Komar running for LP of Canada in York-Simcoe

York-Simcoe Libertarian Party candidate Keith Komar says "government is upside down" - BradfordToday.ca Natasha Philpott:

September 13, 2019 - "Keith Komar is a Barrie resident representing the Libertarian Party for the York-Simcoe riding in this election. Originally from British Columbia, Komar is a bricklayer by trade, travelling ... between BC and Ontario.... His start in activism started in the early '90s, fighting for gay rights. His brother was gay and one of the first men to be married in Ontario. Since then, [Keith] has become an advocate for equality and human rights and joined the BC Libertarian party in 2016....

"He believes it’s time for the government to look at the root cause of the problems in our country. 'That’s the problem with politics today, no one talks about the root problems. We’re talking about these surface issues,' he said. He is aware that his party may not have the numbers to win the election, but his goal [is] for their message to be heard among the politicians in power...

"The ideal role of federal government for the Libertarian Party would be a small one.... Military, currency and trading within the provinces are the only issues the Libertarians believe the federal government is needed for, with everyhing else being handled on a provincial and municipal level.  In terms of the economy, Komar says there are too many layers of government that need to be taken out in order to give people more control over their money....

"The Libertarian Party would also re-evaluate victimless crimes and in the federal criminal code: sex work and the war on drugs. Their plan would be to repeal the cannabis act. 'It makes [cannabis] more illegal now than it was when it was illegal,' he explained.

"Privacy rights are another pillar of the Libertarian platform. They believe the government has no right to be in the bedrooms of Canadian citizens. They would put an end to warrantless searches and repeal Bill C-51, which gives the government authority to share private information about individuals.... Regulatory agencies are also a point of contention with the Libertarian Party. They would like to repeal the powers of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)....

"In their platform, the Libertarians would make responsible gun possession legal for hunting, self defence and recreation.

"Environmental issues are also a major concern for the Libertarians. They would enforce property rights so owners would be made responsible for all the land and natural resources on and below it. And any damage done to property through pollution would be dealt with in the judicial system. .... They would like to end all restrictions and obligations on indigenous territories and replace the Indian Act with a guarantee of sovereignty for all indigenous people."

"Komar is confident that he will be the leader of the Libertarian Party of Ontario. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer for the provincial party and is running against two other candidates for the title. The vote takes place on Nov. 2, 2019."

Read more: https://www.bradfordtoday.ca/canadavotes/york-simcoe-libertarian-party-candidate-keith-komar-says-government-is-upside-down-1689114
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Free Staters make Keene NH a 'crypto mecca'

Keene New Hampshire Is Not Only a Libertarian Enclave - It's Also a Crypto Mecca - Bitcoin News - Jamie Redman:

September 6, 2019 - "New Hampshire is well known for having a large number of libertarian residents since the Free State Project (FSP) started a movement of political migration in 2001 [to] the low-population New England state. Libertarians in the region promote free markets, stand against war, and are either completely anti-state (anarchism) or believe in a very limited government (minarchism). Many of these activists who migrated to New Hampshire are strewn across the state but there are dense regions of libertarian proponents in places like Keene, Portsmouth, and Manchester. Due to the vast amount of free market believers, there’s a slew of businesses in places like Keene that accept digital currencies like bitcoin cash. The liberty loving blog, Free Keene, revealed that the Monadnock Decentralized Currency Network managed to persuade a bunch of mom-n-pop shops to accept cryptocurrencies over the years.

"In fact, throughout the lifetime of the Free State’s activism spent bolstering the concepts of liberty and voluntaryism, the people living there have created a cryptocurrency mecca. Free Keene blog author, Ian Freeman (also the co-host of Free Talk Live) explained ... that ... Keene has a wide variety of digital currency-accepting businesses and lots of them use the Anypay payment processor.

"Freeman details that according to data stemming from the Anypay and Marco Coino merchant map there are 15 bitcoin cash-accepting businesses in the region. This works out as a ratio of 'one business for every 1,533 people,' Freeman explained. The Anypay merchant map not only shows people where crypto merchants are located, but also displays when someone purchases something with cryptocurrency....

