[BCFSN] Salmon policy and NDP

Thu Jul 30 22:53:32 EDT 2015

Hi Eddie and All: 

I basically agree with your point about voting strategically, i.e., for the non-conservative candidate that has the best chance of winning in a given riding. My main concern, though, is that each of us could end up doing individual assessments as to who such candidate might be--and be wrong about it. It would be great if more organization were to develop sooner than later so that, come October 19, the scenario will be clearer in this regard. Ideally, there could and should be mini-coalitions forming at the local level to make this happen. I've read about some such initiative in the UK, but have not seen anything like it here in Canada. Maybe I'm just not well informed. 

Any ideas as to how strategic mini-coalitions at the local level could be worked out? 

Best regards, Gerardo Otero 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Eddie Gardner" <singingbear at telus.net> 
To: "Gerardo Otero" <otero at sfu.ca> 
Cc: "Dawn Morrison" <dmo6842 at gmail.com>, ifs at bcfsn.org, "BCFSN list" <food at bcfsn.org> 
Sent: Tuesday, 28 July, 2015 18:53:26 
Subject: Re: Salmon policy and NDP 

Hi Gerardo 

Thank you for your perspective on this. Selective voting to prevent Harper and his conservatives from getting elected does NOT exclude voting for the Green Party candiates. I will vote for the candidate I believe has the best chance to win over the conservative candidate in Chilliwack. If the strongest candidate happens to be Louis De Jager of the Liberals, I will vote for him. If Seonagh McPherson of the NDP is showing the strongest candidate in the election, I will rally behind her. If the Green Party candidate comes up strong, I wll vote for Thomas Cheney. I am holding out for now to see how things go. I know there are some very powerful Green Party candidates running in BC, and they are very persuasive and are winning over many voters because they know they will contribute immeasurably to restore democracy even though they won’t form government. 

Here is what Elizabeth May has to say about votint that we need to take into account: 

British Columbians will want a lot of Green MPs working with either Trudeau or Mulcair to make sure we are not forced to accept Kinder Morgan and increased bitumen-diluent tanker volumes on our coast. Liberals favour Keystone, Energy East and Kinder Morgan. Mulcair has said he is ''bullish'' on Energy East and has only criticized the process around Kinder Morgan. With an NDP government in Alberta still favouring Kinder Morgan, as much as I would welcome it, I do not think Mulcair will come around to opposing Kinder Morgan. According to Peter O'Neil in the Vancouver Sun , Tom Mulcair ''ridiculed'' my opposition to all dilbit pipelines. 

So, before deciding Greens are bad people for wanting to give Canadians an alternative that is positive, pragmatic and committed to a healthy economy and meaningful climate action, think it through. Look at the candidates in your own riding and decide who you think is best equipped to represent you. With candidates like SFU professor and scientist Lynne Quarmby who has put everything on the line to stop Kinder Morgan, running in a new riding with no incumbent, or former national CBC meteorologist Claire Martin running in North Vancouver against incumbent Conservative Andrew Saxton, or First Nations leader Brenda Sayers who led the charge against the Canada-China investment treaty in a riding with no incumbent, North Island Powell-River, ask yourself: what would be the best outcome for Canada -- a parliament with those voices or one without them that is dominated by the nastiness of hyper-partisanship? 

Vote for what you want. In riding after riding across Canada, Greens have proven that if you vote (in large numbers) for what you want, you actually get it. 

So vote strategically but don’t count out the Green Party of Canada by any means! They are a valuable alternative worthy of great consideration. I for one will not give into fear, and I will vote strategically in my own riding here in Chilliwack-Hope. 

a 

Eddie 

On Jul 28 , 2015, at 5:11 PM, Gerardo Otero < otero at sfu.ca > wrote: 

Dear All: 

With all due respect, I strongly encourage Eddie and everyone else concerned about farm salmon to lobby the NDP and Tom Mulcair so that they modify their policy accordingly. Betting on the Green Party in a highly contested election as the one we are facing in October will inevitably be a lost cause. Worse than that, it will open the road to splitting the progressive vote and we could end up with another five years of Harper Conservatives. Remember what happened with the vote for Ralph Nader in the U.S. in 2000: his 4% of the vote insured that Al Gore lost to George W. Bush, despite the fact that Gore had more popular votes, given their electoral college rules. Mind you, I'm not crazy about Mulcair (he is a former Liberal, after all), or the NDP for that matter. But they are the least worse option we have with a shot at winning. Elizabeth May may be great, but she has no chance at all (well below 10%). You may prefer to vote exclusively with your conscience and feel good about it, but it will have no political impact at all; or you will to make things worse by keeping Harper in power. To me that's the worse case scenario this year. 

