This and that for your Sunday reading. – Louise Arbour’s interview with The House includes both her compelling criticisms of both the Cons’ terror bill, and the Libs’ failure to stand up against C-51. And the Canadian Press reports on Justin Trudeau’s continued fecklessness, as he won’t even take a
Continue readingTag: Andrew Coyne
Accidental Deliberations: On judicious outrage
Following up on this post, let’s take a look at the flip side of the possibility that political parties can help themselves out significantly by taking umbrage with competitors’ treatment of them – which is the success (or lack thereof) of exactly that strategy over the past decade. As I’ve
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Attack and response
Earlier this week, Andrew Coyne mused on Twitter about how parties seek to make hay out of attacks by their opponents, with particular emphasis on the Libs’ response to PC and Con attacks on their leaders in 1993 and 2004. But I’d think it’s worth noting some distinctions between then
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Sympathy For The Devil?
With tongue firmly ensconced in his cheek, Andrew Coyne writes that we are being too hard on Stephen Harper, a prime minister who has been cruelly betrayed by all those in whom he placed an absolute trust: You will be familiar with the picture we have created of him: suspicious,
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Alex Munter discusses the connection between public health and economic development, along with the need to take a far longer-term view of both. And PressProgress points out Matthew Stanbrook’s message (PDF) that the Cons are undermining Canada’s medical system through malign neglect.
Continue readingA. Picazo: Meriting A Quota
In seeking to redress the underrepresentation of women in key positions of political leadership, Liberal Party of Canada leader Justin Trudeau has pledged gender parity within government at decision-making levels, vowing as Prime Minister to appoint an “equal number of women and men” to cabinet. Unveiled in June as part
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Evening Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Daniel Marans reports on Bernie Sanders’ push for international action against austerity in Greece and elsewhere. And Binoy Kampmark documents the anti-democratic and antisocial ideology on the other side of the austerity debate. – Noah Smith writes that while there’s no discernible
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, following up on these posts about the possibility the Cons might decide to ignore their own fixed election date and delay the election expected for October 19. For further reading… – The Canada Elections Act is here. And for an interesting comparison, see Saskatchewan’s fixed election date provision from
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On fragile fixes
Some high-profile commentators seem to be accepting a highly dubious conclusion about the federal election date expected this fall. So let’s take a quick look at what a “fixed” election date actually means for a government which has no qualms about breaking the rules – and why the fact that
Continue readingMontreal Simon: OK. Who Forgot to Invite Me to the Bilderberg Meeting??!!!
Well I wasn't really shocked that somebody forgot to invite me to the Bilderberg meeting at that luxury resort in Austria.You know, the top secret conclave of the rich and the powerful, which has been called everything from the home of the New World Order, to the lair of the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Michael Hiltzig examines the evidence showing that austerity serves as a major obstacle to economic growth. And Ian Hussey argues that Alberta (like other jurisdictions) is out of budgetary balance due to a lack of income rather than any need to cut
Continue readingPolitical Eh-conomy: Nope, Alberta still needs to raise the minimum wage
Last night, Andrew Coyne published a column in which he champions introducing a minimum income over raising the minimum wage as a radical policy suggestion for Alberta’s new NDP government. Coyne couches the column in his typical pseudo-contrarianism. Here he is supposedly advocating socialism…gasp! In reality, however, Coyne gets it backwards: a minimum income in
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: He Won’t Be Missed
H/t Michael de Adder Anyone who regularly reads this blog will know that I (along with guest posters The Salamander and The Mound of Sound) regard Peter MacKay as just one of far too many blights on the political landscape, perhaps distinguished only by his less-than-pedestrian intellect and very public
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Sean McElwee examines new evidence of the deliberate choice of past U.S. governments dating back to Ronald Reagan to completely discount the policy preferences of anybody but the rich: In a new book, political scientists James Druckman and Lawrence Jacobs examine data
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – CBC follows up on the connection between childhood poverty and increased health-care costs later in life. And Sunny Freeman points out how the living wage planned by Rachel Notley’s NDP figures to benefit Alberta’s economy in general. – Meanwhile, William Gardner laments our
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how the rise of Rachel Notley’s NDP serves largely to bring Alberta’s political system into step with those of its regional neighbours. For further reading…– Murray Mandryk had previously pointed out why we should be cautious about reading too much into the Alberta results. But the most important
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: From beyond the grave
Andrew Coyne wants to pretend we shouldn’t worry what legislation gets passed by the Harper Cons on the theory that there’s absolutely nothing stopping a future elected government from reversing course. Which means it’s a good thing there’s no antiquated, undemocratic chamber of Parliament where regardless of the results of
Continue readingcenterandleft: Alberta and Polls: Never Again
The Calgary Flames are preparing to host their first playoff game since 2009 in a matter of days. While the Flames are working hard to even up their series, the politicians are working the doors. The province of Alberta may be preparing to elect a new party to power for
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how the sudden disappearance of Danielle Smith and her fellow Wildrose Party defectors offers a case in point of the dangers of forgetting that politicians ultimately answer to the public. For further reading…– CBC reported on the actual deal between Smith and Jim Prentice here, while Darren Krause
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On transition planning
I’ve previously highlighted the need for media and citizens alike to press our opposition parties on how they’re willing to cooperate to replace the Harper Cons after the next federal election. But let’s note that there’s a similar question which still needs to be directed at Stephen Harper at every
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