Canadian breaking news and politics and hats and general sexiness

[EnderD_503]

Lots and lots of news! And most of it fucking sucks these days!

On the topic of Shit Harper Did: These elections have resulted in some pretty skeezy moves the Conservative Party and highlights how important it is that we get them the fuck out of office!

One of the biggest issues: On Thursday April 14th, Students at the University of Guelph were lining up to vote at the special ballot station on the UofGuelph campus when Conservative party members stormed onto the scene questioning the legality of the voting station. One Conservative even tried to grab the ballot box, which is completely illegal. As such, there was a huge issue on whether or not Elections Canada would count the 700 votes placed by UofGuelph students. They've ruled that they will count the votes, but fell to Conservative pressure and have now stated that NO special ballot voting stations are to be placed on University campuses despite that they were legal before. This is a DIRECT blow to student voters and I hope its enough for my peers to realise how important this election is. Harper is systematically trying to dismantle democracy in this country, by discouraging young Canadians from voting; a vote that would almost certainly unseat him since only 21% of Canadians voted for Harper in the last elections and they were largely over 40 years of age, many organised into voting by leaders in Canada's religious right.

Many Canadians between the ages of 18-30 are often politically apathetic. And even Canadians in their 30s don't go out and vote as often as those over 40. These age groups are very often, albeit apathetic, supporters of Liberal and Left-leaning parties, moreso than their older counterparts (though that isn't to say there aren't those over 40 that support the Left...otherwise we might not have had a minority, but a majority)...they make up a chunk of the 50% of Canadians that didn't vote last election. So to I'll expand that 18-30 to 18-39...GET OUT AND VOTE!

I highly recommend that everyone vote strategically in their area. http://catch22campaign.ca/notes is a website that has detailed most/all uncertain ridings. If you live in one of these ridings under threat of a Conservative seat, then I'd encourage you to vote for the Liberal/NDP/Green leader who is closest to unseating the Conservative in your riding.

Ignatieff made an excellent speech yesterday in Sudbury telling Canadians that this is no longer about party politics, about who you vote for, but about ending the threat to democracy that Harper represents. He told Canadians to "Rise Up!" and that has quickly become the Anti-Harper slogan. So help secure your riding from the Conservatives!

In other news, the Jewish Defence League protested outside of the Toronto Pride office yesterday, throwing around homophobic slurs at mostly silent lgbt counterprotestors. Boo on them, and screw that idjiot Rob Ford...at least he has no excuse to cancel Toronto Pride funding without revealing himself even more as the bigot he is.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Je...nto-10031.aspx

[EnderD_503]

I just wanted to drop a link to Ignatieff's amazing speech yesterday:

Rise Up Canada! Levez-vous, le Canada!


and might I add a Vive le Canada libre!

Canadians are really starting to talk about this speech last night and today. I wonder how it'll affect the Conservative lead in the polls...negatively I hope!

[Linus]

Ok. I need someone to explain something to me. The Charter of Rights says the following:

Source: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/c...-ga:l_I-gb:s_2

Democratic Rights

Democratic rights of citizens
3. Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein.

But Elections Canada says...

Source: http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx...ec90540&lang=e

Canadian citizens temporarily residing outside Canada

Canadians who will be 18 years of age or older on polling day and are temporarily residing outside Canada may vote by special ballot in an election or referendum. They must have resided in Canada at any time before applying for registration, have been residing outside Canada for less than five consecutive years immediately before making the application and intend to resume residence in Canada.
The five-year limit does not apply to:

• electors who are employed outside Canada in federal or provincial public administration or people living with them
• electors who are employed outside Canada by an international organization of which Canada is a member and to which Canada contributes, or people living with them
• electors living with members of the Canadian Forces outside Canada or with civilians who are teachers or members of the administrative support staff for a Canadian Forces school

So do I suddenly not become Canadian once the 5th year passes? I lose one of my basic fundamental rights as a Canadian?

[EnderD_503]

@Linus...that is really strange, I've never heard of that before. I'd call their 1-800 number and ask them. I can't see why Canadians should have to stop voting after residing outside the country for 5 years...you still have Canadian citizenship. For some reason I always thought my relatives over in Europe with dual citizenship still voted in the elections. If that's true then that sucks arse!

On that note, to those who may not have been paying attention (but really, who wouldn't be!? lol) advanced polls are open today, tomorrow and Monday from 12-8pm. I have officially done my duty to help take Harper down

Now it's time for the massive link/video drop. Check here to see if your riding's a swing riding: http://www.stopthesplit.org/

Mocking Harper's attempt to get "the ethnic vote" lol:


And McGill vote mob cause UofT one (hellz yeah!) isn't up yet:


Had Enough Harper?


Ok, I'm done now :P

[Soon]

Recommendation: Vote freely

NDP 51.9%
Liberal 19.4%
Conservative 23.9%
Green 4.5%

http://www.stopthesplit.org/

[EnderD_503]

Harper's latest stunt now appears to be promising to create an Office of Religious Freedom. Canada seems to be turning into a dystopian novel and the perfect picture of a dictatorship. I've no doubt Harper will use this to get even more of his evangelical friends into office, maybe give Faytene Kryskow an official job...these people are nuts.

This is how our government continues to promote discrimination and abuse of individual's rights under the guise of "religious freedom." I don't know if anyone read Harper's Rediscovering the Right Agenda essay, but he's even gone as far as excusing parents physically punishing their children as "religious freedom." I'm sure same-sex marriage would come under attack as well under the guise of "religious freedom" as well as women's right to abortion and so on.

http://www.conservative.ca/press/new...ound_the_world

[Linus]

Am I reading right? The NDP are in second place? And gaining?