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U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., pauses for a moment while speaking at the National Urban League Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008. (AP / Jae C. Hong) 
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain speaks at the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa on Friday, June 20, 2008. (Tom Hanson / THE CANADIAN PRESS) |
Updated Fri. Aug. 8 2008 9:48 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Ralph Nader is, once again, throwing his hat in the ring for the U.S. presidency, marking the fifth time the 74-year-old has made a run for the White House.
Nader will be in Toronto on Monday to host a campaign fundraiser with Americans living in the country, and to talk about what's at stake for Canada in the U.S. election.
He will also be presenting "An Unreasonable Man", the documentary about himself that appeared in last year's Toronto International Film Festival.
The man who has been dubbed everything from a crusader to a troublemaker and meddler, told CTV's Canada AM he and running mate Matt Gonzalez believe neither Barack Obama nor John McCain will take the United States in the right direction.
"What drives the Nader/Gonzales campaign clearly is the country is in deep trouble," said Nader, who is running as an independent this time around -- his third national campaign and fifth White House bid.
"The giant corporations are tearing the heart and soul out of America in so many ways, the corporate crime wave being the more recent one. And John McCain and Barack Obama are ignoring corporate crime. They want a bigger military budget, they want to stay in Iraq, they want to expand the war in Afghanistan and they're not good on consumer protection at all."
Nader slammed the two-party system in the U.S. as providing too few options for voters and said there is actually little that separates the two main candidates.
"They're using a lot of money in their campaigns from commercial interests and in many ways they're similar," Nader said.
"They're not really for a living wage, they're both opposed to a Canadian-style health care system which gives you free choice of doctor and hospital. How's that for starters?"
There are a number of areas where the U.S. could learn from Canada, Nader said, listing the Canadian system for public financing of elections, a multi-party political system and universal health care as key examples.
"No one dies in Canada because they can't afford health insurance. Everyone has it. But 18,000 Americans die every year according to the National Academy of Scientists, because they can't afford health insurance."
Nader noted that even the Green Party has growing credibility in Canada, suggesting leader Elizabeth May has a good chance of winning a seat in the next election.
Nader returned to a familiar theme for the consumer advocate, restating his long-held opposition to the North America Free Trade Agreement.
He said Canada, Mexico and the U.S. should all withdraw from NAFTA and renegotiate the agreement "so it does not subordinate environmental, consumer and labour rights to the supremacy of commercial power."
According to Nader's website, he already has enough signatures to get on 26 state ballots and he's aiming for 45 by September.
According to an AP/Ipsos poll released on Aug. 5, Nader has three per cent support, while Obama has 47 per cent and McCain holds 41 per cent.
Another poll, however, showed Nader with 10 per cent of the support in Michigan.
| Well that's just great Mr. Nader, Bush III (McCain) must be thrilled with your entry into the race. |
| Did you print this article because what Nader said about Canada.. You might want to think about what us Americans think about Nader.. It is very unfortunate we do not have a good group of people to choose from in this important election.. |
| Well I'm not a Nader fan, and I don't care much for American Republicans. However Nader has the right to run and I see no issue with him offering the American people another opition. Could you imagine Canada with only two choices. |
| Nader has always been a socialist, like the NDP and Greens, who also never get elected. Anyone with anti-trade and anti-corporate sentiments looks admires Castro, Chavez, and their failed economies. |
| Mr. Nader had better admire Canada while he can because Canada is being "Americanized" at an ever increasing rate, especially with GWB jr. in charge here |
| No fear.. Corporate America will ensure Nader never gets elected. One thing he is absolutely right about is it does not matter whether a Republican or a Democrat is in the White House as there really is only one party and they are not elected. They just run the country their way or you don't make it to the White House |
| Nader prefers hearing the sound of his voice, more than the voice of reason. All he does by running is assist the Republican candidate, as each person who votes for him is one less vote for Barack Obama. Shame on him. |
| I have no problem with Nadar having the right to run, it's the effect the bothers me. Nadar takes support away from the Democrats. I wouldn't be surprised to find the Republicans trying to slip him some money to help finance his run. He may have a left leaning agenda, but he keeps handing the election to the Republicans. |
| This will again pull votes away from Obama and possibly result in a McCain - pro-corporate win in a "close" election. Ironic for a guy who opposed corporate greed and robbery and was pro consumer. I'm actually starting to believe that he may have sold himself out to right wing elements who are working to get Republicans elected. Stranger things have happened in US politics. Deliberately or not he definitely contributed to Bush's victory in 2000 by pulling those marginal left votes away from Al Gore! Perhaps the Obama election team should try spreading "rumors" that suggest this possibility and not get fooled by this guy. Then again Nader may simply be on an ego trip by running?! |
