"This could reshape Canadian history" - sure hope so!

Survey names coalition bid to topple Tories as top Canadian news story of 2008. At least, this MSM story was factually correct.
Intertwined with the global economic crisis, Harper used it to justify a measure that would financially crush his opponents, but really it was the lack of economic stimulus that was the last straw:

As if things weren't inflammatory enough, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty soaked his update with gasoline - fudging the deficit numbers, providing no economic stimulus and larding it with ideologically driven measures like scrapping pay equity and temporarily stripping public servants of the right to strike.

Although the press likes to think it was the $1.95 per-vote subsidy that was the trigger, the idea of a coalition was driven by NDP Jack Layton. Considering that the NDP would be least effected of the opposition parties by the loss of subsidy in comparison to the Liberals, Bloc, and Greens, make no mistake, it was the direct attack on w omen's rights and workers' rights, and no economic stimulus for ordinary folk that drove Layton to find common ground and cause with the liberals and Bloc.

At least it got it right rather than the Harper spin:

All three opposition parties refused to support the update. Driven largely by NDP Leader Jack Layton, they immediately began backroom negotiations to defeat the government and replace it with a Liberal-NDP coalition, propped up by the separatist Bloc Quebecois.

At least it woke up Canadians although it was surprising in their ignorance:

"After an apathetic decade or two, grassroots interest in politics was rekindled, even if it exposed yet again how little Canadians really know about the workings of their Parliament."

Of course the new appointed Liberal Leader, Iggy hasn't written off the coalition and the tale continues:

With the denouement of the coalition saga yet to be written, it's conceivable that the No.1 news story of 2008 could top the charts again next year.

I noted that in the last couple of days stories popping up about the legitmacy of the coalition government, and perhaps as we enter the new year, that Canadians will remain engaged.

No surprise that corporate backers of MSM and the moneyed/business elite hated the idea of the coalition government - it was so grassroots and representative of 62% of voters that it scared the crap out of them. Having too much democracy and power to the people might upset their apple cart ~ more so than the global economic crisis ~ as government coffers bail them out of their folly.

Anyway, it would be great if both the liberals and NDP got out in the New Year with promoting the coalition. This requires selling it. Considering that the Cons sent their winged monkeys out before Christmas with talking points for phone in shows and online comment section, I am sure that the Libs and NDP could fight back.
Remember,

PEOPLE UNITED CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED!

The Working Meme

Ocean over at Challenging the Commonplace tagged me for this workin meme. That was back on December 24th but I just couldn't wrap my head around it until now.

I will do it in a hap-hazard chronological order:

• newspaper delivery girl

• flyer delivery girl

• babysitter

• waitress in a restaurant
  

• CAA sells person

• playground leader (3 summers)
  

• Assembly line electrical parts ~ Best summer job & why getting an education was important

• swim instructor

• fitness instructor (part-time where ever I lived for 20 years)

• arts & crafts playground leader

• Katimavik group leader (3 years)

• Provincial area grants supervisor

• YMCA - program coordinator

• Strawberry picker

• Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator (2 hospitals)

• Palliative care, crisis management and volunteer coordinator (hospital)
  

• Therapeutic recreationist: Day Away Program (Alzheimer's Society)

• Part-time After Hours Duty Worker: Children's AID

• Community Development Coordinator ~ mental health

• Provincial grants writer ~ mental health teams (paid per grant application)
  

• Grey Bruce Consumer/survivors and families stakeholder facilitator

• Mom of 3 girls

• Research Assistant (returned to university): University of Western

• Teaching Assistant (Masters) : McMaster University

• Public School Trustee: since 2001

• Social Worker: Rehab & Emergency/Trauma (hospitals)

• Teaching Assistant (Ph.D) : U of Toronto

• Adoption Worker: Children's AID

• Research Assistant (Ph.D): U of Toronto

• Children's Worker" Children's AID

• Elected vice-chair of Western Region: Ontario Public School Board Association : 2006

• Elected vice-chair of school Board~ 2008

Just to let you know I did a lot of those "jobs" part-time and often had to common some to put together full-time work.

My favourite position: being a mom

Sunday, Dec 28th - oops forgot to tag 5 other bloggers. Here goes and sorry if you already got tagged: Idealistic Pragmatist, Blogging a Dead Horse, Buckdog, Dipper Chick, and Peterborough Politics and for good measure My Blahg.

