Provincial Campaign - 2012

I was asked to speak at the Robo-call rally.

We're off and running again!   Without even finishing all the paperwork, the campaign is in full swing.  This year, as an EverGreen candidate, I am representing the citizens of Edmonton-Beverly Clareview, which is in my federal riding of Edmonton East.  Beverly is a bastion of Green signs every election, and it does my heart good that support for Green values is being displayed so proudly.

March 31

Robo-call Rally:

My daughter, and Dari, who is running for the EverGreens in Edmonton Highlands.

We were going to bring all the kids to the rally, since our usual child-care provider, my husband, had his own Very Important plans.  He was going to go to his first auction, the River Valley Cycle sell-off, but when he got there, the place was already packed and he couldn't register.  So his sad face meant that we could go mostly child-free.  (If you knew my son, you'd know that was a big boost to our participation...)  I, did, however, take my 10yo daughter, who hasn't been to a rally in recent memory.  (When she was younger, I told her they were parades.  And some of them were...)  She had a great time, giving out EverGreen fliers and holding her sign, like a lone guard standing against the siege.

There she is; on the roof.

Before our march to Canada Place, I spoke about how the Global Greens movement is made of concerned citizens and activists around the world, almost entirely volunteer, who are learning how the system works so we understand where the changes need to be made. I have never yet met a politician in the Greens. If they were, you can bet they wouldn't consider us a good career move... And yet, it's some of the best activist work I have ever done. If it seems that issues only make it to papers during elections, it's also one of the only times the press hands you a mic. Some of the select people who are invited to use it are candidates. So as a candidate or party spokesperson, we can bring up the vital concerns and problems we all know exist in our province and the provable solutions that have worked around the world, which Greens in other places have already seen implemented.

The movement is so empowering and compelling that is spreading everywhere. So many of us are getting elected in different countries, and one of the first efforts, for those states that don't yet have it, is Proportional Representation. We are making a real difference in the global community and in global politics. It is a joy and honour to help empower our citizens and activist movements, and I'm even more thrilled that my daughter got to join me this time. She's old enough now to understand my work and hear my speeches without being bored by all the 'grown up stuff', so I hope I can start introducing her to more of the incredibly motivated and empowered activists in the Greens. Like all Greens, I see my children leading the movements that are bringing the coming changes to the world..  'Course, some of them are right.

March 31/April 1

The Journal already asked for our thoughts.  For those who missed the riding profile, here are my answers. 

My first three priorities, since I was only allowed to pick three, would be:

1) Restore funding in key areas at least back to the percentage of pre-Klein levels: primary education, public health care, post-secondary school, and social assistance programs, including child services, disability, and welfare.

2) Expand our petroleum industry royalty program so that it is on par with other democratic countries, and is no longer comparable only with totalitarian regimes.

3) Put Alberta back on track as a world energy leader with research and industry designed to meet the needs of the emerging post-carbon dependant world. 

Green is neither right nor left. We are the only voices speaking to the future, with an entire global community speaking with us. We look at the long term; for the prosperity of the present to the generations of Albertans that will come after us. We are the only Party connected to a global network of progressive thinkers and we present solutions and ideas that have been tested and proven all over the world. I am deeply proud to raise the dialog beyond the current pandering and rhetoric to truly consider what role Alberta will play in the global future. Live Green. Be Green. For if we are to have one, it is the future for all of us.

April 10

Elizabeth with most of the EverGreens

I spent the next week in a flurry of organizing for Elizabeth May, who cancelled some of her less urgent appointments and rushed to help us out in the provincial campaign.  It took a great deal of time, but the day ended up being nicely filled, with much attention from the media and supporters.  I go into detail on this blog post dedicated to her visit.

 

April 13

Ethno-cultural Communities Election forum

Sponsored by the Edmonton Multi-Cultural Coalition and the Somali Media Society of Alberta, I was privileged to represent the EverGreens in cross-riding forum.  It was very well-attended, and as it was my first forum of the campaign, I was thrilled to see so many people come out and show their interest in the election.  The time-keeper was uncompromising, and really kept us all on target, down to cutting off some of the candidates who were more verbose than the rules allocated.  It's always hard to try to answer questions in more than a cursory manner when you have only 1.5 min, and not simply deliver a pat response, but we all did our best.  Our efforts seemed to be appreciated, as we applauded the audience exercising their right to speak up and grill their potential representatives to their satisfaction.  Well, I was heartened by it, at least...  I'm not sure about what the other candidates thought...

