I'm running for Parliament!

[matt_mcl]

Yep, it's true.

The prime minister is expected to call an election in a few weeks, and I'm seeking the (uncontested) nomination to run for the New Democratic Party in my home riding of Verdun-St. Henri.

I, Matthew McLauchlin, will be standing for federal election!

Isn't that wild?

[Flutterby]

*blinks* Whoa you mean I'll have communicated with someone who will be joining the fed gov't? ack! *runs screaming and starts to wash her hands neurotically*

[Kyla]

All right, Matt! I'd vote for you! Of course, I can't, not being a resident of the area, or the province, or heck, the country. I don't suppose you need an headquarters in California, do you?

Good luck!

[Gunslinger]

Cool! I'd vote for you, but seeing as how I'm an American citizen and all...

[Gunslinger]

Damn simulposts... THAT WAS MY JOKE! Ijust type slow...

[Zenster]

I don't care what brand of cigarettes you're chasing after!

[matt_mcl]

Well, I've just been doing some research in Hansard (the journal of the proceedings of Parliament), trying to figure out what positions my incumbent opponent has been taking that I can attack.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be taking any positions, period. I think during the entire time the search engine referenced he's stood up in the House six times.

[Lux Fiat]

Rock the hell on, matt. Talk about getting involved. Color me seven different kinds of impressed. Wish I could vote for you.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be taking any positions, period. I think during the entire time the search engine referenced he's stood up in the House six times.

The do-nothing fat cat's just sitting around collecting his paycheck! The people demand action!

I am actually interested to know what kinds of issues you're planning to run on.

[waterj2]

Just in case you need it handy, here is your Constitution. Apparently, there is no age requirement for the House of Commons, which strikes me as odd. You've got about twelve more years before they'll let you be a Senator, though.

And since Canada doesn't, to the best of my knowledge, have anything resembling a libertarian party, I might as well root for you, since you're smart and honest, even if I disagree with you about everything political.

[matt_mcl]

Lux:

-Health care. The Liberals cut billions from health care, trying to balance the budget by sheer chainsaw economics. It's been devastating; emergency rooms are overcrowded and nurses have been striking. Alberta has been moving towards a two-tiered medicare system in defiance of the Canada Health Act, and Ottawa hasn't had the balls to try and stop them. Canadians insist and insist that they are proud of their medicare system and want it to work for everyone, and successive governments hack it to shreds as though a sufficient period of mutilation will make the citizenry drop its commitment to it. The NDP is committed to universial socialized medicare and intends to fund it and defend it as it deserves.

-Unemployment. The Liberals trumpet the unemployment figures without noticing that a low jobless rate is useless if the quality of life hasn't improved. Most of the jobs lost during the Mulroney years were full-time positions with benefits, and much of the jobs that have been created in response have been part-time jobs and unsecured positions without benefits, and self-employment. Nonetheless, they refuse to reinforce social structures to account for the social difficulties effected by this shift. The NDP will push for social and employment programs to ease the social strain created by these transitions.

-Taxation. Tax cuts are nice. However, everyone else seems to want tax cuts for the rich. They argue that the rich invest more and stimulate the economy. However, it is the lower and lower-middle-class who spend the most locally. A far greater percentage of low-income earners' money goes to local businesses than that of high-income earners. If the intent is to stimulate the Canadian economy, the NDP believes that the focus of tax cuts must be on the poor, not the rich.

-Globalization. World markets are a reality, but there is no reason for us to put up with being forced to the lowest common denominator. We do not allow multinational corporations to sell crack in Canada; we are under no obligation to permit them to destroy our society in other ways. The NDP supports Canadian economic sovereignty and protection of social and environmental programs from those external economic forces which buffet them. In particular, we would like to see negotiations on a Tobin Tax (a minuscule tax designed to slow currency speculation)commence. We are opposed to entering the FTAA negotiations.

[MysterEcks]

A question, Matt--how independent of the party are candidates and officeholders up there? As a candidate, are you pretty much obliged to follow the party line, or can you improvise?

[matt_mcl]

I'm quite free to improvise so long as I don't directly go against party policy.

[Sunspace]

Congratulations, matt_mcl!!! I'll be able to say that I met you in the old days before you became famous...

