We're well into the Ontario Election. The minority Liberal government lasted two and a half years, a long time by any standard. The discourse among non Tim Hudak supporters has been to stop him. The oft named progressives are being sought after by both the Liberals and the NDP. That's where I begin...
In the quest for the elusive progressive voter the Liberals are championing their budget. Some are even calling the budget more NDP than the NDP. That's the Liberal narrative to date and one that has been proffered by Toronto Star columnists and not a few union brothers and sisters. For some the thought is that the budget was progressive and defeating it would lead to a Tim Hudak win. In fact this is the Liberals entire campaign in a nutshell.
Andrea Horwath has been the Liberals biggest concern. Her questions during Question Period hurt the most. Her demands for accountability grind on Liberal nerves. Horwath's statements on making life more affordable hurt because they're true. In fact, Andrea Horwath has pretty much been the most popular politician in the province the last eighteen months.
In February the Liberals number one concern was the NDP according to leaked election planning documents. Liberal support was vulnerable if Horwath could translate personal popularity to the NDP.
You may be surprised to know that the Liberals have these past 18 months avoided referring to Andrea Horwath by name, while attacking the Conservatives by their leaders name. That was a strategy, to prevent alienating voters who liked Horwath. It seems however with one Liberal attack ad naming Horwath and another leaflet being dropped by Liberals, they have abandoned that strategy. It's a risk, but hey, the Liberals are running scared now.
So far the fear of Hudak winning an election has been the reason behind demands that the NDP and Andrea Horwath support the Liberals budget. It's an NDP budget after all, at least that is what we are supposed to accept, the Liberals put in lots of 'NDP' stuff to garner support for the budget. Now we need to have a look at a few things. First Kathleen Wynne did not bring the NDP in to assist in drafting the budget. In fact she at many times said she wasn't going to suffer any direction from the leader of the third party. The budget is vague on details, there was no debate on those details because Wynne ended that, choosing to leave the details hidden and called the election before one word of debate.
To be fair there was much to like about the budget, that is however not the budget the Liberals will have if they win.
The Liberals were sinking fast. They should have called an election soon after Wynne became Premier. They have suffered from a thousand cuts, lost a sitting Premier and were mired in a never ending gas-plant scandal, not to mention multiple others. They were so bereft of ideas, they started rewriting NDP private members bills and passing them, having in some cases only months before refused the NDP bills.
The election had to be now as far as Liberals were concerned. As a minority, they couldn't control the agenda. More cuts would be had. Go now, hope to hell they can win at least another minority, then another election in a year for all the marbles.
Andrea Horwath tried to work with the Liberals. People in Ontario did not want an election after the last one so soon. Horwath did what she could to get improvements in the budget. Things like a tax on those earning over $500,000, childcare expansion, a youth jobs plan. Last year Horwath asked for a Financial Accountability Officer, Lower Auto Insurance rates and a 5 day guarantee for homecare for seniors. None of it happened. We're still waiting.
The Liberals had three promises to keep. They didn't keep any of them. And now people want Andrea Horwath to believe 70 promises?
Next blog post: Andrea Horwath: What's going on?
5.21.2014
3.21.2014
2013's Best Social Media Campaign
The story behind a gigantic social media success and how LGBT and other social activists can use social media!
You might not know Anastasia Khoo by name, but you've probably seen her work.
Last year, millions of Facebook users changed their profile pictures to a red "equals" logo to support the campaign calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favour of marriage equality.
It was a huge success -- the logo was one of the most shared viral photos in Facebook's history, and the Supreme Court eventually ruled to support LGBT Americans' right to legally marry their partners.
Anastasia, as Human Rights Campaign's Marketing Director, was the organizer who made the campaign a reality -- a feat recognized by Mashable when they awarded her a Mashie for 2013's Best Social Media Campaign, as well a sweep of the SXSW Interactive Awards just last week.
Anastasia is one of the keynote speakers at next weekend's Progress Summit -- and in just a few hours, she's taking over the Broadbent Institute's Twitter account. She'll be there to tell you how it all happened and take your questions.
Don't miss it: https://twitter.com/
WHAT: Human Rights Campaign's Anastasia Khoo takes over @broadbentinst
WHERE: www.twitter.com/broadbentinst
WHEN: Today (Friday, March 21) at 6pm ET
Tune in -- and tell your friends about it:
You might not know Anastasia Khoo by name, but you've probably seen her work. Last year, millions of Facebook users changed their profile pictures to a red "equals" logo to support the campaign calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favour of marriage equality.
It was a huge success -- the logo was one of the most shared viral photos in Facebook's history, and the Supreme Court eventually ruled to support LGBT Americans' right to legally marry their partners.
Anastasia, as Human Rights Campaign's Marketing Director, was the organizer who made the campaign a reality -- a feat recognized by Mashable when they awarded her a Mashie for 2013's Best Social Media Campaign, as well a sweep of the SXSW Interactive Awards just last week.
Anastasia is one of the keynote speakers at next weekend's Progress Summit -- and in just a few hours, she's taking over the Broadbent Institute's Twitter account. She'll be there to tell you how it all happened and take your questions.
