Pointlessly pushing for forced sustainability

Severn Cullis-Suzuki wants governments to force citizens to be good environmentalists.  I don't think she means green stormtroopers, but punitive taxation that forces rationing.  The problem for Cullis-Suzuki is two-fold:

1. A plan like that won't work unless the major consuming countries all agree to it.
2. Canadians know that a plan like that won't work unless the major consuming countries all agree to it.

StopIggy.ca has been registered

The "Anyone But Ignatieff" forces are lining up as the Liberal Party leadership race starts to take shape.  In 2006, StopIggy.com was well known, pleading for Liberal delegates to vote for Joe Volpe even.

Well, as the media is reporting that Michael Ignatieff is lining up key supporters, someone has registered StopIggy.ca.

The Green Shift is thrown down the memory hole

Well, this came as a surprise.  The Liberal Party website thegreenshift.ca is now redirecting to Jennifer Wright's greenshift.ca.

Stephane Dion's carbon tax plan is well and truly dead.

The Liberal Party shift

In the declaration by Dominic LeBlanc of his intention to run for the Liberal Party leadership, we see the end of a shift that Stephane Dion inadvertently started.  The shift is, of course, the green shift.

Not the Green Shift, Stephane Dion's ill-fated carbon tax plan. But the green shift, a movement in the Liberal Party away from environmental issues, leaving the Elizabeth May and the Green Party high and dry.

Maybe we should call it the anti-green shift.

From Lloyd Axworthy's union of the left to riots in the streets

Frankly, people opposed to the Conservatives just can't seem to accept that they lost an election.  The reactions range from wishful thinking to the deranged.  The thing that links them together is the notion that the Conservatives have to be removed from power, now, immediately, before they destroy everything.

Is someone preparing a new "Stop Iggy" site?

Michael Ignatieff was easily one of the most polarizing candidates in the last Liberal leadership race.  A website StopIggy.com was dedicated to convincing Liberal delegates to vote for someone else.  Anyone else.

Well, in my normal scan of domain registrations, I spotted what might be a new Stop Iggy site. Or it might be a pro-Ignatieff site.  But whatever it is, it is a hint that the new Liberal leadership race is starting to take shape.

David Suzuki: We don't need the Green Party because we don't need debate on the environment

David Suzuki is spinning around again.  This time he tries to explain himself in a full-length op-ed in the National Post.

He actually starts to come in, loud and clear.

What does David Suzuki really think about the Green Party?

There has been a minor dustup this week when David Suzuki was quoted in a Thunder Bay media report as saying that the Green Party is preventing the adoption of environmental policies by major parties.

Nonsense, says the Green Party.

I've been misquoted, says David Suzuki.

Well, then David Suzuki seems to have been misquote more than once.

David Suzuki claims he was misquoted

It's a shame, because what David Suzuki didn't say made a lot of sense.  But a press release from the Green Party clears up the matter.

Sort of.

Green Party responds to David Suzuki

I asked the Green Party to respond to David Suzuki's comments that the Green Party is in the way of further political progress of environmental issues.

David Suzuki: Right on the money when he says the Green Party must go away

I've given David Suzuki a rough ride on this blog, and I'm sure he hasn't noticed it in the least.  But when he says something that makes perfectly good sense, I have to point that out too.

In this case, he says that the existence of the Green Party prevents any real action on environmental issues by governments.

Therefore, he concludes, the Green Party must disappear.

And he's absolutely right.

The Liberal caucus can't afford to be sentimental

This Thursday, the Liberal Party caucus will meet for the first time after the election disaster.  Down 19 members, the first order of business will be to approve the decision made by Stephane Dion that he stay on as interim leader.

There are so many reasons to consider that decision very carefully.

Did Stephane Dion lead a putsch against himself?

This is a fait accompli, I expect, so just consider this an exercise in bean counting.  But Stephane Dion seems to have unilaterally put himself in the role of interim leader of the Liberal Party.

It's just not that simple.

Is the Liberal Party leadership race playing out right in front of us?

Are we all staring at a major element of the Liberal Party leadership race and not recognizing it for what it is?

The bizarre plottings of Stephane Dion

Something just occurred to me.  Could Stephane Dion be planning to lead the Liberals through a second election?

Stephane Dion: Beyond simply an idealist

As we learn more about Stephane Dion, it has to be said that Canada dodged a bullet when the voters rejected the Liberal Party.

OK, so maybe it wasn't all that close when the results were tallied, but Stephane Dion's behaviour since the election loss begs an important question.  Just who thinks Dion would have made a good prime minister?  I mean, the guy's a nutter!

The first decision for the new Liberal Party leader

It is likely, it seems, that Stephane Dion will step down as Liberal Party leader on Monday, and an interim leader will be appointed in his place.

