Keeping with the conversation on Feminism...

This makes me so ridiculously happy, even though it is in a country that is not my own.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Today is the Alberta Liberal leadership election. In honour of this very unexciting event, I give you the following video. I can't decide whether it is awesome or terrible that Taft and Co. are making fun of themselves by spoofing The Office. Also, a little telling that Kevin Taft is the creative director, has a love affair with that "pony", and sees himself as the Michael Scott of the opposition. Not exactly painting yourself in the best light there, Kev.

It's a little painful to watch, and the sound cuts in and out at points, but it's... erm... interesting. Also, please note: "The Rodeo Motion" for those of you who are not from Alberta, is Taft's announcement in the House that he wants to see Rodeo named Alberta's official sport. Yeah. Er, Yeehaw?

The Boy is headed off to the mountains this weekend for some skiing, and I'm opting to hibernate. With a projected temperature of somewhere between -20 Celcius and -35 Celcius, or -4 to -31 Fahrenheit (says the Internet converter) before windchill, it seems like a good weekend to curl up on the couch, watch some bad Christmas movies, do some reading and avoid the world.

Nothing to see here!

The button holes on my blouse are too big for the buttons themselves. Therefore, today has been like a game of "lets hope my shirt is still on". Seriously. It completely unbuttons. Good thing I brought a cardigan.

In other news, in addition to her usual overburdened workload, the Mothership is now in charge of the county I grew up in. Huzzah.

In fun coalition news, the news all Canadians love to hate right now, the National Post has posted the potential cabinet for what a coalition government would look like. Like any cabinet, some posts make complete sense and others are big question marks. I also heard a rumor that Elizabeth May would be made Environment Minister, which is interesting since the Greens aren't even part of the coalition (though she has come out in support of it).

At least we now have a little snow here in Edmonton, so it is beginning to look a little more like Christmas. Only 14 more days of work. *sigh

Canadian politics... interesting, but not in a good way

Michelle Jean: Sorry, Europe, I have to go back to Canada... the children have messed things up again.
Harper: They're being mean to me!
Dion, Layton, Duceppe: He started it!

We have this article announcing the coalition, this one outlining how Harper can prevent it, and this one describing Michelle Jean's options.

It's all a little ridiculous. I don't necessarily support the current party in power, but I don't support the coalition either.

They haven't even seen the budget yet! Canadians just saw a huge waste of $300 million dollars with the last election, one where support was given to the Conservative party! Deal with it. Work together. In this time of economic crisis, we need leaders. We don't need the playground drama.

And Harper's radio PR campaign is a big waste of money. Not that they care. The Conservatives have been wasting money all over the place. They have never stopped campaigning. They started campaigning against Dion and the Liberals way before the election. It's getting old. To me, anyway. I like to be able to make up my mind without turning on the radio/television and hearing the party tell me what I should think.

If, for example, Harper loses a confidence vote next week, he can ask Jean to dissolve Parliament so that another general election could be held. The Conservatives, in preparation for this possibility, have already put down a deposit on a campaign plane and buses.

Seriously?! Preparing for another Canadian election? Come on guys, this is ridiculous.

I wish the grown ups would act like grown ups.

How Canada plans to deal with the failing economy...

... sell the CN Tower!

My good friend, Large David, sent this article to me last night. We then discussed how ridiculous it is that the feds would a) sell off these pieces of Canadiana to private companies (ahem, see the Rogers Centre, formally known as the Skydome) and b) that they would do so to bail out the constantly failing auto industry.

With globalization as it is, there's this whole we-can-get-things-from-other-places-rather-than-constantly-bail-out-our-own-failing-companies thing. Maybe we should invest in opportunities and business ventures which make us money (research! nanotechnology!) and scrap those that we're constantly sinking money into to no avail. Crown corporations and assets make the government money. In this difficult times, is it really worth selling these revenue builders off for a couple (million/billion) bucks in the short term?

We also discussed how sad we both are that Gerard Kennedy will not be running for Liberal leadership. That he's the only one with a decent head about him regarding policy, who has the possibility to unite the fallout from the Martin versus Chretien days. Further, he put in his time in Western Canada, giving the Libs the chance to bridge the West to Ottawa (since Calgary's Prime Minister Harper has failed so miserably at that).

I'd vote for Layton and his creepy mustache over voting for Iggy (or Bob Rae, even).

