August 22nd, 2010: Artem's radio appearance mentioned in the Accidental Deliberations blog

(excerpt)

- A couple of NDP podcasts worth a listen: MP Megan Leslie and candidate Peter Thurley on housing issues, and an introduction to Edmonton-Leduc candidate Artem Medvedev.

Source: http://accidentaldeliberations.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunday-afternoon-links_22.html

 

 

 

 

August 10th, 2010: Artem's blog and campaign mentioned in the Accidental Deliberations blog

(excerpt)

- Finally, Edmonton-Leduc NDP candidate Artem Medvedev is putting together a new online ad campaign, and wants your input. (For the record, I'm a big fan of the "let's work together" theme, but think the wording could stand to be simplified.)

Source: http://accidentaldeliberations.blogspot.com/2010/08/tuesday-afternoon-links.html

 

 

June 26th, 2010: Artem's campaign mentioned in the blog of Marshall Boyd in a review of the latest Alberta NDP Provincial Council

(excerpt)

In Edmonton-Leduc it was reported that Artem Medvedev has been very active holding open houses and talking to residents about their concerns which in turn has spurred the sitting Conservative to do the same thing.

Source: http://beneaththekilt.blogspot.com/2010/06/ndp-provincial-council-june-19-2010.html

 

 

 

June 9th, 2010: Edmonton Examiner publishes a letter by Artem

Disregarding the NDP goes against both common sense and statistics

The political cartoon published in the June 2 issue of the Examiner demonstrates clear disregard and lack of a knowledge base regarding the New Democratic Party of Canada. A quick glance at electoral results from the past decade demonstrates that the NDP has attracted 1.5 million new supporters since election 2000 and was the party of choice of 2.5 million people in the last federal election. During the same time period, the Liberals had less and less support with each election. Poll after poll has shown that Canadians recognize Jack Layton's great capacity as a national leader at a time when our democratic institutions and basic values are put to a test by an arrogant and short-sighted minority government.

I would have expected negation of the voices of millions of Canadians from a reactionary paper. Until this week, I had no idea Edmonton Examiner was one.

 

Artem Medvedev

Edmonton-Leduc NDP

Source: http://www.edmontonexaminer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2612050


April 23rd, 2010: Edmonton Examiner publishes a letter by Artem

Self-congratulatory rhetoric is pointless

Anyone that had decided to escape the pleasantly warm weather this past Saturday and to attend Conservative MP Rajotte's town hall meeting at the Leduc Recreation Centre would have spent two hours kicking themselves for having made such a decision. Our representative in Parliament had few interesting or inspiring things to say except repeated attempts to glorify his party's work in Ottawa. If you weren't at the meeting, you did not miss any informative answers to troubling questions on the government's treatment of the Afghani detainee issue wistleblowers, the real cost of Stephen Harper's annual prorogations to taxpayers, or the reasons Canada lags behind in combating global climate change. What you did miss were our Member of Parliament's justifications of the upcoming sharp increase in EI premiums, the fact that the 2010 budget does nothing to get seniors and children out of poverty, and the need to "recalibrate" the Senate by appointing more senators that would follow the Conservative line in all matters.

Artem Medvedev

NDP Candidate for Edmonton-Leduc


Source: http://edmontonexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2546233

 

 

 

 

ONE MORE REASON TO VOTE
 
Media release. March 29, 2010.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the participants at the two open forums we've held in the riding to discuss the new federal budget. The forums were necessary, as the elected representative from Edmonton, Leduc and Devon, Conservative MP James Rajotte, will apparently be holding his own public meetings once the budget is already passed or is in final stages of review in Parliament.
 
Importantly, I would especially like to thank one of Mr. Rajotte's colleagues from the Conservative Party of Canada, who, at our Devon meeting, said something horrifying in its simplicity and candour. When asked why, in his opinion, the new Tory budget contained no measures to help those in poverty, to support a national child nutrition program, or to protect the pensions and benefits of workers in the case of corporate bankruptcy, this person responded "They don't vote Conservative." While this definition of budget policy has probably come across the minds of many, what struck me and other participants at the forum was the openness bordering on impudence with which a representative of the acting Member of Parliament for our riding aired it last Thursday.
 
