End Prohibition ad blocked from NDP Convention Guide
I tried to buy an ad in the federal convention guide.
It is for End Prohibition, and says "Thank you to the NDP for standing up against the Conservative's failed War on Drugs." It includes a quote from Libby Davies and contact information for End Prohibition.
After booking the ad well in advance and then sending it in before deadline, we were suddenly told after the deadline had passed that the ad was not acceptable, and that the NDP was not accepting any ads from internal NDP groups.
When I spoke with Drew Anderson, the fellow who is apparently in charge of producing the convention guide, he said he would email me a copy of their policy on advertising which didn't allow us to advertise. But he hasn't sent me this document as promised.
I am disappointed by this blocking of our ad for End Prohibition. I also don't believe that other "internal advocacy" groups would also be blocked. Would they refuse Gay NDP or an NDP Enviro Group from advertising? I doubt it.
I am frustrated by this kind of thing. We're a group with over 700 members now, we have support from many MPs and MLAs, I have personally signed up many new NDP members and brought many volunteers and activists into the party.
The ad is thanking the NDP for a policy stand they have already taken. It is hardly controversial.
Why the hell does the NDP want to turn down my money and reject an ad from our group?
When did you have this discussion with him? And indeed it should be followed up on.
We booked the ad space in mid-June and submitted it by the end of June deadline.
I was notified that the ad was "unacceptable" on Thursday July 2, I called and spoke to Drew on Friday July 3. He said he'd email me their advertising policy that day but I haven't received it.
I suspect that they waited until well after the deadline to inform me so that I wouldn't have time to appeal or make a fuss.
Try submitting a different ad: "Dippers ain't dopers!". I'll bet they'd waive the deadline for that one.
On a more serious note, what did you really expect?
That was yesterday for pete's sake.
And apparently you sent it in on June 29th or 30th, as you state that you submitted it by the end of June deadline?
July 1, was a holiday, so you would get nothing from them until July 2nd, anyway, if the 30th was the deadline. It also took you a day to get back to them. Perhaps something came up, that pushed it from his mind, or they are discussing it further? It has not even been a day and it is the week end now.
And perhaps they are not accepting any internal group advertising as stated. So, maybe you should have used your medicinal marijuanna org to advertise in the booked space and perhaps you still can force the issue under a different banner, as you had booked it?
I suggest patience, and following through on Monday, and if you get no reponse go to the national council or even get a hold of Libby.
I am interested in hearing just what that policy is and just who is allowed to advertise, until then I will try to refrain from assuming the worst. LOL Not easy. I hope you will keep us informed and thank you for letting us know this.
I am interested in hearing just what that policy is and just who is allowed to advertise, until then I will try to refrain from assuming the worst. LOL Not easy.
No kidding it's not easy. I tried to refrain, and failed. Just weak I guess.
O come on.
Who are you guys kidding
Jack spent 4 years sidetracking us for the last convention.
He just kept saying ......"get the grass roots support"
We did that with the first EDA resolution and then got 5 more.
We did a lot besides with the total of 200 out of 600 that actually tied to the drug war.
Jack sent some one to try to talk us out of going all the way to the convention but waited until we were in Montreal...LOL
They explained that really""we are cowards and no matter what Jack said we will never ever help you people with the cannabis issue"
Dana for some one raped nationally by media at the ndp's orders you sure look silly by this post.
When will it sink in?
When will you wise up?
When will you do effective work for our movement again instead of looking silly?
Layton as his people told me is a coward.
Maybe you need more of the treatment you got last election from this fine group?
Dana, after reading sway's post I googled you and found out that you ran for the NDP but dropped out because of video footage surfaced of you doing drugs, yes?
If so, I gotta say I agree with sway, they are not your friends.
I think the best shot the NDP have at coming to power is doing something that is out of step with the other parties, something like a pro-marijuana platform. I think many Canadians would support that, especially now that the laws have changed to mandatory sentences
Aside from the recreational uses of the drug, it also appears that it has the ability to cure cancer, even late stage cancer according to Rick Simpson of "Phoenix Tears". Think about this, here is this regular guy, never a pot-head who gets hurt and discovers that smoking pot helps him to recover which all the pharmaceuticals he has been on haven't been able to. He then discovers that when he gives it to a friend, in the oil form, who has lung cancer and the doctors have written off, his friend recovers from the cancer. Then others recover from cancer and various ailments. Naively he contacts the Canadian Cancer Society thinking that they will want to know that he has found a cure. LOL Rick Simpson is not so naive anymore.
