It is now just before 11am on Wednesday. Since I launched RallyforCanada.ca at 10am on Monday morning, the rallies have attracted a lot of attention.
After 48 hours, here are some stats:
127,149 hits on the website
20,400 people signed up with their email addresses (and province)
358 followers on twitter
I’ve done a lot of media on the rallies:
CBC: Don Newman’s Politics
CTV Alberta
CHCH
CBC: The National
Citytv
National Post
Le Devoir
La Presse
Metro News (Ottawa)
Canadian Press (CP)
Toronto Star
Hill Times
CHQR (2 hits)
CJAD
CFRB
CBC Winnipeg
CBC Montreal
On my Blackberry, I have 1121 unread emails.
I’ve received calls of support from across the country and a small trickle of hate mail.
Perhaps the most bizarre call I got was from a group calling themselves “les jeunes patriotes du Quebec”. They described themselves as a group of separatists that are against the Bloc joining the coalition and selling out to Stephane Dion. They wanted to know if they could rally with us.
“You want to rally? ‘for Canada’?” I asked.
“Uh, yes” they said.
How disgusting, I thought. This was hardly a group coming on side to support strengthening our country with rallies. I tried to tease as much information out of them as I could by sounding as if I was perhaps considering their ludicrous idea. I invited them to send me an email with their info and request so I could expose it here on the blog. They never did. Too bad.
I think that what bothers Canadians most about this crazy week in politics is the proposed coalition government’s association with the Bloc. If the rogue-faction from the separatists want to rally, they can have their own. As for the rest of the separatists, they can rally with the “Progressive Coalition” which is supporting the proposed NDP-Liberal-Bloc coalition government.
Stephen Taylor is a scientist, political analyst and a blogger. Taylor writes here regularly and is the founder of bloggingtories.ca. Taylor has contributed to Macleans, CTV, talk radio and has been a featured speaker on new media at numerous events including the Western Standard Cruise and the Forum for Public Policy. In December 2008, Taylor organized Rally for Canada, a series of rallies held coast-to-coast to protest the proposed coalition government.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:40 am
Thank you Stephen for all your hard work. I have already voted as well sent an e-mail to GG.
Marianne
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:41 am
What happened to Hamilton rally ?
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:28 am
I think it's time PMSH became PMST.
Or Senator Stephen Taylor.
Way to go!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:10 am
Also, probably no surprise to anyone, I've made a Rally for Canada semi-ad using a Tasha Kheiriddin interview.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:00 am
As a canadian I'm not really bothered by having the Bloc being part of the proposed coalition. They are human beings as well, and were elected by their constituents. They deserve a voice in Parliament, even in the government, as equally as any other Canadian.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
go to queens park instead
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
come on people, we already had an election! the canadian people decided on harper to lead us. dion and layton are just sore losers who cannot admit defeat… we canadians should tell these two to just let it go!!! think about it, if we have to do another election, who do you think will pay for that? of course, us taxpayers! do you think layton and dion and the bloc will come out and say, “lets do another election and we will pay for all of the expenses. i read somewhere that “elections mean something!” yes it does! Canada has and always will be a democratic nation. we try and promote democracy to other nations like afghanistan and so forth, and all the other countries know that…what would these other countries say about US CANADIANS now when they see that our own government has been dissolved by these UNELECTED parties???
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
You're an amazingly committed man. Thank you.
Mr. William Johnson was on a call-in program for CPAC this morning. He indicated that the whole concept of Parliamentary Democracy is based on a House of two parties only. It was never intended in its design to accommodate the demands/policies of more than two parties.
This must now have an important impact on the functionality of Canadian Parliament?
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Anti-coalition vidoe up on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaGBSeba1iU
End of the video mentions the rally and directs viewers to the rally website.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:21 pm
What a lot of people here in Calgary are really ticked off about is that the Liberal-socialist-separatist coup seems to not give a rat's butt about the west and especially Alberta. Everyone with a shred of common sense knows that Alberta money will be used to pay for NDP social experiments in Ontario and Quebec. The so-called “Progressive Coalition” is avoiding Calgary, they know they are not wanted. Only the union hacks will be out supporting the coalition.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Mon cher Stephen,
Pourquoi ne pas proposer à tous les “Canadians'” de se joindre à vos “Rally” pour faire pression sur le gouvernement Harper afin qu'il mette le Québec à la porte du Canada.
De cette façon, il obtiendrait une écrasante majorité, pourrait rester en Afghanistan, abolirait le droit à l'avortement et aux mariages gais, suspendrait l'équité salariale, le droit de grêve, économiserait sur les investissements de plusieurs milliards $ réclamés par le Québec, accroîterait, sans opposition, le développement des sables bitumineux, etc.
