No Incentive To Vote Aug 12th,2012
And those in power can stay there for the rest of their lives,
Though it may be questionable whether democracy survives,
So a compulsory voting law or fifty dollar fine at income tax time,
Would solve the problem as the number of voters will climb.
Those who have been elected are not keen on mandatory votes,
It could change things and interfere with what the party promotes,
People might want binding referendums and recall and what next?
Best to do nothing or say it's constitutional and too complex.
Canadian politicians like all politicians dread recall,
Whether it's federal, provincial or even city hall,
So how do we get rid of a dreadful useless politician?
Could we get recall in the constitution in the next edition?
poem by James Bredin
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Ottawa Hierarchy July 23rd 2012
The established hierarchy always wants to stay where they are,
In Ottawa Ontario far away and this is not bizarre,
Some elected, some appointed, some bureaucrats for life,
We don't have binding referendums that could cause them some strife.
Referendums were left out of Trudeau's Charter, signed by the Queen,
That and set-date elections are never mentioned and unseen,
Then add mandatory voting so less than half of us vote,
Therefore they can enact any cause they want to promote.
But not dying with dignity which they want to prevent,
As they did with Sue Rodriguez in Lou Gehrig's disease torment,
It doesn't matter who we elect because nothing changes up there,
We should read the Swiss Constitution and maybe then compare.
poem by James Bredin
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Things Our Politicians Never Mention
Question period; not much more than a way to pass the time,
And let certain politicians feel that they are doing just fine,
It’s a sign that we need binding referendums just to control,
Enough to stop political phony pantomime that they extol.
We also need a law that compels Canadians to vote,
Because less than half do, so therefore most are on remote,
Why are governor generals and senators appointed?
Regardless of how many Canadians may be disappointed.
Mandatory minimum jail time for certain crimes should be the law,
And all criminal cases open to the public no matter how raw,
How about set-date election so we know when their time is up?
Why does the establishment think these ideas are pretty rough?
Jan 26th,2011
poem by James Bredin
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Wait Till You Die Feb 26th,2011
We have to wait to die because there is no other way,
At least there is no death with dignity advertised on display
And assisted suicide here in Canada is illegal,
Your doctor could end up needing more than a paralegal.
And this is a nasty subject that nice people try to avoid,
The religious and the holy folk might even be annoyed.
You will go to heaven or hell after you die they all say,
Their religious rules say that they are right as they often pray.
I’ll admit, it’s not a nice subject but we’re all going to get there,
And the experience of death and dying, no one is aware,
We could get death with dignity if referendums like the Swiss,
I can almost hear it now as politicians and priests all hiss.
Feb 26th,2011
poem by James Bredin
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Cold War Fifties Feb 17th,2010
i spent the Cold War fifties in Halifax, walking up and down,
On Gottington Street and Barrington Street looking all around,
In the Seagull Club and HMCS Stadacona and various ships,
Drinking beer in taverns where the waiters always wanted tips.
So I knew Halifax in the fifties like the palm of my hand,
Still sometimes locked in memories marching with Stadacona band,
Sometimes in Norfolk or Key West or Havana once or twice,
And those beautiful young Cuban girls taught us lots of vice.
Therefore we could compare Halifax with many other places,
Even many British and international naval bases,
The people of Halifax where not told about what we thought,
Nor were they bothered or in the least bit overwrought.
Feb 17th,2011
poem by James Bredin
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CONTROL THE CIRCUMSTANCES May 6th,2011
Very few of us have been down in the painful cancer league,
A place of physical, mental, emotional chemo fatigue,
A fearful struggle to avoid being caught in an oncoming death trap,
They can keep you alive for a while, they say, but you feel like crap.
A constant condition of physical shutting down every day,
Getting weaker and more tired and get another x-ray,
Where dying might seem the better and less painful option,
But politicians and priests have lots of biased objections.
And death with dignity; politicians refuse to discuss,
The Supreme Court treated Sue Rodriguez with utter disgust,
While politicians stood back, did nothing and nodded their heads,
Don’t have to get involved because they’re indifferent feds.
poem by James Bredin
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WE WAIT TO DIE Mar 29th,2011
Our politicians in Ottawa may soon tell us what to do,
Without binding referendums, as we wait in the long tax queue,
And without dying-with-dignity clause, we also wait to die,
It could be in deadly pain and sorrow and we don’t know why.
Add to that, we are now in the middle of an election,
Death-with-dignity questions might cause them disaffection,
Because the majority of our politicians don’t have a clue,
Add that, plus, binding referendums being completely taboo.
They’ll have a celebration when they are reelected,
Maybe you’re among the half who don’t vote and not connected,
We may not have to vote but we have to eventually die,
There is no connection, they say and don’t you dare ask why.
Mar 29th,2011
poem by James Bredin
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Doomed Democracy July 14th, 2012
DOOMED DEMOCRACY
BY
JAMES BREDIN
Democracy depends on elections to make it work,
Elections depend on participation - not those who lurk,
Established politicians depend on their party to get there,
Less than half Canadians get involved in this affair.
So something is wrong and we should sit down and figure out,
Maybe mandatory voting would establish some clout,
Maybe voting for senators and High Court judges would help,
But appointees and all Parole Boards might scream and yelp?
[...] Read more
poem by James Bredin
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Right To Die
I feel I should have the right to die when and where I want,
And disobey orders from the establishment commandant,
It doesn’t matter to me whether I go to heaven or hell,
What happens in this world is more important as you can tell.
God forbid, I should suffer from an incurable condition,
Some intolerably painful unfavorable position,
Where the doctors’ hands are tied because of our stupid ancient laws,
And I might like to die quickly and painlessly during a pause.
I hear diazepam or chloroquine could let me die on time,
But we can’t buy that stuff because right now it could be a crime,
So we need to change the rules about assisted suicide,
If we could do that, we could turn dying into an easy ride.
Dec 15th,2010
poem by James Bredin
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Advice To Stephen Harper July 20th,2012
Stephen: These are things for you to do if you want to leave your mark,
Because what you are doing so far amounts to a walk in the park,
Or maybe, god forbid, you might be walking in Mulroney's shoes,
You remember the stacked Senate and the GST - his excuse.
Therefore I figured out how you might leave a Canadian mark,
Unlike Joe Clark's two hundred days travelling and lost in the dark,
Get us death with dignity and binding referendums soon,
Then get us mandatory voting some quiet afternoon.
There's more; lots more because I fear you are not listening,
From inside that Ottawa aristocratic group while commissioning,
And appointing more appointees to the very secret list,
Their very hidden not very open or democratic gift.
poem by James Bredin
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