The Growing Gap

This photo of "Paradise City" in Sao Paulo gives us a good indication of the growing gap between rich and poor. Notice the size of the tennis courts compared to the houses on the left.

Via Nag on the Lake

One School System Network

This organization's website looks pretty interesting... Also, today I was pleased to read Niagara This Week columnist Doug Draper come out in favour of a single public school system. Momentum is growing... too bad the NDP missed the boat.

Green Party Leader on Restoring Fairness in Education

TVO's STeve Paiken interviews Ontario Green Party leader Frank DeJong about his party's proposal to eliminate public funding for religious schools, including Catholic schools. There is no question the Greens are eroding NDP support by championing this issue of education fairness.

NDP Hit List in Quebec

The NDP is brimming with joy after Monday's by-election victory in Outremont. What's next for Mulcair and the NDP in Quebec? The Halifax Chronicle Herold reports:

Mulcair will stay on as the party’s Quebec lieutenant and is already busy fundraising, organizing and recruiting candidates in a province that has traditionally been a wasteland for New Democrats.

But he said Monday’s result has already made an impression on his possible recruits. One name being bandied about as a possible candidate is Julius Grey, a high-profile human rights lawyer from Montreal.

"The victory will make it easier for us to recruit high-profile candidates," Mulcair said.

"We’ve been speaking with people all along. But let me just say the body language is becoming far more positive (after Monday)."

The New Democrats will now turn their attention to specific pockets of the province where they believe they have the best chance of making additional gains. A main target will be ridings similar to Outremont: multi-ethnic, federalist and urban.

Mulcair said that parts of Montreal are prized targets, as are some resource-producing regions in outlying areas.

Here are the ridings the NDP is likely to target, without much success in my view.

Hull--Aylmer: The NDP's third best Quebec result in 2006 (15.5%). Although the riding is not located in Montreal, the dynamics are similar in that we see declining Liberal vote totals over the course of the last few elections. Former NDP leadership candidate Pierre Ducasse will be running for the NDP, having failed to come close in the Manicouagan riding in 2004 or 2006. Ducasse is smart, articulate, and dedicated, but his popularity within the party does not necessarily translate into votes come election time. That said, the gap between the Liberals and the NDP in this riding is smaller than the gap that existed in Outremont. Still, Ducasse is no Thomas Mulcair. Consider this the NDP's #1 target for a new seat in Quebec.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce--Lachine: The NDP's sixth best Quebec result in 2006 (11.8%). A Liberal fortress in Montreal represented by popular Liberal MP Marlene Jennings. The NDP has room to grow, but it would require nothing short of a miracle for the party to knock off Jennings.

Westmount--Ville-Marie [QC]: The NDP's 4th best Quebec result (15.4%). A Liberal stronghold neighbouring Outremont. Unfortunately for the NDP, there are not enough BQ votes to bleed to the NDP to make a difference in this this riding

Laurier--Sainte-Marie: The NDP's second best Quebec result in 2006 (16.9%). However, this sovereignist stronghold, which neighbours Outremont, is currently held by BQ leader Gilles Duceppe who took well over 50% of the vote in 2006. The NDP finished 5th here behind the Marijuana Party in 2000.

Manicouagan: The NDP's fifth best Quebec result in 2006 (12.8%). An outlying riding which saw some of the NDP's best numbers in 2004 and 2006 thanks to the candidacy of former NDP leadership candidate Pierre Ducasse. However, the NDP still finished in 4th place in 2006 and without Ducasse as a candidate, NDP fortunes do not seem very bright.

Rosemont--La Petite-Patrie: The NDP's seventh best Quebec result in 2006 (11.6%). A Montreal riding, neighbouring Outremont, respresented by the BQ since 1993. A sovereignist stronghold. The NDP could aim for second place here, but there is too much ground to make up. The party finished 6th place here in 2000.

Gatineau: An awkward vote split could give the NDP longshot odds in Gatineau where it took 10% of the vote in 2006. The victorious BQ candidate won only 39.3%.

Student Tasered at John Kerry Speech

Speak your mind and get tasered... shocking... literally.

Quebec By-Elections By the Numbers

Combined 2007 Quebec by-election results for Outremont, Roberval-Lac-Saint-Jean, and St. Hyacinthe-St. Bagot

Conservative 31475 36.9%
BQ 23983 28.1%
NDP 14587 17.1%
Liberal 12136 14.2%

Total votes: 85255

Combined 2006 federal election results for Outremont, Roberval-Lac-Saint-Jean, and St. Hyacinthe-St. Bagot

Conservative 31954 25.1%
BQ 57202 44.9%
NDP 11858 9.3%
Liberal 22180 17.4%

Total votes: 127500

Some interesting points:

The NDP was the only party that actually increase its raw vote total.

The BQ lost roughly half of its 2006 votes.

People who thought the Liberal couldn't sink any further in Quebec are thinking twice.

The Tories are poised to make major gains outside of the Montreal area.

Iggy to Dion: We Didn't Get it Done in Outremont

With the NDP's Thomas Mulcair on his way to a decisive victory in Outremont, Iggy is likely busy sharpening the knives... can you blame him? Everyone expected the contest to be close, but Mulcair is ahead by almost 20 points with roughly 1/4 of the polls reporting. Dion should do the honourable thing and step down to make way for a leader who can, at the very least, protect the party's electoral base. What a terrible night to be a Liberal. I especially feel sorry for this guy who wasted a weekend and a few hundred bucks to see his party get crushed.

Chantal Hebert Offers Some Sage Advice to Dion

Read her excellent assessment at Le Devoir.
OR
The cribbed version for those of you who don't read French:

If Stephane Dion doesn't want to become the first Liberal leader in a century to not become Prime Minister he has to do the following:

1. Stop rattling your pre-election sabre.
2. Change your tone.
3. Stop using your poor English as an excuse.
4. Reconcile with Quebec.
5. Don't hog the spotlight.
6. Deal with Iggy.

A Public Service Announcement for Voters in Outremont

A pair of young sovereignists blast Loco Locass' smash hit "Libérez-nous des libéraux" outside a Liberal campaign office during the 2006 provincial election. Any chance they'll pay a visit to Coulon's campaign office in Outremont today?

Sally Field's Anti-War Emmy Acceptance Speech Censored by FOX

Anyone watching the Emmy awards tonight will have noticed that Sally's Field's acceptance speech was censored by FOX. Here's what she said: "If the mothers ruled the world there wouldn't be any Goddamned war!"

