To suggest that the Harper regime is working relentlessly to diminish the Canadian soul is hardly a remarkable insight. Examples abound of its flinty resolve to undermine traditional Canadian values and virtues, compassion and fairness apparently at the top of its ‘hit list’. But while the Conservatives seek to remake
Continue readingAuthor: Lorne
Politics and its Discontents: McGuinty’s Magical Thinking
“We’ve been through tough times before. This is one more.” At his leadership review yesterday, that was Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s rather understated response to his recent string of political misfires, misfires that include his costly efforts to win seats in the last election by shutting down two gas-fired power
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Smiling Face of Dalton McGuinty
… one may smile, and smile, and be a villain— At least I am sure it may be so in Ontario. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Institutional Misbehaviour, Redux
While I have written several posts in the past about the seemingly endless capacity of organizations and institutions to behave in ways that best protect themselves rather than serve the interests of their constituencies, each new instance continues to appall me. Today’s print edition of The Star (nothing online yet)
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Just Another Day’s Work At The Star
Yesterday I wrote a post expressing real pleasure that The Toronto Star is enjoying such a wide readership and profitability, given the important work that it does on a number of levels. Although evidence of that work is found in pretty much every edition of the paper, today’s seems particularly
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Stephen Harper’s Worldview
For those seeking insight into how Stephen Harper and his regime views the world, The Star’s Tim Harper offers some interesting insights. In New York snubbing the U.N. while accepting his reward award as World Statesman of the Year from the Appeal of Conscience Appeal, the Prime Minister offered the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Stephen Harper’s Sins
On the day that Stephen Harper is to receive his World Statesman of the Year award from the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, presumably for his unstinting and uncritical support of Israel, the Huffington Post has a timely piece reminding us of some of the Prime Minister’s myriad failings on both
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: News That Gladdens My Heart
Despite its oft-proclaimed demised, print journalism seems to be alive and well, at least in the GTA. As reported in today’s edition, The Toronto Star is enjoying record readership: The Toronto Star retains its title as the most-read newspaper in the Greater Toronto Area, with more than 1 million readers
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Words Fail Me
This, from our enlightened cousins to the south. H/t Let Freedom Rain Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Social Media and Margaret Wente
About two years ago, I wrote a blog post explaining why we cancelled our subscription to The Globe and Mail. At the same time, I sent an email with a link to the post to Globe editor-in-chief John Stackhouse, suggesting that if he wanted to know why he had lost
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Linda McQuaig on Neo-Conservative Contempt
There are some columnists whose work I am loathe to miss. For example, over at the Globe, unlike some people I could name, Lawrence Martin writes with precision and integrity, never failing to take to task the endless abuses heaped upon the electorate by the Harper regime. At the Star,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Promoting Hatred In NYC Subways
It is hard to believe that a people that have been so dehumanized, disparaged and persecuted throughout much of history should think that this is acceptable. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: ‘I Am Not A Crook’
In words eerily echoing Richard Nixon’s famous “I’m not a crook” declaration, Globe and Mail plagiarist Margaret Wente truculently writes the following in her still extant column: I’m far from perfect. I make mistakes. But I’m not a serial plagiarist. What I often am is a target for people who
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Celebration of Literacy
Despite its rather lengthy history, yesterday was the first time my wife and I attended Toronto’s Word On the Street, a celebration of books, literacy, and the dispelling of ignorance. As a retired English teacher and keen observer of the political machinations that envelop our society, it was very heartening
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Word On The Street
Word on the street suggests that reading books in becoming obsolete. This Word on the Street, which we are heading off to attend, suggests otherwise. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Victory for Lucene Charles!
Lucene Charles, the St. Vincent native who has been battling deportation from Canada for some time now because of her failure to fill out the proper immigration papers years ago, has finally achieved victory. The decision in principle to allow her to stay has been made, a decision that will
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Sometimes It Is Hard Not To Feel Smug
Many years ago, the singer Mac Davis wrote and performed a satirical song entitled “It’s Hard To Be Humble,” about a man so impressed with himself that he has no insight whatsoever into what a buffoon he really is. I sometimes think of that song when I ponder the shenanigans
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: When Seniors Get Angry
You know you’re in trouble when seniors start booing you. Too bad we are still asleep at the switch in Canada when it comes to the unnecessary cuts in OAS that Harper is making: H/t ThinkProgress Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: More Harper Contempt for Transparency and Democracy
This story about Kevin Page’s relentless and noble ongoing attempts to extract information about the public service impact of government budget cuts from the secrecy-obsessed Harper regime appeared in today’s Star. Consequently, I couldn’t resist the impulse to send the story link to the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, the body
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Democratic Renewal
I just got back from my Algonquin trip, so just a very brief post. In skimming today’s Star, there is a very interesting piece by Bob Hepburn on efforts at democratic renewal in Canada to combat the ongoing Harper attack on citizen engagement and voter participation. Small seeds can yield
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