Building an Anti-Harper Movement and the Lesson of Scotland

In my last post I told you why I believe progressives need to build a mighty Canada-wide movement to ensure that Stephen Harper and his foul Con regime are defeated in the next election. 

I said I believe that a movement would make our struggle look more like a sacred cause, than a mere electoral contest. And would almost certainly ensure that more Canadians turn out to vote, which would seal the fate of the Harper cult.

Because that's the last thing he wants.



And he also knows, like I do, that a movement is always more powerful than any political party.

And how do I know that?

Because I saw it with my own eyes in Scotland last summer.



I saw how the YES side in that referendum created a mighty coalition, where women were leaders not followers.

 I saw how young people were inspired to join in the political process like never before. 



I saw how social media was used to counter the weight of the hostile MSM...



How magnificent was the result.

And how all the members of that diverse movement were united by a shared vision of a kinder, gentler left wing country, determined to resist the brutish Con government in Westminster...



That is carving up Britain, destroying its social safety net and its wonderful medicare system, and doing to that country what Stephen Harper and his Con cult would do to Canada. 

I know the Scottish referendum was portrayed by many as a narrow nationalist struggle, but I knew it was much more than that.

So although it ended in tears, for me and so many others...



I knew that progressive dream would not die. The cause was too noble, the vision too beautiful.

And sure enough it didn't.

As the Channel 4 reporter Paul Mason discovered when he returned to Scotland less than a month after the referendum...



And in the two months since then, that momentum has only continued to grow. The Scottish National Party has now quadrupled its support from 25,000 to more than 100,000, Green Party support has grown by 600 per cent.

The SNP has a new and popular female leader. Support for independence is climbing.

And in the next British election, the Labour Party is facing a historic wipeout.

The Labour Party could face being wiped-out in Scotland – despite a leadership change – due to the growing popularity of the SNP in the run up to the general election next May, a poll suggested on Friday.

Because it failed to recognize the power of a movement, and how it can motivate people like nothing else can...



Although the SNP lost a historic independence referendum in September, by 55 per cent compared to 45, it has been said to have forever changed the landscape of Scottish politics with a high voter turnout of nearly 85 per cent of the whole population.

Now I realize that some people might say that an election is not a referendum. And that's true.

But a sacred cause is a sacred cause, and if defeating the Harper Cons isn't one, what is?

And all I can say is that if we really want to we CAN build a mighty movement. I know we can. 

And because the future of our beautiful country is at stake, we MUST.



It is a sacred cause.

And we must defeat this monster...



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