NOV 24 SYMPOSIUM

SAVE THIS DATE

SATURDAY  NOVEMBER 24,  2012

in Mississauga, Ontario

Reclaim our Democratic Canada is a grass roots movement dedicated to the restoration of full functioning democracy in Canada.  http://reclaimourcanada.blogspot.ca/

On Nov 24, we will be offering a symposium with the aim of formulating activities that transcend political boundaries to help towards the restoration of democracy at the federal level.

In order for this symposium to be successful, it is essential that participants come from all political parties and environments.  

There will be feature speakers (e.g. Lawrence Martin, nationally known political analyst & Globe and Mail correspondent), panel discussion, small group discussions and large group participation.

If you wish to be kept informed as plans develop, please reply to me. (ere@bell.net)

If you know that you cannot attend but want to be kept informed of the progress and results of the symposium, reply to me to that effect. (ere @ bell.net)

Please share this with anyone you know who might be interested.  

Democratically yours,

Elka Enola,  Member of the RODC Steering Comm

A MUST READ

PLEASE READ AT LEAST THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THIS MESSAGE

DISCLAIMER:  Niki Ashton does not know anything about this message. I have no personal connection with her or her campaign.  I send this strictly as a Canadian.

I, and everyone I know, no matter what their political affiliation,   are immensely impressed with Niki Ashton, yet neither I nor any of my NDP friends voted for her.  The main reason for that was that, at 29 years old, she is too young to be the leader of the opposition.  As a result, our money went to our candidates of choice. However, I am now sending her a donation to help defray the financial burden of running this election.  Here is the speech she gave at the convention.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIqpBq2aVHo

 

Niki’s candidacy is critically important to Canadian democracy.  If you are concerned about the lack of youth involvement in politics; if you are concerned with the lack of women in the House of Commons; if you believe that politics is not only for the rich and powerful, then please join me in helping Niki Ashton

.

I am not asking you to support the NDP.  I am asking you to underwrite Canadian Democracy.

Any amount whether $1 or $10 or $100 or more, reduces the debt that this young women is carrying. 

 

Please go to https://secure.ndp.ca/leadership/index.php?candidate=LDR12_ASHTONN&language=e  OR  send a cheque made out to “Canada’s NDP” with “Niki Ashton Campaign” on the memo line and mail it to 283 Toronto Street North, Regina, SK, S4R 2T5

Tax receipts will be sent.

Thank you

Elka Enola

Oakville, Ontario

NDP Leadership Convention

Went to the NDP Leadership Convention from Friday Morning to Sunday morning. With over 4,000 delegates, it was more than double the size of the last leadership election that elected Layton.

First heard of Nathan Cullen when I watched the initial NDP Leadership debate and was blown away by his charisma, his humour, his ease, his dedication, his commitment and his fresh new ideas.  Here was  man for our time.

The media with their heads stuck in the past talked only to NDPers who, like them, could only see the past.  These were the same people who did not see the orange crush until it almost tsunamied them.

That media often didn't mention Nathan and when they did it was as 'a dark horse'.  But he was no dark horse.  He is the shining light at the end of the tunnel.  He is the way to the future.

The last two Members of Parliament left standing were Nathan Cullen and Thomas Mulcair.  Two of the last three on the ballot  were futurists.  It would have been a total disaster if Brian Topp would have won.  Someone with no TV personality (essential to win national election), no seat in the commons and who never ran for any public office...
What is really significant is that Nathan had a shoe string budget but people just kept donating. People believe in him. People trust him.

Mulcair, Topp, Nash and Dewar have their electoral campaign crew close to Toronto.  Nathan's crew is in Northern BC.   What the others spend to bring in 20 workers, Nathan could only bring in 1.  That makes his showing even more remarkable.

There were some delegates who were fanatically following an individual and who would not even consider any one else.  But the vast majority of people were extremely thoughtful and worried about each choice.  We knew this was an important decision.

Mulcair was my second choice, and in retrospect, perhaps it is better for the NDP that he came first.

It was unfortunate that the computer system got hacked.  But this should be a lesson for all future elections.  The idea of one person one vote is true democracy and we have to cooperate to develop an electronic voting system that all Canadians can use with confidence.

The NDP gave out free T shirts that said "I am the Layton Legacy" on the front and "Je suis la relève de Jack"on the back.  Everything took longer than expected and amenities were few and far between.  It was very hot even with the air conditioning.  There should have been water freely distributed.  Another lesson learned.  


But like the Liberals, there is a disconnect between the establishment and the grass roots.  Change is always challenging but exciting. 

The calibre of candidates was truly impressive. This is one hell of a political party.

Watch out Harper.  Here we come.

Security, Guns, Gender, Tax

From Today's Toronto Star

A1 SECURITY
"they can use cheap technology to read credit cards through people's pants"

I am having difficulty dealing with the vast array of technologies that put my financial security and my general privacy in peril. 

I think we are heading back to the days of lead shielded bags for our film when going through airport security.  Except now we have to shield everything.


A2 GUN CULTURE
"he went out to his pickup truck, got his semi automatic and shot (his son) multiple times"

What struck me in this murder, was the casualness of the gun... not just any kind of gun, but a semi automatic, that was just resting in his pickup truck. 