Follow in the footsteps of Pierre, not Brian, please--although you may want to watch your step during October.

Soo... going to support federal investment in public transport? It's really embarassing being bettered by the Usonanoj there.

When I was a kid, my mom did a lot of work for the NDP and we got to meet Ed Broadbent, who was MP for Oshawa-Whitby. I gather that he's still around, at some institute in Montreal?

Looks like I'm going to have to dust off and update my political-party website.

BTW, did it cost anything to become a candidate?

Have you got/are you allowed to have a website for your candidacy?

[fierra]

Originally posted by matt_mcl
Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be taking any positions, period. I think during the entire time the search engine referenced he's stood up in the House six times.

Hell, that was just because he needed to go out to the toilet!

Good luck Matt!

Right, how long will it take to delete all trace of you from the board? You can't let the electorate know that they'll be getting a literate man who can write, is funny, intelligent and cares about things...

[Sealemon88]

Wow, man! That is excellent!

Here's hoping you make it to the primaries, nad even, maybe, get elected!

Too cool!

[Spider Woman]

This is so cool!

-----
---////\\\\

Congratulations! Are you going to have campaign signs, stickers and buttons? Will this interfere much with your classes?

[jesuslynch]

Just point me towards a ballot box I can stuff. But, by god, if you forget about us little people, I'll call my buddies over at The Company.

[Gregor Samsa]

Good on ya, matt!

I didn't think Quebeckers ever voted NDP, though. Or am I wrong?

[JimmyNipples]

Congrats Matt....a gay MP.

We have one of those in BC. Sven Robinson.

Federal NDP, I hope, isn't as bad as Provincial NDP. BC Sucks. When the Maritimes are projected to do better than your home province, you know you suck bad.


Good luck Matt.


How seats does the NDP hold in Parliment?

[JimmyNipples]

oops....how many seats?

[matt_mcl]

Follow in the footsteps of Pierre, not Brian, please.

One of the things I like about Pierre Trudeau was that he didn't do things in half-measures. Whether it was decriminalizing homosexuality or bringing in the charter of rights or patriating the constitution or bringing in bilingualism (which I approve of) or suspending Quebec's civil liberties (which I don't), he did it flat out, bluntly, frankly. Unlike this current crop of pseudopoliticians who do good embarrasedly and bad surreptitiously.

There's a reason why the word for the right to vote - franchise - literally means "frankness".

Soo... going to support federal investment in public transport?

Darn tootin'.

I gather that [Ed Broadbent, the last decent leader the NDP had] is still around, at some institute in Montreal?

Actually, he's a professor at McGill!

Here's hoping you make it to the primaries, nad even, maybe, get elected!

We call them "nominations" here, dear. Actually, since I'm unopposed for my party's nomination in this riding, the nomination will be a formality.

I didn't think Quebeckers ever voted NDP, though. Or am I wrong?

They've elected a NDP MP one time, in Chambly. However, my riding includes the poorest neighbourhood in Quebec, so I'm hoping I can make some inroads.

Svend Robinson

who, I should point out, is a federal MP, not a provincial member, is actually a great inspiration to me. He's one of the few people in Parliament I admire, because he's one of the few people in Parliament who care about something other than getting reelected.

Federal NDP, I hope, isn't as bad as Provincial NDP. BC Sucks.

The difference is that the federal NDP is leftwing, whereas the BC Provincial NDP is further left than the federal Liberals (who themselves are now a centre-right party).

How seats does the NDP hold in Parliament?

19. a.k.a Not Goddamn Enough.

[matt_mcl]

btw. If anything I said in that post seems to Canadians to be much too obvious, it was for the benefit of American who might not have a complete knowledge of our parliamentary system.

[Feynn]

Matt, this is great news but I have to wonder how this is going to affect my quest to become Dictator of Canada. If the NDP ever assumes power they might accomplish many of the things I intend to implement and the population might not be as receptive of my socialist regime.

We share many of the same political ideology so perhaps there will will a place for you when I take power.

[Lord Derfel]

But Matt is my new favourite gay NDP candidate! I agree that Svend is a great MP. Good luck, man.

