Skip navigation

 Login or Register | Member Centre

Schools issue could edge Greens over the line

TOBI COHEN

Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 4:10 PM EDT 08/10/07

Green Party eyes south-west Ontario for its first parliamentary win, thanks partly to John Tory's school stand ...Read the full article

This conversation is semi-moderated What is moderation? | How do I report a comment?

  1. Howard Hampton for Premier from Toronto, Canada writes: I hope Shane wins-Murdock always looks like he just got out of detox. A GREEN win might be the only think to celebrate in an election campaign where McGuinty exploited bigotry and again fibbed-he said he was running on his record and not from his record but that's all he's done.

    http://www.dwatch.ca/

    Democracy Watch
  2. J. Nieforth from Canada writes: Any chance of a source for that poll number. Hard to take the number seriously if we don't know if it is an independent poll. Surely The Globe and Mail can do better than this when it comes to reporting.
  3. Howard Hampton for Premier from Toronto, Canada writes: I would love to see Murdock go down and would welcome a dog on the ballet if that was the only choice.
  4. Rt. Revd. Malachy Egan from Halifax, Canada writes: J. Nieforth from Canada writes: Any chance of a source for that poll number... Here's the saddest part of Canadian politics: we need a poll; campaign lies and deceit; signs telling us who to vote for; candidates that have TV charisma [do you think FDR a three term US president would have got elected for shaking hands from his wheelchair on TV?] and not to mention a 'hate' for the NeoCONS, the socialists and the bleeding-heart liberals. I am quite willing to bet that less than 5% of voters have even a rough idea what their hyped, heroic political candidate stands for! There is nothing wrong with the Green Party's manifesto as stated [one could have said the same about communism; socialism; fascism; fuedalism and every other 'isms, and all the 'itys too, to date]; however, I suspect that the problems attached to individuals within humanity; for example, greed; jealousy; hatefulness; control needs, tribalism and etcetera would rapidly appear within a Green party in a position of power. Just as it seems to be impossible for individuals to think for themselves without polarizing their position along with their fellows, it is impossible for people in a position of power not to feather their own nest; abuse the weak and marginalized; force their mindset upon everybody else and instantly assume that the rules [as written thus far] apply only to other people. Until Canadians get some backbone and are prepared to stand alone with an opinion that they have formed by careful research; eliminating hearsay; rhetoric; propaganda; lies and plain old bovine scatology, nothing is going to change within Canadian politics. Frankly, change will never happen; meanwhile have a blessed Thanksgiving with your families and loved ones.
  5. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: J. Neiforth is right to question the poll - probably a hamburger poll from an Owen Sound eatery selling fair trade magic beans. My prediction: the Greens will not win in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound or anywhere else, and Ontario will not adopt proportional representation to make it easier for them and the other fringe party, the NDP, to win in future. The Greens are a fad that will be eclipsed by some other fad capturing the attention of fickle voters.

    At the federal level the Greens provide comic relief by propelling Jack Layton to ever greater heights of rhetorical sanctimony on the environment. Why doesn't Layton just call his party the 'GreenDP' and be done with it? The NDP certainly haven't had a 'new' idea in thirty years which is why Canadians overwhelmingly reject them every time.

    Sorry if this dodgy Globe story got your hopes up Greens. But given what your loopy policies would do to the country if adopted, not all that sorry.
  6. Nathan Weatherdon from Canada writes: My vote for the Greens is not a reactionary vote, I largely agree with what they stand for.

    As for the allusions to communism, socialism, fascism and feudalism, well, they clearly bear no relation to the Green Party. It is a political party, like others in Canada, which stands up for values that it believes are important.

    It would be great for the hundreds of thousands of us who vote Green with a conscience to finally see a riding send a Green MPP to Queen's park.
  7. Terry Maurice from Guelph, Canada writes: Malachy Egan said

    'do you think FDR a three term US president would have got elected for shaking hands from his wheelchair on TV?'

    And just what do you mean by this comment Mr. Rt. Rev? Is your comment not a further attempt to 'abuse the weak and marginalized'?
  8. Nathan Weatherdon from Canada writes: John, which specific policy do you think is particularly loopy? Please describe the repercussions of this policy and how you would address that issue in a more effective manner.
  9. Kevin Dooley from Canada writes: Malachy Egan writes a load of nonsense. Your thesis seems to be that we should elect leaders based on issues, instead of these silly issues that we currently listen to. I agree that polls should be universally ignored (was it Churchill who once said that only dogs understand the correct use for a poll/pole?), but I fail to see how that ties into anything else you say.
  10. Hugh Campbell from Canada writes: John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: 'The Greens are a fad that will be eclipsed by some other fad capturing the attention of fickle voters.'

