Been a While

It's only been... oh, 3 months since I last posted here. I didn't think it was that long. In complete fairness though, I had an election to conduct folks and if you've ever done one, you would know it eats up plenty of your time, thus my absence. Look at me talking about my blog as if so many people read it...

Anyway, the issue now becomes what I do with this blog. Do I continue to post on here? I have a blog on my site and while in the past this was where I commented on political issues, I don't really feel the need as of now. All I seem to do now is talk politics to really anyone who is willing to listen, often for hours. Writing out posts seems to be more of a chore than anything these days. Perhaps this will change, but for now I don't feel the need to write up extraordinary posts.

I'll be back... maybe.

A Brief Note

If you're a voter and you're looking for Grant McLachlan's site to support his 2011 campaign, this isn't quite it. This is actually my personal blog that I started posting to in 2009. It mostly covers provincial and federal issues in our political world with a hint of international and municipal issues. If you're looking for my campaign site, you'll want to go to http://grantm.ca

For those that read this blog: the campaign will be distracting me away from this for quite some time so you'll have to wait a bit until I return. I'll see you on the other side.

The Waiting Game

Countdown to election - 81 days

Originally, I intended for these election updates to be posted more frequently, but until I announce my campaign there's only a certain amount I can disclose. I intended to do my third update about a week ago, but to be frank I had really nothing new to say. Basically, I was in the planning stage, and to be honest, I still am. With that said though, there is progress to report.

Starting from the beginning, the brochure has some gaps remaining, specifically photos of me in the community, remarks by my endorsers and the background design. With that said however, the brochures will be purchased by mid October so it is not one of my biggest worries about the election.

The day to day events have been figured out - specifically where I will canvass and when, along with other campaign event details. Staying with the completed tasks, the platform is done. Now it's a matter of figuring out what my keep points are during the election and how I will bring change, but I think I've found what political superiors would agree is the best route for victory. The only remaining aspect of the platform I must figure out is how to publicize it. I've got a few ideas regarding that. Finally, I've got a pretty good amount of volunteers for the election considering I've yet to go public. I could always use more though...

On the matters that still need work is social media. I've been on Facebook and Twitter for quite some time now and while my support levels there are nothing to be ashamed of considering my campaign is on the down low, I can't help but feel it should be higher. That's a shock, a candidate wanting more support! The drive for more social media supporters as a means of victory through psychology went better in July than in August but I'm assuming once the press release hits the doorsteps of voters that will shoot up immediately.

As for my mood, I'm worried but not so much about the election, yet. I'm more nervous about having everything in place for the announcement date. With just a little more work, everything will be ready.

That looks to be it for now ladies and gentlemen. I hope to be getting some photos of the campaign preparation and me out and about in Langford up within the next few days. Expanding and energizing my social media base will also be a focus. Besides that, there is little left to do. As for when I'll be updating you again on the campaign, it may just be after I announce what position I'm running for.

Jack Layton

Yesterday's news that Jack Layton has passed away after fighting cancer is shocking and saddening. Obviously, my thoughts and prayers are with Olivia Chow and Jack's family.

Jack was one of the principle figures that encouraged me to get involved in politics. It was his relentless fight for a fairer, better Canada that was so inspiring to so many Canadians as we have seen with spontaneous gatherings to mourn this national loss. He gave Canadians the hope that our best days were ahead of us, not behind us.

Jack was elected leader of the NDP in 2003, and through the successive elections of 2004, 2006 and 2008 raised our status to 18% and 37 seats in the House of Commons. As we can all clearly remember just a few months ago in the May federal election, we won 31% and 103 seats becoming Official Opposition for the first time in our history. Jack brought our cause to the status of a national movement from the brink of becoming a political fringe group.

Like most Canadians, I thought he was going to pull through this recent battle. Whether you were an ally or opponent of Jack, everyone recognized he was a tireless advocate for the Canadian people, and his death is a tremendous blow to our nation. I applaud Stephen Harper's move to hold a state funeral for him.

After shedding tears over our loss and coming to tears with the news, I read Jack Layton's final letter to Canadians. It was difficult to read - more tears came. Yet, between those tears, the words spoke to me. The letter did what it was supposed to do. It reaffirmed my commitment to social democracy. Jack's work must not falter now that he is gone. Social justice and equality must be at the forefront of our thoughts as we move forward.

