Northern Reflections: Punishing the Young
At Durban two weeks ago, a young woman rose and addressed the delegates: I speak for more than half the world’s population,” declared Anjali Appadurai of Maine’s College of the Atlantic. “We are the silent majority. You’ve given us a seat in this hall, but our interests are not at
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Remember The Western Standard’s "Conservative Cruise"?
I thought not. It was cancelled when guests realized it meant being trapped on a boat with Ezra Levant and Colby Cosh. Well, Erzra’s trying again. This might work a bit better. At least, it will be easier to escape when the urge to kill comes on.
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Dunderdale leads from the rear #nlpoli
Premier Kathy Dunderdale wants everyone in the province to get involved in the fishery debate. Doesn’t matter who you are. Doesn’t matter what you want. Get in and have your say on the future of the resource we all own. CBC’s Azzo Rezzori says Kathy is staying out of the
Continue readingFar and Wide: Where Are The NDP In Quebec?
A steady flow of polls for Quebec this week, with widely varying results, but consistent on the trend front. The Harris Decima offering earlier this week stated the NDP were in “free fall” in Quebec, which caused quite a stir. I found the result interesting, but mentioned the word “outlier”
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Rick Salutin on Democracy
We live in time when the Harper government seems to be doing everything in its power to persuade Canadians that democracy is meaningless and that we, the citizens, have no power. In my view, the increasing invocation of closure on debate, sending more and more Parliamentary committees to meet behind
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The Traffic the Grinch couldn’t Steal #nlpoli
Muppets, lawyers and politicians. Problems in the fishery, bad grammar and blatant political patronage. Just another week in the live action edition of the National Midnight Star, otherwise known as politics in Newfoundland and Labrador. Last week’s top 10 most read posts at SRBP: A bad week for Penashue Change
Continue readingSigns of Conservative independence in the Senate
While the Commons may have risen on Thursday, the Senate was still hard at work on Friday morning. And lo and behold, Conservative Senator Pierre Claude Nolin spoke out against the omnibus crime bill during Second Reading debate. That’s right – some Conservative senators are indeed capable of independent thought (unlike, it
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: First impressions: NDP leadership candidate Peggy Nash in Edmonton
NDP leadership candidate Peggy Nash at last night’s “kitchen-table talk” in Edmonton. Below: Marlin Schmidt. There are only three or so of the nine candidates for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party, and therefore for Leader of the Opposition, who are truly qualified to do the job and
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: In Memory of Christopher Hitchens
A Worker Reads History by Bertolt Brecht Who built the seven gates of Thebes? The books are filled with names of kings. Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone? And Babylon, so many times destroyed. Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima’s
Continue readingAnti-Racist Canada: The ARC Collective: Free Speech For Me, But Not For Thee: Part II
Is there a bit of a trend going on here? This past week a federal court heard arguments for and against Sec. 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Although it’s a bit of a simplistic dichotomy, we’ll say that on one side was the CHRC and Richard Warman (and
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Globe & Mail demonstrates what the press can be
Instead of being handmaids to the rich and powerful – the usual role of Canada’s media – the Globe and Mail offers Gerald Caplan’s commentary; Be very afraid: Stephen Harper is inventing a new Canada. As noted by the reader who pointed me to this article, “Looks like this guy
Continue readingcmkl: CAW and CEP talking merger? Wow
So this is me talking from a great distance, I hedge. I remember when CEP was formed in 1992. It was, itself the product of a merger of three unions: Canadian Paperworkers Union, the Communications and Electrical Workers of Canada and the Energy and Chemical Workers.
Continue readingIf Necessary Blogging But Not Necessarily Blogging: If Necessary Blogging But Not Necessarily Blogging 2011-12-16 22:19:00
Chantal Hebert plays the harridan today chastising the media for abrogating their responsibility by not truly reporting on the seriousness of Jack Layton’s cancer. But this last sentence makes me think that she is trying, on a subconscious level at least, to expiate her sins for mostly giving Harper a free pass
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Equality before the law, maybe not
News item from the streets of America: Due to harsh sentencing, a disproportionate number of young Black and Hispanic men are likely to be imprisoned for life under scenarios in which they are guilty of little more than a history of untreated addiction and several prior drug-related offences. News item
Continue readingBene Diction Blogs On: Prairie Bible Institute picks Calgary church to investigation abuse allegations
Centre Street Church in Calgary has not confirmed they have accepted the Prairie Bible Institute offer, nor has the church made an announcement or provided further information such as what professional staff is available (ie: provincial registered mediators, mental health staff, legal assistance). Dr. Mollering (PhD in biblical counselling) mentioned
Continue readingThe Skwib: Sad Spaceman Sighs
Alltop can hear laughter, even in space.
Continue readingMorton's Musings: An adverse inference in the context of a failure to call a witness
R. v. Rudge, 2011 ONCA 791 has a useful discussion of when an adverse inference may be drawn by a failure to call a witness: [78] The Supreme Court of Canada addressed the issue of an adverse inference in the context of the Crown's failure to call a witness in R. v. Jolivet,
Continue readingViews from the lake - eh?: Shorter Gerry Ritz: “I have no effing idea”
It turns out that my previous post on government’s attitude towards the use of public funds was a perfect segue into this post. Gerry Ritz was on Power and Politics today defending his government’s action on the Canadian Wheat Board. Personally I have no opinion on whether dismantling the Board
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