Dear Sam

[bcholmes]

Dear Sarmite Bulte,

I've lived in the Parkdale-High Park riding for just over a year, now, and I wanted to let you that it is with regret that I won't be voting for you. I had seen in you an MP who generally represented my values and preferences. For example, I enjoyed when you spoke on the topic of same-sex rights during the readings of Bill C-23 of the 36th parliament. You said:

When we speak about the values of Canadians it is not surprising to find that the majority of Canadians believe, as I do, that same sex couples should receive equal treatment. According to an Angus Reid poll taken in September 1999, 67% of Canadians agreed that same sex couples should have the same legal rights and obligations as a man and woman living together as common law partners. Regional support was broken down as follows: in my province of Ontario, 66% of Canadians were in support; in B.C. support was at 68%; and in Atlantic Canada support was at a high of 75%.

Recently, during the time that Jean Chrétien's government proposed changing the legal definition of marriage, I phoned your constiuency office to let my MP know where I supported this new legislation. I had a wonderful talk with one of your staff who listened to my points and responded knowledgeably.

I was proud of the government, then. I was proud when the government decided not to join the invasion of Iraq, and I was proud when the Prime Minister proposed the decriminalization of marijuana.

And then Paul Martin became Prime Minister.

And let's be clear: this didn't just happen. Mr. Martin took leadership with overwhelming support from the Liberal party. The Liberal party wanted his hand at the helm. 3242 out of 3455 votes. Almost 94%.

Clearly, 94% of the Liberal party wanted Mr. Martin's style of government. 94% of Liberals must have endorsed Mr. Martin's huge step to the right. They supported the shoddy treatment of Sheila Copps who was too leftist for Mr. Martin's government. They gave Mr. Martin a mandate to alienate the riding of Brampton-Springdale by appointing Ruby Dhalla as the Liberal candidate.

Despite Mr. Martin's clear wooing of US President George W. Bush, he hasn't succeeded in any negotiating any concessions regarding the mad cow crisis or the deportation of Canadian citizens to prisons in Syria. Mr. Bush assured Mr. Martin that the US would phone us before they sent a Canadian to be tortured, and Mr. Martin counted that as a victory.

And more and more, I'm hearing the media talk about how the sponsorship scandal has soured the public away from the Liberals. I don't know about "the public", but for my part, Mr. Martin and 94% of the Liberals led to my feelings of disenfranchisement from the Liberals. I am a leftist, and growing more leftist as I grow older. And Mr. Martin's government has no room for leftists.

My sadness is that I think you're a leftist, too. As I said, I have been impressed by your past comments in parliament. But, frankly, the word on the street is that you're out of favour with the current Liberal leadership.

So, really, if I voted for the Liberals, what would happen? A good Liberal showing would net me a Prime Minister dedicated to conservative politics and an MP whose voice is, I'm sorry to say, not heard in parliament. But a minority Liberal government with an NDP coalition could help ensure that Mr. Martin's policies for the country are more leftward-leaning. I wish that there was a better reward for your loyalty to the left. But 94% of Liberals wanted a right-wing party, and I am committed to opposing their plan for Canada.

Comments

[thespian.livejournal.com]

me, I was just sort of surprised that all her signs have a big 'TEAM MARTIN' tag on them (lots of Liberal signs do, but they're not obliged to, and travelling this weekend I found a lot of liberals not in Toronto are not identifying that way). Everything I've read indicates she certainly is NOT part of Team Martin, and never will be. And the temptation to vote for Peggy Nash, who most definitely has a strong 15 year history working with Jack Layton, is tempting; sometimes it's more effective to have a big frog on a small lily pad than to control the whole damn pond.

(aside: whereabouts here are you? would you care to go out to brunch some weekend? I like going over to Ronce & Queen and hitting Easy and such)

[bcholmes.livejournal.com]

I'm essentially at Keele subway station. And, yah, I'd love to get together for a meal on some weekend. I'm quite fond of Mitzi's Sister; whaddya think?

[futabachan.livejournal.com]

According to ayilmaz, "Sam" came by and knocked on our door this afternoon. No, we're not voting for her, either -- or at least we wouldn't if we had our citizenship.