The Response with Marc Quill

Welcome to The Response. Opinions first. Facts also first.

[thequillresponse]

GIF from Nintendo Power 1990 commercial.

(See it here)

[thequillresponse]

The Vote is Mightier than the Sword

Tomorrow, Canadians head to the polls to cap off the longest election campaign in recent memory. It could also represent the last stand for a government that has proved itself time and time again to have their best interests rather than our interests. It’s no secret that I am not a fan of Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party for the damage they have done to our nation’s global standing, but this campaign has pushed that notion over the edge, believe it or not. Sure, you might not think Liberal leader Justin Trudeau isn’t the best man to replace him or you might have doubts about the NDP’s Tom Mulcair, but I’m here to make the case that tomorrow’s the time and the best chance to put an end to nine years of the gradual erosion of what we once believe were Canadian values at the hands of the Conservatives.

The HarperCons have been pushing a platform of securing our economy (this despite leading Canada to a downturn in recent months on the economic side) and our country from the threat of radical Islamic militants. It is the hill they have chosen to die on, and they certainly do not care on any boundaries they trample on as a result. Take for instance the controversial “Barbaric Cultural Practices Tip Line” that Harper has vowed to put in effect if elected. An idea like this is not only a pathetically ridiculous concept, it also pushes forth a clear Islamophobic agenda, with the Cons hoping that we view Muslim neighbours as the extremist threat they vow to wipe from the face of the Earth by any means necessary. This on top of the instituted ban on niqabs are all proof that they want to ensure that the expression “fear thy neighbour” rings true for us all.

Also less than sterling is the Harper government’s treatment of Native Canadians, showcasing that their inherent racism isn’t just aimed at the country’s Islamic population. Our poor handling of treating Native Canadians correctly has plagued this country’s history for centuries, with residential schools designed to assimilate Natives into an apparent “Canadian culture” at the top of it all. While these schools are long gone, the HarperCons have failed in treating Native Canadians right. A 2014 investigation by the Native-focused APTN into the Conservatives’ Nutrition North program -- an initiative designed (in theory) to make food affordable for families living in Canada’s north -- found that the aforementioned program was not working as intended, with footage of a northern resident digging thru a dumpster presented as evidence. This was made even more worse by Conservative environment minister Leona Aglukkaq not even bothering to respond to a question directed to her during a December 2014 House of Commons session. Even worse was remarks made by Prime Minister Harper himself in 2014 on the subject of an inquiry for the more than 1,200 missing and murdered Native women in the country, wherein he stated during a televised interview that “it isn’t high on our radar.” In a recent interview with Chatelaine magazine, Harper had the gall to say that he never said the aforementioned comments, either showing a case of short-term memory or more of that willful ignorance that has become as synonymous with his government as all the divisiveness. In any case, there is justifiable proof that suggests that neither Harper or anyone following the Conservative party line have the best interests of our indigenous peoples and are willing to continue the institutionalized and systemic mistreatment of Native Canadians that has been an unfortunate part of the Canadian tapestry. 

Just as ghastly is Harper’s misguided crusade against scientific fact. A report in a recent issue of Macleans magazine exposed how cuts to research arms have led to a “a systematic erosion of government records far deeper than most realize, with the data and data-gathering capability we do have severely compromised as a result.” The report recants the story of Melville, Saskatchewan, a community 4,500 that has been rendered a “statistical ghost town” as a result of the Conservatives’ fear of data. Walter Streelasky, mayor of Melville made it clear on how he felt about the situation his humble town faced, “It’s the obligation of the federal government to make national data collection as complete as possible.” The Harper government’s decision to eliminate the long-form census is a disastrous move that was designed to eliminate a survey necessary to help with infrastructure, development, and ensuring our communities grow and prosper for years to come. Harper has also turned his scornful eye on science itself, choosing to cut funding for several scientific divisions of the government.

Plus, you’ve got the dubious support from the Ford brothers -- Doug and Rob, who have left their undeniably disgraceful mark on local Toronto politics -- for our “beloved” leader.  That in itself presents serious irony for Harper, who has been haranguing Trudeau with his plan to legalize marijuana, as he’s willingly welcoming the support of a man infamous for his problems with drugs and drunkenness. Sure, Harper did his best to dodge the notion altogether, -- he didn’t bother to refer to Doug or Rob by name during a rally last night -- but he’s still guilty by association with criminals (which is again, ironic, given the supposedly hardline stance the Tories have taken against crime). And a photo showing Harper proudly standing alongside the Ford family was later tweeted by Rob. Surely, associating himself with a man that has put the largest city in Canada on the map for all the wrong reasons is a move that no sensible politician would make, but as we have seen for the past nine years, Stephen Harper is no sensible politician, not by any stretch of the imagination.

