Tag: politics

Breaking News Politics

Protesters Have The World’s Attention (Editorial)

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There is a park in downtown Toronto called St. James Park.

This week it is filled with “campers.”

Colourful, domed vinyl tents crowd next to each other in the mud.

The campers are cold because there is no heat at night, there is no electricity, and winter is coming. But they persist.

Why are they there? They are camping in St. James Park in Toronto for the same reason they are camping in Zuccotti Park in New York, or outside St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England.

For the same reason people are camping in 80 other cities around the globe.

It is a protest.

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News Politics

Occupy Wall Street Heading To Toronto

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The “Occupy Wall Street” movement is heading for Toronto and 950 other cities around the world.

In September, a poster in Adbusters magazine called for people to gather in New York to protest against big companies that make a lot of profit.

Although the protest was rather vague and unfocussed, young people came – and they kept coming.

They met in the “financial district” in New York, NY. The financial district is where many big companies have their headquarters, and where many stockbrokers (people who trade stocks) work.

It’s where a lot of profit is made.

Wall Street is a famous street that defines New York’s financial district.

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Politics

First Female Premier For NL; Liberal Majority In PEI

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The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has its first female premier.

Kathy Dunderdale made history on Tuesday as she led her Progressive Conservative party to its third majority in a row.

A “majority” means the PCs have more seats in the legislature than the other parties combined.

A majority means that if there is a vote in the legislature, the PCs will win it (assuming all of them vote, and vote the same way) – even if everyone else in the legislature votes against it.

Having a majority often lets a government do more of the things it wants to do, because its projects won’t get voted down by the other parties.

Dunderdale has been Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador since Dec., 2010. She is only the sixth female premier in Canada’s history.

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News Politics

Ontario Students Elect The NDP (Adult Voters Re-Elect Liberals)

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If it was up to Ontario’s students, the province would have woken up to an NDP minority government.

More than 321,000 students under the voting age, cast ballots in a “parallel election.” In that “election,” the NDP won, with 26.6% of the votes and 41 seats in the legislature.

The Liberals came in a close second, with 39 seats (25.8%), the Ontario PCs third with 24 seats (21.1%) and the Green party took fourth place with 3 seats (16.6% of the votes cast).*

Across the province, candidates had dropped in on classrooms to talk about the issues and present their platforms to kids.

One grade 5 student in Toronto said he enjoyed listening to the candidates, learning about the electoral process and voting.

“It was great,” he said. “I now know what they stand for and why they’re politicians. I feel like I understand the parties a lot better.”

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News Politics

Fourth Straight Majority For NDP In Manitoba

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Manitoba had a provincial election on Wednesday.

The province’s New Democratic Party made history yesterday by winning its fourth straight majority.

A “majority” is when a party has more seats in the legislature than the other parties combined. (Seats in the legislature means the number of Members of Provincial Parliament, or MPPs, in the provincial government.)

Greg Selinger, the leader of the Manitoba NDP, will remain the province’s premier, a position he has held since 2009.

Selinger defeated the Progressive Conservatives. Its leader, Hugh McFadyen, said he will step down as soon as his party can find someone to replace him.

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News

Saudi Women To Vote, Run For Office

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History was made in Saudi Arabia last week when King Abdullah announced that starting in 2015, Saudi Arabian women will be able to vote and to run for office.

It is a big step in a country that does not grant women equal rights to those enjoyed by men.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world in which women are banned from driving an automobile.

Last July a woman, identified only as Shema, was found guilty of driving and sentenced to 10 lashes.

(Many women defy the ban by driving in spite of the fact it is not legal in the country. By driving, they are protesting what they feel is an unfair rule.)

Last week, the king surprised the country by stopping the punishment for Shema. She will not have to endure any lashes.

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Politics

Alberta’s First Female Premier

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Alison Redford will be Alberta’s first female premier.

Her political party, the Alberta Progressive Conservatives, voted her in as their leader on Sunday.

She replaces Ed Stelmach, who had stepped down. He was the leader of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative party, and the premier of the province.

By replacing Stelmach, Redford will not only be the party’s leader but the province’s premier as well – at least until the next provincial election (likely in 2012) when the public will help to choose who the premier will be.

Until she is sworn in as premier, her title is Premier-Designate.

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Politics

Young People Can Get Involved In Upcoming Election

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Ontario, like four other Canadian provinces, will hold a provincial election this fall.

Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) and the Premier of the province will be chosen.

Depending on the province and district, other positions will also be elected.

In one of Ontario’s districts, Scarborough-Agincourt, Soo Wong is running for MPP.

TKN asked her what young people can do to feel part of the political process when they’re not yet old enough to vote.

“It is the responsibility of every Canadian to understand what elections are about,” she said. “All of the young people will sooner or later become adults. It’s not just about today, but about moving this province forward.”

She said that young people need to be knowledgeable about the candidates and the issues so that when it is their time to vote, they are prepared.

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Breaking News Politics

Where Is Moammar Gadhafi?

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The leader of Libya has fled his country and is in hiding.

No one knows where he is, but many people are looking for him.

Earlier this year, the people of Libya demanded that Colonel Gadhafi step down as leader of the country because, since the 1960s, he has used bullying and violence to make the people do what he wanted.

The United Nations International Criminal Court has charged him with “crimes against humanity.”

A war broke out in Libya between the people who support Gadhafi and the people who want him out – the “rebels.”

The war continues to this day, although the rebels have taken over most of the country including Tripoli, the capital city, and they are creating a government of their own.

Gadhafi and his supporters are not giving up.

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News Politics

Japan Gets A New Prime Minister

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Japan has a new prime minister.

In August, Naoto Kan stepped down as the country’s prime minister.

He said he had failed the country by not doing a good job of helping Japan recover after it was rocked by an earthquake last March.

On March 11, the fifth most powerful earthquake in history took place in the sea off the coast of Japan. It caused a tsunami, or giant sea wave.

Waves up to 10 metres high flooded the coast of Japan, causing massive damage to many homes and to a nearby nuclear energy plant.

In addition to the problems caused by these natural disasters, Japan also has the largest debt of any country in the world.

Debt is the money the country owes to other countries and to banks.

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