It has been used for thousands of years medicinally and we have to ask why something with such potential to heal us is being kept from us. The answer is quite obvious, there is enormous profit to be made from illness. What profit would there be if people could just grow their own cures?
I would love to see the NDP use their position to step out into a world of real health and well being but I don't see it happening, I think Jack had an opportunity a few years ago to do so but instead fell to strategy, now the men in suits run that party and who do they serve?
Well actually, I booked two ad spaces. One for End Prohibition and one for my Medical Cannabis Dispensary.
The Dispensary ad said "Thank you to the NDP for standing up for the rights of medicinal cannabis users." It included the Dispensary contact info and that we are providing "medicinal marijuana by mail-order." It also had a pot leaf in the ad.
I was told that neither ad was in line with their editorial policy, but on the phone I only really discussed the End Prohibition ad with Drew.
I suspected that the Dispensary ad might raise some concerns, simply because of the pot leaf, and maybe because of the nature of our business. I was prepared for them to get back to me with a concern or perhaps wanting some changes to that ad.
Well considering that End Prohibition has repeatedly advertised the Democrat and the Commonwealth (NDP newspapers in BC and Saskatchewan) and regularly gets ads in the convention guides for provincial conventions, and considering that I have booked a table space for both End Prohibition and the Dispensary at this federal convention, I thought the ads would run, possibly with some revisions.
You can learn about me at my website: http://www.DanaLarsen.com
I have many friends within the NDP, including many MPs, MLAs and other influential people in the party.
My group End Prohibition has over 700 people who have signed up on our website.
The resolution we have created on drug policy has been passed by 7 riding associations and the Disability Committee.
We have passed resolutions provincially in many provinces to help shape NDP drug policy at the provincial level.
But yes, there is always still resistance in the party to my work and our policy goals.
There are some influential people in the NDP, including some MPs, MLAs and many provincial leaders, who are afraid and resistant to openly advocating for an end to the drug war.
Part of my work in the NDP is to challenge, educate and convert these people into understanding that cannabis and drug policy reform could be a winning issue for our party. That Canadians are ready and willing to vote for a party that openly advocates for truly legalized marijuana and a national drug policy based upon harm reduction and regulated access, instead of absolute prohibition and criminalization.
Thanks, Dana. Keep pushing. Your persistence is admirable. Don't listen to cynics like me (and especially, don't be "swayed"
). One day you and others like you will prevail.
Thanks for the reply Dana, I actually thought better of my comment regarding friends but since I posted it I didn't want to edit it out, I am glad to know you are seeing a lot of support for this. If you are someone who can be a thorn in their side, I wish you well and much success.
I think the best shot the NDP have at coming to power is doing something that is out of step with the other parties, something like a pro-marijuana platform. I think many Canadians would support that, especially now that the laws have changed to mandatory sentences
I agree completely. But can the federal NDP be trusted to take this issue and run with it? Or will the experience of having to defend marijuana legalization cause Jack Layton and friends to water it down until it no longer means anything, or worse, no longer exists?
There are some influential people in the NDP, including some MPs, MLAs and many provincial leaders, who are afraid and resistant to openly advocating for an end to the drug war.
I'd like to know exactly who these people are, and examples of their resistance to drug policy reform, so I can start writing some letters (for what it's worth).
Don't be too surprised when they reneg on that as well.
Yes and when no resolutions get to the floor will you admit they used you?
And at the very least quit trying to confuse those working to grow the Greens with what used to be members of endprohibition...including a founding member of that group?
Your loyalty is admirable just not justified...sadly.
No one worked harder with this issue in the ndp nor were as involved being part of every executive federal provincial and local...so I know about this quite well.
I think your group would do better if you stepped aside and some one not also working for the LSD party took over.
That video of you driiving etc on LSD and other things as you joked about how many hits you could take destroyed your chances in the jack layton ndp.
My opinion and shared by very very many.
I think it would be interesting to see if this policy about no adverting from NDP internal groups actually exists. Or whether its just something they thought up.
This clears it all up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irWNED6qJow
Shavluk, working to promote the Greens whom you are suing? Strange indeed.
Telling Dana that his loyalty is admirable, while in the next breath trashing him, even stranger.
Actually what's even stranger is your labelling anyone from our culture who feels as shavluk does as shavluk himself apparently.
Shavluk is a member here by the way and I do not need to post anything for him.
Maybe as others do it seems .....check things out properly? hmmm
The fact remains the Greens have a re- legalized cannabis policy because of shavluk.