There are a lot of things the Liberals need to sort out. But there is one thing I think even an interim leader can make a decision on, a decision that I think the Liberals need to address immediately.

The Dion Interview: CTV unfairly attacked by Liberal spin

Perhaps the image that will remain best remembered as this past elections passes into history will be of Stephane Dion being interviewed by ATV's Steve Murphy.  The Liberal leader couldn't not understand the question, despite multiple attempts by Murphy and others to explain it to him.

His look of confusion while people tried to get him to understand a subtle but not too complex a question probably gave many voters pause to wonder just what sort of prime minister Stephane Dion would be in a crisis.

Dion's defenders and apologists claimed that CTV ambushed Dion by releasing the tape of do-overs.  Everyone gets do-overs in an interview, they claimed.

That's just spin.  Here's the truth.

Maclean's pulls back on insults aimed at Mike Duffy [updated]

When CTV aired the botched Stephane Dion interview, many in the media expressed strong opinions about the decision.  Few stronger, though, than Andrew Potter of Maclean's, who called Mike Duffy a "despicable human being".

Well, that blog post is gone.

Update: Kady O'Malley's blog post in support of Andrew Potter is gone from Maclean's blog pages as well.

The Liberals start saving the pennies by dropping the Green Shift

The Liberal Party is broke.  The collapse in the popular vote means far less money coming in from the government.  Donations, which have been an anemic source of funds for the Liberals, will like drop even lower, and much of it will be vacuumed up by the leadership candidates from the last leadership convention, still struggling to pay off their debts.  That includes Stephane Dion, who will be quitting as Liberal Party leader.

With Stephane Dion gone, and money in such short supply, it is no surprise that the Liberal Party has dropped all official references to the Green Shift carbon tax.  It was costing them money in licensing to Jennifer Wright of Green Shift Inc.

Why the Left won't unite

My title is a bit misleading.  The Left could unite, of course.  But it is inherently difficult for the Left to unite, whereas it was comparatively easy for the Right to unite.

It comes down to being much easier to agree to do nothing than to agree on something that must be done.

Comments are open -- Liveblogging at the Western Standard

We can go live with comments as BC polls are closed.  The Tories are doing well with what is shaping up to be a strong minority government.

>> OK, is it just me, or is a majority still within reach? 10:08pm

>> Lisa Raitt is leading in Halton, in a region of Ontario that is looking very blue.  10:11pm

>> How precarious is Elizabeth May's position?  Will her party turn on her for the strategic voting fiasco, especially if it apparently had not effect other than to bleed votes (and money) from her own party?  10:13pm

>> Adding more observations at http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2008/10/liveblogging--2.html

Defending Canada against Elizabeth May

Green Party leader Elizabeth May has called Canada's first-past-the-post electoral system "perverse".

As we wait for the embargo to lift on reporting results, I'd like to defend what I think is a brilliant system against sore losers.

Commenting is moderated until all polls close

In order to respect Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act, commenting will be moderated until the polls are closed.  Please note though that during the workday I won't be able to do any comment moderation, so don't expect to see your comment, whether it relates to polling information or not, get through the gate and onto the site until much later today.

The polls close in BC at 7pm Pacific, or 10pm Eastern.

Get to the polls.  Vote your conscience.  Remember that democracy is a precious gift.  Good luck everyone.

Stephane Dion, Elizabeth May, and the bribery statute

Elizabeth May has made her call for Green Party voters to cast their votes for the Liberals or the NDP in order to guarantee a win for the Liberal Party and Stephane Dion.

This move has been widely predicted.

But now there is a rumour is that in exchange for influencing the votes of Green Party supporters, Elizabeth May would be appointed a Senator by Stephane Dion, then brought into cabinet as environment minister.

Elizabeth May is denying everything.  Of course she is.  Someone probably introduced her to Section 481 of the Canada Elections Act.

Complaint filed against Garth Turner for sign war tactics

Suddenly, all over Halton, new Garth Turner signs are popping up.  No problem with that, except that the signs are being placed immediately in front of signs for Conservative candidate Lisa Raitt, obscuring or hiding her signs.

It's a last ditch effort, timed to avoid any action from Elections Canada.

Richmond Hill: Conservative signs vandalized with swastikas

The sheer number of signs defaced is one of the striking elements of this disturbing story.  Conservative candidate CS Leung has had numerous signs defaced by vandals.

But these vandals chose to equate the Conservative Party with Nazis.  This is not the first time we've seen this sort of thing happen, and we know that the Liberals tolerate this sort of thinking, if not the vandalism itself.

But then you can't have it both ways.  To denounce the vandalism, you have to denounce the thinking that drives it.  Stephane Dion has refused to do that.

Maybe because he believes it too.