Land of the free indeed!

Liberal Rally in Outremont

Watch the rally on YouTube. Justin Trudeau, Ken Dryden, and Stephane Dion stump for Outremont Liberal candidate Jocelyn Coulon... Too little too late? I guess we'll find out on Monday.

"Liberals... I Hate Them So Much"

Homer Simpson lets us know how he feels about Dalton McGuinty's Liberals.

h/t to the Calgary Grit

The Most Delusional Liberal Spin You Will Ever Read

From the most delusional would-be Liberal politician I have ever known...

Apparently, the recent Quebec by-election polls aren't bad news for the Liberals. Read it here.

***UPDATE***

For some sober Liberal analysis of the Quebec by-elections click here and here.

Mulcair Poised to Win in Outremont: Poll

Details from La Presse:

Outremont:

Mulcair NDP 38%
Coulon LIB 32%
Gilson BQ 14%

Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot:

BQ 49%
CON 32%
NDP 7%
LIB 5%

Roberval-La-Saint_jean

CON 43%
BQ 37%
LIB 12%
NDP 4%

Bring On the Referendum: What You Need to Know

Monday, Sept. 17, 2007

7:30-9:30 p.m.

OISE Auditorium -- 252 Bloor Street West, St. George Subway Stn.

Panel:

Rick Anderson: Campaign Committee Chair, vote for MMP; former chief advisor to former Reform Party Leader Preston Manning; Director, Fireweed Democracy Project.

Catherine Baquero: recent University of Toronto graduate; former member of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform mandated by the government to assess Ontario's electoral system.

Jonathan Rose: Academic Director, Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform; Associate Professor of Political Science, Queen's University.

Edelgard Mahant: Senior Scholar, Glendon Research Group in Public and International Affairs; Co-founder of the No MMP campaign.

Elections Ontario will present an introductory video.

A Big Show of MMP Supporters Would Be Excellent – For the Debate and the Media – Please Come

Presented by the St. Lawrence Centre FORUM and endorsed by Equal Voice, Fair Vote Canada, Vote for MMP, No MMP

For more information, contact Linda Sheppard at lwshep@sympatico.ca or the Vote for MMP Campaign at 416-644-1034

Buy My Book

CONFRONTATION, STRUGGLE AND TRANSFORMATION: ORGANIZED LABOUR IN THE ST. CATHARINES AREA

by Carmela Patrias and Larry Savage

CONFRONTATION STRUGGLE AND TRANSFORMATION is the story of working women and men in the St. Catharines area from the mid-1800s to the present.

The study explores the labour movement's fight to survive and thrive in the Niagara region. Thanks to extensive quotations from interviews, archival sources and local newspapers, the story unfolds, in part, through the voices of the people themselves: workers who fought for unions, community members who supported them and employers who opposed them.

Click here to order it online from the publisher.

Click here to read a recent newspaper article about the book.

Hugh Segal on MMP

Senator Hugh Segal

Repairing the Infrastructure of Democracy
Before It Collapses

Wednesday, September 12, 2007
11:45 am – 1:30 pm
The National Club
303 Bay Street

$69 Individual with tables of 10 available
Lunch will be served
Advance registration is required – numbers are limited
For tickets call (416) 306-0899, visit www.ecot.ca
or fax the attached registration form to (416) 306-0898

Tony Blair Covers The Clash

I guess he decided to go... and we're all thankful for that decision.

Dion to Cherniak: Advertising Works!

Liberal leader Stephane Dion has finally acknowledged that the Tory ads deriding him as "not a leader" have been effective. Despite various Liberal attempts to respond to the campaign to the campaign, Dion remains mired in unpopularity.

From the Vancouver Sun:

Wearing an open-neck, pale blue shirt and a sleek navy pinstripe suit, the Liberal leader, surprisingly, lauds the "Dion is Not a Leader" ad campaign as effective.

The ads have given people a terrible impression of him, but he points out that those low expectations play in his favour once he meets voters -- which is why he's travelling the country non-stop. "Where did we fly here from?" he asks an aide. "Oh yes, Toronto."

Do you think we'll see a revised advertising analysis by Liberal blogger Jason Cherniak who had this to say back in February? His spin was so off the mark that even Dion has refuted it. Here's a preview of Cherniak's spin back in February:

Dion just became a capital "L" Leader a couple months ago - the idea that he is "not a leader" will not ring true to many people at this time. The only way the message will work is if people see many reasons over time to believe that Dion is not a leader. So far, Dion has not been giving that impression. The only people giving that impression are the Tories, who try to make everything Dion does into a joke. Will it work? Only if the Liberals do not respond. We need to have a response and, once we do, it should be easy for us to make our case.

Fight for Your Right (To Work Nude)

No, this isn't a post about exotic dancers or sex workers... it's a story about a carpenter.

As reported by the CBC:

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A carpenter caught hammering nails and sawing wood in the nude has been found by a judge to be not guilty of indecent exposure.

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Julie Conger ruled Thursday that although Percy Honniball of Oakland was naked, he was not acting lewdly or seeking sexual gratification...

...Honniball earned two years' probation in 2003 after being caught three times working naked in Berkeley, which prohibits public nudity. Oakland does not have a similar ban.

Veiled Voting In Canada

Elections Canada gets hammered from all directions.

Layton, Mulcair More Popular Than Dion and Harper in Quebec

From the Montreal Gazette:

The survey was conducted last week by Léger Marketing for The Gazette, the Journal de Montréal and the TVA network. A group of 1,472 Quebecers of voting age were asked their opinion on each of a list of 65 political personalities....

...After Charest, the least positively viewed were federal Liberal leader Stéphane Dion with a 58 per cent negative reading and Prime Minister Stephen Harper with 51 per cent. On the positive side, Harper's 47 per cent reading put him in 13th place overall, well ahead of Dion's 35 per cent that left him in 22nd place.

There is good news for the New Democratic Party and its campaign in the Outremont by-election. Not only is NDP leader Jack Layton ninth among favoured political figures, but former Liberal minister and now NDP candidate in Outremont Tom Mulcair ranks close behind in 11th place with a 47 per cent positive reading.

Confrontation, Struggle and Transformation: Organized Labour in the St. Catharines Area

My new book, Confrontation, Struggle and Transformation: Organized Labour in the St. Catharines Area, which I co-authored with Carmela Patrias is being launched later this week. Y

From Niagara This Week:

New book looks at history of local labour

By Mike Zettel

Sep 07, 2007


ST. CATHARINES -- A new book by two Brock professors aims to shine light on the untold stories of working men and women from the mid-1800s to the present.

