VijaySappani.com

Our love affair with Obama will go on for ever, but we need to get down to business. What does Obama mean to Canada ? Obama has promised tax cuts for companies that create jobs in US and no cuts for those who outsource their jobs.  What does that mean to American companies that have medium paid jobs in Canada, which can be moved to US at a time when every dollar counts, for them and for us.

NAFTA is another stickler. Our Harper government messed with it during the Democrats leadership. Both Obama and Biden have talked about bringing changes to NAFTA and Biden is considered a veteran on Foreign affairs. Canada needs to step up and ensure that Oil and Gas are under NAFTA and any change to NAFTA would include changes to our fuel supply policy to US.

If US wants to reduce its oil dependence on middle east, then it needs to look at the second largest pool, Canada and we need to ensure that we  had it over to them. Can Harper, who has started on wrong footing with Obama protect the interests of Canada with the most powerful man on earth.

It is time Canadians start looking into the impact of a Democrat in white house, something we haven’t seen in eight years, something I haven’t seen in my life in Canada!

There are hundreds of millions of people around the world talking about Obama and having a sense of hope and inspiration from him.  The hope and inspiration will mean many things to different people.  To a few of us in politics in the great white North, it is a hope that it can happen here too…in our lifetime and most importantly it can be one of us if we worked hard towards it and believe in it.

It will no more be a distant dream, but a battle that we can win with the collective will of a select few and the imagination of 33 million minds

While the US national anthem is being sung at Obama’s victory gathering, the CTV reporter in Chicago is going yak, yak, yak with the national anthem in the background. Either shut up or change your background, but don’t be disrespectful to any country’s national anthem. Respect first, news later.

Manley did the right thing , even though I am surprised that he thought he would stand a chance. I like Manley, more my kind of guy a blue Liberal, but his time was maybe two years ago and not now. most of the key organizers are committed between Iggy and Rae and many from the last leadership lineup were sucked up quicker than most people think, including some members of Team Dion and Team GK.

Liberals have a  big debt, fatigue among workers, a leadership that never ended since the last one but that will go full steam ahead soon, more money being sucked into the leadership and there is no sign that there is a miracle coming our way to motivate our workers. Now, with this on hand, do we need another 9 member leadership line up. I dont think so.

This leadership should be left to Iggy and Rae with a high registration fee of 100-150k and a spending cut off around $1-$1.5million.  This will allow the race to be focused and rebuild the party faster at the end of the race. We are going to suck away valuable donor dollars that can help pay down the debt and prepare for the next one.  Whoever wins the leadership has a lot of reaching out to do especially in strong Liberal areas that are dented like GTA and Vancouver and there is still no guarantee that, it will help them glide to be the next PM. Lots of hard work and hope.

There is not a lot in common in the election between US and Canada. The only thing is unprecedented turn out. US on the positive side and Canada on the negative side. 

Don’t blame Canadians for it. What is exciting about our man in blue sweater. Boring and boring.

Globe and Mail, the once tall and reputed newspaper in Canada for its quality news reporting is now  becoming a cheap rumour mongering tabloid. During the election Globe on numerous occasions tried to stab the Liberal party quoting anonymous sources and now has given a completely false story on Bob Rae thinking twice on Leadership. Those who are involved in the leadership trail know for sure who is in and who is thinking.

It is shocking that Globe will stoop to such cheap tactics in an attempt to increase readership.  Don’t flaunt with the simple rules of marketing with such cheap tactics and lose existing readership base who are intelligent to read beyond your cheap rhetoric’s against the Liberal party.

Whats next, globeshine girls on page 3 ?

Date:                October 28, 2008

For Release:    Immediate

Statement by the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Leader of the Official Opposition, on the celebration of Diwali

Namaste and Sat Sri Akal.

Diwali mubarek ho!

Diwali di badhai hove.

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our parliamentary caucus I would like to extend my best wishes to all Canadians celebrating Diwali.

This joyous occasion is a time for Canadians to spend with family and friends in celebrating the triumph of good over evil and the light of hope that exists within us all. These important universal principles create hope, not just for Canadians but for humanity as a whole.

Over the next few days, I hope all Canadians will take the opportunity to participate in local festivities and celebrate the tremendous diversity of our country.

As you pray in your Mandirs and Gurdwaras, I would like to extend my best wishes for a happy and memorable Diwali!

