The Pirate Party of Canada Is Official 430
wasme writes "The Pirate Party of Canada has become the first Pirate Party outside of Europe to become an official political party. Elections Canada confirmed with the party that the PPCA has gained 'eligible for registration' status, and can run in elections starting June 14. From the PPCA's official announcement: 'We are pleased to announce that as of April 12, 2010, the Pirate Party of Canada is officially eligible for Party Status. After 10 months of dedication and hard work, we have reached eligible status, which only leaves a 60-day "purgatory" period. After that, we will field candidates in subsequent federal elections, and begin the real work of a political party.'"
Re:Serving two masters (Score:3, Informative)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Democrat_Union [wikipedia.org]
Re:Serving two masters (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, no.
The different pirate parties don't all work the same. I see it as a generic name for the concept, just like there's a "Communist Party" or "Conservative Party" in multiple countries. They may agree on the basics between themselves, but don't necessarily actively cooperate or agree on the specifics.
The different pirate parties do disagree on things like how long copyright should last. There's a general agreement that the current length is too long, but the swedish one wants 5 years, while there are others that would be fine with 20.
Re:cd tax (Score:2, Informative)
Re:OZ? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:New name... (Score:2, Informative)
The Pirate Party stands for sharing information, not privacy.
Umm, no.
"Started in 2009, the Pirate Party of Canada strives to reform Canadian copyright laws, reform the patent system, and protect every Canadian’s right to privacy."
http://www.piratepartyofcanada.com/ [piratepartyofcanada.com]
Re:New name... (Score:3, Informative)
OK, so that seems a bit schizophrenic. You want to increase privacy, but also want to "let information be free" in terms of allowing sharing of information. But increased privacy is the opposite of sharing information, it's increased control over it.
We want openness and transparency from government and organisations but privacy protections for individuals. There's no contradiction there, just empowerment for the normal person. Copyright would still remain (at a much reduced length) for people who try and make money from others work, just sharing between individuals would be decriminalized. A full PPUK manifesto can be found from here: http://www.pirateparty.org.uk/press/releases/2010/mar/22/pirate-party-uk-announces-general-election-manifes/ [pirateparty.org.uk]
Re:Congratulations (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Congratulations (Score:3, Informative)
it was the content industries of the US that deliberately and forcefully changed the meaning of pirate from "pirate of the high seas" to "software pirate" to "copyright infringement pirate". This was done via putting it in the news constantly. Pirate this, pirate that. So it's very appropriate to have a name that is a direct reminder of what they are up against.
The smart folks understand this has nothing to do with Somalia, although if it does bring attention to that, it would be a good thing. People need to know that other governments are abusing the fact that Somalia doesn't have a gov't right now.
Re:Serving two masters (Score:3, Informative)
The Swedish Pirate Party has no power whatsoever over pirate parties in other countries. The moment the German pirate party, for example, feel that the Swedes have gone too far, they can just ignore them and go their own way.
It's actually common that European political parties have "sister parties" in other countries. The Christian Democrats exist in many European countries, as well as Green parties, and Liberal parties. It's not comparable to the International Socialist Organization.
Re:Pirate parties should rename themselves (Score:5, Informative)
I think there may be a slight confusion in terms here - in English-speaking countries, "government" is often used to refer to the state as a whole. In that sense, the entire parliament and all authorities are part of the government.
In Sweden, the word is used in a stricter sense; only the executive organ is referred to as "government". The rest is referred to simply as "the state".
Re:Congratulations (Score:3, Informative)
In most other nations ( other than the U.S. ) the significance of a ballot label's "imagery" can be limited by the ability of a political party to enforce party platforms.
In the U.S.(in general) the name of a political party is just a ballot label, and any individual politician can run under it in a primary (nominating) election. In most other democratic nations, a political party is a private member based organization that "owns" a ballot label and chooses politicians to run under that label. Since politicians are responsible the their party, a member based party can, and sometimes does, write a political platform, containing specific issues that it's individual politicians can be required to support.
The U.S. has not ratified the Copenhagen Document of the Helsinki Accords which states in part: (7.6) - respect the right of individuals and groups to establish, in full freedom, their own political parties or other political organizations and provide such political parties and organizations with the necessary legal guarantees to enable them to compete with each other on a basis of equal treatment before the law and by the authorities;..
Can You Define What a Political Party is? [google.com]
Our Glorious National Committees: Ever wonder what they do? [google.com]
Re:Other issues? (Score:3, Informative)
We explicitly don't take stand in most questions because it will only split the movement and make it weaker. Our issues are VERY important to us and our stand in them are WAY different from the established parties, at least how they act in reality (not what they say in election campaigns).
In Sweden, there are only minor differences among the established parties. They have big fights over if some benefit should be 80% or 82% for example.
If you vote for Piratpartiet, it's because you think that our issues are more important than the difference between the established parties. It's not because you think that those other issues are not important.
Re:Oh great... (Score:1, Informative)
Gee...how thought provoking...
Perhaps if 'deep thinkers' like yourself got off their cellulose laden arses and actively participated in the process or took the time to educate themselves on the system they ardently despise we could actually advance this debate. But I digress...enjoy your day-old pizza in mom's basement and leave fixing the real world to the rest of us.
Before I blow a gaping hole in your pathetic line of logic, first allow me to point out the simplest of factual errors: the political right in Canada was never split three-ways (at least not by the parties you mention). In an effort to reach out for broader geographic support across the country, the primarily Alberta based Reform party re-invented itself under the Canadian Alliance banner. They were one in the same. The Alliance existed from 2000 through 2003 at which time it merged with the PC Party of Canada to for today's Conservative Party.
Ahhh...I feel better now..
As far as your notion about the Bloc being splitting the traditional left vote...hunh?!? Apparently you missed POLI 101 and the fact that the Bloc is in fact a single issue party that has risen as high as the Official Opposition (i.e. the second largest representation in Parliament for you non-Constitutional monarchy types). They were founded on the sole principle of Quebec nationalism and separating la Belle Provence from the rest of the Country. They actually did exactly what you suggest cannot happen in a Westminster system - and have been doing a damn fine job of it for a couple decades now. And to suggest the Conservative benefit from the Bloc splitting votes is tacit proof of your ignorance to the debate between federalism and nationalism that has been going on in Canada since Champlain hit the shores a few hundred years ago.
So here's the thing...issue parties can make a difference and can successfully establish themselves in a Parliamentary system. But here's the catch...they have to run on an issue that the masses actually give a $hit about. So let's not go blaming the system because you can't get copyright reform on the agenda and get the government to take action - let's consider the fact that the vast majority of people are more concerned about whether they will have food on their plates, have quality health care, a clean environment or a sustainable country that will prosper though the generations that follow.
I know this is a crazy idea - radical even! But as I suggested at the outset, try getting off your Cheeto stained couch and get in the game. The system can work if you play the game, but guzzling beer in the stands doesn't exactly help bring home the cup now does it?
Personally - I hope the founders take this effort seriously and prove all the flamers like you wrong and actually do something to add this issue to the national debate. And if they do - I hope you'll have the decency to donate some of the cash they save you by knocking down those oppressive royalties (*snicker*). But we both know you won't. Mom will have had enough of your freeloading by then and you'll have to pay bills like the rest of us, and when that happens I'll be at the front of the line to welcome you to the Liberal / Conservative / Mainstream Party of Canada.