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Joe Shlabotnik

Joe Shlabotnik's Journal
Joe Shlabotnik's Journal
December 14, 2011

Do you feel that our current (Canadian) parties represent you?

Just thought I'd start a really wide ranging discussion topic, to kind of see where everyone is at in this group. I'll go first.
I'm extremely left of centre, but that said I'm not necessarily anti-capitalism, I just strongly believe in a social contract that allows people to gain wealth but also raises the standards of living that create an environment for creating wealth. Exploitation of labour, and natural resources is not honorable, sustainable or equitable.

I think the Conservative party is solely bent on selling Canada by the pound to the highest (typically International) bidders. They use wedge issues, fear mongering (omnibus crime bill) and increasing militarism (Lybia, F-35's etc) to confuse and divide the populace. Now with their majority position, I expect complete opacity from them, and a chilling effect on free speech and civil liberties. They are truly the party of small penises.

The Liberals are what the Conservatives used to be. All of the parties (just like in the USA) have shifted right. I think Liberal voters like the idea of fiscal conservatism but are generally easy-going people on social issues. The mean spirited Conservatives scare them a little. However the Lib voters haven't been too concerned about the wholesale liquidation of our national assets. Although Mulroney started Free Trade, the Libs picked up where he left off, and continued the sell off, and loss of manufacturing jobs.

I have always supported the NDP, (except the odd strategic vote to prevent a conservative). Sadly I think their recent success was largely due to Layton's charisma, and the implosion of the Bloc, and the Federal Libs. I think they too have moved to the centre and lack bold ideas. I am afraid that (like the Libs) they can be prone to over-legislating us into a nanny state, (Photo radar in Ontario for example).

I think the only notable mention about the Green party is their environmental idealism, and their concept of re-integrating government issued money (as opposed to bank-created debt) back into the economy. I think technically the the NDP held this view also, but suspiciously never talk about it.

So thats my 2 cents. I guess for now I'm 'stuck' being an NDP supporter, and will never support the Libs or Cons, because they don't share my values (not even remotely). Hope to hear from some others in this group: Canada is a Big and Diverse country, so I'm sure there must be a lot of opinions!




Profile Information

Gender: Male
Home country: Canada
Current location: Rust Belt Ontario
Member since: Fri Sep 23, 2011, 09:36 PM
Number of posts: 5,604
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