Andrew Cohen acknowledges at the beginning of his latest column that he is a friend of retired general Andrew Leslie: (A note: I have known Leslie, his wife and children for 10 years. We’re friends). That said, he then reviews the facts: As part of their severance, those who serve
Continue readingAuthor: Owen Gray
Northern Reflections: Ignoring The American Expereince
Some Americans have been warning Canada that following in their footsteps isn’t wise. They warned that establishing mandatory minimum sentences fills up jails but does not deter crime. Still, as crime has fallen in this country, the Harperites have insisted that they know more about punishment than judges, and so
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Not Seeing The Other Half
For some time now, Robert Reich writes, the United States has been devolving into a We and Them Society — as in, Why should we pay for them? He sites several examples: The middle-class and wealthy citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, for example, are trying to secede from
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: No Comparison
When Nelson Mandela died, Stephen Harper eulogised him as a “great moral leader…He left prison with his mind closed to any settling of scores and his heart open to those he had fought against. He demonstrated that the only path open to his nation was to reject the appeal of
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Road To Fascism
The Harper government has ordered the Canada Revenue Agency to carefully audit the books of organizations opposed to pipelines. Murray Dobbins correctly wonders if big oil has subverted Canadian democracy. But the government’s use of the tax man to get at its enemies is not Dobbins’ biggest worry. The more
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Will He Go With A Bang Or A Whimper?
Yesterday, Jim Flaherty signalled that he is packing his bags. In announcing his opposition to income splitting, he placed himself in direct opposition to his boss and the men, like Jason Kenny, who hope to replace the prime minister — if and when he retires. Flaherty also became a target
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: A Boot Stamping On A Human Face
Heather Mallick writes, in today’s Toronto Star, that the essence of the Harper government is personal cruelty: I object to the Harper government for many reasons (harperwatch.wordpress.com provides a good listing service): damage to water, earth and sky via the tarsands, love of pipelines, no census, mandatory jail sentencing, service
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Mistrust Breeds Contempt
Mitchell Anderson writes that Canada has become The Great Weird North, where the government doesn’t trust its own citizens. Consider the evidence: Revelations last week that Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) was spying on Canadians cell phones through airport Wi-Fi networks only came to light due to documents leaked by
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Mark Of Tyrants
Tom Walkom writes that the Harper government’s new citizenship bill is a Trojan Horse: It is presented as an attempt to reduce fraud and rationalize the process of becoming a Canadian citizen, both of which are sensible aims. But it would also give Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government unprecedented
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Struck Dumb Or Plain Dumb?
As the Harperites have abandoned veterans, cut postal service to seniors and insisted that everyone must bow in awe of the deficit, the silence of the Tory backbench has been remarkable. Michael Harris writes: Why don’t these ordinary Conservative MPs speak out against the injustice of the so-called “universality of
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Legislating Apathy
Yesterday, the Harper Party moved to limit debate on its so called Fair Elections Act. Three days, they said, is all it should take to debate the bill. The reason for the three day limit is abundantly clear: the longer the bill is exposed to sunlight, the more its real
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: He Won’t Change
Yesterday, Rob Ford announced that he would not attend World Pride in Toronto because “I’m not going to change the way I am.” Judging from his continuing escapades, it would seem that the public can take that statement to the bank. And, after reading Robin Doolittle’s book Crazy Town, Tasha
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Big Bang?
There has been much debate about Justin Trudeau’s Senate gambit. Bill Tieleman claims that it is merely sleight of hand. But Lawrence Martin thinks it may be a big bang moment, which starts the process of democratic reform: The Trudeau gambit could well touch off a chain reaction or at
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Stigma Within Themselves
Yesterday, the Harper Party defeated an NDP motion to reverse the closure of Veterans Affairs Offices across the country. Julian Fantino has been the face of the government on this issue. But now it’s clear that there are 145 other MPs — including the prime minister — who stand behind
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Self Service
The numbers are in on Stephen Harper’s trip to Israel. The Canadian Press reports: The survey, conducted from Jan. 23-Jan. 27 by Harris/Decima for The Canadian Press, suggests a third of Canadians held a favourable impression of Harper’s first foray to the Middle East. Twenty-six per cent, meantime, said they
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: No Tragic Hero
On Friday night, Conrad Black was stripped of his membership in the Order of Canada. Tim Harper writes: Black is now one of only six Order of Canada recipients stripped of the honour and forced to return the insignia. And what a photo op that would be when he hands
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Unrestrained Nastiness
Yesterday, former soldiers protested the closing of Veterans Affairs Offices across the country. They were told they could be better served on-line. And Julian Fantino, the Minister of Veterans Affairs, simply told them to go away. Bruce Moncour was a member of the delegation which was supposed to “meet” with
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Prime Directive: Do Nothing
When it comes to managing the Canadian economy, Tom Walkom writes, the Harper government’s prime directive is do nothing and let the American economy drag us along. The strategy is nothing new: It is, in fact, a classic Canadian strategy. The Liberal government of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin used
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: A Force To Be Reckoned With
Yesterday, Justin Trudeau gave Stephen Harper and Tom Mulcair migraines. Micheal den Tandt writes: In one bold, risky and unexpected gambit, Justin Trudeau has turned the national debate about the Red Chamber on its head, blasted a crater-sized hole in the Conservative government’s strategy to sell its version of Senate
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Too Close To The Sun
Once again, Chris Hedges has returned to the Pequod as a metaphor for North American society. The ship and crew in Melville’s Moby Dick are doomed because they have willingly supported one man’s mad quest. And like them, Hedges writes, we are teetering on the edge of collapse: Our financial
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