When Vic Toews proclaimed this week that those who didn’t stand with the government “stand with the child pornographers,” Ann Cavoukian — Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner — responded, “What it showed to me was the weakness of their case.” It was a telling comment. Whether it’s the Harper Party’s defence of
Continue readingThe cares of a family man
So Vic Toews wants to know all about us? Let’s have a little counter-surveillance. It’s impossible to stop reading about the private life of this Christian gentleman. Turnabout is fair play.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
Apparently there have been a few developments in the NDP’s leadership race – and indeed enough that I’ll likely need to apply a bit more a filter on what I catalogue in my roundup posts. (In particular, I’ll generally stop pointing out survey or event-based coverage which doesn’t add much
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Free Mohamed Harkat
Mohamed Harkat has been either imprisoned or subject to restrictive bail conditions for over nine years without ever being convicted of a crime. He’s been the subject of a Security Certificate issued on the recommendation of CSIS since December, 2002. He’ll be back in a courtroom — this time a
Continue readingBuckdog: How The Conservative Party Fought The Canadian Red Maple Leaf Flag – Feb. 15, 1964
“From the Tory benches the prime minister (Pearson) was greeted by jeers and hoots and shouts of derision. ‘Vote with pride’, “All right,” exclaimed Mr. Pearson, “they have turned it down with jeers and insults, but we will vote with pride.” Shouts, screams, desk-banging – even obscene gestures – marked
Continue readingeaves.ca: Data Wars: A mini-case study of Southwest Airlines vs. TripIt and Orbitz
As a regular flyer, I’m an enormous fan of TripIt. It’s a simple service in which you forward almost any reservation – airline, hotel, car rental, etc… to plans@tripit.com and their service will scan it, grab the relevant data, and create a calendar of events for you. While it’s a
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Canucks On Heartland Institute Payroll
DeSmog Blog has dropped the bomb: leaked documents from the Heartland Institute outlining their campaign against the science of AGW. Goals include hiring a fellow named David Wojick to write up a K9 curriculum contra the evidence for AGW: His effort will focus on providing curriculum that shows that the
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Harper Knows How to Walk Away from International Commitments, Why Is He Stuck On the F-35?
Steve Harper knows how to weasel out of commitments. Remember how we were in Afghanistan “to stay” until we had the Taliban crushed and the country safe for democracy? Harper wrung every drop of political gravy he could squeeze out of that one and then walked way. Then he upped
Continue readingThe World Famous Dan Shields: 4223…Ezra Levant Makes A Funny
The fact challenged SUN TV troll called Justin Trudeau “The Paris Hilton of Canadian Politics.” That is funny. Especially coming from the Newman of Canadian Politics. WFDS
Continue readingGeoff at Mount Allison: Mount Allison University Professor James Devine to testify at Canadian Senate Hearing
One of my professors, Dr. James Devine will be travelling to Ottawa to testify before the Canadian Senate‘s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Standing Committee to “Examine and report on Canadian foreign policy regarding Iran, its implications, and other related matters“. His testimony will begin at 11:30am Atlantic and will
Continue readingCanadian Dimension Feed: Our Dying Planet
By the end of this century, coral reef ecosystems will very likely be extinct. Think about the magnitude of that statement for a minute, requests ecologist and coral reef expert Peter F. Sale in Our Dying Planet. Describing coral reefs as “the canary in the environmental coal mine,” Sale argues
Continue readingRedBedHead: Apple’s $98 Billion Is Blood Money
There’s a lot of hand-waving around Apple’s use of sweat shop labour in China. Apple CEO Tim Cook is offended and outraged by the mere suggestion that Apple engages in poor labour practices. And now they’ve sent the “Fair Labor Association” into Foxconn to perform an “audit” of labour practices
Continue readingTrashy's World: As much as I hate snow…
… this nice and light dusting looks far nicer than the brown and grey that has been predominant lately. Trashy, Ottawa, Ontario
Continue readingA Novelist's Mind: Lilian Nattel Online: Dream Review by Beth Kephart
A close friend of mine who read Beth’s review of Web of Angels, said, “She writes like music.” It’s true–Beth’s writing, both in her blog and her books is gorgeous, as truthful and beautiful as Beth’s heart. And so I am honoured, heartened, and thrilled by Beth’s reflections on my
Continue readingAngus Reid’s abortion push-poll
Shameful and unprofessional. What is AR playing at—and for whom? False dichotomies are all the rage these days, of course. But still. [H/t fern hill]
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: The Importance of Scientific Freedom
Science denied or science muzzled is a threat to entire political and economic systems, even to the viability of whole societies. Policies that don’t respect scientific processes and the weight of its information revert to a primitivism that is guided by the forces of impulse, power, personality and superstition. They
Continue readingThose Emergency Blues: Nurses are Like Howler Monkeys, Poo and All
When I was a young, inexperienced nurse, I quickly learned one lesson: the cliché that Emergency nurses are fabulously assertive, mouthy, in-your-face pitbulls is absolutely true. I don’t mean ED nurses are bitchy or backstabbing eat-their-own-young types, though this was true also, at least for some of them. I mean
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Re: BN CRTC 2011-788 – Review of Local Programming Improvement Fund
FRIENDS recommends that the CRTC bend over backwards to defend and protect the position of smaller ownership groups in view of the undue influence of the largest players in the broadcasting system.
Continue readingWise Law Blog: 140 Law – Legal Headlines for Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Here are the leading legal headlines for Wednesday, February 15, 2012 from Wise Law on Twitter: Sperm donor identity debate focuses on children’s rights – Vancouver Sun Quebec town bans smoking in parks, playgrounds Illinois doctor gets four life terms in patients’ overdose deaths – Business Probe of Whitney Houston’s
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: What Do Stephen Harper and Rob Ford Have In Common?
Both, it seems, have a constitutional aversion to being honest with the people they purport to represent. Click here for a story on Harper’s folly (i.e., the F-35 fairy tale Haper Inc. is fond of spinning to benighted voters) and here for how Toronto Mayor Rob Ford tried to bury
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