Speak out Edmonton! (All others, sign the petition)

I received this poster, and the information that follows, this afternoon from my friend Z. I believe I've commented on Omar Khadr before, and if this is something that you believe in, please act by either signing the petition or attending the event on Saturday (or both!).

Z's boss, Satya Das, was approached by Omar Khadr's lawyer, Dennis Edney, to put together a petition to bring Omar home. Satya is doing this pro bono.

If you do not know who Omar is, watch this.

This petition is not about whether Omar is innocent or guilty. This is about requesting that the Canadian government bring him home to Canada as soon as possible so that Canada can deal with the situation appropriately. It's about human rights. Protecting the same human rights all Canadians share, Omar included.

Here's the petition.

Obamarama

My friend James found himself in Cincinnati this fall, working on the Obama campaign and working to get people to the polls.

He sent us a message telling us that Obama is the closet thing to a political movement we have had in many years (kind of sad, kind of scary, kind of good). This campaign has been pretty unbelievable. Everyone from fashion designers showing their support by creating designs that support Obama, to Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities, to Facebook and social networking. It was a campaign that showed that the old ways of campaigning no longer work. That a big wardrobe budget will not win you votes. That text messaging is a tool to reach the masses. That you need more than to show your political stripes, get talked up by your partisan friends and rely on the votes your party has gotten for years. You need to be a visionary and a leader. You need to have the ability to pull Americans from every colour, every creed, every background together and show the world that we can change.

James said this nation, continent, world really needs something to rally behind.

America has found it. And it's not just something for them. It is something for all of us. Something that, during this time of economic turmoil, conflict and uncertainty, the world can believe in.

People have blamed our generation for being apathetic and this American election proved otherwise. We just haven't had a leader we could rally behind. This changes everything. Our grandparents saw so much advancement in society. Airplanes, telephones and televisions, the Internet, the vote for women, the fight for human rights. I'm proud to be part of the generation that saw the election of the first African-American President of the United States of America. Not elected for the colour of his skin, but for the reason that he has the ability to bring everyone together.

Obama's amazing, inspirational, very Presidential, victory speech from last night.




Why can't Canada find a leader like this?

...for my American readers

Vote!

The last interVivos event we had was a young candidates' forum for the federal election here in Canada. Last weekend, at a friend's birthday, he made a point to mention how much he enjoyed the forum and how happy he was to have voted for the first time.

The Presidential election happening on November 4 will most certainly impact Canada and determine what the entire future of North America looks like. One vote can make a difference.

Elle... one political science geek fighting apathy, one person at a time...

Canadians will miss Bush? Not bloody likely.

In an article from CBC:

Canadians will find themselves missing U.S. President George W. Bush if the next administration tinkers with the free trade deal, the American ambassador to Canada says.

Speaking at a Fraser Institute engagement in Montreal, David Wilkins said that the next president should check the facts and figures on the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement. ...

... Bush has been a staunch supporter of NAFTA, said Wilkins, who was appointed by Bush. "Canadians just might discover that they will miss President George W. Bush," he said.

I doubt we'll miss Dubya. A couple reasons why NAFTA needs to be re-worked:

• the whole thing with pesticides (which is reminiscent of other times Canada has banned something for the good of the country and has been sued by companies in the United States)
• softwood lumber
• beef

Liz and Annie on the future of North America

With increased globalization and the recent success of the European Union, a case could be built for creating a similar North American Union. Join interVivos as they discuss the current state of NAFTA, and how our relationship with the U.S. and Mexico might change with the advent of a borderless North America. Is the "Amero" in the works for us, and how plausible is such a relationship right now given current global markets and the need for populations to recognize and defend their regional identities?

There are very, very few seats left to discuss the future of North America with Anne McLellan and Elizabeth May. RSVP today if you're in the Edmonton area.

Oh.Obama

This is scary. 

And these are the guys that get caught.  One has to think that there are equally crazy and much more plausible murderers plotting something out there right now.

Profits over health?

Opponents of the weed killer 2,4-D says a US company's challenge of Quebec's ban on the herbicide is undemocratic and based on the flawed notion that science has deemed the chemical safe.

Gideon Forman, of Canadian Physicians for the Environment, says studies have linked it to cancer, neurological impairment and reproductive problems, adding numerous health authorities have gotten behind such bans.