Ditto the BC NDP and the BC Greens.
We are yes in truth part of a team collected by shavluk as lets face it but two hundred endprohibition members were signed up to the group by shavluks wife Marie in Quebec City.
Its not our fault Jack turned hypocrite nor is it unproveable if you require.
Who I am is irrelevant.
And who is suing the Green leadership while at the same time supporting the party and its sane forward looking policy because they themselves helped create it is a no brainer within the cannabis community.
Dana can not and should not continue hiding the errors of Jack Layton.
As I said what will he say when all 7 resolutions are this time again ignored?
He's been banned under at least three different names.
What screenname is he using now?
Who I am is irrelevant.
I distinctly remember having had that insight on very good weed.For me, it's not about things like revenge or that I think someone used me or however it is that you see things Shavvy. If we don't pass our resolution this time then I will continue my work and hopefully make progress in another way, or with a resolution at the next convention, or whatever it takes. I certainly won't take it personally if the resolution doesn't pass!
I have a goal, which is to end the drug war in Canada and around the world.
I see the so-called "war on drugs" as a war on all of the world's best and most useful medicinal plants.
I wish that all political parties wanted to end prohibition. And I appreciate those of any political stripe who will speak out against the failures and harms of the drug war.
I don't see prohibition and drug war as a particularly left/right issue. Many right-wing groups and individuals support ending prohibition, such as the Fraser Institute and William F. Buckley.
However, I happen to support the NDP philosophy and position on a variety of other topics, and since they also have the most progressive drug policy of the parties in Parliament, I feel like I belong. I've met many good people in the NDP, and made many wonderful friends.
But I wish I didn't have to fight with the party over silly things like these convention ads... I don't even think they're that controversial. It's just the people hired to edit the guide this year are taking it upon themselves to protect the NDP from something they perceive as a problem.
I don't want to fight with the NDP, or be the guy who is in conflict with the party. I want us all to get along and celebrate the diversity which contributes to the richness of the human mosaic. But I am never going away or leaving the NDP. The NDP is going to have to accept me. I am very, very persistent.
I hope that eventually they will recognize that I am an asset to the party, and that ending prohibition is a popular policy position. I sign up new members, I donate time and money, I go to many provincial conventions all across the country, I have many supporters within the NDP, and within the cannabis culture, and if the NDP would accept us, the cannabis movement would work very hard for the party.
I can provide some examples and stories tomorrow after a rest. But I'd suggest you sign up online at http://www.EndProhibition.ca and then you'll get our information and more details about our efforts.
He's been banned under at least three different names.
What screenname is he using now?
M.Spector
When booking the ads, we identified ourelves as being from End Prohibition. That goes for the numerous phone call messages and emails with both Drew Anderson and Marena Winstanley.
If you are an NDP member who wants to see the End Prohibition ad in the convention guide, you can contact the Convention Guide Editor Drew Anderson by phone at 1-613-236-3613 (ext 2280). You can also email the NDP Convention at hfx09@ndp.ca to express your support for our ad being in the guide.
Please be polite and considerate in your emails and phone calls. Don't be rude or angry, just let them know that you are an NDPer, and you think blocking the End Prohibition ad from the Convention Guide is the wrong decision.
Thank you for your support.
Well that excludes me, Dana, as I am extremely angry with the NDP, and I would be extremely rude at this point. Sorry!
Well I just don't want people calling them up and swearing or yelling at them on my behalf. I think that could be counter-productive.
But please do contact them by phone or email if you believe that the End Prohibition ad should not be blocked from the Convention Guide.
You can see the End Prohibition ad here: http://tinyurl.com/endproh-ad
When I spoke to Drew on Friday he said he would send me a copy of the Advertising Policy which our ads apparently violate.
I called him again early Monday and left a message reiterating our desire to see a copy of this Advertising Policy.
Here's the email he sent me today... It doesn't include any actual Advertising Policy. I am beginning to suspect that there is no such policy to be violated, and that this is a personal decision made by Drew Anderson.
========================
Dear Dana,
As promised, I am following up on our conversation from Friday in writing. The ads that you submitted are not consistent with our advertising policy. As such they will not appear in our Convention guide.
Thank you.
Drew Anderson
Jack Layton’s New Democrats
Putting you and your family first.
Jack Layton et le NPD
Mettre vos priorités et celles de votre famille au premier plan.
========================
I have replied with a further inquiry, again requesting a copy of the Advertising Policy and questioning how my ads have violated this policy, and if there is anything I can do to change the ad to make it acceptable.
