Politics and Media Blog Project

Blue, Red, Orange or... Green?

I hope everyone is doing well with this very busy time of year! Hopefully when some free time comes up there will be more posting to the blog.

Across the news the London North-Centre by-election is making headlines, and not because Pearson took the seat. The focus tends to be on Green Party leader Elizabeth May, who was a strong second, (slightly) ahead of Conservative Dianne Haskett.

I personally received a visit to my home from a Green Party representative, who I found to be very interesting. The thing that suprised me is that the gentleman stayed to speak to me although I informed him immediately that I would be voting for the Conservative party but am a strong believer in the need for our COUNTRY to take a more proactive stance on the environment.

By this I mean that I don't find the environment to be a negotiable party platform, but rather a civic responsibility that WILL come about if citizens so desire. On this, I found it interesting that the Green representative felt the Greens would be best suited to a cooperation with other parties. This is personally where I feel a party like the Greens belong, by playing a role to aid whoever is in power to recognize the urgent issues we have created in our environment. In this way I've always felt issues like the environment belong to the people's interest groups.

I think that all the major parties, not specifically the Conservatives, should take note of the Green success story in our riding this week. Certainly the Conservatives were behind the Greens, but the riding is definitively Liberal (under Fontana) and the Greens took votes from across the mao. This to me, then, seems to be a far more general commentary on the need to step up to environmental commitments. Certainly the Liberal caucus had their own measure of disconnection with vital environmental problems, and the NDP has not recently had sufficient power in the house to show their resolve either way.

It's time to take a positive stance for the environment, and I for one hope the Greens get where they belong... right in the faces of the political leaders.

I would welcome any thoughts! Particularly any other experiences anyone had during the by-election.

Quebec as a Nation

Last week PM Harper said his government would create a motion to recognise Quebec as a nation within a united Canada. This was done after Bloc Quebecois put forward a notion for recognition of Quebec as a nation. Harper said: Our position is clear. Do the Qebecois form a nation within Canada? The answer is yes. Do the Qebecois form an independent nation? he answer is no and will always be no. BQ leader was outraged, saying that he will never accept that Quebec can only be recognized as a nation within Canada.

As the Liberal leadership race continues, it is interesting to see how different candidates have positioned themselves.

Bob Rae: I have no particular problem with the formulation of the words, "Quebec is a nation." Where I part company with some is whether we should be reopening the Constitution at this point in time. I think we all know it's an incredible expenditure of time from the political leadership of the country.

Stephane Dion: We could certianly find a definition of the word 'nation' that respects the reality of Quebec. The error isn't there. The mistake is to make these semantic debates the centrepiece of a national unity strategy.

Michale Ignatieff: Other candidates have said... recognizing Quebec as a nation in the Constitution is too difficult. Yes, it is difficult, but we must do it.

Bill Graham, oppostion leader calls the BQ as dedicated to destroying Canada.
Jack Layton says we must support the concept of Quebec as a nation out of respect, something Quebecers have been lacking for years. He says we should focus on creating a Canada that Quebec would want to remain in.

Do you agree with Graham that the BQ is trying to destroy Canada? Or do you agree with Layton that we must change Canada to make the nation united and inclusive of Quebec? Or do you have any other comments on this ongoing issue. Also, do you think the Liberal candidates are strategizing as they comment on this issue?

Debate: The Motions on the Quebec Nation
CBC article on various politicians' views

Politics and Media Blog Project

Media's Responsibility to the Public

Since the July 2nd election in Mexico, both of the competing party leaders have been declaring victory. Through the counted votes, which may not be comepletely trustworthy, Felipe Calderon won the election by a narrow margin of around 4%. His main opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Orbrador, however, claimed victory after the election and has not stopped claiming victory on television station and newspapers ever since. As the former Mayor of Mexico City, Obrador is liked by the people, and has a large part of the population supporting him. Today in Mexico, Obrador had a ceremony with all of his supporters, declaring himself the "legitimate" president and swore himself in. Due to his popularity in Mexico City, Obrador was able to get substantial media coverage at the event, and in some ways generate a form of legitimacy.