Point is, tomorrow represents a golden opportunity to begin the repairing of the damage that Harper and the Conservatives have caused to all that we hold dear. And the weapon of choice to get this done? A simple vote. I’m not throwing my support for one party, but rather taking a “Anyone but Conservative” stance to all this. If a Liberal candidate has the best chance of unseating an incumbent Tory in your riding or has the spot locked down, vote for them. If it’s an NDP candidate in your riding, give them your vote. Hell, if it’s a Green Party candidate, by all means, vote for them. I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression “the pen is mightier than the sword”, for this election, I believe that a simple vote is mightier than any sword drawn against the (hopefully) soon-to-be former Prime Minister of Canada.

[thequillresponse]

TQR’s Pro Graps Talks: NXT Takeover Brooklyn Predictions

A night before WWE holds its annual SummerSlam event, its NXT promotion will have its own special live event, “NXT Takeover Brooklyn”, its first Takeover supercard away from Full Sail University in Florida. That being said, I have a few thoughts on how things may turn out:

Apollo Crews (fka Uhaa Nation) vs. Tye Dillinger

Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to see the former Mr. Nation compete, but everyone I know has had very nice things to say about his in-ring work. While Tye’s “Perfect 10″ gimmick has been entertaining, his destiny for this evening is to give the Terry Crews-approved Apollo the rub. Crews will rule.

Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin

There was a lot of excitement when Joe appeared to confront Kevin Owens at the last Takeover event, but it seems that died down a bit. It’s certainly no fault of Joe’s, but more likely due to the fact that he hasn’t had a credible foe and has been stuck facing ham ‘n eggers (and Rhyno) for his tenure. That kind of booking has already stifled one other individual, that person being Joe’s opponent for this match. Most of Corbin’s matches tend to be on the short side, and while that concept works with others, it doesn’t work here with Mr. Corbin. Eventually, fans got sick of Corbin, and the NXT booking staff were left with no choice but to turn him heel. Anyways, since Corbin got the better of Joe on the last NXT show heading into Takeover Brooklyn, “Reverse Momentum Theory” dictates that Joe will get the win. And that’ll be my prediction here.

Tyler Breeze vs. Jushin “Thunder” Liger

In a move straight out of other indy promotions, WWE managed to land a big name from a different company to work NXT’s first Takeover show on the road. We’ve never seen Liger work with the WWE/NXT style of wrestling, but audiences should be pleasantly surprised. Ultimately, I feel that the NXT creative minds won’t make the same mistake that the main WWE creative made with Sting by having Liger lose his first match in the WWE. Breeze will put on a show, yes, but it’s Jushin “Thunder” Liger who’ll end up the winner.

NXT Tag Team Titles: Blake & Murphy vs. The Vaudevillains

The big angle going into the match is the challengers needing to find a foil to B&M’s valet, Alexa Bliss, who gives the champs a much-desired advantage over their foes. Granted, I don’t feel much about our current champs at all, so I think this match will just be okay. Also, English and Gotch will win the gold, with a little help from possibly a certain wearer of blue pantaloons. 

NXT Championship (Ladder Match): Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens

What we have here is a match that’s designed to legitimize Finn’s current reign as NXT Champ, and what better way to do it by having him beat the man that he surprised in Tokyo this past July to claim the title. I suspect that Owens will take the loss here, but then will make up for it the following night, though that’s for another prediction post. Look for Finn to retain in what should be a good match.

NXT Womens’ Championship: Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

Just like with Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan before, we have a big match that involves the underdog looking to buck the odds and take on a champion that, for all intents and purposes, has been dominating the women’s division. On that note, it would be absolute perfect booking if Bayley got the victory here to give her journey to the NXT Womens’ title a happy ending, and certainly having this match go on last would provide a great closing image for the fans to take in. ‘Sides, Sasha has the whole “Diva’s Revolution” angle going on in the main roster, so having her remain NXT champ would be a bit counter-intuitive to that development. Bayley wins. Enjoy Takeover Brooklyn, folks.

[thequillresponse]

Me and @pachi_the_porcupine. #NeverForget #yyz

[thequillresponse]

What did VELD ever do to you, random vandalist?

[thequillresponse]

Election XLII - Day Four

Welcome to Day Four of our continuing coverage of Election XLII: The Unpopularity Contest. While there’s no campaigning from the candidates to be talked about today (as they’re all preparing for tomorrow night’s Macleans National Debate, there is still some stuff to discuss, so let’s get right into things.

