The Liberal Party of Canada Responds
A couple of days ago I sent the Liberal Party of Canada an email concerning the threats made to the financial security of 72 individual First Nations and thousands of Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan – the text of that email follows.
I have been watching proceedings in the House, in the news papers, and in the blogosphere, concerning Chuck Strahl’s quite open threats against the financial security of Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations over their reappointment of David Ahenakew.
The Prime Minister stood in the House and said, regarding Liberal demands that Lukiwski be disciplined over his bigoted remarks, “It is my view that when such an apology is sought, such an apology should be accepted“.
At that that point why did not some Opposition MP stand and ask about acceptance of David Ahenakew’s apology for his bigoted comments, and, in light of Ahenakew not accepting the position that was offered to him, ask why Strahl’s office is still “reviewing the relationship” his office has with the the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.
Quite frankly I think that a threat to the financial security of an organization that represents 72 individual First Nations and thousands of Aboriginal people is far more significant than whether or not some anti-gay Tory gets his hand slapped in public over something he said 16 years ago.
Why is this issue not being addressed?
Today I received their response
Thank you for taking the time to write the Liberal Party of Canada. We rely heavily on feedback, comments and ideas from Canadians like you on how to develop ideas and policies that best meet the needs of you and your family. As such, your message will be given thoughtful consideration and may be shared with our colleagues as appropriate.
For more information about the Liberal Party of Canada and our policies, please visit our website, www.liberal.ca, regularly. You may be particularly interested in our newsroom section, http://www.liberal.ca/pressrelease_e.aspx, which features speeches, news releases and news stories about the Liberal Party, our Leader and our Caucus.
Rest assured that under our Leader Stéphane Dion, we are working to provide Canadians with a strong, united and principled alternative to Stephen Harper’s government. A richer, fairer and greener Canada is at hand.
Kind regards
Much like the Conservatives during Question period – no answer provided.
This is a party threatening to go to take down the government and go to the polls, and the best they can offer is a canned email containing the vague promise that my question will be given “thoughtful consideration” and “may” even be shared with others….. oh be still my beating heart!!
I have gotten a few of those…From a few parties. (And I am very polite, with no cusswerds in my letters, just as you were.)
Canned answers that just irk me more, so I stopped. The script is set, without varying. Bah.
Bev Oda sent the worst one…..it wasn’t even formatted properly…
How do we get attention? That’s the question of the day.
Become a member…it’s alot harder for them to ignore you then.
Who’s your MP, Stageleft?
You sent the email to the Party which is a different animal from the gastropodes..er..MP’s…sitting in Parliament. Send the email to the the Indian Affairs critic, cc it to Dion, Strahl your MP and state that a non-substantive response would be disappointing personally and embarrassing for the Liberal Party…which you have voted for all your life/may never vote for ever again….;)
Mention you that you have a widely read blog.
My MP is John Baird (ain’t I just the lucky leftie?) so I’m not gonna experience any sort of joy contacting him either, I know, I’ve tried.
I seriously doubt that Anita Neville is gonna do more than send me another canned reply, and the one Liberal MP I do have personal access to is from a riding far away and is a back bencher who does what she’s told.
– and they know I got a blog, and they know our opinion on the topic, I got the hits from the HoC in my logs while we were discussing it to prove it
Not gonna happen but I’d be really curious to know what they said if a member did ask such questions — hint hint.
Well it depends – if your suggestion, thoughts fit the party’s strategy in the house of commons, or their overall strategy. Standing up for First Nations only seems to really happen during elections, in tight minority government situations (when your party is holding on by its teeth), and when they want votes.
My MP is John Baird (ain’t I just the lucky leftie?) so I’m not gonna experience any sort of joy contacting him either.
Lucky you (and I’m serious). I’d kill to have John Baird as my MP.
I know you’re not expecting a better reply, but you can always refer to the homework you did when you make the case, later on, that the government is not listening.
I used to contact my MP quite a bit. When he was in opposition I used to get personal responces, now that he’s in government, all I get are those generic form letters. Go figure.
Well, we know somebody there is getting the message.
When I used to contact Anne McLellan, I only got a response if I included my postal code (so she knew I was in her riding), and it was usually canned. After being involved in Laurie Hawn’s campaign, I get a personal response on business issues like immigration etc as the company offices are in his riding, but for personal stuff since I no longer live in the riding, I have to deal with my riding MP.
I think if you send it to your MP AND the Liberal critic AND Strahl, you might get more than a canned response.
PS: Maybe include the NDP critic since the Liberals are so useless as an opposition?