It's a noble effort by Lead Now, but unfortunately no one can force the Conservatives to do anything within our present political system. This is why our system needs a serious revamping...which we can't do until another party gains control of Parliament. If the Canadian population as a whole were getting more progressive, I'd say that there were many ways we'd be able to hold the Cons accountable, but sadly this country is getting more conservative by the day. Sometimes it feels like we're heading backwards a decade rather than forwards as far as social consciousness and progressiveness.

Even veggies taste like crap half the time. I can't find a decent carrot to save my life. I love chomping on a raw carrot but every time I buy a bunch they are either tasteless or flaccid or both. The same with radishes. I love radishes. I can't remember the last time I actually ate one that I enjoyed. The limp tasteless thing again. I wish I had the time and a way to grow my own stuff.

Ya, I know. I think the world as a whole is getting more conservative by the day. By design I imagine. But then I'm a bit paranoid. Doesn't mean it's not a plot to keep the money in the hands of the few. It's so easy to get people to look below them on the socio-economic ladder for the cause of their financial problems. It's really the direction they want to look anyway. Just in case they get a chance to climb up a few rungs they want to keep the status quo. They just don't get there isn't much room for climbing anymore.

Quebec is having a stroke over the crime bill. They are seriously stressed here. It's hilarious. Most countries look to the states to understand what NOT to do regarding a prison system. Unfortunately now Canada appears to be looking to emulate them.

Elections Canada has determined that if you've been out of the country for longer than 5 years you cannot vote in any further elections.

Perhaps a new gov't might cause Elections Canada to change their policy?

So today is the day that the NDP membership chooses a new leader.

There are three people left. Thomas Mulcair, Brian Topp, and Nathan Cullen. Peggy Nash got bumped out in the most recent vote.

I was honestly really disappointed that Nash was eliminated. She was really the only one I was really hoping to see lead the NDP.

She was probably the most NDP-like of the potentials, so it does suck.

Thomas Mulcair. I don't know! I didn't vote for him, but I think he'll be okay. He's probably a bit of a departure, but that might be a good thing.

With Nash I felt she was a lot more involved in the community than most MPs seem to be. When I was still living in Parkdale I was impressed at how engaged and visible she was with the community, in contrast to most MPs who you don't see or hear from other than around election time.

I don't know how engaged/visible Mulcair has been in his riding for folks living there, but Nash is one of the rare politicians who reads "activist" to me. I don't get that from what little I know of Mulcair. It would have been nice to see a party leader that was more "activist" than "politician" in Canada.

Ontario Appeal Court decriminalizes brothels
 

Ontario's Court of Appeal has struck down Canada's ban on brothels or "bawdy houses," but says the ban on communicating for the purposes of selling sex should stand.

In a 132-page landmark decision, the court said Monday that the ban on brothels puts prostitutes in danger by forcing them to ply their trade outdoors. It said sex trade workers should be allowed to work safely indoors.

The court said the law against brothels was too broad because "it captures conduct that is unlikely to lead to the problems Parliament seeks to curtail." It said the impact is "grossly disproportionate" to the law's intent because "the safest way to sell sex is for a prostitute to work indoors in a location under her control."

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories...#ixzz1qFsSiD9m

Wow. That was interesting.

http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/miss-u...192000420.html
Miss Universe Canada Disqualifies Transsexual Contestant: She was Born a Boy

Little lighter topic, prayers go out to those injured, hoping for a speedy recovery.. but otherwise.. holy crap!

This is right outside of my childhood home.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2...S2jD8.facebook

Money AND Candy all over the road? Hell yes!

In case anyone hasn't heard, Jenna Talackova was allowed back into the competition a few days ago.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/...eant-after-all

Obviously, I'm happy that a competition for women has chosen to include non-cis women (I originally said "all women"...but that really isn't true considering the standard of what qualifies as "beauty" in these things). At the same time, I'm not a big fan of "beauty contests," in general. So I think in some sense this is a victory, at least for trans rights and being recognised as one's true sex. On the other hand...beauty pageants have never sat well with me because of this idealisation of what female beauty "should" be, when it can be so many things, and why create a competition out of it? But either way, congratulations to Jenna and being able to compete in an area that she is passionate about.

And yet solicitation continues to be illegal... Honestly, our laws around sex work are really silly. You can be a sex worker, pay for sex/receive payment for sex, work in a brothel/own a brothel...but you can't solicit. It's like telling a shop owner that they can have their shop and sell their products, but they can't attempt to advertise/attract customers to their product. It has more to do with cracking down on sex workers than protecting them, imo. There is no reason sex work should not be entirely legal, and generally improve the treatment of sex workers. It's a business like any other as far as I'm concerned.

Gay activist killed in attack in Halifax.
 

A prominent gay rights activist and journalist in Halifax was beaten to death outside a popular gay bar, Canadian media organisations report, in what seems to be a homophobic hate crime.

LINK

There's some discussion as to whether or not this will be classified as a "hate crime" as the attacker was on a day pass from a local psychiatric facility.

Speaking of Canadian sexiness..

Toronto Folks!
 

Queer Femme Artist Circe has a show!

http://thatswomensworkarts.com/services/

Here are some of her Butch/Femme images from her Queer Lives Series. For those of you in the GTA, it's worth a trip to support this wonderful representation of queer and butch/femme inspired art! :)


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