Net(flix) Gains

Before we talk about the contents of Mr. Ibbitson’s book, let’s talk Netflix. Recently, the CRTC mulled over an idea where regulations would be placed on “unlicensed on-demand video providers”, requiring them to pay taxes for earnings made in Canada. The idea behind the so-called “Netflix tax” is to foster the growth of homegrown content made in Canada, and has been unsurprisingly gotten support from Canadian media and entertainment companies – with Rogers Communications and Bell leading the charge.

But, what does this have to do with the election, you ask? That question was answered on Wednesday when Prime Minister Harper bizarrely released a video on Twitter expressing his support against the Netflix tax.

In the video, Harper espouses his enjoyment of TV shows like Breaking Bad, then claiming that Justin Trudeau and Tom Mulcair are “leaving the door” open for the Netflix tax to be introduced.

“So, the choice is clear: only our Conservative government can be trusted to focus on the needs of Canadian consumers and keep taxes low. Only our party can be trusted to not bring forward a new Netflix tax,” Harper states in the video.

An email release from the Conservatives also reiterates the message Harper discusses in the aforementioned video.

“’The choice is clear,’ he pointed out. ‘If you like watching Netflix or videos online, only voting Conservative will stop a Netflix Tax.’,” the release states.  

It’s hard to get mad at this attempt to sway votes from the “Netflix generation” by Harper and the Conservatives, but not because I approve of it. Instead, you just can’t help but laugh at something many would consider outré on the part of Harper.

Here’s a man whose tenure as Prime Minister has been rife with prorogations, scandals, petty partisan attacks against rivals, a sagging economy, an anti-terrorist bill misguided in its attempts to safeguard the nation, and a great deal more… and he thinks protecting our precious Breaking Bad streams and Daredevil and Kimmy Schmidt from the dreaded “Netflix tax” will be enough to convince Canadians to ignore the many, many missteps taken by his party.

All in all, we can all agree that this is the point where the Conservatives’ campaign has reached the point of the type of lunacy reserved for American politicians – in a campaign that is four days old.

One Last Time

Is Prime Minister Harper saving his “best” for last with the longest election campaign in recent memory? That’s what the Globe and Mail’s John Ibbitson says in a new biography about Harper.

Ibbitson’s book, Stephen Harper¸ alleges that this current campaign will be the PM’s final one, even if the Conservatives take the win once again. In the book, Ibbitson notes that if the Conservatives were to lose the election, Harper would take his leave from the party immediately, while a minority would see him stay until a new leader is transitioned in.

The book also paints a picture of a man who opted to wage war with the Supreme Court of Canada, highlighted by Harper’s showdown with the SCC over his appointment of Marc Nadon to a top Court post. The Court rejected the proposal to appoint Nadon to a Quebec-based seat on the top bench on the grounds of it being “unconstitutional”.

“Staff talked the Prime Minister down from launching a full, public assault on the impartiality of the court,” Ibbitson recounts, “but he still went pretty far.”

Perhaps the most telling of quotes from Ibbitson’s book, however, is what Harper has left as his legacy after nearly ten years of Conservative rule.

Ibbitson notes that Harper has given us politics that is “more intensely partisan, more ideological, and more polarizing,” an unsurprising summation given the blind brazenness on display by Harper and his Conservative constitutes over nine years. He goes on to say that Harper “doesn’t care”, even if he has “demoralized the public service and cheapened the national discourse” during his tenure as Prime Minister.

Stephen Harper, Ibbitson’s biographical look at our (ex?) Prime Minister, hits bookshelves on September 15th, during the seventh week of campaigning.

Tomorrow, TQR will cover the Macleans’ National Leaders Debate live on The Report’s official Twitter account, @WriteQuillWrite. That’s where I’ll be live-tweeting the key points made by the four leaders present for that debate. And stay with TQR on Friday, as I’ll provide even more analysis on the Leaders Debate on the blog.

[gregorydickens]

Incredible Hulk Vs. A Wasp Part 5 is drawing no. 217 for 2015. IMPERIOUS REX. And shit. You can see my other daily art (and buy stuff like comics and prints) at www.heygregory.com.

[flatbear]

This is so fucking funny.

[thequillresponse]

Of course, we all know that there’s only one “Wasp” Hulk enjoys the company of.

(A little breather from the politics-heavy stuff from your friends at TQR.)

[thequillresponse]

TQR Presents: Election XLII - Day Three

Tonight on TQR’s continuing coverage of Election XLII: The Unpopularity Contest, we’re changing things up a bit and taking an introspective look at the newest crop of Conservative Party attack ads. For years now, the Cons have been infamous for putting out attack advertising that pulls no punches and attempt to grind potential voters into submission with constant air time. They’re annoying, and are often deemed as petty, but they have been successful. However, after a decade of what some are calling “the worst Canadian government ever”, has the well run out?

