Campaign Open House Address

On Saturday evening (September 20) three of our local riding associations opened our shared campaign office for refreshments & an opportunity to meet the three candidates. Since I was quite sick my dear Bonnie read my letter of regret to the assembled group. I enclose the text below:

Dear Sisters an Brothers,

Sadly I am unable to be with you tonight to celebrate the opening of our three-fold campaign office. On top of an earlier back spasm, I have been laid low by a stomach flu. So I send greetings through my cherished friend and partner Bonnie.

Even more intensely than before and especially as the campaign heats up, I stand solidly behind the platfrom and dreams of our New Democratic team both nationally and locally. One journalist called Jack "cheeky" when he said, "I'm applying for the job of prime minister." What! When the polls give us less than 20%! Yep, it is "cheeky"! We are the "cheeky" party. We've bucked odds for 75 years since that rag-tag bunch called the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was born in Regina. Without us and our "cheekiness" we would not have Medicare and oher people programs.

So here we go again in the Fall of 2008----taking on the corporations, the banks, he two big-money parties and the polls. How do we help Jack become prime minister in these three ridings, two called safe for incumbents Telegdi and Redman and Ktchner-Conestoga called a "no-chance for us? We do it b dropping our personl turf battles, by stretching our resources of time and money to pound the pavements, by reaching out to our despairing base of voter--- workers, minorities, environmentalists,women, the poor, middle-class idealists (all tose forgotten by the elite and powerful and their political friends). If we're "cheeky" enough to embrace the marginalized of our society and their needs loudly and clearly, then we're "cheeky" enough to win all three ridings.

Though my body prevents me from being with you, Bonnie brings you this letter and my heart.

Shalom & Solidarity,
Oz




Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca

Hurrah for Elmer Thiessen!

One Final Remark on the article in "The Record" entitled "What are the issues?" Hurrah for Elmer Thiessen! With reference to budgets & taxes he says: "Ultimately budgets make an ethical statement. We need to talk about the ethics underlying any budget and its supporting tax base." All programs cost money, & cutting programs & taxes cost money also. Tax cuts cost money too, but who pays for these, "the rich" or "the rest of us" (to use the language of one key study on the widening wealth gap)?

For me, taxes must be progressive, that is, fall most heavily on those most able to pay. And these monies should be raised to close the wealth gap via the provision of "people & community-building programs" & not to line the pockets of the super-rich & their corporations. In this campaign, spending, taxes & budgets will be a high priority for me in terms of an ethics that underscores human need & not cororate greed.





Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca

A public pledge

In my last blog I underscore my appreciation of the article in Saturday's "The Record" entitled What are the issues?" Immediately below that piece was Andrew Hunt's excellent editorial, "Be thankful Canadian elections don't sink to the depths of American elections." Yet, at the same time, I fear American-style electioneering is dribbling into our electioneering. So I applaud the pieces by Lori Straus, Sarah McCob & Jen Kellett.

As a candidate in this federal election, be sure & challenge me in public debates, & throw these words back to me if I violate them in this campaign:

1). I will focus on the issues that you find highlighed on my website & in our party's platfom.

2). When I mention personalities I will do so only in terms of their relationship to the issues, such as their positions & how they stood by them or failed to do so.

3). I will do my best not to be diverted by side issues & will say so in publc debate.




Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca

The Record's "What are the issues?"

I appreciated very much the piece in "The Record" called "What are the issues?" by the newspaper's "Community Editorial Board. Probably, to those who know me, it will come as no surprise that I echo the fine words of Theron Kramer in his piece, because I believe that his his terse three paragraphs summarize quite nicely my overall vision & the reason I am running for office for the New Democrats.

Also, it was a delight to run into him just days before the election writ was dropped. We had joined years ago in communty justice issues. So, Theron I always welcome your pieces & surely agree with them at least 95% if not higher. And it was a special delight to say "hi" face to face after, lo, these many years.




Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca

Let's hear it for the sisters!

I had the honour of joining a handful of men in support of the "Take Back the Night March" last Thursday (September 18), an annual resounding "NO!" to violence against women in our community, in our nation & in the world. And it was women saying "NO" loudly and clearly, taking charge of the issue and organizing to roll back direct and systemic violece against women. I am blessed with a partner and three stepdaughters who continue to be my teachers and models on women's issues. So, I was privileged to join my partner last night at Kitchener City Hall in support of the sisters & the Kitchener-Waterloo Sexual Assault Support Centre who stand tall in publicizing the issue and in providing solid support for victimized women on an inadeqate budget and far too few supporters I was sddened by how few men were present to lend support, since we guys are the bulk of "the problem." How sad it is when this powerful event was not heightened on page 1 of "The Record", & sadder yet is the fact that beside the article on "Take Back the Night" was this headline: "Kitchener Man convicted of sex asaults on pregnant wife."




Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca

A Time for Introductions

My name is Oscar Cole-Arnal, but I go simply by the "nickname" Oz. I have the privilege of being the federal candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the Kitchener Centre Riding. I do not use the word "privilege" lightly, precisely because in my willingness to accept our Riding Association's nomination I take on the awesome task of representing the only political party in Canada that has stood historically for the non-elite members of our society. Our party is the party of Tommy Douglas, of Agnes MacPhail, the party of farmers, workers and justice advocates from the 1920s to the present. And by accepting the privilege to run under the NDP banner, I take upon myself the responsibility of representing that history with openness and integrity.

Please visit the About Oz page on my website to read more.




Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca