Taxslave - Quite frankly, our concern for how we're perceived by the West means not one iota to us. It is not our parties mission to be well liked by the rest of Canada. It is about our right to have a political voice in our own country, which we currently don't.
This lack of political representation has allowed the current status quo. The political leadership of this country must see to the needs of the rest of the country first, and we get the scraps. We intend to change that. I'm quite sure we won't win any popularity contests, but again, that isn't our concern.
If the West gets so fed up with us having the gall to demand political representation in our own country that they decide to leave, then so be it.
"Just be happy we let you stay....now shut up and sit down" seems to be the attitude of the ROC, and if we allow this to continue, then the status quo will never change. We are not demanding more handouts...that is the LAST thing we want. We want sustainable prosperity in our region, of the kind that only concerted investment can bring. We need the infrastructure to be able to attract well paying jobs....high tech firms, manufacturing firms, R&D firms....that is the only way to improve the lot for an entire region. And I might add, that it is our opinion that a more prosperous Atlantic Canada is essentail for a more prosperous Canada.
We are strategically located for international trade, have the highest concentration of universities in the nation (per capita), and thus have a highly skilled and educated workforce. We have excellent natural resources that we are just now starting to exploit. There is no reason why we should rank last or near last in just about every important economic category, both in absolute terms and per capita. No reason, except that it is, and has been, politically disadvantageous to be seen as favoring those "lazy" Atlantic Canadians with any serious investments in their region. No, let's invest elsewhere and just give them a few handouts to shut them up.
We don't want handouts. We want the same livelihood that the rest of our Canadian brethren have. And if the fact that we "dare" seek a better life for ourselves causes the West, or anyone else to say, "good riddance" then so be it....but as long as we're all part of this great nation, get used to it, cause we're not going away.
Why a new party?
Is it because the "champions" and "leaders" of a proposed new party would nothing be but weak and pathetic wusses to express their feelings in one of the two dominant parties??
Just asking.
Well, first of all, let me assure you, making political change by starting a NEW political party, as opposed to joining an old one, is definitely not the "easy route" which it seems like you're implying.
And if you read our platform, you would know why change cannot be forced by joining an existing party. Because of strict adherance to Party Discipline (in which Canada is unfortunately a world leader) change, of the the kind we're seeking, cannot be done from within the existing framework. It is Party Discipline which removes Atlantic Canada from the political process.
Look at the Atlantic Accord. In the 2007 budget, Harper introduced changes that took almost $4 billion from Atlantic Canada. That's a lot of scratch for the poorest provinces in the country. It amounted to just over 4% of 2008 GDP for all provinces. An equivalent amount taken from Ontario (4% of 2008 GDP) would result in the Feds taking roughly $24 billion from Ontario's treasury. If you think the Federal gov't would even THINK about doing taht to Ontario (or Quebec, or the West) you're dreaming...why? Because Ontario has a political voice...however, us in AC can be ignored at little political cost.
And this money pays for our health care, our education, our infrastructure......This affects our lives, it's not some abstract thing.
And 8 out of 9 Conservative MP's from Atlantic Canada voted for it.....you think that's democracy? 8 out of 9 MPs stood in Parliament for supported a measure that took billions from their constiteuncy. And teh one MP who had the political courage to do what he was sent to Ottawa to do was kicked out of the Conservative party immediately after the vote.
When I make a vote, I expect my vote to represent my voice, and my interests, in Ottawa...not to give the Libs or the Cons more political ammo to pursue whatever agenda they see fit, often at the expense of my homeland.
The system is fixed against us, it cannot work any differently. The only way for change (for us) is a new party, and a new way of doing things. We need our vote to be held by a party that does not need to appease the population heavy areas of the rest of the nation, because when our needs come up against theirs, we're going to lose every time.
Again, I'm all for debate here, but if you are not from Atlantic Canada, this party is not for you. If you ARE, and you want to finally have YOUR voice heard in Ottawa, there is nothing more important you can do right now then support this initiative.
