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Politics
Cleavage
Published by Toronto Mike on September 26, 2011 @ 15:05 in Politics
 Rathika Sitsabaiesan's Member of Parliament Profile reveals she's an NDP MP for Scarborough-Rouge River. If you click over, you'll see the profile pic on the left.
According to Contrarian, Rathika Sitsabaiesan's profile pic was originally the one you see on the right.
Can you see the difference?
Jack Layton's Farewell Letter to Canadians
Published by Toronto Mike on August 22, 2011 @ 12:50 in O Canada, Politics
 We lost Jack Layton this morning. He wrote this letter to us when he knew the end was near.
Dear Friends,
Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.
Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.
I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.
I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.
A few additional thoughts:
To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don't be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.
To the members of my party: we've done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move forward. Let's demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.
To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.
To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada's Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.
To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.
And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one - a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world's environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don't let them tell you it can't be done.
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.
All my very best,
Jack Layton
Jack Layton, Dead at 61
Published by Toronto Mike on August 22, 2011 @ 09:10 in Celebrity Deaths, Politics
 Jack Layton was 61. He was the New Democratic Party leader who led his party to Official Opposition status in this year’s federal election.
What the Hell Just Happened? #elxn41
Published by Toronto Mike on May 3, 2011 @ 10:28 in Politics, Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
 Toronto, what the hell did you just do?
Prior to last night's federal election, there had never been a Conservative Party MP in the 416. Now there are eight.
Prior to last night's federal election, the Liberal Party dominated Toronto, holding every seat except for Jack and Olivia's. Today, they hold but seven. The NDP now hold eight. If you're keeping score at home, here's how Toronto's 23 seats measure up.
- NDP: 8
- Conservatives: 8
- Liberals: 7
That's a sea of blue, ensuring Stephen Harper was delivered a majority. I'm not going to be overly dramatic here. I'm not leaving this country. But I am concerned with what King Harper will do with his majority. His ego, his right-wing Reform agenda, unchallenged in parliament - eek!
I've got my first three slo-pitch games scheduled for later this week. My comp team's 2nd baseman's dad tweeted what shall be my entry-closing statement.
Political Lawn Signs Do Not Influence
Published by Toronto Mike on May 1, 2011 @ 13:14 in Politics
Don't forget to vote tomorrow. I'm not going to tell you how to vote, I'm just going to ask that you do. Here's why.
On the last day before our federal election, I'm absolutely sick and tired of seeing political lawn signs. They're everywhere, usually a swath of NDP orange or Liberal red. This is Toronto, after all.
Has anyone ever changed their vote because of a political lawn sign? Seriously, I need to know. Have you ever been influenced by a sign you saw on a neighbour's lawn?
Disgusting? Me? Say it Ain't So, Fred
Published by Toronto Mike on April 14, 2011 @ 21:53 in Politics
I hear Freddie P is upset with me again. That's what I hear, anyway. I can't say for sure because I still have to wait 17 days, 22 hours, 2 minutes, and 5 seconds before I can visit CanadianThinker.com again.
It seems Fred has an issue with me linking to Shit Harper Did. Something about the site displaying a logo for the Bloc Québécois party has Freddie's knickers in a knot.
What's got my knickers in a knot is how Fred can support a man who eats babies. Now that's disgusting.
Shit Harper Did
Published by Toronto Mike on April 13, 2011 @ 16:33 in Politics
 Have you seen Shit Harper Did?
It's got this:
In 2007, Harper cut $1.2 Billion in spending for the establishment of quality national childcare. However, he never kept his promise to cut the $1.4 billion in tax breaks he gives to oil companies (the wealthiest corporations in history).
And this:
Harper decorated the government lobby in parliament with photos of just himself, instead of the traditional portraits of former Prime Ministers.
And there's lots more where that came from.
Countdown To When It's Okay To Revisit Freddie P's Conservative Party Propaganda Machine
Published by Toronto Mike on March 28, 2011 @ 21:59 in Humble and Fred, Politics
With a federal election scheduled for Monday, May 2, 2011, my friend Freddie P's blog www.canadianthinker.com has become a part of the Conservative Party's propaganda machine.
It's essentially unvisitable until this election passes, so for your convenience and mine, I've created this handy little countdown clock:
Bookmark this entry and keep tabs on when it's okay to visit Canadian Thinker again. You're welcome.
Sarah Palin's Target Map and U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
Published by Toronto Mike on January 8, 2011 @ 14:13 in Politics
 Back in September, Sarah Palin launched a target map. She was targeting 20 House Democrats who voted for the nation's new health care law and who represent districts that Sen. John McCain carried in the 2008 presidential election. Here's the map, which literally had targets over these members of congress.
One of those targets is for Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. She was shot in the head and killed today during a constituent meeting at a Tucson grocery store.
I'm not suggesting Sarah Palin is criminally responsible for Gabrielle Giffords death, but targeting her with a bull's-eye and promoting that fact to your legion of right-wing fanatics seems rather callous in retrospect. I'll be watching this story closely, and hoping the two facts aren't related.
When crazy people follow crazy people, stupid shit will happen. And when Twitter exploded with news of the attack on Giffords, Sarah Palin was busy tweeting about the price of gold.
Irresponsible and insensitive.
Update: Some reports say Giffords is still alive. Here's hoping she pulls through. Meanwhile, since I posted this entry, Palin's team has taken her target map offline. Can you say damage control?
Obama Killed, Leno Wilted at White House Correspondents Dinner
Published by Toronto Mike on May 2, 2010 @ 12:34 in Humour, Politics
 Let's get the bias declaration out of the way. I like Obama, I dislike Jay Leno. There, it's out there, now let's move on.
Last night, at the 2010 White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., President Obama was very funny. He's been very funny before. In this clip, you can watch Obama's routine followed by Jay Leno's routine at the 17-minute mark.
There's no comparison. Obama killed, Leno wilted.
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