If there is any consolation during this difficult time it is that Jack is no longer in pain. He is now with the angels, his family and even his hero Tommy Douglas. He can now ride his bike into the sunset for an eternity.

Rest in peace Jack. We will never forget you.

Saskatchewan '11: The Writs

Things are not looking good for the NDP in Saskatchewan. With a provincial election this fall, the party appears doomed to be handed an even smaller caucus from the populace as official opposition with their polling numbers dropping.

The governing Saskatchewan Party now holds the support of 58% of the electorate which should give them approximately 49 of 58 seats, an increase of eleven. The NDP meanwhile has dropped six points from their 2007 performance to 31% meaning they should win the remaining nine seats. The Liberals support has shrunk by half and the Greens support has tripled, but polling like this will not result in a third party entering the legislature.

Hope for the NDP must remain strong. With a strong federal election result just a few months before, and our support concentrated in urban areas, along with probable inaccurate polls (one poll every nine months can't be that accurate) must harden our resolve. Keep fighting for a victory Saskatchewan NDP.

Newfoundland & Labrador '11: The Writs

I won't lie to you, the election in Newfoundland and Labrador later this fall isn't going to be the most exhilarating thing in our lives, at least it appears it'll be that way. As Harold Wilson once said, a week is a long time in politics.

Despite a large upswing for the New Democratic Party which is now sitting at 21% support among the electorate, it appears that won't translate into any new seats. The primary beneficiary of the new found left-wing support will be the Liberals. However, even then it will only mean one new seat. At 57% support (which is down 13 points from 70% in 2007), the Progressive Conservatives stand to win 42 of 48 seats this October. The Liberals at 22%, unchanged since the last cycle stand to win 5 seats. The NDP as mentioned earlier will win the only remaining seat for their leader.

Preliminary projections like this are quite disheartening for anyone seeking to oust the Tories. The only hope for at the least a stronger opposition would be for similar voter trends to those in the 2011 federal election, wherein left-wing Liberals abandoned the party to vote for the NDP. Unless that occurs, it looks were doomed for another four years.

One Hundred

Countdown to election - 100 days

I remember when that number was at 500, oh by gone days...

Wondering how the election is going? Well to be honest, no portion of the campaign is faltering these days. Specifically, the brochure is being given a make over from its June incarnation to a much more professional and appealing appearance. Having now pinpointed how many brochures and signs we want and where from, we should be collecting our key materials relatively soon. The campaign account will soon be opened, and most of my questions about advertising have been answered. The website will also soon be in development and be ready for the launch date. The press release is nearly finished and waiting for observation by those in my immediate circle. Finally, four points have been selected as my main platform. Hopefully, they'll appeal to a large swath of the electorate.

As of this posting, one of the few things I am waiting for are the nomination papers. Unfortunately, they won't be out until September. I guess planning for months towards this election has helped me have this small grace period where I'm not too stressed, and there is little left to do. There's a reason I'm feeling more confident too.

With just 100 days remaining until voting day, I feel as if I have learned quite about our electoral process, and how to get a campaign up and running from the ground up. While there have been times of great doubt, I am looking forward to the experience of campaigning from door to door and advocating sensible, progressive policies for our community. It'll be a fun, new challenge, and quite frankly I can't wait to hit the pavement. I can't help but my smile for following my dreams.

In the words of the fighter, Jack Layton - "Together we can do this!"

Prince Edward Island '11: The Writs

Well we haven't heard this in a while: the Liberals are going to win an election. No, you do not misread that sentence. The Liberals should win the fall provincial election in Prince Edward Island easily. The governing party should win 26 of 27 seats with the sole remaining electoral district being represented by the leader of the official opposition, Olive Crane of the Progressive Conservatives.

Since 2007, polling hasn't changed much for the top two parties. The Liberals have hovered around the upper fifties and lower sixties for nearly the entire Parliament. The Progressive Conservatives are sticking between the upper twenties and mid thirties. The only significant difference in polling is between the Green Party and the NDP. The social democratic party has gone from a disappointing fourth party finish last election cycle to now their highest level of support in history. It isn't good news though for the Greens - their support has nearly completely evaporated to 1% among the electorate.