If anything, this cynical comment should be yet another reason to vote in the next federal election. Vote for anyone whose views are closest to your own. Vote Conservative if you think that there are political and economic justifications for keeping seniors and children in poverty, selling off our natural resources, and surrendering Canadian positions in protection of the environment and human rights that outweigh decency and humaneness. Or vote the Conservatives out if you think otherwise.
 
Artem Medvedev
NDP Candidate for Edmonton-Leduc

March 10th, 2010: "Edmonton Examiner" published part of Artem's media release on the budget

Budget bad news for Edmonton, Leduc and Devon

In January, our local Tory MP, James Rajotte, had sent out a questionnaire asking the constituents to give their suggestions for what they would have liked to see in the new federal budget. It hasn't been said since as to how many people responded to Mr. Rajotte's request for suggestions, but the federal budget for 2010-2011 that was presented last week demonstrates rather clearly that the questionnaire was nothing more than the MP pretending to desire meaningful public dialogue on an important topic.

Unless, of course, we presume that the people of Edmonton-Leduc overwhelmingly demanded that James Rajotte ensure the new Conservative budget leaves thousands of seniors in poverty, increases payroll taxes, makes new cuts to taxes for big banks and big oil, and do nothing to protect our environment.

Artem Medvedev

Edmonton-Leduc NDP

Source: http://www.edmontonexaminer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2483608

March 5th: "Leduc Representative" ran an article about the campaign

Prorogation stifled debate: NDP candidate

By Alexandra Pope

The prorogation of Canadian parliament was a "tricky" move on the part of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but the reopening of the house March 3 presents an opportunity to undo some of the harm caused by the two-month break, according to the NDP candidate for the Edmonton-Leduc riding.

At a public discussion on the prorogation and its impact on foreign policy issues held in Leduc Feb. 25, Artem Medvedev, a PhD student at the University of Alberta who took up the NDP candidacy last October, said Harper's decision to close the house from the end of December until after the Winter Olympics was unfortunate for Canadians.

"I think it's a very bad sign for our democracy, because for two months, we did not have a governing body to supervise what Harper's been doing," he said. "Harper does not have a majority, (yet) he's making decisions that will affect all of us for many years."

At the time, Harper said prorogation was a necessary move in order for the Conservative government to evaluate the next steps for Canada's economic recovery.

But Medvedev and other critics across the country have called it an attempt to dodge scrutiny over the handling of Afghan detainees by the Canadian Forces — one Medvedev hopes will ultimately prove ineffective.

"I'm personally hopeful that the emergency debate on prorogation that (NDP leader Jack) Layton has suggested will take place and there will be discussion on what has happened and how we can avoid this in the future," he said.

Medvedev said Harper is legally obligated to provide documents on the detainee situation because they have been requested both by the committee looking into the issue and by a House majority.

"A parliamentary majority is binding," he said. "It may actually come to Harper being brought to the bar of the house and being told he's violated Canadian law."

A Liberal MP in Ontario has threatened to introduce a motion to have Harper investigated for contempt and the documents released, but Medvedev said the budget will probably delay that question for a few weeks.

Another issue that had guests at the discussion up in arms is the 'Buy American' clause included in the United States' draft stimulus bill. The clause reserves stimulus money for American infrastructure projects using only American products, except where it contradicts existing free trade agreements.

The result is that the plan will prevent Canadian companies from bidding on American projects while giving American companies unrestricted access to Canadian resources, Medvedev said.

He added parliamentary debate would have helped to bring some of the "fine print" of the clause to light.

"NAFTA is very technical, hard to understand," he said. "If (the clause) is enacted the way it is on paper now, it's a very dangerous situation."

Discussion participants Al Smale and Emmy Henry agreed.

"Our democracy will be turned over to a corporate elite and we'll be at their will," Smale said.

Henry said NAFTA is already fairly one-sided, adding she believes Canadian water will be the next frontier in the free trade debate.

"(It's) a scary issue," she said.