Gerardo Otero 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Dawn Morrison" < dmo6842 at gmail.com > 
To: ifs at bcfsn.org , "BCFSN list" < food at bcfsn.org >, "Eddie Gardner" < singingbear at telus.net > 
Sent: Tuesday, 28 July, 2015 10:22:10 
Subject: [IFS] Fwd: *TELUS Detected Spam*Why I'm stepping up 

Very well said Eddie! I am forwarding your message along to the BC Food Systems Network and Indigenous food sovereignty email listserves to encourage everyone to pass this message along far and wide within your circles...If we live in and love BC, then this needs to be a keystone issue in moving the environmental versus economy agenda of political platforms. 

Dawn Morrison, 

BC Food Systems Network 
Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty 
C/O 555 East 55th Avenue 
Vancouver, B.C, V5X 1N6 
Mobile: 778.879.5106 
Email: dmo6842 at gmail.com 
Website: www.indigenousfoodsystems.org 

---------- Forwarded message ---------- 
From: Eddie Gardner < singingbear at telus.net > 
Date: Tue, Jul 28 , 2015 at 9:47 AM 
Subject: Re: *TELUS Detected Spam*Why I'm stepping up 
To: Olivia Chow < info at ndp.ca > 
Cc: Alex Morton < alexandramorton5 at gmail.com >, Finn Donnelly < Donnelly.F at parl.gc.ca >, Seonaigh MacPherson < seonaigh.macpherson at ndp.ca >, Louis DeJaager < snowdogone at gmail.com >, elizabeth.may at parl.gc.ca , justin.trudeau at parl.gc.ca , Brenda Sayers < sayersbrenda at hotmail.com >, Lynne Quarmby < lynne.quarmby at greenparty.ca >, Paul Manly < paul.manly at greenparty.ca >, "Joe Foy (Wild. Comm.)" < joe at wildernesscommittee.org >, Lina Azeez < lina at watershed-watch.org >, John Werring < jwerring at davidsuzuki.org >, Karen Wristen < kwristen at livingoceans.org >, Dawn Morrison < dmo6842 at gmail.com >, Ernie Crey < ecrey at telus.net >, Michelle Edwards < ccdlchief at gmail.com >, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip < president at ubcic.bc.ca >, Judy Wilson < judywilson at neskonlith.net >, nathan.cullen at parl.gc.ca , Darrell < darrellbob12 at gmail.com >, Brandon Gabriel < brandon.kwantlen at hotmail.com >, Gary Haggquist < garyhaggquist at gmail.com >, Suzy Coulter < suzy.coulter at gmail.com >, Chris Gadsden < gadsden at shaw.ca >, Ethel Gardner < ethelbgardner at gmail.com >, Tracy L < tracy.lyster at gmail.com >, Angela Brady < abrady at telus.net >, Douglas Gook < gookmirth60 at gmail.com >, Leanne Hodges < artist.westcoastwild.com at gmail.com >, FVSS Dean Werk < info at greatriverfishing.com >, Wendy Major < cleanenergywm at gmail.com >, Holly Arntzen < artistresponseteam at shaw.ca >, Jim Hobart < xaytembear at gmail.com >, David Jimmie < davidjimmie at squiala.com >, Murray Ned < murray.ned at sumasfirstnation.com >, Grand Chief Clarence Pennier < kat.pennier at stolotribalcouncil.ca >, mike gildersleeve < mgdiverse at hotmail.com >, "W.Ronald (Smokey)Moore" < rodi at telus.net >, Jay Peachy < jpeachy at jpeachygallery.com >, Sabra Woodworth < sjwoodw at shaw.ca >, Twyla Roscovich < twyla at oceanfilms.net >, Geoff Gerhart < geoffgerhart at gmail.com >, Neil Laffra < nlaffra at me.com >, The Valley Voice News < thevalleyvoice at shaw.ca >, Angela Koch < extrahealth at gmail.com >, Joanne Hugh < thehughcrew95 at gmail.com >, Terry Wilkinson < terrylouisew at gmail.com >, April Thomas < saynotothenstqtreaty at hotmail.com >, Glenda - Tzeachten < glenda at tzeachten.ca >, Yvette John < whiteplumewoman at hotmail.com > 

