What happens if a rigid, far right ideologue who’s only experience in a public service role is a tale of obstruction, fundamental lack of understanding of the facts, radical disdain for the role of the public sector, childish spats and a seeming inability to compromise or work with anyone who disagrees with her
Continue readingThe Assumption In Justine Hunter’s Suggestion To The (not) Premier.
PattyCakePattyCake SaveHerAgainVille Justine Harper, in The Globe & (no longer Empire) Mail has a suggestion for Christy Clark today that she reckons might just make it possible for the (not)Premier to save her tattered political party’s free enterprise ‘brand’. Which is to go for broke, and actually do something real
Continue readingCalgaryGrit: My 5 cents on the federal budget
For years the Liberals warned you of Stephen Harper’s hidden agenda. Just wait until he gets a majority, and you won’t recognize Canada. For years, Conservatives quietly whispered to their base that they couldn’t go as far as they wanted because of that damn minority government. The Liberals won’t let
Continue readingCritical Brain Candy: More bad news for RIM, but what does it really mean?
Last night’s earnings report from RIM brought more bad news, even prompting BGR into a sensationalist headline of Research In Motion is dead. The comments in response to the BGR article are interesting to read, most tending towards a sentiment of “Why are you saying this, don’t you know you’re affecting
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Oil Industry Lobbyist / Mushroom Farmer Claims Family Farms Need Fracking
Fracking_Graphic_t670.jpg Because apparently the only way for small American farmers to sustain themselves is not with crops they produce, but by letting the good 'ole gas man tap the reserves under their land. "Agriculture and industry go together, if you want prosperity in these little towns, you need balance, that's the
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Energy Efficiency Hour
Earth Hour has been implemented incorrectly the last few years. It’s time to change that, and use the time to make a concrete contribution to energy efficiency that lasts [Instead of Earth Hour]. Turning off power sucking devices for an hour only saves an hour of electricity to be consumed
Continue readingPro-bullying Xians (and a Sikh) invade Queen’s Park
Hatemongers defending the bullying of GLBT high school students assembled at Queen’s Park yesterday to tell the Ontario government and the world how creeped out they are by faggots. They were joined by close Stephen Harper advisor Charles McVety, who apparently never met a gay person he didn’t want to
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Disappointing Reaction to OAS Changes
Yesterday, I was deeply disappointed while watching televised ‘person-in-the-street’ reactions to the changes in Old Age Security ensconced in the federal budget. One young person expressed his approval of the change, another said he never really expected a pension by the time he retires anyway, a middle-aged woman approved because
Continue readingfirst word, tree.: Organizing the Personal to the Structural
My personal motivations for participating in movement-building stem from a steady process of feeling empowered through collective action with climate justice organizers. I wish to share my experience to help illustrate the profound impact that I believe climate justice organizing is having in Canada and how it is developing a resilient, creative,
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: George Galloway: stunning landslide victory in Bradford West
George Galloway, the British MP banned in 2009 from entry into Canada has achieved a stunning electoral victory in the UK. Standing for the Respect Party, Galloway pulled off an historic victory in Bradford West. Not too shabby for a guy humiliated by Canada – dubbed “an infandous street corner
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Now what? Industry reacts to Ottawa slashing the CBC’s annual subsidy by Etan Vlessing
FRIENDS says the Harper government has singled out the CBC for punitive cuts and has broken its election pledge to maintain or increase CBC funding in the process.
Continue readingBetterParks for Vancouver: Just one of the many reasons for loving where we live
Over Spring Break my friends, Louis and Darcy and I, made a trek half-way up the Lynn Headwaters trail in North Vancouver. This is a fairly easy hike of about 12 km there and back, though we did run into snow and icy trails. Here is a photo Louis took
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Anti-Gay Protest In Ontario
A crowd of about 200 appeared in Queen’s Park, Ontario yesterday, protesting provincial legislation that will help eliminate anti-gay bullying in schools. This rally also marked the unveiling of some brand new terminology to be used by the anti-gay lobby, as a spokesperson began referring to Gay-Straight Alliances as “homosexual
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Budget: CBC takes a 10 per cent cut by Jordan Press
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s annual funding from the federal government will be cut by $115 million over the next three years, a blow that could lead to job losses or programming cuts at Canada’s public broadcaster.
Continue readingMorton's Musings: Legislative history and statutory interpretation
Abdula v. Canadian Solar Inc., 2012 ONCA 211 deals with the very limited use to which legislative history can be put in statutory interpretation: [52] It is important to note the extent to which legislative history may be considered in determining a law's purpose. The Supreme Court stated in Reference re: Firearms Act
Continue readingThe Moncton Times@Transcript - Good and Bad: March 30: Budget..buzz.buzz..no more pennies..buzz–efficiency…buzz..
The news services are doing their usual incoherent job of presenting the news on the federal and provincial budgets. Their “news” is mostly quotations from politicians speaking the their usual buzz words…responsible, effeciency, live-within-means,…….. most of which don’t mean a damn thing. In fact, the cuttings, firings, government attacks and protest resignations
Continue readingLeft Over: Say No! to Enbridge, a little Donnybrook coming to a Canadian West Coast near you
Here’s something I was requested to share on Facebook, and i’m happy to do so…it’s a great symbol for the expressed unity of First Nations people and everyone else opposed to this toxic concept, and a fittingly scary trope for all that this pipeline concievably represents.. Artwork by Andy Everson,
Continue readingHarper getting serious about squashing environmental groups. $8M worth of serious.
This is beyond bold. Harper setting aside $8 million to fight environmental groups is appalling of course and a sign that Harper’s totalitarian approach to governance is just beginning. A recent Maclean’s analysis suggests the initiative is aimed directly at Tides Canada, a registered charity which spends some of its
Continue readingMy Morning (Bus) Ride.
FareBoxForMeEveryTime OtherwiseIMightForgetVille A little under the weather this moring. And the weather still a little lousy. So I left the bike behind and caught the bus. And. As I was was sitting there scratchy throated amongst all the school kids, I could only hope that. I wasn’t infecting anybody. .
Continue readingAbortion clinic’s landlord turns the tables on anti-abortion activists
This is the way you do it. But his tormentors crossed the line last fall when a big group showed up at his daughter’s middle school on the first day of classes and again at back-to-school night. They had signs displaying his name and contact information as well as those
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