Medvedev said it is Canadians who have suffered the most as a result of prorogation, as it has stifled discussion on a wide range of issues, from the environment to healthcare to foreign aid.

"Problems will not disappear," he said.

"Right now, we have a possibility for Canadians to tell Harper what's what … and maybe end this charade of him being the king of Canada and come back to the normal political process."

Source: http://www.leducrep.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2477282


Feb. 6, 2010: The Edmonton Journal published a letter by Artem

Khadr case embarrassing

A recent letter published in the Journal, "Harper right on Khadr," implies that the Canadian government can and even should treat each citizen differently, in the worst possible sense.

In one case, in the matter of making sure everyone pays taxes, for example, the Canadian government should provide constant care and attention. In some other cases, the Canadian government should be able to turn its back and forget all about the citizen.

The last time I checked, there was a universal system of citizenship in this country and everyone had the same rights and obligations under the law, while the government was supposed to serve the people and not only its own corporate interests.

Am I terribly behind the times? Are those days gone?

Artem Medvedev, Edmonton-Leduc NDP

Source: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/Khadr+case+embarrassing/2530308/story.html


Feb. 5, 2010: The Devon Dispatch published an article by Carole Morris-Underhill about Artem and the organized public events

NDP candidate holding Edmonton-Leduc riding meetings

Edmonton area residents concerned with the proroguing of Parliament let their voices be heard at a town hall meeting in Devon recently.

Edmonton-Leduc New Democrat Party candidate Artem Medvedev organized the Jan. 27 meeting at the Devon Public Library. Although the meeting was small in size, Medvedev said it was important to hear every opinion.

"We had a very lively discussion. A lot of different viewpoints were brought up," said Medvedev.

In the past, few meetings or debates have been held outside of Edmonton, but that's something the NDP candidate would like to see change.

"I don't think that we've had very many meetings in the past in Devon and I think it's time that we broke that tradition," said Medvedev. "I think people are ready to discuss important issues."

Since being elected as the NDP candidate for the Edmonton-Leduc riding in October, Medvedev has held several public meetings, mainly in Edmonton, focusing on everything from education and poverty to access to quality health care.

"At each meeting, I see that people are hungry to talk," said Medvedev.

For the Devon meeting, Medvedev invited the political representatives for the Edmonton-Leduc riding, as well as any concerned residents. Representatives from the Green party and the governing Conservative party were not in attendance.

Wendy Butler, the campaign manager for Liberal candidate Donna Lynn Smith, was one of the participants. She felt it was important to attend the meeting on Smith's behalf.

"I think it's important to get the opinion of the constituents that are in Devon and the Calmar area and so forth… you just can't work in a vacuum," said Butler.

Butler said meetings, like the one in Devon, gives people the chance to openly discuss their views.

The Jan. 27 theme was prorogation, in light of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Dec. 30 decision to suspend Parliament until March.

It's a move that has many opposition party members up in arms, calling the practice into question.

"It's just not right," said Butler. "They are accountable to the people, and as of yet, they're not. They chose to stop parliament instead of working with parliament. That's unfortunate."

Medvedev said it was exciting to hear the perspectives of others.

"We have at least one person who disagrees with the majority and that works out very well in terms of a democratic discussion," said Medvedev. "I think my role as a candidate is mostly to make people see that every opinion counts, and every vote counts during the election."

The next meeting is Feb. 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Riverbend Public Library in Edmonton. The topic will be the issue of federal support for cities during the recession.

On Feb. 17, another meeting will be held, this time from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Whitemud Crossing Library. The topic of discussion will be the issues of foreign policy.

There will also be a meeting in Leduc at St. David's United Church on Feb. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. That topic has not yet been finalized.

Medvedev hopes to host another Devon meeting in March.

"These meetings are very important to keep democracy alive in our riding," said Medvedev.

"The best way to share your political or social ideas is when you're discussing with someone who doesn't agree with you," he said. "That's why I think people of all backgrounds, of all political and social beliefs should participate in these events, especially now when we don't have a parliament that's working."

