John Ibbitson is a writer-at-large for the Globe and Mail, a former political writer and columnist, author of a number of other political books, the winning of the Governor General’s Award and was shortlisted for the Donner Prize, the National Newspaper Award and the City of Toronto Book Award.
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Thank you, Stephen Harper, for making us know what it truly means to be Canadian. “The indigenous population in Canada comprises about 4.5 percent of the total population”.
This is the infamous section 331 of the Canada Elections Act, dealing with “non-interference by foreigners”, which states that no non-Canadian living abroad may “in any way induce electors to vote or refrain from voting or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate”.
It was one of the final Rock the Indigenous Vote rallies that Hall and others have been holding across the country in hopes of-in her words-“indigenizing the election”. Immediately following the Supreme Court ruling, the Conservative machine shifted from talking about the economy to the niqab.
Those paying attention aren’t necessarily the people who say in polls that they appreciate our lovely manners and mountains. “And we’re seeing that today”. We also benefit 100% from income splitting.
“It’s a wedge issue that has been put right in front because it’s a political vote-getter, but it has divided the Canadians incredibly; and, in fact, [the Conservatives] have had the adverse effect as opposed to the desired effect”, Professor Ratna Omidvar from Ryerson University told.
In the end, she said, the indigenous vote came out for Obama four to one. After a university student asked Elections Canada to charge Moore, Mike Bradley, the mayor of Sarnia, said he would make Moore an honorary citizen to protect him from the charges.
Back in Geneva, of all the painful truths spoken about Canada, the most mortifying was that no one even noted that Canada was missing. “We’ve witnessed the absolute hostility and adversarial posture of [Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s] government over the last ten years”.
The comedian went after NDP leader Thomas Mulcair’s sense of humor and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau’s fashion choices over the years, but Oliver had a special message for the sitting PM.
Before he got to the politicians, though, Oliver began with the country: “Canada”, Oliver said, opening the segment. “I think we have to look at the disproportionate focus on the veil and the hijab because it is from Islam”.
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And acting as pathfinders, Indigenous community leaders along with Assembly of First Nations staff are helping to assist any Indigenous community member who wishes to vote to do so while also honouring those communities that do not vote as they already represent their suffrage in semi-autonomous ways.