Ad Analysis: Conservative Attack Ads vs. Mulcair

As we reported second-hand on Sunday, the Conservatives have debuted a set of new ads lambasting NDP leader Tom Mulcair in the same manner as the infamous “Justin Trudeau is not ready” ads. With that in mind, I thought it appropriate to view these ads myself and offer my own blow-by-blow analysis of the two ads, now that they’ve been officially released.

First off, “Background 1”, the first of two ads the Conservatives have rolled out in their cyclone of cynicism. The ad begins with the same group of “employers” from the Trudeau ads talking amongst themselves, this time about Mulcair’s past.

“First elected into the Quebec National Assembly in 1994 – as a Liberal!” one of them remarks, as if changing party affiliations is a damning thing to condemn a politician with. Ironically, Prime Minister Harper himself was apparently a Liberal supporter in his youth, but in any event, me bringing this up is just as relevant as the Tories using Mulcair’s past affiliations as some sort of slander, thus making this particular talking point incredibly useless and pitifully petty.

The next evidenced levied against Mr. Mulcair is a nineteen-year old bribe apparently handed out to him by disgraced former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt in 1994. The panel blasts him for not taking the bribe, but for also not reporting it to police. You know, there’s something real funny about the Conservatives calling out rivals for taking bribes, considering the continuing Senate scandal that saw Tory Senate member Mike Duffy accused of dealing in bribery alongside Nigel Wright, the former Chief of Staff for the PMO.

Finally, the first ad ends with the panel discussing how Mr. Mulcair joined the NDP after accepting a $135,000 severance package.

“He looks out for himself,” intones a member of the group. I could go on and discuss the many ways that Stephen Harper is also guilty of that accusation, but the “Contempt of Parliament” episode back in 2011 takes the cake. The incident was perhaps the high (or low, depending on how you look at it) point of a Conservative government that has always given democracy the finger. In fact, that debacle was the first and only time (to date) where a Commonwealth government was found in contempt of its Parliamentary system.

So, what’s the message? Tom Mulcair is a career politician, which in itself is a (quite frankly) stupid argument, and that’s because that Stephen Harper and the entire Conservative Party are all politicians in the politics business. It’d be like if Joe the Caveman called out Larry the Caveman for being a caveman and shaming him for it. Going by the Conservatives’ logic, we can call Prime Minister Harper a “career politician” too, if we followed their rationale presented in the ad, especially since he and his government have done a lot worse than Mr. Mulcair.

Ad number two opens with a claim that the NDP were caught circumventing expense rules “by directing 2.7 million in taxpayer dollars to their political offices,” which again is a case of the pot calling the kettle black and not getting it quite right.  We’ve lived thru years of the government utilizing tax payer money to fund partisan advertising like the Economic Action Plan or to even just take a photo op inside fighter jets, and now we’re having them slamming the NDP for doing things they’ve been implicit with for years.

The shameful display in slander continues with the panel recounting a time where Mr. Mulcair was ordered to pay a defamation suit in 2009, approximately worth $95.000. While the story is true, the fact that this comes from a party known for its all around scumminess and general negative reputation for corruption and wasting away taxpayer money creates a mixed message effect.

“Politicians like him never care when it’s our money,” a panelist remarks. Again, I point out the Tories’ own senseless spending of taxpayer money, which also even includes this very election that is taking place right now. Said election in question is reportedly set to approach $500 million in taxpayer money, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

What do these latest promotional tools in the Conservative propaganda machine tell us, exactly? Nothing at all. While the anti-Mulcair ads do have the benefit of sourcing each point made by the panel of pretend employers – something notably missing from the Trudeau ads – they fall very short due to the fact that the accusations levied make no sense and that there are mixed messages in play because of the Conservatives’ own reputation for partaking in some of the acts the panel blasts Mulcair for being a part of. Thus, the purpose behind these ads ultimately will fall on deaf ears, especially with Canadians tired of the rampant corruption and flagrant disdain for democracy being done by the current government in charge.

[thequillresponse]

TQR Presents: Election XLII - Day Two

Welcome to Day Two of TQR’s continuing coverage of the 2015 Canadian federal election, Election XLII: The Unpopularity Contest.

“It’s Temporary”

Prime Minister Harper took time during a campaign stop in Laval to state that Canada’s economy is in good hands – despite reports that the nation is in a “mild recession” after the GDP shrunk again for the fifth straight month. Yesterday, we reported that one of the main points of contentions for the Conservatives in this election is a stable economy.

The Prime Minister, showcasing the kind of head-in-sand mentality (or confidence, if you so choose) we’ve come to expect, stated the effects of the shrinking GDP are just “temporary effects” caused by “lower resource prices”.