April 16

Wrecking Ball 2012

Of course Dari and I always dress up for parties...

Always entertaining, and more than a little bit gritty, the Wrecking Ball is an evening of arts and politics, designed to excite interest in the election and generate a space where candidates and the public can interact more vigorously. 

From the promo: "Join Edmonton’s arts & culture community for a one-night cabaret where arts and politics collide! Wrecking Ball Alberta is an opportunity for you to witness first class Albertan performance, and join patrons, artists and politicians in a lively discussion about our shared vision for Alberta.

Some of the EverGreen candidates

Candidates from all parties are invited. Interested candidates will be provided the opportunity to address the audience for two minutes each, after which candidates are invited to participate in a brief moderated forum... Following the performances and forum, all Wrecking Ball Alberta guests are invited to tip a glass and continue the conversation!"

Beat/Street poets.  Lots of finger snapping going on..

I couldn't get pics of the dancer; only of people who didn't move much.
My camera sucks...

Don't move, don't move...  There!  Got it!  Mostly...

David Parker, one of our founding and continuous Greens

Green Party shirts look so much better with a corset...

Matt Levicki; our EverGreen in Fort Mac

Presented this time at the ARTery, I was thrilled to be part of the Wrecking Ball for the federal campaign and speedily cleared my schedule for this one. So, it turns out, did alot of other Greens. Turns out we were the majority of candidates there, too, with about a half dozen of us, along with a couple NDP, a PC, and a Wild Rose. I was first up of the candidates to speak, and started off mentioning that the last time I was up on that stage I was performing for the Sexual Assault Centre gala, and that did it. It totally set the tone for almost all the other candidates, most of whom nearly tripped over themselves trying to outdo each other's Arts credentials. I felt rather guilty afterward. I really wasn't trying to whip out my professional arts background. That really WAS the first thing that leaped to my mind!

The rest of us needn't have gotten too worked up, though. Nearly all the questions for the Wild Rose candidate, and although all were very polite, no one was buying the answers. Especially the climate denial, which was made absolutely clear once again. I'm not quite sure how they found that many climate deniers to fill their slate, or if they made it a requirement, but this guy was true to the script, and the audience  roasted him in a 'lake of fire' for it.

April 19

Candidate Forum Edmonton/Beverly Clareview

Sponsored by the Candora Society at Abbotsfield Mall, this is the only forum I know of specifically related to the riding. Due to certain candidates' petty bickering about procedures, including one who objected to providing the audience with information regarding which powers fell under municipal, provincial, and federal jurisdiction, it was nearly canceled entirely. (I'm not telling who, but you can guess which one didn't approve of increased knowledge for the citizens...)  The best bit was the Liberal candidate, Chris Heward, sided with the Wild Rose candidate in accusing the forum sponsors of accepting bribes by not rejecting the pastries sent by the NDP for the after-snacks.  Seriously.  Dudes, just admit you didn't want to go and leave it at that, okay?  The bizarre accusations of pastry manipulation in politics just makes you look petty as well as stupid.  He later dismissed me as a candidate and woman by Tweeting that when he showed up near the end there was a "girl talking about stadiums" and "NDP bias".  I'm sure all of the citizens who showed up to hear his policies appreciated his firm stance on baked goods.    

In the end, only three showed up. The Liberal and Wild Rose rep didn't bother to send their regrets. So I went up against the NDP and incumbent PC for nearly two hours. The questions were grueling, and the time keeper wasn't nearly as stringent as many other forums, allowing candidates to roll right over the hostess.  The NDP candidate kept repeating that he's an English teacher, and that it somehow excuses his love of the sound of his own voice. I, as a coloratura soprano, presumably don't, since I didn't go over time... Maybe it's just manners.  As for bias, I managed to record the question part of the forum and any normal person would be impressed by how much effort the organizers took to keep it fair and balanced.  Far more effort than Mr. Chris Heward took, obviously.  Podcast here:

