Election Day minus 23 and 22: Rule 8

Day 15 and 16: Rules are rules - Late Saturday afternoon I received a phone call from my Returning Officer. She is effectively in charge of the conduct of the election - all the polls - in my riding.

She informed me that everything is in order except for one item. If you scroll down to the April 8 posting, I mentioned that I must bring the original copy of a fax that my RO received on April 8.

It turns out that Rule #8 (see above) gives me until April 13 at 2 pm. to present all the papers and confirm my nomination, and that is true for everyone. So her threat to dismiss my candidacy (which she mentioned), while worrying for a moment, means nothing. She called me Sunday to apologize after speaking to her bosses at Elections Canada.

Meanwhile I have been busy researching for a two minute TV promo that the local cable channel Rogers (63) will give me on Thursday.

The coming week is already booked up, getting and posting signs, writing speeches, swapping my snow tires, campaigning in the riding and to top off the week, a Caucus Meeting of candidates who wish to run in the Provincial Election in October. 

When "climate science" ceased being a science

One thing I don't like about running as a candidate during an election is how it cuts me off from the daily "real" world news. As I try to focus on issues that affect my local riding, and the country in general, everything else goes out of focus. Opportunities to comment on issues like nuclear power, the environment, the banking industry and everything else that interests me, are lost. Fortunately I seem to suffer from some degree of ADHD and this allows me moments to quickly switch my attention to something else.
An article in the Financial Post yesterday literally begged me to share. The article by David Evans, an Australian scientist with impressive climate science credentials, agrees that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, but its effects on global temperature are miniscule. Dr. Evans points to other bits of evidence that many climate scientists choose to ignore for reasons he makes clear in this excerpt:

"At this point, official "climate science" stopped being a science. In science, empirical evidence always trumps theory, no matter how much you are in love with the theory. If theory and evidence disagree, real scientists scrap the theory. But official climate science ignored the crucial weather balloon evidence, and other subsequent evidence that backs it up, and instead clung to their carbon dioxide theory that just happens to keep them in well-paying jobs with lavish research grants, and gives great political power to their government masters."

It is a very good article, and it puts the issue in perspective again, pointing to one of the motivating factors behind the political support of global warming, the idea of world government. Here is where many climate alarmists or warmists (like the Gore's and the Suzuki's) fail to see danger. Their background and "education" has driven them to the idea that coercive collective action is required to stop impending doom. That idea has spawned in Canada a political party, the Greens, whose original purpose was to defend the environment and the planet. The Greens have morphed into yet another statist organization that assumes the other political parties have the goal of befouling our home. Now I'm getting political again, because as Dr. Evans shows clearly, global warming has nothing much to do with science, its all politics.

Election Day minus 24 - Nominated

Day 14 - two weeks in: There I am signing my nomination papers after having sworn an oath. My returning officer is strictly by-the-book, quite formal but courteous. All the papers required are in (except I need to deliver an original of a fax on Monday) and she has time stamped my documents, like I was punching in for work.

 Looks like I am the fifth candidate: there is a red incumbent, a blue challenger, an orange, a green and me, a Libertarian, much like the last time.

This time I've ordered some signs as well (thanks to money from the party). The incumbent Liberal has already posted many of his signs, but I've seen just a few Conservative signs. My riding is quite "ethnic," loaded with newly arrived immigrants and recently minted citizens. To break through the Liberal headlock on the immigrant vote will be daunting for anyone. The Liberal incumbent doesn't even live in my riding, he lives in Oakville at least an hours drive away - in good traffic. He is so entrenched here, that he just has to "mail it in" so-to-speak. It is difficult to understand how he knows what's really going on here in my riding where I have lived for 36 years.

I mentioned signs. Well, you would think that is fairly straight forward, and you would be wrong. My town has a booklet that contains the "Election Campaign Sign Regulations." Yesterday I ordered 100 lawn signs and today I discovered that they are too small to place on roadways, I need bigger signs or the Town will cash in my $250 sign permit deposit. I quickly cancelled the first order and substituted big signs for a much bigger price.

So far it has been like a race with hurdles, I never really liked hurdles.

Election Day minus 25 - Done the 100+

Day 13 - I'm done, 120 signatures should be enough to satisfy the Returning Officer in my riding district.

