On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

Consequences of 2025

2025-04-29T02:32:13Z

We held our noses, gritted our teeth and made a choice we're not comfortable with. And yeah, we still need a minority government. If we can't have that, then we need to make our place in this clear. Not have it retroactively defined for us.

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Canadian Election # 45 - After-Action Report

2025-04-29T01:04:51Z

Voting took me ten minutes at my polling station here in Orléans this morning. That included writing up a "user experience" comment form for Elections Canada on my way out the door.

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Ontario Election 2025

2025-02-23T16:08:01Z

I voted yesterday at Place d'Orléans Mall. The Elections Ontario riding field office is on the second floor until it's all over.

NDP, of course, in my case. I couldn't let myself vote under the influence of the idea that the outcome's predestined at either the riding level or across the province. I had to vote with hope in place.

I'm happy to note that there was a steady stream of traffic. Lots of people showing up early, and at a steady pace, too.

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US Election Day 2022

2022-11-08T13:58:34Z

Good day, and good luck.

May we end up with a kinder, better set of governments than the day started with.

"Never tell me the odds!"

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UN Day and Diwali...and Also Ontario Municipal Elections Day

2022-10-24T13:29:37Z

To those of you observing those occasions, I hope today is kind to you!

If you've been living in any Ontario municipality long enough, you probably already know that today is the final day of voting for your local mayor/reeve, your local councillor and school board representative. I hope that if you haven't already done so, you'll take what time you can to go vote for your preference for those positions. The next four years' municipal decision-making rides at least in part on the choices we've been making on those matters.

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Municipal Elections: Ontario 2022 - Part 4

2022-10-15T03:05:41Z

I voted today in the municipal elections now being run across Ontario. I would characterize my vote preference as "progressive/small-l liberal" and anti-fascist where the school board is concerned. I wanted to avert the consequences of being in self-isolation on the day the elections conclude.

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OCDSB Zone 8: A Better Alternative

2022-09-24T14:25:26Z

Here's two alternatives to choose between for for OCDBS Zone 8.

Donna Dickson. She first found herself drafted into activism by way of her son's murder some five years ago, but has been finding reasons to keep working for the better.

There's one other alternative to the "Unwoke" person also running for that school board seat: Shannon Kramer.

I'm leaning towards Dickson at the moment. If the seat could be legally shared, though...?

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Municipal Elections: Ontario 2022 - Part 3

2022-09-14T13:53:34Z

Okay, I've been cleared to share the resources we were shown in the CAWI workshop! This is, of course, tailored specifically to Ottawa. I'm hoping to be able to look at some ACORN Ottawa stuff too in the next little while.

Videos:

Municipalities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21V8tZjFYnU
Why Voting Matters: https://youtu.be/Q8RisdKgAqY
Who does What: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVE3OsR5W-0
What does a Mayor do (according to kids)? - https://youtu.be/EcEJNu3NnYk
Getting ready for a Vote Pop-Up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNVFOZFUcs0
Running a Vote Pop-Up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0VmlQrJgUk

Elections resources:

Voter look up: https://www.voterlookup.ca/index.aspx
Who's running my ward? - https://elections.ottawa.ca/UI/CandidateList/CandidateList
Changes in wards and other resources: https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/elections/learn-more-about-municipal-elections#section-6aa9d6ce-068a-4f71-9427-e706cb6770e2

Hoping this is all useful...

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Municipal Elections: Ontario 2022 - Part 2

2022-09-12T21:33:36Z

Okay. So I participated in this workshop last week on the art of getting out the vote...in general, for all the candidates. In my previous entry here, I made it clear once again that I still do have Standards as to what sorts of people ought to be winning these elections. I want a city that's safer for everyone living here, save for maybe out-and-out fascist-bigot people. (If they're looking to put such mindsets permanently aside, good. Welcome (back) to the club!)

Anyway. Looking at this item on percentage of those eligible to vote who actually "showed up" last time around in Toronto:

http://spacing.ca/toronto/2022/09/12/election-mapping-municipal-election-voter-turnout/

I am, of course, more focused on Ottawa here, as this is where I live. So, where do I find the relevant stats for my city?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Ottawa_municipal_election

(I would like to nail down the sources for that Wikipedia article, preferably soon.)

According to which, 42.55 % of those then eligible to vote in Ottawa actually did vote. Which was an improvement over 2014's turnout of 39.92 %.

So that was good. We want to get that back up above 2010's turnout of 42 %, though, right?

There were videos I got to look at, some of which I hope to share in the next installment...

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Municipal Elections: Ontario 2022

2022-09-04T14:44:39Z

Last week, I participated in a Zoom-based training workshop on how to get people out to vote. This was organized by Making Voices Count in concert with the Cities for All Women Initiative, with an eye firmly on getting the vote out for the municipal elections set to conclude across Ontario on October 24th. I got persuaded to participate by people at the local community resource centre whom I've been in contact with off-and-on for years now.

I decided I want to say this publicly, because it matters. We're talking about municipal councils and school boards across Ontario. After the way the provincial elections went earlier this year, it seems more urgent now to pay attention to these things.