Well there you have it - the least exciting provincial election of the year's projections done. Realize that polling numbers will change, and as a result seats may change hands but these projections should be relatively accurate. I'm doing the projections now because when I would normally do them (October) I will be tied up with an election. Until we see the results on October 3rd, I'm out for Prince Edward Island.

Peace of Mind

Countdown to election – 107 days

It’s been just over a year since I decided I would run in the election. It was at this time last year I had a long discussion with my dad over some archery in Wii Sports Resort about being a candidate. He was very supportive as was my mom. I didn’t know what position I was going to run for at the time – it took me until November to decide on that. Since then, the platform has changed dramatically, the number of supporters has exploded and I’ve begun to explore election costs. I’ve come a long way from my origins in politics back in 2009.

During this July, I was really stressed about the election. While I had secured endorsements, I still had a lot more to figure out. Eventually, I looked for help from political superiors and they’ve been excellent in calming my fears. I now have a date for my public announcement, and my list of things to do until voting day is shrinking day by day. Most of what’s remaining can be accomplished in an afternoon. The campaign has really come together as of late. It blows me away some times.

It is because of this improved position in the pre-campaign period, that I feel more confident about my chances come election day. That’s not to say that I’m overconfident about my chances of victory. There is a constant cycle of confidence and a lack thereof as each week passes. It doesn’t help either when I talk to some friends of mine (not all mind you) about my future plans and they give me the look of “Grant, you’re doomed to failure.” They disguise their fears by telling me I need a back-up plan. It’s really what I need to hear as I begin arguably the most difficult thing yet in my life. I’ll be honest – I don’t have a back-up plan. Regardless of my chances and regardless of what some teachers, friends and political colleagues think about my prospects, I am running in this election. I feel a moral obligation to fight for a society built on equality and social justice, and nothing will stop me from doing that.

In either sense, with a few more bumps to go through on this road, we will soon be ready to hit the campaign trail. Let the good times roll.

Change of Direction

There was a time when I would rant about politics very frequently. 2010, specifically in the summer appears to be magnum opus. For many reasons, I have fallen behind and failed to publish new posts. The most pressing is frankly, a lack of drive to comment on issues. I still hold social democratic viewpoints on the issues of today. I'm upset about David Hahn's pension, Conservative prison expansion despite dropping crime levels and even the issue that started this outpost of thought - the Harmonized Sales Tax. I hold opinions on these issues, but at this stage of my life I feel unable to express them through a three or four paragraph post. I've tried many times, and failed.

At the same time, I am entering a new period of my life. It will be far different than my schedule since 1998 - that is school. If the people permit it, I will begin my career. Perhaps it is my focus on the looming election that has distracted me from provincial and federal issues. In either sense, what I am doing now is not working. The time has come for a change of direction - a fresh start if you will. I'm not ending the blog, but as opposed to solely commenting on political issues perhaps it is time we transition to a more personal experience in politics, my life.

I'm not ending the blog, but there is going to be a change. The design has been altered. In previous posts when I deliberately avoided frequent use of the word "I" to encourage your own political thoughts, now will become more commonplace. Why if you stick around long enough you may even see my personal thoughts from the campaign trail. All the worries, hopes and everything in between - all here.

The fun's just about to begin - it's time you become a part of it.

Quebec, Are You Feeling Alright?

It's safe to say that 2011 has been the toughest year yet for Quebec separatism. Sure they didn't lose a referendum, but their political strength in the House of Commons and the National Assembly of Quebec has been severely cut down.

First there was that historic federal election on May 2nd which brought the Bloc down to four seats from 48. With that result, they lost official party status and therefore the privilege to participate in Question Period. Since then, they have dropped even further (at one point to 3%) in opinion polling. A leadership election is unscheduled and frankly the party is in disarray.

Meanwhile, provincially, the Parti Quebecois, which is supposed to be the "government-in-waiting" (read: official opposition) lost five members to resignations after a controversal whipped vote. Now, the party nearly everyone (including myself) suspected would win in the next election, looks like it might be doomed to the left side of the chamber for a few more years. Jean Charest is one happy man.

