Is Avaaz An Unregistered Lobbiest

[scribblet]

American promoted petition? How so... American promoted?

what's that you say?... a, "petition to stop a Canadian network from creating a news channel"... how do you equate your understanding of the petition (intent), based on it's actual wording. All those who railed against the petition's supposed "suppression of free speech", did so based upon what petition wording?

If you believe that is what it's really about then I can sell you some swampland in Florida LOL Since when do Canadians care that much about cable fees and so on, they don't care about the CBC getting 65million a year out of them.

The petition itself was a smear and could possibly have broken Canada's hate law, good reason for it being based outside Canada isn't it!

As the article said, the group has no specific Canadian website, is incorporated and based in New York; archived copies of Avaaz’s website from as recently as last year read “we currently have staff based in Rio de Janeiro, Geneva, New York, London, and Washington DC,” without mentioning any Canadian presence. It is registered as a third party in Canada, it has deep pockets which it uses in order to interfere in Canadian politics. It is obviously fuelled by a left wing cabal with an agenda.

Harper is no more a bully etc. than Chretien ever was, most of that is a media narrative perpetuated by the left.

I agree about Atwood, a highly over rated writer.

Edited September 21, 2010 by scribblet

[Bitsy]

A guy named Patel (representing Avaaz) makes accusation on tv against Harper influencing the CRTC.

What where the words Patel used to accuse Harper, and do you have a link to this television show where he made those accusations? Since I was not aware of these accusations, I would like to read them for myself before commenting. Thanks.

Twice, Solomon asked him if he had any evidence to back up his accusation, and this Patel doesn't have any. He insists on information from sources and rumours,

Sources and rumors, wow, that sounds exactly like what was circulating about George Soros and his funding of Avaaz,

What I want to know is why this Avaaz is trying to censor and control information. Why is this group even given so much time - twice he's been featured on CBC - to express their un-democratic notion, not to mention to even make this attempt at dictatorial control!

Avaaz is not trying to censor or control information; Avaaz is for fair competition with no government influences and certainly no government financial support to insure a private media company’s sustainability. That is what the petition is requesting, and that is the understanding of the people who have attached their signature.

The media's gone soft....nobody strongly challenge this group! I don't care if it's garbage news or whatever - it's my right to choose what I want to watch!

I suggest the way to challenge is an appearance before the CRTC during the open hearing for Sun Media TV’s new license. It is on November 19 and can be found on the CRTC website. The power of one can be awesome.

[M.Dancer]

Sources and rumors, wow, that sounds exactly like what was circulating about George Soros and his funding of Avaaz,

It's not a rumour, he provided 5% of their funding.

[M.Dancer]

Avaaz is not trying to censor or control information; Avaaz is for fair competition with no government influences and certainly no government financial support to insure a private media company’s sustainability. That is what the petition is requesting, and that is the understanding of the people who have attached their signature.

So if they are against government influences, why are they lobbying the crtc? Why are they fear mongering to shut down and silence another voice. Why is this american lobby group here at all? What do they have against Suncor?

[scribblet]

So if they are against government influences, why are they lobbying the crtc? Why are they fear mongering to shut down and silence another voice. Why is this american lobby group here at all? What do they have against Suncor?

LOL

Still, why is an American org. so interested in influencing Canadian media and elections. Oh I know, it's a left wing cabal intent on spreading their brand of socialism, using their deep pockets and funding from where exactly.

Registered third parties have to use all Canadian funds, and who check all of these thousands of name to see if they are Canadian.

Edited September 21, 2010 by scribblet

[M.Dancer]

Registered third parties have to use all Canadian funds, and who check all of these thousands of name to see if they are Canadian.

The IRS?

[Keepitsimple]

As the article said, the group has no specific Canadian website, is incorporated and based in New York; archived copies of Avaaz’s website from as recently as last year read “we currently have staff based in Rio de Janeiro, Geneva, New York, London, and Washington DC,” without mentioning any Canadian presence. It is registered as a third party in Canada, it has deep pockets which it uses in order to interfere in Canadian politics. It is obviously fuelled by a left wing cabal with an agenda.