Hi Olivia, 

With all due respect, Tom Mulcair has shown absolutely no leadership or care for the many middle class people who depend upon wild salmon for the livelihoods, in sharp contrast to his own NDP MP Fin Donnelly. If Tom Mulcair wants support from me and many others with money and votes, then he has to step up to the plate and say he would put an immediate halt to fish farm expansion and pursue their removal from migration routes of wild salmon that supports an important segment of the BC economy. In the meantime, I will continue to send money and actively support the Green Party of Canada as they are champions of a strong sustainable economy and protectors of wild salmon. Take a good look at their platform. Your digitalized campaign is completely deaf to the concerns of ordinary British Columbians in regards to saving endangered wild salmon from industrial harm. 

Justin Trudeau has shown more leadership on this important matter than Tom Mulcair as he has included the full implementation of Cohen Commission recommendations in the Liberal platform. 

Under the great leadership of Elizabeth May, the Green Party of Canada is committed to the need to stop the expansion of fish farms, and transitioning within a ten year period to land based aquaculture. This is a way for both aquaculture and wild salmon industries and co-exist, and encourage and protect middle class livelihoods. Don’t kid yourself, the Green Party of Canada has a fleet of very strong star candidates worthy of sending to parliament. 

Go ahead, let your digitalized, impersonal campaign continue to ignore this, and suffer the consequences! 

Eddie Gardner 
Sto:lo Sqwe First Nation Member 
www.farmed-salmon-boycott.com 

<blockquote>

On Jul 28 , 2015, at 8:47 AM, Olivia Chow < info at ndp.ca > wrote: 

Eddie, 

Moments ago, I announced my return to federal politics. 

It’s been nearly ten years since I was first elected as an NDP MP. During my time in Ottawa, I fought hard against Stephen Harper’s wrongheaded priorities. And I’m fiercely proud of the work Tom Mulcair continues to do to put middle-class families first. 

I know that if we’re going to bring change to Ottawa in October, it’s going to take all of us working together. Today , I’m stepping up and answering that call. Will you? 

Donate $30 or more to build the campaign for change in Ottawa: 

http://www.ndp.ca/donate 

Stephen Harper has the wrong priorities for Canada. 

Instead of helping middle-class families get ahead by making childcare affordable, he's giving tax breaks to the wealthiest few. Instead of investing in our cities and towns, he's left roads and bridges to crumble. Instead of protecting our environment, he's gutted environmental laws. 

I’m deeply concerned by the damage he has done. This Conservative agenda is exactly what Jack and I fought against our entire careers. 

We can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together and electing an experienced and progressive NDP government led by Tom Mulcair. 

That’s why I’m throwing my hat in the ring this election. I’m going all in – will you join me? 

Donate $30 or more today – and together, we’ll defeat Stephen Harper and build the Canada of our dreams. 

All my best, 

Olivia 

Olivia Chow 

New Democratic Party of Canada 
300-279 Laurier West, Ottawa ON K1P 5J9 
1-866-525-2555 
cope:225/jg 

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-- 
Gerardo Otero, Ph.D. 
Professor of International Studies and Sociology 
School for International Studies 
Simon Fraser University 
7200-515 West Hastings Street 
Vancouver, BC Canada V6B 5K3 
E-mail: otero at sfu.ca 
http://www.sfu.ca/people/otero.html 
Tel. Off: +1-778-782-4508 

</blockquote>

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