Valentine’s Day Card campaign clarification

There was room for confusion in my last post.  The Valentine’s Day Cards mailing address is actually a CAPP Ottawa mailing address and CAPP Ottawa has lined up a horse and carriage and are working on a volunteer Cupid. We will make a spectacle of the delivery so that the press continues to cover the issue.

The FB Group is called Valentine’s Day Cards for Democracy but more important is getting the word out with the Event Invitation on that page. If you’re not on FB, our mailing address is P.O. Box 693, Osgoode, Ontario K0A 2W0.

Please help spread this initiative through the various regional sites and with reposts on the CAPP main site. Please collect cards from everyone you know and send them on. Together, we can make this a news worthy event.

Thanks for supporting the cause.

Valentine’s Day Cards for Democracy campaign

CAPP Ottawa wants to heap a pile of Valentine’s Day cards (“I love Democracy” and the like) on Mr. Harper but we need your help.

So far there are only 84 members at the Valentine’s Day Cards for Democracy FB Group. Out of 222,384!?!? Please join the FB Group “Valentine’s Day Cards for Democracy” and forward the Event Invitation to your contacts.

Collect cards from family, friends and co-workers to send on.

Please post the link to your regional CAPP sites. Please repost this request regularly on the CAPP sites since we only have a short window of opportunity for this initiative. Thanks for your help, and let’s get those cards rolling. Cheers.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=449845460461&ref=mf#!/event.php?eid=459823830166&index=1

A Challenge Launched by Another Blogger And Of Course…Other Media Failures

Cross posted @ Sister Sage’s Musings

Well, since the success of the rallies yesterday, many media outlets have covered this. Craig Oliver was impressed. Too bad CTV didn’t send anyone to many of the venues. I never saw them or Global TV at the Montreal event. I heard this was the case at other venues.

Blogging Tories and other Harpercon cheerleaders are scrambling trying to save face. Blogging Tory Craig Smith’s page was particularly ridiculous in explaining the events failed due to the proximity of the photographers when pictures were taken. A common refrain is that they would like to compare the  numbers of the anti-coalition rally (ies) of last year to our event of this year.  Stupid. Apples and oranges, really. Besides, no one can ever provide precise numbers of each and every event,  particularly those where a march and a rally took place. There are always stragglers. There are those who join in the middle of the procession and of course, those who only attend the main event at the end of the line.

Montrealers who listen to CJAD, how about we take bets as to Tommy Schnurmacher trying to  scoff at yesterday’s events and try to tout them as ‘insignificant’ or ‘just some Harper bashers’? How much do you want to bet he calls Canada hypocrites for not setting up and attending anti-prorogation events when the Liberals did it? Yes, I’m afraid Tommy is slipping in his old age and has become quite predictable.

After all, Tommy, like his other minions on the Gang of 4 appears to suffer from Liberal Derangement Syndrome ( I got the term from Pale Cold from A Creative Revolution puts it. Read her piece about Liberal Derangement Syndrome as well as other Conservative mythologies).

Will 1010 CFRB’s John Moore eat his words like he said he would in the National Posties if the rallies succeeded? Clearly, they have. When a veteran like Craig Oliver who has seen and heard everything over the years, uses words like ‘extaordinary’ to describe the events of yesterday, call it a bonus. Johnny boy, it was successful, so when can we expect to witness the event of you eating your own words?

Then, of course, they will call us liars for having promoted this as a non-partisan grass roots movement.

Hell, I love Blogging Tory Monte Solberg’s reverse guilt trip, saying the media spoon fed Canadians to things they just don’t care about. I would refute him directly, but, comments are disabled at his page. Why would that be?? Ok, Monte, here’s a comment, wishful thinking don’t make it so!

Ok, I’m going to give a kick start to your jobs for tomorrow; I’m feeling charitable today. I will speak for the Montreal Event that we did invite Conservative MPs, Senators and other Conservative party members to join us and to even even speak. They declined or didn’t answer our emails.