While the movement is hitting some severe roadblocks, don't think Quebec separatism is finished. The Bloc does still hold a lot of support among Quebeckers, and while the PQ isn't looking so hot these days the Quebec solidaire, a sepearatist political party, is experiencing their highest levels of support ever. Even the now independent MNAs who left the PQ are expected to form a new separatist political party this fall. The movement isn't out, it's just down. Although a good old vote split would keep the separatist out of power for probably many years to come. Happy times!

Postal Kerfuffle

The House of Commons has been arguing for nearly a day now against the proposed back to work legislation for Canada Post employees. It's been so long, that they're now bound to break an already established parliamentary record of 27.5 hours of continued debate against a bill.
There really is no better definition of a filibuster. As the speeches continue from the left side of the chamber, it's important we look at the shit (because that's really what it is) emerging from the government.

Stephen Harper and his Conservatives hacks have no right to interfere in union negotiations. Yet to then propose a wage hike that was even less than the demands, that is just barbaric. Worse still, there are no provisions to address the growing number of injuries at the workplace. In short the legislation enshrines exactly what the Conservatives are all about - poor wages for the worker, democratic infringement of basic rights, poor parliamentary standards, and arrogance towards true issues of safety.

The NDP has pledged to continue its filibuster against this dreadful legislation, and could if they used all of their available tools, stretch this fight out until next weekend. Meanwhile the Conservatives are now blaming the world's problems on us, and Bob Rae is attempting to make himself sound relevant. The beauty of this battle though is that for the first time in well, about five years, there actually is an opposition to Stephen Harper, not a yelling match that ends with the reds voting en masse with the blues.

Frankly, this is great. This should happen more often. Let's bring the government to its knees. It's important Stephen understands that a majority is not an excuse for him to do whatever he so pleases. He does not have the mandate of a monarch in feudal times, he has an opposition to listen to, and a real opposition too. This is also a great example to the people of the NDP's commitment to unions, and to fight for all working people.

The Demise of the Liberals

To start, I would like to apologize for not posting nearly as often as I used to. In part it was because I had issues with posting some time ago, but perhaps most prominently it's been the fact that I haven't really had much to say since the federal election wrapped up. Granted, graduating from high school is also a fair distraction from ranting. My hope is that in time, I will catch up to the actual date, and once again provide commentary on Canadian politics. With so many provincial, and the terribly important local elections this year hopefully the state of affairs will change soon.

If you are a hardcore Liberal these must be tough times for you. The federal election was, well... disastrous. Michael is gone and Bob is in but in between that Liberal support is also dropping ridiculously fast in Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia. It's also not looking to great for the Liberals in Newfoundland & Labrador or British Columbia.

Here in BC, Christy Clark has brought her back to 41% support among the populace. Not bad considering her predecessor had the personal support of 9% of the electorate just eight months ago. Right behind them though at 39% is the BC NDP. Two percent is according to Ipsos Reid within the margin of error and half the margin between the government and opposition in 2009. Expect excitement here if Christy calls for a snap election in the fall.

In Ontario, there is little good news for the Liberals. In between devastating losses of their base in Toronto, the governing Ontario Liberals who have severed all ties to the federal party are feeling the pinch from voter over presumably the HST. Nearly every week there are more and more retirement announcements from long standing MPPs. For a party that got 42% of the vote just four years ago they now have 26% support compared to the Progressive Conservatives at 41% (read: government-in-waiting) and the NDP at 22%. Who else wants another NDP opposition to a conservative government?

Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador and New Brunswick are all in a similar boat. Despite all three provinces containing a very minimal NDP presence in provincial politics, the Liberals are tied with the party in the latest opinion polling. In Alberta we have 15%, in Newfoundland & Labrador we have 21% and in New Brunswick we have 20% despite having zero seats. It's also a bad story in Nova Scotia where the Liberals who won opposition status in 2009 are now below the upswing third party Progressive Conservatives.

Fear not though defiant Liberals - not all is lost! Prince Edward Island is sure to re-elect you this October and Yukon looks like it's ready for a Liberal government after nine years of conservatism. Things are holding steady in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but in all fairness, that really isn't something to be proud of.

It appears that where centrism is dying as a political flavour, whether it be in the House of Commons, the Atlantic legislatures, Ontario or the Prairies, social democracy is solidifying as its replacement. This may not yet be the end of the Liberals as an effective force, but it sure is looking like it.