The comments came after news that a Canadian unit of Dow Chemical filed a two million-dollar notice of action against the federal government in August.
The document does not start the case but signals it could go ahead after the expiry of the 90-day notice period.

The action maintains Canada breached its obligations under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico. (The Canadian Press)

I worked for Gideon out of the London [Ontario] office for the Canadian Cancer Society, when we were lobbying City Council for a pesticide bylaw in London. NAFTA was one of the issues that came up then, especially since Quebec had just announced its province-wide bylaw at that time. People were curious as to how it would affect Ontario passing a ban. It will be interesting to see how this turns out, especially since the NAFTA argument has been used against other banned chemicals in Canada in the past. Ah, chemical companies… more concerned with making a buck (or million) than Canadians’ health.

Oh!Bama

To kick Dion to the curb, or not to kick Dion to the curb... that is the question.

There’s been increasing pressure for Dion to step down as Liberal leader following the big loss on election day.

Dion’s not all that bad. His leadership speech was funny and powerful. He talked about how the world is becoming more interested in doing things in a sustainable way, and how by becoming more sustainable here in Canada, building upon the technology we have and the experts we have, we are in a good position. By becoming more concerned about the environment and building on our strengths, we can stimulate Canada's economy. The world would want to invest here. He was charismatic. He’s a little awkward and has trouble hearing/understanding what the reporters are asking of him. But he admits this fault. He’s real.

He’s not my favourite choice for Liberal leader, but I can tell you who’s even further to the bottom. Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae. Both are supposedly “waiting in the wings” for him to fall.

Seriously, after what Bob Rae did to Ontario as the NDP Premier, I don’t think his leadership will help gain back the votes lost to the Conservatives this time around. Also, Ignatieff, before he came back to teach at the University of Toronto and run for leadership of the party in 2005, was living in either Britain or the United States since 1978. Even if you don't mind that he hasn't lived in Canada for approximately 30 years, he is way too academic. Sure, he’s smart, but the average Canadian can not relate to him at all.

Enter Gerard Kennedy. Charismatic. He was a high-ranking minister in Dalton McGuinty’s Ontario government. He has experience. He is from the west. He started Edmonton’s first food bank. He’s a nice guy who Canadians can relate to. He’s genuine. His leadership speech the first time around gave me goosebumps and made me excited for the country he would lead. I hope he runs again, for the good of all Canadians.

Surprise! Conservative minority!

Harper hoped for a majority government, but unfortunately, him and his PR team couldn’t achieve it.

They went from hoping to double their seats in Quebec, to hoping to hold on to the seats they had. Justin Trudeau won his hard-fought seat in Papineau for the Liberals. It’s important that he wasn’t parachuted in to an easy riding. Justin has been working towards this far before this election began. He has shown not only that he is charismatic Canadian royalty, but also that he cares about the people. His win in Papineau will help earn him some respect rather than just being Trudeau Jr.

Conservatives won seats in Toronto, which is a pretty big deal. In this heavily multicultural area, they campaigned well. The seats the Liberals and NDP thought were safe ended up not being so safe at all.

On that note, Linda Duncan’s win in Edmonton-Strathcona takes Alberta from being all blue to blue with a tiny speck of orange. With so many Alberta candidates being unseen in their constituencies during the election, opting instead to fly across the country and help other candidates, it sends an important message that Alberta is not as safe as the Conservatives thought.

The NDP did well, and though Elizabeth May lost her seat in Central Nova to the hunky Peter McKay (surprise!) the Greens also did considerably well.

With the political gaffes and scandal from all parties, the PR stronghold over Harper, messaging, and the bright idea to release his platform a week before the election, it’s not much of a surprise that voter turnout was dismal. Though, personally, I think Canadians should be ashamed. I just hope Mr. Harper doesn’t think people stayed home because they were complacent. In an election where polls got increasingly close towards the end of the campaign, my guess is that most Canadians just didn’t want any of the leaders to win.

What a way to spend $300 million.

Election business

Ken Chapman's comments on Harper's newly-released platform are spot-on.

The interVivos/Vote Project young candidates' forum last night was very interesting. It's always good to see candidates as real people rather than their party platforms. Everyone was cordial, and the Conservative candidate showed up (after every candidate running in the city/outlying areas from the party was invited). I respect all of these people for getting involved rather than just complaining about how things are currently being done. I think many people who went into the forum knowing who they were going to vote for are going to have some thinking to do. Myself included.

