Apologies For Recent Spam

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PRESS RELEASE: Stop Talking About Political Reform and Start Listening For It

Nov. 22, 2006
Toronto, ON -- Progressive Canadian Party president Jim Love issued a statement to the media today attempting to clear up what Love characterized as a "glaring misrepresentation" in both the media and the publications of one of the political parties involved in the London by-election.

"It came out in a conversation we were having with a representative from Fair Vote Canada," said Love, "where it came up that there were so few women in senior roles in political parties. We had to once again point out that there are a lot of very capable women in politics. The problem is, they aren't leading the so-called "big four".

"I thought, how will we ever achieve "proportional representation" if we can't get women's voices heard in proportion to their presence in the political process? When they come forward to lead parties, they are marginalized by the press and even organizations that that purport to support the idea of more diversity in the electoral process."

Love pointed out that there are actually 6 leaders of federally registered parties:
-Liz White, Animal Alliance;
- Sandra Smith, Marxist Leninist;
- Connie Fogal, CAP;
- Barbara Wardlaw, First Peoples;
- Tracy Parsons, Progressive Canadian; and
- Elizabeth May, Green Party

Tracy Parsons, Leader of the Progressive Canadian Party was clear that she was against playing what she termed the "gender card". "But when I see organizations like Equal Voice, where I am a member, listing Elizabeth as the only female federal leader, I felt that Jim was right in taking this to the public’s attention."

Love, himself an avowed feminist, was critical of May for perpetuating the myth. The following is a quote from the Green Party website "Elizabeth is the only female leader of a national political party."

"Ms. May is well aware that she is not the only female leader in this country and I'm more than a bit shocked that she would allow this on her website and repeat it in public". stated Love also referring to a recent event in London where Ms. May referred to herself as the only Federal leader."

Love noted, "I'm certainly not afraid to say that there are 6 female federal Leaders in this country. I may not agree with their politics, but I'm very proud of their courage, and not afraid to talk about them."

Parsons, who noted that she is not looking for support as a "female" stated that she is concerned that this might mislead voters who might be inclined to support "the only" female leader. "Ms. May should be trying to get votes based on her platform, her merit, not by playing the "female" card and not even telling the truth in the process. I'm supporting Steve Hunter in this riding, not because of his gender, but because of his talent and his integrity."

Parsons went on to state, "A lot of people are talking about integrity. How about we start acting with some integrity. Our party has a stated program to encourage diversity from across the spectrum. That’s the type of thing that should be reflected across the entire political system. Equal voice needs equal time."

The Progressive Canadian (PC) Party is a registered Federal Political Party comprised of progressive-conservative minded Canadians rebuilding from the roots of the former Progressive Conservative Party.

From the top down...

It really gets to me when certain individuals interested in our party say that they will wait to see if we, "pick up momentum". There are many people that currently hold memberships with the Conservative party that are not happy with the direction the party is taking, but are far too removed from the Liberal Party to join with them.

It is sad that the right-of-centre alternative (that is Progressive Conservative) is still available, under the new Progressive Canadian banner, but still many of our potential members feel that they are better to sit with the CPC instead of working with us to rebuild the centrist alternative.

We are a socially progressive and fiscally conservative party. The new Conservative Party is not socially progressive.

However, if history is of any use, it will be that a party that does not respond to it's membership and a party where most decisions come from the top down, is destined to fail. I patiently await the self-destruction of Harper's Conservatives. Just as the Canadian Alliance/Reform party eventually led the takeover of the Progressive Conservative Party, we will eventually take the centrist membership from the CPC.

Slowly, surely, and patiently, we will rebuild the Progressive Conservative alternative.

Have Canadian Values Changed?

I don't think so. Perhaps certain Harperites would like to think so, but I tend to disagree.

Harper and Co. have already reduced the basic personal exemption rate (putting an exceptional amount of families back on the tax rolls), raised taxes for Canada's lowest-income earners, and now have cut funding to many programs that need the funding most.

The biggest lie behind it all, is that they claim that this is "being responsible with taxpayer's dollars." These cuts only account for about 0.5% of total government spending.

I don't know about others, but if I was working to save 0.5% at my income level, I would make one less stop at the local McDonald's every month.

Worth a thought...

First there was this.

And now this.

Could the Conservative Party be heading down a path of destruction with these new rules? It seems to me that these new rules give too much power to the national level, and takes away control from the grassroots. Not listening, nor responding to membership can be very dangerous indeed. Isn't it this sort of behaviour that destroyed the former Progressive Conservative Party?

Softwood an Issue of Confidence

"As such, and because of its fiscal measures, the vote on this will be a confidence measure."- PM Stephen Harper

Could he be hoping on obtaining a majority if the government falls? Is he hoping that he will be able to put the fault of this election on the opposition parties since the majority of Canadians do not want another election called?

Risky business I must say. The latest polls have been showing that support for the Conservatives is actually dropping, putting them neck-and-neck with the grits in some regions.

With any luck, Harper will lose even his minority government. Hopefully the leaderless grits can organize a better campaign this time around, and attack him where he is most vulnerable.

HIV/AIDS: "Too Politicized"-Harper

The Conservative government will not be offering any announcements with regards to the fight against HIV/AIDS as the issue has become "Too Politicized", according to PM Harper.

In addition, the Conservative government is not offering assurance that the federal approval will be granted for the Safe-Injection program in Vancouver, which offers drug users clean needles to help reduce the spread of HIV.

"Too Politicized"? Call me cynical, but I think that this is just a way of buying time in hopes that they can come up with a funding package that will help to buy back support after all of the negative press they received on this issue.