The parties with the worst record on deep integration are the Conservatives and the Liberals. Both parties have signed successive agreements, from NAFTA through to the SPP, that have eroded Canadian sovereignty and democracy. It hasn't mattered whether it was a Liberal or a Conservative government, Chretien or Martin or Harper--the progress of deep integration has continued unabated, and with their full consent. The Conservative government has now also said it may make a draft agreement with the European Union (EU) three days after the election--without letting Canadians (except of course for the corporate CEOs of the NACC and other bodies) see the agreement first.
Fortunately, you do have some choices at the polls.
The NDP has consistently opposed deep integration. Most recently, NDP MP Peter Julian made sure that the first House of Commons hearings on the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) were held. At the parliamentary hearings, Tories stormed out and adjourned the meetings unilaterally when Alberta's Gordon Laxer was explaining that the SPP's clauses giving the US control over our energy could leave Canadians to freeze in the dark. See: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c6291848-5f41-4b72-831a-2e889cd6bb9e
The NDP platform for this election includes the following points on sovereignty:
- Ceasing Canadian participation in the Liberal and Conservative-driven Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).
- Increasing diplomatic efforts, particularly in light of recent comments by the United States and Russia, to ensure that other countries respect our Arctic sovereignty.
- Transferring the Canadian Coast Guard to the Department of Public Safety and increase resources to improve its operational effectiveness, including initiatives that will better protect and strengthen our sovereignty over Canadian waters.
- Stopping the hollowing out of Canadian industries by strengthening the Investment Canada Act. Foreign takeovers of Canadian companies will be subject to more stringent tests respecting job protection and creation, head office location, and the promotion of research and development in Canada.
- Creating an economic development agency for the North.
The Canadian Action Party (CAP) is a national party whose primary issue is the SPP and deep integration. They believe in scrapping NAFTA completely. See: http://www.canadianactionparty.ca/
The Green Party of Canada has also spoken out on this issue. See for example: http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_08_15.shtml
So please, get out and vote today for Canadian sovereignty, and encourage your friends to do so as well. And when you're done, don't forget to work to change the voting system itself to make it more fair and to ensure that in future, our votes aren't wasted. See: http://www.orphanvoters.ca and http://www.fairvote.ca .
Stumble It!
On Afghanistan, he campaigned on a promise to let Parliament vote on all future military deployments. But just before the Afghan vote he told stunned MPs he'd simply ignore the result if they voted against the mission.
Some politicians will agree to meet with protesters, either to calm tensions, learn about an issue or just for the publicity. Not Harper. His reaction to demonstrators at a Three Amigos summit with the U.S. and Mexican presidents was to label the protesters "pathetic."
There is no perfect choice, only the best choice out of our options and our options for our new Prime Minister this time around based on the evidence are Harper or Dion...all we can do is vote for the best outcome possible and the evidence supports that would be Harper gone and Dion as our new Prime Minister.
Two things it appears from the results happened last night. First, the Liberals lost votes and seats to the Cons AND NDP, with the Cons getting the greater benefit from that not insignificant "wannabe conservative" wing of the Liberals that hated Dion-, who actually came on more left and progressive than the NDP for much of the campaign. It just didn't work for him because the history of the Liberal Party simply made it unbelievable, even though he himself MAY have been sincere. (And which drove his enemies into marking their X for the Conservatives clearly-, the real source of his gains, not us of the dis-affected.)
Which brings me to that typically intellectual skank, Rex Murphy, who despite the fact that I generally loathe him, made the most profound observations of the evening on CBC, I thought.
His observation being that he thoughT ALL of the status quo parties lacked credibility and sincerity throughout the entire election. He said, in words to the effect, here we are, the country and the "free world" moving into what is almost certainly destined to be the most severe crisis of capitalism since the last Great Depression, and it was like there was a gentlemen's agreement amongst all of them to simply ignore it. Not a one of the learned ladies or gentlemen would speak of this crisis of capitalism, its significance and the effect it is likely destined to have on "ordinary folks", to any serious analytical depth. They were simply absorbed in the "business" as usual, pragmatic and don't rock the boat gamesmanship of winning an election, on "the system's" terms.
Which is the central manifest observation one needs to make about ALL these so-called status quo "vanguard" parties, and is central to understanding the all time record 49% non-participation rate in the process. (Which didn't just happen for no good reason. And weeping and wailing about it, and getting all huffy and self-righteous, won't do a single iota of good.) It IS as if there is a "ladies and gentlemen's agreement" amongst them all to dumb down the debate and the process to a routine and ritualistic kind of politics, even in the face of the most severe global economic and political crisis of the last 50-60 years. Like Murphy observed, there is no fire and brimstone of depth of analysis and conviction amongst a one of them. They are play acting, every goddamn "party" out there.
