Canadian Election 2011: Overview & collected links

Links to all the election resources you need have been compiled at the bottom of this post.  Please let us know if we’ve overlooked anything important that you feel should be added.


Canadian Election 2011: Crimes. Contempt. Crisis.

The Harper-led Conservative Government has been found in contempt of Parliament.  This has never happened in Canadian history.  No government in the 54 member nations of British Commonwealth has fallen on a Contempt of Parliament conviction and it is without precedent in countries governed by a Westminster-styled parliament (Source: Wikipedia).

Soon after, an opposition parties vote of non-confidence set in motion our 5th federal election campaign in 10 years, 4th in 7, 3rd in 5.  And the news media rejoiced!

#1 PRIORITY: MAKE SURE STEPHEN HARPER DOES NOT GET A MAJORITY.

But is a different leader and party enough to change what must be changed?

Our political system is neither fair, proportionally representative, functional or effective and our consumption-based economics are rapacious, oppressive, destructive and suicidal.

Many feel a non-vote is a valid and important statement of disillusionment, disenfranchisement, resistance or refusal to participate in, perpetuate, lend legitimacy to or tolerate the predominance of our growth and profit-obsessed, ‘business as usual’ status quo.

And no Canadian political party’s platform proposes anything close to the emergency action at emergency speed required to attempt to preserve a livable future for our kids because actual science-based responses to the climate crisis cannot be achieved without a radical transformation away from inequitable, unsustainable growth.

However, some politicians are light years ahead of others.  And this time around…

A NON-VOTE WILL HAVE THE HORRIFIC IMPACT OF A VOTE FOR STEPHEN HARPER.

As we detailed in our post about the undemocratic leaders’ debates (abbreviated below), despite the nonsense of the process, the campaign ‘promises’, photo ops, attack ads and insults, we never-the-less encourage you to engage, take a position and vote, because *more* very bad things could happen if we don’t.


3 Key Considerations

1. Did we mention that Stephen Harper must not be allowed to win a majority government?

Canada’s already compromised illusion of ‘democracy’ would become unrecognizable and the balances of opposition would be crushed.  The more of us who vote, especially age 18-24, who tend to be ABC (anything but Conservative), the less likely a Conservative majority will be. (See our compilation:7 charges against the Stephen Harper-led Conservative regime.)

2. Many entities/interests benefit or suffer based on which party is in power

Do you know a group or essential social service whose funds have been cut?  There ARE differences between parties that DO have direct impacts on people’s daily lives in a multitude of ways.

3. Potential game changer: Green Party Leader, Elizabeth May, as a Member of Parliament

Elizabeth May is a formidable voice for truth in opposition to corrupted, undemocratic politics/media and climate crisis denial. Watch the great speech she gave at the Rally for Democracy Toronto and you’ll see why the broadcast consortium and the other parties and ‘leaders’ conspired to ensure her exclusion from the televised debates: She is a powerful threat.


Call to Action

Our shared atmosphere is on an accelerating course to reach a state of potentially unsurvivable, runaway climate extremes during the lives of today’s children.

Only emergency international action at emergency speed *may be* proportional enough to confront the scale, scope and urgency of what is already the greatest crime against humanity, most life and most future life ever (Climate Change Human Impact Report).

If you value Canada’s once progressive reputation on the world stage; if you desire honesty, openness, cooperation and accountability; a fairer, more just and closer to democratic society…

If you care about the environment, all the wondrous, diverse, interconnected species on our planet and the people of the most impoverished nations who suffer and die every day from the devastation and social injustices posed by human-enhanced climate extremes…

And if you worry about your own health, the well-being of your family and the livability of our world for all lives of all species

On May 2nd, 2011

VOTE to prevent the further ravages of injustice that would result from a Stephen Harper-led Conservative majority government. (See resources below for more election info and strategies.)

Thank you!  Glenn MacIntosh, Founder: ecoSanity.org.

 

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