Don't miss it: https://twitter.com/
WHAT: Human Rights Campaign's Anastasia Khoo takes over @broadbentinst
WHERE: www.twitter.com/broadbentinst
WHEN: Today (Friday, March 21) at 6pm ET
Tune in -- and tell your friends about it:
2.11.2014
Harper and Kenny use TFW to displace Canadian Workers
Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program is being used to displace Canadians with much cheaper foreign workers. Pacer Promec Joint Venture in the Alberta Oil Sands fired its crew of union workers on February 4th and replaced them with workers from Croatia.
These workers are being paid half of what the Canadians were being paid. When this came to light of the media, the company said it would be rehiring the Canadian workers. That hasn't happened. As of this morning, the company had failed to contact the union or the workers and offer them their jobs back.
65 workers have been let go in clearly what is breaking not only the law but the spirit of the law as well. TFW program is supposed to see Canadians offered the job before bring in people from outside Canada. The promised reforms after the Royal Bank laid off 100's of Canadian workers and replaced them with workers from India have not materialised.
To add further insult to injury, the process is complaint driven, requires an investigation and the investigation can take weeks and months. In the interim workers are without a pay-cheque, Government promises of an investigation sound hollow at this point.
It's bad enough the government is subsidizing the Oils Sands companies, but to also abet the companies in replacing Canadians with workers from outside the country is almost treasonous.
The TFW program has its pluses, this is not one of them.
see Fort McMurray Today
These workers are being paid half of what the Canadians were being paid. When this came to light of the media, the company said it would be rehiring the Canadian workers. That hasn't happened. As of this morning, the company had failed to contact the union or the workers and offer them their jobs back.
65 workers have been let go in clearly what is breaking not only the law but the spirit of the law as well. TFW program is supposed to see Canadians offered the job before bring in people from outside Canada. The promised reforms after the Royal Bank laid off 100's of Canadian workers and replaced them with workers from India have not materialised.
To add further insult to injury, the process is complaint driven, requires an investigation and the investigation can take weeks and months. In the interim workers are without a pay-cheque, Government promises of an investigation sound hollow at this point.
It's bad enough the government is subsidizing the Oils Sands companies, but to also abet the companies in replacing Canadians with workers from outside the country is almost treasonous.
The TFW program has its pluses, this is not one of them.
see Fort McMurray Today
2.06.2014
Ontario Liberal's Misinformation - Campaign ad misses the context
The minimum wage battle goes on in Ontario. Recently the Liberal government agreed to raise the wage to $11.00 per hour and plan to bring in legislation to index it to inflation. There is little need to know that Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals are trying to make hay out of this. They have in fact ensured that those receiving minimum wage will remain below the poverty line, setting the wage at $11.00/hour.
The wage could be set to go up at a certain rate plus inflation over a period of time to allow employers time to absorb the increased cost. That is what the Liberals did when they raised the wage several years ago. Now after four years at $10.25/hour, the Liberals are back peddling.
We're nearing the end of two by-elections, the Liberals are desperate to win one of the seats. They are behind in Niagara by all accounts and Thornhill will likely remain Conservative. So now the Liberals are using selected quotes, out of context, in campaign literature in a desperate attack on the NDP in Niagara Falls.
Note the quote of Sheila Block in this production sent out on twitter by The Liberals.
What the Liberals do not tell you is what else Sheila Block said.
"Indexing the minimum wage to inflation is an important first step. Now that it has received advice; the Wynne government needs to step up to the plate with a concrete plan to move the minimum wage up above the poverty line for those who are working full-time and full year, and to cement those gains by indexing that higher wage to inflation." - Sheila Block, Wellesley Institute.
The wage could be set to go up at a certain rate plus inflation over a period of time to allow employers time to absorb the increased cost. That is what the Liberals did when they raised the wage several years ago. Now after four years at $10.25/hour, the Liberals are back peddling.
We're nearing the end of two by-elections, the Liberals are desperate to win one of the seats. They are behind in Niagara by all accounts and Thornhill will likely remain Conservative. So now the Liberals are using selected quotes, out of context, in campaign literature in a desperate attack on the NDP in Niagara Falls.
 |
| Ontario Liberals misinformation - campaign advertising |
What the Liberals do not tell you is what else Sheila Block said.
"Indexing the minimum wage to inflation is an important first step. Now that it has received advice; the Wynne government needs to step up to the plate with a concrete plan to move the minimum wage up above the poverty line for those who are working full-time and full year, and to cement those gains by indexing that higher wage to inflation." - Sheila Block, Wellesley Institute.
2.04.2014
IOC Dick Pound says, At least in Russia you aren't put to death for being gay
Canadian and IOC member Dick Pound in an article published by Metro, equates violence against gay men in Russia to lack of gay marriage in some states in the United States. He did that, Pound also suggests that you wont be put to death in Russia like you would be Malaysia.
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| Dick Pound IOC Member |
“In Malaysia, you can be put to death. In Nigeria, you can be put in jail for God knows how long,” Pound said. “So it’s a target of convenience with respect to Russia, not that I approve of the law, but putting it on a scale of 1-10 of odious laws, it’s not way up there near 10.”