    My prediction: environmental issues may be nipping at your heals today, but they are growing as an international concern and will soon be bowling over plodders such as yourself, from behind. Remove the blinders and take a look around.
  11. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: Dear Mr. Weatherdon ... moving Canada into immediate compliance with the precepts of Kyoto - as the Green party would have us do - is loopy and extremist. The Greens, the NDP, leftwing Liberals and others who call for this irresponsible action never discuss the costs of doing so. They dishonestly make it all sound cheap and painless, suggesting the burden will be born by industry - especially the oil industry. This is a lie. The direct costs are staggering, and the indirect costs passed along by industry are also staggering. Canada is a northern country that has always used and must still use lots of energy to sustain its people. The costs of Kyoto Now! would ravage our economy and put hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, out of work. All to cut emissions that China will replace in a matter of weeks with a few new coal-fired power plants. They don't talk about that much, either. The Greens and their partners in Kyoto duplicity should come clean. Tell Canadians that implementing Kyoto will push the price of gas up to $4 or $5 a litre. Tell them honestly that it will cost thousands more a year to heat their homes and they will pay higher prices for every single product they consume. Until these political sophists start speaking honestly about the real costs of their bright ideas, they deserve to stay on the political fringes where they belong. As for my solutions I suggest we spend money where it will make a difference: more research into low-carbon energy production, planting more trees, reducing the asphalt exposure in cities, greening roofs, pushing/inducing China and India to reduce their carbon emissions, more aide to poor developing countries to help them deal with increased malaria, more transfer of low-carbon energy technology to developing countries, and more much research on how we adapt to climate change. My solutions do NOT include going from 0 to 100 mph in ten seconds.
  12. Nathan Weatherdon from Canada writes: the policies that would move towards reduced emissions are in the platform. They don't involve going from 0 to 160 km/h, they involve taking IMMEDIATE steps to get things moving more quickly in the right direction. No one is pretending that we can reduce emissions 25% overnight or even by next week.

    As for your specific suggestions, I think they are all part of the Green platform - if not directly then indirectly so.

    The idea that reducing emissions would put millions out of work is ridiculous. The move towards a green economy could even create jobs while increasing efficiency. It seems that the European economies are doing reasonably well right now. Not the doom and gloom that many claim would come to Canada.

    Your point about China's increasing emissions duly noted. The joke of an agreement that came out of APEC will see their GDP growing much more quickly than efficiency gains. It will certainly be a challenge to develop an agreement that works for both the rights of China's citizens to improve their quality of life as well as the need for the global community to come to MEANINGFUL consensus on this (not the kind of greenwashing produced at the recent summit).
  13. Hugh Campbell from Canada writes: John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: 'The Greens, the NDP, leftwing Liberals and others who call for this irresponsible action never discuss the costs of doing so.'

    You're not aware, then, of the primary economic argument of the environmentally concerned, as illuminated last year by the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. The cost of doing nothing would be 10 x the cost of mitigation efforts. By now, a year later, the rate of events has proceeded faster than predicted, and 50 year scenarios have shrunk to 5. Simple prudence compels us to accelerate corrective actions. We're talking about our survival, my friend.

    We're already behind the 8 ball on this, feeling effects today which result from previous decades of emissions.
  14. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: Mr. Weatherdon ... like the Greens, the NDP, the Liberal leftist rump and other zealots, you refuse to acknowledge the costs involved. The imaginary jobs you hope will emerge in a 'green' economy puts a lot of faith in a sector that does not now exist and may never exist. As far as Europe being your shining example to the world, a cursory examination of the evidence shows their cap-and-trade system is a mess and largely ineffectual (if the benchmark is reducing emissions and not making people feel good about how green they are).

    I think you're looking at this enormous problem through green-colored glasses. Canada should do as little as possible on Kyoto until the costs to the country are fully known. All we've had so far is a lot of hot air and posturing from people who will never bear the consequences of ill-advised government action prompted by their hysteria.