Harper is no more a bully etc. than Chretien ever was, most of that is a media narrative perpetuated by the left.

I agree about Atwood, a highly over rated writer.

If it walks like a duck...and quacks like a duck....chances are it's a duck. Co-founded by Moveon.org....that removes all doubt. Ricken Patel....interesting how someone who is 33 years old, educated at Harvard and Oxford....but never held a real job....can gain so much spotlight through our beloved CBC. Here's an excerpt from his posting on "friendster".....seems like an Ignatieff clone who's "just visiting". Barbs aside, it's clear that like Ignatieff, he's fallen in love with the US.

About Me:

I did this personality test thing last week which said I was an E/INFP which means extrovert/introvert - intuitive - feelings - umm, can't remember the last thing. Said I was an 'idealist champion-self improver' which sounded nice and about right. I'm a messed up British/Canadian/Indian/Jewish puppy and have lived and worked in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US. Grew up in Canada though eh. Um, intellectual, spiritual, progressive, honourable, addicted to chocolate, big into martial arts, volleyball, play most sports, crazy about babies and chocolate, speak french and german. Undergrad at Oxford, grad studies at Harvard, spent a few years in warzones doing protection of civilians and conflict resolution in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Afghanistan, now living in and loving New York and running a global nonprofit organization (www.Avaaz.org) that advocates on human rights, poverty and the environment. Love, learning and living with passion are the most important things in my life.

Link: http://profiles.friendster.com/1365712

[Bitsy]

It's not a rumour, he provided 5% of their funding.

Since you know that Soros gave Avaaz money, it should be no problem for you to substantiate. If that is not forthcoming, I must assume that you have your organizations confused...Soros gave 5 million dollars to Move-One when they were in their infancy.

[M.Dancer]

Since you know that Soros gave Avaaz money, it should be no problem for you to substantiate. If that is not forthcoming, I must assume that you have your organizations confused...Soros gave 5 million dollars to Move-One when they were in their infancy.

Will Canada's best loved unread author suffice?

AVAAZ

SUN: George Soros “funds” Avaaz, a U.S. organization. By signing its petition, I have “sold out” to both Soros and the U.S.

FACT: Avaaz is international, and funded 100% by members. Once, George Soros gave 5%.

http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/2010/09/17/15388296.html

[waldo]

It's not a rumour, he provided 5% of their funding.

http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/2010/09/17/15388296.html

note: official Dancer/capricorn definition of "deep pockets"... as implied vis-a-vis suggestion of Soros backing of Avaaz => 5% (without regard to considerations of completeness and/or context, without regard to one-time fiscal year funding attachment versus ongoing support, without regard to direct funding or as channeled via 'foundation' to intermediary source, without regard to intermediary source percentage redirection)

btw: I read FoxNewsNorth 'granted' that column (600 word allocation limit) as an alternate avenue versus considerations toward defamation proceedings. Of course, this comes on the heels of an actual defamation proceeding that resulted in a formal retraction and apology.

yes, quite a flap over such an innocuous worded petition

To CRTC Chair von Finckenstein and PM Harper:

As concerned Canadians who deeply oppose American-style hate media on our airwaves, we applaud the CRTC's refusal to allow a new "Fox News North" channel to be funded from our cable fees. We urge Mr. von Finckenstein to stay in his job and continue to stand up for Canada's democratic traditions, and call on Prime Minister Harper to immediately stop all pressure on the CRTC on this matter.

[Bitsy]

If you believe that is what it's really about then I can sell you some swampland in Florida LOL

I know that you like that line but I heard that Walt Disney took someone up on that offer and the results.......Disney World. So if you actually have swamp land available for sale, an environmental study group may already be looking at it. Chances are it won’t make you wealthy but there are lots of projects in the planning stages for wetlands and swamp land.

