Speaking Out: Ideas That Work for Canadians [Paperback]

 

 

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No other book that I have ever read has at once made me as proud to be a Canadian and as ashamed at the same time.
This book has given me a mini education in how our Government works and how economic policies are determined. This book has educated me in the vast scope of what my fellow Canadians are capable of achieving and indeed have done to make this a great country.
I am so proud of my country and being a Canadian. At the same time I am so distressed at what our current government is doing to our country. All I could think of while reading this book was "how can I get this man elected."
I am a member of the NDP here in B.C. but being in western Canada I don't have the opportunity to meet most of the nations elected representatives in Ottawa. I have personally helped our local NDP MP in her campaign and am very proud of her though she is now sadly retiring. This book gave me the opportunity to see inside the head of Jack Layton, the national leader of the NDP and I now feel that I know the issues from a national standpoint much better. Though I agree with the NDP policies generally I had no idea that the leader of this forward thinking party was so innovative.
I think the viewpoint in this book reflects the majority of Canadian's thinking and if the book were more widely distributed could effect election results. Complicated issues made understandable and easy to read by the ordinary citizen, this book is a *must read* by all Canadians.
Any Canadian that thinks that the Liberal party is representing our voices in Ottawa and implementing what is in our best interests, now or in the future, is in for a shock when they read this book.
I highly recommend that all Canadians of any party affiliation read this book, if only to know what the alternatives are to the current direction that our elected officials in Ottawa are leading us.
If I were a woman of means I would purchase many copies of this book, at least 100, and distribute them through Bookcrossing.com in order to circulate this message to a wider range of Canadians. Unfortunately I am one of the many Canadians living in poverty that have been affected by the many cutbacks imposed by the Liberals so this wish will not be fulfilled enless Jack Layton reads this and says "Hey, that lady is on to something! Let me see if I can get a hundred copies, possibly wholesale, and circulate them!". Jack if you read this, and can manage it, more Canadians will buy the book anyway because not everyone will get a book and everyone will want one :)
I am also going to recommend this book, if it's possible, for the 'One City, One Book' 2005 award in Vancouver and I appeal to people in other cities in Canada to do the same.
Our future and our children's future is dependant on the message in this book getting out to the Canadian population, please Canadians read this book!

My only complaint about this book is its subtitle. For, while it clearly speaks to Canadians, it also speaks to those of us in Britain, and I would guess would be extremely relevant to people in Continental Europe, the USA and Australasia, too. Sadly, except through Amazon.ca (yahoo), it seems unobtainable outside of Canada.

Layton is the leader of the New Democratic Party, Cananda's equivalent to the British Labour Party or American Democratic Party (except that the NDP appears not to have compromised itself rightward over the past 15 years, as its US and British sister-parties have!). His background is in grassroots movements for human and civil rights in Montreal, before moving into city politics in Toronto, and finally into national politics, becoming leader of his party in 2003, and leading them to a relatively impressive result in the 2004 general election. His book tells of ways that local authorities can make major differences to such key issues as air pollution, recycling, health, multiculturalism and eucation, as well as less obvious areas such as peace and the economy. Far from being Canada-specific (with its federal constitution), Layton's words seem almost tailor-made for city councils in Britain, and I am sure elsewhere too. I read his first chapter, on why politics are important, and was immediately enthused. Then in chapter two start his practical proposals, and what a breath of fresh air it has been to read a contemporary politician with firm principle-commitments AND practical ideas. I am now a Laytonite - read his book, if it is the first and / or last politics book you read. His style is readable and the book will not take up more than a couple or three of your days. Please read it.

An interesting informative read. This is the next best thing to seeing Jack Layton speak in person. His "ideas" are truly inspiring.

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3.0 out of 5 stars not as good as his last letter to Canadian
The way Mr. Layton wrote the book is completely different from the way he constructed his last letter to Canadian. Read more

Published 8 months ago by Ho

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