A recent Angus Reid Institute survey of Canadians’ approval (or disapproval) of their provincial governments’ performances was full of surprises while bereft of optimism. Angus Reid maintains a Government Performance Index for each province calculated from the average number of residents saying the government has done a good or great
Continue readingAuthor: Bill Longstaff
Views from the Beltline: Happy birthday, US of A
Today our good neighbours to the south are celebrating their country’s birthday—its 247th. Two hundred and forty seven days of democracy, the longest ever. The second most famous democracy—ancient Athens—lasted a mere 185 years. Like Athenians, the Americans began their democracy with some rather serious omissions. Slaves and women weren’t
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: How neoliberalism brought down Russia … and nearly us
The economic collapse of the 1930s brought down democracies across Europe unleashing fascism across the continent. Other countries, including Canada and the United States, introduced drastic measures to protect the vulnerable which helped save them from the same fate. Capitalism was failing, rescued by the rudiments of the welfare state.
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Preaching misogyny
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the biggest Protestant denomination in the US, descending from Baptists who settled in the American colonies in the 17th century. The southerners broke away from their northern brothers and sisters in 1845 over the issue of slavery. Supporters of slavery then, they are supporters
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Disaster city
“Canada is increasingly a riskier place to live, work and insure,” said Craig Stewart, Vice-President, Climate Change and Federal Issues, Insurance Bureau of Canada. The bureau’s stats back up Mr. Stewart’s words. Canada’s top 10 highest insurance loss years all occurred since 2011 with the exception of 1998, the year
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: The brilliance of the Sustainable Jobs Act
Last week the feds tabled Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in the House of Commons. The bill would create a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to advise the government on clean energy jobs, require that Ottawa come up with a sustainable jobs plan every five years, and establish a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat. The
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Johnson, Trump and contrasting ethics
Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are two buffoons who embarrassed two major democracies by their election to national leadership. Both are now gone and much good riddance. Both are also now in disgrace and facing punishment for their sins. On Monday, the UK House of Commons ratified a parliamentary committee
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: The last progressive conservative?
In December 2003 the Progressive Conservative Party merged with the Canadian Alliance (formerly the Reform Party) to become the Conservative Party of Canada. The “progressive” disappeared in both name and philosophy under the leadership of Stephen Harper. Last Tuesday one of the last truly progressive Conservatives was also lost to
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: An open letter to Premier Smith
I didn’t vote for Danielle Smith and her party, nonetheless I thought congratulations on her victory were in order. Consequently I wrote her the following letter. Dear Premier Smith: Congratulations on your success in the recent election. You now have the opportunity to help prepare Alberta for success in the
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Conservatives clash over housing
What do I know about Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre? He hates our prime minister. He loves cryptocurrency. If he’s elected PM, he will fire the governor of the Bank of Canada. He thinks everything in the country is broken and he will fix it by cutting taxes. Hmmm. Flaky. Is
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Canada smokes New York
Good neighbours share. But what Canada is sharing these days with its good neighbour to the south is not appreciated. I refer to the dense plumes of smoke from our manifold wildfires which are darkening skies and smothering cities across the continent, in our country and theirs. On Tuesday, New
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Alberta—rural government in an urban province
The last century saw the greatest revolution in this country’s history. I refer to the mass migration from country to town. At Confederation, about 80 percent of Canadians lived in rural areas, today that’s less than 20 percent, and the trend continues. We have become an urban and suburban nation.
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Danielle Smith’s Alberta
No one had a bigger win on Alberta election night than Danielle Smith. Her UCP (and this is definitely her party now) won a solid majority of seats and a majority of the popular vote (how many parties win elections in this country with over 50 percent of the popular
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: About reparations
Last Tuesday, the air quality in Calgary hit a level in the range hazardous to human health. According to meteorologist Jaclyn Whittal, Alberta had the “worst air quality in the entire world.” The villain of course was smoke from the wildfires raging across the province. And who were the villains
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Trudeau’s future—past as prologue?
According to a recent Angus Reid study Prime Minister Trudeau’s approval rating while low is still better than most of his recent predecessors. It currently stands at 40 percent, not exactly wild popularity. But, compared to his predecessors, not at all bad. He has been our PM for eight years
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: For Alberta, sovereignty; for Calgary and Edmonton, supplication
One might think that Alberta’s provincial government would have the greatest respect for its subordinate level of governing—the municipalities. One might expect that to be especially true for the two major cities, Calgary and Edmonton. These are the closest level of government to the people for over half the province’s
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Global warming—news old and new
I got up this morning in semi-darkness even though the sun had risen at 5:45 a.m. and the forecast was for sunny and warm. I looked out my window and couldn’t see farther than a couple of blocks. Looked as foggy as old London town. But of course it wasn’t
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Generative AI—threat or opportunity?
“No contract! No content!” and “Here’s a pitch: Pay us, Bitch!” Thus the Hollywood members of the Writers Guild of America colourfully voice their views during their strike against the studios, streaming services and networks. It is expected to last a while. The last one, in 2007-08, lasted 100 days.
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Electoral reform—to be or not to be?
Once again our hopes rise. Or do they? At their recent national policy convention the Liberals voted to back a citizens’ assembly on electoral reform. Specifically, the convention resolved that “the Liberal Party of Canada urge the Government of Canada to establish a non-partisan National Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Are we on a path to sustainability?
Humanity’s biggest challenge is sustainability. How does our avaricious species live within the natural constraints of the planet? Certain global trends suggest we may inadvertently be answering that question. Superficially appearing to be matters for concern, these trends may to the contrary be setting us on a path to sustainability.
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