Is it Just Me?

Or do others see the attacks on opposition parties slipped into a lot of rebuttals. Opposition parties are there to OPPOSE. They hold the government up to scrutiny. If they didn't do their job these governments would be hell bent on changing laws to suit their own political agendas. Witness Bill 42 on the BC Elections act.

My observations is that all

My observations is that all Governments think that they have a God-given right to do anything they want and in particular when they form a majority. Some cases in point, look what Campbell has done so far pertaining to the run-of-the-rivers, TILMA,selling BC Rail; he just does it and never dicussed it before hand. APEC conference in Vancouver 12 years ago; Cops got the directions from the PM's office to rip down any and all protest signs so the president of the time from Indonesia, doesn't have his feelings hurt. The stupid cops just said "Ja, mein fuhrer" and commenced to what the dear leader wanted. When people objected, they got pepper sprayed. Remember when Cretian said "Me? I prefer to have pepper on my plate".

"a God-given right to do anything they want"

The sad thing is that they do have that right. We grant them that right for at least four years and then because we are never prepared to take it away when the royally screw up. The only reason Campbell does some of the things that he does is because he knows he will always get a break from his business buddies and the corporate press. That doesn't work for the left and their "union friends" if we can call them that. History has proven that labour is much quicker to pull support from any party if they get annoyed with them. The squandering of money and the deceit with Campbell dwarfs any of the failings of the NDP in the 90's and still he is not he is to account.

THIS is a response?

I don't think so.

Fletcher writes:

The act provides voters several convenient ways to prove their identity and residence.

Electors can provide a piece of identification with their photo, name and address, or two pieces of identification as long as both pieces contain their name, and one contains their address. Dozens of pieces of identification qualify, including everything from a utilities bill to a fishing license. Eligible voters can also swear an oath and be vouched for by another elector whose name appears on the list of electors in the same polling division and has acceptable identification.

Minister Fletcher:
1) How many homeless people have any of those pieces of ID?
2) As for getting someone to vouch for them - don't be silly - the guy or gal who's doing the vouching is homeless too.
3) Where, Minister Fletcher, is the evidence that there was any fraud and/or impropriety going on?
4) Why not, if you're so concerned, reinstitute regular personal enumeration which has been shown conclusively in jurisdictions the world over to enhance democratic participation and encourage voting?

I'll look forward to the minister's response - but I won't expect one.

Typical Tory Nonsense

This is a syllogistic fallacy by an under-educated over-bearing cabinet minister.

The opposition should do what we want because we are the government, our government is effective therefore for the opposition to be effective they must do things with our government.

I suggest he look up the word opposition and then follow it by a peak at the word compromise.

I do not expect he or any of his colleagues to actually do this as it would be unprecedented in Canadian politics.

WTF?

Do you mean the same opposition parties that vote to prop up your sorry CPC asses?

This arrogant no-name minister of state needs to look up the definition of minority parliament, (assuming he wasn't schooled in that recently by current events), and accept the fact that opposition parties exist to hold the govt to account.

If you propose weak or crap legislation, at least have the smarts to realize that a minority parliament might just criticize you or make passage of your bill difficult. Quit whining....

to hell with it

Again and it seems every time it comes to an election there is some sort of hurdle I have to jump through. I am done with it, This is not the Canada, the BC, or even the Vancouver that I know anymore. we have been invaded by a bunch of dictators who are hell bent on making it hard to vote. So where is the democracy? I give up, I am not and will never again vote because it doesn't matter anyway. these so called peoples representatives have only one agenda on their plate it has nothing to do with my interests, so why should I waste my time.

And It Looks Like He Ate Everyone of them too!

I mean the rules not the voters of course of course as doesn't matter anyway I guess they would say as we aren't representing that lot anyway. Because Governments got the numbers and stats for sure because thats what governments count on sheep. Well that to and I even for a moment thought Harper might come through for Canadians but its not happening as Government wants Public Organizations and Infrastructure to be headed up with Greedy CEO'S at a time when USA and the WORLD is trying to figure a way to stop these Bandits Harper and Campbell are inviting them into the Public Treasury. And those 450,000 voters that didn't get their say can expect they will be moving on down the sidewalk cause sure nothing in the budget for them except more tickets from the police as they have no problem giving out with out any ID or address. And Campbell gave the Canadian Line a P3 its own police force armed with deadly tasers to collect loose change as major drug trafficing is going on in this city and police corruption no doubt but citizens go without buses along with stressed out drivers. And a time when there is a major credit crunch going on is not a time to put citizens on the hook for more as citizens already find themselves on the hook for the Olympic village and so much more I'm sure. And the Village another P3s so its unusually safe to say expect more of the same.

