[Marcarc]

Very well done article, so I thought I'd keep the discussion going. As always it's good to take messages from others and see if they fit. I find that in this respect there's a lot to be learned from british organizations who live in a political system similar to ours. <br /> The 'deeper integration' issue does seem to have a 'flamboyant' feel to it, most people I talk to don't want to be any closer to the states, however, when you mention alternatives they kind of glaze over, and mentioning sacrifices is enough to send them scurrying. <br /> I do disagree about the environmental issue, as an environmental activist I know that this is something people are far more interested in than 'americanization'. As I've said before, here in Waterloo the last of our water is about to be developed over. Most people care deeply, but just don't feel they have any viable influence. <br /> I have significan doubts that tons of canadians are going to jump on board the 'americanization' theme. If that was such a tangible theme the NDP wouldn't have such a difficult time getting votes and the conservatives wouldn't be so popular. If you look around at activist sites and media sites I've seen far more emphasis on provincial politics as so many provinces are barely able to make do. At one popular activist site in New Brunswick I've made comments about federal politics and many people shout me down claiming that all they want to hear is 'how to get rid of Bernard Lord'. <br /> As the say in activism, it's the 'activity not the activist' that is of importance. It is one thing when your military is going around killing people for no good reason, but in Canada the treatment of natives is only two steps above that and they can't get on the radar. <br /> So my question is this: as a general media site, what is that thrust? Is it to pick a party in the federal election? Is it to 'get rid of NAFTA?' Less military involvement? The 'newsletter' idea was an interesting one, however, I would probably pick different stories than many others here would. The antiwar movement is at least identifiable-the simple solution is to 'bring the boys back home'. Yet with integration it is far more complex, do we just want to warn people about what's coming, or what's happening now? I've always used this site to get views and 'news about issues', it's hard to turn that into a cause (though I'm not saying not to try!)