Sunday, September 14, 2008

Canada's No-Brainer Vote And Why

We need to be involved with a potential new government by pressuring them to hire (or read) people like Thomas Homer Dixon, David Suzuki and Naomi Klein to help work out social issues and financial issues.

We have incredible urban and social analysts in Canada. We need to demand that our politicians either read their work or hire them to work for Canada and use their experience and research to guide Canadian policy.

If you care about your country you should read the books in this post. You don't have to like them. You don't have to think they are "well written" or not. You don't have to agree with them. But you should read them.

I've met many politicians and one of the first things I ask them is about specific books. I ask them, have you read this or that? And depending on their response I follow up with e-mail and/or letters reminding them of my reading list demands!

Books a politician should read:

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
The Story of B by Daniel Quinn
Collapse by Jared Diamond
The Ingenuity Gap by Thomas Homer Dixon
Environment, Scarcity and Violence by Thomas Homer-Dixon
The Upside of Down by Homer-Dixon.
The Rise and Fall of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs (still holds up half a century later!)
One River by Wade Davis
Water by Marq de Villiers
The Other Side of Eden by Hugh Brody

Actually, the last time I ran into a bunch of Green Party members having an informal gathering at a local restaurant...all 8 of the people at the table had read the above list of books! I was really impressed! Jack Layton has been pretty good at reading when I've run into him.

We get very disappointed with politicians, but yet we seldom research into books on culture or then ask and demand our representatives read these same books. How can they represent us if we don't tell them what we read? How can they represent us if we don't tell them what we think and more importantly...what we feel?

We need to think for ourselves! We need to think and read and discuss. Then...ask..How can we understand policies and world challenges if we aren't at least reading some of these innovative thinkers like Thomas Homer-Dixon or Wade Davis or Jared Diamond? (Jared Diamond wrote "The Worst Mistake in Human History" in 1987 click here on yellow text to read it).

We need to educate and challenge ourselves at least as much as we do politicians. Then stand up and challenge our representatives.

Basically Elizabeth May is a Liberal Party member...but that's okay. She is leader of the Green Party in Canada. The Green Party in Canada is a hiding place for people who couldn't make it in the two or three main political parties in Canada. Jim Green former Green Party leader was major right winger who didn't get very far in the Conservative party ranks who moved to the Green Party in order to get a position in power. I couldn't stand the guy. I'm glad he is gone.

The good news, is that both May and Green do have a history of interest and activism in environmental issues. In fact, May used to be the Pres of the Sierra Club and participated in activist and protest actions in her past.

Canada needs to have a couple of people who are from a background of solving puzzles and helping the working class and getting rid of big-business politicians in leadership positions. NOW. In order to get rid of these right wing, big-business politicians like Stephen Harper we need to vote for Jack Layton and hopefully...he will make Elizabeth May his Minister of the Environment. Unfortunately, there aren't that many good choices for this election. In many ways, although I admire much of Jack Laytons policies research and xperience...he is a choice that is better than either the Liberal party or Conservaive party leaders.

No politician is perfect. But we can and should help them be more informed. Jack Layton has made mistakes I have been so upset by...but at least he listens to his constituents like the other day when he agreed to share debates with Elizabeth May. Elizabeth May is against abortion...but at least she is pro-choice. She doesn't want to control the personal lives of her other female citizens.

You need to communicate with these politicians and tell them how you feel and think!

And the richest two per cent of the world’s people own over half the world’s wealth. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.

Ordinary Canadians and Quebeckers want this to change. A poll released last year by Leger and Leger clearly shows that Canadians identify the gap between rich and poor as the world’s number one problem.

In 1968, Lester Pearson chaired a commission on international development. He recommended that wealthy countries contribute 0.7% of their Gross National Income toward Overseas Development Assistance. Pearson’s recommendation was endorsed by the World Bank, the OECD and the United Nations.

Forty years have passed since that time. So how are we doing? In 2007, Canada is contributing 0.3% of our GNI. That’s less than half of what Lester Pearson called for.
Jack Layton, 2007.