Another thing, it was a grass roots movement. If politicians were in attendance and speaking, it’s because we asked them to speak. All were offered equal air time. Not our fault if some either refused or didn’t answer.

Over at Section 15, Mark launches a challenge to con pundits, Harpercon cheerleaders and others like minded and other Harpercon minions. Launch your own cross country movement.  Launch a movement in support of prorogation. Set up rallies and marches equipped with colourfully designed signs with witty slogans in support of St-Stevie. Find a group like the Raging Grannies to put on a musical number showing support.

I will add this to Mark’s challenge though: just to keep things fair and to make sure we’re not comparing apples and oranges, but rather apples with apples and oranges with oranges: Same rules apply as our events did. It must be grass roots.  This means, only citizens getting together to organize their events.  No media types. Nothing even resembling Fox News’ 9/12 tea-bagger hit parade.  No politicians. Just citizens getting together and organizing.

Also, make sure to coordinate a date with other Canadian cities.

When you invite speakers, have civilians and different politicians speak.  Your invitations must include all of the MPs, senators and members and a paper trail would be required to proove this at any time if requested.

Then invite the media outfits. One thing though, make sure they’re there solely to cover the events and not promote them as Fox News seems to be guilty of.

Go ahead, tell Canadians how a Harpercon totalitarian regime benefits Canadians, because when Stevie says opposition parties bring down the markets , Jason Kenney saying they can get more done without the opposition, When Tommy, Kim and Don Crook said prorogation is best because ‘they do less damage, they won’t squabble like children’ on the Gang of 4 last Friday, Jan 22, and of course, who can forget last November’s by-election placard slogan in Hochelaga of “de l’action, pas d’election”? It  looks like ambition for a  totalitarian regime and for washed up buffoons like Tommy Schnurmacher and his buddies to say things like what they did on the Gang of 4 sounds like they’re also for it and are spoonfeeding that message to Canadians.

Tommy, Kim, Danny boy:  Do you support a totalitarian regime for Canada? How about the Blogging Tory Trolls: what say you?

Of course,  judging by only a 22 member pro prorogation group on Facebook,  compared to over 200 000 members on Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament Facebook group; I wish you all the luck in planning this event. Let me help you, your fellow Blogging Tory, Tamara of Rightchik, claims to be an event planner extaordinaire.  I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding that blinding near flourescant page of her’s.

So, I say let the games begin! So Harpercon cheerleaders and all other neo-cons who support prorogation, I put it to you. Do your worst! Let’s see your rally (ies).

Speaking of that Facebook group witht that rather paltry membership. Matt Gurney, the next time you feel inclined to whine about censorship  at  the Facebook CAPP group, I suggest strongly you keep that claptrap of your’s shut.  Apparently, over at pro-prorogation on Facebook,  potential members have to request to join, their wall and contents are invisible to all who are not members. I dunno, but that looks like censorship to me. The fact that they’re restricting membership proves they’re afraid of debate.

So, boys & girls of the pro prorogation faction, organize your events. Until then, shut the hell up and be good sports.

Here are some video highlights of the Montreal event from  Matness4dummies’ channel on Youtube. Thanks Matt!

Added Bonus: People outside Canada organized events to support us. Still think our events were a failure? Can you get outside of Canada support for your pro-prorogation events?

No Proroge Demonstration in Newmarket – Pictures – Part 2

Note: This is a copy of a post from madhatter.ca.

Most of the demonstrators marched down to Lois Brown’s constituency office for the second half of the demonstration (my leg was killing me, so I drove). Here’s pictures and comments. Note that even though (or maybe in spite of) being told that we’d be coming, Lois wasn’t in.

Here’s the crowd starting to form in front of Lois’s office:

Crowd forming in front of Lois Brown's office

And another picture, a bit closer. By this point I wasn’t moving very fast

In front of Lois's office

Even Elvis showed up. He was in worse shape than I was, being stuck in a wheelchair.