I remember stopping in a coffee shop in Dallas and striking up a conversation with a taxi driver who told me that he and his sons always take a gun when going across the street the convenience store because, "You never know."

A4 GENDER
Gender on passport etc must match hair style and clothes

This airport requirement is utterly unbelievable.  A man in a kilt would be stopped?  A woman with a striaght bob would be stopped?  And what about the many genders that are not offered as choices?

What's next?  Sending me to the men's room when I wear trousers?

Let's get rid of the whole gender farce and use real identifiers like fingerprints or iris ID.  Lifestyle should have nothing to do with this.


A16 WHAT IS TAXABLE
"Ponzi scheme proceeds not taxable, court rules"
because income is "not from a source".

Not only is it not from the sweat of a brow, but it is illegal.  And now it is free.

The people whose money was stolen, did however, pay tax

NDP, Gay, Collaboration, Home

Thoughts from today's Toronto Star

A4 CHANTEL HEBERT
Chantel wrote, "A split opposition has  become the gift that keeps giving to the Conservatives."  How right she is!

Only a united left can defeat a united right.  Only Nathan Cullen among the NDP leadership candidates seems to understand this.

If you agree with this, and even if you are not an NDP supporter, you could join the National NDP and vote for Cullen in the leadership election.

Then we would have to find someone among the Liberals who is more concerned with the country than party power games and join together to support that person.


A8 GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCES IN PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOLS
"mindful of Catholic sensitivities, alternative names were left open to negotiation"

This is outrageous.  By doing this, the Ontario Provincial Government is saying that there is something wrong in being gay.  That it is something to be ashamed of and that is why euphemisms would be acceptable.

I say it is not Catholic 'sensibilities', but 'superstitions' and 'stupidities'.  There is nothing sensible about any type of anti-gay prejudice.  Nothing.


A10 THE NEW WORKPLACE
``The new workplace more about `we` than `me` ``

A very interesting article that talks about an open concept work environment filled with collaboration and interaction, instead of the closed concept cubicle office.

I think this reflects an important change that is occurring in the general population, although political leaders are being very slow to recognize it.

The `me first` and `watching out for #1` and `greed is good` approaches are what has got us into the financial mess we are all in now. 

Even if we cannot articulate it (although the Occupy movement is helping), deep down we know that unbridled capitalism is not good for us.  We know that unbridled anything is not good for us.

The time has come to rethink how we want our country to run and how we want our society to look.


GT4 A KNOWN ADDRESS
"This is my first actual place with my own kitchen and bathroom." Tracy Estwick, 49 years old.

This is such an incredibly important tiny, teeny, weeny first step.  All shelters, no matter what their good intentions, just make matters worse.  Every morning when people are thrown out out onto the street after a night of dormitory, sometimes on the floor, sleeping, they are reminded that in society's eyes they are utterly useless.  Heterosexual couples can`t be together.  Often they must go to separate buildings.  Families with children are split up.

These people have 'no known address'. 

And with no known address, you can't get a job.   Can't vote.  You are a nobody.  A nothing.

What we really need are apartment buildings filled with studio apartments for single people and some 1 or 2 bedroom apartments for families.

We must give these people a known address.  We must give them the opportunity to live with dignity and opportunity.  They are not charity cases.  They are our social responsibility.

Thoughts as I go through the Toronto Star

Pg A1 SHAFIA TRIAL
The significance of this trial is the reaffirmation of the supremacy of Canadian Law which reflects Canadian values over all else.

I suppose everyone has been horrified by these murders.  Nothing honourable about it.  But it is an indication of how our society, by that I mean the suits that run it, sweep everything that supports male dominance under the dual carpets of culture and religion.

It reminds me of the attempt to get Sharia Law into Ontario. At the meeting with the provincial government, where I presented the first brief objecting to Sharia, the suits made it clear that all the religions (i.e. men who represented the religions) had no objection since that was simply the expression of religion and culture.... and Canada has multiculturalism and freedom of religion.

The difference between the application of Sharia as was originally presented and this murder is only one of degree.

There is a different death for the young girls who are removed from Canadian schools and sent to places like Pakistan to marry much older men.  There is a different death for the wonderful young girls with active minds and bodies who are married off right here and continue attending school but who suddenly become very docile and physically and intellectually inactive.

We have to start standing up for girls and women of all ages and all cultural / religious backgrounds.


Pg A6  NDP LEADERSHIP DEBATE
As long as the NDP and Liberals do not do something cooperatively, we will be doomed to Harperite majority governments.

Nathan Cullen has it right.  A disorganised Left cannot defeat a unified Right.

Step 1:  Get rid of Harper
Step 2: Liberals and NDP work things out between themselves.
Step 3: Proportional seat allocation becomes law
Results: A government that reflects the real desires of Canadians, no matter where they live. Elections where everyone's vote counts

Pg SI WOMEN'S SOCCER
You know it's women's soccer because there is no rolling around in fake pain.

Canada's women's soccer team is going to the London Olympics.  The only game they lost was to the first ranked USA.

Of the 136 women's teams ranked by FIFA, Canadian women rank 9th. Canadian men rank 74th.

Yet the men get significant financial remuneration and they women get barely anything. 
It's time we the people and the government made a significant difference in our support and recognition of women's soccer.