Given the brutal manner in which some police officers discharge their authority, it always strikes me as just a tad ‘precious’ when they complain about how unjustly they are being treated whenever the press offers some criticism of their practices. In responding to The Toronto Star’s series, Police Who Lie,
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Politics and its Discontents: When Is A Police Quota System Not A Quota System?
Apparently, when it is a ‘performance standard.’ Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine Gears Up
Deeply affronted, perhaps even frightened by the recent change to the Ontario budget that will impose an increase of 2% on the income of those making over $500,000 per year, the right-wing has been busy cranking out its anti-tax propaganda. Lest anyone think that a return to some form of
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Another Victory For The Star
As a direct result of their investigative series, Police Who Lie, The Toronto Star is once more contributing to the social good. The following is reported today’s edition: Ontario’s chief prosecutor will probe the issue of police officers who are found by judges to have lied in court. Attorney General
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: I Am Mayor, Hear Me Roar!
My question: Is anyone listening? Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Harper Perversion Of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program
In what looks like yet another invitation by the Harper regime to corporate thievery in Canada, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley last week announced that employers will now be able to pay temporary migrant workers less than would be paid to Canadians doing the same job. What is especially alarming
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Congratulations To The Harper Government
May the Prime Minister and his party enablers wear this award with distinction! P.S. Check out some of the readers’ comments on the site as well. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Star Continues To Shine A Light On Some Very Dark Places
A taser to the scrotum 10-15 times. A ‘rear naked choke hold’ (an arm around the throat, another behind the head and a knee in the back). A beating in a ditch. The suspect’s ‘crime’? Leaning out his window and shouting “Hey, baby!” to several Niagara Regional Police officers. Thus
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: More Troubling News On The Police Front
I have the feeling that if I had both the time and the narrowness of purpose, I could devote this blog entirely to police and their abuse of authority and the citizens they are sworn to protect. It seems that one doesn’t have to look far, be it on YouTube
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Why The Star Is The Real ‘Newspaper Of Record’
Those who regularly read The Toronto Star will hardly be surprised to learn that it has just won five National Newspaper Awards for the excellence of its reporting, reporting that often results in some real benefits to society. A new benefit appears to be emerging as a result of its
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Sky Isn’t Falling (The One-Percent Just Pretend It Is)
One thing you have to hand to the monied class – they are shameless and unconscionable in their hyperbole. Reacting to the imposition of a 2% surtax in Ontario on those making over a half-million per year, they are pulling out all the stops, even invoking the Holocaust as they
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Who Looks More Dishonourable Here?
I suppose some would say it is simply canny politics on the part of Dalton McGuinty here, and that Elizabeth Witmer sold herself to the highest bidder. On the other hand, I hope the Premier’s strategy fails, and Kitchener-Waterloo elects an NDPer in the byelection. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Police Who Lie Under Oath – Part 2
Part 2 of The Star series on the problem of police lying under oath is available on its website. Today’s coverage examines the lack consequences for such behaviour, many departments seeming to prefer a see-no-evil, hear-no-evil kind of approach. And as per his function, the always pugnacious Mark Pugash, Toronto
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Police Who Lie Under Oath
The following suspects have walked free after officers lied in court: an accused pimp of a teenage girl, possessors of child pornography, a major ecstasy manufacturer operating out of a Scarborough house, members of an international data-theft and fake-credit-card ring, marijuana growers, and drug dealers carrying loaded handguns. Judges have
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Have you Seen TED? The Possibilities of Enlightenment
We all lead busy lives (yes, even retired folk like me). Our desire for information and knowledge to allow us to intelligently interpret the world around us is limited by many factors, not the least of which are time constraints. Certainly, we may try to keep abreast of things by
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Spring Signs of A Thaw In Our Political Passivity?
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen in print the term ‘Red Tory’, used to describe an economic conservationism balanced by a social progressiveness. Yet it is included in columns today by The Star’s Thomas Walkom and Chantal Hebert as both reflect upon the significance of Alison Redford’s Progressive
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: This Is Most Gratifying
I suspect that Adam Carroll, the Liberal staffer who established the Vikileaks Twitter account revealing embarrassing yet publicly-available information about Public Safety Minister Vic Toews was speaking for many of us today during his voluntary appearance before the Commons ethics committee today. Despite the predictable bullying from member Dean Del
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Solution to Our Political Apathy?
I would like to think that one needn’t be a political junky to have at least a reasonable awareness of what our federal government is doing ‘on our behalf.’ Yet the fact is that we have political disengagement in this country that is reaching historic lows, if election turnouts are
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Art of the Possible
People have to give Andrea Horwath full marks for putting into practice the famous quote by Otto von Bismarck: Politics is the art of the possible. Through her willingness to compromise during negotiations with the McGuinty government, not only has she avoided an election that few wanted, but she has
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Victory
Every once and a while, there is a win for the good guys and gals. I don’t know about you, but it is enough to keep me going. Meanwhile, the predictable response from young Tim Hudak, who once more amply demonstrates that he just isn’t ready for prime time politics.
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