., sketch of Plan B, is a huge and detailed task.

To those that have not read Paul Hellyer\'s books or are not sure what Monetary Reform actually is, visit this webpage and run the cartoon:

http://www.canadianactionparty.ca/MainP ... ge=English

There is a French version too, at http://www.canadianactionparty.ca then select French.

This is a very slow-loading page on dial-up, and on my computer at 28.8, it takes about 20 minutes to go through all the pages.

This is good info, so please take the time to do this.




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"Arrogance in Politics is unacceptable"
Jim Callaghan
Minden, Ontario
705-286-1860
www.misterc.ca

Hello Jim,

I did read Paul\'s book and I also seen that comic. Paul\'s book was my first eye opener. However, after reading his book I still became a NDP member and not a CAP member. The CAP is VERY far from becoming a real voice for us, their only hope since time is running out is to join with the NDP.

Also I just finished watching Mel\'s video [Canada: Yes or No] and on it he states near the end of the video that if the NDP don\'t do so well in this next election you will see the One Big Party idea come in full force [he didn\'t say it in those exact words], but he also explains how you will see a merge with NDP, CAP, GP and David Orchard and his supporters.

Also I remember reading somewhere that spoiling your vote doesn\'t work like it used to in Canada. Your goning to accomplish much more by voting for NDP.

Kevin Gagnon

I suppose you\'re right, I always vote, but never spoiled a ballot before.

I will have to think this over a bit more.



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"Arrogance in Politics is unacceptable"
Jim Callaghan
Minden, Ontario
705-286-1860
www.misterc.ca

Hello Jim,

If you want to talk more about it, let me know. If you haven\'t watched Canada: Yes or No video yet, do so. I would say I can send you a copy at no charge. But its probably best to buy it from here and support vive.

Kevin Gagnon

Thanks Kevin, I bought the video in December and I agree it\'s good info. I have had a few friends watch it and I can\'t believe they aren\'t ready to join our side, but not everyone is interested in politics.

I just hope they don\'t wake up one day to see US troops in our country.



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"Arrogance in Politics is unacceptable"
Jim Callaghan
Minden, Ontario
705-286-1860
www.misterc.ca

{{{I just hope they don\'t wake up one day to see US troops in our country.}}}

If that day came, it would be the day I move to Europe. Or the North West Teritories where Americans can\'t handle the cold, and the U.S gove wouldn\'t want to develope in a area that is always cold. :-p

Kevin Gagnon

No offense, guys, but I still think that the NDP lost their CCF soul long ago. If you really want to save Canada, vote for the CAP. Quit voting for \'the guy who you think has the best chance.\' Let`s get some numbers up for the CAP so that it draws the country`s attention to it! With each passing day it seems Layton is becoming more like the guy I initially thought him to be. Oh, and you just may see US troops in Canada soon, thanks to Chretien. He signed that treaty allowing them here in case of \'terrorist attack\'. I think it`s just a way for the US to secure their interests when it all hits the fan, because, the fiberals, the preservatives, and the New Plutocrats are all the same-too far right, with no backbone to stand up to the US. So, when more people are hurt by this, you can bet that it will generate violence. As JFK said, \" Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, only make violent revolution inevitable.\" And unfortunately, that`s what it will come down to. All I keep hearing is, \"We need a new party.\" Well, WE`VE GOT ONE! LET`S USE IT! But I don`t know where people`s heads are. I went to my economic geography class seminar last night, and I couldn`t believe i was listening to supposedly well educated university students boasting about being \'card carrying liberals.\' I must admit, when I heard that, I just sort of deflated for a few seconds before I replied proudly, \" I`m a proud supporter of the Canadian Action Party!\" This generated looks of bewilderment and silence.

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Dave Ruston

{{{{No offense, guys, but I still think that the NDP lost their CCF soul long ago. If you really want to save Canada, vote for the CAP. Quit voting for \'the guy who you think has the best chance.\' Let`s get some numbers up for the CAP so that it draws the country`s attention to it!}}}}

I have to disagree. Sometimes reality has to hurt, and this reality does hurt. Canada\'s only hope really is for someone (with a strong voice) to get enough seats to make some noise for Canadians like us.

I support CAP, but I have to think about the reality of this election. The CAP can\'t win enough seats to be a voice. Heck even your response \" I`m a proud supporter of the Canadian Action Party!\" that generated looks of bewilderment and silence. Those types of responses aren\'t odd. They happen, and many don\'t even know who the CAP are.

Where I stand.

If the NDP don\'t do well this election I will cancel my membership with NDP and join CAP, and will make this party known locally and will never shut up about them.

Also [as Mel said in his video] that if the NDP don\'t do well that you will see everyone who still believes in a Independent Canada will flock to the OBP idea. NDP, GP, CAP and David Orchard and his supporters.


{{{{Oh, and you just may see US troops in Canada soon, thanks to Chretien. He signed that treaty allowing them here in case of \'terrorist attack\'.}}}}}

Yah and in the treaty it allows the Canadian gov to give authority to the American troops if their in Canada. And if the Canadian troops are in the U.S, they have authority over the Canadian troops. Only a naive person can think that the U.S would allow the Canadian gov have authority over their military. Man, our politicians are cowards and so naive.


