As everyone knows by now, in the end Calgarians decided to send my old bosses Kent Hehr and Darshan Kang off to Ottawa to represent them in Parliament. I couldn't be more thrilled for either man, and I know they'll represent their constituents very well indeed.
Sometimes I still feel a little sad that I've mostly pulled away from politics, particularly at election time. I did a tiny bit of work for Kent's campaign this time around, mainly handling some correspondence, and I'm very grateful I had the opportunity to do so.
I know Darshan and Kent will have a million things to do as they slip into their new roles, but I do have a few requests, in no particular order:
Sometimes I still feel a little sad that I've mostly pulled away from politics, particularly at election time. I did a tiny bit of work for Kent's campaign this time around, mainly handling some correspondence, and I'm very grateful I had the opportunity to do so.
I know Darshan and Kent will have a million things to do as they slip into their new roles, but I do have a few requests, in no particular order:
- Renegotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership and stand up for fair copyright terms.
- Protect net neutrality.
- Repeal C-51.
- Launch an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women.
- Un-muzzle Canada's scientists.
- Fund the CBC properly, so they can do their job.
- Get serious about fighting climate change.
- Move us toward a transferable ballot before the next election.
- Increase contributions to the Canada Pension Plan, a good Liberal idea that died before it could be implemented.
- Bring back the mandatory long-form census.
Of course none of this can happen overnight, and I know both Kent and Darshan have plenty of their own ideas to build a better country, and there's lots of good stuff in the Liberal platform. But a few additional ideas can't hurt.
Wow, that is quite a list, and funny how much of it is essentially un-doing the work done by the former governing party! And I agree with all your choices, although I would need to research 'transferable ballot' to be sure; if it is similar to preferential voting, I'm in.
ReplyDeleteOh, and let's not forget cancelling that RIDICULOUS F-35 purchase; I know we need replacement jets, but that selection should have resulted in an inquiry and jail time. Way better (and cheaper!) options for Canada out there. http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-right-fighter-for-canada-is-the-super-hornet-not-t-1587492909
ReplyDeleteTax credits for the Arts. I do want to see the CBC get more funding, but the simple act of making tax credits for Canadian Arts competitive with the breaks that other first, second, and even third-world nations give their artists would be an economic boon that would pay dividends both in culture and the economy. cough cough Ireland cough cough Australia cough cough New Zealand cough cough USA cough cough Mexico, etc.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I can go tell my sob story to my own arts-impaired MP, I don't need yours for that. Would have been nice if my segment of the economy had been explored this election beyond ninety million dollars' worth of television attack ads, but baby steps, I guess.
Maybe when the children that finally grow up from national day care (proposed) themselves go into arts-based careers, there will be a boost in arts funding awareness. Until then, Canadian artists will just have to get by on crafting fearmongering attack ads and settling for the occasional soul-killing desk job.
All excellent suggestions.
ReplyDelete