I won't even begin to go into the PC's answers, but I have rarely been so moved to speak not-nice things to someone in a forum before (except, it turns out, the later Arts forum).  It wasn't even outright pandering and not directly answering questions.  It was the actual misinformation or selective information that really made my blood boil.  Yes, sir.  They brought us the question of literacy again, sir, since you didn't answer it the first three times.  And still you say that your government is committed to education.  How do you explain, then, that we have one of the highest adult illiteracy rates in the country, one of the highest post-secondary debt-loads, and your government has been in power for over four decades?  When will this commitment to education finally start?  Since many of the people who were children under your government when it first started STILL can't read functionally?  I kept myself under control with difficulty, but without letting him get away with it as much as he was hoping for...  There is something horrible about a person who is trying to keep his job by doing as little as possible.  'Course, compared to the Liberal and Wild Rose candidates, he at least made slightly more of an effort...

April 20

PACE Edmonton Arts Forum

Excluding the very opening remarks, this podcast contains the entire forum at the Prince of Wales armory, including the now-infamous Doug Main meltdown.  Remember, he's a spokesperson for the Wild Rose, not even a candidate, like the rest of us are.  The cowbell sounds when we go over the time limit, which is a rather fun way to do it.  The most interesting bits occur near the middle of the forum, and it just gets more eye-brow raising as it goes on...

April 21

Clean the Ravine

Group hug!

My husband wins most of a bike.

EverGreen candidate Chris Vallee put together the annual Clean the Ravine and this year's lottery winner was Kennedale Ravine, which was in my riding.  As well as organizing volunteers and equipment, as well as providing snacks, he knocked on neighborhood doors to see who was home that morning and wanted to join us!  In an unusual turn of events, my children happening to staying with their grandma that day, and so my husband rode with me to the ravine.  An avid car-free cyclist and river valley trail user, he has always wanted to give back and participate in one of the many clean up projects.  So instead of heading off to the rest of his errands, he stayed to help.  And got a bit of a bonus for his trouble!  It was a rare treat for me, since he usually supports me by taking care of children more frequently during elections and very much eshews the role of "political spouse", so I was thrilled to have him along this time.

April 22

Earth Day

Of course the Greens were out in full force; in both our federal and provincial modes.  The place was packed, as usual, and I spent nearly the entire day setting up and staffing the booth, answering questions for eager Greenies or Greens-to-be.  My daughter came with me, and was a trooper the entire time.  I managed to get pics of most of the other booths and participants, and the weather more than co-operated.  A great time was had by all!

April 23

Voting Day After Party

We met up at Bistro India, a family run business in a two story historical house in the middle of downtown.  They couldn't have been more accommodating to our party and our children.  It was fine Indian cuisine in a relaxed and tasteful atmosphere.  We took over the entire upper floor and the kids ran around with naan in hand.  The TV was all ours and we spent the night sharing stories and our community vision for the future of the province.  Many sighed with relief that the polls about the majority Wild Rose government were completely out of wack.

Our EverGreen senatorial candidate and the only woman on the ballot.

David Parker reads the offical letter of congrats and thank you from our interm leader Larry Ashmore.

This was my fifth campaign where I had the honour to represent the Greens, and it was the most intense yet; which give me great hope.  The last provincial election was nearly comatose, with no debates, and almost no interest.  I was thrilled to see so many Albertans stand up to demand change and take an active role in their democracy.  I didn't expect it in this election, but the train has left the station now, and it's coming.  The era of PC is over, and whether the New Order will be Wild Rose or Green is up to the next four years, and the newly engaged public, to decide. 

Public / Private Health Care

Instead of podcasting my speech, I put it on YouTube with pics from the event for visual interest.

I was invited as a rep from the Green Party to the political panel of the forum on public health care on Sept. 18, 2011. None of the other invited parties attended, so the panel was cancelled. This topic, however, is one of my specialties, and the Greens are committed to an increase in democracy and public participation, so I spent my Sunday afternoon helping out anyway. I even worked the PowerPoint presentation of the keynote speaker, Diana Gibson, Research Director from the Parkland Institute.