Signs to polling station surrounded by Liberal Party signs

This is just a coincidence.  A campaign office for the Liberal incumbent and a polling station are both in the same mall, so signs to the polling station are surrounded with Liberal campaign signs.  Still, it just looks wrong.

The myth of Stephane Dion -- Team Player or Obstinate Loner

What makes Stephane Dion special?

We are told over and over again it is how he draws people together.  It's his Dream Team.

He plays well with others.

What absolute garbage!

It's not about playing well with others.  It's about downloading those issues he doesn't care about.

The Grim Reaper and Stephane Dion

Death and taxes are the only certainties in life.  The Grim Reaper takes care of death. 

Stephane Dion, on the other hand, has made it clear that he'll make certain that taxes are, well, certain.

Goofiest poll....ever!

I don't write much about polls.  Other bloggers do it better than me, and anyway, polls make me alternately giddy and nervous, depending on the numbers.  So any posts on the subject of a particular poll would reflect that mood, which is an emotional response, not a data-driven one.

But then when my response to a poll is outright laughter, I figure I can break my rule.

This poll is about the true issue of the election that everyone has missed: The Seal Hunt!

In Toronto, no less.

*snort*

Stephane Dion: The armchair quarterback melts under real pressure

The question was not really that hard to understand.  Sure, it was bit more complicated than "What's your favourite colour?" or "What's the average air speed of an African swallow?"

But really, it was an important question.  In fact, it was the most important question you could ask Stephane Dion under the circumstances.

What would you have done differently?

And Stephane Dion couldn't answer it.  He couldn't even understand it.  All he could do was bob his head and grin.

It was painful and embarrassing and thank CTV we could all see it before a terrible mistake was made.

Crazed Liberal volunteers assault people with campaign materials

Yes, these Liberals were rude and violent.

But also so very, very stupid.

Fixing the sign damage

I was hit by vandals last night.  Supporters of the Liberal Party ripped down my sign and others, and threw them in the drainage ditch a hundred feet from my house.

Time to clean up.

Liberal vandalism targeting Conservatives in Cambridge

My house was hit.  My small Gary Goodyear sign was removed, wireframe and all, and taken over to the drainage ditch 100 feet away (I checked the distance with Google Earth).

Actually, there were several Gary Goodyear signs in the ditch.  From various houses up my block and from the signs on the corner.

Canada is home to the soundest banking system in the world

Listening to Stephane Dion and Jack Layton spouting off about how they're going to fix things (well, Stephane Dion is going to have meetings about how to fix things), I have to wonder what it is they think needs fixing?

The fact of the matter is, Canada has the world's soundest banking system.  That according to the World Economic Forum, in statement released today.

Local Halton papers endorse Lisa Raitt over Garth Turner

Garth Turner, running for re-election in Halton, has failed to secure the endorsement from the three local Halton papers.  Indeed, the editorial boards thinks re-electing Garth Turner would be a mistake, as he is seen to be a trouble-maker with only his own interests at heart.

The right candidate for Halton, the papers agree, is Lisa Raitt of the Conservative Party.

Delaying the Green Shift: Stephane Dion versus Bob Rae

Do you really want these guys in charge of the economy?

On the one hand, sociology professor Stephane Dion says that Green Shift will be implemented by a Liberal government without delay.

On the other hand, socialist Bob Rae says implementing the Green Shift might have to wait.

Garth Turner in bankruptcy controversy?

Party A owes you money.  Party A is not disputing your claim that money is owed for services rendered.  Party A being an owner of several businesses and properties, you have no reason to believe that Party A can't make good on the debt.

Then you receive a letter from Party A stating that he has no funds, and implying strongly that he is going bankrupt, so take this smaller offer or get nothing.

Maybe you take the offer.

Weeks later, Party A is wheeling and dealing with another property, and the company seems to be doing just fine today.

The latest weirdness from the world of Liberal MP Garth Turner.

Stephane Dion went to climate conference just to read someone else's report

In 2005, as Minister of the Environment, Stephane Dion opened a climate conference focused on the Arctic. The bulk of his speech consisted of reading the executive summary of a year-old UN report, word for word.

One wonders at how much carbon he emitted into the atmosphere to get to the conference, when he could simply emailed a link to the UN report. 

Just read the report.  There -- speech done!

Breaking News: Stephen Harper is scary! Key voting block irretrievably lost

Robert Fife of CTV news reports on the discovery of a voting block in Canada that is frightened at the thought of a Conservative government, and are throwing their support to the Liberals.

Try as they might, it is not likely that the Conservatives can win these guys over. 

Liberal MP Marc Godbout reworks signs -- vote locally!

Liberal MP Marc Godbout is reworking his election signs.  Like other Liberal candidates seeking re-election, he is asking voters to not look at the Liberal Party as a whole, but to consider only the role of the MP as the representative of the riding.