He also revealed one of his party’s campaign promises at an event in Laval: a new tax credit focusing on apprenticeships, which would grant $60 million per year to business to allow for new hires in skilled trades.

It remains to be seen if Canadians are willing to buy the farm that the Conservatives are selling, but Harper is hedging on a government that is “solid, stable, national, majority, and Conservative,” as he told supporters in Montreal.

Protest the Zero

It’s no secret that Prime Minister Harper is not the most beloved man right now in the country. So, it comes as no surprise that a Harper campaign stop in Montreal on Sunday night was met by protesters.  One protestor entered the room where Harper was presenting and had a choice word for the Prime Minister: “dictator!” repeated until she was escorted from the building.

Other protesters blockaded the Conservatives’ campaign bus from leaving its parking spot, while some placed slogans denouncing the PM on the bus itself.

The protests came on the heels of Harper campaigning in the Mount Royal area – a known Liberal stronghold with a high concentration of Jewish people living there. With that in mind, Harper laid on thick his commitment to fight ISIS forces in the Middle East, a key talking point in the Conservatives’ platform.

Behind Enemy Lines

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau took his campaign to Calgary, and went on the offensive against Harper and the Conservatives right in their own backyard. His message was simple: “He let you down, he let us all down,” speaking specifically about how the state of the nation’s economy has shrunk in recent month.

“But with friends like Stephen Harper, the Alberta economy doesn’t need enemies,” Trudeau remarked in reference to the Harper government failing to help the provincial economy of Alberta recover from a decline in oil prices in 2014 that rocked the province’s oil market.

“Instead of a better future for Alberta’s energy industry,” he continued, “Harper’s divisive diplomacy pitted Western Canada against everyone else,” speaking about the bitter debates waged with the American government over the Keystone XL pipeline project.

Trudeau’s strategy of starting the campaign in Calgary, a riding that has not voted a Liberal MP since 1968 is a bold one that seems to define a defiance in the face of the blue Conservative tide that has traditionally swept over the Western provinces.

Other News

After baffling pundits everywhere with his decision not to answer questions following the launch of the New Democrats’ campaign on Sunday, NDP leader Tom Mulcair has opted to sit out from campaigning for today. It’s reported that he’s getting set for the first of many leaders’ debates, which happens on Thursday, but he could very well just have taken today’s Civic Holiday into consideration and decided to relax for a day. 

That being said, Mulcair is expected to head to Montreal tomorrow, possibly to campaign in a territory that the NDP took by storm in the 2011 election. 

On top of that, a new poll by Forum Research has shown very favorable numbers for the NDP, with approximately four-in-ten Canadians (39%) stating that they’d mark their ballots for the New Democrats if the election were today.

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Before we go, let’s take a look at the Green Party of Canada, the proverbial underdogs in this election. And yes, they’re a part of this campaign. For the benefit of fairness, I decided to take a look at the Greens’ visions for the country, and found three points to be of note:

1.       Democratic renewal: This notably includes introducing a proportional voting system to Canada, with a Democratic Voting Commission comprised of representatives from all parties that will “review past research and conduct a public consultation on the style of proportional voting best suited to Canada.”

2.       Fighting Terrorism: In response to the Conservatives’ Bill C-51 (an act that was opposed by the Greens, as pointed out by the party’s website), the Green Party has vowed to maintain anti-terrorism strategies that are utilizing “traditional tools of criminal investigation and prosecution”, as well as playing a lead role in establishing a UN Rapid Response Force responsible for peacekeeping operations in international crises.

3.       The Economy: With a strong emphasis on “Green Jobs”, the party has vowed to introduce a so-called carbon price using a fee and dividend system that will encourage the aforementioned Green Jobs. They’ve also promised additional access to apprenticeship programs in what the Greens call “key trades” – electricity, plumbing, carpentry, pipefitting, welding, among others.

Sources

CBC News. (2015). Canada election 2015: Stephen Harper defend government’s economic record. [Article]. Retrieved from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-stephen-harper-defends-government-s-economic-record-1.3177663

Johnson, Tracy. (2015). Alberta and the oil crash, 1 year later. [Article]. Retrieved from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/alberta-and-the-oil-crash-1-year-later-1.3126945

Blatchford, Andy. (2015). Harper opens election campaign in Montreal, met by protesters. [Article]. Retrieved from: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/02/harper-opens-election-campaign-in-montreal-met-by-protesters.html

Canadian Press Staff. (2015). Justin Trudeau campaigns in Calgary, says Harper let down voters. [Article]. Retrieved from: http://globalnews.ca/news/2145391/justin-trudeau-campaigns-in-calgary-says-harper-let-down-voters/

Reynolds, Christopher. (2015). NDP surges past Conservatives, Liberals, in latest poll. [Article]. Retrieved from: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/03/ndp-surges-past-conservatives-liberals-in-latest-poll.html

Green Party of Canada. (2015). Our Vision. [Website]. Retrieved from: http://www.greenparty.ca/en/our-vision

[thequillresponse]

TQR Presents: Election XLII - Day One

Officially, it’s day one of the 42nd federal election in our country’s history, an eleven-week campaign that will serve as the longest in recent memory. With that in mind, The Quill Report is proud to officially launch our (hopefully) extensive election coverage, Election XLII: The Unpopularity Contest.