Private health care already exists and always has in Canada. We are talking about two different public processes here, and the governments, both federal and provincial, deliberately obfuscate the two whenever they are trying to cut more funding in pursuit of their agenda and "free market" fantasies. 1) One is the creation, equipping, staffing, maintenance, and funding of public facilities like most hospitals, some clinics and even fewer research areas. 2) The other is the direct paying of taxpayer bills for medical care: i.e. public insurance. Everything else is privately owned. Everything. So whenever the Right starts talking about two tier or private health care, pretending we should have that conversation, it's only to decrease public and increase private further. There are therefore two ways they can do that, and usually do. One is to decrease the funding of the public facilities, like closing hospitals, public clinics, reducing staff and increasing hours, like any employer who wants to cut costs, and decreasing maintenance, letting equipment get older before replacing it for example. The other is to "de-list" services that are covered by the province's public insurance.

Ralph Klein, Premier of Alberta, did both. He closed and actually blew up hospitals, turned brand new hospitals into "extended care clinics", cut staff across the board, increased hours, and shut down nearly every mental health facility in the province. So naturally, those professionals fled to seek employment elsewhere if they could. Some went to other provinces, some switched to private practice, and some went to the States. As for public insurance, every so often, a new list came out that took away more and more services that used to be covered under public health insurance. We used to be able to get an eye exam every year, then every two, and now it's not covered at all. Same with certain surgeries, then even ambulance trips. If you don't want to have to pay for those out of your own pocket, now you have to pay separately for private insurance to cover those expenses, on top of the premiums he forced us all to pay for public insurance, despite the fact that it's illegal under the Canada Health Act, since it affects universal accessibility and portability. But people still need those services, and to pay for them. So many more private clinics opened up all over the province. Soon they were getting permission to do procedures they never were allowed to do before and which were originally under the purveyance of the government public facilities, but we have such long waiting lists in those places, doncha know, and this will help open up beds for those who really need it. So now these clinics are doing day surgery for knees and hip replacements. Or cataracts. I mean, it's crazy. And the public insurance of the province pays for it, since it medically necessary and they can't get it done in a timely manner in the public hospitals, so the private company pockets the money. And it costs twice as much! According the Parkland Institute, Albertans already pay the highest out of pocket cost for health care services in the country! So the province and its citizens are still paying, and paying more than anyone else, but the illusion is created that government can't afford to maintain the public facilities, and that private can do it better, offering "choice". Like we're shopping for a new heart like we need a new pair of shoes.

Private ownership and profit has always been a part of health care in this country, operating in conjunction with the public facilities the government maintains, the public insurance owned by the provinces, and private insurance. Family doctors, dentists, orthodontists, cosmetic specialists... They are all private companies, usually owned by the doctors themselves or in partnership. The labs used to be government owned in Alberta until Klein privatized them, too. So when you go to your family doctor, if you can find one, or a clinic or need lab work, the province pays for the visit to the private company, unless that visit is no longer covered for some reason. Then your private insurer pays. Unless you don't have one. Then you pay out of pocket.

Current practice is that the public health insurance plan pays for any procedure that is medically necessary and can't be done in a reasonably accessible public hospital or clinic. If you can't get the heart surgery you need in your province, the government will pay to ship you somewhere else in the country and then pay for the procedure. So the more cuts to public health care, the more private takes over. So instead they get the government money for the procedures. With increased procedures in private, it helps make the argument for more cuts to public, since we don't want duplication of services or anything... And the wheel goes on. That's how it's worked in all the countries that have toyed with a public/private system, and most are switching back to a more public balance.

With the long waiting lists and public facilities shutting down all over the country, to get treatment in a timely manner, some patients are going to where they can get their treatment, paying the bills, and asking to be reimbursed later. That sometimes doesn't happen, if the government don't agree that you needed to go *there* to get *that*. These aren't the rich, either. Just people who hold BBQ's or put up their houses for collateral so they or their families can get treatment. It's already happening here. Creating an even greater system where this can degrade further is the tide we have to stem. Renewing our commitment to care, facilities, staff, equipment, and patients means giving back the funding to public health care, removing the muscling in of private in those areas, and the balance will again shift to an efficient, sustainable, equitable system across the entire country, and that used to be the envy of the world.

The rich will always head to Mexico to get their valves massaged or whatever. It's a status symbol. They always have. But before the cuts to public health care, all the treatments they actually needed were available in a timely manner, by professional, caring, healthy staff, in the finest of facilities with the best of equipment. So they were seen as a bit of nutters and weren't recompensed. They certainly didn't have to fly to the States for basic heart surgery...