No shit, Sherlockl!
They make up the rules on the fly.
okay?
Fidel, you're off topic. Please take discussions about the senate to some other thread where it will be on topic. Thanks.
The NDP have refused this add.
What are they smoking???
While the ad doesn't move me - I find it pretty innocuos.
I have to imagine, or at least, hope there is really such a policy. Otherwise there doesn't seem much reason to object.
I'm sorry but considering that we are still saddled with an obsolete electoral system and Bay Street's four year central planning, this is what political parties are reduced to. The NDP has to appeal to as many people with a little of this and a little of that while not advertising itself as a very radical party.
If we want true democracy and total representation at the same time we enjoy universal health care since Tommy Douglas, then we'll have to fight tooth and nail for that, too. First things first.
OFFS!
OFFS!
And maybe our Liberal dominated red chamber will be observed as doing something more than nothing one of these days, but I highly doubt it.
Fidel, you're off topic. Please take discussions about the senate to some other thread where it will be on topic. Thanks.
How many warnings do you need, exactly?
Well looking at the ad I can see why they don't want it in there guide. You got to remember the NDP can partner with the conservatives at any time like they did 2 elections ago. So linking the cons to the failed drug war might not go over to well. Then advertising your website might not be what they feel is a wise thing to do when they don't have total control over it and they know how the media might be ordered by the right to exploit anything on there for some devious purpose , jut like they did with the youtube vid. Then there is sticking Libbys name on it all. If you left the website out -removed libby's name - and removed the conservative referance ...they would probably print it. Just my humble opinion I'm with you on this issue.
Libby Davies supports our group and our ad. She is happy to be quoted in our ads and materials.
I would have been happy to make any changes they might have suggested, and I have repeatedly offered to make any changes they might want, but they didn't offer any.
I have run very similar ads in provincial convention guides all across the country. I have never once had a problem before, and I've had ads in convention guides in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
Many other groups list their contact info in their ads. All kinds of unions and other groups buy ads in the convention guides.
Well the thing is those other groups are probably not supporting something that in the eyes of the law is illegal...so illegal that instead of relaxing laws they are actually getting tougher. So I agree the NDP should be telling you what to delete or include but I fear if they do so they may be losing the support you offer. That they will not do ..they want the votes but they really don't care about the issue. On the surface they will say anything just like any other political party to get you on board. They are already losing support to the greens...basically there dingy is sinking. I know ..I too wish they would embrace the courage and bravery the Tommy Douglas NDP had but those days are gone.
The greens might be the better option for this issue and I agree that support for pot legalization and other drugs is going to be a more and more popular issue as the truth starts coming out. When that happens they will probably be so tough on pot that anyone who speaks about it will be if not already an enemy of the state. But I got to ask who is the real enemy as they have you swearing on stacks of bibles.....how phoney these bastards of deciet are!
From an Alan Watts book:A case can be made even from the standpoint of believers in the monarchical universe of Judaism and Christianity, for it is a basic principle of both religions, derived from Genesis, that all natural substances created by God are inherently good, and that evil can arise only in their misuse. Thus laws against mere possession, or even cultivation, of these plants are in basic conflict with biblical principles. Criminal conviction of those who employ these plants should be based on proven misuse. "And God said 'Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed- to you it shall be for meat.... And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Genesis 1:29, 31.
NDP "Law and Order" & "Tough on Crime" Party
Trying to get Tory-NDP swing votes, of which there are quite a few.
Good to see political expedience is more important than principle.
I'm liking the NDP more and more all the time!
Don't bogart that policy paper, my friend, pass it on to me...
Yeah sure.......crumbs from the 36%
wow I bet you were a math wiz.
I would think the 64% unrepresented would be a much much smarter task.
But then again look what they have done so far with the most ever ever spent and never to be duplicated again with out a miracle
The jack layton ndp is not the ndp I spent 30 years in.....and they dont want to be.
Its like some one was caught snortting cocaine in their bath room and changed on command....... the suddeness of it.
Good luck stealing those important votes
I am sure they will add great spirit to the jack layton ndp
Still no response from anyone at NDP HQ about this situation. The terse email above from Drew Anderson was the last thing I've heard.
Drew has not replied to my requests as to who is responsible for making this decision. He says it's not him, but won't answer my emails asking for who is in charge. I feel kind of sorry for him being in this position, from his Facebook page he looks like he's in his twenties. I doubt he personally is the one making this decision.
