Archive for Elections

Didn’t have a computer with me last night so I’m updating now.  My husband and campaign manager has had back problems for the last week so moving is painful.  He’s also averaged four hours of sleep a night through this time.  But he’s working full time on the campaign.

I registered in the morning.  Everything seems to be in order but as of last night I was not yet confirmed.  It takes time.  Everything takes time.  Thanks to Clara who dragged herself out of bed early to spend the day helping me out.

I was part of a panel of speakers in the evening at the Post Carbon Toronto AGM.  Somehow I was also elected back onto the Executive as well.  The office is looking great and working better and better.  Materials should be coming in soon.  Jo’s daughter Meghan decorated the window display and Charlie says the team had a fabulous meeting last night while I was out at my talk.

34 days to Election day

We aren’t allowed to put up TTC ads, in what looks like it may be a violation of a court decision on election access.  This afternoon, I went to get myself registered and was told that not only was the Returning Officer not yet ready to register candidates, but that some of the nomination signatures I had might have been stale dated and I would have to get new ones.  Raced out to Gerrard Square for signatures.  Then back to the office and a late arrival at pub night.  Came home to discover Elizabeth had been barred from the debates again.  I guess the Consortium wants the debates to be boring.  It is so much work for the Greens just to have access.  Still waiting for signs and flyers.

Not frustrating was a meeting with an Ethiopian community leader.  A very good conversation, followed up on by Charlie.

To help get Elizabeth into the debates, do the following:

• Sign the petition here
• Send a text message to the Chair of the Media Consortium, Mr. Troy Reeb of Global TV on his cell phone at 647-261-3752
• Email the news directors of consortium members CBC, CTV, Global, TVA
• Email party leaders Stephen Harper, Jack Layton, Michael Ignatieff and Gilles Duceppe
• Forward this message to your friends and family

The big excitement of this day was the brief moment we lost track of my 15-year-old daughter at nightfall and several volunteers went on a search.  Other than that it was a steady day of progress.

Here is one of the posters we want to place in subway stations.

There are three stairway-sized posters:     Read more »

In the Toronto Star today, Peter Russell explained and demonstrated how we elect a Parliament and not a leader, that any new government must enjoy the support of the majority of elected members in the Commons, and how Harper’s implication that a coalition is illegitimate is, well, wrong.

When we hold an election we do not directly elect a prime minister. We elect a House of Commons. It is this elected chamber of Parliament that decides who governs the country.

There is a good explanation of why we know this is so, with precedents and rules.