[kwlug-disc] Parliament adjourned ... bills dead (again!)?

[Russell McOrmond]

On Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 2:17 PM, Darcy Casselman <dscassel at gmail.com> wrote:

> Oh, I do; don't worry.  But you also have to be aware that your vote
> contributes to an outcome.  And voting for a candidate you think best
> represents your ideals may help generate an outcome that runs counter
> to them.

  Agreed, but trying to second-guess that will drive you nuts and not
likely get something useful anyway.

  I voted for David McGuinty even when I knew more Liberals meant that
might help get Sheila Copps, Sam Bulte, and similar extremists closer
to the Copyright file.  I already knew I was fighting Clinton/Gore era
policy from the USSA, and knew that these folks had similar thinking.

  But outcomes were different -- Sheila was pushed out of her riding
by the Martin Liberals, and Bulte lost in a tight race where
technology folks like Cory Doctorow made a huge difference.


> representative in Parliament.  And, actually, I really like Andrew
> Telegdi who, even though he's kind of bad with tech issues (if the
> run-up to C-60 is anything to go by),

  Do we know this?  Have people from the community kept in touch? Is
he a local MP that will listen to the concerns of local constituents?

  I receive silence from all the candidates but Cathy in the KW riding
last election. I'm not a constituent, and have already received more
feedback this election from Peter Braid than last.

  Has Mr. Telegdi been approached?  Has he been made aware of the
possible issue, and been briefed on policies that might swing
fence-sitters who consider tech issues important to him?

> Even though I tend to support the Liberals, I won't vote for a donkey
> they've painted red and propped up against a podium (as they do
> occasionally).  I'd never advocate anyone else should either.

  Sitting in their offices over the years I've come to the feeling
that there isn't the differences between candidates running under
various banners that the national campaigns suggest there is.  There
may be a big difference between the leaders, but they aren't the folks
running in our ridings.  Some of them have even switched parties over
the year when the leaders have headed in odd directions.

> I would like to agree with you, except that MPs have been increasingly
> marginalized over the years, under both ruling parties, with power
> being consolidated in the PMO.  And lately, parliament as a whole has
> been marginalized, making our voice that much less relevant.  I don't
> believe this should be allowed to stand.

  The way to correct this is to push for strong local candidates.  If
a party I liked ran someone I didn't know in the riding, I would
ignore them.   I want to know that they will be available to me
between elections, not pretend to care during an election.

> The trouble I have with this is Peter Braid is actually really good at
> meeting with and talking to his constituents.  His party, as far as I
> can tell, doesn't give a whit about what he or we think about
> anything.  Even if you might have influence with him personally, he
> can't do anything to change policy once his leader has made a
> decision.

  And you think this will be true of the next leader of that party?
Do you think it was true of all the past leaders in the various
parties that merged to become the Conservative party?

 *IF* you think he is a good local MP, and *IF* you think that Mr.
Telegdi wasn't, wouldn't voting for him be pushing forward the idea
that only the leaders matter and we don't have a say?  I'm not saying
that either is true -- I have never met Mr. Telegdi, and have no
opinion about him one way or the other.


-- 
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
http://fix.billc32.ca/petition/ict/

"The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
 manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
 portable media player from my cold dead hands!"