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Beginning September 2022

2022-09-01T23:59:23Z

Another job applied for, some more learning about how to argue for voting during an election done, and next year's air filters for the CPAP machine bought as well. Among other adulting done today, that is.

And that's how September 2022 started for me.

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Politics: Ontario Election 2022 - The Turnout That Wasn't

2022-06-04T12:16:48Z

This is terrifying to my brain to read:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/lowest-voter-turnout-ontario-history-elections-1.6476344

Yes, there's still ballot-counting to be done as of today. Even so, the drop in turnout is a horrible development. I'd been hoping over this past decade that people were still heeding advice (*) from the likes of Rick Mercer to show up in greater numbers with each election held and completed.

And we've got municipal elections in October in Ontario, right?

(*) - Yes, the video is from 2011, and the Rant is focused on people aged between 18 and 25, and the advice still holds for the wider public.

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dewline @ 2022-05-28T12:20:00

2022-05-28T16:23:58Z

I just got back from voting, shopping and exercise-walking.

I did NOT vote for:

1) "Progressive" Conservatives
2) "Ontario" Party
3) New Blue
4) Libertarian

The first has proven anew their continued Will to Incompetence in Power over the past four years. The next two are made up of people who think the first bunch aren't cruel enough. The last is just pro-selfishness.

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Politics: Ontario Election 2022 Parties

2022-05-05T23:17:29Z

If you're wondering how many parties are showing up for this one?

https://finances.elections.on.ca/en/registered-parties

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Warning to the United States

2022-03-03T12:09:30Z

Repurposed from comments I made in the Maple Leaf Lounge thread at TrekBBS:

If Trump gets back in the White House - or if worse than Trump takes his place there - I fear that we are going to see him try to order an invasion of Canada to install someone like Pat King, Tamara Lich, Christopher Garrah, Nicholas St. Louis, Benjamin Dichter, Steeve Charland, etc. as his preferred prime minister.

Take him at his word on this, and take this as the warning that it is. Please.

I believe that Trump is exactly that stupid and that cruel. He's announced what he wants to happen to us. And his supporters on both sides of the border have already been rallying,

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/convoy-protest-american-donations-1.6367500

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wherry-freeland-liberal-democracy-ukraine-1.6368866

Also, we have problems getting to our 2 % of GDP goal re: defence spending.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-ukraine-russia-putin-canadian-armed-forces-1.6370874

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And for the evening of Sept. 20th, 2021

2021-09-20T23:29:49Z

Canadian Election wraps up tonight, we hope. With the mail-in ballots getting more usage than usual because of the Pandemic, we may have a delay in finalizing the results.

Meantime, I'm reading Carole Cadwalladr's tweets about the ongoing antics of Facebook in global politics...

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Excpected Activities Today

2021-09-20T12:49:20Z

- job search chores
- city council transit committee meeting broadcast via YouTube
- house chores
- walking exercise
- voting in the federal election
- other activities TBDL

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Comics: Ringo Awards 2021 Final Ballot

2021-08-25T19:34:28Z

From File 770 for my fellow comic book/graphic novel/manga/BD fans:

http://file770.com/2021-ringo-awards-final-ballot/

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Voting Options for Canadians

2021-08-15T22:07:57Z

Thanks to james_davis_nicoll passing this link along re: voting options for 2021's federal election:

https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=vote&document=index&lang=e#mail

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It's Done

2021-01-13T21:36:44Z

Trump's been impeached again.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/house-trump-impeachment-wednesday-1.5871116

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US POLITICS: Taking Heart In Something Big

2020-11-07T17:16:11Z

So Biden is declared the president-elect by the world's news services now.

So now, we celebrate and prepare to both build upon that victory and fight off whatever rage against that victory yet comes our way.

And 2022 is coming. And so are the further consequences of climate derangement. And the new fascist international isn't done trying to murder the rest of us yet (with or without help from climate derangement)!

In Klingon: qapla'!

In English: Good luck!

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US POLITICS: Election 2020

2020-11-03T14:19:32Z

Wishing my American friends and acquaintances the best tidings on this day. May you get the government you truly need from these elections. May it be a joyous thing, free from regret and fear.

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US POLITICS: Taking Heart In Something Big

2020-11-02T16:54:40Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-take-heart-that-americans-still-believe-in-democracy-early-vote-numbers-prove-it-95052869561

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US POLITICS: Signal-Boosting

2020-11-01T12:11:06Z

Thanks to rydra_wong for pulling this together in case of dire emergency for USAers voting and planning to vote:

https://rydra-wong.dreamwidth.org/809984.html

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US POLITICS: Vote Suppression Tactics

2020-09-28T21:30:46Z

Noting this here.

The Trumpists really got detailed in going into Facebook to "sculpt" the vote to their liking.

I mean, really, damnably detailed.

https://www.themarysue.com/trump-black-voter-deterrence/

We have stories in Canada about the Harperite Conservatives' Constituent Information Management System database. This takes it much further. And I wonder if Stephen Harper counselled the Republicans to go there via his chairmanship of the International Democrat Union. Maybe? How would we find out the true answer to that question, whatever it happens to be?

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