Michael Moore Statement on Canadian Election

[MelissaB]

Michael Moore Statement on Canadian Election

Michael Moore is currently in production on his next movie. As an avid lover of all things Canadian, he has issued the following statement regarding Canada's upcoming election on Monday:

Oh, Canada -- you're not really going to elect a Conservative majority on Monday, are you? That's a joke, right? I know you have a great sense of humor, and certainly a well-developed sense of irony, but this is no longer funny. Maybe it's a new form of Canadian irony -- reverse irony! OK, now I get it. First, you have the courage to stand against the war in Iraq -- and then you elect a prime minister who's for it. You declare gay people have equal rights -- and then you elect a man who says they don't. You give your native peoples their own autonomy and their own territory -- and then you vote for a man who wants to cut aid to these poorest of your citizens. Wow, that is intense! Only Canadians could pull off a hat trick of humor like that. My hat's off to you.

Far be it from me, as an American, to suggest what you should do. You already have too many Americans telling you what to do. Well, actually, you've got just one American who keeps telling you to roll over and fetch and sit. I hope you don't feel this appeal of mine is too intrusive but I just couldn't sit by, as your friend, and say nothing. Yes, I agree, the Liberals have some 'splainin' to do. And yes, one party in power for more than a decade gets a little... long. But you have a parliamentary system (I'll bet you didn't know that -- see, that's why you need Americans telling you things!). There are ways at the polls to have your voices heard other than throwing the baby out with the bath water.

These are no ordinary times, and as you go to the polls on Monday, you do so while a man running the nation to the south of you is hoping you can lend him a hand by picking Stephen Harper because he's a man who shares his world view. Do you want to help George Bush by turning Canada into his latest conquest? Is that how you want millions of us down here to see you from now on? The next notch in the cowboy belt? C'mon, where's your Canadian pride? I mean, if you're going to reduce Canada to a cheap download of Bush & Co., then at least don't surrender so easily. Can't you wait until he threatens to bomb Regina? Make him work for it, for Pete's sake.

But seriously, I know you're not going to elect a guy who should really be running for governor of Utah. Whew! I knew it! You almost had me there. Very funny. Don't do that again. God, I love you, you crazy cold wonderful neighbors to my north. Don't ever change.

Michael Moore

(Mr. Moore is not available for interviews because he now needs to address the situation in Azerbaijan. But he could be talked into it for a couple of tickets to a Leaf's game.)

Link: http://michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=192

[MelissaB]

1. Photo from home page

[tuvor]

2. Here's another Harper cowboy photo for you.

[progdonkey]

5. like Brokeback Mountain

only less heterosexual... :evilgrin:

[tuvor]

8. "Ah wish ah could quitchew, george."

If harper wins, that may make a fine t-shirt design.

[MelissaB]

14. I'd laugh, but I'm too scared.

:scared:

[nicknameless]

31. Yuck. Looks like Bill Gates playing dress up.

[Armstead]

3. UH-OH -- Are the CONsertaiives about to win up there?

[hopeisaplace]

4. yep, I'm sick about it...I hope there's still a chance but I doubt it

a minority con government I could "barely stomach" but
the fact that they may get a majority is scary

[Armstead]

6. Shoot....Was it becaue the Liberal Party "Screwed the Pooch?"

I've always liked Canada. I hate to see them walk the same primrose path as the US.

[hopeisaplace]

9. the media has FINALLY been better this last week (a little anyway)

covering the election..but the way they phrase things is always
"a liberal attack"...the CBC has been better this last week...
These Conservatives are a lot more extreme than the average person,
who doesn't pay attention, knows..and there are a lot of people
asleep at the switch on politics.

Most people I know are voting liberal and are concerned.

Advanced poll voting was up 25% I think? (don't quote me) since
the last election.

[nicknameless]

32. Our media lies about public opinion all the time. Could yours be too?

Here, they try to make people feel hopeless so that they won't bother to vote.

[Nutmegger]

7. Whoa really? I read that the results would resemble the previous gov...

kick some conservative ass up there!

[hopeisaplace]

10. that would be ok for me, now I'm hoping worst case scenario

is a Con minority.

[Telly Savalas]

22. That is, and pretty much always has been, the worst case scenario

It'd still be a bad thing. With the NDP holding sway in a Liberal minority government, we've seen the development of some good policy. I'm not too worried about Canada becoming Jesusland North, but it'd suck to see them kill off the childcare plan.

[Clutch Cargo]

11. Very sad

It appears that Canada is positioning itself to become the 51st state. Why are you doing this to yourselves?

[hopeisaplace]

12. I know, it's so crazy...money buys everything I guess *sigh*

[tuvor]

15. I'm not going to worry until there's something to worry about.

The pollsters got it wrong the last time, too.