Merry Christmas Canada: Here's your 18 lumps of coal

National Post's Don Martin nails it (sort of )

Would Saskatchewan voters elect upper-crust Pamela Wallin as their Senate representative? Not a chance. Would the voters of Newfoundland elevate former Conservative Fabian Manning just nine weeks ago after they voted him out of an MP's job? Would B. C. elect Yonah Martin for an appointment when she couldn't even land a winnable seat last Oct. 14? Would Ontario voters embrace Irving Gerstein, whose only political claim to fame was serving as Canada's top Conservative fundraiser? Would Quebec pick former Canadian Alliance candidate Leo Housakos, best friend to a PMO communications official, who was tainted earlier this year by allegations of meddling in a public works file? Hell, no-- to all of the above.

NO REFORRRRRRRRRRRRRM HERE

Instead of reforming it, Mr. Harper has reconfirmed the Senate as the pigpen for party has-beens, cast-offs, bagmen and political pals with a couple honourable mentions thrown in to make the Conservative rebalancing project go down a little easier.

Winnipeg Free Press Dan Left weighs in

It's the week before Christmas, the world's economy is teetering on the brink of disaster and you're facing possible defeat at the hands of a coalition of opposition parties. What's the first thing you do?

Why, you appoint 18 new senators.

Where are those damn Public opinion polls when you need'em

Opposition critics say Harper doesn't have the moral authority to make patronage appointments because he prorogued Parliament to avoid a vote of confidence that he was sure to lose.

Time for Harper and his parliament of unelected advisers to go

New Year's resolution

Promises made and to keep:

Vote no confidence - January 26 2009

Form Coalition government - January 27 2009

Let's bring New Year tidings of non-partisan workings and joy!

My Blahg needs to be reinstated on Progblogs

Michael Taube wrties today on the Best of the blogosphere (left-wing version).

Although as Michael openly stated he doesn't:

"agree with what is being discussed on these particular blogs, since my political viewpoint is quite different. That being said, I’ve never refused to read well-written articles and columns in left-leaning newspapers and journals. In my view, it’s good to be informed – and it’s always important to understand what the other side is thinking.

Flaherty seeks advice from billionaires

Four billionaires and their cheerleaders - and the usual suspects say "that a boy."

At the Globe we find this whopper

Yesterday, however, Jim Flaherty, the Minister of Finance, set up a non-partisan economic advisory council. There is something Obama-like, and refreshing, about his choices. But let's hope the exercise is really about listening, and not just about optics.

Listen up editorial Board of the Globe, this is one partisan groupthink cohert and is not Obama-like or refreshing at all. It is the same old, same old "family pact." At The Progressive Economics Forum, Marc Lee points out this big whopper of a lie with

The Economic Advisory Council is not exactly a representative group. No labour representation, no Aboriginal reps, no one from the social or non-profit sector whatsoever. Thus, the groups most likely to be affected by the recession have no voice on this panel.

In fact it is hard to imagine a less representative group. While it is nice that they are working for $1, it is not like any of them need the cash. Out of eleven panelists, we have four (!) multi-billionaires.

Back to the glowing Globe editorial of let's have groupthink cause singing from the same songbook makes so much economic sense to us. We can't see the forest on fire for the neoliberal loving capitalist infested greedy trees. And nor do we want to.

At the Star, we get this more tepid response but they miss the mark too:

But Ottawa's advisory council appears unnecessarily tilted to one side of the economic equation and, therefore, may not be the generator of good ideas that it could have been.... Where are the voices of labour or of small business?

How about where are the voices of non-governmental organizations and progressive eoconomists?

So we end up with the usual moneyed or money hording group who will be serving whose interests:

Carol Taylor, dream team leader of - SAVE CORPORATE CANADA at all costs - resigned from Gordo Campbell's B.C. "New Social Credit party", I mean Liberal government.

The Stars are aligning as usual. I'm sure we will hear "the chorus from on high" of empty platitudes from the normal suspects.


For a rejoinder on CLASS WARFARE see Laxor ~ Harper's Economic Plan: Attack Worker's Wages

Take note of Duncan Cameron's comment:

The new Economic Advisory Council is designed to give Harper some leverage over the Liberals on the tax cut issue. The wage cuts will be divisive, the Liberals and the NDP will not react the same way. So the Harper game plan is becoming clearer, force the Liberals to side with the capitalist class, and pass his budget. If the Liberals fall into the trap they could have considerable trouble finding a role for themselves.