The States have already tried for-profit health care. Not only is it an abomination and a complete failure, they have some of the highest costs and worst care per capita in the developed world. 60% of all bankruptcies in the States are directly related to medical bills.

Investors, not doctors, suddenly make the calls about patient care, equipment, staff, and facilities. The brightest and the best of medical practitioners leave for private practice because they can get better pay. We saw that happen in Alberta with the Klein Kuts. Hundreds of practitioners fled, leaving only the most dedicated or those who had difficulty getting jobs elsewhere staying here in the public system, with pay cuts and huge hour increases. Expensive diagnostic machines cease to be lifesavers and become moneymakers. After all, ya gotta pay for 'em... So they are used on those who can afford them, whether they need the procedure or not, and those who need it but can't afford it can wait for the charity of a public system. This isn't "House", you know, where he doesn't seem to care who pays... You think increasing private care will help take the strain off the public system? Not a chance. Since there are so many new clinics making money off people's pain and desperation and suffering, it's just all the more reason to cut it further, leaving public health care a desiccated husk that even rats won't gnaw on.

None of this has anything to do with "standards", of course. Those are different regulations that all facilities, public or private, have to follow according to the law, both federal and provincial. There's alot of leeway, though, and many things aren't covered that should be. The doctors and other professionals are licensed by the provincial government, but on the advice of the independent College of Physicians and Surgeons or other professional groups whose job they have taken it upon themselves to decree what is required for their profession. Usually those are in conjunction, and the government doesn't deviate from those recommendations unless it has an agenda it wants to follow. It certainly didn't hear a thing when it de-listed from public insurance many of the services that the College considered "vital", like ambulance rides, and it ignored pleas for the children's hospital, which took more than 20 years to build and is now a charity hospital linked to a University hospital that's gets much of its funding through raffles.

We have always had a public/private system. We always will have one. There have been fat farms and other clinics operating outside the public system. It's a matter of degree. Allowing more private, even regulated and having a "base standard of care", means a degradation of those same services in the public system. In this new myth of "private can do better", or "private costs us less", the new private clinics and services suck the talent and patients away from the crumbling public system, leaving a dangerous, intolerable mess that can only be cured by, you guessed it, more private health care.

Injecting money back into the public system means less staff attrition, more recruitment, better facilities, and less tax revenues flowing to States. There is no possible way a facility that is required to make a profit can provide services as cheaply as a government. They can't buy in the same bulk, they can't actually outbid a government on wages if that government actually cares to pay their people enough, it can't get the same deals on equipment, and a government isn't even required to break even, much less make a profit. In a government system, services can be provided at a much greater efficiency, with greater safety, and with only patient care and workplace security in mind. In for-profits, just imagine the mishmash of insurance providers, coverage, and the hundreds of staff required just for processing all that paperwork. In the public system, mistakes or problems that happen in one centre can quickly be dealt with and new regulations and procedures passed on all across the country in days, rather than going unnoticed in an avalanche of private facilities. It all comes down to who is going to get paid, and who is doing the paying. Someone is going to provide the drugs, the procedures, the facilities, and the staff. It's all a matter of who do you want to get the money. Private for-profit companies, who are designed to make money specifically off of their patient's suffering, not necessarily relieving it, or diverting that money directly back into the public purse and a government who at least theoretically is more concerned with getting the citizenry productive again?

It's gone beyond an obscene and flagrant disregard for the Canada Health Act, universality and public health care. We've always had a two tier system, and now they are just getting out the bone cutter to start hacking the corpse of public health care to more easily transportable bits. Easier to smoke on the BBQ, doncha know...

Some Highlights of the Campaign Trail - 2011

This was my busiest campaign ever, and I was always out and about. I did so many interviews with the press, and yet there was almost no mention of me in any type of media. And there is only four of us! And I'm the only woman! They seemed to go out of their way not to even suggest there was a Green candidate running in this riding, much less my name or anything else about me. It certainly wasn't for lack of trying... The lack of coverage and acknowledgement was very disappointing, but I'm thrilled to represent the Greens in Edmonton East. Here are some of highlights, with links to more pics and info.

April 13 - BPW Women in Politics Night!

Business and Professional Women's Club of Edmonton - Women in Politics Night. Had a chance to network and chat after the Q&A, too! 20% of ticket sales donated to the YWCA's One Woman One Vote initiative.

