In the olden days, about, oh, three years ago, citizens who engaged in political campaigns had to get off their sofas and into church basements and candidates meetings.
They knocked on doors, dropped off flyers, planted signs.
They put the act in activism, the haul ass in grassroots.
Today, during Canada’s 41st federal election, or #elxn41 as it’s called on Twitter, voters don’t need to shiver in the cold shilling for their candidate. They can commiserate with friends on Facebook, fight the power via Twitter and put their politics on YouTube.
Well-researched as usual, it's great roundup and overview of what people are doing and what the pundits are saying about it.
Among others, AZ mentioned the group close to my heart -- as regular readers will know.
Another CAPP spin-off is Canadians Rallying to Unseat Stephen Harper (CRUSH), which the Conservatives have described as “a radical anti-Stephen Harper group.” More than 6,500 strong, the registered non-profit has invested thousands of dollars on newspaper ads.
“I have received small amounts of cash in envelopes from very ordinary folks from all corners of the country, usually accompanied with a nice note complementing us on defending our democracy,” says founder Bill Nobels, a retired Ryerson University film and video professor.
Since the election was called the radical gang has come up with another tactic, Adopt-A-Riding.
Individual members identify a riding with a vulnerable Con in it, do some media research, then try to raise dough to buy ads in local papers.
The first one was Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar. Mission accomplished. Ads will appear Monday.
Next was Vaughan and Thornhill, one ad buy, two targetted Cabinet Ministers. A two-fer!
Done. Money raised.
Next up, West Nova.
Brad Bossack, sponsor of this one did the research:
Three newspapers cover the whole riding, the Middleton Spectator, the Digby Courier, and the Yarmouth Vanguard. I've decided that 1/4 page ad in all three would be a fairly easy achievable goal for the cost of 618.91.
That one's in the bag too.
Now, CRUSHers have their eye on: Haldimand-Norfolk currently held by the lovely and talented Minister of Something or Other, Diane Finley, a noted social commentator best known for observations like these:
On employment insurance: “We do not want to make it lucrative for them to stay home and get paid for it.”
On child care: “The Liberals wanted to ensure that parents are forced to have other people raise their children. We do not believe in that.”
She's married to the lovely and talented Senator Doug Finley, he of In/Out fame.
This is just grand. Ordinary, pissed-off Canadians rising up (couldn't resist) to defend democracy. Our democracy. Not Stevie Peevie's. Ours.
Got a few bucks to spare? Want to defend democracy from the odious Finleys? Donate.
3 comments:
Young Canadians have no life experience. They shouldn't have the right to vote. They are less likely to support Harper than older Canadians.
Young Canadian soldiers have no life experience. Some of their lives were cut short in Afghanistan.
Yo, SD, young people have a reliable and unencumbered sense of right and wrong - and I'd wager that, on average, it's better than yours. Sadly, for you, it sounds like the more Kool-aid you drink, the clearer everything is.
I'm guessing that Skinner Dipper was projecting the Contempt Party's view of young voters. The tell is in the 2nd paragraph.
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