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Bark!

$\"Gravatar\"$ Thanks for picking this up, JJ.

When I first read about it, I was just stunned. Then after a few minutes when I let it sink in, I was so mad I was shaking. It's just completely, totally unacceptable in a democracy with elected leaders. It almost seems to surpass the US Republican gerrymandering of districts.

I hope this gets the traction and examination that it deserves.
Prole | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 3:50 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Good ole CPC. I think I have their new motto:

\"Democracy? Fuck that shit...\"

Who can NOT call them fascists now?
Mike | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 4:20 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Actual representative democracy is 'inefficient'?

Skeena-Bulkley Valley's constituents are Sharon Smith's constituents?

Maybe the braintrust in the PMO figures this is the way they can save time and money by avoiding any more floor crossings deals. Just appoint someone.

This is how they act as a minority government. Now imagine if they really held power.
Frank Frink | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 4:33 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Prole - I had the same reaction: sort of like the stages of grieving. Disbelief, anger, bargaining (ie. maybe it's not what it looks like), and finally, acceptance (that it is what it looks like) and More Anger. White-hot anger.

Mike - Seriously. Creeping authoritarianism is how fascism starts, and when gov't starts thwarting the will of the people for their own benefit, that is a kind of creeping authoritarianism.

FF - What I found interesting about Harris's press release is that he's basically confirming that the Conservative government does favouritism. ie. If you live in a Conservative riding, you'll get those pot holes in your street fixed. If you live in an Liberal/NDP riding, drive slowly. (That analogy isn't exactly right, since the pot holes I believe are provincial jurisdiction. But you get the idea.)

Everyone knows they do it, but I've never heard one of them actually cop to it.
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 5:47 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Absolutely jj,

The airport runway extension funding annoucement confirms that. Cullen not invited to even attend the announcement. All credit goes to Mayor Smith.

If you want the pork, we have the barrel.

Notice how Harris has been getting a lot of money for his Prince George riding? Obviously they want to win S-BV back (Conservative until 2004).
Frank Frink | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 6:42 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ At the risk of sounding just a teensy bitter, I have lived in that region. I have had my wallet stolen twice somewhere between Vanderhoof and Hazelton, I’ve been beaten numerous times and stabbed twice, I have been hung by my ankles from a bridge and told that if I didn’t get my faggot ass out of town they would let go. If some self-righteous little asshole of a conservative politician wants to claim that corner of the country for his own, I say let him have it. It’s just typical of the way things go around there.
Bruce | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 8:56 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ holy fucking shit, that is unbelieveable (both Bruce's story and the CPC riding coup) the Harper's Gnu Gummint of Kanada is essentially telling us not to bother electing opposition members, they will just handpick someone to be the 'liason to the govenrment' - Please tell me this making national headlines.
rev.paperboy | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 9:48 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ That's a different corner of Canada, as far I'm concerned they can do what they want as long as it has nothing to do with the rest of the nation.
Bruce | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 9:53 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ You have to admire the CPC for the bluntly unfettered egregiousness of the riding usurpation. Handing it to a CPC future (since no election has actually been called)riding *candidate* to act as defacto MP for the area? In-fucking-credible.

Now for the spin. I'm waiting to see if the PMO takes claim of this, or tries to sell it as \"misinterpretation\" of the BC caucus's efforts to uhm...improve access of residents to uhm...the Great Minority.

What does the NDP have to say on this?
Niles | 08.25.07 - 9:57 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ FF - I was just searching the Vancouver Sun (and canada.com), and I couldn't find anything on this. Interestingly, I did find an item they ran yesterday about this Elections Canada thing that's heating up, and Harris is one of the names mentioned in it.

Anyway, I think the Sun would be remiss not to publish something about this ... The Sun has an email address for news tips, I wonder if I should send a copy/paste and URL of the Terrace item.
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 10:23 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Bruce - $\"\"$ Those bastards. It's primitive up there, no doubt. That's one of the reasons they think they can get away with this, who would know or care. Can't say I blame you for being ambivalent about the place... what a bunch of fucking thugs. Bastards. (On the bright side though, living well is the best revenge, so you get the last laugh.)
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 10:28 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Rev. - I can't find anything on it anywhere other than the little Terrace online news. WTF? Shouldn't something like this be making news, or at least getting some commentary? Maybe we can make it happen.
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 10:30 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Niles - I have to search a little more to find out what the NDP has said, if anything. I quickly looked at Nathan Cullen's website and there was nada about it.

This really seems to have flown in under everyone's radar.
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 10:32 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ the song from 'the producers', 'spring time for hitler in germany' just keeps coming to mind on this.
scout | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 11:32 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ jj, I will contact both the Sun and Province. I know news staff on both papers.
Frank Frink | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 11:37 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Oh, jj. i also e-mailed the NDP
Frank Frink | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 11:39 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ Scout!!! You're back! Hi $\"\"$

FF - I sent it in to the Vanc. Sun \"tips\" online thing, but if you know staff there then all the better
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 11:39 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ FF - Yeah that would be my next step, too:

1. Cullen (see what he has to say, nothing on his website)

2. My MP (NDP) just because she's always very responsive and pushy

3. Layton
jj | Homepage | 08.25.07 - 11:43 pm | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ i'm afraid i'm going to have to write to my mp and inquire as to when my riding will have a government liaison appointed. it hardly seems fair that my riding is fettered with an elected representative who wil go unheard and unrecognized by new canada's new government. gosh, at this rate, nearly half the country is going unrepresented by their elected, represetative government. as an urban ontarian i demand a duly appointed liaison. this sort of bias in favour of the retorgrade, hillbilly constituency is totally unfair.
pretty shaved ape | Homepage | 08.26.07 - 4:26 am | #

$\"Gravatar\"$ PSA $\"\"$ \"i'm afraid i'm going to have to write to my mp and inquire as to when my riding will have a government liaison appointed.\"

I wonder if our *Elected* NDP/Lib representatives would be the Go To people for the answer to that question. It looks like the Cons are completely cutting Cullen out of the action up in S-BV ie. the airport runway announcement Frank Frink referred to above.

But a good tongue-in-cheek letter written in your usual inimitable style would probably get their attention! $\"\"$
JJ | Homepage | 08.26.07 - 8:20 am | #

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