As of the most recent update from Elections Canada, the following parties have one or more candidates registered for the general federal election:
7 Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada
75 Bloc Quebecois
12 Canadian Action Party
46 Christian Heritage Party of Canada
20 Communist Party of Canada
307 Conservative Party of Canada
1 First Peoples National Party of Canada
303 Green Party of Canada
54 Independent
307 Liberal Party of Canada
22 Libertarian Party of Canada
5 Marijuana Party
69 Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada
308 New Democratic Party
5 No Affiliation
10 Pirate Party of Canada
9 Progressive Canadian Party
13 Rhinoceros Party
3 United Party of Canada
4 Western Block Party
Vote Pirate, vote often.
Note: Only the NDP have 308 registered candidates at this point.
Today's edition focus: on-line advertisements and interesting resources.
Resources
How did your neighbourhood vote in 2008? cyberpresse.ca presents a Google Earth/Maps integration of the riding by riding, poll by poll, data from the Canada 2008 Federal General Election. Egads, I'm in a small pocket of blue voters, surrounded by a sea of mostly orange and some red. No green in sight. Look up your riding here.
Scandal Watch
Leaked report tests Harper's claim of transparency, former auditor says (April 12, 2011 - Allan Woods, The Toronto Star) There are a number of reasons to have toned down the wording of a critical report on how the Tories spent a $50-million G8 Legacy Fund, but it doesn't change the fact the government may have broken the rules, says a former federal auditor. [...] Dye said that the Auditor General's office picks its language carefully when crafting reports that are bound to get media attention. The goal is both to remain politically neutral and to ensure that any wrongdoing that is uncovered is abundantly clear to all Canadians.
Federal documents contradict Harper's office on perimeter security talks (April 12, 2011 - The Canadian Press) Months before the Conservative government dismissed talk of a perimeter security accord with the United States as hearsay, senior officials were quietly discussing a draft of the border agreement. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show federal deputy ministers considered a version of the accord early last September. In December, however, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper called such a deal mere "hearsay" and "speculation."
Media Watch
Sun TV, the so-called "Fox News North", will makes its debut later this week, but with one less TV personality on board. Mercedes Stephenson, a noted military affairs analyst, has unexpectedly parted ways with Quebecor's Sun Media just before the launch. It looks like co-host David Akin will steer his show alone.
Meanwhile, yesterday Sun TV and Calgary-based Shaw Communications announced that Sun TV will be available as part of the regular cable station line up - for six months only - for Shaw Cable Systems customers.
Glen McGregor of The Ottawa Citizen unveils the latest Conservative scandal tearing Stephen Harper's "Tim Hortons" every-man image to shreds. Here we see a Conservative Party of Canada campaign war room go-fer bringing back what looks to be seven or eight Starbucks drinks. Seven or eight!
Look for Starbucks vs Hortons to be tonight's principal debate topic.
High and Dry
Michael Geist: In iPod Tax Fight Conceals Another Consumer Copyright Fee Hike today says Conservatives, including the fast talking James Moore, are not being fully honest about copyright enforcement taxes with respect to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaty obligations. #hidingbehindipodtax
Report: Adjusting to a new Era of Parliamentary Government (PDF) - Report of a Workshop on Constitutional Conventions. Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Recommended reading for Stephen Harper - coalitions are not evil. (h/t Susan Delacourt, The Toronto Star, via Twitter)
@gbgorr [CPC candidate] Julian Fantino was no-show for debate hosted by Canadian Association of Retired Persons even though he's Min for Seniors #elxn41
Good job @NellyFurtado! Ms. Furtado is putting a lot of her personal energy into engaging young Canadians (and by virtue of her world wide 2 million plus Twitter followers, many more) in the electoral process, urging them to vote. Every so often tweeted back to Furtado is a poignant reminder of how many around the world are denied the right to vote in peace and safety. #useitorloseit
Harper Hair: How would other celebrities fare if they adopted Stephen Harper's hair? (h/t @natnewswatch)
Bizarre But True
Former president of right-wing advocacy group National Citizen Coalition, Gerry Nichols, says group has lost it's way. This same group was once led by Stephen Harper. Over the past few years Nichols has become more and more critical of Harper and his government. In 2009 Nichols charged that Harper had lost his way and that he yearned "for the days when we had a relatively fiscally conservative leader like Jean Chretien".
Less Broadly Seen Political Advertisements
Leadnow.ca - I'm Voting for Canada - takes the famous beer commercial ad "I Am Canadian" out for a spin in a different direction. (h/t The Strait)
It's Over Steve, Episode One
It's Over Steve, Episode Two
Liberal.ca - Hey Stephen Harper, stop creeping me on Facebook
Colour of Poverty Campaign - Beat it! - aims at politicians targetting the so-called Ethnic Vote. "Don't wanna be an ethnic, be a Canadian. It's time to take a stand, get a ballot in your hand." (h/t Georgia Straight)
NDP/NPD - "Chiens" - Dogs barking with text overlay, translated: "Always the same debates that go nowhere, it's time for a change."
You have a choice - More than Red or Blue doors, makes the argument that the NDP are competitive in one hundred and four ridings (not verified by me).
NDP/NPD "Hamster" - This video of hamster running fast in a treadmill going nowhere, translated says "Politics is going no where in Ottawa, it's time for a change."
Channel Zero: Panellists interview GPC leader Elizabeth May - On April 10th Channel Zero, a group of independent broadcasters including Vancouver Island's CHEK TV, hosted a live Q&A session with May (no other leader accepted the invitation).
Liberal: It's time to stop the Stephen Harper Gravy Tain - in light of leaked Auditor General draft report's conclusions, a timely look at allegations of illegal spending related to G8/G20 meetings in riding of CPC candidate Tony Clement, former Minister of Industry.
Liberal: rap riff written by son of Vancouver-Quadra candidate for re-election, Joyce Murray Viewer discretion advised - this video may upset certain viewers as Brinkmann argues for strategic voting in a way that dismisses the NDP altogether. Had that component of the pitch been cut, this video might be more broadly useful. Hey Baba, why be mean and divisive even as you are making an appeal to voters that they not vote for mean and divisive? #fail
TVO The Agenda: Political Institutions Adrift? - round table discussion. Aaron Wherry of Macleans (an ardent front row seat watcher of Parliament) calls Parliament "a sham".