{{{{All I keep hearing is, \"We need a new party.\" Well, WE`VE GOT ONE! LET`S USE IT!}}}}

No time to promote and make the CAP have enough seats to have a voice. I repeat no time for this election.


{{{{{But I don`t know where people`s heads are. I went to my economic geography class seminar last night, and I couldn`t believe i was listening to supposedly well educated university students boasting about being \'card carrying liberals.\' I must admit, when I heard that, I just sort of deflated for a few seconds before I replied proudly, \" I`m a proud supporter of the Canadian Action Party!\" This generated looks of bewilderment and silence.}}}}}

Again like I said, these responses are not odd. They happen. It baffles me when I mention CAP and people look at me like, what is Canadian Action Party?.

If the NDP don\'t do well this election, I will see to it that everyone here know\'s who the CAP are. I do regret though not getting involved in politics early on. I only found out months ago about CAP and this issue of Americanization of Canada.

I end by saying what exactly will we accomplish if we don\'t get the lesser of the evils in power. We all understand that the NDP/Jack Layton isn\'t all the pieces to the puzzle. But, hey at least we know where he stands and its obviously not the Americanization of Canada.

Kevin Gagnon
www.KevinGagnon.ca

I agree with you Dave, we need a new party. As is stated on the one big Party site \"The means exist to form a broadly-based party quickly. On September 20, 2003, delegates to the Biennial Convention of the Canadian Action Party unanimously endorsed a resolution proposing a merger with the New Democratic Party to form the nucleus of a new, broadly-based progressive pro-Canada party. Nucleus was underlined because the merger would be just the beginning. Tests indicate that the new party would attract two to three times as much popular support as the NDP does in its present form. That is because the new party would become the natural home for progressives and patriots from all other parties\". Two to three times the popular support from where they are at now. Those are big numbers close to over 30%. Thats when you get your seats, not the 18 to 20%numbers.

Many people are asking the question what has happened to David Orchard. I can only think that first of all he is a little gun shy after the PC party stuff. Now I suspect that he is sitting back to determine if CAP and The NDP are serious about the merger. I suspect if the new progressive party is formed that he will come on board. But I venture to say that he will not be part of an NDP Party as it is constructed at the present. So if a new party isn\'t formed then I do not believe that David Orchard will be out to play at this time.

If the NDP do not want to get this thing going then I suggest that Mr Hellyer start the process using CAP as the nucleus. If CAP were willing to Change its name, create a new constitution for the new party and make changes to reflect the new reality then we could get this new party formed and ready to go. Maybe Mr Hellyer could start negotiations with Mr Orchard and bring in the progressives from the PC Party, give them a home and then start to talk to the Green Party. We can make this new party a national movement for Canada, the environment, Labour,and small business.

This will do a number of things. It first of all will not stop the uniting of like parties because the NDP do not want to play. We can pick up the progressives of the PC Party who are sitting by the sidelines at the present time. We will be fulfilling Mr Hellyers wish of not creating another party. What we will be doing is reconstituting the CAP into a new entity.

As far as redrafting a new constitution is concerned, I have already started drafting a strawman constitution which could be a catalyst to getting this idea moving. I know that these things have to be voted on by the members but what the stawman does is put ideas about various principles already researched on paper where people can agree or disagree and add their own ideas.

So yes I agree that we can get this new party going before the next election. It may not include the NDP but we can at least move forward. I believe that the NDP will fizzle because their economic policy does not have any bones to it. Their isn\'t anything dynamic about. It seems that it was just put out their to say yes we have an economic policy. The people when they get to the election will look at this and see that not much though went into creating it.

We know what needs to happen all we need now is someone to take the lead and the rest to buy memberships.

I would like to comment on this update from the OBP website.

{{{{{Members of the Canadian Action Party approved, by an overwhelming 94 percent in favour to 6 percent against, a resolution to extend their offer to merge with the New Democratic Party by an additional 31 days until February 5, 2004. CAPers fervently believe that the formation of a big new mainline progressive pro-Canada party is the only way to offer Canadians the real choice they have been looking for.}}}}

Is it possible that this merge may very well happen? I wonder what will happen when Feb 5 comes around. I\'m anxious to see what happens. This update was from January 5, 2004. So this can be seen as positive that its not a dead deal yet.

Can you imagine how many votes the NDP would attract if they already had the economic plan that CAP has?

I can\'t wait till Feb 5th.

Kevin Gagnon
www.kevingagnon.ca

I also hope that this merger between the NDP and CAP happens. I believe that this is the best thing that can happen. I just don\'t want this idea to die a slow death.

I agree with you. Jack should be trying to help form a party of progressives from right across Canada. I also agree that Mel and Paul should be part of that.

The NDP cannot attract the numbers of people required to get enough votes to form a government. They want people to join the NDP and fall into their framework. Most people will not do that and I am one of them. I have corresponded with Mr Hellyer via a number of e mails and actually received a response from him to my astonishment. I am not used to the leader responding directly, normally an aide would do the honours or you would not hear at all.

So, I have taken the plunge and as of this evening I have taken a membership out with CAP.