Namaste and Sat Sri Akal.

-30-

Contact:

Press Office
Office of the Leader of the Opposition
613-995-5904

——————————-

Date :                Le 28 octobre 2008

Pour diffusion immédiate

Déclaration de l’honorable Stéphane Dion, chef de l’opposition officielle, à l’occasion de Diwali

Namaste et Sat Sri Akal.

Diwali mubarek ho!

Diwali di badhai hove.

Au nom du Parti libéral du Canada et de notre groupe parlementaire, je tiens à adresser mes meilleurs voux à tous les Canadiens qui célèbrent Diwali, le festival des lumières.

Cette fête joyeuse est l’occasion pour les Canadiens de se réunir en famille, entre amis ou voisins pour célébrer le triomphe du bien sur le mal et l’espoir qui nous anime tous. Ces principes universels essentiels sont un signe d’espoir, non seulement pour les Canadiens, mais pour l’ensemble de l’humanité.

Au cours de prochains jours, j’espère que tous les Canadiens profiteront de l’occasion pour participer aux festivités près de chez eux et célébrer la merveilleuse diversité de notre grand pays.

À tous ceux qui iront prier dans nos mandhirs et nos gurdwaras, je souhaite un joyeux Diwali des plus mémorables!

Namaste et Sat Sri Akal.

Happy Diwali to all of you.  For those of my readers, who don’t know Diwali, it is the festival of lights

EU has called for a human rights investigation in Sri Lanka before they renew a preferred trading deal called GSP plus. EU has taken a responsible measure by not blindly supporting developing countries and holding them accountable for the aid they give them.

Sri Lanka has been quoted for several human rights violations against minority Tamils by several countries and human rights organizations, but it continues it crusade of aerial bombing its own citizens day after day.

Eu has now taken a formidable step and set an example for countries like Sri Lanka that treats its own citizens differently but treats those who question them equally by disrespecting and insulting them.

EU, US, India, Australia, UK and many others are holding Sri Lanka accountable. What is Harper doing, other than putting Canada to shame in the international community.

Canada needs to hold Sri Lanka accountable and that means the Liberals and NDP should pressure Harper in doing so. It is time to put our political difference and stand up for our fundamental values of democracy and human rights, it is time for us to stand up against those who put a price to the ballot in return for ignoring the bullets of discrimination. It is time we stand up as Canadians.

This is going to be short, but expect something in detail coming soon.

The idea of Dion continuing as the leader till the next leader is in might not be a bad thing as long as he knows his strengths and weakness. He is a honest man, who wants a second chance to leave with pride and this is the chance for him to prove his mettle and live the rest of his life with respect. I am sure he will do that. He is like an injured Tiger, that is wanting to get back and prove its strength.  Iam sure his intentions are good and he will do well to unite the party and leave it in a good shape for the next leader. I hope he will use the advice of others when it comes to fundraising, rebuilding, ethnic strategy and other issues that have hurt us badly in this election.

As far as leadership speculation…

Who doesn’t know that Iggy and Rae are in the race and top contenders for it.

Kennedy is out for sure and is smart in doing so. I am confident in saying that and I know, I said that last time too when he did run. I think this time it is different. He will wait for his chance for the next one that may not be not too long if either Iggy or Rae wins, as they are 60 plus. I think I know who he and his team from last time are supporting, but I don’t want to be talking about it. Most of his team from last time that went to Dion may stick together and go as a team.

McKenna, I think is out for sure. I have spoken to two reliable sources who know him very well and it looks like the odds of him getting into the race is very little. Of course if the momentum is big and many organisers pledge support to him, that might change, but it looks like it may not happen. If you have seen what he is making at TD and rumours that he is building a new house in the Caribbean, one would wonder why he would want to give up that for a risky proposition of running for the leadership when most organisers have already committed to the top two.

Manley, I have heard some say he is not coming, while another source said he is considering his return to elected politics.

In reality, the only two people who stand the best chance at this time is Iggy and Rae. Bringing a whole plethora of candidates will only suck away more money that can be used to pay down the party debt and build a chest for our upcoming election.

The party should also cap the maximum each person can spend to $1-$1.5 million, so that it does not affect the efforts to raise money for the party coffers.  I have personally committed that I will not take shots at any candidate/campaign and will keep it as civil as possible like a friendly election in a high school. We can not let our party be further divided and this exercise should unite rather than divide us.