Anonymous replied on Permalink
Janice Rose
Thank you Dr Chanem for your thoughtful poetry. I and millions of other share your sentiments
Harper's so called Fair Elections Act, Bill C 23
Harper's so called Fair Elections Act, Bill C 23
Posted on March 21, 2014 | Qais
GHANEM | Written on March 21, 2014
Comments
Letter type:
Rant 
I've had my fill of Canada's current federal government. Stephen Harper's Conservatives have broken the trust of Canadians all across the country. Instead of reforming the elections act to make politics more transparent and accountable, the so-called Fair Elections Act, Bill C 23, fails to live up to its name.
To honour this oxymoron of a Bill, I have written a poem which I recite on video below:
A Poetic Response to Pierre
The people of the riding wish to tell this M.P.
While they are law abiding wherever they may be
They will never stay still while he flogs his bill
They have had their fill of the bill designed to kill
Those votes of First Nations who live on reservations
Without any city address or other documentations
And of those young students busy with examinations
With no license to drive his bill will them deprive
For the poor of the nation with no fixed location
Nor gainful occupation this is vote deprivation
So, the people in the riding want to tell this minister
With a bill so contrived and a bill so sinister
To reflect and to note that the bill he floats
Rams down their throats will never get their votes!
A Poetic Response to Pierre
The people of the riding wish to tell this M.P.
While they are law abiding wherever they may be
They will never stay still while he flogs his bill
They have had their fill of the bill designed to kill
Those votes of First Nations who live on reservations
Without any city address or other documentations
And of those young students busy with examinations
With no license to drive his bill will them deprive
For the poor of the nation with no fixed location
Nor gainful occupation this is vote deprivation
So, the people in the riding want to tell this minister
With a bill so contrived and a bill so sinister
To reflect and to note that the bill he floats
Rams down their throats will never get their votes!
Qais Ghanem - Ottawa
- See more at: http://unpublishedottawa.com/letter/850/harpers-so-called-fair-elections...
A Poetic Response to Pierre
The people of the riding wish to tell this M.P.
While they are law abiding wherever they may be
They will never stay still while he flogs his bill
They have had their fill of the bill designed to kill
Those votes of First Nations who live on reservations
Without any city address or other documentations
And of those young students busy with examinations
With no license to drive his bill will them deprive
For the poor of the nation with no fixed location
Nor gainful occupation this is vote deprivation
So, the people in the riding want to tell this minister
With a bill so contrived and a bill so sinister
To reflect and to note that the bill he floats
Rams down their throats will never get their votes!
Qais Ghanem - Ottawa
- See more at: http://unpublishedottawa.com/letter/850/harpers-so-called-fair-elections...
A Poetic Response to Pierre
The people of the riding wish to tell this M.P.
While they are law abiding wherever they may be
They will never stay still while he flogs his bill
They have had their fill of the bill designed to kill
Those votes of First Nations who live on reservations
Without any city address or other documentations
And of those young students busy with examinations
With no license to drive his bill will them deprive
For the poor of the nation with no fixed location
Nor gainful occupation this is vote deprivation
So, the people in the riding want to tell this minister
With a bill so contrived and a bill so sinister
To reflect and to note that the bill he floats
Rams down their throats will never get their votes!
Qais Ghanem - Ottawa
- See more at: http://unpublishedottawa.com/letter/850/harpers-so-called-fair-elections...
Please share your thoughts on this Bill by commenting below.
Thank you,
Dr. Qais Ghanem,
Ottawa
About The Author
Dr Qais Ghanem is a retired neurologist, radio show host, poet and author. His novels are Final Flight From Sana’a and Two Boys from Aden College. His 3rd novel, "Forbidden Love in the Land of Sheba", was just... More
Comments
Qais Ghanem replied on Permalink
Thank you Janice for sharing your views. I think the silent majority in our country is huge. It is only by expressing ourselves in a civil and constructive manner, that we can maintain our democracy. If politicians knew that there was a price to pay for their mistakes and arrogance, they would not dare ti ignore the wishes of those who put them in parliament in the first place.
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Larry Brandt
I don't your point sir. Instead of reforming the elections act to make politics more transparent and accountable, the so-called Fair Elections Act, Bill C 23, fails to live up to its name. How does it fail to live up to its name?
James OGrady replied on Permalink
By not being fair.
Qais Ghanem replied on Permalink
Exactly, James. It is NOT fair because it penalizes those who are less likely to meet the criteria to be able to vote, and deprives them of the benefit of being vouched for. These are likely to be young students, the homeless, the poor and First Nations. Guess who these people traditionally vote for? NOT the right wing crowd of Harper and Baird.
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Barb Weatherall
How can such a discriminating bill be considered fair in any way? Better yet, how can a origins that is with-held from the public and held in secret for 20 YEARS be considered fair?