The Australian Labor Party officially adopted policies in support of full equal marriage rights for same-sex couples last week. That’s an encouraging sign, certainly increasing the likelyhood of a successful same-sex marriage bill being introduced in parliament. Canada’s governing Conservative party, incidentally, officially adopted an opposite policy during its last
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Speech Writing #nlpoli
Write in a way that sounds like the person delivering the speech would have said it. You might not find that on any lists of great speech writing tips, but few people who write speeches would think of using words, phrases and sentence structures that just normally wouldn’t flow out
Continue readingImpolitical: Security perimeter deal day
The Harper era, with its formative markers being laid down, continues to roll on through the fall of 2011. Today is border perimeter deal day, negotiated in secret without public input and without parliamentary debate. It all seems to be premised on the principle that what’s good for business is
Continue readingHarper visits the White House
Stephen Harper will be at the White House today to unveil the action plan to reach the agreement on the various parts of the Perimeter Security Agreement, at the heart of which will be a new system of entry and exit visas so that we’re not only tracking who is coming into
Continue readingArt Threat: Why is CBC running sexist Volkswagen ads?
A sexist Volkswagen ad speaks to the dangers of North America’s corporate car culture. (Illustration by Coco Riot.) Over recent weeks, viewing news updates at CBC online has become increasingly frustrating, due to a high-rotation, pre-roll spot given to an intensely sexist Volkswagen Canada ad for the 2012 Passat, which
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Dead folks no longer doing peer reviews
With my head still spinning from research on other projects, I thought for relaxation I would take shots at an absurdly easy target: the independent, research organization called the Fraser Institute. The Sixth Estate is a blog that regularly explores how money shapes public debate “in ways that are seldom
Continue readingeaves.ca: StatsCan’s free data costs $2M – a rant
So the other day a reader sent me an email pointing me to a story in iPolitics titled “StatsCan anticipates $2M loss from move to open data” and asked me what I thought. Frustrated, was my response. $2M is not a lot of money. Not in a federal budget of
Continue readingSpeaking of Journalistic Integrity
The CBC, specifically the author CBCNews (which makes me think this article was something written by a chief editor at CBC instead of an actual reported) had this to say about the speech that Attawapiskat Chief made at the biennial conference of the Assembly of First Nations in Ottawa In
Continue readingThe Sixth Estate: The Iron Law of Authoritarianism and the Future of Canadian Politics
This is Part 2 of a series of posts on the future of Canadian politics. Part 1 is available here. As with many of his kind, Paul Wells of Maclean‘s does not seem to realize how late in the political game we are. He wants us to think about how
Continue readingLeftist Jab: Peter Goldring is a Man of Principle
It’s easy to voice your beliefs when you won’t have to face any consequences from it but only the truly courageous are willing to follow through on those principles by acting on them knowing it may have legal ramifications. His defence: no Army helicopter was available to airlift him out Refusing
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Where’s the helicopter when you need it? Tory political liability drives into sunset … unbreathalized
An Edmonton police officer pulls over a local Conservative MP. Alberta police and politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Peter Goldring. If it’s true it doesn’t matter what you say about a politician as long as you spell his name right, Peter Goldring’s timing was impeccable. That said,
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Canadian Liberals & British Labour
“Before you’re the answer, people have to ask the question.”- Senior Labour Party Official, as quoted in The Guardian Canadian Liberals and British Labour share similar circumstances, and there’s certainly lessons to be learned in being ready to seize opportunities. “As for the politics, Balls believes there is a natural
Continue readingCanadian Political Viewpoints: What Is Wall Doing?
Source: CBC News: Brad Wall Defends Pay from Saskatchewan PartySource: CBC News: Party for Government Politicians Raises ConcernsSource: Leader Post: Sask. Party Provides Pay Top-Up to PremierSource: Leader Post: Wine and Cheese Receptions Not an Avenue for Lobbying, Premier Says So, let’s all take a deep breath and get used
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Religious Bullies Go After Gay Kids
Don’t you just love crazy religion? They are always attacking each other, claiming that only their god is the real one. Spewing gibberish and hate out of every orifice, or blowing up their rivals. But nothing can bring them together as quickly as a chance to attack gay kids. Christian,
Continue readingMolly'sBlog: Molly’sBlog 2011-12-06 23:58:00
PERSONAL: WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT PART FIVE: One thing I am certain of about the Occupy Movement (much more certain than how it will all end up) is that it has finally leapfrogged over the leftist concerns of the last few decades and their petty territorial politics.
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: In Defense of Affirming Christians
This post is long overdue. It really is. I’ve made this distinction in my blog before and also in comment threads, but it keeps coming up and requires a post of its own. When I decry some of the radical and unhinged rhetoric that comes from some people who use
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: You’re welcome CBC News
CBC News Item, December 6: “An executive hired by the Insurance Corporation of B.C. to help cut costs received more than $188,000 for expenses claimed in 2010 — in addition to his $315,000 annual salary, CBC News has learned. “Art Kirkner, a U.S citizen, was hired as one of ICBC’s
Continue readingDecember 6, 22nd Anniversary of the Polytechnique Massacre–With Every Passing Year, We Seem To Keep Going Backward
Here we are again, boys ‘n’ girls, another somber December 6; another year has come and gone and it is time again to commemorate the Polytechnique Massacre when fourteen young women’s lives were lost at the hands of a deranged misogynist. For the two plus years since I’ve started Sister
Continue readingMorton's Musings: Atleo vows to fight for First Nations rights
'"To the Crown we say: Do not ever believe that this national chief, or any future national chief, will ever quit or will ever compromise treaty or inherent rights. No First Nations leader will ever take one step away from insisting on the rights as the foundation of our relationship,"
Continue readingSister Sage’s Musings Repost: Truth in Journalism
A truly brilliant post from a fellow British Columbian. Kim’s writings are always spot on and this is truly no exception. I really appreciate to how she wrote at the bottom that the citizenry will be four square behind the CBC if they are truthful and honest and don’t cower
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