Some Policies of Jack Laytons:

1) The fight against global poverty.
2) Re-visiting the North American Free Trade Act. As it stands right now, Canada loses money as it loses resources.
3) To protect and make new jobs by having businesses and trades return labour to Canada, not outsource.
4) The efforts to make and keep peace in the world.
5) Tackling climate change
6) Return of troops from Afghanistan now.
7) On June 3, 2008, Jack Layton voted to implement a program which would “allow conscientious objectors…to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations…to…remain in Canada.
8) Political and emotional amendments with Native Canadians
9) Champion of universal health care
10) Supports pioneer environmental innovations like deep lake-water cooling systems and wind power.
11) Decriminalization and possible legalization of marijuana
12) Strong stand on anti-violence and gun control. (no domestic ownership of automatic weapons)


Related Links:
Jack Layton speech
Wikipedia bio
Elizabeth May Wiki bio

Now...go write Jack Layton and Elizabeth May and ask them if they have read your recommended reading material! Demand an answer!

Here are their contact e-mail addresses:

jacklayton@ndp.ca.

Riding Association.
316 Riverdale Ave
Toronto, ON
M4J 1A2

or:

leader@greenparty.ca

Elizabeth May
Leader of the Green Party of Canada
Green Party of Canada
PO Box 997, Station B
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1P 5R1
(613) 562-4916

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What worries me about the NDP is their stance on gun control. The fact of the matter is that the police cannot and will not protect the citizenry of Canada. Excessive gun control only punishes already law-abiding citizens, the hallmark of facism. What does make people safer is legalized concealed carry of firearms. Criminals flock to so called "gun-free" zones. Look at the results in declined rape in Miami for an example.

With regards to Afghanistan, the Canadian mission is crucial. Even if the country is never completely pacified, the fact is that is has terrorists flocking THERE to try to kill Canadian troops (and laregely failing), rather than having them flock HERE to kill civillians like they did in the U.S. seven years ago. I'm proud that Canada is finally carrying its weight abroad, and we no longer have left-wing politicians making a mockery out of our military. Layton can stick his head in the sand all he likes. Peace is optimal, we call agree on that. However, as Vegetius said "Let him who desires peace prepare for war". Freedom ain't free, as the saying goes. I would be ashamed if Canada abandoned the Afghani people now and leave them to their fate at the hands of brutes. Nice site, though. :)

Candy Minx said...

Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving such a newsy comment Anonymous.

I think you may be confused about the NDP's policy on guns. In fact, it sounds like you may not understand the difference between an automatic weapon and a rifle or small hand gun.

The Bloc wants gun control. Gun control has almost no bearing on the crime rate.

The Conservatives want "to keep guns out of the hands of criminals". How are they going to do THAT? An nice idea but totally abstract.

The Liberals want to ban handguns and continue funding on gun registry. At this time the gun registry is a masive waste of time and money. We should not continue to fund it.

NDP wants a ban on AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND MILITARY WEAPONS. Duh. There is absolutely no reason a Canadian family needs automatic weapons. NDP is not under the delusion that banning guns helps fight crime. Making the domestic possession of automatic guns illegal is NOT EXCESSIVE!

Dear Anonymous, please read my reading list before you make a comment here. I would love a discussion with you, but I am like a Renaissance Courtesan. I need to be wooed and impressed. And god help you if you haven't done your research and homework.

Please also add to your reading FREAKONOMICS. The way to change the crime rate is by having families decide if they can raise children and having families have access to jobs.

It is a myth that Canada is involved in humanitarian releif in Afghanistan. Less than 10 percent of our budget there is spent on Humantarian Aid.

Canada might be involved in breaking the Geneva Convention by participating in the manuvers in Afghanistan. Canada is better than that. Canada is violating the 3rd Geneva convention and the Canadian Charter of Human rights by transferring prisoners to the Afghan authorities where they may face torture or even execution.

The best thing Canada could do to help Afghanistan is by helping Canadian citizens who are buying herion to recover...by finding ethical products to trade with Afghanistans instead.

Occupation of a country is not an act that helps it's citizens or promotes future positive relationships. Occupation is unacceptable. Canada should not be associated with the poor foreign policy of Karl Rove.

The war in Afghanistan has been partly fueled by very shoddy piece of racism and crap called "The Clash of Civilizations".

I also suggest you read the following:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20011022/said

Anonymous said...

Saw this partial statement of yours on a book forum:

"See, that is how little I am into politics, not very interested at all heh heh."

And then this snippet here:

"Then...ask..How can we understand policies and world challenges if we aren't at least reading some of these innovative thinkers"

Which is it? Interested or not interested?

Candy Minx said...

