Iggy at his Stupid, Out of Touch, Americanized best

Once again Iggy adds another issue to the list of things that don't make him progressive, don't differentiates him from a Conservative and just don't make sense.





Great talk to the kids, Iggy

No discussion on the costs involved in enforcing laws people don’t support and will continue to ignore.

No discussion on the relative harm pot causes vs. legal drugs like tobacco and alcohol. Hint, a UN study says says that pot is less harmful and addictive than tobacco or alcohol, the study also shows that legalization causes less harm to both society and individuals than our current laws.

No discussion on the possible tax revenue that could fund the treatment for the users of hard drugs and lower deficits

No discussion on ensuring a safe product for our citizens who use, like no contamination from fertilizer residue, pcb, paraquat,etc

No discussion on defunding crime syndicates.


Yes to giving up our sovereignty to U.S. concerns

Yes to more jails filled with people who have hurt no one but themselves, if anybody!

Yes to speaking down to kids. Kids who in ever increasing numbers will never bother voting , or at least not for Iggy.

Is this the great leader who will lead the Liberals from the wilderness? Yeah right!

And before someone comments, yes I can pass a blood test.

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Citizens Engaging Democracy - event Videos

On Feb 25 the Newmarket-Aurora members of CAPP held their first event as CEDNA , Citizens Engaging Democracy, Newmarket Aurora. The keynote speaker for the function was Doctor Marco Fonseca, Professor of international Studies at York University. Dr Fonseca discussed our democracy, the threats against it and need to make it part of our daily lives not just a blip that shows up every 4 years or so when an election is called.

Dr Fonseca’s talk runs about 30 min and from the reception he received from the local crowd I’m sure you will enjoy it.


part 1


part 2


part 3


part 4

While seeing the videos is great, those who couldn't attend also missed the opportunity to watch MP Lois Brown scowl for 30 minutes straight. She was scrunching her face up SOOO! hard I honestly though she would crack the bridge of her nose.
I wished we had a second Camera to catch her reactions, they were hilarious

For anyone in the area who’d like to help organize, fund, promote or even just attend more such events Contact CEDNA
on facebook, or contact me and I will get you in touch with the organizers.
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Stephen Harper's New National Anthem

Looking into O Canada's history I've found that the song has had several vastly different variations before it was finally set as the one we know with the National Anthem act in 1980, so I guess it's not too shocking or offensive that Harper wants to make a change, it's just damn unbelievable that he gives a shit about the issue.

What I would like to know does the line "in all thy sons command" actually offend anyone? I've never heard my most feminist friends say anything about needing a gender neutral anthem, have you? I believe they are more concerned with the loss of funding for women's groups, the lack of pay equity in government jobs and the fear that reproductive rights will reduced.

Either way all Harper is likely to do is change one line, which in the big scheme means next to nothing. So let's ignore Harper's little distraction over nothing and create our own Conservative versions of the anthem, Something you think Harper would really like, here's mine feeble attempt as an example.

O Canada
On stolen native land
True patriot love but not between two men
With glowing heart we see the rise
of big oil subsidies
From far and wide
O Canada, we stand on hypocrisy
God keep our land, mostly Muslim free
O Canada we stand on hypocrisy
O Canada we stand on hypocrisy

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Should Greens consider Thorium reactors?

Debate topic for pragmatic GREENs

Thanks to a tweet by Enviralment I just read an article on Thorium reactor technology that I think people should read. Thorium reactors have been around for quite some time but because of their inability to be weaponized they never received the same funding or hype that conventional (uranium) reactor technology received. I've looked at thorium technology a number of times not only as because I love tech stuff but also as GREEN compromise position to the outright moratorium on nuclear plants.

Thorium has a number of major advantages or Uranium reactors

1. Fuel is 10 times more abundant and readily available in the waste streams of existing metal mines. This will ensure a good supply without additional mining of any kind especially Uranium mining. Thorium technology will also keep fuel prices low compared to what will happen if a major build out of new Uranium reactors is begun. Ur prices have been suppressed for decades because of the availability of reprocessed Russian warheads taken out of service in arms control deals, this supply stream is ending and Ur prices will skyrocket in the next decade if major new projects come on line.

2. Thorium reactors are self regulating and don't need expensive and dangerous high pressure systems, lower costs and lower risk.

3. Thorium waste is only hot for a couple hundred years and contains fewer exotic and toxic materials. While still a major storage problem this fact greatly improves the long term logistics of nuclear waste.

4. Thorium reactors can be built without worries of weapon development, You can't make a bomb from it so places like Iran can build them without threatening their neighbours.

5. Thorium reactors can be used to downgrade the toxicity of other nuclear wastes containing plutonium while using them as part of the fuel mix. This reduces dangerous waste and weapons grade fuel, win/win.

So, if an increase in nuclear reactors is inevitable as many people including some environmentalists now believe would it not make sense to throw our support behind a more earth friendly nuclear alternative (thorium) rather than stubbornly demand no nukes at all?

In a energy deficient future were we may lose the all or nothing argument against Uranium reactors, is thorium both viable and comparably safe enough that greens should consider this technology a compromise position to a nuclear moratorium?


I'm realistic/pessimistic enough to believe we may well lose the nuclear argument in a energy starved future, I'm also pragmatic enough to think we should at least debate a lesser of evils compromise where both sides can claim a victory?