[Flutterby]

Hmm maybe having a Doper in Parliament would be a good thing.. I'd vote for you! Just make sure to kick Klein in the ass for pushing through Bill 11 (the Healthcare stuff btw for the Americans) Alberta is a cool place to be, though I love several other provinces just as much, and I don't want to have the health care torn to shred when I really need it when I'm older. (Luckily right now I'm in decent health and such but who knows what the future may bring?)

[matt_mcl]

News update: I might not actually be running in Verdun-St Henri: the guy who has first dibs is being coy, but the party is supposed to hear from him today. If he's running in this riding, I'll be running in St Laurent-Cartierville instead, in the northwestetrn part of Montreal. (Fortunately, it's a straight shot by metro.) Further updates as events warrant.

[MysterEcks]

matt_mcl said:

I'm quite free to improvise so long as I don't directly go against party policy.

By which I take it you have stronger party obligations than in the US, which has very weak party obligations. (Not that I'm sure weak parties would work in a parliamentary system.)

I asked because I'm from Pennsylvania, which is notorious for being ass-backwards politically. For example, we have at least three statewide Republican office-holders (Governor, US Senator, and State Treasurer) who are pro-choice on abortion, while the national party is just the opposite. And the only statewide Democratic office-holder (Auditor General) is anti-abortion, as was his father, the former Governor, while the national party is completely contrary. I get the impression that this would be unlikely with the Canadian setup.

[matt_mcl]

Ah! I understand better. As it happens, many provincial parties have policies quite different from the federal parties. As noted above, the BC New Democrats are quite right-wing, practically the opposite of the federal New Democrats. The Quebec Liberals are also to the right of the federal Liberals (if such a thing is possible).

These provincial parties (the ones that run for the provincial legislatures) must be distinguished from the provincial sectors of the federal parties. That is, there are both the provincial BC NDP (the right-wing ones that are sent to Victoria), and the BC branch of the federal NDP (the left-wing ones that are sent to Ottawa, such as Svend Robinson).

You can certainly belong to one and not the other. There is no provincial NDP in Quebec at all, for example. (I intend to vote Social Democrat when the next election comes.)

When I say I can't run around contradicting party policy, I mean in terms of the party I joined and that I'm running for (the federal NDP). I have a good deal of discretion; for example, federal New Democrats in Quebec are often more radical than those of the rest of the country. However, it would be inadvisable for me to run directly counter to the party's policies, for example by running on an anti-abortion or flat tax platform or some such. (If I believed in those, I probably wouldn't have joined the NDP in the first place anyway.)

Also, voting on bills in the House is usually right down party lines, and there's even a member called the Whip (no joke) who keeps errant members in line. "Free votes" are only called for very controversial issues. I disagree strenuously with the party line voting stricture.

[MysterEcks]

Thanks for the explanations, Matt--as a poly sci grad and someone who used to be involved in party politics, I find this stuff fun.

One more question, if I might--what kind of money does it take to run a Parliamentary campaign up there? Does the party handle this, or do the candidates' committees (if you have such a thing) have to come up with the bulk of it? Is it more expensive to run in a big media market like Montreal as opposed to smaller media markets (which is generally true in US Congressional races)? (Sorry...that was more than one question.)

I can't think of any way that what I know about rural Pennsylvania politics could assist you--if you actually think of anything, please feel free to ask--but I certainly wish you the best of luck.

[Sunspace]

Does the NDP support proportional representation?

[Sunspace]

...a federal PR link...

[Northern Piper]

good on ya, matt - have fun, and maybe even get elected! will you hire me as a flunky?

[Sunspace]

...and a whack of stuff about PR:
June 16, 2000
Ontario NDP focuses on PR

The Ontario New Democrats will focus on proportional representation as one of five "emerging issues" to be examined at the biennial convention in Hamilton, June 16 to 18.

Under the theme "New Century, New Democrats," PR and internet voting will be discussed along with four other issues: water, public health, urban sprawl and the new economy.

The convention will be "webcast" and will feature a series of e-mail scrums with NDP leaders. The convention's website is http://www.ontariondp.on.ca/convention2000.



MAY 18, 2000

MPs Debate Proportional Representation

MPs began debate on proportional representation today (Thursday, May 18) -- the first such debate since 1923. The motion sponsored by Lorne Nystrom, NDP MP from Saskatchewan, reads:

"That, in the opinion of this House, the government should work towards incorporating a measure of proportional representation in the federal electoral system, making use of a framework which includes:

(a) a report on proportional representation prepared by an all-party committee after extensive public hearings;

(b) a referendum to be held on this issue where the question shall be whether electors favour replacing the present system with a system proposed by the committee as concurred in by the House; and

(c) the referendum may be held either before or at the same time as the next general election."

