Comment

Comment by Jenn_ on March 30, 2011 at 9:46pm

Thanks so much, Russell, because I feel like, with two ridings so close and both going with Liberals, NDPers feel like Catch 22 is just another wing of the Liberal party.  And, while I'm a member of the Liberal party, you'd be guaranteed to find me in that Liberals for Linda group--if I lived there. 

 

I'm totally inspired by Ryan Dolby's actions in Elgin-Middlesex-London today, although I commiserate with the NDP for being left on the hook.  I do trust Ryan didn't win the nomination with this in mind--because then I'd feel differently.

 

But, while I understand why the parties can't endorse Catch 22 or the concept, imagine if the candidates and the people in the riding associations did!  The party brass can parachute in candidates to these places (Liberals don't have a full roster, either) but they can't force us volunteers to work for them.  Politicians might even get the message that if we don't like FPTP, we can so do something about it!

Comment by Kevin Anthony on March 30, 2011 at 9:21pm

I have been watching Braid's stream on OpenParliament.ca and I'm almost ready to start talking to my neighbours about why I'm disappointed in Braid's record as our MP.

I'll have a much easier time discussing his performance on Powerplay last year (linked above) where he demonstrated his disdain for democracy by pulling out the old "if you question the government then you don't support the troops" canard.

I feel that anyone who tries to shame people out of questioning the government doesnt understand the basics of democracy, bringing his fitness for elected office into question.

Also, trying to tell the official opposition that they can't question the government - that's what we elected them to do! That's what we pay them to do. He doesnt understand the proncipals of the parliamentary system.

Comment by Kevin Anthony on March 30, 2011 at 9:13pm

Interestingly, last time I checked (about three hours ago) there was no NDP candidate for this riding. The NDP candidate for Kitchener Centre says it's TBA. But if they don't find an NDP candidate, the liberal candidate will eat Peter Braid for breakfast. And I'm gonna help.

Comment by Russell Bryant on March 30, 2011 at 8:59pm

I live in Edmonton Strathcona but I joined this group when I saw how close the Liberals are to take this seat back.  In my riding we will be supporting the incumbent, Linda Duncan.  She will have a tough time with it because the Conservatives want the riding back from the NDP.  I just wanted to reach out to the NDP supporters in this riding to say how important it is to get behind the Liberal candidate in this riding.  Consider that in other ridings, such as mine, the Liberal supporters are putting their party loyalty aside and voting NDP.  Some Liberals have even formed a group called Liberals for Linda.  It would be nice to see something similar here where the NDP supporters get behind the Liberal candidate.  To the NDP supporters, think of it this way: the balance of support is maintained when we trade allegiances across the country in this way.

Comment by Jenn_ on March 28, 2011 at 9:01pm

Hi everyone.

Would you mind joining the Kitchener Centre group as well, because we're talking over there--perhaps to team up and work together--covering a larger area, but with many more feet.