Elvis in a wheelchair.

The sign on Lois’s office

Lois Brown Office Sign.

Liz with the megaphone!

Liz with the Megaphone.

Nick, one of the other organizers, setting up the amplifier.

Nick setting up the amplifier.

Hardcore protestor carrying two signs.

Hardcore protestor carrying two signs.

People were having a good time, even if it was awfully cold.

People having a good time.

Lots of signs, lots of different messages, one thing in common. No one is happy with Stephen Harper.

No one is happy with Stephen Harper.

Another view of the Anti-Stephen Harper club.

Another view of the Anti-Stephen Harper Club

People paying close attention to Nick as be speaks.

More signs.

More signs.

Proof positive that Canadians are crazy, this young lady road here bike to the demonstration.

Young lady with a bike.

Why did the chicken cross the road…

Why did the chicken cross the road...

We had a pretty good crowd that stuck around till the end.

Good crowd.

I talked to this lady, she is a teacher, and heard about the demonstration from her students parents.

The teacher.

More signs.

More signs.

Another enthusiastic protester, carrying a Canadian flag.

Protestor with flag.

The media showed up – finally.

Media showed up - Rogers Cable.

Another photographer.

Another Photographer.

Rogers Cable videoing Nick – I wonder if this actually got shown on the news?

Rogers videoing Nick.

Elvis waiting for a chance to speak.

Elvis waiting to speak.

The cops – I get the impression that they really didn’t know what to make of us.

The cops - watching.

In closing – Liz says some final words.

Final words.

Again, thanks to Nick, Liz, and whoever else helped organize this.

Wayne Borean

Sunday January 24, 2010

No Progue Rally in Newmarket Yesterday – Part One

Note: This is a cut and paste from madhatter.ca, if you’ve read this you don’t need to read the original. Happy protesting!

*****

Ah, the pictures finally finished uploading! Here’s the demonstration as we arrived at 1:00 PM

Start of the Demonstration

We started of by singing Oh Canada – pardon my somewhat cracked voice!

As you can see, everyone was wearing Canadian High Fashion for January.

Lots of coats and toques

I personally think that we had about 250-300 people attend. I did try to count, both at the time, and from the pictures, and I’m pretty sure that there were at least 250. The 300 for the top end is just a guess.

Another view

Here’s an image from the back of the demonstration, the building you can see behind everyone is the old Newmarket Town Hall.

Newmarket Town Hall in the Background

Here’s an image of a sign, this person is clearly not impressed by Stephen Harper, or his MPs.

Tory MPS - Harper's Puppets - No Guts - Liars

And a sign in French – yes, Non means no.

Pro-Democracy, not Pro-Rogation!

Pro-Democracy not ProRogation

For Sale – Acounntability

For Sale - Accountability - Call 1-800-HARPER for details!

There were a lot of Canadian flags of all sizes in evidence.

Canadian Flags

Recalibrate this – we want our democracy back now!

Recalibrate this - We want our Democracy back now!

I think the implication of this one is clear enough for even a politician to understand!

Want my vote?

Accountability – a broken promise! For those who aren’t Canadian, one of Stephen Harper’s campaign promises was accountability, so he shouldn’t complain if we call him on it.

Accountability - a Broken Promise

Someone donated a pickup truck to the cause, and of course it got plastered with signs.

Pickup covered in signs

More Canadian flags, and the obligatory liquid hand warmer.

More Canadian Flags - and a cup of coffee!

I never did catch this gentleman’s name, but he did most of the announcements, and did them very well. I was wishing I had his beard by the time the demo was over. It looked warm.

The Announcer

A rather pointed question directed at the Member of Parliament for Newmarket-Aurora, Lois Brown, Conservative.

Question for Lois Brown

And a very simple question – Where’s the Justice?

