The Sun Media and Global National Stories about David Suzuki stepping down from the Board of the David Suzuki foundation are reporting news that is
GETTING ON A YEAR OLD AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY NEW MEASURES IN THE 2012 BUDGET!!! In fact you might even say it was a proactive move to shield the foundation from the kind of shenanigans Harper and Co. have tried to play in said budget. Its all based on a G&M story that's already undergone a title change so as to come across as less misleading, to
...from:
Seeking to blunt Conservative attacks, Suzuki quits board of environmental
foundation
But a few have been fooled. OH! How many times must I yell at you, MSM?
Well.
ReplyDeleteCurious.
I did make a complaint that the Foundation breached the law as an unregistered third party during the previous federal election... So, while Elections Canada didn't follow up, I'm pleased that there is nonetheless a "chill" on organizations who want to try and skirt the law regarding third party funding.
Good-bye Suzuki "superpac".
And how is it that they "breached the law as an unregistered third party," Harvie?
ReplyDeleteGood-bye Suzuki "superpac".
ReplyDeleteSuper pac? Haven't you been watching the Colbert Report? ;) A Superpac is solely about political advocacy. Tax-credit Charity groups are allowed to do political advocacy, but just as long as they limit to 10% of their revenue.
But another interesting fact. Up to 80% of money to a Superpacs comes from about 3.7% of the donors. In other words, the mega-rich.
And tossing this out here about third party involvment in elections. They can get involved, but there are spending limits.
Well... Since you asked...with respect to the Dion/Harper election.. Remember the Suzuki magic bus.. "if you were Prime Minister" tour?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the David Suzuki foundation annual report from 2006/2007, these contributors gave his foundation over $1 million:
Stephen R. Bronfman Foundation – heir to the Seagrams empire, and fundraiser for Stephane Dion – happens to give over $1 million through his foundation to David Suzuki, who, well, just happens to get on his bus, with a big logo saying, “If YOU were the Prime Minister” and then drives around Canada complaining about the Conservative governments, and, in the period leading to the election he just happens to, well, support the Liberals and slam the Conservatives and the NDP.
Power Corporation of Canada – the major financial service corporation in the Country, operating Canada Life, Great West Life, London Life, Investors’ Group.
Could Power Corporation of Canada have ties to the Liberal Party as well.. hmm.. well, let’s see.
Former Prime Minister Paul Martin, was hired in the 1960s to work for Paul Desmarais, Sr. by Maurice Strong. Martin then became President of Canada Steamship Lines, a subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada, until he made a very provident purchase, acquiring CSL in 1981 and making a fortune as an owner of CSL. I'm sure that he owed no thanks whatseover to Power Corporation of Canada.
Another former Liberal Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien sat on the board of Power Corporation of Canada subsidiary Consolidated Bathurst in the late 1980s before he became the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Chrétien's daughter France is married to the son of Paul Desmarais, Sr., André. Also Chrétien's chief of staff Eddie Goldenberg worked in the past for Power Corporation of Canada.
So – again, a Corporation with a clear agenda to assist the Liberal Party of Canada just happens to give David Suzuki a million dollars, so he can drive around the Country complaining about Conservatives and supporting the Liberals.
Patrick and Barbara Keenan Foundation – who is Patrick Keenan, well, he is a director of Brascan Ltd., and who is Brascan, well, among other things, you might remember Brascan as the owner of Royal Lepage Relocation services, who was caught in the middle of a flap about Liberal business being given to their supporters (do you recall Adscam?). You see, as reported back in 2005 on CTV, the Liberal Party was called on the carpet for handing out a billion dollar contract to, well, Royal Lepage, who, in turn, was owned by Brascan, who, in turns out, donated more than $90,000.00 to the Liberal Party of Canada in the previous seven years. Indeed.
So – anyway – this is about, oh, $3 million or more of money going to David Suzuki's foundation. It is curious, no? You see, if you can’t have an individual give a million dollars to the Liberal Party of Canada, what you can do, apparently, is set up a foundation, and have that foundation give a million dollars to a professional loudmouth to attack the Conservatives and, directly and indirectly, support the Liberal party.
There is, in fact, a law about third party election promotion, and it requires parties who intend to advertise and support a party to register, and it limits their expenditures to $150,000.00. Problem is, the David Suzuki Foundation isn't registered in the last election, and, I'm just guessing, they spent a hell of a lot more than $150,000.00 in the year preceding the last election to basically trumpet a song that went, "Vote for Dion".
They didn't breach the law whatsoever, which is why elections Canada tossed your letter. They advocated pricing carbon in order to address climate change, which is well within their mandate. In a previous election in BC they publically supported the BC Liberals (you know that party supported by Stockwell, Strahl, et al, and chock full of CPC hacks) carbon tax policy. That's what environmental organizations do, they advocate for the environment.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU BigCityLib for addressing this issue & providing clarity.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU SHARON & LENNY for your further clarification.
NO THANKS to YOU ... Robert G. Harvie for your LONG WINDED PARTIAL TRUTHS, WRAPPED IN RIDDLES.
It is often the case that for someone having to take so many words to make such a vaguely tenuous point, that the someone has NO POINT AT ALL.
If you are going to throw around all this vaguely valid Gibberish Harvie, I believe it only fair & balanced for YOU to at least touch on the FACT that the STEVE Judas HARPER ATTACK PARTY OF CANADA AND THEIR ALLIED WRECKING CREW Associates are for all Intents & Purposes ACTING IN A DELIBERATELY MISLEADING MANNER IN EVERYTHING THEY DO AND SAY. FURTHEMORE THE SOURCE OF HarperCON SLUSH FUNDS EMPLOYED TO DISTORT REALITY IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH THE Collective Best Interests of Canadians is HIGHLY, HIGHLY SUSPECT !!
Well... Since you asked...with respect to the Dion/Harper election.. Remember the Suzuki magic bus.. "if you were Prime Minister" tour?
ReplyDeleteBus tour? I missed the Suzuki magic bus tour during the election? Or do you mean the 40-city tour that happened in 2007. You know pre-writ. Sort of like those commercials Conservatives air before elections slamming Liberal leaders. Interesting ones you're running against Rae. Is that just force of habit? Because the Conservatives are neck-and-neck with the NDP, not the Liberals right now.
But there's also the chicken and the egg situation. The David Suzuki foundation has been a long-time supporter of carbon taxes. You know who wasn't -- Dion. Back in 2006, it was Ignatieff, not Dion, who supported cap and trade. If you think the big money backers influenced anyone's position, it's obviously not Suzuki's opinion. And I doubt that Dion was influenced by $1000 checks. Could it be that Dion's opinion was influenced by studies and information. Funny, but this does happen at times.
As for the big doners to the David Suzuki foundation -- there are also 40,000 people who donate less than $500. Not bad. Especially compared to the Superpacs -- which really do looked like veiled attempts at the rich to influence elections in the south. They can't give directly to a campaign, but they can to a super pac supporting a particular candidate.
Back in 2006, it was Ignatieff, not Dion, who supported cap and trade.
ReplyDeleteBleh to my editing capabilities.
Back in 2006, it was Ignatieff, not Dion who supported a carbon tax. Dion supported cap and trade.
:P