Since when do Canadians care that much about cable fees and so on, they don't care about the CBC getting 65million a year out of them.

I cannot speak for Canadians, but as an Usian, we care a great deal about our cable fees; unfortunately, many do not have a choice some places have no choice of providers or their offering in their basic package. But we care.

The petition itself was a smear and could possibly have broken Canada's hate law, good reason for it being based outside Canada isn't it!

Please tell me the words in the petition that were against Canada’s hate law? I would love to know that.

As the article said, the group has no specific Canadian website, is incorporated and based in New York; archived copies of Avaaz’s website from as recently as last year read “we currently have staff based in Rio de Janeiro, Geneva, New York, London, and Washington DC,” without mentioning any Canadian presence

.

How old is the archive you cited? Have you ever heard of an organization expanding and adding new members in different countries? An archive copy of membership does not adequately reflect the current organization…ever heard of growth?

It is registered as a third party in Canada, it has deep pockets which it uses in order to interfere in Canadian politics. It is obviously fuelled by a left wing cabal with an agenda.

Wow, I thought a cabal was a secret group united to create lots of mischief for a government; Avaaz has flunked cabal-training 101; they have been too open and upfront about their causes, which do not appear all that left wing to me.

[waldo]

scriblett has mentioned, several times now, that he has Florida swampland for sale. One wonders just how he acquired it... I trust he wasn't taken in by something, uhhh... too cabalish!

[Bitsy]

So if they are against government influences, why are they lobbying the crtc?

I think lobbying might be a stretch considering it was a petition thanking the CRCT for the fair treatment in denying Sun Media a must carry license.

Why are they fear mongering to shut down and silence another voice.

They are not trying to silence another voice; they are asking that the other voice not be shown any special favoritism. I would expect that to sit well with most people. I like a level playing field if I am playing

It appears that you guys are the ones who want to silence a voice; the voice of Avaaz, the voice of the people who signed the petition. In the States, anyone can file a petition in support of or against any cause, it is no big deal but you guys have elevated this petition to a completely new level.

Why is this american lobby group here at all? What do they have against Suncor?

It is an international organization not an American lobby group, and I do not think they have anything against Suncor; I think they oppose favoritism to a special company and subsidizing it at the expense of Canadians taxpayers.

[M.Dancer]

I think lobbying might be a stretch considering it was a petition thanking the CRCT for the fair treatment in denying Sun Media a must carry license.

Baloney...

To CRTC Chair von Finckenstein and PM Harper:

As concerned Canadians who deeply oppose American-style hate media on our airwaves, we applaud the CRTC's refusal to allow a new "Fox News North" channel to be funded from our cable fees. We urge Mr. von Finckenstein to stay in his job and continue to stand up for Canada's democratic traditions, and call on Prime Minister Harper to immediately stop all pressure on the CRTC on this matter.

The word thank does not appear..instead we have "FOx News North" and "hate-filled propaganda"...about a format that has not aired...

They are not trying to silence another voice; they are asking that the other voice not be shown any special favoritism.

I take it then, since you don't want to see any favouritism you would like to see CBC Newsworld removed from the must carry tier, not to mention every other channel in the must carry tier...

Time to end the license then for APTN...TVA etc etc....Did you know that all cable companies are required to carry TVA? Even though they may have no viewers in Red Deer?

It appears that you guys are the ones who want to silence a voice; the voice of Avaaz, the voice of the people who signed the petition. In the States, anyone can file a petition in support of or against any cause, it is no big deal but you guys have elevated this petition to a completely new level.

It is an international organization not an American lobby group, and I do not think they have anything against Suncor; I think they oppose favoritism to a special company and subsidizing it at the expense of Canadians taxpayers.

For an international org, whose full time employees reside in the US and pay US taxes...they are fully american...as amaerican as the CIA...

[M.Dancer]

Please tell me the words in the petition that were against Canada’s hate law? I would love to know that.

