It being World AIDS Day, there was an appalling lack of red ribbons on the lapels of MPs in the House of Commons, and virtually none to be found on the Conservative front bench. It also didn’t make the first round of questions, which was once again virtually entirely about
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Friends of Canadian Broadcasting goes to the mat for CBC in awareness campaign by Chris Powell
Peter Mansbridge has been replaced by a tattooed, eye-patch wearing grappler, while flamboyantly dressed Radio 2 personalities now settle on-air disagreements with their fists in a new vision of the CBC presented by FRIENDS.
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CBC actively preparing for budget cuts, says head of English Services by Marsha Lederman
Ottawa has made it known that cuts are coming in the next budget, and the CBC is preparing.
Continue readingMembers’ Statements: World AIDS Day Edition
For World AIDS Day, members of the three main parties made statements to mark the day. Note the tone in the various statements – especially the self-congratulatory tone of the Conservative statement. Libby Davies (NDP): Mr. Speaker, on this World AIDS Day we remember those who have died of AIDS
Continue readingCanadian Dimension Feed: We can do better: Attawapiskat
The dialogue around the tragedy at Attawapiskat has taken a nasty turn in the last few days. From justifiable shock and outrage that a community in Canada (any community in Canada) can be living in such squalor, to blame and finger-pointing. A reporter on the CBC’s The National confronted the
Continue readingThe Skwib: Why Those 25 Things About You Aren’t “Random”
This is one that has been festering for some time, so please forgive the Phrase Freak if he goes “off the Bale” a bit. Like many changes to the English language, the meaning of this word has become twisted. Once, it defined something that was done without a method or
Continue readingthe reeves report: NDP MP Peter Julian defends Canadian football with Bill C-360
NDP MP Peter Julian I came across this odd nugget of parliamentary protectionism courtesy of iPolitics.ca – Peter Julian, four-time elected NDP MP for Burnaby-New Westminster, has introduced “An act to support Canadian professional football,” a.k.a. Bill C-360, a.k.a. the Canadian Football Act. The bill acknowledges that Canadian football, as
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Adding to the pain
Grim tidings from the UK Austerity in the UK is going to hurt more and last longer than the government previously admitted. That is the upshot of a revised assessment of the UK’s fiscal prospects by the Office for Budget Responsibility, and of this week’s autumn statement to parliament by
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: The Conservatives Did What? Please, Not While I’m Eating!
John Kenneth Galbraith, once said of Richard Nixon: “Our nation stands at a fork in the political road. In one direction lies a land of slander and scare; the land of sly innuendo, the poison pen, the anonymous phone call and hustling, pushing, shoving; the land of smash and grab and
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Globe: The Conservatives haven’t demonstrated a need for online spying bills
By John Ibbitson for the Globe and Mail Suppose you read an online article – not this one, hopefully – that makes you so angry you post a comment under your online pseudonym, “Irate Canuck,” saying that someone ought to shoot the author. The police notice. Under legislation that the
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Shades of Green: This is the Way the World Ends
One of the most insightful and profound poets of the 20th century was T.S. Eliot, and one of his most powerful poems was The Hollow Men, a disturbing portrait of a people paralyzed by doubt, uncertainty, confusion and a debilitating faith that nourished resignation rather than conviction and action. “We
Continue readinggritchik: Michele Bachmann’s biggest threat is Michele Bachmann
What’s that old political saying? When you’re in a hole, quit digging. Bachmann just can’t seem to give herself a break. One of her latest: Gay people “can marry a woman if they’re a man.” Yes, folks, she said it. Earlier this week she said she would close a non-existent
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Integrating Corporate Responsibility Into Brand: GM vs Zipcar
There is a powerful opportunity for brand managers to integrate corporate responsibility commitments into brand platforms to win consumer loyalty. General Motors and Zipcar both ran recent campaigns in universities to win over students. One car company shows they understand their target audience while the other shows a disconnect. You
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Why I am supporting Alexandra Mendès for Liberal Party president
The Liberal Party faces a difficult, but not impossible task in rebuilding and reconnecting with Canadians. Electing a new President and exec board is and important step in this process. We as a party have a few options in deciding how we want to move forward. We could try putting
Continue readingIf the shoe fits. Andrew Coyne back at National Post.
When I read a tweet from @AZerbisias just now with this bit of journalistic news, I thought ahah, Coyne didn’t go to a progressive news outlet – that proves he’s a Conservative hack. Then I was reminded of other few journos whom I have respect – Kady O’Malley for one –
Continue readingBullying Law Not Good Enough for Queer Kids
New anti-bullying law is good except for one thing… McGuinty said this in the legislature: “We’re going to require that, at every school where students request that this be put in place, they be permitted to organize themselves with a gay-straight alliance,” “It may not be that name that they
Continue reading350 or bust: Youth To World’s Politicians: It’s Time To Buy Back Our Future
Here is another post from Ani, a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation representing Manitoba at the Durban climate conference, will be a regular guest blogger during COP17 in Durban. Ani works as a Public Education and Outreach Coordinator for Climate Change Connection, a project of the Manitoba Eco-Network. To
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Stupid politicians and their staffers #nlpoli #cdnpoli
National Defence has had its fair share of total boobs who wind up appointed as minister. Perhaps worst of all was the who mandated that all Canadian Forces kitchens should use real maple syrup. Of course, the maple syrup he mandated came from the part of Quebec he represented, but
Continue readingElizabeth May, Tuvalu and honest representation
I was intrigued by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s attempt to join the Tuvalu delegation at the Durban Climate Change Conference. As she explained, “If my government, the Government of Canada, does not need my help, I offer it to another government, one that works for my children because the
Continue readingThe Sixth Estate: The Future of Canadian Politics, Part 1: The Liberal Enemy
This is part 1 of a series of posts reflecting on current trends in Canadian politics. The transformation of the Reform movement in Canadian politics is nowhere more evident than in their unrelenting war on CBC (during which their years in minority rule should be considered a temporary ceasefire). Two
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