    How many jobs, and how much of other peoples' wealth, are you willing to sacrifice for your green dream? This is the question Ontarians should ask every politican who knocks on their door looking for a vote. My guess is that like you, Mr Weatherdon, they will change the subject.
  15. Kevin Dooley from Canada writes: I find it interesting how many people like to repeat the myth that it would be economically damaging to move towards supporting Kyoto. That is only true if we as a nation fail to act quickly. What does a good business man do if he realizes that his business model is in trouble? He changes it and looks to be a leader in whatever the new thing is. In this case, Canadian business could quickly become leaders in creating new forms of energy efficient products and 'green' energy production. And all we'd need to do that would be to give these 'green' industries a similar set of tax breaks to what we currently give to the oil industry. But no, as a society we seem to think that we'll be able to produce buggy whips forever as long as we can pretend that there's no such thing as a car.
  16. Dave Jansen from Canada writes: This proves what's wrong with first-past-the-post and how un-democratic it is.

    With 36% support (Murdoch's support according to the article) you can represent 100% of people in the riding....

    That's quite democratic...
  17. Nathan Weatherdon from Canada writes: There's no changing the subject. I simply say that people who claim that a system that uses less carbon fuels will not falls apart economically, and that the tax disincentives against carbon fuels can be used to redirect funds towards other forms of productivity enhancing measures, such as reduced income taxes and increased incentives to develop green energy.

    I'm not changing the subject. I'm saying you're flat out wrong.

    I'm not a zealot either (although there are certainly some of those, and when speaking with them I adopt a very different approach than I am right now). I'm quite open to being proven wrong. Perhaps you can offer some hard numbers on the overwhelmingly negative impacts of reducing emissions. The evidence coming in so far is that countries which have moved to promote emissions reductions are doing just fine economically. When the evidence starts to come in overwhelmingly to the contrary you can go ahead and let me know.

    Dave, I totally agree. (and your comment is far more on topic with the article)
  18. Journey Man from Ontario, Canada writes: I will be voting for my local Green candidate, as I have done in several elections now, because I believe that their policies, although highly unrealistic in some respects, are driving the main-line parties towards more environmentally sound policies in general.

    One key area that I disagree with the party is in their resistance to nuclear power in particular and technological solutions in general to environmental issues. I feel that the party needs more honest, dispassionate policies based upon sound science, however it appears to be mainly driven by the wishful thinking, pot-smoking, Harrowsmith types.

    Anyway, Ben Polley from Guelph will get my vote, and their policy on school funding is just the icing on the cake.

    P.S. - I am about as far away from being a raving leftest as you could imagine.
  19. Nancy Wilson from Quebec, Canada writes: Kevin Dooley, If Canada had chosen to 'act quickly',then we may have been able to at least come close to our Kyoto committment. But considering the fact that we are now very far behind,as GHG's surged,rather than lowered,under the Liberal Govt.,there is just no way that we can make those committments under the time frame that was allotted to meet the requirements. It seems that during the Libs governing,it was all talk,and no action. In fact, a huge increase in GHG emmissions,under the Libs. And now ,many are expecting a new Govt. to meet to committments that the Libs made, in the same time frame,even though we have fallen so far behind. Even the Libs themselves have admitted that Kyoto is not achievable. China and India must be on board,to whatever extent that we can convince them to be. Without their committment,the earth will have little chance to heal. The Greens are ignoring the greatest choice of energy,with no GHG emissions,and realistic supply of energy,that being Nuclear energy. Many European Countries have been 'on board' and far ahead in their reduction of GHG emissions for years,in their use of nuclear energy. That's one area that eventually,I believe the Greens will also agree to. It's been a safe source now,for many many years. The Greens have some decent ideas,but are too idealistic. Not enough reality in their platform,especially when it comes to the environment. The fact is,people are NOT going to quit driving cars.[And the auto industry is only beginning in India and China]. In Canada,they are NOT going to quit heating their homes,in the frigid winter months. Environmental concerns are important to us all. But the Green's plan just doesn't seem to take hard cold reality into fact. At present,there is just NO way,that solar,wind and other energy forms are going to come even near to meeting our requirements.
  20. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: Mr. Dooley ... with your talk of buggy whips and antiquated business models, I'm certain you've never run a business in your life. But you do repeat very well the nonsense spouted by eco-nuts, so maybe you have a future (a present?) with the Greens, the NDP or other fantasist collectives masquerading as political parties. The current models that successful Canadian companies employ are working quite well if you look at the TSX and other indicies of performance. Implementing Kyoto will give their non-Canadian competitors a big advantage and put a great number of them out of business. Green sophists like to argue they don't mean Kyoto tomorrow or next week. But present them with a reasonable schedule - as the Harper government has done - and they race around denouncing it like headless chickens. They want Kyoto NOW!! Fortunately eco-extremists and fringe parties don't run Canada. We are even more fortunate knowing they never will. Governments should never allow themselves be stampeded into stupid policies because of complaints from the hysterial fringe. My main point here - besides skewering the witless advocates of economic suicide - is that any progress Canada makes reducing CO2 emissions will be wiped out instantly by new coal-fired power plants going online at the rate of one a week in China. Since China is now the world's biggest CO2 emitter, maybe we can send Elizabeth May and Jack Layton over to scold them into changing. Tell them they can become 'green leaders' in technology and the like. You know, be a beacon to the rest of the world ...
  21. Kevin Dooley from Canada writes: John, actually I have and do run a business. And I frequently sit down and look at the competition and at future trends to see how I might be able to take advantage of changing technology instead of getting stuck with ideas that no longer make money. It's just good business. But unfortunately, in Canada, our 'energy' industry is really just an oil industry that is unable to see past the blinkers of oil production and distribution and work on the wider issue of energy production and distribution. And these blinkers are the direct result of tax credits for oil and gas exploration.