Confrontation, Struggle and Transformation: Organized Labour in the St. Catharines Area, was written over a six-month period by Carmela Patrias, associate professor of history, and Larry Savage, assistant professor of labour studies and political science.

Published by the Canadian Committee on Labour History, the book's release is timed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the St. Catharines and District Labour Council.

Savage said the book naturally starts with the workers who built the first Welland Canal, which led to the industrialization of the region.

It "documents the struggles with their employers and fights for wages and working conditions," Savage said. "Working on the canals was a tough job, deplorable working conditions with a largely immigrant work force. Workers fought and workers in some cases died to secure some basic employment standards."

The book, which will be used by first-year labour studies students, examines recurring themes in Niagara that are highlighted in the title.

"What we see in each period are workers resisting concessions that are being promoted by employers," Savage said. "We see workers fighting back. In some cases we see workers winning and moving forward, and in other cases we see workers losing."

Highlighted events include the arrival of the Holy Order of the Knights of Labour to Niagara in the 1880s, the labour movement's leadership in fighting racial discrimination in housing in the late 1950s and the United Auto Workers' strike against General Motors in 1970.

As well, Savage said, it tells of the huge role labour played half a century ago in building Brock itself, including a donation by then-UAW Local 199, which was the largest by a union to a university at the time. Thousands of members of other unions also volunteered additional dues to Brock.

Labour, he said, far exceeded the target the university hoped to raise by them, while other sectors, such as business, underperformed.

"Workers played such a key role in building the university, and they certainly didn't do it for themselves," he said. "They did it for their children and their grandchildren because they wanted them to have access to public post-secondary education."

h/t to the Daily Dissidence who acted as a research assistant on the project.

Ontario NDP Attack Ad: Sticky Notes

"Dalton was hoping his record wouldn't stick to him..." This ad appears to try and counter the Working Families Coalition ads which portray the Liberal government in a positive light.

NDP 1984 Election Ad Featuring Ed Broadbent

This was the election where Brian Mulroney's Tories swept to power with the largest majority government in Canadian history. The NDP, for its part, did a good job at maintaining its base thanks to the leadership of Ed Broadbent.

Let the Greens Debate

As much as I disagree with some of the Ontario Green Party's policies, I still think Frank DeJong should be included in the leaders' debate... Heck, Howard Hampton lost official party status for the NDP two elections in a row and no one questioned whether or not he should be allowed to participate. Fringe party leaders have also been included in debates in several provincial jurisdictions including BC. What are we afraid of?

Public Forum on MMP Leads to Confusion

Looks like Elections Ontario has its work cut out for it.

Bad Press for pro MMP forces from the Niagara Falls Review:

Meeting to explain referendum doesn't 'We don't understand it,' crowd says after debate, explanation

TONY RICCIUTO Local News - Thursday, September 06, 2007

They tried to explain the Oct. 10 electoral reform referendum at a meeting last night. But as one citizen put it, there is obviously "some confusion so Elections Canada better take out full page ads to explain how this will all work."

The meeting and debate, attended by about 30 people, was hosted by the Niagara Falls Citizens for Democracy at the Niagara Falls Public Library's Victoria Avenue branch. The people who were confused admit they're close followers of politics, and were interested enough to turn out Wednesday to hear more about the referendum that will coincide with the provincial election. But after hearing the debate and subsequent explanations, there was still confusion. "We don't understand it, so how can we even explain it to seniors or those who speak a second language," said another man in attendance. When voters go to the polls in October, they will be given two ballots.

In the debate last night, Niagara Falls Citizens for Democracy president Mel Grunstein argued in favour of the mixed-member proportional system while Lorne White, from the Fort Erie Chamber of Commerce, argued the merits of the current system. Both presented valid points on why they took that position.

The confusion began when questions were taken from the floor and different people began giving their understanding of what would take place. Some were getting their information from a blue and white pamphlet called Referendum Ontario, while others were making reference to a booklet distributed by the Ontario Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform, a citizens' group appointed by the province to study Ontario's electoral system and make recommendations for change.

At one point, Grunstein said "I hope they do a better job of advertising because if this group doesn't get it that's a problem." One man who said he has worked on previous elections admitted: "I don't understand it."

Coddling Creationists or The Day John Tory Lost the Ontario Provinical Election

Wow...

Didn't John Tory learn anything from the disaster that was Stockwell Day...

From the Globe & Mail:

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory says there is no reason creationism couldn't be taught alongside evolution and “other theories” if private religious schools are brought into Ontario's public school boards.

Conservative Emerges as Pro-MMP Spokesperson in Niagara

Mel Grunstein, the Conservative candidate in the riding of Welland in both the 2004 and 2006 federal elections, has emerged as a spokesperson for the pro-MMP camp in the Niagara Region.

From the Niagara Falls Review:

The Niagara Falls Citizens for Democracy group is hosting one of the first debates on the two systems. Mel Grunstein, president of the civic watchdog group, will argue in favour of the mixed member proportional system, while Lorne White will debate the merits of the current system.

Their meeting is scheduled for the Niagara Falls Public Library's Victoria Avenue branch, tonight at 7 p.m. Grunstein called referendums "the purest form of democracy" because voters are weighing in on just one issue. "I love them," Grunstein said.

Pro and Anti MMP Campaigns Court Political Scientists

From VOTE FOR MMP:

Vote for MMP – the multi-partisan campaign to support the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform’s recommendation of a mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system in the October 10 referendum – is looking to compile a list of Ontario political scientists who plan to vote for MMP.

The proposed MMP model was developed by the Assembly, a randomly selected group of
voters, after spending last Fall learning about voting systems (under the able direction of Queen’s professor Jonathan Rose) and the Winter months consulting with Ontarians at a series of meetings in every region of the province.

A campaign launched by Fair Vote Canada, Vote for MMP has been organizing since the release of the Citizens’ Assembly report in mid-May to lay the groundwork for a grassroots campaign that engages and educates Ontarians about how changing the voting system can improve Ontario democracy. We would like your help and support in this endeavor.

