The Anth Zone

I have renounced my membership with the Liberal Party of Canada effective immediately today, at 11:59am PST, on Tuesday 1 April 2008. I’m discontent with the party as a whole.

UPDATE #1

Connie Fogal, Leader of the Canadian Action Party called me today to run for her party’s candidacy in Fleetwood–Port Kells. I’m proud to say, I’m honoured to be apart of this new political family. Together, we’ll take whats rightfully Canadian!

The Harper Conservatives have fallen five percent in the recent poll conducted by Decima/Canadian Press that leaves them in the lead with thirty-four percent. The Conservatives have been sporadic in polling numbers throughout their first year in government. Nor does the polling data seem to be leaning in their favour for a majority hold of the House of Commons to project their national agenda if an election was called.

This weekend as some of you know, I went to the LPCBC convention in Sun Peaks last weekend. Michael Ignatieff and Gerard Kennedy were both special guests. In recent weeks Michael Ignatieff has impressed me as a Liberal and I regret the things that I’ve said to his key youth supporters during the leadership race.

He said that he’s learned a lot about Stephen Harper from sitting ten feet away from him, “When I look into his eyes I see emptiness.” Stephen Harper has proved himself soulless on multiple occasions since taking the oath of office last year after his party’s election into government.

The Stéphane-Elizabeth Pact has successfully been spinned in favour of the Green Party that has finally given the party an upper hand dealing in Canadian politics. I am every so hopeful that the Green Party in the next election will be invited to the Leadership Debate since they’ve constantly proven that they are not a party of a singular issue and they’ve shown competence in environmental leadership that hasn’t gone commended for their tireless efforts since their founding in 1983. Elizabeth May herself has shown dedication to her country by actively pursuing a greener Canada. The Greens are comfortably sitting at eleven percent.

The Bloc Québécois have lost one percent since the last poll that was released last month through the Angus Reid Global Monitor’s website.

The New Democrats have seen some gains they now stand at fifteen percent. To me this is quite disalarming to learn that the NDP has gained more momentum over the course of the last several weeks. They are a party of only chit-chat. Not action. After all they were the ones that propped up the Conservatives into government. What resulted in their course of action? National Childcare, Kyoto, and the Kelowna Accord have been sacrificed. We have to remind Canadians that the NDP isn’t a party for them. I certainly wouldn’t entrust my life in a NDP government, federally or even provincially. Their bad blood. The Liberal Party must appeal to Liberal soft NDP supporters while we are working up to a possible election.

The Liberals gained only a single point in these polling numbers, I expect that we’ll see more gains from this party in the upcoming weeks due to the rumours that are building up momentum that the Stephen Harper Conservative government may call an election.

This is pure brilliance my friends.

NERDS FTW!!!

Prime Minister Paul Martin has finally stepped out of politics. He has several humanitarian projects he’s committed his dedication to. The former-Prime Minister is involved with the African Development Bank and a pilot program in Ontario, which is aimed at aboriginal students to finish high school. Paul Martin is a brilliant man who served his country over a decade in Parliament against the Progressive Conservatives, the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party.

Good luck in the future, and Paul, don’t be a stranger!

Liberal M.P. Ujjal Dosanjh suffered from a mild heart attack in Ottawa. I hope he has a speedy recovery and continues to stand up for Canadians in the House of Commons when he’s ready and able.

I first met Ujjal during the 2005-2006 election campaign. He’s a great man.

With news that Garth Turner may come across the floor to sit as a Liberal, it has certainly made me ecstatic. I first came across Garth Turner back in August, when he disagreed with the Prime Minister on reintroducing the vote on Same-Sex Marriage.

The Conservative caucus expelled Garth Turner for ‘breaching caucus confidentiality’ on his blog where Garth continues to deny the allegations sent out against him; I believe Prime Minister Harper wanted a pure conservative right winger to represent the Halton constituency. The Prime Minister likes to play dirty politics, there is no doubt and the last two election campaigns are my proof.

I welcome Garth with open arms, however there is still the possibility that he may sit as the Green MP. To my Conservative friends; can we consider this a trade? You got Khan, we get Turner?

UPDATE: Garth Turner has crossed the floor to sit as a Liberal. Garth thanked Dion by saying, “welcoming me, even knowing that I’m a pain.” Welcome to the party, Garth!

“The Liberal party is as close to my PC roots as I’m going to get,” Garth stated in a press conference with Stéphane Dion, “The progressive part of the Conservative party is gone.” A lot of Progressive Conservatives came to the Liberal Party after Peter MacKay sold the party’s mojo (or soul) to the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

UPDATE #2: I discovered this video done by Garth Turner and he explains in-depth of why he came to the Liberals. I thought I’d share it with you.

The motion introduced by Stéphane Dion to reaffirm Canada’s support for Kyoto has passed in the House today, 161 – 115. This is a step forward in the right direction; repair Canada’s international reputation, after receiving a crucial damaging blow almost a year ago when the Harper government announced their intentions to withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol.

