A monthly look at actions that enhance or support our democracy and those that do not!
Very little positive this month on the democracy front, but our own government seems determined to do everything it can to whittle away at anything that is not to their personal political advantage.
Liability:- “While some have advocated ending the per-vote subsidy only for the Bloc Québécois, that is not the position of our Conservative government. We believe that no party should have its operations supported by this taxpayer subsidy and that all parties should be primarily funded by their supporters. “
Steven Fletcher, Minister of State for (the suppression of) Democratic Reform, Ottawa
But the taxpayer subsidy for direct contributions from the supporters is OK it seems!
Liability:- Once again our tax dollars are being used for partisan purposes, the Conservatives decided to use a 10 percenter to attack Charlie Angus and the plight of the children of Attawapiskat.
Unfortunately it seems that there will be no end to this as this practice is now spreading to the other partys and no enforcement of the rules is probable any time soon.
Sorry for the one-sided post, but that was the ammunition I was handed this month!!
Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Showing posts with label Assets and Liabilities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Assets and Liabilities. Show all posts
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Assets & Liabilities for June 2009
A monthly look at the Democratic balance sheet…..
Asset: President Obama for his statement
“[There is one] single standard for all who hold power:
* you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion;
* you must respect the rights of minorities,
* and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise;
* you must place the interests of your people ... above your party.
Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.”
Barack Hussein Obama, June 4, 2009
Liability: The Government of Canada in appealing a federal court order to seek the repatriation of Omar Khadr and its statement that…
“….there is no principle in international law compelling officials to provide diplomatic protection or consular service to nationals abroad, let alone seek their return to Canada.”
Asset: Manitoba's longest-serving Conservative MP Inky Mark for his statement upon announcing that he will not run again in the next election.
"There is no check and balance. The tone of the country is based on the leadership of the political parties. The way the leaders operate sets the mood of the politics in Parliament. And until we establish some checks and balances in the system so that people actually do have a say in the House, there really [are] free votes and that people can really represent the people who send them to Ottawa, nothing will...
Liability: All MPs who were involved in the secret deal to change the rules on reporting benefits received from political parties…
“Members of Parliament have exempted the cash and benefits they receive from political parties and riding associations from restrictions and public disclosure under the House of Commons conflict-of-interest code. The move was unanimously approved without a vote in the Commons after committee hearings conducted entirely in secret.”
Asset: James Travers of the Star for his remarks about our access to information in his series of articles on democracy in Canada.
“Quill pens are still the rage here. Putting official Ottawa online would free information logjams and provide the openness party leaders promise and forget the second they arrive here. Of course that would spike systemic secrecy and, holy smokes, give politicians awkward moments. It's so easy a fix you can only speculate why it hasn't happened. “
A bit thin again this month as I have been busy with other things so feel free to add to the list. As always your contributions and opinions are welcome. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Asset: President Obama for his statement
“[There is one] single standard for all who hold power:
* you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion;
* you must respect the rights of minorities,
* and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise;
* you must place the interests of your people ... above your party.
Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.”
Barack Hussein Obama, June 4, 2009
Liability: The Government of Canada in appealing a federal court order to seek the repatriation of Omar Khadr and its statement that…
“….there is no principle in international law compelling officials to provide diplomatic protection or consular service to nationals abroad, let alone seek their return to Canada.”
Asset: Manitoba's longest-serving Conservative MP Inky Mark for his statement upon announcing that he will not run again in the next election.
"There is no check and balance. The tone of the country is based on the leadership of the political parties. The way the leaders operate sets the mood of the politics in Parliament. And until we establish some checks and balances in the system so that people actually do have a say in the House, there really [are] free votes and that people can really represent the people who send them to Ottawa, nothing will...
Liability: All MPs who were involved in the secret deal to change the rules on reporting benefits received from political parties…
“Members of Parliament have exempted the cash and benefits they receive from political parties and riding associations from restrictions and public disclosure under the House of Commons conflict-of-interest code. The move was unanimously approved without a vote in the Commons after committee hearings conducted entirely in secret.”
Asset: James Travers of the Star for his remarks about our access to information in his series of articles on democracy in Canada.
“Quill pens are still the rage here. Putting official Ottawa online would free information logjams and provide the openness party leaders promise and forget the second they arrive here. Of course that would spike systemic secrecy and, holy smokes, give politicians awkward moments. It's so easy a fix you can only speculate why it hasn't happened. “
A bit thin again this month as I have been busy with other things so feel free to add to the list. As always your contributions and opinions are welcome. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Assets & Liabilities – March 09
A monthly look at actions that add or subtract from our Democracy.
Asset – The “green” bloggers at the new aggregator Canadian Green Bloggers who realize that democracy requires open discussion seeking consensus and compromise.
Liabilities – Those Conservative attack ads taking personal aim at the opposition leader and avoiding saying ANYTHING of any importance.
Asset – The increasing number of folk getting involved with workshops and seminars promoting change in government, more open communications, easier access to information and other desperately needed improvements.
Liabilities – All those union members who are using their “right” to strike to obtain wage and benefit increases far in excess of what is warranted in the current circumstances where so many are without employment. That so many are “public service” employees of one level or another, paid out of the public purse, is a sad reflection of this “right”.