Et surtout, il forcerait la main aux “Tanguy fédéralistes du Québec”, ces Québécois peureux qui vivent dans un pays qui a atteint l'âge de la maturité et qui “s'accrochent” à la maison pour faire suer les “faux parents Canadians”.
On vous aime, et on ira quand même souper chez-vous le dimanche et aux fêtes…
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Why is a different point of view “hate mail”? The lack of logic and mean spiritedness of you and Harper's inner Reform circle is astounding. Shutting down Parliament because you fear a defeat has nothing to do with Democracy. You are cheapening democracy and your patriotism by equating a coalition government with being a crisis. Your arguments are facile.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
In support of RallyForCanada.ca : http://5660826569643406194-a-180274477373272265...
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
What are we to make of the suggestion that Stock Day sought a similar arrangment with the Bloq in 2000? While he denies seeing the draft agreement, and Gary Chipeur denies showing it to him.. uh.. seriously? Stephen, I'm a Conservative, but the time is coming to put the cards on the table and stop with the partisan double-speak?
I'd like an explanation from Stockwell for under what circumstances Gary Chipeur felt he had authority to approach the Bloq with this proposal.
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
How can we ever get truth or even facts free of spin to manipulate opinion from our main media sources? We can't.
To hear the Liberals and Dippers say Conservatives are sending out form emails across the country is disgusting to say the least. I have seen no evidence of it. I have sent my own heartfelt emails and all the talk shows have read emails out, NONE of them were the same.
The media is of grave concern in this crisis, they are with the coalition because their Liberals have a chance at getting back to power by stealing it. They're willing to sell their souls for power and ultimately ours.
We need to have a revolt against the media when this awful crisis is settled. They pose an extreme danger to the stability of our democracy. They have a hate on for Mr. Harper and will not relent no matter what he does. apparently their vindictive mindset is more important than stability in our country. Mr. Harper was elected by the ordinary people of the country to steer the ship of state, not Dion or Layton and definitely not Duceppe.
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Brandon Manitoba Rally is at the RIVERBANK CENTRE at 11AM!
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
This “Rally for Canada” nonsense needs to stop right now. Up until recently, Charest's Liberals were heading for a majority government in Quebec. Jean Lapierre said today on 98,5 fm in Montreal that a source told him the PQ is now up a few points. Now Charest deplores the rise of “Quebec bashing”:
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/elections-...
Of course, Charest must understand that this “Quebec bashing” will probably help the PQ. If the PQ wins the election on Monday, the Rally for Canada will be to blame. How do you think French Quebecers will react when they see demonstrations of English Canadians with posters against the “Separatist Coalition” two days before going to the polls?
Up until now, Charest was able to say that we need stability and could justify a Liberal majority government in Quebec. Now, Pauline Marois can say that this country doesn't work, that English Canadians are bashing Quebec and she might be able to convince Quebecers to elect the PQ instead.
Please cancel this rally. I don't want a separatist government in Quebec.
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Can we go back to a two party system. That would stop all this B.S.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:18 am
This is a bad blow to Canada's voting system. We just had an election and Canadians had thier say and Voted the Conservatives back in. For the Coloation to take that vote away from us, without asking or allowing another vote. This also does not help in getting more voters to the polls. Why when our vote does not count anymore!! Is this the Liberals only way of survival due to their depleting lack of funds. Or is it their way of proving they are just sore losers.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:51 am
I'm planning to go to Kitchener instead, cheaper parking, less traffic.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:58 am
and what of the Western Canadian bashing by the coalition?!?
The Liberals are splitting the country, not the Conservatives.
December 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Vous êtes comme une grenouille qui voit le ciel sous l'eau et pense que vous êtes au dessus du ciel. Pauvre grenouille !!!
December 5th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
You are right. Why Stock Day had arranged with Bloc ! ? and Stephen Harper at 2004 ??? !!! You are the same for power and this power is the power of shame with stephen Harper ! plagiarism, lie to canadian about the flag, no vision on economic situation after 6 weeks elected !! ??
December 5th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
The power of shame with Stephen Harper !
December 5th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
You, conservative with Harper begins to divide the country.
December 5th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
This you-tube video best sums up the actions of the coalition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfTXg25sUfk
December 6th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Un proverbe qui dit : ne pas vivre comme une grenouille et mourir comme un serpent.
Les Langlois sont plus intelligents que vous !!!
December 6th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Un proverbe qui dit : ne pas vivre comme une grenouille et mourir comme un serpent.
Les Langlois sont plus intelligents que vous !!!