    So, no, you're wrong on absolutely every point you make.
  22. Pandora Spocks from Kingston, Canada writes: Never gonna happen.

    I don't care what any poll says, the Greens can't organize their way out of a wet, recycled paper bag, much less get enough feet on the ground to pull the vote they need to win.

    There's always one 'the Greens have a shot in such-and-such a riding' story in every election, and it's never panned out. They always poll higher than they pull.
  23. Starting Over from Canada writes: Grey-Bruce is a safe Blue seat. Murdoch and the rest of the province knows that.

    The Greens can bluster all they want, but at the end of the day, Bill has proven time and again that he is working for his constituents 100% of the time.

    Bill will be returned by a decent margin, and Proportional Representation will probably disappear for another time. Move on folks, nothing to see here.
  24. No use for a name from Toronto, Canada writes: John Miller, keep your head up your a$$ and pretend our environment (which isn't interested in the partisan political bull$hit that you are sprouting) is in fine shape.

    Your ignorance is astounding - but hey, as long as companies keep making money, everything is fine, right?
  25. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: Kevin ... for reasons I'm sure only you understand, you believe the 'energy industry' is responsible for most of Canada's CO2 emissions. Wrong!

    The biggest emitters by far are coal-fired power plants. Next is transportation (cars, trucks, planes and trains). The tar sands account for maybe 5% and that figure will grow as production increases.

    So if you want to do your bit for the planet, turn off all the power in your home and business, and walk or cycle everywhere. It won't be much of a life but you can feel righteous.

    Sorry, but the end-all-tax-breaks-to-oil-companies line doesn't fit this issue.
  26. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: Hey buddy no name ... if companies make money, they create jobs for people, value for their owners (in many cases ordinary Canadians invested through their pension funds) and they pay taxes. All of this is just fine with most Canadians. If it's not fine with you, maybe you'd find the North Korean or Cuba business models more to your liking. In any event, you shouldn't have dropped out of high school before they got to economics.
  27. Howard Hampton for Premier from Toronto, Canada writes: Dalton sure managed to avoid the important issues thanks to John Tory. But then again Tory may have been right but unable to sell his idea. For example, some argue that we need the public system to integrate foreign students, thereby contributing to our multicultural success. But Catholic immigrants (more a third of the new arrivals) send their kids to Catholic schools. Are those children less integrated?

    And is it about numbers? Let's suppose that in 2007 more students attend secular schools, but by 2017 more students attend privately funded Islamic schools-this is not entirely impossible given our dismal fertility numbers compared with their excellent fertility numbers plus immigration. In ten years they may argue that Old Ontario defeated the full funding issue on the basis of numbers and now, in 2017 we have different numbers, we are the majority, and we will reverse what schools receive public monies.