The way I see it the more media coverage that says its official and that he won the election the more likely the average citizen is willing to accept Obrador as the legitimate leader. Similarly to the US election of 2000 when Bush claimed victory over Gore.

It is at these times when the Media has to stop acting irrationally by jumping at any given opportunity to cover a news story just because somone says it happened, and start using more precautions and proper judgment to inform the public of current events by first establishing the truth and then reporting on it.

ofcourse this isnt always easiest thing to do when a certain brother of the current president of the US decides what news story, be it ture or false, airs on a popular channel in Florida following the election. Or if the News station in Mexico city happens to be a supporter of the PDR and helps the incumbent with his celebratory coverage.

With that said, it is only fair to say that a large responsblilty is placed on the Media during close elections to publicize the appropriate news and this must be done with due diligence

We Need More Women in Politics

I find a lot of people who think that women are equal to men in our society in this day and age.
However, women are not adequately represented in politics, and I think that needs to be rectified. Women have a different viewpoints than men and they are being underepresented.

The following is an excerpt from a speech by Sheila Copps which emphasises my point:
“Since Confederation, 549 men have served in the Cabinet of the Government of Canada. So have 28 women.
The leaders of all the political parties in the House of Commons are men. So are all the candidates for the leadership of the federal PC Party. So are the other two candidates for the leadership of our Party.
The Premiers of all ten provinces are men. The leaders of the three territories are men. The mayors of all our provincial capitals are men.
That's just not acceptable. We need to do much, much better. There should be no glass ceilings in the basic democratic institutions of Canada.
By two elections from now, 50% of the candidates for Parliament for the Liberal Party should be women. I will encourage the Party to develop both the methods and the enthusiasm to accomplish that goal.
You know, I am still asked on a regular basis whether the Liberal Party is ready for a woman leader.
I like to reply that Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Dominica, Finland, Great Britain, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Turkey have all had women leaders. So I think the Liberal Party of Canada can handle it.
And it's not just the role of women in public life where we need to do better.”

More Belinda Bashing...

Not only is Belinda Stronach getting blasted by London's Dave Burghart but she has also recently been bashed my Alberta's Premier Ralph Klein. While Klein was at a charity roast in Calgary last Tuesday he made fun of Stronach's defection from the Conservatives, similar to how Burghart did. Klein said this: " "I wasn't surprised she crossed over. I don't think she ever had a Conservative bone in her body -- well, except for one." In case anyone in the audience missed the punch line, he continued: "Speaking of Peter MacKay..." And if that wasn't bad enough, after he made that joke he said that he was "making no apologies" and that he read the copy of what he said and approved stating "I thought it was a funny line." If that sexist and petty comment doesn't make you sick to your stomach I don't know what would. And to think that this man was democratically elected to lead a province is completely baffling. I feel terrible for Belinda and for how much hurtful slander has been thrown her way simply because she is a liberated and powerful female. I'm hoping that Miss Stronach is paving the way for future female politicians but I'm afraid it doesn't look like equality is in the near future. Whether it be making inappropriate comments about Belinda's sex life or kidding around that Rona Ambrose spends more time doing her hair than her job, it looks as if women's actions, no matter how great they are, will be overshadowed by gender stereotypes for some time to come.

Check out the actual video footage at this site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_JgdWb5WZU

FIRE AMBROSE!!

I am so fed up with the Conservative Party - AND YES THAT IS THEIR REAL NAME, NOT THE "NEW GOVERNMENT"!! - blaming the Liberals or whoever for the problems they are having now. Many of you are aware that Ambrose spent a pitiful three minutes delivering a speech at the climate change summite today, which scapegoated the Liberals for not doing enough. Ummm, this is the international stage, not a domestic one. Why would you even consider assuming this would be an appropriate comment to 180 international dignitaries? I'll tell you why, because the Conservative Party is filled with the newbies of Politics that don't know how to govern, take the heat, or even divert the heat properly so they don't look like idiots!
- that's my two cents -

November 13 - Municipal Elections in Ontario

Don't forget to vote if you haven't already.

Vietnam Accepted!