Voting

is the ultimate refuge of the citizen from the oppression of the government - any government with which he disagrees.

I am surprised that Steven Fletcher, himself a handicapped person, has made it much more difficult for other handicapped persons, like myself, to cast a vote. Regrettably, the new rules for absentee voting caused me to forego my privileges last year for the first time since I turned 21 in 1954.

Enumeration and voters' lists are all that is required and their simplicity encourages the populace to exercise their franchise. The new regulations seem to be designed deliberately to promote frustration and difficulty with the process.

I am further disappointed in Minister Fletcher's comments about the "reforms" he has overseen being opposed by the opposition, when it is clearly Marc Mayrand who has expressed the problems he perceives to be inherent in the new system. Check out the other story in the Tyee about the 450,000 Canadians who, like me, relinquished the vote to which they were entitled.

please vote

Grassyandy,

Until you wage a revolution, the only way you can get rid yourself of these types of politicians is to vote and/or run, yourself. By advocating not voting, the Conservative politicians win. The people who want the Reform/Conservative/BC Liberal crowd in office always vote. By not voting, you make their votes have more power than it should. They are already working hard to exclude people who would probably not vote for them and deserve to be heard in the polls.

Call me paranoid, but I sometimes have a bit of a fear that some commentors making anti-voting messages such as yours are actually Conservative plants. After all, they know their core supporters will always vote for their exalted Fuhrer. If you do not have the where-with-all to run yourself, sometimes voting is a matter of holding your nose and selecting the least offensive candidate. Sometimes it is a matter of selecting the party you think is the most likely to defeat the party you despise the most. If we are going to have bad government, better it be a minority. We saw what 6 years of George Bush having a majority in the House and the Senate did for the States. Imagine if Harper were given 5 years to do the same!

more Tory dirty tricks

There is not,was not and probably never will be any real reason to check ID at polling stations.This was either a cynical use of American paranoia to foster homemade fear or just Stephen Harper using the times to allow him to disenfranchise a large portion of the Canadian population that he knew would rather cut their arms off than vote Tory.Poor and especially the homeless(who this bill totally disenfranchised)have trouble renewing ID every 5 years as it is often a choice between voting or eating.This bill is against everything Canada stands for.No surprise as we've seen what Harper is willing to do to stay in power.Small surprise when you consider it looked like he sold most Canadians on 38% having more right to rule than 62%.Canadians seem oblivious to the fact that in most of the democratic world,coalitions are the norm.

DTES

I live in the dtes and when the last election occurred I had to go to 3 polling stations to finally be accepted to vote. So great now that I went through all of that hubabaloo I figured that now I am on the voters list again and it will be all done with. NOT SO last week I received this letter from elections BC suggesting that again I would need register and that the person who was listed at my address is not me. What a hassle. You would figure that there is a common list between all three levels of Government and that how many more hurdles will I have to cross. This is what frustrates me. What the hell is a "to vote" card I am already on a disability pension within this province and the Government already knows where I live and the only reason they would be sending me this stupid thing is to intimidate me and make it tough for me to be able to vote. What does it mean "A non partisan office of the legislature" What a crock of bull. It is an office to make it tough for marginalized people and the lesser advantaged to be able to vote, lets get real here.. What I do hope is that the Vancouver Sun or one of the media outlets pick this thing up as a story, because if they are an office of the legislature then they already have all they need about me so what is up with that? and instead should have been sending me a "to vote" card!

keeping it real

"make it tough for marginalized people and the lesser advantaged to be able to vote, lets get real here."

And how would these marginalized folks be inclined to vote? Probably? Does a marginalized person really deserve the same vote as say a West Vancouver or Point Grey "professional cowboy"?
Have they pulled really hard on their bootstraps lately? Hmmmm?

Stay real Andy

I just wish he would reform his propaganda..

...practices.

I'm not in Steven Fletcher's riding, but I get his taxpayer subsidized riding propaganda.

I wonder if all CPC MP's are abusing their parliamentary privileges in such an undemocratic manner?