The Cream Separator

Below is an excellent anecdote first stated by Tommy Douglas in 1944 on his analysis of the capitalist economic system and its failures. The story is relevant to this day and is the basis of NDP policies supporting state intervention. Hope you enjoy it!

"I used to visit farm homes, particularly around meal time, and if I got around dinner time of course, everybody was busy. They were unhitching the horses. They were pumping the water. They were milking the cows. They were pitching down the hay and the oat sheaves. Somebody else was out gathering the eggs. Somebody else was feeding the pigs and the chickens. Everybody had something to do. Even the youngsters were given a job doing something, for instance gathering the eggs or feeding the chickens. And here I was, right off the city streets. I didn't know what to do, and I said "give me something to do." Well, nobody was going to trust this city boy with milking a good cow. They gave me the one job that anybody could do. They gave me the job of turning the handle of the cream separator.

Any of you ever turned the handle on the cream separator? Well it's quite an experience. I got to be quite good at it. I got to the place where I could tell you how many verse of "Onward Christian Soldiers" it takes to put a pan of milk through this thing. And as I was turning the handle and they were pouring in the milk, and I could see the cream come out and the one spout and the skim milk coming out of the other spout, one day it finally penetrated my thick Scotch head that this cream separator is exactly like our economic system.

Here are the primary producers, the farmers and the fishermen and the loggers. They are pouring in the milk. And here are the workers, whether they work on the railroad or go down to the mines or sail ships or work in a store or a bank, or teach school, clerk in the store, work in a hospital. They are the people whose services make the economy go round, and they're turning the handle. So here you have it: primary producer puts in the milk; people who work with hand and brain turn the handle.

And then I thought, but there's another fellow here somewhere. There's a fellow who owns this cream separator. And he's sitting on a stool with the cream spout in his mouth. And the primary producer and the worker take turns on the skim milk spout. And they don't like skim milk. Nobody likes skim milk. And they blame it on each other, and the worker says, "If those farmers and fishermen, you know would work a little harder, well I wouldn't be drinking this skim milk." And the fishermen and the farmer say, "If those workers didn't demand a forty hour week, and didn't want such high wages, I wouldn't have to live on this blue milk." But you know, they're both wrong.

The farmers and the fishermen have produced so much we don't know what to do with it... we've got surpluses of foodstuffs. And the workers, they've produced so well that today nearly a million of them are unemployed. The fault is not with the worker. It is not with the primary producer. The fault is with this machine. The machine was built to give skim milk to the worker and the primary producer, and to give cream to the corporate elite. As a matter of fact, it doesn't always do that because every once in a while this little fellow sitting on the stool with the cream spout in his mouth gets indigestion. And he says, "Boys, stop this machine. We got a recession!" Hey says to the worker, "You're laid off, you can go on unemployment insurance, and after that on welfare." And he says to the farmers and the fishermen, "You know, we don't need your stuff. Take it back home." And then he sits for a while, indigestion gets better, burps a couple of times, says, "Alright boys, start the machine. Happy days are here again. Cream for me and skim milk for both of you."

Now what the democratic socialist party has been saying to Canadians for a long time is that the time has come in this land of ours for the worker and the primary producer to get their hands on the regulator of the machine so that begins to produce homogenized milk in which everybody'll get a little cream."

It's War!

Well, not literally - but figuratively. Seriously though, chances are that if you are on Vancouver Island you've seen a lovely (sarcasm alert) plant bloom lately with the sun finally emerging from beyond the clouds with our late spring. Don't get your hopes up, I'm talking about scotch broom. It's not a lovely feature of Greater Victoria, and it carpets our scenery.

But scotch broom doesn't just sting our retinas, it also leaves huge holes in our wallets. Every year, the weed costs millions of dollars to farmers and the lumber industry. As we all know, a hit to the governments finances, is a hit to our finances. Yet despite this, scotch broom has only gotten heckled. Nearly no action has been taken to combat this invasion. Mill Hill had massive problems with the plant and after years of patience, the problem is now subsiding thanks to a volunteer organized program.

It's cases like this where government action is needed. Hiring seasonal workers through the city to remove invasive plant species would be a huge benefit for the entire community. It would cost far less than simply procrastinating over the issue and beautify public lands. The program would not be short lived however, as seeds can remain dormant for up to a decade. Thus, this would be a watch-and-see initiative, reliant on community input to report any new or untouched patches. But the problem goes beyond the spectrum of just scotch broom.