To CRTC Chair von Finckenstein and PM Harper:

As concerned Canadians who deeply oppose American-style hate media on our airwaves

All Americans should feel impugned.

[M.Dancer]

What where the words Patel used to accuse Harper, and do you have a link to this television show where he made those accusations?

Tha accusations are found on the american web site http://www.avaaz.org/en/no_fox_news_canada

Prime Minister Harper is pressuring the Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to approve plans for a 'Fox News North'. If successful, this would bring American-style hate media to Canadian airwaves, and be funded by our license fees!

[Bitsy]

Will Canada's best loved unread author suffice?

AVAAZ

http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/2010/09/17/15388296.html

Chance are this is what she was referencing but, of course, I cannot speak for her. I think that Avaaz knows who their donors are better than anyone. Founding organization is Move-On.

Avaaz said Thursday that it has not received money directly from Mr. Soros. One of its founding organizations, however, has gotten a relatively small amount of funding from the billionaire and some of this has previously been passed on to Avaaz.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/billionaire-soros-threatening-to-sue-sun-media/article1711183/

[Keepitsimple]

How old is the archive you cited? Have you ever heard of an organization expanding and adding new members in different countries? An archive copy of membership does not adequately reflect the current organization…ever heard of growth?

Here's an excerpt from their website (today). Please note that the only significant Canadian is Ricken Patel who, as reported in my previous post, is happily living in New York....oh - and as you can see, this international organization sees fit NOT to mention Canada.

Our team

The Avaaz community is served by a small team of global campaigners working in many countries to identify and develop opportunities for members to take action. Our campaign team consults with Avaaz.org members to develop campaigns and set the priorities of the organisation. Avaaz also relies on teams of expert advisors to help develop our campaigns, and often Avaaz members volunteer to work with the team on specific projects. We currently have staff based in Rio de Janeiro, Geneva, New York, London, and Washington DC. Our core campaign team members are:

Ricken Patel Co-Founder and Executive Director (Canada)

Heather Reddick - Operations Director (USA)

Veronique Graham - Executive Assistant (France)

Paul Hilder Campaign Director (UK)

Ben Wikler Campaign Director (US)

Alice Jay - Campaign Director (Spain)

Luis Morago - Campaign Director (Spain)

Alice Wynne Willson - Media Director (Belgium)

Milena Berry Chief Technical Officer (Bulgaria)

Paula Brufman Global Campaigner (Argentina)

Iain Keith Global Campaigner (UK)

Graziela Tanaka Global Campaigner (Brazil)

Pascal Vollenweider Global Campaigner (Switzerland)

Benjamin des Gachons - Global Campaigner (France)

David Sievers - Global Campaigner(US)

Dominick Mach - Membership Correspondence Assistant (US)

Rewan Al-Haddad - Executive Assistant (Iraq)

JC Kibbey - Email Deliverability Coordinator (US)

Avaaz.org was co-founded by Res Publica, a global civic advocacy group, and Moveon.org, an online community that has pioneered internet advocacy in the United States. Our co-founding team was also composed of a group of global social entrepreneurs from 6 countries, including our Executive Director Ricken Patel, Tom Perriello, Tom Pravda, Eli Pariser, Andrea Woodhouse, Jeremy Heimans, and David Madden. Avaaz is lucky to have the founding partnership and support of leading activist organizations from around the world.

Link: http://www.avaaz.org/en/about.php

Edited September 21, 2010 by Keepitsimple

[Bitsy]

All Americans should feel impugned.

Why should I feel impugned; we have hate speech everywhere, on our airwaves, in publications, in private discussion, in townhall meetings; the petition stated a statement of fact; no reason for Americans to be offended. Geez, hate it is rampant, we burn crosses, we burn churches, we burn abortion clinics, we burn mosques, we have a lot of hate in America and most of it arises from all the hate speech people hear.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Bitsy

[Bitsy]

Here's an excerpt from their website (today). Please note that the only significant Canadian is Ricken Patel who, as reported in my previous post, is happily living in New York....oh - and as you can see, this international organization sees fit NOT to mention Canada.