    We've amended the constitution before and we can amend it again.
  28. bill wilson from Taiwan writes: Its about time to try some other ways of doing things. The Greens will get my vote this time around. Surprisingly it is not just for environmental reasons, but also for their policy of having just one school system. Simply put, they are the only party making sense these days.
  29. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: To Howard Hampton from Toronto ... you must be new to Canada. Look up 'Meech Lake' and 'Charlottetown Accord' if you think changing the constitution is an easy thing to do.
  30. Howard Hampton for Premier from Toronto, Canada writes:

    John,

    Quebec and Newfoundland have already received parliamentary approval to modify funding for their various school systems. This brings us back to demography. On average Ontario has a fertility rate of 1.4 children per female. And for the first time in this provinces history there are more living in a nuclear family without children than with children.

    What this likely means is that secularists will be cut in half every generation, unless they can find a way to stop isolating newcomers. This in part was Tory's thinking, but it seems we've opted to leave well enough alone, at least for the next little while. And did you know that native Canadians have a good birth rate? Six nations is not atypical and they are averaging 2.2 children per family-yes they're a part of the 1.4 Ontario average. Things ain't looken all that good for the secular tribe.
  31. Howard Hampton for Premier from Toronto, Canada writes:

    Things ain't looken all that good for the secular tribe.

    So what's wrong with the great materialistic secular tribe? Look around seniors at all your grandchildren or the grandchildren of your peers? Not that many to look at you say? I wonder why.

    Let's assume there was a time when we were beautiful Monarch butterflies. But one day someone argued that our caterpillars are ugly looking, a drag on our lifestyle, and besides they weren't really butterflies.

    We began to get rid of them, by chemicals and if the chemical sfailed or if we forgot to apply them, physically destroyed the caterpillar in a way that we were told was completely harmless. Our young teens killed 20 000 of these per year. Ahhhh peace, quiet and security.

    One day we noticed that the Milkweed plants were only graced by a very few monarch butterflies. But a new type of butterfly had moved in which seemed resistant to chemicals and totally unable to be destroyed using the physical means of the day. But we continued to use our methods to physically and chemically destroy our own.

    And now we find ourselves in a nursing home but not surrounded by familiarity. In fact we can't understand the language of the New Ontarian.
  32. Pandora Spocks from Kingston, Canada writes: Howard Hampton appears to have smoked one too many milkweeds. I really have no idea what you're saying.

    To quote: 'At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.'
  33. Howard Hampton for Premier from Toronto, Canada writes: After McGuinty gets in, I'll need something stronger than a milkweed.
  34. Luke R from Toronto, Canada writes: Why are so many people opposed to the Greens getting into the Legislature? Don't you want more variety in your politics? Hasn't the same old PC/Lib/NDP song gotten old yet? I know it has for me. Right now I might even vote for the Marihuana Party or something equally as ridiculous because I'm so sick of the same old crap from the 'big 3'.
  35. Alexander Jablanczy from Sault Ste Marie, Canada writes: It would have been a delight to have finally a Green MPP elected. However with the moronic me too Tory policy of refighting the wars of religion the Ont Greens lost their way. I must say though the leader kept quiet about that shameful nonsense while on a visit to this city and kept to real issues. Real Green issues about how destructive it is to build a hosptal in the boondocks instead of downtown where it may be accessed by bus or on foot. Anytime you have an asthma attack, can't see the sky or the stars, buy bottled water, and read with incredulous horror the crap they put in our food, don't you wish that you lived in a world where you could breathe drink and eat not chemical effluent? Those are of course the real Green issues not the hogwash about progressive policies. Who the hell needs a fourth progressive party? There is nothing progressive about destruction of Nature and Society. Green to me meant ecologically integral evolutionally natural not perverted industrialised technologicaly bastardised modern barbarism when I ran for them. If you are not working to establish a garden of Eden then you are pushing dark satanic mills. I wish I could say with good conscience that the Green party hasn't strayed into sinister minefields. Canada is built on two sacred cows untouchable shibboleths which any sane politician ought not touch. One is the school question, the other is language. Attack Catholic schools or the French language you are dead as it should be. These intellectually challenged idiots must have slept through Canadian history & learnt nothing. Nor have they paid taxes or voted in municipal elections where you have to choose public or private French or English. Which by the way means that Catholic schools are paid for by their own taxes. The British Empire had to make accomodation short of ethnic cleansing. They had to admit that not only Anglicans were human but French and Catholics too. So they got schools and some local autonomy.
  36. Steve like I'll give out any more info from Calgary, Canada writes: I recall an exercise in one of my high schools classes where we were given a choice of one of 2 coloured pieces of paper. On the first round of selecting a colour we were told just to pick one colour without the knowledge given as to what the consequences will be. Well, it turned out that those that had one colour won a certain amount of points and the other colour created a penalty. Well, to sum it up if all the teams had chosen the colour which created a penalty everyone would reap the rewards of gaining more points than screwing anyone else over for a much smaller amount. Suffice it to say that there was one person in particular that I had my suspicions the year before of not being able to trust him that were confirmed.