| Actually, jws, despite your cyncism this disadvantages McCain as prior polling has shown that Nader will serve to take votes away from him, and not from Obama. |
| Nader would be welcome in all NATO nations. He's the only candidate that will: 1 end the war AND the occupation in Iraq (unlike Obama. His website states " a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to continue counterterroism missions in Iraq against Al Qaeda" Only Obama's supporters refuse to hear it. He's not even technically ending the fighting) 2 was against war in Afghanistan which is another war Us dragged the NATO nations into, where more afghnan civilians have died than 9/11 and our economy and trops are also paying the price for this war. Nader in 2002 said: "Bush burned down a haystack to try to find a couple of needles. He didn't find the needles, but there have been 1000s of innocent deaths." Nader says he would have organized a modest multinational force and sent them into Afghanistan to arrest Osama bin Laden, a kind of police raid. Then he would have tried him at The Hague. "Sept. 11 was an international crime, a massacre," Nader said in 2002. "We should have gone forward with international law." Compare than to Obama and McCain that want to send 10,000 troops to Afhanistan and thousands more NATO troops 3 Nader says NO war in Pakistan, unlike Obama who made very clear in his speech in Germany he intends on expanding a new war in Pakistan and has pressured our NATO leaders to sign up to it agabist our public opposition 4 Nader says NO war in Iran, despite McCain and Obama making threats of no options being left off the table. 5 Nader will stop committing US taxpayers money to annual funding of Israel's military that is occyping Palestine, to no longer pander to aIPAC. Instead he stands with Jewish Voice For Peace organisation , and the peceful voices in Palestine, not the militants on both sides. He will be trully neutral in the Middle East 6 He would cut military spending crrently taking greater than 50% of gov. spending when US is in serious debt and healthcare, education and infrastructure is underfunded. Compare that to Obama and McCain that both want further military expansion. Martin Luther King would said: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death." Only Nader is following Martin Luther King's policies. -------- The US media blackout of Ralph Nader is trully sad because he's the type of leader we need in evry country that will focus on social rather than military issues. |
| Nader is a smart guy with a lot of valid things to say. I've heard some of his speeches and read some of his work, and enjoyed it immensely. However, he is very much an idealist, and thus he's way too far to the left to ever appeal to mainstream America, just as the NDP is too far left even for the majority of left-leaning Canadians. I think Nader will end up stealing votes from both McCain AND Obama, because there are quite a lot of Americans who don't like either of those two, and will likely vote Nader as a "protest vote" - so I don't think this hurts Obama's chances at all. Buba - Excellent point. That's all I have to say about that. |
| Del, The Republicans don't have to slip Nader any cash to weaken the Democrats and let McCain win. All that's needed is for Hilary Clinton supporters to realize that the best way to get Hilary into the White House in 2012 is to make sure Obama loses in 2008. If he wins in 2008, her hopes are gone forever because he'll probably get a second term. Of course, Nader's candidacy will help, but the key to electing McCain is make sure Democrat women have a moment of enlightenment about how to give Hilary another chance. |
| For some reason, I like Nader. He seems like a straight shooter, who isn't afraid to say what he means, and mean what he says. Oh and to bubba: Nice one with the GWB jr comment. You do realize that is actually code for "I don't really have anything worthwhile to say, but I might as well bash Harper, since that's the 'in' thing to do." |
| nader says "in canada you get to choose your own doctor and hospital" If true , where is my own family doctor? my own hospital choice ? he's gotta be kidding. |
| Let's see Wally J, the article contains information concerning CANADA and some positive programs run by the CANADIAN Government for it's citizens. So do you think a CANADIAN news website might be running this story for that reason ? Considering we are CANADIANS and we look for and appreciate CANADIAN news. Question answered. |
| We know what Americans think of their politicians and political parties, and we also know that Americans continue to elect the worst people who are bent on give more to the "haves" and not helping the "have-nots". Nader is the only candidate in 5 elections (besides Gore) who actually gives a damn about the people. |
| McCain in 2008!!! |
| I agree with Craig, we would be in the same broken down status quo loop as the US if we had just a two party system here. It’s already bad enough with the Libs and Cons...just imagine how arrogant they would be if they were the only game in town. Nader is only trying to raise awareness that the current two party system in the US is corrupt with power and has truly lost its way. It needs to change/evolve or history repeatedly tells us it will collapse in on itself in a very bad way. |
| Canadian elections better than the USA? Where in any election did "I" vote for whomever became the PM? I, along with other Canadians who bothered to vote, only voted for a local politician. I had absolutely no say in the choice of person who became the PM. We have little in the way of "checks and balances" as does the USA political system. I LOVE Canada and only want to offer suggestions to make her more representative and accountable to the electorate. Perhaps it's time we at least entertain the notion that we should consider a new model of Democracy. Not specifically a made-in-the-USA model, but homegrown Canadian. Also, why should the person leading our Country be forced to choose Ministers from a rag-tag group who have little expertise in the portfolio they will command? |