Economy and Security

The Conservative platform for the forthcoming campaign has opted to place a specialized emphasis on keeping a stable economy and protecting the nation.

“This is an election about leadership on the big issues that affect Canadians: the economy and our country’s security,” Harper said as he officially kicked off the campaign. (CPC, 2015)

The focus on economics comes on the heels of news that Canada’s economy suffered a 0.2 per-cent slump in May, the fifth consecutive month of decline. As the nation’s finances weaken and the potential for the recession to grow into a full-blown one, the pressure now mounts for Harper and the Conservatives to right the ship. (Lu, 2015)

On the party’s official website, a bolded focus on “Protecting Canadians from the Threat of Terrorism” is shown, with Bill C-51 heralded as a means to “make sure our police and security forces have the tools needed to deal with the evolving threat of terrorism.” (CPC, 2015)

Questioning a Lack of Questions

At the launch of the federal NDP campaign, leader Tom Mulcair outlined his platform for the Oct 19th vote, but puzzled pundits with his decision not to answer media questions following his initial speech. This was in contrast to Harper, who did field a set amount of five questions following his campaign launch speech, and Liberal head Justin Trudeau, who encouraged reporters to ask him questions.

He’s already facing some criticism for his decision to not get involved In televised debates unless all the other party leaders – with Prime Minister Harper singled out among them – are in on it. Brad Lavigne, an NDP campaign adviser, justified the decision following Mulcair’s speech by saying, “It’s just a statement today.” (Smith, 2015)

Sour Stephen

Not content with slating Justin Trudeau, the Harper Conservatives have now set their crosshairs on Mulcair and the NDP with a new attack campaign. The campaign, set to launch with the start of the march to October 19th, utilizes the same format and actors from the anti-Trudeau ads, but now have them discussing how Mulcair is not the right man to lead Canada. And like the “Not Ready” campaign, the ads feature their fair share of outlandish claims.

One ad accuses Mulcair of not doing right by refusing a bribe, but not reporting the bribe to authorities, which in itself is a questionable argument given the Conservatives’ own follies with bribes plaguing the Canadian senate. The ads have not officially been released, but are expected to hit Canadian airwaves soon, as the campaign kicks off. (CBC News, 2015)

The Long Haul

While critics have lambasted Harper and the Conservatives on their decision to call for an eleven-week campaign due to it being more advantageous to them in terms of money spending.  Now, there might be a bigger reason for said critics to fire away at the Conservatives for this decision. In a Toronto Star report, Wendy Gillis notes that a multitude of reasons will cause this election to affect the wallets of Canadian taxpayers even more than other elections.

In her Toronto Star report, Gillis cites increased campaign spending limits, increased spending for Elections Canada staff due to the extended campaign, and taxpayer subsidies caused by the campaign rebate as being the factors that could increase the cost for taxpayers.

The Green Party’s Elizabeth May, one of the other hopefuls in this election, had some choice words for Harper in terms of this election. She was quoted as saying, “What isn’t right is to claim that the taxpayers aren’t subsidizing this election. It’s going to cost Canadians tens of millions of dollars more.” (Gillis, 2015) Harper and the Conservatives are already facing heat from critics for using taxpayer money to fund partisan advertising, notably including the Canada’s Economic Action Plan campaign.

And The Rest…

2011’s federal election was devastating for the Quebec-focused Bloc Quebecois, who were left in a heap by the rising NDP – then led by the late Jack Layton. With that in mind, the party has turned to a familiar face, Gilles Duceppe, who had left his position as leader of the Bloc after being a part of the debacle that saw their official party status removed.  For the Bloc to return to prominence, its focus on achieving secession from Canada will have to be placed aside

Sources

 Conservative Party of Canada. (2015). Prime Minister Stephen Harper Says Election is About Leadership. [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www.conservative.ca/prime-minister-stephen-harper-says-election-is-about-leadership/

Lu, Seres. (2015). Canada in ‘mild recession’ after economy shrinks five months in a row. [Article]. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/canadas-economy-shrinks-for-fifth-straight-month/article25794346/

Smith, Joanna. (2015). NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair takes no questions at campaign launch. [Article]. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/02/ndp-leader-thomas-mulcair-takes-no-questions-at-campaign-launch.html

The Canadian Press. (2015). NDP Leader Tom Mulcair target of new Conservative attack ads. [Article]. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-target-of-new-conservative-attack-ads-1.3176663

Gillis, Wendy. (2015) Why a long campaign will cost taxpayers more. [Article]. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/02/why-a-long-election-campaign-will-cost-taxpayers-more.html

[thequillresponse]

The Quill Report: 7/30/15 - “Strong? Proud? Free?”

