Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Iggy responds to the Tory attack dogs

With grace and dignity!

Friday, May 08, 2009

Once in a while, I get an email that changes everything!

This came across my desk this morning, totally surprised me as I had not been paying attention to the exchange rate lately.

From:
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 11:36 AM
To:

Subject: JOB REPORTS - SCANDAL that will possibly bring down Finance Minister



Morning gentlemen,



It just crossed the wires via Bloomberg that Statistic Canada Probes speculation labor data disclosed early (leaked).



The Canadian dollar violently appreciated in over night activity before the release of the better than expected jobs data, and funny enough do you know who speculates / comments before the jobs data was released and who would have the data from statistics Canada…the good old finance minister and his office. A leak of this sort is similar to the income trust affair it is a market mover and unethical to illegal. With the finance minister’s office having the information better to start to asking questions about who knows what and when and who had the information and what they did with it.



Most best regards,

Saturday, May 02, 2009

live blog speeches

i hate thundersticks. hated them since world juniors.

They trot Trudeau out for the count. 97%, wonder who spoiled?

typing with one hand is hard...

obama is really popular.

Video was a nice touch.

opening of speech michael gets ovation by inviting public to join.

333 guy from toronto being canucks fan is weird.

336 talk of uniting people of canada. libs understand canadian way.

337 common standards for ei, strategy for recovery and learning

338 seize opportunities, life long learning

339 world class early learning and childcare, standing o
340 the university pledge is very popular too

341 french section

344 talks about etobicoke lakeshore, very nice. "surprise ourselves, astonish ourselves, and surprise the world"

346 environment and green technology, very liberal ideas

352 wireless failed, lost my spot

thanks all for reading
-

Saturday Afternoon notes

The session this morning was full of energy an enthusiasm.

About OMOV, Bob and Belinda really brought their A game out. I personally thought Bob's speech was great, and it was a really classless move to cut off Belinda's was classless and totally surprised me.

2. There is a consensus to grow the party, membership wise, and new ideas are welcome, This gives me a great sense of hope.

3, I haven't taken any pictures as I left the cable to hook up my computer at home in Toronto. Such is life!

4. Lots of familiar faces, hope everyone is having a good time, and hopefully i can meet some new people tonight.

5. I had a good nights sleep last night

6. Mark Holland, told me he sees OMOV as a way to reignite the party,and he agreed with me that the YLC amendment didn't help enfranchise all Youth and did the opposite.

7.big party tonight in Stanley Park,should be fun

8.hopefully no aggressive pan handlers there

9. Canucks game tonight,lets see how rowdy it gets on Robson st.

10. just had a chat with the President of the Liberal Democratic Party of the UK. First time I met a baroness.

Constitutional Plenary session 1, live blogging

The session is starting, and sub amendments will be dealt with first. As per the rules of the convention.
1044 pdt, the rules of debate are being told,while stragglers are finding their seats..

Amendment #1 OMOV Nav Baines is speaking in favour of the weighted OMOV, looks like a lot of heavy hitters are lining up to talk. Nav is talking about its balance, simplicity, and cost effectiveness. Nav gets great applause.

Subamendment: Braeden Caley is talking about the ylc subamdendment,using the ylc talking point.

25 people in favour of debating sub amendment

amendment is debated...
first speaker in favor of ylc amendment thinks its important
JT speaks against it! Says its a disincentive against the Youth. Justin is very passionate, and gets a huge response

YLC person in favour...


Chair just says only 2 in favour, and 2against, 4-5 heavy hitters against won't get chance to talk.

1055 John Lennard, is totally getting a huge response, talking about youth leadership,

1056, Chair is only allowing one more speaker, many people are outraged.

1057, caeley is back using talking points

1058 Cait Townsend is talking against the motion, 2 main objections, inherent contradiction according to the spirit of OMOV, Cait thinks everyone should be treated equally.

Voting on YLC amendment, wow, YLC got killed "he's dead jim" says a delegate next to me.

YLC just got pwned!!!

1105 semantics about the visually impaired and resolution reading.

1105 Belinda and Bob are first in line to speak for OMOV

1106 Belinda Stronach is up first, she is here because its in the best interest of the party that we adapt our amendment, and that it reflects Liberal values as the party of the people. She thinks that every members vote should count equally.

