Category Archives: democracy and good government

New Low

conservative party, democracy and good government, social justice, water,

It’s no secret that I don’t have a lot of love for Stephen Harper, but yesterday he sunk to such a new low that even I was surprised.

For the past few days, opposition parties have been asking the government questions about the handling of Afgan detainees because, well, there’s mounting evidence that we may be implicated in their torture, and because when they asked defence minister Gordon O’Connor about it he — what’s the term again? — “mislead” the House. So, you can see why they’d be concerned.

Harper responded by saying that, just because they asked those questions, those MPs obviously cared more about Taliban prisoners than Canadian soldiers. He subsequently refused to apologize. In other words, not only has “you’re either with us or against us” migrated to Canada, somehow concern for human rights is now anti-Canadian.

Speaking of which, I will remind you today, on World Water Day, that under this government Canada still refuses to declare water a human right. (So, what is it then? A privilege?)

I used to think comparisons of Stephen Harper to George Bush were exaggerated and unfair. Not any more.

Green Candidate Chris Tindal Congratulates Graham, Calls for Open Nomination

democracy and good government, green party, liberal party,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2007, Toronto – Chris Tindal, nominated candidate for the Green Party of Canada in Toronto Centre, congratulated Bill Graham today on his thirteen years of service as the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, after Graham announced to his riding executive yesterday that he will not seek re-election.

“Bill is extremely well respected by people in this riding, myself included,” said Tindal. “He’s one of the best the Liberals had, and he’ll be hard to replace.”

Tindal ran against Graham in the last federal election, increasing the percentage of the Green vote by a factor of 47%.

Tindal is the Democratic Reform advocate for the Green Party, and called on the Liberal Party to ensure a fair and open nomination contest to select its next candidate. “It’s very important to the health of our democracy that local party members be allowed to select the candidate who can best represent them.”

The Green Party is the only party to have nominated a candidate in Toronto Centre for the next federal election, which could come as soon as the spring. Party leader Elizabeth May has said that Toronto will be a priority for Greens in the next campaign.

-30-

Bill Graham to Retire

democracy and good government, liberal party

The Toronto Star reports today what many have long suspected, that Bill Graham will not seek re-election in Toronto Centre. I spoke with Bill a few weeks ago and told him that I’ve been glad to have him as my MP for the past several years. He’s rightly respected, and will be missed.

The Star also reports that Stéphane Dion has said that there will be an open nomination race to select the next candidate. Let’s hope so. There are several local people who are interested, and Liberal members in Toronto Centre deserve to pick their own candidate. Whoever they choose, the next election will certainly be interesting.

Canadian Sovereignty at Risk

canadian sovereignty, democracy and good government, foreign affairs, social justice

A few months ago I wrote about a secret meeting that had taken place between high-ranking officials of the Canadian and American governments, with a view to creating a more integrated continent. This stealth North American union project (known as the Security and Prosperity Partnership, or SPP) is heating up again, though more attention is being paid in the States than here in Canada. Some American legislators are speaking up about the plan’s threat to national sovereignty, as well as the fact that it’s being negotiated undemocratically, in secret.

If the United States government is concerned about a loss of national sovereignty, we should be even more so.

This issue is receiving renewed attention now because of a planned visit to Ottawa by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff this Friday, along with Mexican officials. That visit will be followed up with a trip to Canada by George Bush in June.

Canadians should be paying far more attention to the prospects of deep integration with the United States. This is a country that no longer believes in the right to a fair trial, and that has still not apologized for deporting one of us — Maher Arar — to be tortured. There are things on which we can cooperate, but for the sake of human rights and national sovereignty, the US version of “security” is not one of them.

Or, if there’s nothing to worry about, then there’s no reason to keep having these discussions and meetings in secret.