"The Bitcoin Embassy New Hampshire located in Keene is also well known for its Bitcoin radio advertisements that promote the benefits of cryptocurrencies and free markets. Starting in 2016, the commercials were syndicated on 'The Peak' (101.9 WKKN-FM Keene, 100.7 WTHK-FM Wilmington, VT, and 104.7 W284AB Jamaica, VT) seven days a week from 3pm-6am EDT. 'Bitcoin is a powerful local currency that can also be used internationally. It’s Keene to buy local, and Bitcoin empowers local business owners to keep more from each sale, rather than sending 3% outside of the area to credit card companies,' the radio ad’s message said.

"More recently, due to the frictionless and low network fees on the Bitcoin Cash network, activists in Keene have been opting to use and promote BCH regularly. Last summer, Freeman helped launch a new website called Cryptotip.org that creates cryptocurrency tips from bitcoin cash (BCH) and dash, making it easier for residents to tip people in sound money.... The cryptocurrency Dash has a decent-sized following in Keene too and many Dash supporters live in the FSP region.

"The ... Free Keene blog explained ... that 'Keene and Portsmouth, New Hampshire are two hotspots in the world of cryptocurrency'.... Alongside being a crypto mecca, Keene and New Hampshire also have a lot more to offer to people who are interested in libertarianism and plan to join the ongoing NH Freedom Migration."

Read more: https://news.bitcoin.com/keene-new-hampshire-is-not-only-a-libertarian-enclave-its-also-a-crypto-mecca/
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Government shutdowns of internet fuel violence

Shutting down social media does not reduce violence, but rather fuels it - Jan Rydzak, The Conversation:

April 29, 2019 - "In the wake of a series of coordinated attacks that claimed more than 250 lives on April 21, the government of Sri Lanka shut off its residents’ access to social media and online messaging systems, including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Snapchat, and Viber.... Some commentators applauded the move, suggesting the dangers of disinformation on social media justified shutting down communication networks in times of crisis. Five years of research on the impact of shutdowns and other information controls on societies worldwide have led me to the exact opposite conclusion.

"A diverse community of academics, businesses, and civil society groups share my view. The blackouts deprived Sri Lankans of impartial news reports and disconnected families from each other as they sought to find out who had survived and who was among the dead and injured. Most strikingly, recent research suggests that the blackouts might have increased the potential for protest and violence in the wake of the attack....      

"Overall, since the Arab Spring began in 2010, governments have carried out at least 400 shutdowns across more than 40 countries.... Egypt’s disappearance from the global internet in 2011 backfired spectacularly, spreading protesters away from Tahrir Square and into numerous decentralized pockets of resistance. Coordination of the demonstrations swiftly moved from Facebook event pages to individual efforts in each neighborhood. This proved impossible for security forces to subdue. Ten days later, the Mubarak regime fell.

"In the Syrian Civil War, the government used shutdowns as a weapon of war, following up with increased violence against civilians. In Africa, authoritarian governments that own the communication infrastructure and leaders who rule in virtual perpetuity are more inclined to pull the plug, but there is no evidence to suggest that shutdowns are effective in discouraging street protest or violent unrest. Indeed, official explanations for shutdowns ... are often at odds with their likely true motivations, which include silencing opposition figures and ensuring a state monopoly on information during contentious elections....

"In India, state governments have faced thousands of peaceful demonstrations, as well as episodes of violent unrest. The country has become by far the world’s most prolific executor of deliberate internet blackouts over the last several years. To find out the role of internet access in these events, I used precise, daily-level data on thousands of protests that occurred in the 36 states and Union Territories of India in 2016, as well as data tracking the location, timing and duration of shutdowns from a variety of cross-referenced news sources and civil society groups.

"The results were striking: Under a blackout, each successive day of protest had more violence than would typically happen as a protest unfolded with continued internet access. Meanwhile, the effects of shutdowns on peaceful demonstrations, which are usually more likely to rely on careful coordination through digital channels, were ambiguous and inconsistent. In no scenario were blackouts consistently linked to reduced levels of protest over the course of several days. Instead of curtailing protest, they seemed to encourage a tactical shift to strategies that are less orderly, more chaotic, and more violent.