    I think back to this exercise and to learn that unless we as a collective species work together on accomplishing something such as tackling climate change...we are living on borrowed time.

    Just my $0.03 (inflation you know) ;-)
  37. janfromthe bruce from Canada writes: Alexander Jablanczy from Sault wrote that 'One is the school question.... Attack Catholic schools ... you are dead as it should be. These intellectually challenged idiots must have slept through Canadian history & learnt nothing. Nor have they paid taxes or voted in municipal elections where you have to choose public or private French or English. Which by the way means that Catholic schools are paid for by their own taxes.' This is incorrect. You must have slept through 1997 when the Harris conservative govt centralized funding for education and essentially removed it from the municipal tax base. This was part of the who does what and uploading of education to the province and downloading of other services to the municipal level. In that switch-a-roo, Harris removed 2.5 billion from education. Education money is distributed from the provincial govt to each board based on a flawed funding formula, where Catholic boards get alot more money per student than public school boards. There is something wrong when 70% of the public who support public schools end up providing a better funded catholic school system. The choice on your property taxes as either a catholic or public school supporter is relevant now only for voting purposes, so that in municipal elections you only get to vote for the school system you support - public or separate. Considering that both Quebec (> than 70% identified Catholic) and NFL (> than 38 % identified Catholic) went to a secular school system along linguistic lines and got a constitutional amendment shows that you can take on the Catholic establishment and WIN. Ontario with 33% identified Catholic (and not demonstratably so as shown with much decline in church attendance) would actually be easier. We don't live in 1867 times anymore, and since 7/10 provinces provide a mainly a secular school systems that are publicly funded, it is time for Ontario to move into the 21st century too. Whose the idiot now?
  38. Journey Man from Ontario, Canada writes: janfromthe bruce writes: We don't live in 1867 times anymore.

    Agreed. If we did then I want my Protestant (not Public) Schools back. Imagine a school system where only good protestants could become teachers, where all the kids sat through classes learning about Martin Luther's grievances against the Papacy, and where they celebrated the Battle of the Boyne & King William of Orange.

    After school all the kids could go out and fight with the Catholics, the Jews, and the Muslims as they were dismissed from their schools.

    Sorry Alexander Jablanczy, but I don't want Ontario to become Northern Ireland in the 1970's. I think that we can do better than that.
  39. Rt. Revd. Malachy Egan from Halifax, Canada writes: Terry Maurice from Guelph: FDR was never weak; never marginalised so do not try to skew my remarks if you are unable to form a sensible rebuttal!

    Kevin Dooley from Canada writes: Malachy Egan writes a load of nonsense... Kevin, I directed this post to folk like you! Please note you have no opinion, your post is unclear and jumps from topic to topic without rational comment and ends with you misquoting Churchill, who in his time misquoted everyone else. Stop believing what you see on television and do some research.
  40. Kim Morton from Qualicum Beach B.C., Canada writes: I feel sorry for any working people who have the missfortune to be represented by a party that puts insects above jobs.
  41. P. B. from United States writes: Pandora Spocks.....if there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is to never say never.

    Kim Morton.....you get the gold medal for exaggeration.
  42. Kevin Dooley from Canada writes: Reverend Egan, I don't watch TV. I think you should stop jumping to conclusions.
  43. Hugh Campbell from Canada writes: Kim Morton from Qualicum Beach B.C., Canada writes: 'I feel sorry for any working people who have the missfortune to be represented by a party that puts insects above jobs.'

    I feel sorry for any working people who have the misfortune to be represented by a party that can't see the forest for the trees ... that can't see the oncoming train ... that plan only for tomorrow, not for next week ...
  44. Kevin Dooley from Canada writes: Rt. Revd. Malachy Egan from Halifax, Canada writes: 'Please note you have no opinion...'

