The possible election of Wyatt Scott to Parliament will not sway the potential power struggle in Ottawa. If Scott's unusual election ad does give him the nod in the Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon riding in British Columbia, campaign managers will pay more attention to unconventional ads.
"University is too damn expensive."
Viewers will pick up on the unusual elements in the 60-second ad, which include a goose, dragon, and a robot. Scott has a message within the visual spectacle.
"Services like health care and social programs should be expanded, not cut."
Scott says "Change is coming to Canada" and that has a ring similar to the NDP message. Scott has been quoted as saying he previously worked for the B.C. NDP.
A good ad is just that: entertaining in a clutter of somewhat stale political ads. The candidate matters more than any ad. Wyatt Scott did break through with a message that a lot of Canadians would like to see in the next Parliament. Time will tell whether Scott will be part of that change.
Canadian election 2015: Debating about debates
In our debate update, NDP leader Tom Mulcair is pulling out of the English language broadcast consortium debate.
We are disappointed for several reasons. All party leaders should be eager to debate anytime anywhere. Mulcair fell into Stephen Harper's trap and made himself look foolish. Mulcair knew Harper wasn't going to show up. Taking shots at an empty chair would have been good theatre, but now Mulcair won't be there to take those shots.
Mulcair will participate in a French-language Radio-Canada debate with Harper, Elizabeth May (Green Party), Justin Trudeau (Liberals), and Gilles Duceppe (Bloc Québécois) on September 24.
The NDP will also be at a bilingual Munk debate on foreign affairs on September 28, though May and Duceppe are not invited. The CBC is trying to broadcast the Munk debate, according to reports.
Stephen Harper calls very early election
"He (Stephen Harper) has consistently limited the capacity of the public to understand what its government is doing, cloaking himself and his Conservative Party in an entitled secrecy, and the country in ignorance."
Esquire columnist Stephen Marche had a really nice opinion column in The New York Times, summing up the small yet meaningful reasons for what has changed in Canada under the Harper Government.
The Closing of the Canadian Mind picks away at Harper's shift in how the Canadian government operates and not for the better of Canada.
The war against science from the Harper Government has been an underreported story, especially in Canada. Scientists normally on the sidelines are speaking up, when they can. There is a desire to protect the oil, key to the base of the Conservative Party. But Harper's muting of scientists makes Republicans down south a bit jealous. "(Harper) has been dedicated to protecting petrochemical companies from having their feelings hurt by any inconvenient research," Marche said.
When Americans are asked why they should care about the 2015 Canadian federal election, this essay has a few relevant reasons. This election is about the impression Canada has within its borders and around the world.
Canadian politics coverage on CanadianCrossing.com
Nigel Wright didn't come out smelling good in his testimony in the Mike Duffy trial. The testimony also impacted many on Stephen Harper's staff who knew about the $90,000 payout from Wright to Duffy over Senate expenses, and yet are still employed by the prime minister.
Ray Novak was then Harper's principal secretary and was copied on numerous e-mails knowing what was going on between Wright and Duffy. Novak is now Harper's chief of staff.
Trudeau has called upon Harper to fire anyone connected with the matter. Mulcair said to fire the person responsible for action in the Prime Minister's Office: Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
video credit: YouTube/WyattScott_MMFC
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