How to Use Strategic Voting to Defeat the Bigot Cons

Stephen Harper and his Aussie attack monster Lynton Crosby must be delighted. 

Not only do they now have the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal to wave around as a shiny bauble to try to distract voters.

The niqab issue is back in the spotlight. 

The Federal Court of Appeal has denied the application for a stay of the Federal Court ruling in favour of Zunera Ishaq, clearing the way for her to wear a niqab during a citizenship ceremony.

So they can hope to keep riding it to victory.




Conservative Party spokesman Chris McCluskey told CBC News in an email, "We are disappointed in the court's decision, especially as we were waiting on the Supreme Court to hear our appeal. 

 "We have committed to rectifying this matter going forward by introducing legislation that will require one to show their face while swearing the oath of citizenship. Legislation will be introduced within the first 100 days of a re-elected Conservative government."

No matter what it costs.

The identity issue playing out in election debates and in courtrooms is now being felt in the streets, shopping malls and on social media, as disparaging remarks and even outright assaults draw attention to a charged political environment.

Or does to the fabric of our society.

But there is one thing that must be setting off alarm bells in the PMO. And that's the threat that millions of Canadians are prepared to vote strategically.



And with good reason because it's a real and growing phenomenom.

Everywhere I go I keep getting asked will strategic voting work? And how can I be sure that I am supporting the right candidate in my riding?

So I'm glad to see that Christopher Majka has written a short guide to the art and science of strategic voting. 

And the bottom line is that informed strategic voting can work, and these are three steps you can take to inform yourself: 

1) Check the results of the 2011 election. See how the respective parties did. This is no guarantee that what happened in 2011 will be repeated, but it is a comparative indication of the respective strengths of political parties in the riding.

2) Check with VoteTogether.ca. This is the single most important resource at your disposal. Use it.

VoteTogether has targeted 72 key Conservative swing ridings (where Conservative incumbents won by narrow margins) where progressive Canadians can defeat the Conservatives if they vote together. It's no exaggeration to say that this would fundamentally change the outcome of the election.

(3) Use your own resources. Ask around in your community and riding. Get a sense of how people are feeling. Look at the number of lawn signs. Talk with fellow progressives. Use the intelligence that you have about your community. You know it best.

It's really a simple as that.

And the best news?

The latest CBC poll tracker still shows that Stephen Harper is still a long way from a majority. 



So if we can steal even a handful of seats from him, he'll NEVER get there.

And we can give him and his ghastly attack fiend Lynton Crosby the shock of their lives...



Do it, do it now.

Unite to fight the politics of fear.

And send those ghastly bigots back to where they belong...

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