Stephen Harper likes to claim that his values are Canadian values. If Harper truly based his decisions on evidence, he might begin to revaluate that assumption. According to a new poll from Insightrix Reseach, only 2% of Canadians believe that climate change is a hoax: Almost one-third — 32 per
Continue readingAuthor: Owen Gray
Northern Reflections: All That Outrage
It’s interesting to see what’s happened to the Party of Moral Outrage. When the Sponsorship Scandal broke, the Conservatives were in high dudgeon. They had a right to be outraged. But their outrage was nothing new. Their predecessors, the Reform Party, were always the Party of High Dudgeon. They railed
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Wealth and Health
We have known for twenty-five years that neo-conservative economic policies produce extreme income inequality. Now a report by the Canadian Medical Association makes clear that the same policies have led to health inequality. The CBC reports that : The gap in self-reported health status between income groups seems to be
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Romney, Ryan and Cheap Grace
Now that Mitt Romney has chosen Paul Ryan as his running mate, the transformation of the Republican Party is complete. The Party of Lincoln is now the Party of Ayn Rand. The Party of small business and the family farm is now the party of big business and private capital.
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Harper’s Assault On Knowledge
Valerie Knowles writes this morning that, to date, the press has paid little attention to what federal budget cuts have done to government libraries: To date, the Immigration and Refugee Board, Transport Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Public Service Commission, National Capital Commission and Canadian International Development Agency
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: How Not To Do Labour Relations
Just as Peter Kent is the Anti-Environment Minister, Lisa Raitt is the Anti-Labour Minister. Her job has been to legislate Canada Post, Air Canada and Canadian Pacific workers back to their workplaces before a strike got underway. But an indication of just how clumsy the Conservatives are at handling labour
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Man Of Science
Stephen Harper said yesterday that there would be an independent review of the proposed Northern Gateway Project: “The only way that governments can handle controversial projects of this manner is to ensure that things are evaluated on an independent basis scientifically, and not simply on political criteria,” Harper told reporters
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Federalism Upside Down
Don Lenihan and Graham Fox argue this morning that, under the Harper government, federalism has been turned upside down: The federal government seems to have opted for a more transactional approach to governance, concentrating on issues like border security, crime and natural resources. The Harper government seems uncomfortable with complex
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Much Ado About Religion
Lawrence Marin takes a little time and space this morning to rebut the theocons who were outraged when he asked whether the prime minister’s religious faith influences his policies — or lack of them. Martin was answering people like Michael Coren, who called Martin a “twit” for suggesting that some
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Quebec’s Generation Gap
In the spring, it became clear that Quebec was experiencing what — in my youth — we called a “generation gap.” Konrad Yakabuski writes, in today’s Globe an Mail, that the kids in the street will definitely have an effect on the election. But what that effect will be is
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Flanagan’s Folly
Tom Flanagan beats the drum in the morning’s Globe and Mail for the Northern Gateway pipeline and all other pipelines. He cites section 92(10) subsection (a) of the BNA Act which gives the federal Parliament jurisdiction over railways, canals and “other works and undertakings” (including pipelines in today’s world) extending
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Riding Herd On The Civil Service
Michael Harris reminds his readers that the RCMP has been a troubled organization for a very long time: There were all those sled dogs they slaughtered; there was that dynamite they stole and tried to link to the FLQ; there was the membership list of the Parti Québécois they stole
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Another No
A week after the premiers invited Stephen Harper to their next meeting on the economy, he rejected the invitation — again. He does G8 and G20 summits. And he certainly does Davos. But he has no time for the premiers. The Canadian Press reports that: When asked if there would
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Harper and Quebec
Tim Harper warns in today’s Toronto Star that — if the betting is right, and Jean Charest calls an election today — Ottawa could be radically transformed. If the Parti Quebecois wins that election, Stephen Harper’s government could be shaken to its foundations. The Conservative majority was quite consciously built
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: To Jerusalem — Via New York and Toronto
The Globe and Mail reports that Mitt Romney’s foreign policy has Canadian roots. Dan Senor, who has accompanied Romney on his tour of Israel, was born in New York but grew up in Toronto — where his mother still lives. Mr Senor went to high school in the Forest Hill
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Into The Fire
Stephen Harper — that shrewd political strategist — has maneuvered himself into the hands of the Parti Quebecois. He has vowed to stay out of the upcoming provincial election. But he will, nonetheless, be at the centre of the debate. Daniel Leblanc gives Globe and Mail readers a preview of
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Those Lesser Mortals
While it may be true that Alison Redford and Christie Clark are having a strong and public disagreement, at least they can sit around the same table and talk. And talk they did last week — with all the other members of the Council of the Federation. Apparently, Stephen Harper
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Irony! The Irony!
Joseph Conrad was not noted for his sense of humour. But, if he were writing Heart of Darkness at the beginning of the 21st century, instead of at the end of the 19th, Mr. Kurtz’ last words might be these. Certainly, China’s bid for Nexen Energy is fraught with irony.
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Glorifying War
Yves Engler writes this morning that the Conservative government is preparing to go to war: By setting up overseas bases and increasing the military’s size, the Conservatives are preparing for future wars. They’ve also built the cultural and ideological foundation for constant war. In one of innumerable examples, the updated
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Show Her The Money
Andrew Coyne, in this morning’s National Post, accuses B.C. premier Christy Clark of engaging in political extortion: Clark’s real weapon is political: the opposition of much of the B.C. public to the project, and the price the federal Tories would likely pay at the polls were they seen to be
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