NOW Toronto: Quebec tried, but the rest of Canada couldn’t pull it out of the hat.

[marmar]

NDP win is no consolation
Citizens kicked up a storm of change but couldn’t stop Harper without help from the leaders

By Alice Klein


Quebec tried, but the rest of Canada couldn’t pull it out of the hat.

As delighted as many of us are to be sending a historic number of NDPers to Ottawa, the fact is that this election was largely a referendum on Stephen Harper’s rights-defying prison-and-punishment agenda, and he won. The Official Opposition will exercise precious little real power.

Of course, many of us disagree strongly with right-wing Tea Party politics. But resistance to the Conservatives went much deeper. Harper took so many liberties with the basic tenets of democracy and respect for Parliament that even the country’s leading constitutional expert became an advocate of strategic voting (and projectdemocracy.ca) to defeat him.

“This is the most important federal election in my lifetime,” said Peter Russell in a statement endorsing the site. “What is at stake is nothing less than parliamentary democracy.” ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=180564

[orwell]

1. I am convinced...

...that people often vote against their best interests.

I'm sure that happens in Canada as it does here.

Witness the new-found anger of senior voters who voted for Republicons and then are surprised when they attempt to dismantle Social Security. What did they think they were voting for?

Politicians have become very clever marketers. They thrive on modern branding and the ability to raise money from the business community. They have learned to please their corporate masters and set themselves up for life on the public/private dole.

Harper is just another slick Con man, with a smooth delivery as he shoves the knife in. That being said, what passes for the right in Canada would be the left in the United States.

But don't worry, I'm sure the Corporatati are making every effort to get our neighbors to the north fully on board the Middle Class Destruction train.

[SidDithers]

2. I'm not conviced that Quebeckers knew what they were doing either...

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/986662--ndp-shifts-to-damage-control-over-vegas-mp-ruth-ellen-brosseau?bn=1

Here they are electing an NDP candidate, who didn't live in the riding, didn't campaign or put up signs in the riding, took off to Las Vegas during the campaign, doesn't speak French in a riding that's 98% Francophone, and hasn't been seen since winning the riding by 5000 votes.

Sid