Assorted content to end your week. – Martin Lukacs writes that while a change in government offers some possibility of change, the Trudeau campaign wasn’t anything more than a ruse. And Seth Klein and Shannon Daub remind us that we’ll need to be the ones to advance progressive policies in
Continue readingTag: canada 2015
Accidental Deliberations: New column day
Here (via PressReader), on how the prisoner’s dilemma I wrote about back here wound up playing out in Canada’s federal election. For further reading, particularly on the difference in how the NDP and the Libs treated each other… – Tonda MacCharles’ look behind the scenes of the Cons’ strategy includes
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Eduardo Porter highlights the continued growth in research showing that social benefits do nothing to stop people from pursuing work, but instead serve to mitigate the risks of precarious survival for the people who need it most. – And Michael Marmot discusses
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On historical context
Twice before, the federal NDP has been in roughly the same position it holds now, emerging from an election with a relatively high historical seat count that was nonetheless disappointing due to the expectation that a seasoned and respected leader could have done better. After the 1988 election, Ed Broadbent
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Luke Savage warns that the Libs’ election win may ring hollow for Canadian progressives: Throughout its democratic history, Canadian politics have basically oscillated between two parties that do not seriously threaten the status quo or the injustices it perpetuates. Occasionally goaded by organized
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On defining themes
I’ve pointed out previously that the Libs’ advantage during the federal election came from the fact that the primary message against them was one which could be disproven. And it’s worth also noting the converse of that: the Libs’ own theme of “real change” was difficult for anybody to disprove
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On clean slates
Needless to say, last night’s election results represented something close to the NDP’s worst-case scenario on a lot of fronts: both in terms of seat counts, and losing the seats held by some of the most impressive MPs and candidates in Canadian politics. And I’ll comment in future posts on
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #elxn42 – Election Day Resources
For all the time spent on Canada’s federal election, it’s now time for voters to have their say. And anybody looking for basic information on where and how to vote should start with Elections Canada or a trusted local campaign. For anybody wanting to read up on the factors which
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your election day reading. – Ed Finn discusses how neoliberalism is damaging Canada, and what we need to do to reverse its influence: Corporate influence on federal politics, the country’s flawed electoral system, and the staunch pursuit of a political and economic ideology since the 1980s that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #elxn42 Campaign Closer: Liberals
Finally, let’s look at the Libs’ campaign as tomorrow’s election day approaches. In case there was any doubt, the Libs’ main challenge was to try to cast Justin Trudeau as being “ready” in response to the Cons’ saturation ad campaigns. And while Trudeau likely benefited from the lowered expectations created
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #elxn42 Campaign Closer: NDP
I’ve previously pointed out that others were far too quick to write off the NDP in Canada’s federal election. But it’s safe to say by now that it will be a surprise for the NDP to reach the heights it achieved earlier – even if that leaves plenty of room
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #elxn42 Campaign Closer: Conservatives
With Canada’s election day looming tomorrow, I’ll take a quick look back at the campaign from the standpoint of each of the major parties. Let’s start with the Cons – who haven’t exactly found an answer for the key problem they’ve faced from the start, but have managed to stay
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: The fundamental issue
Naomi Klein and Maude Barlow weigh in on the need not to let sideshows distract us from what should be the most important issue of the federal election campaign. And as referred to here, the Pembina Institute reminds us where the major parties stand in advance of the Paris summit
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Robyn Benson rightly argues that it’s long past time for the Harper Cons to be booted from office. Stuart Trew sets out just five of the worst ways in which the Cons have changed Canada, while Murray Dobbin offers his take on
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On expert opinions
Following up on this week’s column, let’s highlight exactly how the NDP compares to its major national competitors, the Libs and Cons, in the eyes of the experts and civil society groups who know what matters most in assessing progressive policies. I’ll include all of the analyses I’ve linked in
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Steven Chase notes that the Cons’ promise to let Canadian know the details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership before they vote was broken with unusual speed and publicity. Michael Geist points out that we do know enough about the TPP to be sure it
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: This seems pertinent
In light of the Cons’ latest misleading ads, let’s take a quick stroll through the offence provisions of the Canada Elections Act: 480.1 Every person is guilty of an offence who, with intent to mislead, falsely represents themselves to be, or causes anyone to falsely represent themselves to be,(a) the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On late definitions
A day after the Prairie Dog duly mocked corporate-ordered endorsements of the Harper Cons (which should be entirely familiar based on past campaigns), we’ve seen a spate of newspapers falling in line. And I’ll argue that there may actually be more reason to be concerned than usual about the impact
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, making the case that Canadians should vote less based on perceptions of momentum (in terms of both policy and political positioning), and more based on where our parties and leaders actually stand. For further reading…– The platform comparisons referenced in the column include Keith Stewart’s on climate change, the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Jim Stanford points out that the Harper Cons’ already-dismal economic track record is only getting worse. And Nora Loreto notes that even on the Cons’ own estimates, the Trans-Pacific Partnership looks to result in Canada paying more in compensation to industries hurt by
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