For all us Politics enthusiasts some good news has come through! In a milestone event, after 11 years of waiting, Vietnam has been admitted to the WTO (World Trade Organization).

This is important (in my opinion) for a couple of reasons. First, because it gives recognition to a reforming and evolving nation by inviting it to join in the trade negotiations and debates held among WTO members. More importantly, perhaps, it shows (at last) some evolution on the part of the WTO that they were able to get through the proceedings and admit a clearly eligible member.

The article I read (link below) focuses more on the relationship with United States, but for me this is really about an international decision (though clearly the US has a major part to play). Vietnam, as the largest member of its community economically aside from China should bring an interesting new dynamic to Asian relations now it is playing by the same rules, at least at the economic level and increasingly at the political level as well.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061107.wviet1107/BNStory/International/home

Politics and Media Blog Project

Politics and Media Blog Project

Today in the Globe and Mail there was an article that I found relevant to our class discussion this past Monday. The issue that was published was in regards to the O'neil case. For those of you reading who don't know what im talking, the case involved a reporter and the RCMP who raided her office at home. O'neil, wrote an article in 2004 following the Arar extrodition to Syria, which stated that the RCMP gave the US government incorrect information regarding Arar's affiliation to the Syrian government. The information that O'neil had came from a leak and the RCMP was determined to raid her home office to take all of her files and information... needless to say she pursued legal action and was found innocent by judge Ratushny, i hope i spelled that right

ANYWAYZ... the case stipulated the sections of the Anti-terrorism act and the security of Information act that the RCMP used as reason to raid her home office were unconstitutional.

The article posted today stated that the RCMP and the Justice minister would not appealling the courts decisions... consequently, O'neil has won the case in its entirety and the next step is the revision of those acts in the constitution. This case is ground breaking and well have a huge effect on reporters and media all across Canada as the RCMP was found guilty, and the acts were deemed to be unconstitutional and infringed on the individuals right to freedom of the press.

LONG LIVE THE PRESS

Amor de Cosmos's concepts relate perfectly to this situation where as the governments fears of the press, and their attempts to impede the press have only resulted in the expansion of the freedoms associated with it

Politics and Media Blog Project

Vote as Your Parents Tell You... Genetically Speaking?

After reading (yet another) article about death and conflict in Palestine/Israel I couldn't help but take note of another headline on the G&M website. As I have something of a "hobby" interest in science, and a definite interest in political "science", I find the idea of this article quite intirguing.

"The goal is to persuade people to accept that political views aren't just random opinions thrown together by a combination of environmental influences." says John R. Hibbing, who has a team of political scientists and geneticists trying to connect political ideology to genetic make-up through a study on twins.

Obviously the idea of this, as discussed in the article, is causing a lot of debate and skepticism! And the "truth" of the matter may be a long way off. Personally, though, I think that it is a fascinating study, and while gentics probably isn't the end-all it does play a role. Especially when addressing the broader area of social relations. This is something of a "pet" article for me (I did a project on genetics and social relations some years ago) but when I saw this article I thought I would put it out there for others to share their views!

Check out the article (link below) and let me know your thoughts!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061102.wpoligen1102/BNStory/Science/home

Marketing the Canadian identity

In regards to today's discussion about marketing Canada, I am wondering if in recent years, Canada has failed to continue to successfully market itself as a brand or does it continue to be successful?

We discussed favourite commercials. One mentioned was the "I am Canadian" commercial. Does this market Canadian pride or does it just sell beer?

In regards to backpacks and luggage with the Canadian flag. Why do we do it? And do you think that seeing the Canadian flag still has the strong effect it once had? I feel that Canadians used to get a more welcoming and friendly treatment than that of Americans while abroad, however, in recent years I find that more and more travelers are hearing, "Canadians are just like Americans." And this comment is not in a joking manner anymore as it once was. Why is this? I feel that it is because of the changing political position of our nation. We are no longer seen as accepting, peacekeepers but as friends and allies of Bush. Harper has done a lot to change the way Canada is marketed on the international stage and I feel that in recent times, Canada has been unable to market itself on both the national and international stage as a positive entity.