Nepean Carleton Greens

Hello again,

I hope everyone is enjoying the few days of warm
weather we've had so far this year.  Spending valuable time with your
family, friends and a good hammock!

There are encouraging signs
in the United States with respect to the Green activities of the Obama
Administration.  Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
is a Nobel Prize winning physicist and his analytical background has
led him to see the obvious societal benefits of saving energy.

My sessions last week with DT Home Energy Ad visors went well, but $1,350 of the more than $12,000 in rebates are actually virtual.  The CBC has the story - it goes like this: The Home Renovation Tax Credit proposed by the Conservatives and heavily advertised by the Government of Canada as part of the Economic Action Plan (HRTC Videos, Other Videos)
requires approval of Parliament and is not in effect yet.  It's
entirely possible that everyone who has done renos to their home
expecting money will get absolutely nothing.  It's unbelievable that
the public was misled to believe the rebate money was ready to flow to
homeowners.

The Liberals and the Conservatives are so close in the polls
the difference is within the margin of error.  The only consistent
trend has been growing support for the Greens. It also looks like the
Liberals are poised to trigger an election this fall.  The major issues
are shaping up to be:

1. The economy - is it really getting better or will the
   fall bite us again?  How did the conservatives handle it?  Would the
   Liberals have done anything different?  Is there a difference between
   the two parties on economic issues?
2. Isotopes - Chalk River NRU reactor will be down until the spring of 2010
   and the MAPLE 1 & 2 replacement reactors are years away from coming
   online.  10 years of neglect of this national resource has put the
   world in this situation.
3. General Motors vs. Nortel - why was one saved and not the
   other?  A very real issue for our riding of Nepean-Carleton where every
   other person has been though Nortel's doors and many lost their jobs,
   savings and to some extent their pensions.  Expect me to be the
   stand-out candidate on this issue in the next election!
4. Political party per-vote funding - deja-vu of the fall of 2008 dispute in Parliament.  The facts:
   • $24,375,913 - the maximum amount spend in the last election at $1.75 per vote (13,929,093 people voted in the last federal election)
   • $24,595,606 rebates given to political parties for local election expenses
   • $27,182,060 rebates to federal parties for national election expenses
   • As
     of January 1, 2007, individuals' political contribution limits have
     been reduced from $5,000 to $1,000 (adjusted for inflation to $1,100 in
     2008). Contributions from corporations, unions and unincorporated
     associations are now prohibited.
   • $24.375,913 is less than 0.05% of the $50,000,000,000 deficit of 2009
   • Most importantly - a model in which each vote sends support money represents democracy in action.

Jean-Luc Cooke
Federal Green Party Candidate for Nepean-Carleton
Website: www.NepeanCarletonGreens.ca
Facebook: Page Twitter: #jeanlucgreen RSS: Feed

p.s. If you'd like to be removed from this list, let me know.
p.p.s. I'm looking for help in the next election!  Contact me if you can help.