It was mentioned last week, I think, that the Liberals would launch a web site to moniter the progress of the Conservative budget. Here it is.Since the only information we get from the government is 'spin', I see this as a really good place for Canadians to get factual information and participate in the process of holding our government to account.
Obviously it was developed by the Liberal Party of Canada, but if you go through the site, you'll notice that both the look and the intent of the site is not particularly partisan.
I think this is an excellent step forward by the Liberals. If you agree, alert your friends and family to the site.
6 comments:
Paul Wells is already criticizing it. Is it me, or are the pundits/journalists/talking heads and opinion people being a little easy on Harper - funding maybe?
How does a website called "onProbation" actually keep the Conservative on Probation as promised by Iggy?
As for being partisan is sounds like a giant election campaign.
From the first page we have:
- We need to protect Canadians who have been hit hardest and make sure that families can make ends meet.
- Canadians are losing their jobs in record numbers. Together we can keep our country working.
- Help make sure the government invests in the jobs of tomorrow. Let’s not lose our best and brightest.
- Hold the government accountable to your community, no matter where you live or who you voted for.
- Let’s make sure the government prevents a legacy of debt and deficit from being passed on to our children and grandchildren.
Can you honestly say that it is not an election campaign site?
Sure the site is pretty with graphics and the videos of MPs a good(ish) selling job - but where does it even come close to the Iggy promise of putting the Conservatives on probation?
If the Liberals really believed that the Conservatives are doing such a poor job on the economy (as witnessed by that site), how would they pull the plug on the Government?
Or why don't they?
Where is that famous Liberal report card? (or is that it?)
In that respect, I find that OnProbation.ca is nothing more than style over any meaningful substance. One only has to listen to the videos presented to see that there is "spin" on that website.
Holding the government to account? Don't really see it.
I guess we should file this one under "So much for principles, eh!"
he Harper government won approval Tuesday to quickly start pumping $3-billion into Canada's sputtering economy after Liberals backed off their demand for details on how the money will be spent.
Provision for the special stimulus fund was included in a spending bill, which passed the House of Commons by a vote of 210-82 with the support of Conservative and Liberal MPs.
Only three weeks ago, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff insisted he would never support the fund without some advance idea of how it would be spent. He was adamant despite Prime Minister Stephen Harper's warning that the fund constituted a confidence matter and that opposition parties would “find themselves in an election” if they blocked it.
“I am not writing a blank cheque on $3-billion. No Canadian would respect me if I did,” Mr. Ignatieff said at the time.
Yet Liberals supported the fund Tuesday even though the government had not provided any of the details they'd demanded.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090324.wPOLbudget0324/BNStory/politics/home
I think you raise fair enough points cwtf, but I would say that the site is new and I presume that it will build in time.
For instance, you can't really have a report card when there is nothing to report on yet.
Is it useful to the party in terms of a campaign? Sure. What party worth it's salt wouldn't put together something that is beneficial to itself? That said, it is interactive and does provide venues to discuss, unload, debate and suggest. The Ask the PM section is getting traffic and people are raising issues.
I don't know. I don't see any other party doing this sort of thing to this degree.
As for why doesn't Ignatieff pull the plug...really? That line is falling pretty flat for dear old Jack so I'm surprised that you of all people are using it. Like it or not, people would be angry to have an election for the sake of it, therefore, it would accomplish the grand sum of nothing.
There is nothing brave or altruistic in calling an election when people are calling for action and co-operation.
Back to the site, I think the idea is for all of us to hold the government to account and the site is a place to have your voice heard.
I know you wish politics wasn't so damned political. So do I, but that's not reality. So, in perfection's stead, I choose to work with what is in front of me. If I can influence that or mold it, then that is what I try to do.
I find that easier to do when I'm in it's proximity.
cwtf, yea, I can't say I'm thrilled about that. We did pass a motion, but I hear you.
I stand by it's tough to call an election now, and I don't mean that from a winning stand point. I mean reality. Who the hell wants to line up to vote when they have spent half their day lining up for EI? We don't need more stress right now, we need less.
But I do hear you.
knb - overall I do think we agree on most things.
And I do understand your continued support of the Liberals - The Conservatives are rather scummy to say the least....
I seem to get a lot of flack for not wholeheartedly support Iggy, But I cannot stand the hypocrisy of the Conservatives and I don't like to see Liberals do the same (all for a few votes).
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