I can't believe Jack's gone...

Honourable Jack Layton, 1950-2011


It is a sad day for Canada, as Jack Layton was one of the most rooted, devoted and passionate politicians Canadians have seen in a long time. Regardless of whether you agreed with Layton's politics, his tireless efforts on behalf of regular people were to be deeply admired, and his recent breakthrough in Quebec was nothing short of revolutionary.

In the tradition of Tommy Douglas and Ed Broadbent, you served your country well, Brotherman.

We would be remiss if we did not take this opportunity to state that NOW is the time to consolidate Jack's gains made in recent months and years, and the only way to do this is for all politically progressive Canadians to demand a merger of the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Green Party of Canada.

If PEI can arrange this union at the provincial level initially, then Prince Edward Island will not only be the Birthplace of Canadian Federation, but also the inspiration for Canada's renewal.

Charlottetown Calling... to the far away towns!

Chinese Photo Sensation highlights North American egalitarianism

President Barack Obama, USA Ambassador to China Gary Locke


In Canada and the United States, we expect our politicians and public figures to be reasonably humble and to be able to perform many tasks on their own. This photo of the new USA Ambassador to China buying his own coffee at an airport Starbucks, while wearing a backpack, has sent shockwaves through China's population, with citizens asking "why can't we manufacture this type of leader?"




Each time we make a trip around Our Sun, the Earth gets a wee bit smaller.

Viva Libya VIVA!!!

Congratulations to all freedom fighters in Libya! May your days ahead be filled with wisdom and joy, compassion and enlightenment.

Let Ijtihad (independent thinking) emerge, secular government arise, and most promisingly for the Libyan people, encourage an active democracy and help constitutional rule of law prevail!

Plea to Jack Layton: UNITE the progressive Canadian forces!!!

Jack mon ami, you have created significant momentum for both progressives and federalists in Canada, with your strong showing of support from Canada's youth and Quebecois. How best to capitalize on and solidfy that momentum?

Call up Elizabeth May and ask if she is open to beginning merger negotiations, as a Green Democratic Party of Canada, with social justice and ecology as platforms, will serve to unite the various progressive folks in our beautiful, inspiring nation.

This is something your constituents want, and will elevate your place in Canadian history. If you can do this for Canadians, you will be remembered alongside Tommy Douglas, who is not only the founder of free health care for Canadians, but also a driving force behind the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) with the Canadian Labour Congress to form the New Democratic Party, with Douglas elected as the NDP's first federal leader (1961 to 1971).

C'mon Jack and Liz, let's get this Party started!

360 Video of Vancouver hockey riot

This new video captures a 360 degree perspective of the Stanley Cup aftermath riot, check it out and send the link to your friends email list!!!

Liberals / NDP merger a non-starter; NDP-Greens union means victory

I don't know where the Liberal Party of Canada / NDP merger talk originated, however it is likely a hangover from Iggy's demoralizing lack of leadership, and all such verbosity will fade as Young Trudeau takes centre stage for the Libs.

The truly progressive vote in Canada is split between the environmentally inclined social democrats the Green Party, and the social democrat environmentalists known as the NDP. You can argue the fine points but the realpolitik means that if we continue to compete against one another, we will not become the government in this most blessed of nations.

We have people working to unify progressive forces in Vancouver and Toronto, and would love to add PEI, Quebec and all of Canada to the movement for unity and victory. What do readers think, should we unify the provincial parties first, and then the national groups, or should Ottawa take the leadership role and make the first move?

Either way, when it comes to a vote at party membership level, I am extremely confident that the resolutions will pass overwhelmingly, creating the Green Democratic Party of Canada, our country's next governing party.

Time for Layton and May to have a chat

NDP and Greens see Justin Trudeau on horizon

With the son of Pierre Elliott Trudeau set to lead the federal Liberal Party of Canada out of electoral wilderness, there will no longer be a Dion or Ignatieff to kick around. As a way of consolidating momentum and ensuring that there is plenty of time for a fair and equitable union of the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Green Party of Canada (creating the Green Democratic Party of Canada), followed by an equal or greater amount of time to prepare for an election and ascension to a position of governance, it would be ideal if merger talks could begin this summer, at the national and provincial levels.

If you like losing, consider yourself nothing more than a gadfly in the political process, and enjoy being governed by Conservatives, please ignore the wisdom in this post.