Edmund Burke, 1729 – 1797 I look in the mirrorAnd what do I see?A strange looking personThat cannot be me. For I am much youngerAnd not nearly so fatAs that face in the mirrorI am looking at. Oh, where are the mirrorsThat I used to knowLike the ones which wereMade
Continue readingCalgaryGrit: What to Expect in 2012
2011 was an eventful year in Canadian politics. We were treated to a historic federal election in the Spring, and five provincial elections in the Fall. Alison Redford and Christy Clark defeated the establishment in hotly contested leadership races, while François Legault put everyone on notice in Quebec. Jack Layton
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Heteronormativity – Yet another unseen standard in society.
This clip is about the acceptance of same sex couples making out in public spaces. Why is it okay for hetero couples to mash face, but not when of the same sex. Gauge your reactions and how you feel about the situations presented. Examine your feelings and ask where do
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: From a Star Reader: Welcome to Harper’s Harsh New World
A particularly insightful lead letter is found in today’s Toronto Star. Because most letters seem to be available online for but a short time, I am reproducing writer Stephen Douglas’ thoughts on the folly of our pseudo-economist Prime Minister’s tax giveaways to the corporate sector, which continues its relentless mission
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Frances Russell criticizes the Cons’ latest attempts to stifle parliamentary accountability. And the Citizen can only scoff at Tony Clement’s claim to be an advocate for open government: What matters is whether government makes information available. The statistics from access-to-information requests suggest
Continue reading350 or bust: Is Climate Change God’s Will?
The following is a reposting from last January: Recently a good friend of mine shared that, at a family gathering over the holidays, her son and daughter-in-law had remarked that they didn’t “believe” in climate change. Since then, I have been considering her situation. What is an appropriate response that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, responding to plenty of talk about the rising West with a look at the challenges and decisions we’re facing as a region. For sources and further reading, the column refers to…– Data on price and quantity of goods from Stephen Gordon– B.C. economic comparison from the now-defunct Progress Board
Continue readingI see the BC Liberals have learned from Harper’s Ignatieff attack ads
Watching the Canucks. Ad comes on real slick-like. I mean Conservative slick. It’s a BC Liberals ad attacking NDP’s Adrian Dix. I swear the ad could’ve been made by the Cons. It looks and sounds exactly like any of the many Ignatieff attack ads. Oh, here it comes again. And
Continue readingFar and Wide: Leader Knows Best
There are some healthy “renewal” proposals to vote on at the Liberal Convention. And, there is one change in particular that is so watered down that it amounts to institutionalizing the leaders power, not curbing it as advertised: This proposal doesn’t sit well, this leader appointment “quota” is supposed to
Continue readingTrashy's World: It was a monster…
… but my skills as an angler prevailed! I went deep-sea fishing for the first time the other day (strike another off The List) and brought Subunit #2 with me. Armed with sunscreen, Gravol and an intense desire to land a fish – nay, a behemoth – that would stun
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: I Am NOT GOING BALD!
My wife mentioned my alleged bald spot the other night, after I refused to move some furniture for her with sufficient alacrity. She’s not the first to have made note of it. There have been persistent rumours that I have a bald spot just a little back from the very peak of
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: John Miller On Sun TV’s Freedom Weekend
The discussion topics for Freedom Weekend-by-the-lake have yet to be decided, but Ezra says “we’ll talk about how to strengthen our freedoms here at home, and project freedom abroad to the world.” Wow, that sounds like a cattle call for any white, barrel sucking immigrant hater who’s too stupid to
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Seven Habits of Spectacularly Ineffective Politicians #nlpoli #cdnpoli
“Run government like a business” is an old line. Some people use it as a rallying cry for success and innovation. Others think of it as a recipe for disaster. Regardless of which side of that argument you come down on, you can sometimes find value in applying ideas from
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Alberta Mayor On B.C. Opposition To Northern Gateway Pipeline
“It’s kind of like the spoiled child syndrome. We’re not going to get [any major benefits], so we’re not going to do it…” B.C. For B.C.ers! Go back to Mordor, Blue Eyed Shiekh. (Although I should point out I am not currently an official B.C.er, merely an Ex one with
Continue readingLet’s debate science without scientific terms!
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is backing the call by Conservative MP to re-open the abortion debate – entirely through the back door – by debating on the criminal code definition that child is not a human being until full birth. Of course, Woodworth wants to talk about “medical science” – but
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Oil industry ramps up the pressure
As Ian Reid succinctly observes, the Vancouver Sun “has apparently merged with Encana’s communications department and is now almost desperately spinning the Northern Pipeline on their behalf.” Postmedia, the Sun’s owner, styles itself a conservative publisher but it is that only by redefining the label. In fact, a real conservative
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Why Canadians Want The Worst Politics Of America
Canadians would support our own political institutions if we didn’t idealize worse ones. The last few years have offered an incredible contrast in politics between what interests Canadians and what is best for Canadians. In looking at what has attracted support recently it is undeniably clear that pervasive American values
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Glenn Taylor quits his day job – now he has a few weeks to save the Alberta Party
Your blogger with Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor just after his election last May. Mr. Taylor’s election, that is. All your blogger’s ever been elected as is a “local legend.” Below: Robin Campbell, Barry Madsen. With an election looming, it’s nice to see that Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor has
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Great Choo Choo Run
Well I see that Great Choo Choo Leader is trying to put some distance between him and the lockout at the Electro-Motive plant in London, Ontario. Even though he once used the factory to shill his corporate tax cuts. “This is a dispute between a private company and the union
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