We already have the endorsement of over 100 prominent Ontarians, including:

- Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett
- Conservative Senator Hugh Segal
- Former NDP leader Ed Broadbent
- Former Liberal cabinet minister Monique Begin
- Former Conservative MP Patrick Boyer
- Former Ontario NDP leader and activist Stephen Lewis
- Sylvia Bakshevin, former CPSA President
- Nathalie Desrosiers, Dean of Civil Law at the University of Ottawa
- Peter Russell, former CPSA President
- Hugh Thorburn, former CPSA President

If you will be voting for MMP, we would love to be able to add your name to a list of political scientists that support MMP. If you would like to be added to our list of supporters, please contact campaign organizer Mark Greenan at mark.greenan@fairvote.ca.

Thanks for your interest and if you would like more information on our campaign, visit our website at http://www.voteformmp.ca/

From NO MMP:

We are conducting a grassroots campaign that engages and educates Ontarians about how changing the voting system may lead to the deterioration of Ontario's democracy. We would like your help and support in this endeavor. We already have the endorsement of many prominent Ontarians, including:'

- Liberal MP Diane Marleau (a former cabinet minister)
- provincial cabinet minister Dwight Duncan
- MPPs Bob Delaney (Lib) and Tim Hudak (PC)
- Former Liberal MPs Aideen Nicholson and Larry McCormick
- Former Conservative MPs Scott Reid and Doug Lewis
- Senator David Smith (Lib)

- Academics who support us include:

Lorna Marsden, recently retired President of York, Joan Mount, former Dean of Professional Schools at Laurentian University; Terry Heinrichs, Chair of Political Science at Glendon College, Peter Woolstencroft (Waterloo), Sylvie Arend, John Crozierand Ian Gentles (all at York's Glendon College) and Graeme Mount ofLaurentian University.

If you plan to vote against MMP, we would love to be able to add your nameto a list of political scientists who oppose this measure, which has profoundly negative implications for democracy in Ontario. If you wouldlike to be added to our list of supporters, please contact me at emahant@yahoo.ca

Thank you for your interest.
Edelgard Mahant
Glendon College

Nova Scotia Healthcare Unions Fight to Keep Right to Strike

No one handed workers the right to strike. Workers fought, and in some cases died in order to secure that right. Don't expect unions to roll over and give it up that easily. Sadly, the Nova Scotia NDP has not taken a strong position in support of the right to strike.

From the Globe & Mail:

Nova Scotia's health-care unions will use the labour movement's traditional holiday weekend to roll out a public information campaign against a government move to end the right to strike.

It's the opening volley in what's expected to be an ongoing battle through the fall with the province's Conservative government.

The unions also plan a major rally, most likely be held during the opening of the fall session of the legislature.

“Our message to the public, to our membership and to the government is, let's pick our battles. This is an unnecessary one, ” said Joan Jessome, president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union.

Where does the Nova Scotia NDP stand on the issue? NDP leader Darrell Dexter offered up this pathetic response:

When asked Thursday whether he could support a measure like binding arbitration, NDP Leader Darrell Dexter didn't want to “get into the realm of speculation,” citing the various models that could be proposed.

“Until you actually see what it is they are trying to suggest, it is difficult to say that one thing or another would be acceptable,” he said.

The Conservatives and Negativity

The Tory party's hypocrisy over negativity in politics has never been so clear.

On the party's website, a humourous picture of Stephane Dion along with a group of puffins accompanies a story which complains that Dion "all negative, all the time." It goes on to suggest that Dion is one his way to becoming is the most negative opposition leader of all time and that he does nothing but criticize. However, if you check out the entire right hand sidebar of the Conservative website you'll notice a list of at least five negative attack ads slamming Dion on the issues of senate reform and leadership. I don't mind negative politics or negative attack ads. In fact, I think they can be legitimate and useful political tools. However, you can't negatively portray Dion in a series of negative attack ads and then complain about his negativity on the same webpage and expect people to take your party seriously.

REMINDER: Actor Danny Glover to Lead Niagara Falls Labour Day Parade

Join International Film Star Danny Glover in bringing the power of Labour Day to Niagara Falls.

Join us as we hold one of the first Labour Day actions in Niagara Falls.

1:30 PM
September 3rd

Rally at the corner of Union Ave and Hunter St. in Niagara Falls.

Buses will be leaving from locations in:
Toronto, Brampton/Mississauga, and from the end of the Hamilton Labour Day Parade.

Please call or email to reserve your seat.
For details: call Ethan Clarke at 905-354-2027 ext. 312 or visit www.niagarahotelworkers.ca

McGuinty Voting for MMP?

From the Toronto Star:

Premier Dalton McGuinty, who first broached the subject of sweeping electoral reform more than a year before he won power in 2003, is publicly remaining neutral. But privately he is believed to favour MMP because, sources say, "he's a Boy Scout on this stuff."

All McGuinty will say on the record is he welcomes the dissenting views on the subject within his cabinet and the Liberal caucus.

"This is not something that's going to be decided by a few cabinet ministers, it's going to be something that's decided by millions of Ontario voters. I look forward to their advice," the premier says.

Labour Day: Just Another Three-Day Long Weekend?

Read the entire article at NiagaraThisWeek.com

Labour Day: just another three-day weekend?
By Mike Zettel
St. Catharines
Aug 31, 2007

ST. CATHARINES -- For many, this weekend simply represents the last vestiges of summer, a chance to run to the cottage for the last time or to otherwise enjoy the final long weekend before heading back to school or work.

But in enjoying ourselves, are we missing out on the significance of the holiday and how we first got it? Labour Day is sometimes referred to as the holiday Canada gave the world. It was first marked April 15, 1872 with a parade for workers' rights in Toronto.

At the time, simply belonging to a trade union was to engage in "criminal conspiracy" and many of the rights taken for granted today -- eight hour days, minimum wage, occupational health and safety regulations -- didn't exist.

"It's very much become just another holiday for people, whether it's people having their last hurrah for the summer or getting ready to get back to school, but there's some important significance here," said Larry Savage, a professor at Brock specializing in labour movements. He notes studies of history often overlook those of working people, who he calls an integral part of history, particularly Niagara's.

"The Welland Canal didn't just appear out of nowhere," he said. "People constructed the canal. And there were important struggles and fights and strikes over the building of the canals." The canals brought manufacturing and industry, he said, with unions who fought for and won the rights ordinary working-class people enjoy today.
"None of these rights were just given to them out of nowhere," he said. "People had to fight for them in order to win them. And I think a lot of people forget about those struggles and take for granted the rights."

Wayne Gates, president of Canadian Auto Workers Local 199, agreed the significance of the holiday is too often overlooked.

