What are you doing Monday night? Hopefully you’ll have already been to the polls to cast a well-informed vote. So perhaps you’d like to spend a few moments during the evening of May 2nd to check out how the election is progressing?
May I invite you to tune into London’s A-Channel. I’ve been invited by local writer and tech guru extraordinaire Carmi Levy to participate in an exciting venture in support of the local station’s coverage. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Two political events designed to stop a Conservative majority are noble in intent, but are simply two wastes of valuable time and votes, which really only work in an ideal world. Instead, these actions actually have the potential to do more damage to the Canadian election process and represent short-sighted solutions to much deeper problems.
Pair Vote represents everything that’s wrong with federal politics. First, it claims that its intent is “to prevent a false majority by the Conservatives.” The Conservatives have not had a majority, false or otherwise, since they’ve been in power. They have a plurality – there’s a big difference. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Remember the old jokes? A PC dinner reservation would be announced by the maitre d’ as, “Conservatives – Party of Two.” That was back in 1993 when, after the failure of both Meech Lake and Charlottetown, along with the residual distaste of the GST implementation and the rise of the Reform Party left the once-mighty Progressive Conservatives a shell of their former selves.
So could the Liberals now be preparing for a similar serving of crow in an election that suggests that the once lightly regarded NDP has passed the once-mighty Liberal Party of Canada in the polls? Continue reading
By Jason Menard,
Instead of burning with passion as a result of election fever, I find myself on the precipice of succumbing to burning out with the process — like many of my fellow Canadians apparently already have. However, one only need to look beyond our borders to find the spark that should reignite that fire.
As we enter our fourth election since 2004, I have found myself wondering if remaining passionate about the process is a waste of time. It’s not that I don’t have faith that Canadians will do the right thing – I just don’t have faith that Canadians will do anything. Continue reading
By Jason Menard
Awish Aslam booted from a local rally for Prime Minister Stephen Harper because of a Facebook photo? Who cares?
Ali Aref Hamadi asked to leave the same reception due to the presence of an NDP bumper sticker on his car? Who cares?
An election caused by the Harper government’s contempt of parliament charges? Arrogantly suggesting that Canadians don’t care about those same contempt charges? Previous elections called in a way that circumvented the very fixed-election-dates policy implemented? Partisan appointments to a Senate that he promised to make accountable? Promises to decentralize parliamentary power and an election campaign fuelled by promises of truth, accountability, and openness undone by an essential gag order on Ministers and a rationalization of power in the PMO?
Who cares? Continue reading
The M-Dash by Jason Menard 