NOT Dominion Day!
Today is to celebrate the birthday of a great (though currently politically misguided) and independent country. While our Constitution may refer to the land as a “Dominion”, the term is about as anachronistic as Christians turning Leviticus in the old testament for guidance… it just doesn’t “work” in modern times.
And technically, yes, we […]
Tag: Canada
The Skwib: Ten indisputable facts about Canada (Part Two: Culture)
To commemorate Canada Day, I decided it would be useful to clear up some common myths people have about Canada and its culture. I thought it might be especially helpful here at The Skwib, since many of its readers come from other parts of the world. You may want to read Part One, about Canadian […]
Continue readingDeSmogBlog - Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science: Canada Causes Cancer: Government & Industry Collude to Keep Asbestos Off UN Hazardous Chemical List
asbestos-bangladesh.jpg
Last week, the Canadian government successfully and unilaterally stonewalled efforts to list chrysotile asbestos as a hazardous chemical at a United Nations conference in …
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Let’s Build a Fire Under Layton and Rae
In the course of Western civilization we have a rich history of blundering into emergencies unprepared, a history that teaches us the consequences of neglect are often horrendous. In most of these unfortunate situations we arrive at the moment of…
Continue readingThe Skinny: Google Canada from A to Z in English and French
Happy Canada Day tomorrow!From Google.ca auto-search, here is a list of all things Canadian that appear in the search bar when one types the first letter of each letter of the alphabet:In English:Air CanadaBest BuyCanadian TireDictionaryeBayFacebookGoo…
Continue readingThe Skwib: Ten indisputable facts about Canada (Part One: History)
To commemorate Canada Day tomorrow, I thought it might be useful to clear up some common myths people have about Canada and Canadian history. Many of the readers of The Skwib come from outside Canada, so this brief history may be especially helpful to you (though we Canadians can always learn more about our rich […]
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Conservatives give away Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd and pay the new owners $60 million
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. sold to SNC-Lavalin Group for $15 million – Winnipeg Free PressYesterday, the federal government sold crown corporation, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., to the Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin Group. The price tag was $15 million. …
Continue readingArt Threat: Toronto theatre fest gets funding pulled – A conversation with Artistic Producer Michael Rubenfeld
Toronto’s indie theatre festival SummerWorks has recently reported that core funding from Heritage Canada has been pulled at the last minute. Given the ire the festival drew from the government over last year’s play about terrorism in Canada, those of us working in the arts are feeling a sudden chill in the collective national room. […]
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Even Canada’s Military Brass Get It – Finally!
We’re on the war path, the actual road to war, and it’s damned well time Messrs. Harper, Layton and Rae came to their senses.Canada’s Department of National Defence has run the numbers and, just like their counterparts at the Pentagon and British Minis…
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Stockwell Day sets up a firm to help lobbyists, gets the okay, and denies this is what he is doing
Ethics commission OKs Stockwell Day to start government consulting firmStockwell Day has set up Stockwell Day Connex, a company that will help looters in suits to lobby the government of looters in suits – all the while, denying that is what he is doin…
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Asbestos – Canadian Pride!(?)
It is comforting to see that our financial myopia extends to the production and export of asbestos. If the tarsands and the associated environmental degradation is a slam dunk for Canada, for then exporting asbestos should hardly be on the radar. “Canada won the fight, for at least another two years, to keep asbestos […]
Excited Delirium: Harper’s Message vs Change and Hope
I know. It’s been nearly 2 months since the Canadian election and 40% of those who voted showed their contempt for Canada by electing a pack of crooks.
I tried very hard to bury these painful thoughts about why so many people would fall for the…
Akaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: TVO’s The Agenda: Faith in Secularism – Akaash Maharaj Videocast
Speaking on TVOntario’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, I make the case that separation of church and state is as much in the interests of the church as it is in the interests of the state. However, upholding the ideal of the secular state often demands more courage than we
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: TVO’s The Agenda: Faith in Secularism – Akaash Maharaj Videocast
Speaking on TVOntario’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, I make the case that separation of church and state is as much in the interests of the church as it is in the interests of the state. However, upholding the ideal of the secular state often demands more courage than we
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: The Canada Post Filibuster Liveblog
Will the resolution to the Canada Post lockout come before your credit card bill that’s stuck in the mail? Will the Conservatives try to make Jack Layton cry by yelling “Union Jack” at him all night long? Join the snarky politicsrespun crew as we enjoy our way through the night. Warning: real drinking games may […]
Continue readingThose Emergency Blues: New Contract Beats Up on Ontario Nurses
On 3 June 2011, an arbitration panel handed down the new contract for the majority of Ontario hospital nurses. The panel was set up when negotiations between the Ontario Hospital Association and the union, the Ontario Nurses’ Association broke down. This is a pretty routine procedure when the union contract comes up for renewal, because […]
Trashy's World: Trashy goes to Parliament!
For a political junkie like me, last night was one of those “special” times of my life.
Courtesy of an invite by an ex-NDP MP through a colleague of my spouse, I had the distinct privilege of dining in the Parliamentary restaurant and having a pretty damned cool private tour afterward.
I would love to post pics, […]
Driving The Porcelain Bus: Conservative back to work legislastion breaks the law and could result in lasting consequences
To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth: On back to work legislation. Whoa, deja vu.Excerpts:It’s worth noting that even lawyers aren’t evading it as much as they used to. In 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada, in the BC Health Services case, overtu…
Continue readingDriving The Porcelain Bus: Harper’s plans for the Senate will create a showdown against the provinces.
Senate showdown looms – thestar.comOn one side, there will be the Conservative government. On the other side will be the opposition parties (or, at least the NDP) and the provinces – many of which would like to abolish the Senate altogether (as the NDP…
Continue readingOn back to work legislation. Whoa, deja vu.
So, another conservative (note the small “c”) government, another round of back to work legislation. Canada violates its international obligations yet again, and is again grouped with such shining lights of liberty as Colombia. It’s the same old song a…
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