"It's become like any other holiday," he said. "It's just another three-day weekend." There's a lot we have to celebrate about, but obviously the struggles continue," he said.

On Politicians and Public Toilets

Very timely political satire.

via nag on the lake.

Chantal Hébert's National Affairs Column is Back

Chantal Hébert's national affairs column in the Toronto Star is back after a summer break. Hébert is my favourite columnist. Her analysis is always thoughtful and her understanding of the dynamics at play in federal politics, which are all too often lost on English Canadians, is a breath of fresh air.

Read her newest column here and her archived columns here.

MMP Debate Makes for Strange Bedfellows

This Tory Blogger says she won't vote for MMP because it's just a big scam to keep the Liberals in power forever and she points here to make her case, conveniently ignoring the fact that most Liberal MPPs and this popular Liberal blogger are dead set against MMP. There are Tories, like Senator Hugh Segal and this guy who support MMP. Meanwhile, this NDP blogger says he can't support MMP because it "is not the panacea that many are making it out to be." Although he is certainly a minority in his party, he's likley pleased by the NDP's decision not to campaign for MMP.

Dennis Kucinich Talks Labour Politics

Unions in the United States have been most closely aligned with John Edwards's campaign. However, in recent debates, Dennis Kucinich has been upsatging Edwards on union issues. Although Kucinich doesn't stand a chance of winning the Democratic primary, he seems to be steering the front runners to the left. Kucinich's straight foward approach to union issues is certainly refreshing in a presidential field dominated by politicians on the centre-right.

PQ Back on the Map in Quebec

According to the latest CROP poll, the PQ is the most popular party in Quebec and PQ leader Pauline Marois is the most popular choice for "best premier".

The ruling Liberals -- led by unpopular Premier Jean Charest -- fell to third place, slipping to 27 percent support from 33 percent. The right-wing ADQ party dropped to 29 percent from 31 percent.

The results are significant because the Liberals have only a fragile minority in the Quebec legislature and could be brought down at any time.

In the wake of the election, then Parti Quebecois leader Andre Boisclair quit and was replaced by former cabinet minister Pauline Marois. La Presse said Marois, a popular and respected figure, was one reason for the party's recovery.

The CROP poll showed that 37 percent of Quebecers felt Marois would make the best premier, compared with 25 percent for ADQ leader Mario Dumont and just 22 percent for Charest.

This bodes well for Marois' chances in the Charlevoix by-election. The PQ was potentially facing third party irrelevancy after losing seats in the 2007 Quebec election. This modest rebound will help sustain the federalist /sovereignist dichotomy in Quebec politics which has helped progressive fores to rally around the sovereignist option as part of a complex intersection of class and nation.

Ontario NDP Energy Plan Unveiled

I can't explain the weird dance.

Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party

John Murney asks "Who are the people behind this new party? What does the SDAP stand for?

Murney links to their facebook page. But it looks like they have a series of Youtube videos too. The new party is taking direct aim at both the NDP and the Sask Party.

And is it just me, or is there something weird about the voice overs in SDAP Youtube ads... especially the way in which the woman in the voice over says "Saskatchewan" almost like a computer would say it.

I'm willing to bet that this new "party" is actually one guy with a Youtube account. I wouldn't expect to see many SDAP candidates running in the upcoming Saskatchewan election.

The Conservative Case for MMP

I had the pleasure of watching several Conservatives, like this guy, give speeches in favour of MMP at the Citizens' Aseembly public forum in Niagara Falls a few months back. I don't think MMP has as much support on the right as it does of the left, but it's encouraging to see more and more conservatives come out in favour of electoral reform.

Pauline Marois Headed Towards Defeat in Charlevoix By-Election?

Ironically, Jean Charest's decision not to run a Liberal candidate against PQ leader Pauline Marois in the Charlevoix by-election, may just be her undoing.

Although PQ leader Pauline Marois' re-entry into Quebec's legislative assembly was supposed to be a cakewalk, the ADQ is aiming to pull off a dramatic political upset next month, and the former Liberal candidate in Charlevoix is not ruling out the possibility.

After the PQ MNA in Marois' former riding of Taillon refused to resign her seat, in order to allow the PQ leader back into the assembly, Marois was forced to settle for the riding of Charlevoix, held by PQ MNA Rosaire Bertrand from 1994 to 2007.

In the 2007 provincial election, the PQ held onto the seat with a pretty comfortable margin.


Rosaire Bertrand
Parti québécois
9 099
37,67 %

Conrad Harvey
Action démocratique
7 436
30,78 %

Jean-Guy Bouchard
Libéral
6 541
27,08 %

David Turcotte
Vert
553
2,29 %

Lucie Charbonneau
Québec solidaire
527
2,18 %

However, the by-election promises to change the dynamic of the campaign because the Liberals will not be fielding a candidate. Premier Jean Charest has explained that the Liberals are not fielding a candidate out of parliamentary tradition. However, ADQ leader Mario Dumont has justifiably argued that voters should have a choice, and that this particular parliamentary tradition is not extended to third party leaders.

In any event, the absence of one of the major federalist parties may have stunning consequences for the PQ campaign. If the campaign unravels along federalist vs. separatist lines, the ADQ could easily carry the day given that the Liberal vote is far more likely to drift to the ADQ than to any other party. If the campaigns unravels instead along right vs. left lines, the ADQ also promises to pick up the largest number of Liberal voters given that the PQ has long been regarded in Quebec as a left-wing social democratic alternative to a right-wing Liberal Party closely aligned with the interests of big business in Quebec.

Marois' star power as a party leader may help her make up for these shortcomings. However, at this point, she is likely regretting that the Liberals have chosen not to run a candidate. Indeed, it may be the lack of a Liberal candidate in Charlevoix that ends up defeating her in the by-election.

Another Gay Republican's Hypocrisy Exposed

Sad and pathetic.

From the Vancouver Sun:

Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho was arrested by a plainclothes police officer investigating complaints of lewd conduct in the men's public restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to a police report cited by the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call...

...According to the police report, Craig entered a bathroom stall next to the police investigator, placed his bag against the front of the door and tapped his foot in a gesture commonly used to try to pick up men in public toilets.

"I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct," Roll Call wrote, quoting the investigator in the police incident report.

Craig is in his third term and up for re-election next year. He is a former member of the Senate's Republican leadership and played an active role in the 1998 impeachment of former President Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal....

...In a June 2006 Senate vote, Craig voted in favour of an amendment to the Constitution to define marriage in the United States as a union between one man and one woman. The amendment was defeated by one vote.

