......

Penny Priddy should win Surrey North for the NDP.

I was going to apply for that job, but I couldn't have been bothered.

The NDP and EGALE should be onto this in a fairly major way. The Liberals need to account for why one of their candidates has been involved in anti-gay politics. What does this do to the big Liberal claim that they are the party to vote for if one is appalled by Tory dinosaurs of the Myron Thompson variety?

Budd:

One of your own NDP MP's - Bev Desjarlais - voted against the same sex marriage bill. And I am sure that if you canvassed the views of NDP members from the Indo-Canadian community you would find similar views, based on their religious beliefs. I don't agree with those views at all, but it's a reality still in the community.

The point that was made was rather simple. The Liberals are hypocrites for demonizing the Tories, yet having similar people in great numbers within their midst. Besides, the NDP made it clear that they stand for human rights by stripping Mrs.Desjarlais of her critic portfolio's.

People have the right not to vote for any party if they feel that they don't represent them, and if they feel marriage is a defining issue for them then that's alright too. But this still doesn't excuse the Liberals for claiming to be champions of the issue, while demonizing the Tories. The NDP clearly has the best record, although I think Paul Martin can be given some personal credit for finally making a decision and risking criticism from members of his own faith, as a devout Catholic.

A.:

My point was that on major moral issues like same sex marriage and abortion you till find people on both sides of the fence in all parties. What's important are the official positions of the parties and what they are preapred to do on these issues if they form government.

The Liberals have a proven track record in office expanding and defending the individual rights of Canadians. Harper and the Conservatives explicitly want to roll back gay marriage. There is nothing hypocritical about pointing out these obvious policy differences.

The Liberals have a proven track record in office expanding and defending the individual rights of Canadians. Harper and the Conservatives explicitly want to roll back gay marriage. There is nothing hypocritical about pointing out these obvious policy differences.

Posted by Billy on December 7, 2005 02:22 PM

The Liberals do have a track record Billy. Would you like to review their entire track record? How about the firing of the three Health Canada scientists for having the temerity to do their jobs? How about the continuing abuse of power by Liberal Govt Customs officials who have kept on targetting materials for gay bookstores like Little Sisters even after the Courts told them to stop doing that? How about the government's very lame proposals for whistleblower protection?

The only area where the Liberals have expanded rights and respected human dignity is in the sexual sphere. Because that doesn't involve any loss of arbitrary power and control on the part of the Liberal Govt.

Yet even here the Liberals have candidates who are not in step with what you call the party's track record. That should be highlighted and Paul Martin and Hedy Fry should be asked pointed questions and kept jumping until they provide coherent answers. If that takes a while, fine. I think we can be patient and if it takes the rest of the campaign to get answers out them, start asking now.

That should be highlighted and Paul Martin and Hedy Fry should be asked pointed questions and kept jumping until they provide coherent answers. If that takes a while, fine. I think we can be patient and if it takes the rest of the campaign to get answers out them, start asking now.

Hey Budd - care to have Jack Layton explain his stance on private health care.

Attn. "politics101"

On your question of private healthcare, consider that the Liberals have been in power for 12 years and have failed to protect the public system. They have in fact allowed (via funding cuts and inept enforcement of the Canada Health Act) expansion of the 'private health sector'.
Jack Layton is probably right. Little can be done to shut down a private clinic. But citizens have the absolute right to exact political retribution on the party that lied itself into power in Ottawa and has broken the faith with the people it governs.
While the government might not have the legal authority to close a private clinic, government can surely protect taxpayers from subsidizing these well oiled healthcare corporations. By not acting accordingly, Canada will be sneaking in yet another form of corporate welfare at the expense of average hard working Canadians.

Hey Budd - care to have Jack Layton explain his stance on private health care.

Posted by politics101 on December 7, 2005 04:47 PM

Yes.

The NDP candidate can not be trusted because she is has a history of switching sides. Remember the SME?