Strong? Proud? Free?: Why “Stephen Harper’s Canada” Has Been Anything But

The opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author.

By now, Canadians should be very familiar with the salvo of partisan advertising lobbied by the Conservative Party of Canada – previously used to successfully bring down past Liberal leaders Michael Ignatieff and Stephane Dion by painting them as being unqualified to lead this country. In anticipation of an October federal election, the Conservatives are at it again, pointing their scornful gaze at Justin Trudeau, claiming the current Liberal party leader as being “not ready”, among other things. The current campaign features actors (it’s unclear if they reflect the views of real Canadians or are simply just how the Conservative advertising department sees Canadians) assessing Trudeau in the manner of employers wanting to hire someone for a job.

Some of the claims the ad makes include: that Trudeau is strongly against military action against ISIS in the Middle East – a mission that the Conservatives are all-in for (a woman derides him for wanting to “send winter jackets to Syria”, a simplistic argument that does nothing but belittle Canada’s reputation for humanitarian aid); that legalizing marijuana is some sort of damning allegation (the ad itself offers no reason why that is a pertinent issue other than a line where a man says “is that the biggest problem we have to solve?”, among other things. (CPCPCC, 2015) The kicker is a line where someone compliments Trudeau on his “nice hair”, something that seems almost too absurd to be used by an actual political ad campaign.

I feel as though as these types of attack ads are an attempt to divert Canadians’ attention away from the Tories’ own misdeeds by depicting their Liberal rivals as unprepared to run the country. Indeed, a near-decade of a Tory government at the head of our country has done a lot more harm than good, especially to our nation’s reputation worldwide. That’s further exacerbated with the laundry list of misdeeds they have been implicit in, which have included a scandal that has rocked the Canadian Senate recently wherein Conservative-appointed senators were accused of filing inappropriate expense claims for themselves.  The scandal has led to the suspensions of Conservative senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin, and Patrick Brazeau (who himself faced allegations of sexual assault).  (Global News) To date, the continuing scandal is the only one in the long history of Canada that directly involves the Senate at the centre of the controversy, which should, again, tell you about the government we have decided to elect in nearly a decade ago.

There’s also the widely-known controversy of the government wasting taxpayer money on approved ads for legislations not yet approved – the most infamous of which being the campaign promoting Canada’s Economic Action Plan. One such ad for the CEAP even included a “subject to Parliamentary approval” disclaimer tacked on to it. The government recently announced plans to spend 13.5 million to promote the tax relief measures as a means to win voters and taxpayers over for their pre-election budget. (Cheadle, 2015)

All this advertising spending has also led to the addition of the tagline “Strong, Proud, Free”, which has been added at the end of government ads and was made in secret. Jonathan Rose, a political communications specialist at Queen’s University noted that “(the slogan) it’s almost verbatim from the Conservative party website.”  (Cheadle, 2015) The fact that the tagline almost echoes word-for-word the Conservative mantra means that the existence of this slogan is in violation of the Government of Canada’s Communications Policy’s Section 23, which states “Institutions must not use public funds to purchase advertising in support of a political party”. In fact, this falls in line with the continued efforts of the Tories to brand all government indicia with partisan design and information heralding party-approved policies, to the point where all releases from government department specifically mentions the “Harper government” as being responsible for programs instituted. The fact that something as simple as a slogan meant to instill pride to Canadians is now some top-secret thing is a reality that should not have come to fruition, yet, here we are.

There’s also the issue that the two elections in which the Tories were elected into power were marred by accusations of cheating to sway votes in their favor. A 2011 investigation exposed the Conservatives’ violating the election spending limit of $18.3 million in the 2006 federal election that saw them voted in as our government. Then, the 2011 election saw a voter suppression controversy in which “robocalls” were allegedly utilized to misdirect potential voters to made-up voting locations. (Why Not Harper?)

Lastly, I’d like to discuss the anti-terrorism bill, Bill C-51, which has been deemed as an attack on Canadians’ civil liberties. The bill, created as a response to the growing threat of ISIS and the shootings on Parliament Hill last October, is apparently meant to protect Canadians from terror threats by granting more powers to CSIS (basically, like the CIA and SHIELD) to oversee any potential threats to national security, as well as allow for government security agencies to share personal data of all Canadian citizens with one another.