1107 VP of NS Liberals calls it false democracy, and that small ridings can be bought and sold. interesting argument. He also talks about the lack of youth, women, etc....

1109 Bob Rae speaks in favour, Bob says that the Liberal Party is an open party, not a private club, organization that belongs to the people of Canada, Canada is a country of democratic tradtions, and that this constitutional amendment is important to the future of the party.

1110 YLC member is against, saying that Rural riding is more powerful than a rural riding, says its not true OMOV.

1111 Stephen K is talking, don't want to mess up his last name,talks about the geographic reasons and gives everyone direct say.

1112 speaker against for weighting, urges to vote it down. tempered applause to the speaker.



1114 Voting in favour, OMOV WINS!!!

1120 Just noticed fellow blogger James Morton in front of me, without any furry animals.


1126 Limiting EDA delegates to conventions defeated handily. The Spirit of democracy is alive and well.

1128 Amendment 3.1 Changed operating in Executive in title of chief operating officer, passed.

1129 Amendment 3.2 Changes national exec to national board of directors passed

1130 amendment 4, Alternate representation on the national Executive, Passed

1131 Amendment 5 Recomendations of the membership working group, adds National Membership secretary to the National exec, as in a full voting aka the Rob Jamieson amendment. amendment passes

1132 amendment 5.3 associate membership passed

1136 5.4 Party Membershps for Canadians Living abroad... Good Idea according to me. Amendment passes, time to hand out memberships at The Maple Leaf in London UK.

1137 5.5 Suspension and Revocation of Memberships, see PDF on website, has to be by the National board of directors,has to have proper time,and must be passed by 2/3 votes, and appeal to come back. Creates Rules for people expelled,remember the sponsorship scandal!!!
people are talking on this amendment. Jack Siegal is totally against this amendment, when jack is against amendments, its a big deal. Jack is a well respected legal counsel in the LPC. This amendment needs 2/3s of the vote to pass. It doesn't have 2/3s support as the ballots are being counted. Amendment fails.

Thats all for me, more observations to come....

OMOV, a new era of the LPC? or more of the same?

I am currently sitting inside the main convention hall, where emergency resolutions are being debated. Voting is going on the next room over, for the executive positions. I had the chance to talk to various members of the party and their opinions on One Member One Vote.

The major consensus amongst the people I have talked to is that the they are all in favour of the OMOV resolution in its original form, and that the YLC amendment is not very popular amongst senior Liberals. I have only talked to one senior Liberal who has expressed support for the YLC amendment. Compared to maybe 15 against it. Only time will tell, Looks like the YLC are parading people up to the microphones. Trying to impress senior delegates,We will see what they have to say....

Friday, May 01, 2009

stuff i hear around Vancouver

1)The Canucks rule, according to drunken hockey fans last night

2) cab drivers like this Michael Ignatieff guy..

3) The YLC race is going to be really close.....

4) No election signs for the provincial election....Is that normal for this province?

5) OMOV should pass, ylc amendment, lets hope not...

6) One candidate for YLC prez, his riding candidate is endorsing the other. Well, he is endorsing John Lennard... Interesting says I.

7) Vancouver is under construction,and the locals,well they don't mind!!

8) Lots of suites tonight, should be interesting

9) Vancouver is easy to get lost in....

Liveblogging Canada and the World

Lord Alderdice; President of the Liberal International, is talking about how Canada helped the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. Thanks Canada, He is talking about the Liberal International group.
I didn't know that the Liberals had over 100 partner parties around the world.

1145 Lord Alderdice is talking about the positiveness that LPC brings to the world and Liberalism in general. Bob Rae is watching intently, Bill Graham is reading something.

1146 LA is talking about how Canada is a country that can be accepted and trusted as they lack the baggage and have the resources and energy, that people look to Canada because we aren't going to their resouces and they(Canada) acts with generosity.

1149 LA is talking about Canada's Liberal values and principals, very good so far. Bob, Denis and Bill are taking notes.

1150, LA is talking about Canada as a beacon of light and inspiration to the world, closing remarks.

1151 Bill Graham is back,talking about Liberal values, and how Canadians and Liberal policy, human security agenda helped Ireland and the world.

1152 Graham mentions that "other" political party can think, but most people aren't allowed to speak...then he starts talking in French, heavy English accent.

1153 Grahams french is hard for me to understand, talks about Canada in La Fracaphonie, and our international role in human security.