At this point I've already spoken to hundreds of people, most have accepted my pamphlet, but many refused to sign their consent to my nomination. After trial and error, I might have developed the elusive 30 second elevator speech (in rough) answering: "What is a libertarian?" How do you summarize a political concept that involves principles and ideas that are really foreign to most of the electorate? Nearly 100% of the people I spoke to, never heard of the Libertarian Party, and had no idea what it stood for. In fact, many refused their consent on that basis alone, which is understandable, I too may have refused. Eventually I realized that people need a reference point in order to understand who and what we are. I started telling them that we were far more fiscally conservative than Mr. Harper (Conservative Party) (then I added: we think he is in fact a big spender) AND we are more socially liberal that Mr. Layton (NDP - Socialists). I used that line on many of the people I thought might understand and be aware of the current Canadian political scene. I also elaborated on it with examples. Many did understand, in fact a few suggested that we were "off" the right-left political spectrum, so I knew they were getting it. They were even surprised that a party like that existed, it was very heartening to me.

My 120th and last signature was the best, a bright young man, recently graduated from the University of Toronto in business but was unemployed. He told me he assists his family during elections in deciding how to cast their ballots and he has been for a while. We started talking about the war(s) and how pointless and ineffective they seemed, and he was surprised that we were against them (there goes my comparison with Harper above), he was against them too. Our talk ranged all the way to how we would "create jobs." "We wouldn't" I said, and explained just how jobs are created and how governments get in the way, he actually liked that explanation. It was a great way to end the day.

The times they are a changin'

With any luck Canadian television NEWS will never be the same again. Starting April 18, in the middle of a Federal Election campaign, the SUN NEWS Network will start broadcasting across Canada.
I hope that it is better than the pap that passes for NEWS that we get now on the major and minor networks, it couldn't be worse. It's no wonder that the most popular NEWS channel in Canada is CNN, and that is pap with drug commercials. Sickening!
Bring it on, here's a peek:

Election Day minus 26 - Making a federal case out of it......

Day 12: As I've been saying for days now, the hunt for the 100+ nomination signatures continues. It's not just me, but my colleagues find this to be a hurdle as well, and the weather has not cooperated. So this morning I got an email from a Hamilton ON, candidate and helper that collected signatures at a local mall. They were hassled by mall security, but the candidate countered that they were allowed to be in a public area like a mall, for the purposes of campaigning as outlined in the Elections Canada Act Part 6. Who knew? The two were taken to mall management (I had visions of those dumb movies - Mall Cop or something) and after some checking, the mall people let them go and they continued their hunt. Apparently there is a $2000 fine or 6 months in prison or both, for obstructing a candidate in an ordinarily public place like a mall. (see section 81.1(1) below) I know, it sounds ridiculous, because malls are private property, but this law supersedes that idea. Dumb, eh?

Rights of Candidates

Campaigning in public places

81.1 (1) No person who is in control of a building, land, street or any other place, any part of which is open without charge to members of the public, whether on a continuous, periodic or occasional basis — including any commercial, business, cultural, historical, educational, religious, governmental, entertainment or recreational place — may prevent a candidate or his or her representative from campaigning in or on that part when it is open without charge to members of the public.

Exception
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of a place if campaigning in or on it would be incompatible with the function and purpose of the place or inconsistent with public safety.
S.C. 2007, c. 21, s. 12.

At my wife's suggestion, I decided to head for my local library (see idyllic picture above); it's a public place, its warm, there are seats, a washroom, and it's a place of learning. What better place to educate my neighbours about libertarianism, right?

Well, upon entry I first introduced myself to one of the library workers, as a courtesy. After about 20 minutes of begging for people to sign my nomination papers, a tall librarian approached me and said I must stop because I was breaking library policy. No soliciting! I showed her my letter from the Chief Electoral Officer, but that didn't phase her, library policy is library policy, rocks beat scissors. She took me to the head librarian, same story. At this point I'm feeling that the law is on my side (dumb as it was) for once. I sat down, she said she would call the police, I heard myself saying: "go ahead." As I sat there thinking: "I'm wasting my time here, the cops will take there sweet time and I have a deadline." So I retreated to the library foyer (out of sight) and continued soliciting. After another twenty minutes, and very few signatures (many people were from outside my riding district) the police arrived and I showed them the letter. They left me to confer with the librarians, and I continued collecting signatures and handing out my brochure. They returned and suggested that I should have asked permission first, I apologized, then said I didn't really need permission but I would next time. They left and I apologized to the librarian (I am trying to get votes).