Where's the Justice?

You Prorogue, we Protest. Catchy slogan!

Your Prorogue, We Protest

Another speaker, the Regional Councillor

Regional Councillor

Overall it was a nice and sunny day, if a bit cool. As I said in my earlier post, protests in Canada can be pretty cool. In more ways than one

Sunny, but cold.

This protestor didn’t seem cold.

Warm Protestor

One of the speakers pointed out the Infrastructure plan sign in front of the town hall. It’s worded so that you’d think that the Harper government is solely responsible, and doesn’t mention that it was funded by our tax money, and only implemented when Canadians complained about a lack of action by the Government.

Infrastructure Program Sign

Another protestor who wasn’t having issues with the cold, and was carrying two signs

Golden Retriever Protesting

How About Some Respect? The rather pretty young lady carrying the sign hid her face behind it for the first picture, but finally agreed to lower the sign.

How About Some Respect?

There was a petition of course, asking the Governor General to reverse the Prorogation of parliament. The rules are that the Prime Minister can ask the Governor General to Prorogue parliament at any time. The Prime Minister has to provide good reasoning, and the Governor General is supposed to act in the best interests of Canada in making her decision.

But apparently the Governor General can reverse the decision, if giving reason too, and thus the petition.

Petition

And of course, the police. They provided an escort on the march to the office of Lois Brown, the local Conservative MP.

York Regional Police

The start of the march.

Start of the March

The lady in the maroon sweater with the coffee is Liz, who did a tremendous amount of work putting this all together. Thanks Liz!

Liz

Canadian efficiency – two people signing the petition at once. Wonder if it has anything to do with the cold?

Two Signing

Anyway, I’m splitting this post here, will continue in the next post with the events outside the constituency office of MP Lois Brown.

Wayne Borean

Sunday January 24, 2010

Montreal Event a Success!

Indeed it was! In spite of the early hour and the cold, we did have a decent turn out somewhere between 700 -1000 folks (a few hundred joined in later at end venue), according to what I as told.  There were merchants and passersby offering support. The police didn’t even get out of their cars. We made noise along the Dowtown streets.  We were very well organized.

Marc Garneau, Liberal MP & Quebec Lieutenant, Prof  Daniel Weinstock from Universite de Montreal–the author of  that letter written by the intellectuals (I know, Stevie likes ‘em illiterate), Thomas Mulcair, NDP MP, a Bloc MP (didn’t catch his name) & Gilles Duceppe spoke at our rally. Each expressing themselves eloquently.

Justin Trudeau and his young son were out marching, but he didn’t speak. He was just  a part of the crowd. I’m sure there were other politicians, but I didn’t see or recognize them.

Philippe Viel of Alter Citoyens and our videographer may have caught some, the video should be posted on line soon. Merci Philippe et sa copine (I’m sorry, I don’t know her name).

Of course, we had the musical stylings of the Montreal Chapter of the Raging Grannies, who rocked Philip’s Square in spite of the icy conditions around their stage area. A feisty bunch indeed.   I have to say that these ladies who are 60+ for the most part have more energy than a lot of today’s youth.

Matthew Angelus, a Universite de Montreal student, who led our organizing committee and was instrumental in putting this whole thing together was the last of our eloquent speakers, representing the Canadian citizens. We owe him a big thank you, because, without him, this would never have gotten off the ground.

It was all impressive. Everybody together from different affiliations.

Of course, the man who negotiated with the Police, got a lot of our equipment and led the chants, Mathieu Perron; without whom, the damned event would surely have been too subdued. Thanks to him, it was a loud event to get the merchants and passerby’s interested in checking us out.

Thanks to all the MPs and Professor Weinstock and of course, the Montreal chapter of the Raging Grannies.

Un gros remerciement a tous qui s’est presente! Thanks all for coming! Together we showed the coporatist media wrong. Canaidians do care.