This is so sad. Why can't the person in charge just email or call me and tell me why they don't want my ad? Or is it really a secret policy made by an unidentified person?
I assume this decision is being made by Brad Lavigne, the party's National Director, but I'm not sure. I suppose I'll have to try and call him tomorrow to see if I can glean more information.
Convention guides are always full of ads like this... "Thank you to the NDP for standing up for teachers." or "Thank you to the NDP for fighting to protect the environment."
By refusing to run this fairly innocuous ad, they have created a situation where the ad has already drawn far more attention then if they had just accepted it and stuck it in the back of the guide somewhere.
I have not yet received any word from anyone in the NDP about this ad.
I spoke with National Director Brad Lavigne about this on Thursday, July 9.
Brad said that he wasn't aware of the situation, and that he didn't oversee every ad decision in the Convention Guide. He gave me the impression that Drew was acting on his own. I find this hard to believe, that the National Director of the NDP wasn't notified about my ad and the decision to block it.
Brad Lavigne took my phone number and said that he would call me back soon.
I know that last week he was also sent emails from MPs Libby Davies and Bill Siksay asking about this matter.
I haven't heard back from Brad yet, and to my knowledge neither Davies nor Siksay has received a response either.
Our requests to book a table for End Prohibition are now all going unanswered.
It seems to me that there should be someone willing to stand up and say why the End Prohibition ad has been blocked. Shouldn't there be an open process with accountability by decision-makers?
The Vancouver-Quadra riding association executive, upon hearing of this situation, has passed an Emergency Resolution which they are distributing to the BC Council of Federal Ridings. (I didn't ask them to do this, but I'm glad for the support.) Their resolution is as follows:
1. The Vancouver Quadra Riding Association Executive calls on the NDP to approve endprohibition's ad for the HFX09 Convention, to provide a copy of any advertising policy guiding such ads, and to explain in detail the basis for the initial denial of the ad.
Right on. If we were more like Quadra, we'd win government. Who's the NDP MP from Quadra again...?
Dana, I appreciate your dogged persistence, but you should be a little more proactive. Drew Anderson clearly explained the policy (you have to read between the lines). So modify your ad to conform. Get rid of Libby Davies' name (how'd she get into caucus anyway???), remove references to the Conservatives, take out provocative expressions like "drugs" and "war", be a little more family oriented (you know, put me and my family first, although I never understood that, because if my family and I are tied for first, is there a tie-breaking mechanism... it's so complicated).
Finally, start from scratch and produce something wholesome, but where people in the know can read between the lines and you can't be accused of anything.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about.
Right on. If we were more like Quadra, we'd win government. Who's the NDP MP from Quadra again...?
Oh Jack....you crack me up ....LOL
Its all just such a shock over this way ..................
If they would only manage just that, and have the conviction to follow through, I'd be quite happy to vote for them once again. The ensuing happiness might even have the additional benefit of obscuring all the other areas of contention.
Well after over two weeks of inquiries, I finally received an actual policy of sorts from Drew Anderson.
I am responding to your correspondence related to applications for advertising in our 2009 Convention guide.
As a federal political party, we are subject to the strict financing restrictions laid out in the Canada Elections Act. In order to ensure we are in compliance, we are very selective about which types of organizations are offered advertising properties. We reserve the right to reject advertising which we believe places us in a compliance risk.
As part of this approach, we are not offering any advertising properties whatsoever from advocacy groups – regardless of what they are advocating. This is consistent with our approach during the 2006 Convention.
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns,
Sincerely,
Drew Anderson
Canada’s New Democrats
Of course I am not really satisfied.
I'm unclear as to why it took over two weeks to send me this information.
I'm not sure what an "advocacy group" is, and since buying an ad is not a donation but a purchase, it doesn't really fall under the Election Financing rules.
This also doesn't explain why I have not been able to book a table. I had a table for End Prohibition at the last federal convention, but this time they still are ignoring my requests to book a table.
Obviously, they are concerned about strict compliance with the regulations under the Canada Tables Act.
Yes....LOL
election act??
who do they think they kid?
Bizarre
then this
"""As part of this approach, we are not offering any advertising properties whatsoever from advocacy groups"""
Does that mean the ndp can not advertize either ??
What nutcases?
What morons?
What grassroots builders?
The Green Party thanks you again...... jack!!...LOL
Maybe if kirk tousaw was the leader of endpro this would have been different as he has no videos of him doing LSD and driving or even ones with 30 joints in his mouth thereby discrediting his political work.
I can see all the resolutions having wonderful success ...cant you ?....LOL