    My Dear Reverend, it my opinion that there are far too many opinions on these boards and that most of them, like yours, are arrived at with far too little analysis. For that reason I often post observations that do not directly draw conclusions. An incisive observation is of far greater value than a knee-jerk opinion.
  45. M Phillips from Canada writes: THe following is a short quote from a recent Toronto Star article on how the Catholic board is feeling a little heat as a result of Tory's promise to extend to all faith based eligible religions.

    'Put all students of different religions in one building together?' asked Nora. 'It would be like Jerusalem – religious wars. '

    Perhaps we need to get religion out of our school system so children can learn to focus on things they have in common so as what Nora above points our will not happen and that is religious wars.

    Here is what a young grade three lad had to say about his Catholic school education and why it is so precious.

    'At Catholic schools we learn about God – but public schools worship a different God.'

    Aren't little kids cute and is it any wonder with such thoughts that they are so far from cute when they grow up and use such teachings to explain away their little religious wars.

    I use to say get religion out of schools and schools out of religion but now I think we need to get religion off our planet.
  46. John Miller from Grand Bend, ON, Canada writes: I wish the anti-religion nuts posting here would make their ignorant comments in public so people could see what the face of secular bigotry looks like. These new ku klux klansmen won't burn a cross on your lawn, instead they poison any discussion with their hateful words and attitudes so believers are bullied into silence. These peddlers of intolerance are too politically correct to go after muslims or sikhs or hindus, instead they excoriate christians - catholic and protestant - and try to shame them for their beliefs while pushing politicans to take away their rights. Small minds may think they've got religion all figured out, but I don't see anyone posting here who I would trust to walk my dog.

    You secular bigots are a disgrace to Canada. Next time the urge to vent surfaces, do take the opportunity to shut up.
  47. Alexander Jablanczy from Sault Ste Marie, Canada writes: It is precisely by opposing the English only city council resolution that I attempted NOT to have a Northern Ireland here and refight wars of religion which has been bad form in Europe since 1648, or rekindlie atavistic ethnic linguistic racial and religious hatreds. Those who bring up these issues they are the ones who want a nice little civil war. No thanks. Leave schools languages constitutions as well by the way lie as sleeping dogs. Some of us dont want to be homogenised into an AmeriKKKan unilingual mush. By the way Trudeau was himself a major fomentor of discord with his asinine repatriation thereby americanising the Canadian British constitution which is of course unwritten. The sham constitution instead of reinforcing the only principle which is its raison d'etre ties any state to false outdated misunderstood concepts. Take the war measures acts whereby Trudeau confused the two meanings of the word apprehended which meant feared not caught a hundred years apart. This permitted him to lie about the extent of the threat which of course was nil. So the good const'l prof gave us a lesson in poli sci we live in a state of suspended tyranny whereby the State can at anytime abolish habeas corpus and the Magna Carta, which of course is the only constitution, all others being redundant. Its principle is a laughably simple concept THE POWER OF THE STATE IS LIMITED, that is the legitimacy of the elected rulers arises out of the will of the people not the collective phantom but real individual persons, voters , citizens, electors. At least that's the fiction. Breach this as Trudeau did then you have no Constitution nor a state but a terror elite using force against its people. Back to the schools. Indeed my taxes support Catholic and French schools because on biological and ecological principles I support variety differentiation not monolithic homogenisation. It is also true that these days it's a good sport to kick Catholics since the farce of Vatican II.
  48. F H from Canada writes: I gave myself a rule this time around. I would only vote for a party that hasn't gotten itself involved in negative campaiging against other parties as I find that infantile.
  49. Barry Johnstone from Vineland Station, Canada writes: If all of the NDP and Liberal voters in this riding would take this opportunity tp switch their vote to Green just this one time you can actually make a difference. It's certainly what I would do if I lived in the riding. Go to it, people!
  50. Still Time for Your Action Read Below from Toronto, Canada writes:
    Given that Leaders will participate in Tue 9 Globeandmail.com on-line 'Q&A' Debate,

    ad hoc organized concerned Ontarians requested from Tory, Hampton, Frank de Jong to support Request :