Liberal MP Anita Neville concedes a Conservative win (while standing on her record of abstentions)

Why I should buy wholesale -- Linda Schwey is a much better shopper than me.

Back in June I noticed that Liberal candidate Linda Schwey was planning to give away thousands of seed packets during the next election.

I figured it would cost her thousands.  I see that I really can't be trusted with the shopping.

Garth Turner's hole just got a little bit deeper

Garth Turner has posted on my blog.  Well, someone claiming to be Garth Turner.  But if we assume it is him, then he is claiming that Dan Baril is not connected to his campaign, just a constituent interested in politics.  That is important because CTV had asked that candidates attending a Halton riding town hall event hosted on Canada AM to bring people to ask questions of the candidates, but that these persons not be connected to the campaign work.

Supporters of the candidates, yes.  Connected to campaign work, no.

So I'm forced to drill down in more detail.

Hey, there's a lot of research here, but the bottom line is this.  If you are an MP and you label someone a constituent, at least make certain that the person is your constituent.  Otherwise your credibility really starts to suffer.

CTV in danger of being Garthed

I've gotten a response from Lis Travers, Vice-President (Canada AM), at CTV, with regards to the appearance of Garth Turner's pollster at a Q&A session put on by CTV.

It is so very carefully worded that I think a lawyer had some hand in it.  And that speaks volumes about how Garth Turner has hurt the integrity of a second media organization in the same election.

That has to be some sort of record.  It deserves a new word to be coined to describe it.

Did Garth Turner stage another media event?

During an appearance on CTV's Canada AM, the four candidates in the riding of Halton held a joint townhall.  The first question went to Garth Turner, and instead of asking him to define or defend some aspect of the Liberal Party platform, Garth Turner was asked to comment on Stephen Harper's lack of respect for democracy.

Lucky Garth Turner?  Hardly.

The question was posed by Garth Turner's pollster Dan Baril.  He’s Halton Liberal Riding Association board member Dan Baril, formerly of polling company Decima Research. 

Garth Turner has responded in his blog.  This is not a big deal, says Garth Turner.  The candidates were supposed to bring people to pose questions.

Well, yes, I figured that out myself.  But what I also suspected, and have now confirmed, is that there were some simple instructions regarding the selection of this person.  Instructions that Garth Turner seemed to ignore.

Jack Layton sets Stephane Dion straight

 

From tonight's debate.

Did Garth Turner and his friend contrive to ambush Lisa Raitt on CTV's Canada AM?

Even as the CPAC fiasco fades, we might have yet another example of Garth Turner attempting to use a media appearance as a stage for a contrived Q&A session.

In this case, during an appearance on Canada AM, a member of the Halton Liberal riding association, Dan Baril, is in the audience and lobs a question to Garth Turner.  The question is designed to allow Garth Turner to go on the attack, casting Conservative candidate Lisa Raitt (who is sitting beside Garth Turner) as someone who doesn't care about constituents.

Did CTV know that Lisa Raitt was being set up for an ambush?

French Debate: Deepest insight from the most shallow question

The debate tonight generally went according to script.  Stephen Harper was the target of attacks from Stephane Dion, Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe, and Elizabeth May.  Stephen Harper generally played defense as made sense for someone in the lead.

But there was one question posed that turned out to be the most revealing.  And yet by and large, everyone seemed to miss the point.

Garth Turner, Green Lights, and Secret Bank Accounts

The Liberal Green Light Committee for Ontario, charged with making certain candidates standing for election meet the high standards demanded of a member of parliament of any party, will let pass.

Not all candidates have to be vetted by the Green Light Committee.  Those who are appointed just have to submit updated disclosures to the Ontario Campaign Chair.

Liberal MP Garth Turner was embroiled in a lawsuit with his former company, Millennium Media.  The suit was still active when during the run-up to this election and still active when the election started.  All we knew was that it involved the misappropriation of funds.  But the details are quite interesting.

I wonder if a Green Light Committee would have found these details interesting as well.  But since Garth Turner was appointed, we'll never know.

Video: Stephane Dion on spending

Conservative voters being intimidated in Winnipeg? New allegations surface

In Bill Blaikie's old riding of Elmwood-Transcona in Winnipeg, things are getting nasty.  Stories of threats and intimidation, aimed at people planning to vote for the Tories.

Update: It's now lunch here, and since I first posted this story this morning, I've gotten more information. 

A heat-seeking missile in the Conservative arsenal

Come on.  I get to brag once in a while.

I was one of three bloggers who were profiled on The National tonight.  I think it was a great introduction to bloggers and blogging.

But did you hear when Susan Ormiston called me a heat-seeking missile?

I'm going to be strutting all week.

Angry in the Great White North by Steve Janke is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License. Based on a work at stevejanke.com.