Scripturient: It’s *NOT* Junk Mail
I recognize that we all like to apply labels to categorize things, as shorthand in communication and in conversation, and to identify common views and beliefs. I do it myself; we all do: labels are our everyday metaphors. They are fast and easy shortcuts. But I weary at times of
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: It’s In the Pipeline
Robin Sears writes that universal childcare has been on Canadians’ radar for a long time: Childcare in Canada has a long and twisting history — from pre-Confederation days when informal day nurseries were set up in some larger communities, to 1942 when subsidized daycare spaces were created for mothers working
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: What if we had switched the speeches?
Justin Trudeau short changed us. It was so obvious. The speech read by the governor general should have been for the United Nations. It was dull and obvious but better suited to the world body as it lacked enthusiasm, adventure, inspiration or drive. It was boring and so much of
Continue readingwmtc: international safe abortion day: abortion is healthcare
September 28 is International Safe Abortion Day, a day to reflect on how many women around the world do not have control over their reproduction — that is, do not have control over their lives. Abortion is the sine qua non of women’s liberation. Without the ability to choose whether and
Continue readingStop Canadian Complicity in Torture: "Early perpetrators become a scientific and moral elite and form a spiritual engine of biological necessity."
The Psychology of Genocide extracted from Robert J. Lifton book: “The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing And The Psychology Of Genocide.” (1988) – more here “The smaller genocide develops the technology , personnel (medical units), and institutional structure (killing centers) for the large genocidal act. But the prior event
Continue reading52 Ideas: Tesla’s future and Alberta’s future are intrinsically – though inversely – tied together
Tesla doesn’t make money building cars. They make a little money on energy generation. However, as Andrew Ross Sorkin of the New York Times pointed out during our COVID summer, Tesla makes a lot of money in selling GreenHouse Gas (GHG) Emission Credits to other automobile manufacturers. In fact, Tesla
Continue reading52 Ideas: On Sir John A. MacDonald, Conservatives, Vergangenheitsbewältigung and Working Through Canadian History: the Approach Conservatives should take to Canada’s past
I believe that History matters. History matters because it teaches us how to be better. History provides us with the very best and worst lessons of what people are capable of. Just look at Nelson Mandela. He was one of many people who brought an end to Apartheid in South
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Erin O’Toole’s Criminally Irresponsible COVID Bomb
When I first heard that Erin O'Toole had tested positive for COVID-19 I felt sorry for him, or at least as sorry as I could ever feel for the leader of Canada's Bigot Party. I hoped he would make a quick recovery, and that for the sake of others he
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: love: possibly roddy doyle’s best book
Love, the latest novel by Irish writer Roddy Doyle, is a miniature tour de force. It’s a story where seemingly nothing happens, nothing that you could really call a plot. Two men who have known each other a very long time, but haven’t seen each other in many years, are
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Charlie Smith talks to Robert Hare about the increasing concentration of corporate control – and deterioration of the public’s capacity to provide a needed counterweight – in the decades since The Corporation was released. – PressProgress exposes the hundreds of thousands of dollars
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Relax. It’s Only a Civilization. They Come, They Go. It’s What Civilizations Do.
I get it. We’re exceptional. In the history of humanity there’s never been anything like us, here, today. We’re all but invincible, masters of all we survey. We tend to look at the world as one giant civilization. Perhaps that’s because we’re a collection of civilizations all integrated through
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Get Rid Of The Big Money
Everywhere, it seems, politics is corrupted by big money. That certainly has been the case in Ontario. Martin Regg Cohn writes: Back in 2016, after a series of columns exposing the wild west of Ontario fundraising, the previous Liberal government clamped down on the worst abuses — so that politicians
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: California Under the Gun, Again
Triple digit temperatures, high winds and low humidity are returning to California over the weekend and could ignite a second wave of wildfires across the state. Red flag warnings have been issued across northern California from Saturday through Monday. “Even if you live on the coast or in the city, you’re
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Golden Rod, One Thing That Shines in These Dark Times
The golden rod has been blooming around here for several weeks. In fact, in some places it’s actually well past its prime, and is looking a little faded. But this morning I found this bunch just as the sun began to shine on it. Somewhere there are a few bees
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Fight Against COVID-19 Is Going To The Dogs
Testing for COVID-19 has become a big political issue for all the wrong reasons. Far too many Canadians who don't need to be tested are lining up to get the test, overwhelming labs, and then complaining about the time it takes to get a result. But now it seems those
Continue readingKersplebedeb: Jalil Muntaqim Granted Parole After 49+ Years in Prison
Jalil Muntaqim, a 68-year-old respected elder, was granted parole on September 22, 2020, after serving nearly 50 years in prison. Jalil is one of thousands of incarcerated older people in New York State who was repeatedly denied parole for over two decades after completing his minimum sentence despite his excellent
Continue readingCathie from Canada: An Outstanding UN Speech from Trudeau
Trudeau addressed the United Nations today and his speech was simply outstanding: Other people have posted, but ICYMI10 minutes worth watching. Headline Politics: PM Trudeau Addresses UN General Assembly – September 25, 2020 | CPAChttps://t.co/M4CO0c9qX0 — G Godwin (@gill_godwin) September 26, 2020 Here are some excerpts of what he said:
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Donald Trump and the End of the World
As we all know Donald Trump is slowly but surely coming apart at the seams. With less than forty days to go before the election the pressure is obviously getting to him. And he's never sounded crazier or more dangerous. He won't even commit to a peaceful transfer of power. Which is
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Democracy embarrassed
As a committed democrat, I would dearly love to be able to convince doubters of democracy’s superiority by pointing to its leaders. And in the past that has often been easy. Today, not so much. This came home to me the other day as I followed the speeches at the
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