Yes Virginia, there is an alternative to this utter madness

~ Coalition Government 2009 ~

Coalition of the Willing

A proposed Liberal-NDP coalition is still the best solution to the economic crisis, Gilles Duceppe said yesterday.

I agree and 62% of us are with you.

Although IGNATIEFF continues to sit on the fence, playing both sides of the street, Duceppe said that the Bloc will still continue to support a coalition once the Liberal leadership officially passes from Stephane Dion to Michael Ignatieff later this week.

Thank you.

Duceppe also said that Ignatieff has told him that he will still support the agreement between the Grits and New Democrats.

Good for Iggy - an agreement is an agreement.

Duceppe also stressed that while he will back the Liberals and NDP, the Bloc will "not be part" of the coalition.

Setting the story straight ~ just backup folks ~ a peace pact!

I don't care how much Harper climbs down ~ looks confused and contrite about how economic picture (it's not pretty) ~ it is all the more reason that a Liberal/NDP coalition government is necessary

HARPER IS DAZED AND CONFUSED!

Time for coalition for change - 2009

Coalition had everyone in the country mesmerized

Where are we now? Last week, the coalition had everyone in the country mesmerized. There was talk of nothing else. Open-line shows, comments on web pages, editorials - there was a wave of popular and media response of a volume unseen since the wrangles of Meech Lake and the Charlottetown Accord.

Then came the crowning of Iggy into the Star prince

Image makeover or what

This week, the once explosive notion of a coalition is a shimmer in some phantom zone of yesterday's politics. No one who had anything to do with it wants to admit it's dead. They want it to fade away all on its own.

REALLY, like who???

Oh just the same old family pact class who hates the coalition

WHY?

It puts democracy in the hands of the people rather than in the hands of backroom dealers, moneyed elite, and the power brokers ~ duopoly of Tories or Liberals

Same old, same old

~Money, class, power~

So I will go back to what Rex said at the beginning by letting the "cat out of the bag."

the coalition had everyone in the country mesmerized

It had people of this country talking about democracy, their democracy, and imagining what could be

It was about doing politics differently

Representing the 62% and not just the few

But the owners of MSM hated it (their business owners and the captains of Canada)

Don't let the little folk in cause it will show "EMPERORS HAVE NO CLOTHES"

Now if the we all buy into the MSM, the same backroom boys of liberal/conservative - what have you

We will lose that spark of interest

DON'T

That's what the ruling class wants!

DON'T BACK DOWN

Let's make parliament work for the many and not the few ~ again

Tories out - coalition NOW

NewDemocratsTV - Episode ONE - It's Time to Change Channels

Best line goes to Howard Hampton, ONDP leader:

There are hundreds of thousands of Ontarians have lost there jobs, and the Premier's answer is oh, just get out there and go shopping"

WHAT THE - JUST take off hey!

RETAIL THERAPY
is not the answer to the deep economic problems, but sure, Mastercard and Visa will love the Liberals
AND
The Ontario credit bureau will be humming after Christmas.

It's time to change the channel - NOW!

Question for the Libs and Iggy

The question for Iggy and the Liberals is quite simple;

Do you believe that the Liberals & the NDP could govern better than the Harper Conservatives?

If the answer is no, he should quit politics.

If the answer is yes, the Liberals along with the NDP and the Bloc should defeat the Harper Conservatives as soon as possible after January 27th and do a really good job of working in coalition to help us out of these difficult times.

Being the PM and doing a good job would be the best campaign for the next election for all coalition parties concerned. Being in opposition doesn't make much of an impression, especially if the liberals sell out to the Harper Conservatives and prop them up. Same old, same old....

By the time an election happens, Canadians will either see Liberals as competent, or not. The current coalition issue will be moot.

Four years will be a long time to wait to get good things done for Canadians. Why wait?

Especially after Harper plays the liberals into wearing the depression around both their necks!

Tories out, Coalition NOW - yes we CAN...ADA

Which voters like the Coalition?

Normally I don't post a whole article from a paper but today I was fascinated by this in all places - the Toronto Sun - so here goes!