Pound said much of the anti-Russia gay stand emanates from the United States, where, Pound says, only a handful of states allow same-sex marriage.
Read the full article in Metro here
Sochi ‘anti-gay stuff’ overstated, IOC’s Dick Pound says
Gay Men Beaten on Camera - Russia (Graphic Violence)
This is happening in Russia. Gay people are routinely attacked, beaten, humiliated and worse. The video below is very harsh. It includes a portion of a video posted to Russian social media of a gay man after a beating, being forced to rape himself with a bottle.
Warning: Graphic violence
The reality in Russia today, these neo-facists are well organized. They can attack gay men with the knowledge the police will not interfere and if they do, they usually arrest the gay man.
On Thursday, February 6, there will be a rally in Toronto
Rally for Global Human Rights and Equality ~ on the eve of the Sochi OlympicsJoin us ~ Speak up ~ Stand up for human rights around the world
Rally begins in downtown Toronto at the Russian Consulate on Bloor and Church St.When: Thursday, February 6, 2014 @ 6pm.
Where: Russian Consulate, 175 Bloor St. East.
#TOwithRussia on Facebook and TwitterFacebook event post here
SPREAD THE WORD & BRING YOUR FRIENDS!
2.03.2014
A Lesbian wrote America The Beautiful
Oh the irony of it all. Conservative Christians love the song, America the Beautiful, it encapsulates their faith and the government. The big secret, the writer was gay!
The song was written by Katharine Lee Bates. Bates had a relationship with Katharine Coman whom she lived with for 25 years, until Coman died.
Bates said, after the death of Katharine, "So much of me died with Katharine Coman that I'm sometimes not quite sure whether I'm alive or not."
Now American Conservatives are screaming about Coca-Cola ad where kids sing the song in different languages. The second irony here is that the song writer left the Republican party in 1924, due to the growing xenophobia within its ranks.
Thank you universe for this great day, you have to love it when you have a chance to show conservatives how silly they are. One of their touchstones is this song, America the Beautiful. A song written by a community activist and a lesbian.
See Coke-Cola ad from Super Bowl here.
Bates said, after the death of Katharine, "So much of me died with Katharine Coman that I'm sometimes not quite sure whether I'm alive or not."
Now American Conservatives are screaming about Coca-Cola ad where kids sing the song in different languages. The second irony here is that the song writer left the Republican party in 1924, due to the growing xenophobia within its ranks.
Thank you universe for this great day, you have to love it when you have a chance to show conservatives how silly they are. One of their touchstones is this song, America the Beautiful. A song written by a community activist and a lesbian.
See Coke-Cola ad from Super Bowl here.
America the Beautiful, for some
America the Beautiful, as long as you're white and speak English...
Coca Cola has been having a bit of a nightmare over its endorsement of the Olympics, in particular for not speaking out against repression and violence toward gays, and seemingly encouraged by elected government representatives. To counter this bad publicity, Coca Cola ran an ad during the Super Bowl game. See Not the Real Thing
Coke's ad puts the diversity of America on display, as children of different cultures sing America The Beautiful in languages other than English. The bigots and Christian right got together to slam this ad. An ad that was un-american because it had different races, languages and horror of horrors, two gay dads and their daughter.
Here is the ad...
The reaction that Time Magazine recorded...
It was that last aspect that unfortunately, brought out America the Ugly, at least on some parts of the Internet. “WTF?” asked one post on Twitter. “@CocaCola has America the Beautiful being sung in different languages in a #SuperBowl commercial? We speak ENGLISH here, IDIOTS.” Some of the vitriol may have been satire for all I know, but there was much too much for that to explain all of the “English or GTFO” sentiment–not all of it in impeccable English itself. To wit: “Dear @CocaCola : America the beautiful is sang in English. Piss off. #DontFuckWithUs.” (To be fair, not every Tweet brought up by a search on “Coca Cola English” agreed: “Coca Cola brings the commercial of the night: America the Beautiful sung in Spanish, English, Arabic, and other languages. Beautiful.”)The xenophobic protesters had one thing right: we do speak English in America. We speak it on official business and in Super Bowl broadcasts; we use it in publications like this one.
Read more: Coca-Cola’s “It’s Beautiful” Super Bowl Ad Brings Out Some Ugly Americans | TIME.com http://entertainment.time.com/2014/02/02/coca-colas-its-beautiful-super-bowl-ad-brings-out-some-ugly-americans/#ixzz2sHKZUGSk
Prominent Conservatives took offence that the song was sung in other languages - former GOP Rep. Allen West...
“If we cannot be proud enough as a country to sing 'American the Beautiful' in English in a commercial during the Super Bowl, by a company as American as they come — doggone we are on the road to perdition." link
Remember this rendition of the Star Spangled Banner from America Blog...
"Adorable 11 year old Mexican-American mariachi singer Sebastien De La Cruz, a San Antonio, Texas native, sang the national anthem during the NBA finals Tuesday night. And boy were the Twitter racists up in arms." America Blog June 14, 2013
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