The questionable nature of C-51 has not gone unnoticed, with the United Nations Human Rights Committee recently raising concern about what the legislation means for this country’s international obligations and adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Of note is this quote from the UNHRC’s report: “The State party should refrain from adopting legislation that imposes undue restrictions on the exercise of rights under the Covenant.”” (Levitz, 2015) The fact that our country, usually known for our sparkling human rights records and reputations, is being called out for a law that could otherwise stain that reputation should tell you just how wrong C-51 is.

I could go on and on about the many ways that the Harper Conservatives have failed Canadians, and there are quite a few places on the web that are more than happy to tell you all about it, but the point must be made clear. The damning accusations aimed towards the Conservatives are piling up, and we have a chance this fall to ensure that they do not get off scot-free once again.

Sources

CPCPCC. “The Interview.” Online video ad. YouTube. YouTube, 25 May 2015. Web. 30 July 2015.

Global News Staff. “Timeline: Key dates in the evolution of the Senate expense-claim controversy.” GlobalNews.ca. 4 February 2014. Web. 30 July 2015.

Cheadle, Bruce. “Government spending 13.5-million in ad blitz in April and May.” The Globe & Mail. 27 April 2015. Web. 30 July 2015.

Cheadle, Bruce. “Ottawa’s ‘Strong Proud Free’ slogan can’t be explained because it’s a secret.” CBC News. 16 April 2015. Web. 30 July 2015.

Government of Canada. ”Communications Policy of the Government of Canada.” Treasury Board of Canada/Secretariat. 23 September 2014. Web. 30 July 2015.

Unknown. “25 reasons why Stephen Harper is bad for Canada.” Why Not Harper? Web. 30 July 2015.

Levitz, Stephanie. “Anti-terror Bill C-51 raises eyebrows at UN.” CTV News. 23 July 2015. Web. 30 July 2015.

[thequillresponse]

The Daily Quill - 7/21/2015

Welcome to The Daily Quill (with Marc Quill), my attempt at flexing my writing muscles, so to speak, by writing about a random subject (or subjects) for a given day. Today, a tribute to a spokesturtle.

For quite some time now, I have had an affection for a certain tortoise-like figure. No, it’s not a Ninja Turtle, but rather, that gentleman turtle from the Nestle Turtles logo. Yes, I know, it’s a weird fascination to have, but, it is what it is.

You may or may not know this, but I have been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a condition that has given me certain quirks, on top of having an above-average IQ and vocabulary pool. That being said, one common trait of people with Asperger’s is “having an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects”. I believe that the whole Nestle Turtles thing falls under this category. And it’s not out of nowhere, too. The turtle’s appearance of a gentleman who wears a monocle, top hat, and fancy suit is one that has given me a focus of sorts.

At this point, I dunno why I like the Turtle, but maybe if I do find out why exactly, it’ll mean more than just a bizarre obsession.

[gnarlycovers]

Captain America #383 (Marvel Comics - March 1991)

Illustrators: Ron Lim (Pencils) & Jim Lee (Inks)

[katalytic]

This entire thread is giving me life right now. These are only some of my favorite answers, but you should really read the entire thing. Thanks to everyone for making this so fun to read.

Also, to prove that every idea has been thought of before, a couple of bonus links:

Pucks and Kisses, an Ao3 fic by lostlittlesputnik

@MarcQuill created a lineup with a mix of Avengers and others.

Please feel free to add your Avengers-as-hockey players.

[tzikeh]

[thequillresponse]

American Gothic is the name of a painting and Grant Wood was the name of the man who painted it. He painted it in 1930, which is a year that was during The Great Depression. The painting is of a farmer standing next to his daughter in front of their house. Grant Wood modeled the farmer after his...

[dcwomenkickingass]

DC Comics Cover Problem is More Than Just About a Cover

A few weeks ago the internet was ablaze with the story of young girl who wrote an open letter to DC Comics asking to see more female heroes 

I love superheroes and have been reading comics and watching superhero cartoons and movies since I was very young. I’m a girl, and I’m upset because there aren’t very many girl superheroes or movies and comics from DC.

The thrust of the 11 year old’s statement should be no surprise to those fathers, mothers and women who also have been frustrated that when it comes to superheroes, girls have definitely been an afterthought. I have pretty managed to run a blog for five years talking about this topic.

The letter went viral and then DC responded agreeing that indeed “fun for girls” was important to them.

“Girl power” hmmm.  

Read More

[thequillresponse]

My recap of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. midseason premiere. Read and share with your fellow agents, please & thanks.