"Recent events only seem to confirm these dynamics. The regimes of Abdelaziz Bouteflika in Algeria and Omar al-Bashir in Sudan both resorted to shutdowns before imploding. The drastic measures did nothing to rein in the protests in either country. Instead, shutting off internet access may have accelerated their downfalls.

"Even if shutdowns are ineffective, they can be tempting for governments that need to be seen taking action. Vague and often antiquated laws let them implement drastic measures like shutdowns easily and quickly, with a written order or even a simple phone call. But ... [t]he evidence shows that this takes a heavy toll on their citizens, both economically and in terms of human rights, without offering them any additional protection or safety."

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Canandaigua GOP vice-chair joins Libertarians

Political Roundup: Is Ontario County red, blue or Libertarian gold? - News - MPNnow - Canandaigua, NY - Julie Sherwood, Canandaigua Daily Messenger:

September 26, 2019 - "Eric Cooper, vice chairman of the city of Canandaigua Republican Party, has left the GOP to join the Libertarian Party. The announcement during a press conference last Saturday drew a number of county Libertarian Party officials as well as notables Larry Sharpe, Libertarian candidate for New York governor in 2018, and Andrew Hollister, 2018 Libertarian candidate for New York lieutenant governor.

“'Anybody who has lived in New York for a number of years will tell you the pessimism that regular people feel is incredible. It shouldn’t be that way,' said Cooper from the steps of the Ontario County Courthouse. 'The Republican Party and the Democratic Party have been complicit in the deterioration of New York state for a long time. The Libertarian Party is the only one that has real choices, options, and the principle to get things done. I’m happy to change my party to the Libertarian Party. It’s exciting for me to join the people working so hard to make these changes. I think it’s inevitable that something good happens in New York state.'

"The Libertarian Party of New York gained ballot access last November when Sharpe made history by tallying 90,739 votes in his bid for governor — surpassing the 50,000-vote threshold to secure the Libertarian line on the ballot in New York for the next four years. The result: Pursuit of serious Libertarian candidates to challenge ... the two-party system, and to gain members.... Sharpe spoke at other events in upstate New York last weekend, where several candidates announced their switch to Libertarian....

“'People often ask why in the world would I still be coming to towns and villages across upstate New York when I’m no longer running for anything,' said Sharpe, a Marine Corps veteran and native of New York. 'I’m doing this because I want to change this state. This state has so much potential. Think of New York state like a business. If I’m running a business and I’m losing over 100,000 customers every single year for nine years in a row, I’m doing something wrong. There’s something wrong with how they’re running New York state. Last year, I covered every single county in New York state. I found a lot of Democrats and Republicans who believed what I was saying, but they were afraid to leave their party and join the effort. I want to be sure New Yorkers know there are other people out here who are bravely leading the way.'

"On Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation making it easier to change party enrollment ahead of a primary election.... Voters now have until Feb. 14 to make changes to party enrollment and still vote in the April presidential and June congressional and state primaries."

Read more: https://www.mpnnow.com/news/20190926/political-roundup-is-ontario-county-red-blue-or-libertarian-gold
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Scott runs for Libertarians in Sherwood Park AB

Federal election kicks off | Sherwood Park News - Lindsay Morey:

September 12, 2019 - "All MP seats are officially up for grabs across all of Canada’s 338 electoral districts and that includes ... the Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan constituency.

"Come October 21, voters should expect the following candidates on the ballot; incumbent Conservative MP Garnett Genuis, Joe Pound (Green Party), Preston Scott (Libertarian), Aidan Theroux (NDP), and Darren Villetard (People’s Party of Canada).... [A]  local Liberal .. candidate was not yet confirmed ....

"Along with his wife and daughter, Libertarian candidate Preston Scott has lived in Sherwood Park since 2014, when he relocated from Red Deer to expand the security company he was working for across the Edmonton area. Since 2017, he works as a branch office manager for a staffing agency and he has seen first-hand the struggles of workers getting back into the workforce with the downturn in the economy. He landed on the Libertarian Party after being turned off by Stephen Harper-style bully politics and not favouring “horror stories” of how Pierre Trudeau treated Alberta back in his parent’s time, he couldn’t align with Liberals.