| Those of you saying Nadar will steal votes away from Obama. Those aren't Obama's votes, they are people who are voting for Nadar because they identify with him, they don't identify with Obama or with McCain. Frankly both of these candidates represent more of the same in the United States. Obama has switched positions so many times who knows where he is on anything. McCain just doesn't remember what his positions were. The United States needs to abolish the electoral college which complicates what should be a simple process, they need to make it easier for third and fourth party participation, and hold a national referendum on universal healthcare. As for those who say Canada is not a two party state. How many parties have held power federally in our history. Provincially more than one party has held power but that is where it ends. |
| jws - Polls show that Nader draws votes from Mccain, not Obama, this year. In 2000, about half of the people who voted for Nader would have stayed home or voted for Bush. There's nothing wrong with having more choices of candidates. The Democrats should stop assuming that they deserve your vote just because they call themselves Democrats and are not Republicans. Real progressives want a choice instead of only having the pro-wiretapping, anti-public financing , pro-war, pro-corporation fraud of a Democrat Obama. |
| Should we ask Elizabeth May and Jack Layton to step aside for fear of "spoiling" the election for Stephan Dion? C'mon folks. The US is supposedly a democracy, which means that voters get to CHOOSE who represents them. Two choices is not much choice, in a "developed" country. |
| There are only 2 choices in Canada: Liberal or Conservative. The other party boxes might as well say "None of the above." |
| As usual Nader has no clue about health care in Canada. The grass isn't always greener across the fence. When are Americans or Democrats realize that our health care is free, that we pay for it thru our taxes! |
| Obama hedges and changes his mind on everything. He's obviously bought and paid for, and it is obvous he will not represent the "People". He is not earning votes, and he doesn't deserve them. If Nader doen't get on the ballot in your state, write in Nader (instead of staying home). It is still a strong statement for your (the very large majority) best interests. |
| Canadian friends, we had 2 stolen US elections in a row, prior to this one. 2008 elections are going to be stolen from Obama, unless he sells out completely, totally and convincingly. Otherwise, Obama better be gathering an army of election lawyers for court battles over vote recounts in every 'swing state'. We already know that presidential elections in US are 'just for show'. A pointless political public relations ritual, staged by our mainstream corporate mass media and their multinational corporate overlords. Why care about Nader spoiling a stolen election anyway ? Voting for Obama is for idiots. There hasn't been a real election here since Ross Perot ran for president and took 30 % of the popular vote. Every vested political interest made sure that it would never happen here again, and it never will. US government is run by traitors and owned by corporate criminals. |
| Yeah, Nader only "takes votes away" from the Democrats. Good thing Nader was kept off the ballots in most of the "swing states" in 2004, otherwise John Kerry might have lost to Bush. Oh, right... |
| umm, people. This man is about as likely to win an election in the US, as Elizabeth May has to becoming PM. IF anyone thinks that Bush and McCain are alike they should really check into policys. McCain is more of a Democrat than a Republican. So many respond without any clue of the facts. A shame. As for us being able to choose our own Doc's.....is he kidding??? No family Dr., waity lines that are months if not years long. But I have a choice right?? Give me a break! |
| I think both countries can learn from each other's systems. I'd like to be able to choose my prime minister, not just his party. I'd also like to vote for my senator. Americans, though, really should look at campaign funding. As it is now, a person must be ridiculously rich to win any American election. That fact alone will cause an elitist government for the rich by the rich. |
| Why doesn't Nader and the other liberals just move to Canada? Canadians fed up with socialism and human rights nazis up here have been moving stateside in droves since the last big recession. Kinda like a trade off. The best and brigtest in Canada head south while the slackers, draft doggers and fans of the nanny state in America head north. Then we'll see which country wins! |
| Whats all this anti corporation nonsense what do you suggest we do go back to a farming based economy wake up our way of living has increased do to corporations .Take the auto industry it provided many good paying jobs over the years who do you expect to build cars the government .What about medicine isnt it corporations that produce new medicines . Trust me corporations are not the problem 'people who believe that big government can provide a better way of life are out of touch with reality they tried big government in USSR it didn't work very well |
| Oh great! Nader plans to split the vote again. |
| I really applaud Nader's platform as there should be more compassion in American politics which bow only to the rich and priviledged and hand out corporate welfare like it is an unlimited supply of water. The only problem is that this man takes votes from Democrats who deserve their chance now in the White House since GWB has made a mess of his country and American foreign relations. Wanting universal health care is not socialist as the neo-cons love to say; it is merely good sense whereby all Americans are looked after regardless of income or status. We here in North America are supposedly civilized...why not strive to build a civilized society? |
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