I'm torn but would still like to see it debated by real environmental and nuclear experts

What do you think?

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In honour of Helena Guergis and PEI

Considering her outburst on Feb 19 in Charlottetown I just had to post this






I hope somebody can pull the surveillance tapes for this little hissy fit, that would make a great youtube clip
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Holding the line on our Democracy -Press release-

The Newmarket-Aurora Chapter of CAPP, unwilling to wait to see what the evolution of the mother ship would bring decided to carry on alone and plan their own local, independent pro democracy events.

The Group now calling themselves Citizens Engaging Democracy is holding an informational Town Hall meeting in Aurora, ont Feb 25
at Trinity Anglican Church, 7:00 pm, with a realy good guest speaker
Dr. Marco Fonseca, PhD. (Department of International Studies, Glendon College)

This is their Press release, if you know anyone in and around Newmarket-Aurora please pass this on to them and/or forward them the FB event invite link . If you are close by, please consider attending.

From Citizens Engaging Democracy, Newmarket-Aurora

presenting

"Holding the Line on Our Democracy."

February 25, 2010

7:00pm

Binions Hall, Trinity Anglican Church, 79 Victoria Street, Aurora, ON

Suggested donation: $10.00/pay what you can



On Feb. 25th, join us for a local community meeting to educate and inspire local voters.


Featured Speaker:

Dr. Marco Fonseca, PhD. (Department of International Studies, Glendon College) will discuss the topic of grassroots democratic movements, with a focus on Canadian participatory democracy. He points out that, “when we do not take part in the public life of our political community, the very meaning of our citizenship - a key element of what it is to be Canadian - is at risk of being lost.” Our democracy is in crisis and it is up to all of us to let those in power know that we are watching and we want change.


Our Goals:

*

to reach Canadians who are still not aware that we have no sitting Parliament
*

to educate citizens about threats to, and the erosion of, our democratic system
*

to engage people, knowing that low voter turnouts and apathy lead to the election of governments who do not represent us
*

to tell our elected representatives to do their jobs in the House of Commons
*

to take action, preventing the misuse of power from being repeated.


We are presenting a petition requesting a legislative change to prorogation procedures.

We are also presenting information about related organizations so that people can take action and communicate with their government.

All local elected politicians will be formally invited to attend as observers.


Background: The shutdown of our Canadian Parliament in December 2009 by a minority government --in mid-debate of 37 pieces of legislation -- was only the biggest symptom of our ailing democratic processes. On January 23, 2010, in over 60 peaceful, non-partisan rallies of 29,000 concerned Canadians, we let our politicians know they had crossed a line. The 225,000 members of Chris White's Facebook group, Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament (CAPP), proved them wrong as almost 30,000 Canadians marched in the streets telling their politicians to "Get Back to Work."


Canadians Engaging Democracy, Newmarket-Aurora is a group of local citizens who met to coordinate the January 23 rally and feel that ongoing work is necessary to engage and inform voters. We want our democracy back.


Please join us in "holding that line" for our democracy!



Press contact: Liz Jefferson Website: http://ced-na.posterous.com/

For details, please call (905) 868-9183 or email precision_english@hotmail.com

PS Additional Stuff here


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I Present Vanessa Long GPC

I haven't been blogging much on this site recently because I've been working on my new local blog, the Jan 23 Newmarket-Aurora CAPP rally, and a second democracy event being planned for Feb 25 in Aurora.

In this flurry of activity I've been remiss in blogging about Newmarket-Aurora's newly nominated Green Candidate Vanessa Long.

I'll be a bit lazy here and just clip in parts of her bio

Vanessa graduated from Queen’s University with dual degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology and recently attended York University for International Studies. She has worked as a private school teacher, acupuncture clinic assistant, and administrative assistant, but for the past several years has been a personal trainer and lifestyle coach. She has recently begun to invest in real estate and healthy lifestyle products as she continues to broaden her knowledge and skills base.

Vanessa was one of the founding members and CEO of the local Green Party Association, and served on the Board and Committees of the York Region Children’s Aid Society between 2006 and 2008. Now that she is helping to care for three growing children she is becoming more involved with local schools and recreational activities.

Vanessa has decided to run because she feels that the short-sighted climate of fear and mistrust being created by the present government is not truly representative of voters. She has hope for the future and for the equitable distribution of resources and justice, where all voices are heard and respected, a view that does not seem to be shared by our current representatives. As a devoted entrepreneur she loves the Green policies for creating vibrant local economies with quality jobs for all residents, returning Canada to its former position of respect and leadership on the international stage.

Anyone who knows me realizes I'm a pig headed zealot who would not support Vanessa Long if I was not fully satisfied that her zeal, compassion and ethics made her not only worthy of running for office but also worthy of actually winning a seat and running our country. I fully support Vanessa Long Green Party of Candidate for Newmarket-Aurora


The attached video clip is Vanessa's first speaking engagement as GPC candidate at the Newmarket-Aurora CAPP rally.



for anyone interested here is Vanessa's FB fan page and her twitter is _vanessalong

Remember ONE is significant,

ONE WORLD fragile, beautiful and full of potential
ONE VISION for a healthy, prosperous and compassionate future
ONE VOTE to achieve these things in your community
ONE CANDIDATE who believes you need not accept less
ONE GREEN MP to rage against the cynicism of the status quo

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