A few weeks ago, we learned of a few McDonald’s restaurants abusing the Temporary Foreign Worker program by giving preferential treatment to candidates coming in under the TFW program over Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Today, we find out that it has been much broader in scope than just
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The Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Implications of Flaherty’s Death
Flaherty passed away suddenly this week. I did not like Jim Flaherty‘s politics – a follower of Mike Harris in the 1990s, and a minister to Harper since 2006, Flaherty has consistently subscribed to following political leaders that I fundamentally disagree with. However, I’m not writing to speak ill of
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Con$ Only Want Cons To Vote
Bill C-23 is an appalling piece of legislation. It is filled with more underhanded deceitfulness than any piece of legislation should ever contain. If there ever was any doubt about the motivations of the Harper Government in tabling this piece of poison, I think Senator Linda Frum’s comments on Twitter
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Bill C-23: Accountability for Thee Not For Me
It’s not exactly news that Harper has never liked Elections Canada. In fact, it’s less than news. His outraged utterances about Elections Canada when he was head of the National Citizens Coalition (NCC) in the 1990s set the tone for the content of Bill C-23. “The jackasses at Elections Canada
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Time To Get Your Eye Back On The Ball, Tom
Apparently NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair hasn’t figured out what the ball is in Canadian politics today. He also took shots at both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Trudeau.Trudeau, in particular, bore the brunt of Mulcair’s attack.The Liberals under Trudeau have been trying to court middle-class voters in the run-up to the next
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Bill C-32: Is This Even Necessary?
As I start to review the content of Bill C-32, the so-called “Victim’s Bill of Rights” legislation, I find myself wondering if this piece of legislation is even meaningful. The first thing that made me wonder about this was the following: 11. Sections 380.3 and 380.4 of the Act
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: In Harper’s Canada … A Budget Bill Isn’t Just A Budget
Pay close attention to Harper's "omnibus" bills. Those contain the bulk of his agenda. They're so big that he's hoping you don't even look. These bills are so multi-dimensional that calling them "budget implementation bills" is a bad joke. Bill C-31, the budget implementation bill for 2014, is no exception.
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Stealing Democracy Part XII: More Revelations On Quebec, and Bill C-23
As more incidents of voter suppression in Quebec come to the surface, the picture starts to become a little more clear. Yesterday, we learned about a Green Party candidate who has been denied registration as a voter. The issue comes down to the interpretation of "domiciled": The debate over who
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Democracy, As Rob Anders Would Write It
Rob “Sleepy” Anders must be feeling the heat from having competition running against him for the nomination in Calgary Signal Hill. Yesterday, he threatened to sue Ron Liepert over claims that Liepert’s campaign made that Anders’ campaign was making misleading phone calls to constituents. Liepert responded with a statement that says Elections Canada
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Stealing Democracy Part XI: Quebec As A Model For C-23
What kind of fuckery is this? I had heard the Quebec had made some changes to the requirements for registering as a voter. I had no idea that it was the inspiration for C-23’s voter id requirements which I have analyzed in depth already. She, again asked me what documentation
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Politics Of Othering
I don’t like Pauline Marois. I never have. Frankly, she reminds me of a teacher I had in grade 6 who ruled the classroom through fear and intimidation … and she keeps on using political tactics that reek of the same stupidity. Today’s entry into the race for the bottom
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Further Analysis On Marc Nadon’s Appointment
Marc Nadon is, for now at least, out of the picture as far as Canada’s Supreme Court is concerned. Frankly, I know very little about Justice Nadon’s beliefs and history as a judge. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he happened to lean towards Mr. Harper’s “hang-em-high” approach to
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Harper Loses 2 Gambits In 2 Days
Harper has lost two gambits to undermine Canada’s legal system in two days. First, an attempt to make prison sentences harsher by retroactively killing an early parole program was knocked down yesterday. Then, this morning, the Supreme Court swatted down Harper’s appointment of Marc Nadon to the Supreme Court. Even
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: No, Transition Does Not Absolve You Of Your Past
I’m sure that the far right is going to use this story in the war currently being conducted on transgender rights in both Canada and the United States. Transgender Defense: ‘Donna’ Says ‘Doug’ Is the Spokane Serial Killer In fact, LifeSite has already picked up on the story: Transsexual
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: More Totalitarianism From The Harper
Just as Harper has been tearing down the apparatus of scientific research that would ordinarily be used by governing parties to make informed policy decisions, the next prong of his attack on reasoned governance in Canada has begun. It really began in 2012, when the government rolled out a
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Stealing Democracy Part X: How Far Does The Rot Go?
There is no doubt any more that Bill C-23 is deliberately designed to enable the CPC (or other political parties) to engage in the kind of electoral fraud that the CPC has attempted, and been caught out at repeatedly in the past. Worse, it goes so far as to politicize
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: On The Crimea Referendum
Okay, Crimea has had its referendum, and apparently over 95% of those who voted, chose to align with Russia. I don’t know the full context of the politics in Crimea. I do understand that Kruschev signed control over Crimea over to Ukraine back in the 1950s, so I’m sure that
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Predictable
In the department of “no big surprise here”, we have The Taliban mocking the departure of Canadian troops from Afghanistan. The Taliban’s information arm issued a statement Thursday to followers in Kandahar congratulating its fighters in the rural districts of Panjwaii, Zharey, Dand, Maiwand and Shah Wali Kot claiming that
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Bill C-23 – Stealing Democracy Part IX: The Shackles On Elections Canada Advertising
Ever since Bill C-23 was tabled, I have been baffled by the fact that the bill so viciously curtails the ability of Elections Canada to advertise and communicate with voters in S18: 18(1) The Chief Electoral Officer may provide the public, both inside and outside Canada, with information on the
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Craaaaack …
I wanted to like Allison Redford, I really did. But an ongoing series of missteps, clumsy decisions such as major cuts to education and overt hostility to this province’s workers in the form of Bills 45 and 46 have thoroughly alienated this voter. Yesterday, as Redford was at long least
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