“'No taxes, less government, free markets, and more liberty for the people to have the freedom to do what they want rather than having a government babysit them is more in line with what I believe in,' Scott explained.

"He acknowledges he doesn’t have much political experience other than running for student council in junior high, but he believes being a common, everyday person offers a candidate that’s more relatable for voters.

“'Don’t vote for the party, vote for the candidate that aligns with your views the most… Vote for someone you can relate to. People don’t find politics as sexy as it used to be,' Scott said. 'There are a lot of undecided people out there, so to those people, why don’t you give the Libertarian Party a chance? People who are tired of the rinse and repeat with the Liberals and Conservatives, why not give the Libertarian Party a chance to prove what they can do? People I’ve spoken to are tired of politicians, they want somebody they can relate to, someone who they can understand and speak to on a level playing field and know their voices are being heard.'”

Read more: https://www.sherwoodparknews.com/news/local-news/federal-election-kicks-off
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Cannabis use, cultivation legalized in Canberra

Canberra becomes the first city in Australia to legalize marijuana - CNN - Julia Hollingsworth:

September 25, 2019 - "The Australian capital Canberra will become the country's first city to legalize marijuana following a landmark vote Tuesday night. Lawmakers in the Australian Capital Territory voted to pass a bill allowing people aged 18 or over to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use. The new law is set to come into effect from January 31, 2020, state broadcaster ABC reported.

"Under the new regulations, residents in the territory -- which is home to the capital -- will be able to legally possess up to 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of marijuana and cultivate up to two plants per person, or four per household. The change makes the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) the first of Australia's six states and two main territories to legalize marijuana for personal use....

"According to the Australian government, marijuana is the country's most widely-used illicit drug. In the 2017-2018 financial year, there were over 72,000 cannabis-related arrests made in Australia -- and 92% of those arrested were consumers.

"ACT's new law conflicts with national drug laws enacted by Australia's Parliament which prohibit the possession of marijuana. According to the ABC, it could be possible for those laws to overrule ACT's new law.... In 2013, the ACT legalized same-sex marriage -- but it was struck down by a decision by Australia's highest court, which ruled that the ACT legislation was inconsistent with the national law.

"But attitudes are changing. In 2016, the Australian Parliament passed an amendment allowing marijuana to be legally grown for medical and scientific purposes for the first time in Australia.

"In neighboring New Zealand, possessing marijuana for personal use is still illegal, although the country is set to hold a referendum on legalizing it next year. If New Zealand does legalize marijuana, it will be only the third country in the world after Uruguay and Canada to do so. Nine states in the United States and the District of Columbia also allow recreational marijuana use, and the drug has been decriminalized in many parts of Europe."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/25/asia/australia-cannabis-legal-intl-scli-hnk/index.html

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Rob Ferguson withdraws from federal election

Libertarian candidate withdraws from federal election | Brantford Expositor - Vincent Ball:

September 24, 2019 - "Libertarian Rob Ferguson is withdrawing as a candidate in Brantford-Brant for the Oct. 21 federal election. Ferguson, 44, cited health reasons in announcing his withdrawal Tuesday.

"'I have to put my health first,' he said. 'I had a massive heart attack after the last federal election (in 2015) and recently I was starting to feel fatigued and seeing some of the signs of ill health. I spoke with my family and my physician and we all agreed that it’s probably best that we sit this one out.'

"He said running for office is stressful because candidates must knock on a lot of doors, attend all-candidates meetings and be prepared for questions from voters.

"'I’m thankful for the support I have had over the years from the public groups and the inclusion of Libertarians here in Brant surpasses any riding across the county,' ... Ferguson said. 'Once my health is better I plan to return to fight for the cause.

“'The riding of Brantford-Brant has been good to me as a candidate.'

"The Brantford resident received 515 votes in the 2015 federal election. He has also run municipally and provincially and has served as interim leader and deputy leader for the Ontario Libertarian Party."

Read more: https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/local-news/libertarian-candidate-withdraws-from-federal-election
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