The graffiti in this election is truly shameful: Aaron Paquette's response to lies is decent

What was interesting is Trudeau's response to the shameful lies he wisely calls 'misleading ads', but the truly are lies.

This is shameful, however. Are they thugs? Are they they the Conservative base?
This good man, a gem of an artist running in Edmonton.

Aaron Paquette

feel free to share...

I was attacked early on.

Then again, and again, and again. Here are the details:

The Conservative Party of Canada featured me in an online ad.

Problem is, the article they linked to clearly shows they are manipulating my words.

It's a complete misrepresentation. Oh heck, let's call it for what it is: a lie.

I knew that politics wasn't going to be fun and I was ready for it, but I didn't know the Cons would be stooping so low.

Next, they again attributed a quote to me, and again, it was for something I didn't say, type, or think at all.

It's about the oil sands.

This is a big deal in my riding as so many hard working people have lost their jobs in the oil patch lately. It's a serious concern and the Cons decided to just outright lie to scare people away from voting for me.

They use that ad in other ridings, too.

I must be very popular with the Conservative Party of Canada.

We weren't going to address these ads. The strategy for these attacks is that someone will get outraged and share it all over social media and the ads will get more life. If you don't respond, the lie stands and

people assume that because you haven't addressed it, it must be true.

Win/win for lies.

But the last straw was when my wife Clarice was pulling out of the driveway on Thanksgiving morning.

Someone spray painted a very large vulgar image on our garage door and destroyed the light fixture.

That kind of personal attack made her afraid. She had our 4 year old and our 6 month old baby with her.

So I'm speaking.

I'm refuting.

This election should be about making sure people have jobs, that communities are strong, that we are all healthy and vital.

We should be bringing our community together, not ripping it apart.

I live here. I grew up here. I have talked to tens of thousands of people on the street and at their doors. I have heard the stories of struggle and I carry them with me.

We should be electing representatives who actually care for our communities above themselves.

I'm focused on one thing: being the best Member of Parliament our community has ever had. That transcends petty party politics. That should be the goal of every candidate.

And that's why I have been working hard night and day, every day, leaving nothing on the table. My community deserves no less. No other candidate has talked to as many people as I have.

And I will end this with a humble request.

Help ensure good ideas win an election - not lies and fear mongering.

We need people to knock on doors, to help get out the vote on the 19th, to spread our message.

We need donations to counteract the lies with truth.

We are a threat to the established power and they are showing that they are afraid.

And that's all they have in the end. Fear.

We have Strength.

Let's show them how much!

To volunteer: | To donate
*******

This should be illegal
 Printing lies in many languages

"Not in my lifetime, son, but maybe in yours!" Stephen Lewis speech Aug. 24th

We are in the beginning of a 77-day Federal Election #42 in Canada. I think it matters not what you believe, but that you read, learn and become involved.


"Not in my lifetime, son, but maybe in yours!" –David Lewis to Stephen Lewis

 I am stirred. It was a wonderful speech, from a highly respected man. He's 77 years old and says he's waited 75 years for this day, from licking stamps at age 2 in his family home! This is the gist of it.

There are many reason why the Conservatives should not  and will not be elected. 

The meaning of the Duffy trial. 

 The senate is dead, the death rattles are of no consequence. What is of consequence is  is what has been revealed, and that is the antithesis of democracy, an obsessive authoritarian need to control.

"Egotism and narcissism are not the twin pillars of democratic governance."

The concentration of power in the Prime Minister's office distorts the running of parliament, distorts the power of question period, distorts checks and balances, distorts the views of civil servants, and engenders in the public a deep and abiding cynicism.
Fear is not a policy. Fear is not an election platform. Fear is the last refuge of those for whom terrorism is a political device and civil liberties be damned. To use fear as a path to power engenders a deep an abiding cynicism.

The meaning of economic management

Despite their protestations, the Conservatives are second rate economic managers.
Stephen Harper can pretend otherwise, but the pretence is mythology. And leans on endless complaints about global difficulties.
Consider:

• we're in a recessionary quagmire, with negligible economic growth.
• We have continuing and unacceptable levels of unemployment -persistently above 6%.
• We've gutted the manufacturing sector and 
• we've placed all of our expectations in a resource extraction economy, which is untenable with the collapse of oil prices
• and the staggering decline in economic management.

Good government plans ahead of time for the needs of the present and the needs of the future.
 These aren't economic managers; these are economic poseurs.

And there is every reasons to believe that the Canadian public is on to them.
There are infinite numbers of reasons to defeat the Tories.
There are infinite numbers of reasons to elect the NDP.

