Russell McOrmond

A member since November 30, 2006 16:10

Message

Comment History

CPAC-Nanos Daily Election Tracking CP 37, LP 26, NDP 19, BQ 10, GP 8 (ending October 1) (2008-10-02)

• Jack Layton mentioned the word "Copyright" last night in passing. While I wish there was a debate about this important legislation that will define the shap...

Liberal Green Shift - High Risk and Potentially High Reward (Video Blog Post) (2008-06-23)

• I've always believed that we should stop trying to use big government regulation to deal with issues like this (environment). I strongly agree with a tax sh...
• The devil may be in the details, but we can always comment on the general direction articulated by the parties. The Conservatives and the NDP (odd partners ...
• Part of the conversation comes down to whether we believe the science behind climate change. Those of us who do recognize that change is coming, and our onl...
• It is interesting to see people talking about this as too much, too soon. I found out about the Green Tax Shift http://www.progress.org/banneker/shift.html ...
• Larryl, I'm not a fan of taxing profit or income at all, and believe it is an antiquated idea. There would be enough government revenue from taxing other t...
• "There are many who are not as fortunate as us and another hike in costs, at this point in time, would be damaging to the financial stability of too many." ...

Speech from the Throne - Tories Continue "Leadership" Narrative (2007-10-17)

• It is not the areas mentioned in the Throne Speech where the Liberals and Conservatives disagree that concern me the most, but the areas where the politician...

Conservative NASCAR Sponsorship – Likely more risk than political payoff (2007-06-21)

• While I might wish this to have a negative political impact, I don't think that those watching the event will feel that way. It is pure publicity for a bran...

Bill Casey and Tory Political Brushfires (2007-06-10)

• I watch what is happening, and it only convinces me more for the need for electoral reform in Canada. We need to have an electoral system that does away wit...
• I assume you mean the mis-quoting of her views on reproductive rights, as far as her views on "religious issues". You may want to go to the source, and not ...
• This is one of the reasons I like the MMP system. It is a compromise between those who want more parties, and those who want less. It is a realistic change...
• Quick notes: I think you (or your source) has misinterpreted something Ms. May said if you think she would revoke or in any way reduce or oppose a woman's r...
• The Ontario Citizen's Assembly has layed out a very specific plan, along with an online slideshow giving examples of how it would work. http://www.citizensa...
• Sorry if I seemed a bit argumentative. I'm not intending to be. I guess I believe that there are enough things to agree and disagree on that people actuall...
• Re: Taxes I know this is controversial, but I don't believe in a "progressive" tax system where what is measured is 'income'. I believe that those who make...
• If income is the metric for a progressive tax system, then the flat tax is the simplest to administer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_tax Unfortunately ...
• Sorry for being technical. My training is as a technical person (I'm a hardware/software geek turned policy wonk ;-) I make my living as a system administr...
• Rather than joining parties, why not facilitate election of diverse voices and the creation of coalition governments? We need electoral reform, not party me...
• Thanks for the note. By the way, I have my own BLOG at http://digital-copyright.ca where I (and a few others) post about technology law and related issues o...
• Just to clarify: I have voted for David McGuinty (the younger who is in federal politics, has the environmental, economic, development, and world traveler ba...

Federal Grits Drop in Quebec – Tories Still Short of Majority (2007-04-08)

• I'm wondering about possible election-sparking issues. I would love to see a survey on C-30 related issues. While it might be because I am an environmental...
• What I have noticed is a lack of marketing/education coming from the opposition. Paying 'fines' to other countries isn't really what the carbon-trading syst...
• This is helpful -- not in that I agree with anything you said, but to hear a view from another Canadian that is so extremely different from my own. This is ...
• I don't have a feeling that it is denial that is the key problem in Canada, but a desire by some to try to use domestic big-government regulation rather than...
• So, a trading system within a province by the private sector is a good idea, with individual corporations doing trading. This is a great start. Now how abo...
• Curious: Why do you suggest carbon trading "is merely a carbon tax"? The eventual recipient of the money would be greener organizations, not the government....
• You are interpreting the word "debt" differently than I intended it. Financial debt is not the only type of debt, and in fact we need financial instruments ...