No wonder there is so much apparent "apathy". And I'm not really sure that it is apathy at all. In fact, I'm damn sure that is only how it seems on the surface of it, especially to the "true believers" still genuflecting at the Alter of What Passes For Democracy.
Finally, I'm not convinced anymore of the value of the "party" system. I think it is as it manifests itself, a reflection of the class system within capitalism,in a time and place where even the working class still "largely" continues to buy into ruling class ideas. (And certainly the NDP, fundamentally, has made its compromises and deals with these "ruling class ideas.")
But, that said, if there is a vanguard party out there that wants my vote, and/or seriously expects me to vote for it, as Murphy spoke of, it better evidence a whole lot more fire and brimstone depth of analysis and understanding, and preparedness to ACT against the system than I've observed from any of them, including the NDP and Greens. The triteness political pablum of all the parties to capitalism I've heard before. And I ain't going there to dine no more.
And I know there is that sentiment out there to give the NDP, even the Greens a chance federally. They'd be better than the Cons. To which I would only observe that the proof of that pudding is in how they have behaved politically throughout the Neocon period of the last 30 years, since the 70s at least. With the rise of neo-liberal economics and neocon politics, the NDP everywhere, provincially, themselves moved increasingly "right" until they became indistinguishable from the Liberals, and are clearly, from the behaviour of their leaders, even Layton, testing the waters to merge in one form or another with the Liberals. I remember the budget and job cuts the NDP helped carry through and make "palatable", in an environment of fear, here in BC. I remember the times they broke strikes and ordered workers back to work... For whom? The employers. ...and worked through the NDP union leadership to undermine strikes and limit their demands to non-political, non-power threatening nickles and dimes. Until it scarcely today even resembles remotely the Party of Woodrow and Douglas. It has itself been "neoconized" So I am unconvinced that "in power", with their history of moving right the closer they get to power, they would behave that much differently from the Cons or the Libs. (Consider as well the role Labour has played in Britain and Germany, for but two examples amongst many, over the Neocon period-, to where they too effectively champion socialism for the banks and the wealthy, and laissez-faire capitalism for the working class. As for the Greens, they don't even attempt to hide their pro-capitalism bias and contempt for the working class, here or in Europe. They have simply put on some green-face.)
That, at least, is how I see it. And I ain't gonna waste my time on this status quo process anymore. Folks, certainly working class folks, need to make better use of their time and money resources, than wasting either upon any one of these slackards and opportunists.
Eat your hearts out. I'll vote when and if I'm good and ready, and only then. Cry in your own beer.
49% didn't even bother. That makes us "non-participants" the largest single block in the entire goddamn ruling class controlled process. We are not giving this bullshit, so-called "democratic process" legitimacy with our participation in it.
Coyote
http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/abc/ho ... 008_081013
Lets not make problems where there are none, several alternatives were available to those with no means of identification but surely if you are aware enough to vote you are aware enough to ensure that you have sufficient ID or made arrangements to be identified before such time as you need to. Even students just moved in to temporary accommodation could vote at home in the advanced polls or even arrange to vote by mail by calling elections Canada ahead of time.
It is important that we ensure that the voting privileges are not abused and the only way to do so is to positively identify each voter and try and ensure that they do not vote in two separate locations. What is the alternative, back to the dip your finger in the ink pot to say that you have voted?
In my view the requirements are quite reasonable given the long list of acceptable ID and the alternatives available. Those that wish to participate have an obligation to ensure that they can indeed identify themselves and their current place of residence without such safeguards anyone could vote anywhere!
http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/abc/ho ... 008_081013
Finally, the politicians and their masters don't give a rat's ass if people vote or not because it's business as usual for them regardless. No reason to blame half the population for figuring out their little game.
As for not voting, don't act as if your non-action is some great political statement. You've essentially completely given up what little voice you have. Political leaders and parties will always cater at least a little to voters, and not at all to non-voters--and those who don't vote are always assumed to be completely happy with the status quo. And doing nothing is not by any stretch of the imagination an act of political activism.
Now, what the last election DID highlight was the need for electoral reform in this country. The outdated first-past-the-post system does not work and needs to be reformed. Of all the votes that were cast, far too many were wasted. What the election results did this time was make that fact clear and obvious. Which is sad, but also could be a wonderful thing if we can build on the surge in interest in voting reform right now, and use the minority government situation to make some form of proportional representation a reality in Canada. That would change the way we vote, the way we elect, and the entire political landscape in Canada from now on. More people would probably want to vote too if they knew they could actually do more with their vote.
So here's the post-election challenge: ensuring that voting reform is the number one priority on the new government's agenda.