April 18: Elizabeth May & Georges Laraque @ EcoBall!

Green Rally, Vegan Potluck, Earth Week EcoBall!  My full post on that visit is here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 21 - M.E. LaZerte Cultural Festival

Up to 1500 students and 120 staff members partake in this event. Among many groups of students, 17 countries are represented to prepare and serve ethnic food as well as cultural performances. I love Bollywood! All I can do is traditional bellydance, but I certainly felt like shakin' it...

All the candidates from Edmonton East were there, but only Goldring got to give a speech. Made up some excuse about his foreign work or something making his qualified to speak.. Then he left. Really, they were hoping to embarrass him into agreeing to a forum, which is why we all were came, but he doesn't *do* those, doncha know, and easily evaded that invitation...

April 25 - Wrecking Ball

Live theatre, with abundant use of the f-word and Harper roasting, Vote Rappers, and a forum! All packaged in a box.. I can see why Goldring only showed up for 10 min., pronounced it "disgusting" and left in a huff, though. It *was* pretty funny... I choose to think that absolutely no mention of Elizabeth means that everyone loves her and no one wants to make fun of her, especially since she was just in that very theatre the week before!

I was there all evening talking to constituents and watching the performances, and I was the only rep of Edmonton East on the forum, but the press chose not to mention the fact... It's enough to try one's patience. Though they gave Linda Duncan and Louis Cardinal lots of air time...

April 28 - Wave by on 118th. Ave

I love waving at the cars! So many wave back and honk their support. Really helps raise the spirits during a long campaign...

During a rainy, cold evening, too. Shoulda planned that a bit better...

 

 

 

April 30 - Edmonton Vote Mob



Captian Canuck!



Great energy!  About 100 ppl, even more than Calgary, I heard! We had lots of interest, and honking, and did we make some noise!

I and my campaign manager were there for the whole Vote Mob. We didn't get any press. Linda Duncan showed up to make a speech at the beginning, and got interviewed, then left. But they thanked her profusely for showing up... 

You can tell who's doing it for the Cause. Since we certainly aren't in this for the glamour and fame...   If we were, you can bet we'd be re-evaluating that strategy...

 

 

April 30 - Thrival Edmonton Festival

Organized by Make Poverty History and Dare to Care, featuring performers, bicycled-powered music (seen in the video), a clothing swap, and pay-it-forward food.  I need to get ahold of Music is a Weapon...

April 30 - Pride Centre Candidate Open House

It was originally scheduled as a forum, but Goldring wouldn't show up, through Con Laurie Hawn did... So we had an open house instead. The candidates and their people almost outnumbered the constituents! But a great time was had by all. I stayed 'til late, as usual...

Elizabeth May in Edmonton - Pics and Podcast - Green Party Rally, EcoBall, and Vegan Potluck

Podcast of Elizabeth's speech on fiscal responsibility and the New Economy:

When Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, visits Edmonton, as she does more often than most party leaders, I usually have the very great privilege of organizing her events and rallies.
We got the call in this election to pull it off on fairly short notice, election timing being what it is, so we pulled some ideas out of our previously brainstormed grab bag to make it show-stopper!  It's already Earth Week, and to help encourage those green-minded folks who might want to check out a party rather than just a political rally, as well as to reach out to our younger population, we whipped up the EcoBall!

We rented the Avenue Theatre on 118th ave in my riding. It's the first time we used it, and it's a great little space, by the way.  Very reasonable for the capacity and facilities it provides, and the staff were more than helpful...  For refreshments, we brought in fair trade coffee, tea, and organic juice.

When we looked into food, however, it turned out that even the most inexpensive vegan caterer would cost more than the rest of the event put together!  Georges Laraque, our Deputy Leader and NHL sports star, is vegan and very publicy so.  In order to promote vegan menus and encourage creativity, we came up with a vegan potluck.  The door price was reduced to a pittance to those who brought a vegan dish for 10 people, and we had so many people taking advantage of our offer that two tables with filled with fantastic contributions.  Some even brought warming dishes to keep their creations toasty!



Setting up at the start of the evening

 The EcoBall is a new idea in Edmonton, so most came in street clothes, though the ones that came in costume certainly made up for it!

