From the folks at Canadians Rallying To Unseat Harper: Recommend this Post
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Politics and its Discontents: More Much-Deserved Mockery
From the folks at Canadians Rallying To Unseat Harper: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Revisiting The Past
In this blog, I try as hard as possible not to repeat myself. True, that is often a difficult objective to achieve when, with the same fascination that train wrecks and natural disasters exert over some people, I have an ongoing obsession with the political outrages embodied in people like
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: On Harper’s Cyberbullying and Hypocrisy
Since I arose uncharacteristically late this morning, I am still working on today’s post. In the interim, I take the liberty of reproducing some letters from Star readers on a topic dear to the heart of progressives: Harper’s attack ads: Re: Tory ad war drowns out debate over free speech,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: More On The Online Community Experience
Earlier in the month, I wrote a post in which I reflected upon the affinity and sense of community I feel in the ‘progressive blogosphere.’ Prompted by the Internet connectivity problems I was having at the time, I wrote about how I felt a surprising sense of loss in not
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Some Thoughts From An Ontario Perspective – UPDATED
While acknowledging that Ontario politics is likely of little interest to those living outside the province, I think there is much wisdom in former U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill’s observation that “All politics is local.” If it affects a constituent ‘where he or she lives,’ either in the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Leading Climate Scientist Responds To Joe Oliver And His ‘Neanderthal Government’ – UPDATED
The other day I wrote a blog post on one of our national disgraces, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver. While in Washington recently promoting the proposed XL Keystone pipeline through the United States, Oliver took the opportunity to insult and denigrate one of the world’s leading climate-change scientists, James Hansen.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Classy Apology
Regular readers of this blog may be aware of my almost boundless enthusiasm for The Toronto Star. I deeply admire its progressive mission, and I find its roster of excellent columnists informative and thought-provoking. I have come to regard it as a trusted source of news and opinion. It was
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Some Well-Deserved Ridicule
I suspect only the party faithful and the ‘true-believers’ would find these pictures objectionable: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Is this A New Crime In Harperland?
While the word commit has several meanings, when it is used without the preposition ‘to’ (as in, He is committed to her cause), it is invariably associated with something heinous (John committed arson; Shelley committed fraud; Lorne committed murder). It is therefore not likely a slip of the tongue when
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: An Embodiment Of The Transcendent
Adrianne Haslet and Beth Roche are two faces of the human spirit I was trying to talk about the other day. I am in awe. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Something To Make You Smile
Apropos of nothing except that I am a huge jazz fan and today would have been Ella Fitzgerald’s 96th birthday, an event being commemorated with a Google Doodle, I invite you to take a few minutes to watch one of her renditions of Mack the Knife. I can almost guarantee
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Bit More About Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver
Late yesterday afternoon, I wrote a post on one of our more shameful politicians, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver and the embarrassment we all should feel over his performance in Washington in a speech to a carefully-screened audience pushing the XL Keystone pipeline. In it, he rebuked and ridiculed leading
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Oh, Joe Oliver, Have You No Shame? UPDATED
In denouncing a leading climate change scientist, the coward, Resources Minister Joe Oliver, showed his complete lack of character, insisting that his message be delivered to a carefully screened audience to avoid any embarrassment from those who favour truth over propaganda. As Canadians, we should all feel ashamed by the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: This Can’t Be Healthy
As deeply suspicious and cynical as I am about institutions, it is probably not surprising that I view with a jaundiced eye the events surrounding the arrest of two terror suspects accused of a plot to blow up a Via Rail train. Many have asked questions about the sudden urgency
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Union Betrayal At Nanticoke
Threatening to withhold strike pay, The United Steelworkers International is forcing the members at Nanticoke to vote on a contract demanding concessions to U.S. Steel. Surely this is an illustration of what Chis hedges has to say in his book, Death of the Liberal Class. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: On FIPA, Justin Trudeau, and Chauncey Gardner
Last night while checking my Twitter feed, I noticed several people expressing their deep disappointment over the fact that Justin Trudeau led his Liberal Party to vote with the Harper regime against an NDP motion to inform China that it will not ratify the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Finding The Light Amidst Despair
During my teaching days, in the aftermath of 9/11 a student came to see me to discuss her feelings of helplessness and despair in the face of such monumental evil. While I had no special wisdom to offer her, I did say that although I had been witness to some
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Scrutinizing the NDP
I am well past the age where I expect very much from our politicians, especially given the current level of disengagement among the Canadian electorate; because of that disengagement, the notion of electoral accountability has become merely a quaint and rather remote ideal. While I hate to admit it, for
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Harper’s Thuggish Contempt For The Environment
This video probably speaks for itself, but for its full context, click here. H/t rabble.ca Recommend this Post
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