Canadians who vote Liberal strongly support the idea of a coalition between the Grits and the New Democratic Party, even when the separatist Bloc Quebecois is thrown into the mix.

An exclusive poll for Sun Media by Leger Marketing shows 78% of identified Liberal voters would have preferred a three-way coalition rather than an election had the Tories been defeated in the House of Commons. Only 13% favoured an election.

Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean took away the election option yesterday -- at least for the next several weeks -- when she gave consent to a request from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to prorogue Parliament until late January.

POWER HUNGRY

The numbers supporting the coalition show Liberal backers are more interested in regaining power than in worrying about who they must ally with to achieve that goal.

"If (Liberal Leader Stephane) Dion had known these numbers that we are seeing here before he went into the coalition ... yes, this is a natural course for him to take," said Leger marketing vice-president Dave Scholz.

Even Bloc Quebecois involvement doesn't faze Liberal voters, he said.

Fifty-seven percent of NDP supporters also liked the coalition, but one-quarter did not. That suggests, said Scholz, that many would rather have held another election than simply transfer power from one group to another.

Bloc Quebecois backers were happiest with the idea of a coalition: 79% favoured it over an election, whereas only 8% disagreed.

I am not sure that Scholz is right that NDP supporters would want another election and one really can't make that assumption without asking. I think it is the concern of "getting into bed" so to speak with liberals when they act in their power at all costs.

Another thing, and said all over the main stream media and all the iddy media, Dion just doesn't have it, even as an intern lib leader to be the front person for this coalition - enough said there.

Lots to contemplate and mull over - rally time is Saturday - be there for the 62% solution.

Yes, we Can... ada!

Polls, polls, everywhere and time to vote "YES WE CAN...ADA!"

There are many polls today all asking a variety of questions, so go forth coalition bloggers and supporters and "VOTE YES WE CAN."

1. Calgary Herald
2. Calgary Sun
3. The Cape Breton Post
4. Charlottetown, The Guardian
5. Edmonton Journal
7. Edmonton Sun
8. Guelph Mercury
   
10. Nova Scotia News – The Chronicle Herald
    
12. Hamilton Spectator
    
13. Kamloops This Week
15. Kelowna Daily Courier
16. Lethbridge Herald
17. London Free Press
18. The Moose Jaw Times
19. Niagara Falls Review
20. Ottawa Sun
21. Prince George Citizen
22. Red Deer Advocate
23. St. Catharines Standard
24. The Telegram – St. John’s
25. Timmins Daily Press
26. Toronto Star Poll
27. The Truro Daily News
28. Toronto Sun
29. Victoria Times Colonist
30. The Winnipeg Sun
31. CANOE – CNEWS
32. CTV News
33. CTV Calgary
34. CTV Montreal
35. GlobalTV
36. CityNews
37. CTV Toronto
38. CTV British Columbia
    

Tories Out, Coalition NOW

More doodads for your coalition bloggers - h/t to My Blahg

And by-the-way, don't we think that with our coalition formation and all, that it's time to let My Blahg come back into Progressive Bloggers?

tis the season for coalition of spirit

Poll - Support the Liberal-NDP coalition

Another day, another poll. Again the Globe and Mail has a poll:

Do you support the Liberal-NDP coalition's bid for power? Yes or No

It would be a good idea for coalition supporters to let fellow bloggers, progressive-coalition network and others know if these polls so that they can collectively let their voices be heard.

“Prime Minister, your government has lost the confidence of the House. And it is going to be defeated at the earliest opportunity in the House of Commons. I urge you to accept this gracefully,” Layton said.

TORIES OUT, COALITION NOW!

Well, I thought we all needed a banner to put on our blogs to give some heft to our coalition and saw this on Judy Bebick's photo Album. Thought we could work with it.

Anybody do a banner so we can put it on our blogs?

What do you think?

On Line poll Globe and Mail

On line poll Globe and Mail

Should the Governor-General allow the Liberals and the NDP to form a coalition government?

Simple yes or no responses, and the "yes" side needs a boost as sitting at 51% so far.

Say "yes" now to

Make Parliament Work/ Un Parlement Qui March

London Free Press Poll

Go to bottom of the London Free Press page and vote - already 55% of us are supporting trying out a coalition government instead of a new election.

Today's question: Should the Governor General dissolve parliament if a confidence vote succeeds, or should she allow a coalition to try to govern?

Yes we can NOW