Source: http://www.devondispatch.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2435201

Also reprinted by County Market newspaper at: http://www.countymarket.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2445776

 

Jan. 4, 2010: Edmonton Examiner published a anti-prorogation letter by Artem

If Harper doesn't need Parliament, maybe he should step aside

In Canada, we are proud of the system of participatory democracy. Parliament is the major decision-making body of the country and is, in ideal, made up of the people the population has chosen as their best representatives.

In Harper's Canada, the system is very different. The House of Commons is alike a "parliament" with a lower-case 'p' of undemocratic societies. Its decisions are not binding. When the opposition MPs get on the Prime-Minister's nerves, he can simply make a phone call and pull the plug on the debate. Meanwhile, Harper's Senate is more and more a club of his personal friends and avid supporters.

When the government finds it simpler to hide from unpleasant questions than to venture an answer - is this democracy? When the government's response to a deep structural economic crisis is a multimillion self-advertising campaign and an annual additional paid vacation - is this social progress?

Neighbors and friends, let's stand up to defend Canada from hypocrisy and arrogance.

No to prorogation!

Artem Medvedev

NDP Candidate for Edmonton-Leduc

Source: http://www.edmontonexaminer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2245975


Dec. 29, 2009: Edmonton Sun published a letter by Artem

The news of Conservative MPs refusing to attend meetings of a parliamentary committee of which they are members demonstrates just how little these people care to do their job. The Tory MP for Edmonton-Centre, Laurie Hawn, decided to use the holiday season as an excuse for him and other members of the Conservative caucus to relax and do nothing politically while still being members of Parliament officially --and financially. Just imagine you skipped a day or two at work without any warning, put these two days as hours worked on your time sheet, and then told your angry boss "I thought that I'd spend some time with my family and friends. It's the holidays, after all." Would you keep your job for long after this? The allegations of torture in Afghanistan are a difficult and unpleasant topic. But no matter how one might feel about this issue, running away from the discussion will not help. Tell your MP to get back to work.

Artem Medvedev,

NDP Candidate for Edmonton-Leduc

Source: http://www.edmontonsun.com/comment/letters/2009/12/29/12290386-sun.html

Dec. 17, 2009: VueWeekly published a letter by Artem

Dale Peter's letter "Socialists will destroy  us all" (Letters, Dec 3 – 10, 2009) reveals just how deeply rooted the misconceptions about social democracy, the green economy, non-Conservative and non-Liberal government can be. When he mentions that "Canada already [has] the perfect balance," it has unfortunately been well forgotten that the current system of first-past-the-post government allows for a small group to impose its outdated ideology onto this country. It has been forgotten that over the years the numbers of the hungry and the poor in Canada have seen no change for the better. It has been forgotten that by investing more and more into preserving the worst practices in the natural resources industry at the expense of education and health care, our society as a whole fails to preserve the beauty of Alberta, the cleanliness of its air and water and soil for the children being born now.

In the 21st century, defining progressive social change as "driving out the wealthy and middle class with massive taxation and borrowing" urges for more advanced citizen education. If being a "centralist," as Mr. Peter calls himself, is placing obscure and archaic labels on social activists, open discussion of new ideas, and the very possibility of combating poverty and no longer killing our own planet, then I'm in doubt any self-respecting adult would want to be a centralist. What truly will destroy us all would be more ignorance and denial.

Artem Medvedev
NDP Candidate for Edmonton-Leduc

Source: http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=13855

Nov. 26, 2009: Artem's campaign mentioned on Rabble.ca

Lewis Cardinal on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lewis-Cardinal/114375391348

(by the way, WOW ... 1325 supporters!! Way to go Lewis !!)

Ray Martin is also a great candidate for a "union-" man like yourself. He was an MLA and the former provincial leader of the Alberta New Democrats. Here is his Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19228861515

Of course, we should also do a shout-out for Artem Medvedev in Edmonton - Leduc (yes, I looked it up ;-) ):  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=291910090444

Actually, it's a pretty strong team of NDP candidates in Edmonton, together with Linda Duncan, MP !

Source: http://www.rabble.ca/comment/1087517/Lewis-Cardinal