Other invasive plant species including English Ivy and the Himalayan blackberry also draw us back. The solution lies within a long-term approach involving a by-law prohibiting invasive species such as scotch broom, English Ivy or the Himalayan blackberry on private property. Then it's a matter of hiring seasonal workers paid at living wage through the city to remove invasive species on public property over an extended period. Then, barring any incredible unforeseen variable, with patience and cooperation among other communities, Langford would solve this problem.

Ontario '11: A Preview

Barring any other snap elections being called this year (cough, British Columbia, cough) Ontario will join Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Newfoundland & Labrador in the long list of provinces holding provincial elections in 2011. Ontario looks like a humdinger too. Who even says humdinger anymore? Anyway, Dalton McGuinty of the Liberals is seeking a third term in office, but it looks like the people won't have it.

In a manner similar to British Columbia (but less dramatic of course), after the Liberals announced the HST their polling numbers began to drop dramatically. The new PC leader, Tim Hudak picked up this enthusiasm for his party. Today, there is a seven point spread between the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. After holding a lead in the polls since August, it appears Tim Hudak will win the provincial election this October on a theme of change similar to Mike Harris' Common Sense Revolution in 1995. That is smaller government, lower taxes and libertarianism whenever possible.

The NDP also seems to be floating above their 2007 results. In some cases, up to 22% of support. Following the immensely successful federal election, most political analysts agree that the Ontario NDP is poised to make some gains this cycle. The Greens meanwhile, after over a decade of increasing their share of the popular vote, appear to be losing support.

Things look grim for the Liberals in Ontario. A Progressive Conservative majority is now within reach, but with the decline of centre at the provincial level, we can remain hopeful that social democracy will rise up. In the words of Jack Layton, "Together we can do this!"

Canada '11: The Results

The Conservatives finally won their coveted majority by stealing a vast majority of seats in the Greater Toronto Area from the Liberals. Outside of the GTA, there were very few gains for the governing party of Canada. In fact, they lost nearly half of their seats in Quebec all of which fell victim to the NDP Orange Wave, or as it should be known now, the Orange Crush. Break out the pop ladies and gentlemen! The national results are as follows:

Conservative Party of Canada - 166 seats (+23) with 40% of the vote
New Democratic Party - 103 seats (+66) with 31% of the vote
Liberal Party of Canada - 34 seats (-43) with 19% of the vote
Bloc Quebecois - 4 seats (-44) with 6% of the vote
Green Party of Canada - 1 seat (+1) with 4% of the vote

The results tonight mark the first time the NDP has ever formed the official opposition, and the first time sinking of the Liberals to third place. This is a huge step towards the establish of a two-party system with the Conservatives and Liberals. Michael Ignatieff even lost his own seat, and I wouldn't expect him to be party leader much longer. Gilles Duceppe, who also lost his seat has resigned as leader of the Bloc Quebecois, after receiving its worst election result ever. Its result of four seats, bars it from party status in the House of Commons. Interestingly, the Green Party won their first seat ever in Saanich - Gulf Islands despite their support eroding to half of its 2008 base.

Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca also fell victim to the Orange Crush with Randall Garrison of the NDP elected MP with a margin of 406 votes over Conservative Troy DeSouza. This marks two successful campaigns, and as much as I hate Conservative majority governments, I don't know if I can handle another campaign as sign coordinator, at least initially.

The results before us tonight are incredible. Like most, I have yet to realize the true potential of our party and our message in the future. So many have converted to our cause, so many have been enlightened, the NDP could by the next election form the government. But until then, we will stick to our values and see Jack Layton as leader of the Official Opposition fighting for us each and everyday. Damn were good!

The Orange Wave

Unprecedented. Phenomenal. Amazing. There are plenty of words you can use to describe the massive surge of support for the NDP since this election began. In British Columbia, we are at 39% support, the prairies have us gaining 2% since the 2008 election. Ontario has us at 27%, while the Atlantic is up 22% to 46% support. Finally, Quebec the lovely province that it is, now boasts the NDP as their first party with 45%, a swing of 33% since the last election.