The Green Party: Political Force or Political Phantom? (2007-03-04)

• You can't have environmental modernization without economic modernization. The fact that the Conservatives have not only come out against a carbon tax to re...
• The Green Party has never been an "issue" party. They are about methods to solve problems, not a focus on the problems themselves. For instance, rather t...
• I think her position on the "abortion debate" is closer to what most Canadians think than either of the extremes. People can personally disagree with aborti...
• I have always thought that Television networks deciding this was something in favour of Ms. May being in the debates. She will be the only woman, and will m...
• I understand that some people have their religious beliefs about climate change or even the origins of the species, but most of us rely on science to make de...

Watch, Rate and Comment on the New Conservative TV Ads which Attack the Liberals (2007-01-31)

• I hope that the Conservatives call for Fair Use in Copyright. There is speculation about whether they needed permission from CPAC for the advertisements, so...
• "I think you will find on this board no one's mind will be changed but this does not mean they won't have an effect in the general populace." I'm curious if...
• I'm curious: do you think it is possible that these ads could backfire? During the convention there were many Liberals suggesting that the party had not "go...
• I'm not a Liberal, not that this has anything to do with my comments. The disastrous Bill C-60 I mentioned was a Liberal bill that thankfully was dropped wh...
• I'm not a lawyer (IANAL), but I have spent the last 5+ years dedicated to technology law issues such as copyright. The Conservatives have a solution to this...
• I believe that the wide adoption of alternative media, such as those you can access freely or subscribe to on the Internet, is the source of the fall of news...
• Your guess that "I'm sure you will agree" turns out to not be the case. I believe that environmental deficits and debts should be treated with the same or g...
• Can I understand from this that you believe that the Environment is a non-issue that is being "propped up" for partisan political reasons? I'm curious -- ha...
• That is a great compliment to Dion. Possibly Joe's greatest fault was his honesty to Canadians (especially about gas price subsidy issues). It might be tha...
• While I agree that it would be nice to hear about Afghanistan every once in a while, I'm glad that the wait times issue has dropped off the federal politica...
• I guess I've read a mixture of both on this site -- some extremely partisan stuff where one party can do no wrong, and the other parties can do no right. An...

Wajid Khan and Changing Political Stripes (2007-01-16)

• I don't see a problem with floor crossing, as long as Canadians are voting in the person rather than the party during elections. I'm getting a bit tired of ...

Environment as an Issue - Is it over-hyped? (2007-01-08)

• For me, how a politician understands the dependence of human health and the economy on a healthy environment indicates how aware they are of issues in genera...
• Is your opinion based on looking at the name of the party, or on actually talking to Green candidates or the leader? As someone who was previously involved...
• Does it matter if it is man-made or not? Things are changing faster than our economies and lifestyles are able to adapt, and we need to be thinking about de...
• I asked candidates for my riding in debates about Copyright issues, and the only MP that had anything to say was the incumbent who I had briefed before he wo...
• I think the debate about which political parties are willing to move forward with doing out part on the climate change crisis, and who will not, is now over....
• I'm curious what you think about Bill C-288 - An Act to ensure Canada meets its global climate change obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, and the vote last...
• I know I'm going to get shot down for this in this forum, but this party is not the Progressive Conservative party of the past. They often try to bring up p...

Harper Cabinet Recalibration - Will it make a difference? (2007-01-04)

• I don't know that the Conservatives are boxed in on the environment. When I look at a "Conservative" I try to look at their record as to whether they are P...
• Some of the candidates looked left, some looked right -- it crossed the entire of the traditional spectrum. Some of the candidates looked like names dropped...
• What does "get tough on polluters" mean to you? Does it mean massive regulation of industry, possibly presuming that individual Canadians have no impact/cho...

Who has the best chance to defeat Stephen Harper? (2006-12-01)

• While I'm not a member of any party (so I can talk to all politicians on a policy issue -- copyright) , I believe Gerard Kennedy is their best option. He's ...
• The two top things I'm thinking of are the perception he is arrogant (typical of an "egghead" type of policy person -- why I would never make a good politici...
• Given the 3 remaining names, you are correct. We'll see how this third ballot goes. http://flora.ca/
• When I first saw the motion that said, "That this House recognize that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada." I thought this was brilliant. I...

Liberals Defeat One-member One-vote (2006-11-30)

• Naci, I am wondering if you think the vote would have been different if it were clear what the details of the process would have been. I know that I would ...

What Canadians like and dislike about the Liberal Party of Canada (2006-11-23)

• I am glad the Liberals voted against the so-called "One Member One Vote". I say this for reasons different than the other opponents that spoke. I believe ...
• Thank you for the update. I am wondering if you have a URL reference to the exact wording of the resolution. I don't think this is the last that this issu...