South of the border, Brigitte Bardot, the French sex symbol/film legend, has been not only discouraging Sarah Palin but completely slamming her. In today's National Post:

Brigitte Bardot sends Sarah Palin note of discouragement: "I hope you lose'

Brigitte Bardot, the French film legend turned animal activist, took a swipe at Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, yesterday, saying she was a disgrace to women. "I hope you lose these elections because that would be a victory for the world," she wrote in an open letter to John McCain's running mate.

"By denying the responsibility of man in global warming, by advocating gun rights and making statements that are disconcertingly stupid, you are a disgrace to women and you alone represent a terrible threat, a true environmental catastrophe."

The 1960s sex symbol also assailed Ms. Palin for supporting Arctic oil exploration that could jeopardize animal habitats and for failing to protect polar bears. In a final salvo, she picked up on Ms. Palin's depiction of herself as a pit bull with lipstick. "I know [dogs] well and I can assure you that no pit bull, no dog, nor any other animal for that matter is as dangerous as you are," she wrote.

A little too late

Harper's Conservatives are releasing their party platform today. One week before the election. After the advanced polls have all closed.

Today's Globe and Mail says: The Conservative campaign platform has not been revamped to include new measures as a result of the recent market turmoil, party spokesman Kory Teneycke said yesterday.

If you don't have a good reason to revamp the platform, you should not be releasing it this late. Even then you should amend or add to what you've already released. The last platform to be released was on September 28. You've gone nearly the entire election without a plan for the country! Anyone who voted for you in the advanced polls did it on blind trust, and those you could have swayed with your vision for the future were lost. Seems like a poor strategic decision. Maybe that's why the Conservatives have dropped 10 points in the polls.

Another Harper minority?

Election gaffe #32892301

Today's election gaffe news.

I don’t blame Harper. Politicians are busy people, and they don’t have time to look into everything and wonder if it sounds familiar because it’s the same old rhetoric, or if it sounds familiar because it’s the speech of another world leader.

This Owen Lippert character just kills me. "Pressed for time, I was overzealous in copying segments of another world leader’s speech," Owen Lippert says in a news release sent out by the Conservative camp on Tuesday afternoon.

Part of the job is being pressed for time. There’s never enough time in PR/Communications, let alone when it’s election season. The fact that he searched for another leader’s speech and copied it is just ridiculous. Reuse Harper’s own material, sure… at least they’re his [or the party’s] ideas. Reusing another famous person’s speech is garbage. It’s why people have no faith or trust in PR people. They think that we’re all like this douche.

Well, and this one: Reached by CBC News following Rae's appearance earlier in the day, Harper's spokesman Kory Teneycke dismissed the issue as irrelevant, saying the release of the video was an "act of desperation" from the Liberal campaign a day ahead of the first of the leaders' debates.

How did Harper manage to get such crappy communications staff?

Good thing they caught it now before Harper gets up to the podium and starts off with: “I have a dream… for Canada.”

I agree with Dion here: "Canadians want that their country speak with its own voice on the world stage. It's true for the prime minister; it's true for the Opposition leader."

Some people never grow up...

"New Democrat Leader Brian Mason talks about how he is using Facebook to get out his message. Mason says he has about 700 friends and Liberal Leader Kevin Taft has about 600. One comment “what is this, highschool?” was made in response to Mason’s remarks." CBC Radio Calgary

I love it. "I have more friends than he has!"

Bits and pieces

The Edmonton Journal mentions Premier Stelmach's response to the '"no plan" union-funded ads running on television, whispering back "we have a plan" at a news conference last week.

This has been making me smile all morning. A sense of humour! Who knew?!

Also making me smile this morning = a Giants Superbowl win. Hooray! I'm so not a fan of that douchebag Tom Brady. And it was a GREAT game of football. It's no fun for the Patriots to win every single game of the season and then stomp the Giants in the Superbowl. Ahhh the underdog win. So satisfying. Now Eli Manning can shave off what we can only hope was his "superbowl-don't-shave-for-a-while" pervy excuse for a mustache. He's a cute guy, no need to look like he lurks around schoolyards in an old Trans-Am.

Also, election possibly/probably being called today in Alberta. Should be interesting. The Vote Project is putting on events during the campaign to inform young (potential) voters (who may not usually vote) and have some fun while doing it. I'll keep you posted on the details.