    -- Orig. Message ---

    Subject:
    'Request for Independent (from Lib Gov.) Commission for and/or Inquiry of Ont '07 Elections Gross Incidents and Irregularities'

    Sun, 07 Oct 2007

    To: PCP_list, NDP_list, GPO_list

    In support of/follow up on one opposition leader's lash at the 'Media' last week, which is absolutely needed and even more forceful was in order,

    we, ad hoc organized concerned Ontarians, are requesting that three opposition parties' Leaders,

    support the following, during their Tue. Oct 9 G&M on-line 'Q & A' debate and/or elsewhere during last 3 days:

    'Request for Independent (from Lib Gov.) Commission for and/or Inquiry of Ont '07 Elections Gross Incidents and Irregularities'

    Claims of Ont '07 Elections Gross Incidents and Irregularities can be grouped into two areas:

    A) Media

    B) Making Mockery of Referendum
    ....
    --------------

    More details, including correspondence with PCP, NDP, GPO and other 'stakeholders' where un-polished terminology, reflecting the 'raw indignations and then some' were used, can be obtained at: 416-352-1323; COPG2007@gmail.com.

    HELP/SUPPORT Req. by contacting (in alpha-order):

    GPO 416-977-7476, 1.888.647.3366, gpoadmin@magma.ca, 416-977-7476, jbrownridge@gpo.ca, 647-444-6941, ahoedeman@gpo.ca, 613-236-7772

    NDP 416.591.8637, 1.866.390.6637, info@on.ndp.ca, howardhampton@ontariondp.com

    PCP 1.800.903.6453, info@leadershipmatters.ca, 416-444-1610, donvalleywest@johntory.ca

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071004.wontelxndebate1009
  51. Josh K from Edmonton, Canada writes: John Miller -- although, despite being protestant, I'd likely be classified by you as being a "peddler of intolerance" and thus would not be deemed sufficiently competent to walk your dog, I'm not entirely sure that I would let someone who starts foaming at the mouth over comments on a Globe and Mail website babysit my kids.

    I'll also add that I find it a tad hypocritical that you attack people for being intolerant and label them as being "disgrace[s] to Canada" simply for not agreeing with your point of view. Forgive us "secular bigots" if we don't think that white Christains are in too much need of help these days...
  52. Volunteer Community from Coast to Coast, Canada writes: Time for MMP in Ontario & Shane Jolley to be the MPP in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound as this is Supreme Solar & Wind Country...

    We've Known Bill Since he was the Warden of the rural County area

    Even the CBC has been watching this riding since 1995 when they did interviews at a Local RedNeck Gun Club, back in the REFORM party days.

    In ALL of Ontario in 1995, the CBC only covered another riding Called Halton, giving the Tory & Liberal Parties 18 minutes of time on Air & maybe a Couple Minutes for the NDP & Green Candidates

    That Time the Tory Candidate turned Out to be a Fiberal with a Fake Video Family, which turned Out to be His Campaign managers or something like that...

    This area shook the tree of government in 1921 by sending Agnes Macphail to Ottawa, the first woman ever elected to the House of Commons.

    Since there is Also a Referendum Going on in Ontario as Well, here's Video as Well Called

    Don Ferguson of the Royal Canadian Air Farce lampoons defenders of FPTP
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu7m8y8dHz4

    Murdoch was the first Conservative to come out and say he would no longer back John Tory's controversial plan to fund separate schools for every religion in Ontario.

    The news of Murdoch no longer backing John Tory's plan was the lead story of the day -- and in response, Tory called Murdoch a "jack-in-the-box" who "you never know when he is going to pop up."

    Murdoch clearly does not have the respect of his own leader or party.

    The fact that Murdoch was the first MPP to break ranks with his party highlighted the trouble he's in Bruce Grey Owen Sound.

    What Will be Even more Ironic Will be if Tory Himself Looses his Own Seat

    Tory had Only one All Candidates Meeting & his Team's Ignorance of REAL Grass Roots matters allowed the Debate to be Held at a School Where the Disabled Could NOT even access the meeting

Join the Conversation, Leave a Comment

This conversation is semi-moderated What is moderation? | How do I report a comment?

You must be logged-in to submit a comment — login now!

Not registered with globeandmail.com? Register now. It is quick and free.

close

Alert us about this comment

Please let us know if this reader’s comment breaks the editor's rules and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.

Do not use this to complain about comments that don’t break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.

Back to top