Marc, look, we have so many exciting fun things going on right now. Like we are so excited. And all of a sudden in the past month you've been coming here or at book club and leaving cryptic messages and questions.

It seems that you want to prove I am wrong or contradictory about something. It seems to me that you have taken my activity on bookclub, forum and here at my blog personally.

Why are you taking my comments online so personally?

What is your purpose in "proving me contradictory"...I could have saved you the time and just told you...hey I am a complex contradictory thinker sometimes. I say things out loud sometimes to find out what I feel and think. Why is that bad thing? Why do you seem to be taking this personally?

As I have said a few days ago on this blog...I am on the road. We have some really crazy fun stuff going on right now...and I have to wonder...why is a friend of mine saying these weird questions?

If you're angry with me about something specific, why don't you address it? EWhy out of the blue are you calling my blog "mere speculation" or saying I am "marthon filibustering"...

I talk a lot. Yes, and it's a free world I'm allowed to talk a lot and say whatever I wnt without answering to anyone.

But because you are a friend...I would like to answer to you.

But why out of the blue. What happened in the past four or five weeks that has made you so mister cranky pants? Who peed in your cheeerios? Me?

I haven't even seen you in weeks and weeks. If I wasn't on the road right now, and so crazy hppy busy with joy...I would go to your house and ask you.

Meanwhile...I am not interested in politics at all. If that seems contradictory well then I guess I am a deeper person than it seems on the surface. I am not a one layer thinker. I believe sending requests to politicians and asking them to read books, to think for ourselves is part of human condition and part of the fun of life to always be learning.

Life long learning.

And I do not liek politics or many politicians...but that doesn't mean I don't expect my fellow citizens to listen to me. And it doesn't contradict my lack of interest in politics to demand my civil servants represent me.

I am not at all sure what got your pantyhose in a knot...but I am too blissed out excited for our happy news around here to lose sleep over your negative attitude.

I am on the road without e-mail (I told Deana this at Facebook...and in a post here at my blog) no lap top, unreliable phone service...and many things to get done for our special occassion than to spend time trying to make you see how a person can have fun, write letters to a politicans and still not like politics or be interested in political agendas.

I think this is your problem, not mine.

Hopefully you will understand one day why I am not interested in your negative attitude at this time and hopefully we will get together one day and have a beer.

This is your problem, not mine.

Now..I have to get back to having some massive fun...wish you were here! We are overloaded with arrangements and things...

Anonymous said...

I lurk here at your blog Candy and I am at the book forum. I always thought you and Marc G knew each other in real life. I noticed Marc commented about Dickens the other day and I noticed he has said things about the length of your posts, and his fuse was short for some reason. I found the discussion between you and Rick about Britney Spears very funny. I didn't have anything to contribute just enjoyed the humor. Other people might not see the humor the same as you and Rick.

I think Marc might take his activity in the book club much more seriously than you do. Candy, for you it seems blogging and the forum is a hobby and pastime and you are often joking. I also think Americans are thinner skinned than Canadians. Canadians that I have met seem to make self deprecating jokes and with each other. Americans don't always laugh or see things the same way and often hold grudges. Canadians have seemed less bogged down by differences of opinion.

Anonymous said...

mum! dont you remember what seinfeld said? people dont make friends after the age of 30!

I cant stop laughing about the ink exploding on your bra. good luck with the dress and dont let anyone rain on your parade

Anonymous said...

Candy:
No desire on my part to 'piss on your chips' (as the Brits say). All is explained in an email I sent a couple of days ago...

Candy Minx said...

I just read your e-mail.

I think perhaps you are not aware of how you sound. Several people, much more smart than I and wiser asked why that guy Marc has such a snarky tone.

Your e-mail didn't explain anything to me except that you chose to act angry with me without any explanation for an entire month. Then you are frustrated because I didn't jump to it and answer your messages when you wanted me to on your time schedule.

The issue that made you feel angry with me happened FOUR MONTHS ago.

Do you think you are the first person I've pissed off? I have a very large opinionated ideas.

You just noticed?

Get in line...Mister Anchovy is the worlds greatest debater...so is my daughter. I've been called out by the best.

But they did it in a timely fashion...not by holding a grudge for four months then showing up ...not contributing anything other than crankiness.

At least now I know why you think I peed in your Cheerios.

All because I have a different opinion about things in the world than you and you think I am full of shit?

Jesus, get in line...

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