[domlaw]

17. Well...

I blame Layton (NDP Leader). Yep the weasel reminds me of Nader. He had a choice to not call this election and hold firm with the Liberals. If the conservatives win this election, I hope the F&*^&^ rots.

[Telly Savalas]

20. Gee fucking whiz.

If Paul Martin had given us assurance that he wouldn't allow the privatization of the health care system, Layton would have continued to prop up the government. But I guess everybody is supposed to kiss the Liberals' ass no matter how right-wing they act. It's precisely that attitude which is causing them to suffer in the polls.

[domlaw]

23. Bull

Layton thought, incorrectly, that he had real power and it went to his head. He's nadered this election and done everything in his power to make sure that the conservatives win. Do you think by relentlessly attacking the only alternative party AND by suggesting that he could work with the cons THAT HE'S GONE DONE GOOD?

If he really didn't want full private healthcare he's sure backed the wrong horse.

[Telly Savalas]

24. If I wanted to hear Liberal Party talking points I'd visit their website

But don't worry. If the fucking Tories win, you'll get those corporate tax cuts that the Liberals were planning on implementing. That should make you happy.

(typo edit)

[domlaw]

25. Well lets take a quick look at his promises

Push settlement aboriginal land claims, residential schools abuse.
Try youths as young as 16 charged with firearms offences as adults.
$200 million improving witness protection programs.
$200 million over four years for victims of violence and $400 million for at-risk youth.


Hmmm let me think lets try 16 year olds as adults yeah and then lets talk about adding more money to support @ risk youths! Which one is it Jack? I mean trying 16 year olds as Adults...maybe we could drop the age to 14 like Harper wants hmmmm.

I just love the idea of the NDP throwing some 16 year old into adult prison and patting themsleves on the back for a job well done.

Don't blame me when the tories and NDP can't help but have uncontrollable urge to build more prisons. Mandatory sentences and incarceration of children....yeah I'll vote for that.

Jeez what the F&* happened to Canada.

[Wilber_Stool]

13. Stephen Harper drinks Coors.

[JanMichael]

16. Yuck! I haven't had one of those fascist financing things for years.

Idiots...

[MelissaB]

18. Question for Canadians

When will we know the result of this election. I seem to remember that you hand count ballots (think of that!) and that the results come the same night.

[Spazito]

19. Monday night, around 11 pm, pdt, at the latest

probably earlier though, depends on how tight the vote is. The faux Cons are losing support now so it could be a real nail biter of an election.

[MelissaB]

29. Thanks so much! n/t

[Idioteque]

21. The CBC coverage is going to be monday night at 9:30

C-SPAN will be carrying it live.

[Lisa]

30. plus the polls are closing in BC at 7 pm

Which is 10 Eastern Standard Time -- so even supposing that the country has to wait for the west coast ballots to be counted before we know who's forming the next government, most of the results would be in by 11 EST.

I am helping with the election, and they told us we'd likely be there for an hour after the polls close, if things go well.

For our US friends -- the voting is organized into small "polls" of a few hundred voters each, say on a neighborhood basis. There may be several of these polls in any given polling station -- so to vote if you're in poll #201, you'd walk up to the "201" table in a school gym or community center. There are a couple of people sitting there, who work for Elections Canada. They give you your ballot and cross your name off the voter's list. You take your ballot behind a little cardboard screen, mark it with a pencil, give it to one of the officials so they can rip off the "counterfoil" strip, and they give it back to you so you can put it into the ballot box. There may be representatives from some or all of the candidates, who sit near the table and watch for any potential voting irregularities.

After the polls close, the officials at each table count the ballots by hand, sorting them into little piles -- the party representatives can watch, to make sure that ballots aren't discarded or counted twice, that kind of thing. There are hundreds of polls in a "riding" (district), so this does take a lot of Elections Canada volunteers.

One difference Americans may notice is that we don't vote directly for the Prime Minister -- just for the person running in that riding. The PM is the leader of the party which wins the most ridings. The PM also has to run as a candidate -- party leaders usually don't lose, but it's rather embarrassing for them if they do (Kim Campbell?). Also, most people appointed to the cabinet have to be elected Members of Parliament. Imagine if you could vote Secretary Rumsfeld out of office!

[Ladyhawk]

26. Yo, Canada, don't go there!

I thought I was sick of the Democrats when dumbass showed his face and said he would bring honor and dignity back to the White House. I fell for it. I wasn't exactly overjoyed with the weed, but I helped usher in this nightmare. Okay, maybe not since my state went for Gore, but I was NOT paying attention.

Harper looks like he's from the Bay of Fundy...and no, I don't mean that lovely sea inlet near Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. He has the "fundy" look: clean-cut and crazy as a hatter. I grew up around those people and they scare the bejesus out of me.

Please, Canada, DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL-AID!

[domlaw]

27. Yep

He's a fucking loon all right

[Ladyhawk]

28. It's the eyes...he has those fundy eyes.

:scared: