Tragedy in the North: A First Air 737 crashed and caught fire in northern Nunavut Saturday, killing 12 people. Police say the jet, a 737-200, went down Saturday afternoon near the hamlet of Resolute Bay….Maj. Gerald Favre at the northern search and r…
Continue readingAuthor: Nancy Leblanc
Impolitical: Massive military cuts and hard sells
“Harper spins a new brand of patriotism.” The Liberals embraced the Charter, the flag, peacekeeping and multiculturalism. Now, the Harper Tories are pursuing symbols and areas ignored by the Grits – the Arctic, the military, national sports and espec…
Continue readingImpolitical: Friday night
Have been listening to that one for about two weeks now and it just keeps getting better! One of my faves of the year thus far. Best when turned up to 11. Have a good night!
Continue readingImpolitical: Incredible catch
(h/t)James Fallows at the Atlantic is having a blast with it. These things don’t happen in Canada, thankfully.
Continue readingImpolitical: Today in Finance Committee
So the big political news out of the Finance Committee meeting today where Jim Flaherty and Mark Carney provided updates on the state of economic affairs for Canada amidst this sea of difficulties seems to have been this: On stimulus“That’s exactly…
Continue readingImpolitical: Building prisons and the crime rate
An interesting graphic that’s making the rounds today courtesy of the ACLU: In the last decade, New York drastically reduced its prison population and at the same time experienced a huge drop in crime. Indiana, on the other hand, drastically increased …
Continue readingImpolitical: An economist we could use at Friday’s Finance Committee
Jeffrey Sachs on globalization and present challenges for the US and European economies. His thoughts also ring true for Canada: …I’ve watched dozens of financial crises up close… Neither the US nor Europe has even properly diagnosed the core…
Continue readingImpolitical: It’s that time again
So it’s that time of year again, Operation Nanook is beginning in the North (see how they have that Royal thing going already in the press releases). Harper is heading up there next week. One thing that doesn’t seem to be discussed much in the Canadia…
Continue readingImpolitical: Pennsylvania a lesson for Ontario on renewable energy
Pennsylvania’s Republican Governor has gutted the renewable energy programs of his predecessor: In Pennsylvania, where a major shale gas boom is underway, Governor Tom Corbett is doing exactly what renewable energy supporters feared, according to a rec…
Continue readingImpolitical: A few thoughts on the royal thing
I see that it’s “Quebeckers, historians and anti-monarchists” who have been among the early opponents speaking out against the move to restore the Royal moniker to the Navy and Air Force. Well, they’re not alone. Count this citizen, member of none of t…
Continue readingImpolitical: Not very good, eh
That comment, taken from below, seems about right for this news: “Members of project selection committee Clement chaired received 83 per cent of $50-million G8 fund.” A select committee of nine mayors, reeves and municipal leaders that was chaired by T…
Continue readingImpolitical: Friday’s Finance Committee meeting
So there’s a bit of a controversy over this Friday Finance Committee meeting to get an update on the Canadian economy. A motion was brought to have the committee hear from independent economists in addition to hearing from Jim Flaherty and Mark Carney….
Continue readingImpolitical: Today in the bizarro world of Canadian politics
Two choice items from the Globe today: “Harper makes ‘remarkable’ gains in best-prime-minister ranking” and “Cinephile Stephen Harper drops in on Crazy, Stupid Love.” “He loves movies,” we’re told. Meanwhile, this is the big context of the week, p…
Continue readingImpolitical: Lawful access looms closer
Conservative plans for lawful access online surveillance legislation get some welcome attention in a Lawrence Martin column today: On the question of surveillance and reduced civil liberties, the latest Ottawa measure is what is termed “lawful access…
Continue readingImpolitical: Late night
Memories of TPaw. Heck of a video though, wonder how much it cost to make. Perhaps a lesson in having your video presentations match the quality and stature of your candidate. Memorable line: “None of this is going to be easy.” No, it certainly wasn’t!…
Continue readingImpolitical: Early evening accountability watch
The RCMP: The Mounties have dropped their preliminary probe of a former Tory aide who was cited for political interference in an access-to-information request. An RCMP spokeswoman said Monday there will be no further investigation into Sebastien Togner…
Continue readingImpolitical: The mega-rich vs tax breaks
Warren Buffett lends the Democrats a hand: “Stop Coddling the Super-Rich.” Twelve members of Congress will soon take on the crucial job of rearranging our country’s finances. They’ve been instructed to devise a plan that reduces the 10-year deficit…
Continue readingImpolitical: Conservatives pursue asbestos widow
My, Conservatives should be so proud of themselves: “Tories tussle with asbestos widow over use of party logo in ad campaign.” There is no other party quite like them in Canada today. Check out the picture accompanying the report. The federal Conservat…
Continue readingImpolitical: Sunday drive-by blogging
1. Here’s your what-kind-of-democracy-is-this-we’re-living-in item of the day: “Barring the media bad move by PC candidate.” The Tory candidate in Lambton-Kent Middlesex, Monte McNaughton, barred the media from a town hall meeting the other night. Wher…
Continue readingImpolitical: If it seems too good to be true, it usually is
Rob Ford is giving election promises a very bad name right about now: When he was running for mayor last year, Rob Ford made two explicit promises to the voters of Toronto. The first was that his plan to trim spending and “stop the gravy train” wou…
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