Sunday Morning Links

This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Robyn Benson rightly argues that it's long past time for the Harper Cons to be booted from office. Stuart Trew sets out just five of the worst ways in which the Cons have changed Canada, while Murray Dobbin offers his take on what we'll need to do to repair the damage in tomorrow's election and beyond. And Judy Rebick reminds us to vote with our focus on the longer term:

I've never been a fan of strategic voting. It breeds cynicism and it rarely works. With all the organization and money going into strategic voting this time, it might just work but I doubt even its strongest proponents were going for a majority Liberal government. No majority government will ever change the voting system as they benefit from first past the post. Almost everyone who is supporting strategic voting hopes this will be the last time they will have to.

So here is a last minute appeal to stop and think about it if you are voting strategically...

(I)f you support the NDP and are thinking of voting Liberal for strategic reasons -- even where the NDP has a good chance like in downtown Toronto among other places -- I'd ask you to think again.

Some of our best governments have been minority governments. I'm reminded of the Liberal-NDP accord in Ontario in 1985, which brought us pay equity and an end to doctor's extra billing. There doesn't need to be a coalition, it can just be an accord or an agreement that the NDP will support the Liberals if they do a number of things, like for example, repeal C-51, take action on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, bring in proportional representation, a $15 minimum wage and a national childcare program.

As to the possibility that the Conservatives form a minority, whether or not Harper resigns, we need the biggest demonstration ever organized in Ottawa to demand that the popular majority through an agreement or a coalition form a government to get the bastards out. I imagine everyone who supports the Liberals, the NDP or strategic voting will be able to join together to make that happen as quickly as possible after the election.

- Matthew Paterson discusses why emissions targets are an absolute must for us to make any progress to combat climate change. And Ethan Cox writes that the Libs' close ties to oil lobbyists signal that we can't count on a mere change to another tarsands-driven government resulting in any improvement.

- Leilani Farha and Joe Gunn ask why we tolerate poverty in a country more than capable of eradicating it. And Dr. Vanessa Brcic makes the case to vote for health. (Which makes for another opportunity to point out which party is at the head of the class on those issues among so many others.)

- Jeremy Nuttall writes that we can and should look for stronger enforcement of our election laws so parties don't have an incentive to cheat and stonewall if it means holding power in the meantime. But Sean Fine reports that the Cons are more interested in instead exposing everybody involved in public life to constant harassment after they've left.

- Finally, Chantal Hebert writes that the last week of the campaign has given voters ample reason for concern about both the Cons and the Libs. Chris Selley offers the definitive take on Stephen Harper's desperate attempt to lean on Rob and Doug Ford for support. Evan Solomon reminds us that the Cons' culture war could have been avoided, while Paul Barber writes that Harper's anti-niqab crusade has backfired. And Naheed Nenshi points out what we lose when we're governed by people eager to single out minorities for political gain.