1. Restoration of Parliament. We appreciate civilised debate. When there is respect. We've lost civility in the House of Commons. Democratic norms are observed and committees can function. Yes: omnibus encyclopedic sorcery! Restore parliamentary dignity and reform.
2. The reclaiming of Canada. The years of hard right Years of Conservative rule has hijacked the Canadian culture. At times the country feels unrecognisable. Stop the slide into militarism. Revive the right of dissent. and revive scientific opinion and influence. We can restore the cutbacks that have been applied destructively to so many entities from the CBC to hundreds of women's groups, initiate the Commission enquiry into missing aboriginal women. Frame a viable and persuasive policy on climate change. Rescue CIDA from the clutch of Foreign
   
   Affairs. Remove the cap on foreign aid. We can become  the thoughtful, moderate, liberal power that Canada once was, so that next time we run for the security council on the United Nations we will be overwhelmingly elected. It's a restorative agenda that is decent and humane. Principled and generous. It is an agenda that is inclusive and compassionate, rather than abrasive and contemptuous.
3. The logic of straightforward policies. The electorate is warning to the major planks of our platform. Child care spaces for the working poor. Federal $15 minimum wage,  focus on infrastructure, emphasis one transportation and housing, revival the manufacturing sector, tax increases on large corporations. 
4. Quite remarkable what Tom Mulcair has achieved. The mantle of integrity, regarded as the most vibrant and analytic mind, who can confront the PM on a daily basis. The most trusted of the leaders.

This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. The yearning for change is in the air and it is the NDP that is the embodiment of that change. Just imagine... You don't have to be a romantic to know that the quest for social justice is within reach. We can again be the envy of the world. 
We can fight for human rights, and against inequality, as an example to the world.

Thomas Mulcair in Perth, ON

Leaders’ Tour - August 24, 2015 – Thomas Mulcair – Toronto the full speech 

Former diplomat Stephen Lewis, son of former New Democratic Party leader David Lewis, introduces NDP leader Thomas Mulcair at a campaign rally in Toronto, Ont., on August 24, 2015. In his speech, Mr. Mulcair announces a pledge to increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement program for seniors and says his party will reset the eligibility age for Old Age Security from 67 to 65-years old. In his answers to the media, he says he wants to focus on Canada’s manufacturing sector and to assist Canadian veterans.

"You showed a disdain for our veterans," says veteran grappling with #PTSD
http://bit.ly/natobsvets2  #cdnpoli

NDP Rally with John Fenik in Perth

That was so much fun! We've been to a couple of rallies. My favourite was meeting Elizabeth May's train in Parry Sound in 2008, when we lived in Muskoka. Her train was 3 hours late. This rally was pretty much on time. The rally in Peterborough was finished at 2:40, and they hopped on the bus (a two-hour, 20 minute drive sans traffic!) and drove here. The Perth rally was scheduled for 5:00 to 6:00, Mr. Mulcair arrived about 5:45!

When Mr. Fenik and Lake 88 tweeted out his rally, I knew I had to be there. We had trouble parking, people were streaming across the Crystal Palace parking lot, into the building.

The Global cameraman winked at me, after I took his photo! (I like taking photos of the backstory!) It was a beautiful setting for the rally, in the Crystal Palace. People just kept arriving and packing the joint!



Men and women in black. Cool shades. Hubby was at a different door. He saw they were seriously packing!


Supporters just kept arriving! I saw Paul Dewar arrive, in a brightly coloured plaid shirt. There was no photo for me, he was engulfed in the crowd. I used to sit on the OCETF executive with him. I remember my colleague, one of the hard-working supporters, grabbing his mop of dark hair and telling him to get a haircut!


Once Mr. Fenik arrived, the crowd began to get excited! Hubby snapped a photo for me! Mr. Fenik told us the bus was 15 minutes away.


Once Mr. Mulcair's bus arrived (5:46), the clapping began! Of course, he couldn't just hop off the bus. CTV was on the bus with him, and they had to set up their camera. Then, I realized, I wouldn't be able to see anything!

Security took different roles. They blocked the parking lot. One dude helped a man back up his car and trailer, he mistakenly tried to go through the parking lot with his canoe in tow. He had to back up and go back onto Gore Street!


The man, himself! Leader of the NDP. This was with my zoom. CTV videocamera on the left, Global TV on the right. Too bad for us chumps who'd been standing there for nearly an hour!


Town was very busy, it being a Friday, with tourists coming to town. There was a car crash just outside of the bank parking lot! Excitement for all! Citiots, methinks. You have to drive more slowly in cottage country...