If the gist of your point is that Avaaz has no Canadian presence and therefore is not qualified to initiate a position or to register as a third party, may I suggest that you lodge a complaint against them with your government officials. If what they are doing or have done in the past is illegal and against your laws they should be investigated and made to pay the price. The officials can see that they are punished for their misdeeds; whatever you want to say or rail about on forums is inconsequential and doesn’t solve the problem.

[Bitsy]

If it walks like a duck...and quacks like a duck....chances are it's a duck. Co-founded by Moveon.org....that removes all doubt. Ricken Patel....interesting how someone who is 33 years old, educated at Harvard and Oxford....but never held a real job....can gain so much spotlight through our beloved CBC. Here's an excerpt from his posting on "friendster".....seems like an Ignatieff clone who's "just visiting". Barbs aside, it's clear that like Ignatieff, he's fallen in love with the US.

Link: http://profiles.friendster.com/1365712

Thanks for the link, even though it seems to be a bit dated, it gave me a connection to Ricken Patel; one good-looking, intelligent man of action who has a strong sense idealism and is willing to put his life on the line in his pursuit of social justice. All I can say, New York’s gain, Canada’s loss. If he is in love with the US, the feeling is mutual.

[Evening Star]

Baloney...

I take it then, since you don't want to see any favouritism you would like to see CBC Newsworld removed from the must carry tier, not to mention every other channel in the must carry tier...

Time to end the license then for APTN...TVA etc etc....Did you know that all cable companies are required to carry TVA? Even though they may have no viewers in Red Deer?

But at least acknowledge that this is a different issue than actually trying to block/silence/censor/shut down a media outlet. The issue of funding the network with our cable fees is the specific issue addressed by the petition (regardless of what language is used or what hidden motives anyone might perceive). Why shouldn't Canadians care about their cable fees?

Since all Canadians fund the CBC, it makes sense that it should be made available to all Canadians. I don't know the details of every network that has a must-carry licence but I have to assume that the decisions are made on the basis of whether a public good is served by this. I certainly think it's fair to question that in this case. Whether TVA should have a must-carry licence is a separate issue.

"American-style hate media" may or may not be a simplistic OTT generalization but I can't see how it could be interpreted as a slur against all Americans, certainly no more so than if I were to describe the Sun as "British-style tabloid sensationalism". It's clearly a reference to a particular sort of media outlet that is found in the US. Of course, you are always free to lodge a hate speech complaint against Avaaz on those grounds and see how well you do...

[Argus]

They are not trying to silence another voice; they are asking that the other voice not be shown any special favoritism. I would expect that to sit well with most people. I like a level playing field if I am playing

So you would agree then that cable shouldn't be required to carry the CBC or CBC Newsworld?

It appears that you guys are the ones who want to silence a voice; the voice of Avaaz, the voice of the people who signed the petition. In the States, anyone can file a petition in support of or against any cause, it is no big deal but you guys have elevated this petition to a completely new level.

In the states big money has total control of almost all politicians and sets the political agenda, writes the bllls, and controls congress, the senate and the White House, as well as the individual state houses and assemblies. I don't think many Canadians would want to import that kind of a system.

It is an international organization not an American lobby group,

If it's an international organization then it's not permitted to interfere in Canadian elections. Which is exactly what the people here you're arguing with have been saying.

[M.Dancer]

If it's an international organization ....

It's an International Organ in the same way that the CIA is...

[Argus]

Thanks for the link, even though it seems to be a bit dated, it gave me a connection to Ricken Patel; one good-looking, intelligent man of action who has a strong sense idealism and is willing to put his life on the line in his pursuit of social justice. All I can say, New York’s gain, Canada’s loss. If he is in love with the US, the feeling is mutual.

Are you an employee of this organization? You seem to have only showed up with a big chip on your left shoulder during this discussion.