The upshot of the whole thing is that I was right, but no one had ever tried this in the library system. When I got home I spoke to the library CEO, who apologized to me, and said he will send an email warning other branches that I might arrive. Tomorrow is another day.

Election Day minus 28 and 27 - Still Getting Nominated....

Day 10 & 11: Yesterday was surprisingly, almost uncomfortably and certainly unexpectedly warm outside (18C). The evening prior, it snowed and today there is a stiff wind and it is cold again - a typical "spring" for these parts.

 I'm still collecting the 100+ signatures which I must say is the toughest part of this or my previous campaign. I need to convince people that their signature does not obligate them to anything - it just consents to having my name on the ballot. Sometimes people are wary. My daughter suggested I try a local senior citizens complex nearby because they will be home. They were home, and many did sign, but just as many did not, and with good reasons. I was surprised at how "tuned in" to politics many of these elderly people were. I had some good discussions about a wide range of topics, but it was tiring.

A group of the "minor-fringe" parties, including us, are planning to hold a public forum for press and electors next week. Elizabeth May (that's here) was invited, but declined pointing out she is neither minor nor fringe. Ah, but she is getting minor as the days go on. Take a look at the daily poll here. The Greens are fading. Maybe she should reconsider?

Election Day minus 30 and 29 - Getting Nominated

Day 8 & 9 - I saw my first Red-winged blackbird this morning, a sure sign of spring around here. They come to raid my feeders, waiting for the insects to come out of their eggs or winter hiding places. Talking about birds, the Blue Jays are 2 and 0, and they look very entertaining which could be the most we can ask for this year.
My door-to-door campaigning has begun, my neighbours are very receptive to signing my nomination papers. Canadians generally have a strong sense of fairness, my neighbours do anyway. Several of them have commented that they admire my determination, I did run in 2008 as well. I need 100 signatures by the end of this week to put my name on the ballot, plus $1000, an Official Agent and the requisite paper work. All should be in place, barring a catastrophe.
The first invitations for local TV appearances, and a televised all-candidates debate have also arrived. Those will take place next week and the week after that. Things are getting busy.
My friend out west has put words to the "baby debate video" I posted last week, enjoy:

Election Day minus 31- Opening Day

Day 7 - Play Ball. The Blue Jays are feasting on the Twinkies as I write, 11 to 3 in the 8th inning. There is a big crowd 50K or so, just like back in the early '90s, and they look pretty good for a bunch of kids. There was an E5 for our third baseman, Jays fans will know what I mean.

In the political games, they are still debating the debate. Do the Greens get a seat at the leaders debate table? I'm thinking that people are tiring of the whole green thing, and maybe the Greens are just splitting the votes of the leftist statist parties so that the rightist statist party gets in. As for me, statists are statists, it makes no difference.

Talking about statists, the CBC Vote Compass thing I wrote about earlier in the week is still making the news. The CBC claims that their vote discerning tool is unbiased. Of course it is, it is posted on the website of a government funded network that is staffed by overpaid unionized employees in a closed shop. No bias there, eh?

The pictures above represent both sides of my trifold brochure, outside panels are on top. The bulleted points are selected from the Libertarian platform. The message I'm driving at, is that we are different from all the other parties and the bulleted points highlight some of the differences. If people really read this over and understood the moral underpinnings of it, how could anyone disagree? That's what make political games.  

Loss of P.E.I. looming - Plans to move Green Gables home to N.B.

Most of Canada will benefit from global warming (click on the map), that is what it says in a new report released today by the National Roundtable on Canada's Future. Unfortunately, as National Post columnist Terence Corcoran reports, Canada may lose a province as sea-levels rise precipitously. Officials commented that the loss of beautiful Prince Edward Island would be a small price to pay for the economic boon that would accrue to the rest of the country. PEI is basically a low elevation sand spit off the coast of New Brunswick. Plans are already afoot behind the scenes to move historic Green Gables (fabled home of Anne pictured right) to Magnetic Hill near Moncton New Brunswick so Canadians will be able to view two historic sites without driving across Confederation Bridge or taking the ferry. Bridge officials are completing studies to licence tourists when the Bridge is converted to a fishing pier in an attempt to recoup the cost of its construction.
Meanwhile in Britain (see video ad below), a new law comes into effect Oct. 1st, that ensures individuals will stop confusing climate and weather. Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, is considering adopting the new law before his term runs out.