More Thoughts on the NDP and MMP

My post on the NDP's decision to not campaign on MMP seems to have generated a lot of comments. I'd like to address a few of them.

Lord Kitchener has argued that campaign regulations are preventing the party from campaigning on MMP. You can read the campaign regulations here.

"Individuals or groups who choose to advertise in favour of one outcome or the other will be required to meet financial disclosure and reporting requirements. For example, those spending over $500 on advertising must register with Elections Ontario and file a report detailing advertising spending and contributions. Political parties and constituency associations will be prohibited from registering."

I think some New Democrats are hiding behind this regulation in order to justify the party's decision not to campaign on MMP in the upcoming provincial election.

The Green Party doesn't seem fazed by Election Ontario's edict. In fact, the Greens explicitly ask people to "Vote for Mixed Member Proportional in the electoral reform referendum" on their website and they link directly to the VOTE MMP campaign.

For its part, the Family Coalition Party writes on its main page:

At the same time as the election, on October 10, a Referendum question will be on the ballot. Electors will be asked whether they wish to maintain the current system or adopt the alternative Mixed Member Proportional system.

VOTE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MMP SYSTEM!

We believe that this change will give us an opportunity to represent you at Queen's Park, if the Referendum is approved. To read more please follow this link: "The new system of Election for Ontario"

The NDP, on the other hand, doesn't mention MMP anywhere on its main page. Electoral reform is not even listed in on the website under the CAMPAIGN heading.

You can be sure that fringe parties will make MMP a central theme of their respective campaigns. They know that Election Ontario's regulations do not prevent them from taking strong principled positions on issues of public policy. The NDP has simply chosen to follow the Liberals and Tories into neutral limbo by refusing to make electoral reform a key issue. The party could easily get around the flimsy regulations with a little imagination. For example, the NDP could advertise the position that "the NDP has strongly favoured electoral reform in the past and that an NDP government would move swiftly to implement a system of MMP if the Citizens' Assembly's recommendations are approved in the October 10 referendum". However, my understanding is that the Ontario NDP is very much keeping its distance in the same way that the British Columbia NDP refused to campaign on STV. In my view, this is a bad strategy.

Mark Greenan writes: "Do we want WANT the NDP campaigning on MMP? Frankly, I don't see it as important. There are many better things the Ontario NDP leadership can do to support MMP than campaign on it."

Really? What exactly could they do in an election campaign that would be more important or useful than advertise their support for MMP? Many NDP voters are as clueless about the proposal as the general public. If the NDP were to campaign on the issue, these voters would likely be more inclined to support MMP. Furthermore, having individual NDP campaigns coordinate literature drops with the VOTE MMP camp would be very helpful. The NDP's position precludes these types of coordinated activities.

Lastly, the Daily Dissidence and Jan From the Bruce hit the nail on the head when they point out that the NDP's failure to campaign on MMP will further alienate the party in a campaign that will likely be dominated by the issues of education reform and electoral reform. The NDP's weak position on both issues, which very much mirror the Liberal positions, will surely push the party to the sidelines. (You can read my views on the NDP and education reform here.) Many progressive voters who care dearly about education reform and electoral reform may just drift to the Greens, who seem to have adopted solid and clear positions on what are sure to be important wedge issues.

The NDP has dropped the ball by choosing to not campaign on MMP.

NDP Won't Campaign on MMP

Today, a good source told me that the NDP, in consultation with caucus members and the party's election planning committee, has decided against actively campaigning in favour of MMP in the upcoming provincial election. Although the party supports the proposal, the party will not focus on electoral reform as a campaign theme and candidates will be advised against advertising their support for MMP in campaign literature.

Some New Democrats felt that actively campaigning in favour of MMP would hurt the party since the proposal is likely to fail. Others did not want the NDP exposed to allegations that it was violating the campaign finance rules set up by Elections Ontario in relation to the referendum. Another view was that the party did not want to alienate supporters who did not support MMP.

Instead, the NDP will focus its campaign around developing clean energy and the promotion of anti-poverty devices, like increasing the minimum wage. The party believes these issues are good wedge issues because they contrast well with the Liberal Party's support of nuclear energy and the McGuinty government's support for MPP pay raises.

***UPDATE*** Read my response to some of the comments below here.

Presidential Assassin Celebrated in Song

Leon Frank Czolgosz was a self proclaimed anarchist and assassin of U.S. President William McKinley.

As a young man, Leon Czolgosz (1873-1901) worked in a wire mill in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a good employee, retaining his job even through an economic depression.

In 1898, after witnessing a series of strikes (many ending in police confrontation), Czolgosz returned home, where he was constantly at odds with his family's Roman Catholic beliefs and with his stepmother. He became a recluse, and spent much of his time alone, reading socialist and anarchist newspapers. He was very affected by hearing a speech of Emma Goldman, and sought her out in New York City to discuss political matters. She later wrote a piece sympathetic to Czolgosz's assassination of McKinley, though not quite in favor of the act. However, Czolgosz, as far as is known, failed to be accepted into any anarchist group.

Czolgosz's experiences had convinced him there was a great injustice in American society, an inequity which allowed the wealthy to enrich themselves by exploiting the poor. He concluded the reason for this was the structure of government itself. Then on July 29, 1900, King Umberto I was assassinated by avowed anarchist Gaetano Bresci. Bresci told the press he had to take matters into his own hands for the sake of the common man. The assassination sent shockwaves through the American anarchist movement. In Bresci, Czolgosz found his hero: a man who had the courage to sacrifice himself for the cause.

On August 31, 1901 he moved to Buffalo, New York and rented a room near the site of the Pan-American Exposition.

On September 6, Czolgosz went to the exposition with a pistol in his hand, concealed in a handkerchief. McKinley had been standing in a receiving line at the Temple of Music greeting the public for several minutes when Czolgosz reached the front of the line and shot him twice at point-blank range. The time was 4:07 p.m. McKinley would die from his wounds on September 14.

Czolgosz was convicted and sentenced to death on September 23, in a trial that lasted 8 hours and 26 minutes from jury selection to verdict.

Czolgosz was found guilty and executed by electrocution, by three jolts at 1700 volts each, on October 29, 1901, at Auburn prison in Auburn, New York. His last words were "I killed the President because he was the enemy of the good people - the good working people. I am not sorry for my crime." As the prison guards strapped him into the chair, however, he did say through clenched teeth, "I am sorry I could not see my father."

