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User:Ground Zero

My name is Kevin, and I live in Toronto. I recently changed my user name from Kevintoronto, which was a little too prosaic.

On March 9, 2005, I was # 499 on the list of 1000 top Wikipedians by number of edits. Now that I've changed names, I guess I disappear for a while.

There's a new Wikipedia:Canadian wikipedians' notice board. Spread the word.

Bookmarks: Wikipedia:Votes for Deletion Talk:Canadian federal election results since 1867 Template:Canadian politics/party colours .

Copyediting

I have done a fair bit of copyediting around here because many articles are not written clearly. When copyediting, I try to keep in mind that many users will come to the English version of Wikipedia because it is the most complete, even though English may not be their first language. Here are some of the things I keep in mind when editing articles:

Long sentences can prevent these readers from being able to use Wikipedia. Breaking long, run-on sentences up into separate, concise thoughts can make Wikipedia easier to understand. The Wikipedia:Guide_to_writing_better_articles says: "Use short sentences does not mean use fewer words. It means don't use unnecessary words, and sometimes using full stops/periods rather than commas." . .
Non-English-speaking people can find sentences with complicated structures very difficult to read. It seems that many Wikipedia writers have an aversion to subject-verb-object sentences.
Commas make sentences easier to read by grouping the different parts of the sentence in a logical way. There is no shortage of them, but many writers seem loath to use them. Here is a supply for anyone who is concerned about running short. Please help yourself:

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Wikipedia:Guide_to_writing_better_articles says: "When you do create links, link only one or a few instances of the same term; don't link all instances of it." Many writers link every instance of an article name, creating an ugly kalaidescope of blue and red in the article. It isn't necessary.
Also, links should be made only where they are relevant to the article, and not to every word. See Wikipedia:Make only links relevant to the context.
Initialisms (acronyms) should be spelled in full in the first instance in an article, and not just Wikilinked, i.e., "Member of Parliament (MP)", not "[[MP]]".
References to places should include the country in which they are located, e.g., "Quebec, Canada", and not just "Quebec" (at least, until such time as Quebec is an independent country.)

I hope that my aggressive copyediting doesn't cause offence. If it does, then you should re-read the warning at the bottom of every Edit page:

If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly and redistributed at will, do not submit it.

Thank you.

Political parties

I've been doing some on-line research, gathering my scattered memories of minor political parties in Canada, and adding this information to numerous pages that can be found at List of Canadian political parties. I hope that you find this information interesting.

Some of the articles that I have originated:

Other work

I have created articles on:

Progressive Conservative leadership conventions: 1967, 1976, and 1983;
Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions, 1985;
Malcolm Wallace McCutcheon, John MacLean and Mary Walker-Sawka (candidates at 1967 PC leadership convention);
Roy McMurtry and Dennis Timbrell(former Ontario cabbinet ministers and candidates at 1985 Ontario PC convention);
Janet Ecker (former Ontario finance minister);
Camil Samson, Quebec politician;
Henri-Georges Grenier (perennial candidate in Quebec);
Les Boubou Macoutes;
Secessionist movements of Canada;
Mira Spivak (Canadian Senator);
Bill Sveinson (Canadian politician);
Henry Farm and Rathnelly (neighbourhoods in Toronto);
Linear city;
Sayvette, Katz Group of Companies, A & P Canada, Consumers Distributing, Bretton's;
Air Nunavut, Provincial Airlines, Innu Mikun Airlines;
Canada's Name;

and various defunct Canadian banks.

I have created results tables for various elections:

Manitoba provincial elections 1977-present,
Saskatchewan provincial elections from 1905 to 1999,
Alberta provincial elections from 1905 to 1997,
British Columbia provincial elections from 1903 to 1980ish,
Ontario provincial elections from 1867-1977 and expanded the tables on the 1987, 1990, 1995, and 1999 elections,
1874, 1978, 1982, 1887, 1891, 1896, 1900, 1904, 1908, 1911, 1917, 1921, 1925, 1926, 1930, 1935, and 1940 Canadian federal elections (including the provincial results tables).

I have added provincial results tables to 1945, 1949, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1980 and 1984 Canadian federal elections.

I have added text on campaign platforms to the 1965, 1968, 1972 Canadian federal election articles.

Last updated: 05-30-2005 21:31:20

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01-28-2012 19:51:52
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