Overall, these numbers mean good things for the party, social democracy and Canada. Really good things in fact. In fact you could go on to say these polls are unprecedented, phenomenal or amazing. We might as well call those the words of the day. Now, as lovely as votes are, the true measure of importance in our political system is seats. The new seat projections for the NDP are fucking beautiful. As high as 100 seats could be captured by the NDP, most of which falling victim to the Orange Wave in Quebec. It appears we could win a majority of all seats in Quebec, or in our best case scenario, strip the Bloc Quebecois of its party status in the House of Commons. All very good things.

100 seats would easily mean we are the Official Opposition for the first time in Canadian history. MPs from all across Canada: the east, the west, the north, young, and old, all fighting for a prosperous and green Canada where no one is left behind. What a wonderful world we live in. We may not form the government this time around, but with the way things are going, the next election doesn't seem so far off. After all, the Official Opposition is considered the government in waiting...

Campaign Update #4 - EJDF

We are in the home stretch Canada! All of the big signs in Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca are up, and the final preparations for Election Day are beginning. If you want to help, please don't hesitate to call the campaign. Seriously, we need your help. Don't let anyone tell you that this riding won't be close, or for that matter that we won't win. We can do this; we just have to work together.

At first, I must admit, this campaign was quite lackluster. I was hoping for some NDP gains, but it was viewed mostly as a battle between a Conservative minority or majority. Then Quebec woke up and smelt the coffee, and everything changed. Now I am looking forward to Monday night to the prospect of the NDP making significant gains especially in Quebec. Maybe Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca will fall under the Orange Wave as well.

It is inspiring to see so many Canadians embracing social democracy all across this great nation. If we can continue to build on that momentum and deliver it on Monday, we just might see Mr. Jack Layton in the Prime Minister's Office.

Fiscal Prudency

The largest problem for nearly every government past, present or future is finances. It's tough enough to balance the family budget, let alone the governments. It's difficult finding a balance between taxation, social services and the always fluctuating market that is the economy. By diverting funds away from unnecessary projects that will do little to improve our society as a whole, saving cash whenever available, and introducing new social services slowly, every government can achieve and remain in the black ink.

Part of the problem for Langford is a focus on business, and not people. While this can (and in this case does) lead to problems with democracy and environmental preservation it also hurts the city's cheque books. No government should have a debt, or if it does, it should have a transitional plan for it to avoid making repayments decades into the future. Does Langford have one? It doesn't appear so.

To begin a fiscally responsible period in our city's history, we should review the size, effectiveness and cost of city administration. Nothing may come of it, but it is very important to understand how much of the city budget is attributed to organization and the day to day functions of a city. Further investigation should look into (if possible) making better use of our taxpayer's money. Next, we should avoid wasting money on facilities and projects the electorate failed to ask for. That means our many sports fields, and Goldstream Avenue "beautification" was a huge waste of money. In the future, unless we discover gold under every home in Langford, we should think twice before giving the stamp of approval to every flashy, but lacking in substance initiative.

Within only a few quick and painless steps, we have already saved the city millions of dollars. These "new" funds should be put towards a variety of sources. A portion should be put towards emergency preparedness immediately, along with pedestrian safety features near parks, schools and other community centres. The later plan would be only required for one budget, the next progress report on our finances wouldn't require such measures. Next, we should pass a living wage in our community. With the policy in place we should rehire community based policing officers and youth to remove invasive plant species on crown land throughout the city seasonally. Supporting the Goldstream Food Bank should also be placed high on our priority list. Further money should be put towards expanding Langford Trolley service, integrating bicycle lanes and trails, and a bicycle sharing system. Finally, with anything left over, we should invest in the Emily Carr WestShore Performing Arts & Education Centre and other cultural events.

Barring a discovery of fail whale fiscal management and subsequently mass amounts of surplus cash, it's likely that this won't be achieved in one year. To avoid further sinking into debt by divulging translucent cash into these points, one would be wise to immediately begin those cost-saving measures, and slowly transition into this blueprint. Should further problems still remain, a hike in the business tax rate should not be taken off the table.

Supporting families during times of discord, new public safety features, environmental endeavours, cultural advocacy and a sense of organization for times when our wildest fears become reality. It's all under this very social democratic budget in progress. How about you adopt it Langford?