A little short this month, too nice outside to be at the computer so feel free to add your own thoughts to the list. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Asset – The “green” bloggers at the new aggregator Canadian Green Bloggers who realize that democracy requires open discussion seeking consensus and compromise.
Liabilities – Those Conservative attack ads taking personal aim at the opposition leader and avoiding saying ANYTHING of any importance.
Asset – The increasing number of folk getting involved with workshops and seminars promoting change in government, more open communications, easier access to information and other desperately needed improvements.
Liabilities – All those union members who are using their “right” to strike to obtain wage and benefit increases far in excess of what is warranted in the current circumstances where so many are without employment. That so many are “public service” employees of one level or another, paid out of the public purse, is a sad reflection of this “right”.
A little short this month, too nice outside to be at the computer so feel free to add your own thoughts to the list. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Assets & Liabilities – April 09
A monthly look at actions that add or subtract from our Democracy
Liability - The Conservative government for outsourcing the manufacturing of maple leaf pins to China. The latest shipment of maple leaf lapel pins to Parliamentary offices has arrived with ‘Made in China’ product labels.
Asset - Thomas Walkom for his article “The quiet unravelling of Canadian democracy” and to those bloggers that picked up upon it.
Liability - The Conservative Governments refusal to assist and protect Canadian citizens in difficult situations abroad and appealing the latest court decision regarding the repatriation of the lone Canadian remaining in captivity from the Iraq war.
Asset - Judge Gomery for his recent remarks that unnecessary delays or outright denials of requests under the Access to Information Act are creating a lack of transparency in government and that this type of transparency is crucial to the Canadian public, to democracy and to society at large.
Liability – Our PM for finding it necessary to hire two U.S media advisors (at $25,00 per week) to help him scrip and disseminate his views to the foreign media whilst at the same time limiting access for Canadian media.
Feel free to add your own thoughts to the list, I just wish it were as easy to find things for the asset side of the ledger as it is to find liabilities. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Liability - The Conservative government for outsourcing the manufacturing of maple leaf pins to China. The latest shipment of maple leaf lapel pins to Parliamentary offices has arrived with ‘Made in China’ product labels.
Asset - Thomas Walkom for his article “The quiet unravelling of Canadian democracy” and to those bloggers that picked up upon it.
Liability - The Conservative Governments refusal to assist and protect Canadian citizens in difficult situations abroad and appealing the latest court decision regarding the repatriation of the lone Canadian remaining in captivity from the Iraq war.
Asset - Judge Gomery for his recent remarks that unnecessary delays or outright denials of requests under the Access to Information Act are creating a lack of transparency in government and that this type of transparency is crucial to the Canadian public, to democracy and to society at large.
Liability – Our PM for finding it necessary to hire two U.S media advisors (at $25,00 per week) to help him scrip and disseminate his views to the foreign media whilst at the same time limiting access for Canadian media.
Feel free to add your own thoughts to the list, I just wish it were as easy to find things for the asset side of the ledger as it is to find liabilities. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Assets & Liabilities – March 09
A monthly look at actions that add or subtract from our Parliamentary Democracy
Asset – Senator McCoy and her colleagues efforts to split the omnibus budget bill into sections so that each measure can be debated and voted upon on its own merits.
Liabilities – Minister Flaherty for appearing before the Senate to pressure them to pass said bill “immediately” without examining and considering each section, much of which is not budgetary issues.
Asset – The several citizen web sites springing up that attempt to enhance our access to information or allow better internal government communication.
Liabilities – The attempts to reduce or eliminate the Parliamentary Budget Officers ability to produce independent reports and make them public.
Asset - Commons Speaker Peter Milliken for standing firm in his efforts to stop the “debate” during question period from descending into a series of personal attacks upon various MP’s.
Liabilities - Officials of the Privy Council Office for their narrow view of the auditor general's mandate and expressing their view that aspects of the recent report “go beyond the auditor general's mandate”
Liabilities – The governments failure to support our national broadcaster (CBC) in these difficult times whilst considering help for private broadcasters.
Feel free to add your own thoughts to the list, I just wish it were as easy to find things for the asset side of the ledger as it is to find liabilities. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Asset – Senator McCoy and her colleagues efforts to split the omnibus budget bill into sections so that each measure can be debated and voted upon on its own merits.
Liabilities – Minister Flaherty for appearing before the Senate to pressure them to pass said bill “immediately” without examining and considering each section, much of which is not budgetary issues.
Asset – The several citizen web sites springing up that attempt to enhance our access to information or allow better internal government communication.
Liabilities – The attempts to reduce or eliminate the Parliamentary Budget Officers ability to produce independent reports and make them public.
Asset - Commons Speaker Peter Milliken for standing firm in his efforts to stop the “debate” during question period from descending into a series of personal attacks upon various MP’s.
Liabilities - Officials of the Privy Council Office for their narrow view of the auditor general's mandate and expressing their view that aspects of the recent report “go beyond the auditor general's mandate”
Liabilities – The governments failure to support our national broadcaster (CBC) in these difficult times whilst considering help for private broadcasters.
Feel free to add your own thoughts to the list, I just wish it were as easy to find things for the asset side of the ledger as it is to find liabilities. Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
