Monthly Archives: August 2009

Independent Candidates unite to return the democratic process to citizens

According to the following press release there are four ways that Independent Candidates can organize themselves.

Published on Friday, August 14, 2009

LONE WOLF INTELLECTUALS CHALLENGE MAINSTREAM PARTIES FOR A BETTER GOVERNMENT BY RUNNING AS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES (www.democrat.ca)

“First, I would like to thank all of you for participating in what we all hope will grow into something bigger. We are meeting, united in our view, that the domination of politics by the mainstream parties is undermining democracy in Canada. We do NOT expect that we will agree on all issues. But, we do agree that MPs should represent their constituents,” said John Richardson, who has been an Official Agent, and has run as an Independent Candidate at the municipal (technically everybody is an Independent), provincial and federal level.

For the complete article see:

http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1519

Keep the parties out of municipal politics

At least in theory, parties have no place in munincipal politics.  In practice, that is not necessarily true. For example, in Toronto, the NDP has organized hard to elect their chosen candidates (including the current Mayor).

Should parties play a formal and public role in municipal elections?

Here are two points of view:

1. Pro-Party In Municipal Politics

“In Toronto, there already is a party system but it is covert. The NDP already supports a number of councilors (Giambrone, Moscoe, Rae, Bussin Saundercook, De Bearemaker, etc.) plus the mayor.

The problem with this is two-fold:

– the non-ndp-supported candidates are at a disadvantage in a similar way that independent candidates for MP and MPP are for federal and provincial elections

– there is no transparency for the voters into which candidates are supported by the ndp

To say to system works fine as it is though is laughable. The low voter turnout is a direct consequence of a broken system.”

2. Against Parties In Municipal Politics

“Politics in this country dictate that you vote for your representitive; the person you feel best represents your interests irrespective of party.

Too many people in Canada get caught up in the partisan aspects of this and DON’T vote for the person they feel best represents their interests, rather they vote for the party that best represents their national interests.

Municipal politics has been saved from this, and it is silly to suggest that we now go with the party system. Peraonally I think politics would be much more transparent and would function better if me had no political parties at any level.”

Check this out:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/war-of-words-erupts-within-ontario-tory-caucus/article1242239/

http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1394198&sid=2321387b45f3bf6c07dc8db8eb613327

“So much for party unity.

Just a few weeks after being named leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, Tim Hudak has a caucus spat on his hands.

Outspoken Tory Bill Murdoch is slamming his colleague Norm Sterling for suggesting that municipal politics should have a party structure.

Mr. Sterling’s comments were published in an Ottawa newspaper a week ago.

Mr. Murdoch, who now serves as the party’s rural and northern affairs critic, says he completely disagrees with Sterling and that municipal politicians should remain non-partisan.

The feisty Tory was booted from caucus last fall for suggesting that then-leader John Tory find another job, but returned to the fold in April after Mr. Tory resigned.”