Sulfuric acid was thrown in his coffin so his body would completely dissolve within 24 hours. His letters and clothes were burned.


The 1901 film used is a detailed reproduction of the execution of Leon Czołgosz faithfully carried out from the description of an eye witness. Czolgosz is executed with the fairly new invention of the electric chair in the prison of Auburn, New York. The keepers are seen taking Czolgosz from his cell to the death chamber, and shows State Electricians, Wardens and Doctors making a final test of the chair. Czolgosz is then brought in by the guard and is quickly strapped into the chair. The current is turned on at a signal from the Warden, and the assassin heaves heavily as though the straps would break. He drops prone after the current is turned off. The doctors examine the body and report to the Warden that he is dead, and he in turn officially announces the death to the witness. While the film is certainly an important historical document, revealing popular fascination with both the fact and the manner of Czolgosz's execution, it cannot be taken as a record of the actual execution. (more)

Why Can't 20% of Americans Locate Their Country on a Map?

Miss South Carolina gives us the answer.

h/t to the Daily Dissidence

Top Ten Blogging Dippers

In reviewing Paul's list of the Top 100 Canadian political bloggers, I think I counted ten Blogging Dippers.

1. Paulitics: Paul’s Socialist Investigations / 911,369
2. La Revue Gauche / 1,486,069
3. Buckdog / 1,591,003
4. Accidental Deliberations / 2,717,441
5. Devin Johnston.ca / 2,718,187
6. Idealistic Pragmatist / 2,725,501
7. My Blahg / 2,800,670
8. Uncorrected Proofs / 2,891,152
9. Unrepentant Old Hippie / 4,284,573
10. Blogging Dippers / 6,135,616

I know almost half, if not more, of the bloggers on this short list are not even card-carrying New Democrats. I think this fact probably lends support to Paul's idea of creating a home for far left bloggers which, if I understand him correctly, would include anything to the left of social democracy. Many of us support some NDP initiatives, volunteer for the party, or may even donate to the party, but remain cynical about the NDP's true progressive, let alone socialist, potential.

The development of an alternate blogroll could also help shine the spotlight on some great left-wing blogs that have been lost in the shuffle. Don't get me wrong, I think the blogging dippers is a great forum that serves a useful purpose, but the fact that the NDP's blogroll ranks behind the Green party's blogroll in terms of traffic (The Greens are at #61 compared to the Blogging Dippers at #98 on Paul's Top 100 list) is a sad commentary on the NDP's capacity to generate interest, let alone influence, in the political blogosphere. Perhaps the development of a far left blogroll would lead to a mutually beneficial relationship based on healthy competition, dialogue and debate.

Canadian Idiot

A humorous reminder that Canada and the USA are two entirely different countries.

Weird Al parodies Green Day's American Idiot.

Shuffling the Deck

I have reshuffled my links list.... if you don't post, you can't expect me to keep you around.

In particular, check out the newest links:

Rusty Idols

Scott's DiaTribes

Joseph Facal

Outremont By-Election Report: Part 2

Last week, Fuddle Duddle posted some pictures of defaced election signs in Outremont. Although I saw very few signs that were vandalized, I did capture this gem of Thomas Mulcair, complete with a piece of gum on his nose.

As I explained in my previous post, I couldn't locate a single Liberal sign within a five block stretch. Instead, this type of picture is common in main intersections throughout the riding.

However, the NDP's much smaller signs are attached to almost every single post in Outremont and therefore Mulcair is hands down the winner of the sign war. Admittedly, these pictures were taken on the same street as Mulcair's campaign headquarters (pictured below). However driving through the riding would leave no doubt in the minds of the average voter that an NDP breakthrough is certainly within the realm of possibility, if not probability.

Citizens Assembly Members Explain MMP

What is Mixed Member Proportional? A simple guide to electoral reform brought to you by members of the Citizens Assembly.

Working Families Coalition Ads

The Working Familes Coalition that aired the "Not this time Ernie" ads in the 2003 provincial election has returned in 2007, but this time the message has changed. In a series of four "Do you remember?" ads the WFC bashes the Tories while clearly indicating support for the Liberals. If you ask me, these ads are not as effective as the 2003 ads, largely because they are so clearly partisan. The ads have already generated an interesting but ultimately baseless complaint from the Tories.

The coalition is also sponsoring a contest similar to the MoveON.org contest in the United States wherein people developed anti-George Bush ads in the run up to the 2004 presidential elections.

Who is behind the WFC? It's unions...

The Chair is Gary O'Neil, Presidentof Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. The other major players include:

Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association
Canadian Auto Workers
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 128
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Millwrights
International Union Of Operating Engineers Local 793
Painters District Council 46
Ontario Pipe Trades Council

These unions have been alingned with the Liberals for the last several years. You'll notice that some unions like CUPE, USW, CEP, and OPSEU are not involved. They are backing the NDP. It will be interesting to see if the unions loyal to the NDP will be mounting a campaign of their own, or whether they will simply funnel money to NDP campaigns instead.

Outremont By-Election Report: Part 1

While exiting Montreal's Museum of Contemporary Art this evening, I noticed Jack Layton, Olivia Chow and NDP candidate Thomas Mulcair making their way up the red carpet at the World Film Festival which was taking place next door. It reminded me of the last time I was on vacation and ran into Jack Layton. The trio waved for the cameras and were smiling from ear to ear.

They certainly had reason to smile.

Earlier in the day, while walking the streets of Outremont, I noticed that NDP signs outnumbered Tory and Bloc signs by at least five to one. Within a distance of five blocks, I did not see a single Liberal sign. Outremont certainly isn't looking like a Liberal stronghold these days.

Bloggers for MMP

Join the bloggroll at Bloggers for MMP and help make history on October 10, 2007.

Although the pro MMP camp is clearly better organized than its detractors, it faces almost insurmountable obstacles in the form of a 60% threshold and an almost non-existent voter education campaign from Elections Ontario.

That said, stranger things have happened in Canadian politics. Visit the website, donate, volunteer!

Dalton McGuinty's Flip Flop on Tuition Fee Increases

Funny ad by the Canadian Federation of students

Actor Danny Glover to Lead Niagara Falls Labour Day Parade

Join International Film Star Danny Glover in bringing the power of Labour Day to Niagara Falls.

Join us as we hold one of the first Labour Day actions in Niagara Falls.
1:30 PM
September 3rd
Rally at the corner of Union Ave and Hunter St. in Niagara Falls.

