Brexit has been “one of the most spectacular mistakes” in the history of the EU and followed a campaign marked by “an unprecedented readiness to lie”, Donald Tusk has said. In his first interview since standing down as European council president last week, Tusk said Brexit was “the most painful
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Democracy Under Fire: The Platform Web
“Platforms are more like shopping malls than town squares — public to an extent, but ultimately managed according to private interests.” Taylor Owen in an article titled Why Platform Governance? Not having heard the term ‘Platform Governance’ when I saw this link in reading some of Mr Owens recent posts
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Is it all about the $$$?
Regular readers, all two or three of you, will know that I have had little to say here at Democracy Under Fire during the recent election period, the manure being spread was simply too deep for this old fellow to wade through. Now that the BS is gradually subsiding I
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Minority Coalition Parliaments
As one of the ‘leaders’ trying to become our next prime minister shows his true colours by spouting lies and false information I urge those of you who have yet to vote to be very careful what you wish for, or more correctly who you vote for. I will not
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Advanced Polls are open…..
I will be driving the few miles to the polling location shortly to waste my time voting for a candidate who will not be elected, its more of a protest vote against the ‘party’ of the fellow who will almost certainly get in in this traditional conservative riding. I have
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Intent V Reality
The over the top coverage of the dress and makeup of a young fellow at a party some 20 years ago has reached the point of a media frenzy, whilst our society clearly needs a discussion about how we treat and view individuals who look or dress different from ourselves,
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The ABC Dilemma ….again
As ‘be counted’ day approaches each of us of voting age must decide which ‘party’ to vote for, yes I know we do not vote for the party but for an individual who ‘represents’ (or more correctly is a member of) said political party. Lets face it the whole idea
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Rural Election Coverage Disappearing
“National media coverage of rural Canada during elections is thin, and local outlets are disappearing. The overall quality of Canadian debate suffers.” So says Barry Wilson in the online magazine policyoptions.irpp.orgas a long time rural resident myself I cannot help but agree and so will highlight a few of Mr
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Take a deep breath ….whilst you still can.
On the day Premier Doug Ford pulled Ontario out of an international clean energy trading market, it spelled the end for 227 emissions-reducing projects across the province, reveals a leaked document….It is but a small example of the short term thinking and anti green mindset of the Frord regime. According
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Democracy in danger?
Given the title of this blog I must ask the question is our very democracy in danger from the proliferation of discourse on social media, whether true or not, about our political leaders and their various ‘platforms’. I will freely admit that being one of the rare individuals that has
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Comparing Dictators….
There are those progressives who have made a point of not comparing the Trump Regime with that of Hitler in the early 30s, I make no such distinction for I see many similarities, that Trump’s focus in not so much on one particular ethnic minority make little difference to the
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: An Urgent Crisis?
Its pretty clear where the Con’s stand regarding the ever increasing threat to life as we know it on this planet we call Earth for all 63 of them in the House of Commons voted AGAINT a motion declaring a national climate emergency. The motion describes climate change as a
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Long Hours & Many Miles
“The hours are long, the workload can be overwhelming. The people you work for don’t always like you and, after four years, they can fire you without saying why.” so says the opening commentary in a recent article highlighting the retirement of some Mps this coming fall. “I didn’t realize
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: List of List’s, Cuts, cuts, cuts….
Ontario Premier Mr Frord has said he is on a mission to ‘reduce waste’ by any means possible (except by removing himself) and he most certainly is reducing the programs and supports available to us peons that rely upon government to help for everything from health and welfare to education
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The uncountable Ontario ‘government’ !
“The Ontario Progressive Conservative government plans to adjourn the House for an extended summer break on Thursday, in a move that would leave Queen’s Park empty until after the next federal election. The Ford government will table a motion on Thursday to extend the summer break to Oct. 28, more
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Are these ‘senators NUTS?
I have returned briefly to tell these mostly Conservative Albertan Senators to get their collective heads out of their collective arse’s … do they really think a few dollars in a few Alberta pockets will compensate for the destruction of the flora and fauna of the west coast that will
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Democracy Delayed
I regret that for the foreseeable future I will not be writing any commentary upon the state of our democracy on these pages due to personal family challenges that must be given a higher priority. This does not mean that I no longer have an ongoing and deep concern for
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Mothers Day Heroes….
On this special day when we think of the ladies in our lives my focus is not upon the uncaring political types that I usually write about but on the girls at the Owen Sound Hospital who have been attending to my wife over the last week. As I visit
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: It bears repeating ….. again and again!
Is Anyone Listening? My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 16 years old. I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations. I know many of you don’t want to listen to us – you say we are just children. But we’re only repeating the message of
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The Future of Democracy (repost)
This previously published bit from 2009 in which Steve May‘s seriesis highlighted perhaps shows how little things have changed in 10 years. Much of his series is focused upon “green” issues (and even more relevant now than previously) but the following is food for thought regarding where are we going
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