Alliance MP voices support
-- Alliance MP Ted White expressed his personal support for the motion, with the qualification that he would like the referendum to take place in two stages.

This would give voters greater power to choose the kind of electoral system they would like. White said the Alliance's policy on electoral reform aims at such a two-stage referendum. (For Alliance policy see below.)

BQ proposes amendment
-- The Bloc Quebecois proposed an amendment to the motion which would add after the words "proportional representation" the words "by province."

PR by province is more likely to give provincially-based parties like the Bloc a substantial number of seats than if seats were allocated on a nation-wide proportional basis. The House will hold two more debates on the motion. A vote is likely in the fall.

Supporters of proportional representation are urged to circulate petitions and contact their MP in an effort to build support for the issue."

-from Canadians for Proportional Representation

[Northern Piper]

waterj2:

Apparently, there is no age requirement for the House of Commons, which strikes me as odd.

There is an age requirement, but it's set out in a federal statute, not in the Constitution Act, 1867.

The Canada Elections Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, c. 14(1st Supp.), provides:

50. (1) Every person who

(a) has attained the age of eighteen years, and

(b) is a Canadian citizen,

is qualified as an elector.

...

76.1 Subject to this Act, any person who, at the date on which the person's nomination paper is filed at an election, is qualified as an elector may be a candidate at the election.

So, since matt's older than 18 and a citizen, he's an elector, and therefore eligible to stand for election as a candidate.

[waterj2]

That's odd. You people have a constitution that states a minimum age for being a Senator, but not for being a member of the House of Commons.

OK, realistically speaking, how much of a chance do you stand of winning? I know nothing about Canadian politics, so for all I know, the NDP is somewhere below the Libertarian Party here in terms of popular support. And what about going to school? Will you have to take a break from your studies? Oh, and will you still be able to maintain your promiscuous ways under the constant media spotlight that shines on Canadian Parliament members?

[andygirl]

Matt! I'm so proud of you!

Now, as the babydyke journalist that I am, can I write a bio of you for the gay papers? (Actually, can I?)

Oh, heck... you know, I bet I can dig up some <coughcough> interesting <choke> posts of yours from YGS... interesting reading, those were.

[matt_mcl]

Waterj2: Approximately nil. But the point for me isn't to win, as nice as that would be, but to bring a third way to the debate. If I do get elected though, I suppose I'll just have to start taking summer classes

I'm told there are two gay bar scenes in Ottawa: one for the actual gay people and one for the rich closeted people and MPs and who all. Suffice it to say I'll be taking door numero un. My people would be electing me to speak on their behalf in Parliament, not to live a lifestyle they favour (or care about).

Andy: You do and I'll tell the whole thing about the girl from Vancouver, the butternut squash, and the Nuttella. I saved the emails. Pervert!

[matt_mcl]

Andy: Yes, actually you can.

[Northern Piper]

waterj2,

I assume that the reason for the difference is that in our political tradition, any elector is eligible to vote for the Commons and the provincial legislatures - there's no added requirements like you guys have for the House of Representatives.

Since the standards for being an elector change from time to time, as society changes (originally there was probably a property qualification; males only; voting age; etc.), the qualification to be a candidate was not put in the Constitution Act, 1867. If it had been, you would need a constitutional amendment any time you wanted to change the qualifications for an elector.

By contrast, the Senate was sort of a "made-in-Canada" appointed chamber, similar to the House of Lords, and therefore all the requirements were put right in the Constitution Act, 1867 - they wanted the Senate to be changeable only by constitutional amendment.

[matt_mcl]

Originally posted by MysterEcks
Is it more expensive to run in a big media market like Montreal as opposed to smaller media markets (which is generally true in US Congressional races)? (Sorry...that was more than one question.)

Not for the NDP, which has no chance of being elected in Quebec anyway, as stated.

Actually, for a full campaign, it might even be more expensive in a rural riding. Abitibi, for example, is the entire northern part of Quebec. Not fun.