It is certain that Canadians have mixed feelings on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol; however, the majority has ruled in favour of the Kyoto Accord over the Conservatives’ made-in-Canada plan. (63% for Kyoto commitments, 30% for made-in-Canada plan; Source: Canadians Pick Kyoto Over New Environmental Plan, Angus Reid Global Monitor.)

It is clear that Stéphane Dion and the Liberals speak for the majority of Canadians across the country. The environment will be the key issue in the next election, I don’t think Steve has enough pixie dust in his accountability bag.

There are a few things that I wanted to write on today. I do apologize for my inactivity recently.

• Stéphane Dion has given Justin Trudeau the OK to run as a Liberal in the next general election in an electoral district in his home province of Quebec. There are currently in-depth discussions with Justin and senior party officials on which riding he’ll run in. Justin has expressed interest in running in Jean Lapierre’s former riding, Outremont after his retirement from federal politics to serve as a political analyst for a Quebec based television network.

• The British government’s Environment Minister David Miliband has announced that the government will be sending copies of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth to every secondary school throughout the country. This transpires after an Opposition M.P. suggested sending the film to every home. I applaud the British government for educating Britons on crucial issue in our time.

• Canada’s Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor has announced a $3.4B cargo plane deal with Boeing. The Canadian Forces need these aircraft so we don’t need our troops to thumb a ride with the Americans to go overseas to Afghanistan and countless other missions that our country is involved with. However, the timing of the purchase announcement is
  inappropriate, with news that the military doesn’t have enough funding to keep our naval vessels afloat. The Conservative government has to rethink its military renewal strategy.

• British Columbia is in greater risk of a major earthquake this week after seismologists reported a series of minor earthquakes creeping up from Washington. I think it’d be wise for the Conservative government to increase funding towards seismic research, and redeveloping BC’s infrastructure to protect Canadians from these horrendous natural disasters.
  

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I am considering about putting my name forward for the Young Liberal Party of Canada in British Columbia’s (YLCBC) executive for the position of Vice President for External Affairs. Should I?

Or is there another position from the following I’ll be better at:

YLC-BC Secretary
YLC-BC Vice-President -Communications
YLC-BC Vice-President - Finance
YLC-BC Vice-President - Membership
YLC-BC Vice-President - Organisation
YLC-BC Vice-President - Policy
YLC-BC Vice-President - Internal
YLC-BC Vice-President - External
YLC-BC Vice-President - Services
YLC-BC Vice-President - Operations

Attention Liberal Delegates, Alternates, Observers & Ex-Officios;

I did not go to convention, however I am looking for a shoulder bag and a green or red Dion scarf. Anyone willing to give the scarf and bag up for a reasonable amount of money. Please get in direct contact with me. My contact information will be on your right side of the screen if you are not viewing this post individually.

Thank You. I will be posting about the final results of the convention and what it means for the Liberal Party and the country.

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Results

Stephane Dion: 1,782 votes, 37 per cent (17.8, 20.8)

Michael Ignatieff: 1,660 votes, 34.5 per cent (29.3, 31.6)

Bob Rae: 1,375 votes, 28.5 per cent (20.3, 24.1 per cent

- Bob Rae elimination from the third ballot.
- Bob Rae releases his delegates without publicly endorsing another candidate for leadership.
- Maurizo Bevilacqua endorses Dion.
- Scott Brison endorses Ignatieff.

The Anth Zone’s Predictions

- Dion victory.
- Highly unlikely for Iggy to recover from being dropped to second place.

UPDATE

- John Godfrey, Ken Dryden have endorsed Dion. CBC has reported that the majority of ex-officios and delegates of Rae’s have gone over to Monsieur Dion’s side. Good news.

UPDATE 2

- Ralph Goodale has endorsed Monsieur Dion.
- Ignatieff Camp has been handing out pamphlet’s to delegates in line to vote to discredit Monsieur Dion. It is clear that Ignatieff plans on not uniting the party, and creates a shift between the two camps. According to the CBC, the pamphlet propagates that Monsieur Dion cannot take on Prime Minister Harper, and is not winnable. I know that’s a lie.

  - Ken Dryden eliminated from second ballot, supports Monsieur Bob Rae.
  - Gerard Kennedy crosses the convention floor to support Monsieur Dion.

The Anth Zone’s Predictions on the Third Ballot

   - Bob Rae eliminated from the third ballot, supports Dion. Dion wins.
   - Ignatieff is eliminated from the third ballot, supports Rae. Rae wins.

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I�m glad to see monsieurs Gerard Kennedy and St�phane Dion have agreed to support one another if they�ve been dropped from the ballot. Although Kennedy surpasses St�phane when it comes down to the delegate totals; the majority of delegates who haven�t chosen Dion as their first choice to lead the party say that he is their second choice to lead the party. There are reports that the Ignatieff Camp is bleeding out delegate support so I hope Dion has picked up a majority of that number. Cause my early Christmas wish is Mr. Ignatieff packing his bags for . . . Harvard. What, you thought I was going to write Stornoway? YA RIGHT!

I would like to send kudos to Monsieur Paul Martin for his dedication to the party and bringing down the fence that placed our organization through vicious infighting between the Martin and Chr�tien Camps. I do hope he becomes vocal for the party when Canada enters into election season.

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