Buses will be leaving from locations in:
Toronto, Brampton/Mississauga, and from the end of the Hamilton Labour Day Parade.
Please call or email to reserve your seat.
For details: call Ethan Clarke at 905-354-2027 ext. 312 or visit www.niagarahotelworkers.ca

For a poster to print, please visit the website.

Teachers Union Favours Liberals Over NDP

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario may have invited both NDP leader Howard Hampton and Liberal Education minister Kathleen Wynne to address their annual meeting, but the Liberals got all the love. The party-union relationship continues to crumble for the NDP. Firefighters, Building Trades unions and teachers are firmly in the Liberal camp. Expect the CAW to endorse McGuinty and the Liberals in the coming weeks. From the Star:

The normally staid annual meeting of Ontario’s elementary teachers’ union turned into a rowdy election rally today for Education Minister Kathleen Wynne, with union officials calling for her to trounce Conservative Leader John Tory in one of the most fierce battles of the upcoming provincial election.

"We at the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario will do whatever we can to ensure she continues to be the minister this time next year," said outgoing federation president Emily Noble before a ballroom of 500 grade school teachers from across the province.

"This is an education minister whose heart is in the right place - in a government that believes in publicly funded education. We’re absolutely encouraging members to elect a Liberal government. This government has been positive for teachers and for education."

"With your help I can defeat John Tory in Don Valley West," said Wynne, in a talk that sounded like a pep talk to the party faithful.

"With your help, we can re-elect a Liberal government to Queen’s Park that believes in public education."

Niagara Falls teacher Sharon Aloian said she was comfortable with the meeting’s election buzz and sharp partisan edge.

"When you have a premier who calls himself the Education Premier, and you’re a teacher - how can we not work to keep them in office?"

Progressives Have a Lot at Stake in Roberval--Lac-Saint-Jean By-Election

Celine Houde, a trade union activist and sovereignist, is the BQ candidate in the Roberval--Lac-Saint-Jean by-election. She is in for the fight of her life against a Tory mayor and a right-wing Liberal.

The riding has been in the BQ camp since 1993, however the Tories almost took it from the Bloc in 2006.

2006 result:

BQ 45%
Cons 37%
Libs 8%
NDP 6%
Green 4%

The Tories are running Denis Lebel, the mayor of Roberval. The Liberals are running Louise Boulanger, a businesswoman.

The NDP candidate, Eric Dubois, is an anti-war and social justice activist, but the Mulcair effect is not likely to extend to this corner of the province where the NDP has no local organization or strong electoral history.

Former BQ Leader Michel Gauthier, served as MP for this riding from 1993-2007. He had a string local following and a high profile within the party. The lower profile Houde will be in for a tougher fight, especially since the Tories have attracted a very credible candidate in Lebel.

Public opinion polls have seen a decrease in BQ support since the election, however the Tories have failed to capitalize on this decrease. In addition, the PQ was able to hold onto seats in this region in the 2007 Quebec election, and therefore predictions of a sovereignist meltdown are likely exaggerated. That said, this race should be very tight.

And more importantly, progressives have a lot to lose if this BQ seat falls to the Tories. Expect the Bloc to abandon Outremont and channel its resources into this riding for the remainder of the campaign.

Liberal Spy Exposed in News Report

A Liberal operative armed with a video camera is stonewalled by an NDP staffer. The whole altercation is captured by the media.

Top 100 Canadian Political Blogs

Paulitics has compiled a list of the Top 100 Canadian political blogs based on a traffic analysis at alexa.com. Uncorrected Proofs made the list at #70. This is a great reference tool that brings together dozens of great political blogs. I encourage you to bookmark the link.

This is my Blog on Break

I won't be posting much for the next two weeks. However, rest assured that I am coming back. In the meantime, these blogs have been particularly good lately:

Paultics

Nag on the Lake

DemocraticSpace

Calgary Grit

Firefighetrs Union Endorses McGuinty

The link between organized labour and the NDP takes another blow. Expect the CAW, most building trades, and teachers' unions to also endorse Liberals to varying degrees.

Bloc Looks to Elect its First South Asian MP in By-Election

Eve-Mary Thai Thi Lac is the BQ candidate in the sovereignist stronghold of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot. The Bloc's aggressive recruitment in ethnic communities in recent years has certainly paid dividends and a win in this by-election would be significant in terms of the BQ's overall strategy because the riding is located outside of the Montreal region. Thai Thi Lac is looking to join an impressive contigent of visible minority Bloc MPs like Maria Mourani, Maka Kotto, and Vivian Barbot. It's the new face of the sovereignist movement and it is making the Liberals very very nervous.

Ontario NDP Candidate Criticizes Hampton

Former NDP MP and MPP Reid Scott, who will be running for the New Democrats in the riding of Ajax-Pickering in the upcoming provincial election, has upset the party establishment before even being officially nominated as the candidate... I guess when you're 80, you don't have much to lose. Check out what he had to say to the Toronto Star:

Scott has a salty tongue and spares no one, not even his own side. He believes the New Democrats have "no real leadership provincially. They should have been pounding away at the issues instead of waiting for the writ to drop; looking at doubling their seats, not just hanging on to the 10 they have. That's a goofy approach."

Will Canada Gaffe Sink Obama?

At the AFL-CIO Democratic Presidential debate tonight in Chicago, Barack Obama, in response to a question about NAFTA, referred to the "President of Canada"... Pretty serious gaffe for a presidential candidate given that the USA is Canada's largest trading partner and closest neighbour. Delaware Senator Joe Biden was quick to pounce on Obama's gaffe, declaring that he would be in touch with the Prime Minister of Canada in relation to NAFTA. If you ask me Kucinich is winning the debate. Ok, back to watching TV.

Cherniak Not Half As Important As He Thinks He Is

A colleague of mine recently pointed out to me the actual difference between the number of people Jason Cherniak claims read his blog and the actual number who do read his blog.

On his blog, Cherniak writes (in the third person!) "Jason has been blogging for two years and averages about 1500 readers a day, including many elected politicians and members of the national media."

However, his SiteMeter tells a different story.

As of late, Cherniak's blog has been visited by fewer than 600 people on a daily basis.

Historically, Cherniak has very seldom experienced 1,500 unique visitors per day and in the past 30 days he's averaged less than 800.

I'm sure a lot of bloggers, myself included, would love to attract this much traffic to their blogs, but why make yourself out to be something you're not?