I understand there are other events going on now across the country and the folks out west would probably be starting anytime soon, due to the time difference between Central Canada and them. I would like to wish them well and a success for their events.

Most of all, I hope we keep the momentum going; that we don’t go away so fast. We should not lose our voices to those of the commentators discussing luge record times and world hockey.

There is a CAPP second wave group happening on Facebook. For those on Facebook, please join it.

Once again, thank you all for making this a success!  Merci a tous pour le succes de cette manifestation!

Not polite enough for an event …

Canada Vote Song (Banana Boat song)
Excerpt:

Pro rogue  Pro rogue
Harper say that he’s gonna  go home
He say go and we say No!
He say go and we say No!
Pro rogue  Pro rogue
Harper he cry and he wanna to go home

We say work and no prorogue!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
Stay in Parliament, don’t you fold!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

Come Mr Harperman, Harperman you lazy
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
Come Mr Harperman, Harperman you lazy
Harper he cry and he wants to go home

If MPs don’t like their jobs
They shoud quit,   then they can go home.
Those MPs that run and hide
They shoud quit,  then they can go home.

Lots of work on 36 bills
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
Harper throw it all away!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

Pro rogue  Pro rogue
Harper he say that he’s gonna go home
He say go and we say No!
He say go and we say No!
Pro rogue  Pro rogue
Harper he cry and he want to go home

Harper  say that he needs a break
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
He wants more Senators like sly old snake
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

He don’t want no questions on Afghanistan!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
Polar bears are drowning, he don’t have a plan
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

OK Harper, if you want to quit!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
Then don’t come back, we don’t care a bit!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

Go home    Go home
Harper say that he’s gonna go home
If you go home then don’t come back!
If you go home then don’t come back!
 Go home   Go home
If you go home then don’t come back!

He got not courage and he got no ___
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
He’s scared they ski at Whistler when his government falls
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

Hey everybody make up a verse
Harper he cry and he wanna go home
He  prorogues and makes things worse!
Harper he cry and he wanna go home

Etcetera……

Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament Rally – Toronto Edition

Originally posted on http://ColinLeFevre.ca/

As Canadian as you can get. Tim Horton's and all.

First off, this was actually my first protest/rally experience in my almost 25 years on this earth… and this was certainly not by accident. For the most part I am against the concept of protests. I feel they often get out of hand, get off point, and are generally ineffective.

That said, why did I attend this one? Well, it was for a cause I truly believe in, but moreover, I knew that with the large numbers that were expected for this rally I felt it actually could make a difference. Now honestly speaking, I have absolutely zero expectation of these rallies changing Stephen Harper’s policies, but I definitely do think it will motivate the opposition parties knowing so many Canadian’s are behind them and moreover will motivate Canadian voters to vote against Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. This is why I attended this rally.

Now, was it successful? Well, in Toronto I definitely think it was. There were definitely thousands of people out at Yonge-Dundas Square, numbers I have heard ranging up to 7000 and that is a number I would absolutely believe. It was a gigantic crowd. I was impressed. Canadians are disappointed with Stephen Harper’s blatant sidestepping of the democratic process, and today we were heard loud and clear.

The crowd had many great/amusing signs, but there was one thing in particular that did bother me – the NDP’s overbearing presence (in terms of signs) at a rally that was specifically designed to be non-partisan. The Green’s and Communist Party (yes, the Communist Party) had signs there as well, but there was no party as obvious as the NDP. I actually only saw one Liberal sign all day, which I was impressed by. The NDP didn’t seem to understand the concept of a non-partisan rally, and this disappointed me as I feel their blatant partisanship hurt the message of the rally.

I thought this was non-partisan, Jack?