Christie in Green: the Creatrix and heart of Garbaganza - EcoCouture from dumpster diving!



Mother Earth from Garbaganza - Made from Astroturf!

 

More Garbaganza originals!





The Leader of the Pirate Party of Canada won our costume contest!

In the space of about a week and half, we got together at least three bands, as well as fillers to vamp if necessary, to entertain and liven up the crowd before Elizabeth's arrival. Which was a good thing, too, as her train was an hour late! Even I needed to pitch in, but it was so hectic that I forgot to tape my performance...

Local hot C&W band the Backstreet Affair.



Local busking celebrity piper, personal friend and Green Party supporter Glenn Eilers pitched in, too.



eticpo




We had a few ecovendors for interest. 



My booth - just to keep my hats straight, my apprentice got to keep all she made..



  

The Edmonton Bicycle Communters didn't return my emails.  I heard a rumour that it was because they were worried about becoming too political.  My answer to that, and to all NPO's trying to make a difference, is that to change laws, one must become politcal.  Laws are made by lawmakers.  Nearly always, lawmakers are politicans.  Therefore to be effective, if they haven't yet, activists must politicize.  I have found that the Greens, as the political arm of progessive activism, already make such a huge difference in the policies of other Parties and the dialog of the country, especially during an election!

There were swarms of press, too!  I've never seen so many reporters in one place.  Print, radio, and TV took up most of the lobby and some of the outside! 



Elizabeth, Georges, me (in the garb) and some of the Green Party candidates



Georges kept most of them busy from when he first showed up until Elizabeth arrived, so we jumped straight into her speech instead of his intro after she was mobbed by the media.  They both are always treated like rock stars...  And I admit that I am very pleased with my ability to get the word out.  Sometimes I need to pat myself on the head...

All in all, it was such a successful event that we are already thinking about next year!  Hundreds of people showed up, about 1/4 of them youth - there was fabulous food, great music, fun outfits, and much networking. I'm thrilled that it was so well-received and so well-attended.  Thanks so much to all our wonderful volunteers!  We couldn't have done it without you.  I'd also like to thank all the press for their professionalism and attendance, the techs for their hard work, and most especially Elizabeth and Georges for making this event one of the highlights of the election and Earth Week in Edmonton!

"Reasonably Articulate" - My First Podcasted Speech - April 7, 2011

The above left-handed compliment, one of my personal favourites, was handed to me by the speechwriter for the Liberal candidate in my riding.  Edmonton East is a Conservative stronghold, with almost no chance of anyone else winning, and the first time Liberal candidate still merits a speechwriter!  What kind of resources does that party have, anyway?  I refuse to be envious of that kind of flagrant squandering...  He even had pocket cards!  I on the other hand know Vision Green and my topics so well that my oration was genuine and authentic, with no notes or prepared speech.  It shows a bit, in that I only had a cup of coffee in me, so I wandered a little...  I'm no Elizabeth, after all, but I get by...

So I was torn for the title for the post. My other idea was my internal response to the discovery of the very existence of speechwriters for local candidates in other Parties. "Speechwriters?! We don' need no stinkin' speechwriters!" 'Course, I hear it in Dr. Johnny Fever's voice, so it's funnier...

I hope I was able to inspire a few of the students to vote and maybe do more to empower themselves in their democracy.  I was told that I was really the only one most ppl could hear, even up on the second floor.  A few asked me for buttons, at least one volunteer contact, and one of the young women organizing the event wanted her picture with me!  I felt like such a rock star...  I warned her to take it down from her FB page if she wanted to go to another Party's rally, you know, just in case...

The other candidates did just fine.  With their notes and prepared speeches...  Heh.

PODCAST:  Concordia Speech 2011

Heard first: Shafik Ruda

My first candidate forum of this election, put together by the Student UN of Concordia University.  Participants included myself, Shafik Ruda, first time Liberal Party candidate for Edmonton East, and ARTEM MEDVEDEV , NDP candidate for Edmonton Leduc.  Self-confessed Conservative, Student UN President Brock can be heard butchering my name right at the beginning, though he did fine with the others.  Not suggesting any Freudian slips or anything... Due to his shaking, I'm going to assume that he was just a bit nervous.  Would have accepted an apology, though...
 
The Conservatives didn't even deign to send a representative.  As is usual for my riding.