1154 Talking about our influences in human rights, etc,

1155, talks about our geography in Canada, that we are part of North America, and that we have 3 oceans, and recognize that our foreign policy should adapt and change...]

1157 BG is telling stories of avoiding Iraq, and the consequences they deal with after with JC at the helm

1159 talks about our role in peace and security via Liberalism in the world, concluding defence policy with foreign policy. strengthen foreign afairs, and not eviscerate it.

1200 gives shout out to Obama identifying pakistan as problem in that region. Obama always gets major applause!!!

1202 BG is talking about taking advantage of new voice that thinks like us in the white house. Putting it to us that we break out of our narrow bounds of trade, that Canadians be ready to increase our global business, and break out of the nafta box.

1204 BG is concluding golden thread that runs through his life, political life, domestic and international issues are no longer divided, Think of domestic not being divorced from foreign affairs.

1206 Denis Codere and Bob Rae, my 2 facebook friends are taking questions!! Send any questions I should get up and ask to COALM at twitter!!

1208 Question about foreign policy, on Canada/Cuba relations. BG answers!?!?!?!? BG makes a joke about helms/castro relationship, isn't really answering question, talking about Obama allowing visitors to Cuba, and that Canadians as Liberals strive to work with Cuba, and that trudeau criticized Cuba while working with them too.


1210 question about UN security Council, and expanding it... Bob thinks the challenge with reforming the Un is that the permanent members have to agree with change. Bob pays tribute to JC and PM, and the g20 and their work to make it an organization, Bob says that the world of the future will be remarkably different, and that we are under no illusions to see the change through on the wold stage.

1213 Question from teacher (history) talking about Canadas past foreign polciy achievement,talking about canada's lack of voice under the Cons. Teachers like to talk, more of statement then a question.

1215 Question about poppy farming in Afghanistan(questions often get off topic in these things)
LA answers the question,talking about poverty in Afghanistan. Talks about thoughtful engagement in the world and not excluding parties from talks and multilateralism. lots of big words.

1218 Question about Haiti
DC answers, talks about accompanying money with proper education, training, not just aid, actually developing and helping out the Haitian people, partnering with them etc.

This Q and A is dragging, got interrupted

1523 Bob is talking about the Cons and where Canada no longer is in terms of International affairs. Sitting next to a guy from Burkina faso, thats pretty cool

1524, Bob says we do it by doing it, identifying issues to be addressed, references both Pearson and Axeworthty (Sp?), then talks about involvement in Sri Lanka and Darfur.Bob is nailing this, will make a great foreign minister.

1527 LA just smackdowned the CONs saying the World needs a Liberal Canada back.


1528. Question about Oil, and how as an oil country we have to import Oil to Eastern Canada...
DC responds with national energy, and some QC nationalist position. I can't seem to blog and translate at the same time, appologies!!!!

1230 Question from a guy from Scarborough, not me, more of a statement on trudeaus role in getting Soviets to talk to Americans. Not a question, more of a statement on disarmament, references obama.

1233 Bob talks about disarmament, and working with NK and Iran, engaging actively and costructively. No figure waging, and lecturing.


1236 My attention span is shot, I just checked my work email. Denis is talking about working with other countries in business etc.

Thats all for me folks!!!thanks for reading.

Just arrived at the National Convention

The Vancouver Convention Centre is buzzing with activity as all the delegates have arrived. By the time I registered around 1pm edt, there was an air optimism in the hall ways. There was a definite aura of renewal and energy.

For those of you who think that this convention is simply a coronation of Michael Ignatieff, you would be in for a surprise. On the lowest level,there were all the candidate teams hawking their wares and policies to the newly registered delegates. Democracy is alive and well in the Liberal Party of Canada.


Endorsements

There are a number of candidates I hope will win in the internal elections.First off, I think John Lennard is the best hope for the Young Liberals of Canada,as president. He is dynamic, energetic an not afraid to speak his mind. I can relate to that. When I talked to John, he talked of renewel,as well as focusing on other segments of the Young liberals,such as high school students and Young Professionals. I think its brilliant. Go John...


Another person Id like to endorse is Maryanne Kampouris who is running for the national policy chair. Maryanne has worked tireless in Ontario as the provincial policy chair, and has helped get Ontario's wing of the party to work online and develop new policies using technology. I think Maryanne will do a great job, and I hope she wins.