guelphspeak.ca has general coverage of the by-election.

“Byelection can be a mini-referendum”

Guelph Chamber of Commerce interviews – with only four candidates.

August 25th debate (http://www.memberservicecenter.org/irmweb/wc.dll/onguecoc?id=onguecoc&doc=events/event&kn=858) – The Guelph Chamber of Commerce will only invite the top four parties: “What question would you like to ask our four federal candidates?” The phrase “our four federal candidates” is a complete distortion if we compare the list (http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/candidates.aspx?L=e&ED=35027&EV=29&EV_TYPE=3&PC=&Prov=ON&ProvID=35&MapID=&QID=-1&PageID=17&TPageID=) published by Elections Canada.

Email the contact and complain about the Libertarian Party candidate and others not being invited! This is the “democratic” system, you see. I guess only some business people believe in freedom – like Phil Bender. With our system the way it is, private entities like the Guelph Chamber of Commerce and Rogers TV have a citizen’s responsibility to make sure the event is fair and democratic. Otherwise events like this become part of the systematic distortions in our society, you know, like using government to prevent competition. Why don’t they poll their members about who should be included and see what they say? Why isn’t there at least information about the other candidates on their web site? If enough people complain to the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, maybe they will change this situation.

Rogers TV Coverage of By-election in Guelph (http://www.rogerstv.com/get.asp?lid=12&rid=8&sid=2916&arid=8)
Debates include August 25 and September 3.

Information on Phil Bender at Rogers TV web site (http://www.rogerstv.com/option.asp?rid=8&lid=16&tid=25192)
Very qualified: “I am a Professional Engineer. I have owned and operated a small independent telephone company…” etc. etc.

Aug. 19 coverage of Phil Bender, Libertarian Party of Canada candidate

“He has previously run in a byelection against Turmel, whom he beat by 50 votes, with a total of 135, in 2007 in the riding of Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey. The byelection was won by John Tory.

“Bender has also ran in 2003 and 2007 in general provincial elections in Simcoe-Grey. He said his platform follows along the lines of the federal Libertarian party.

“”I ask myself the philosophical question — we’re humans, we have failures — and the question as I see it is do we need an overseeing body, government . . . which is what most people call it, to protect us from our own failures? And I would say no, we should be allowed to make our own mistakes.

“”And if people want an organization to protect them we have those organizations, but they’re not coerced on us, and government is, by its nature coercion. If you don’t do what government says they’ll fine you or put you in jail or restrict your freedoms.””

YouTube Coverage of some of the candidates

Support for Philip Bender in the comments section

More coverage

August 20th, 2008