An open letter to Canada’s Prime Minister, Members of Parliament, and Senators, from a broad and diverse coalition of 46 organizations representing millions of Canadians – Support Canadian Food, Canadian Farmers, and the Canadian Wheat Board Bill C-18, if passed, will destroy the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). Agriculture Minister Gerry
Continue readingExcited Delirium: WWIII: War on Syria Begins With No-Fly Zone
The announcement of a no-fly zone over Syria pushes the world closer to the brink of WWIII.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Umbrella Man – A Cautionary Tale
Germane to nothing in particular, I highly recommend this six-minute documentary by Errol Morris, made for the 48th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It explores the story behind the one man seen standing under an open black umbrella on a clear and sunny Dallas day at
Continue readingAransas County Judge William Adams Beats Daughter
This is horrifying. No parent should ever get away with this. I know many parents 20 and 30 years ago did this. It was wrong then and it is wrong today. The person beating his daughter in the video below is a Family Law Judge in Texas. This man is
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Unequal = Indebted
The IMF find that rising inequality is a key driving force behind balance of payments problems and domestic instability in developed countries. “what unites the experiences of the main deficit countries is a steep increase in income inequality over recent decades, as measured by the share of income going to
Continue readingRusty Idols: Afraid to call a Liar a Liar
The Montreal Gazette headline is ‘NDP accuses Tony Clement of doctoring Hansard’. Wow, thinks the reader, that’s a pretty serious allegation, accusing someone of deliberately distorting the public record of Parliament is a big deal. But look, the headline just says he’s just accused of it, so if its just
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Court rejects CBC appeal in access-to-information feud
The Federal Court of Appeal unanimously ruled against the public broadcaster, saying the CBC is legally required to turn over material for review by the information commissioner of Canada.
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: Occupy Movement a valuable partner:Your chance to show support for creation of a united Canadian progressive movement
Adbusters magazine is at it again!The radical Vancouver-based periodical that launched the Occupy Wall Street Movement wants people to boycott shopping on November 25 and 26 – the days when Americans and many Canadians traditionally rush to stores to stand in lengthy line-ups to grab Christmas season bargains.“Let’s take the
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CBC loses information battle in court by Joanna Smith
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the federal information commissioner has the right to see uncensored documents the public broadcaster believes should be exempted from disclosure.
Continue readingMorton's Musings: Discussing process re-engineering for the Liberal Party of Canada?
Perhaps not…
Continue readingPepper Spray! A yummy and delicious form of crowd control
Those wacky animators from Taiwan are at it again. Funny stuff. Bonus Megyn Kelly pepper spray goodness.
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: One Less Thing To Blame On Teh Gays…
Polygamy Remains illegal! Apparently, same sex marriage didn’t send us down a slippery slope towards becoming the Sodom & Gomorrah of the frozen tundra.
Continue readingMorton's Musings: On to the Supreme Court of Canada: Canada’s polygamy law is constitutional
Canada’s polygamy law is constitutional but flawed, B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman ruled Wednesday. Bauman found that the law is constitutionally sound, except as it applies to children between 12 and 18 who marry into polygamy or enter into a conjugal union with more than one person at
Continue readingThe war on Thanksgiving
Butterball® is in trouble with the nutbar Right. The following, I swear, was not lifted from The Onion: [T]his Thanksgiving, fight for your freedom. Find a non-halal, non-Butterball turkey to celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday. And write to Butterball and request, politely but firmly, that they stop selling only halal turkeys,
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Victoria’s old-time policing continues
Victoria police assault probe not over yet, CBC News, November 23, 2011: “A provincial court judge ruled [Victoria police sergeant] George Chong used excessive force in applying a chokehold that rendered Frank Blair unconscious in January 2010. “The judge sentenced Chong to one year’s probation and ordered him to take
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On optimal choices
It’s a plus that we’re seeing some discussion in Canada as to the optimal income tax rate to maximize revenue. But Paul Krugman goes a step further in pointing out why that revenue-maximizing rate (however calculated) is the optimal rate period: In the first part of the paper, (Peter Diamond
Continue readingStaffroom Confidential: 19th century labour relations for 21st century education?
In a surprising move yesterday, BCPSEA tabled a package that intensifies the attacks and concessions in teacher bargaining. BCPSEA now wants to remove job security provisions, fair access to assignments and positions, teacher autonomy in professional development and classroom teaching practices, and due processes in teacher evaluation and discipline. In
Continue readingChristy is disappointed.
Say it with me…..Awwww! Here is the smallest violin. Playing just for her. When twits twitter: christyclarkbc Christy Clark Very disappointed to learn that the spirit of the court’s ruling is being ignored. #occupyvancouver I am disappointed about so many things too Christy! In your whole party line. In
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Surveillance expert Chris Parsons dismantles "Lawful Access" phone book comparison
While thousands of Canadians voice their concerns about the Conservative government’s proposed online spying legislation, Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews attempts to dismiss our opposition, by comparing the program to a flip through the good old phonebook. ..Sounds innocent enough, no? Except for the fact that many telecommunications and
Continue readingSouth Africa on slippery slope?
Normally, I’m wary of slippery slope arguments but when an African government acts to limit freedom of speech, I suspect such an argument may be valid. Unfortunately, South Africa has done just that. A law, ostensibly to protect state secrets, has been approved by the South African National Assembly. The
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