Following up on this post and some additional discussion, let’s take a look at the question of what options would be available to Stephen Harper if he decided he wanted to escape a drubbing at the polls by cancelling the federal election. And fortunately, the answer looks to be “not
Continue readingTag: c-51
Accidental Deliberations: Lessons learned
As I noted here, it’s well worth comparing what’s happening in any given election to any recent precedents. While past performance never guarantees future results, we can tell both what lessons a party has drawn from experience, as well as how strategies change when they don’t work out as planned.
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: National NewsWatch: Police demand access to your online records without a warrant
Article by Jim Bronksill for the Canadian Press OTTAWA – A new administrative scheme that would allow police to obtain basic information about Internet subscribers without a warrant is one option being considered by federal officials following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that curbed access to such data, Canadian police
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On cautionary tales
I’ve previously offered my take on why all opposition parties – including the Libs – should and will ultimately vote the Harper Cons out of power when given the chance. But I’ll note that Don Lenihan’s argument toward the same conclusion actually offers a reminder why there’s reason for concern.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Laurie Penny argues that Jeremy Corbyn’s remarkable run to lead the Labour Party represents an important challenge to the theory that left-wing parties should avoid talking about principles in the name of winning power – particularly since the result hasn’t been much
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Mulcair’s Confusing Stance on Security and C-51
After all, the arguments over the anti-terror law, Bill C-51, were still fresh — a law denounced by four former prime ministers (including a Tory one, Joe Clark), five retired chief justices of the Supreme Court, former ministers of justice and pretty well every legal expert in the country, that triggered alarm at the United Nations, that was described by both the RCMP and CSIS as “unnecessary” and that was denounced by the otherwise small-c conservative Globe and Mail as a “quasi-police state bill.” And here was Harper jerking our chains again on the same issue, proposing another broad dragnet largely outside the rule of law. What a political opportunity!
Pushed to the Left and Loving It: Mulcair’s Confusing Stance on Security and C-51
Columnist Ralph Surrette had a piece in the Chronicle Herald this weekend: Harper defeat won’t suffice; this calls for fumigation In it he questions why the NDP did not go on the attack when Stephen Harper announced that he’d institute a “ban on travel by Canadians to areas of terrorist activity
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Mulcair’s Confusing Stance on Security and C-51
Columnist Ralph Surrette had a piece in the Chronicle Herald this weekend: Harper defeat won’t suffice; this calls for fumigation In it he questions why the NDP did not go on the attack when Stephen Harper announced that he’d institute a “ban on travel by Canadians to areas of terrorist activity
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Prince George Citizen: C-51 opponent Sheldon Clare discusses his candidacy in Cariboo-Prince George
Gun lobbyists and conservative Sheldon Clarke also opposes C-51. Speak out now to get this legislation repealed at KillC51.ca Article by Charelle Evelyn for the Prince George Citizen Sheldon Clare touted himself as a “hardware-store conservative” on Tuesday in announcing his run as an independent candidate for Cariboo-Prince George in
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: We have our winners! And the prizes go to…
After some serious campaigning from our incredible OpenMedia community, the “Great Canadian Petition Drive to Kill C-51” is complete — and we have our top spots! Congratulations to our top three leaders, each taking home an awesome pro-privacy prize pack: Ben Kendrick David Butz Peter Benton Ben Kendrick took a
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Vanessa Houlder reports on the OECD’s call for countries to make far more of an effort to ensure tax compliance among their wealthiest individuals. – Scott Gilmore discovers the abusiveness of the payday loan industry by accident due to a lender’s confusion
Continue readingPolitics Canada: Do Canadians deserve to lose universal health care, CBC and democracy?
When I see polls like the one today from Nanos which has the Conservative Party of Canada led by Stephen Harper in first place, I have to ask myself, “do Canadians deserve to lose universal health care? Do we deserve to lose the CBC? Do we deserve the erosion of our
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – David Cay Johnston observes that the U.S.’ extreme inequality goes far beyond money alone. And Jesse Myerson notes that a basic income can be supported based on principles held across the political spectrum, while making the case as to how it should
Continue readingPolitics Canada: Stephen Harper’s terrorism plan like closing the barn door after the horses are gone, then spying on all the farmers
Stephen Harper was spreading more terrorist fears on the campaign trail today as he announced some stupid travel ban which would mean approximately zero to someone wishing to join ISIS. Seriously the guy should get a royalty cheque from ISIS for spreading their message for them. No one spreads more
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On fear merchants
Shorter Stephen Harper: It’s not paranoid fearmongering if somebody’s really out to get you. So here’s to four more years of a government who’s really out to get you.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Robin Sears discusses the hubris behind the Cons’ early election call, while Tim Naumetz notes that the extended campaign is just one more issue where the Cons are offside of the vast majority of the public. And the Guardian comments on the reasons
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Christos Tsiolkas talks to Yanis Varoufakis about the Troika’s appalling contempt for Greek democracy. And Barbara Ehrenreich laments the fact that only well-off people are given any meaningful opportunity to speak about poverty and deprivation – though that should highlight the need for
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: The US May Have Trump; But Canada Has An Alien
Let’s put it this way; we could have used the swagger and unexpectedness Donald Trump presented in last nights US Republican debates in the Canadian leaders debate. Instead, the first hour the Canadian debate consisted of Conservative leader Stephen Harper doing what he does best which is misleading Canadians on facts. Green Party leader Elizabeth […]
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Chantal Panozzo discusses the lack of work-life balance which serves as the default in the U.S. – and notes how preposterous precarious work looks once a person has experienced an alternative: Before I moved to Switzerland for almost a decade, American Reality was
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Tavia Grant is the latest to note that the potential for driverless vehicles necessitates some consideration as to how to account for people who currently rely on driving jobs. And Vivek Wadhwa makes the case for a new form of capitalism which isn’t
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