Beyond that I was certainly a little confused by strange songs at some points (Oh Canada to anti-Harper lyrics offended me a little) and some more radical speakers than I wouldn’t generally agree with, but for the most part the rally was a very positive experience. I would say, other than those few minor points I was very impressed with the rally today. We got a huge crowd, which was for the most part happy, peaceful, good spirited, sometimes amusing, and appropriate for kids. I always fear protests can get a little extreme and dangerous, but today’s protest stayed safe and good spirited.

In the end, and despite the minor gripes I did have, we held over 60 separate rallies across the country – and the reality is that today we got our message out. I hope the media coverage tonight is strong, because Canadians who were not out deserve to know what was going on today and why. Stephen Harper – I know you wanted Canadian’s to not care that you decided not to show up for work, but we do. You’re not doing your job, and we are not happy. Now Canadians need to stand up in the next election and show their frustration at the ballot box.

Hey Steve, look at the crowd. We do care. Too bad for your anti-democratic agenda.

The Waterloo Rally

The Waterloo Rally got underway at 11:00am with a great turnout!

Tomorrow’s Rally In Montreal and Media Failures

Crossposted at Sister Sage’s Musings

Yes! We have been blessed!!   Gracing Montrealers (& the rest of Canada who will see pictures &/or film footage for that matter) with their presence will be Marc Garneau, Liberal MP & the Quebec Lieutenant; Thomas Mulcair, the one and only Montreal NDP Mp, and Professor Daniel Weinstock of Universite de Montreal will be speaking.  Also, songs and dancing from the Montreal Raging Grannies. There is another group (I’m sorry, their name escapes me right now).

I am especially happy that Gilles Duceppe will be making an appearance. No, I’m not a separatist, but as most of my readers know, I had been concerned about the lack of interest amongst French Quebecers up until now. Whoever succeeded in reaching and inviting Gilles Duceppe, Thank You/ Merci beaucoup! C’est tres apprecie!

I was also concerned about the seemingly laissez-faire attitude of Gilles Duceppe, who at the time, only gave us a tweet of a reaction from his Twitter account. I always believed if Gilles Duceppe came out and reacted as he did when he announced support and cooperation with last year’s coalition government, all Quebecers would be enthusiastic about protesting. The rally for the coalition attracted quite a few folks, included separatists at Guy Favreau Centre last year.

That post did get quite a reaction over at noprorogue.ca.  Quite a bit of anger really. I (as well as others, I’m sure ) would have liked that anger channeled into what Stevie did, to all of us, no matter where we lived, what political affiliation or what language we spoke.

Now, it looks promising for tomorrow. I am now confidant we will have a great turn out. I also know there will be a great turn out at most of the venues, anyway. Sixty towns and cities is already a big thing.

Yah, Blogging Tories and Tommy “I like prorogation because it means no new taxes”  Schnurmacher, of CJAD 800am (Astral radio, naturally, just one of the right arms of the Harpercons & Tax-phobic Tommy & Chickenhawk Ric Petersen & his unabashed support for Blathering Blatchford are the cheerleaders) & Harpercon shill and others like him: get with the technology. This is the new activism. Most Canadians don’t want prorogation.

And Tommy, when you can’t spin, spoonfeed, or deflect and distract: move on to something else. Don’t berate, shove words down the throats of and call callers despicable who disagree with you, and don’t humiliate your co-workers, just because they joined a facebook group you don’t like. there, Tommy! Here’s a hint, you really should apologize on the air for your ill behavior as of late.

Speaking of  Conservative media against prorogation: I can’t believe I’m saying this: Congratz to Ryan Doyle for speaking on the air against prorogation. I sincerely hope that you will attend a rally near you.  As stated before, the cross country rallies need all affiliations; that means Conservatives welcome.  Quite a coup and a rarety: a conservative talk show host surely of a minority of  his brethren.

Speaking of Conservatives,  we invited Conservative MPs, local politicians and senators: they have not responded. I do not want to hear that this is an exclusively lefty movement.

Hope to see large numbers at all the venues tomorrow.

Esperons de vous voir nombreux a tous les evenements demain!