If the world is on the cusp of another deadly coronavirus outbreak, this might seem like a peculiar time to be signing up for a high-risk experiment in health care management based on ideology instead of facts. But as far as Canada’s increasingly extremist conservative movement is concerned, of course
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Cowichan Conversations: First test of UNDRIP Act and BC Premier Horgan fails-Miserably
BC Premier John Horgan was blanketed last December at the AFN Assembly, lauded for Bill 41, which give legal effect to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Photo from AFN Read more…
Continue readingWarren Kinsella: Hole-y: CNN is now covering the stupid doughnut thing
And I’m amazed CNN spelled “doughnut” correctly. Usually they spell it like these guys do. PS: this proves that (a) we’re lucky that this counts as a scandal, when you consider what is going on right now in the U.S. Senate and (b) the world is crazy. Washington (CNN) — A photo
Continue readingAlberta Politics: RCMP investigation of ‘Kamikaze Campaign’ moves into new phase; what it means remains to be seen
“Soon, we will find out if breaking the law is illegal.” The line is Stephen Colbert’s and, no, he wasn’t talking about Alberta. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). The well-known American comedian and TV personality, of course, was referring to U.S. President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in
Continue readingWarren Kinsella: Of doughnuts and beards and the like
The Conservative Party – back when it knew how to win, and when it was preoccupied with winning more than whining – was pretty good at symbols. Symbol-wise, ten years ago, the Conservatives’ communications strategy always came back a single theme: that Michael Ignatieff out-of-touch and from Mars – while
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta’s UCP deploys the red tape weapon: an example from the War on Education
Never let it be said Alberta’s United Conservative Party Government hates red tape. On the contrary, Premier Jason Kenney’s Government loves the stuff – at least if you define red tape as most dictionaries do, to wit, excessive bureaucratic rules that make it more difficult to get stuff done. Advanced
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Stephen Harper and Preston Manning, joined at the hip by history and not particularly liking it, make changes
On Wednesday, former prime minister Stephen Harper abruptly quit the Conservative Party of Canada’s fund-raising board, supposedly to give himself time to prevent Jean Charest from becoming leader of Canada’s Conservatives or prime minister of Canada. Yesterday, we learned that Preston Manning would quit his eponymous market-fundamentalist call centre in
Continue readingWarren Kinsella: Peter MacKay: he’s in
Does this mean Jean Charest is in or out? Does this mean Team Mulroney is going elsewhere? Does this mean Stephen Harper will not support anyone in the race, because none of them are him? Who knows. But he’s in, he says. Here’s a quickie take on MacKay, pro and
Continue readingAlberta Politics: France is in turmoil and all we hear is crickets — what gives?
France is in turmoil and all we hear is crickets. What gives? The government of President Emmanuel Macron has introduced a scheme to overhaul pensions and retirement benefits for many workers, done as usual in the name of reform, rationalization and simplification. For most French workers, though, it will result
Continue readingAlberta Politics: S.O.S. for secession? Only about 150 make it to frigid Wexit rally at Alberta Legislature Building
Judging from the underwhelming turnout at its “S.O.S.” rally in Edmonton yesterday, Alberta’s minuscule Wexit faction might want to reconsider its demand for a separation referendum right now. Leastways, Wexit supporters should probably rethink the idea if the “S.O.S.” was supposed to stand for “Separation, the Only Solution,” as the
Continue readingWarren Kinsella: Ten reasons why Jean Charest should run
Will he? Won’t he? Postmedia muse John Ivison says he will. I think he will, too. Here’s ten reasons why I think he should seek the Tory leadership, and why he could win – both the leadership and the country. The Big One. The Rest of Canada mostly doesn’t know
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Canadians want answers about tragic Iran air crash, but Canada has little influence with no embassy in Tehran
In the wake of yesterday’s air tragedy in Iran that took the lives of at least 63 Canadians, nearly half of them from Edmonton, and many others bound for Canada, all Canadians want and deserve answers to what caused Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS 752 to crash. Likewise, it is
Continue readingCanadian Dimension: The End of Canadian Imagination
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes one last look at the empty House of Commons before the building shuts down for a decade. Photo: Justin Trudeau/Facebook. Resistance in the Canadian west, resurgent nationalism in Québec, a nationwide conversation about the fate of Indigenous peoples, questions about debt and the costs of
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Savage attack: There’s nothing like the United Nations putting its oar in to make the locals go loco in Alberta!
If we ever do form the Western Wepublic of Wexit out here in Wild Rose Country, I guess we won’t be able to join the United Nations. Too triggering. There’s just something about the UN putting its oar into our affairs that sends Alberta politicians over the edge. Guilty conscience?
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Get used to it, Alberta, the world is learning how to talk about climate change
Remember the anger in Alberta in 2016 when some observers connected the dots between the fire that spring in Fort McMurray and the phenomenon known as global warming? Such statements were denounced as outrageous. Also insensitive — and, without doubt, a few of the comments on social media were. But
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Maintain Your Rage-Austraila Is Ground Zero
Austraila is ‘Ground Zero’ in the rage worthy reality that is the ‘Climate Crisis’ of our lives. British Columbia, like Austraila, could also explode into a hell on earth scenario if we continue with the Read more…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Linda Silas, president of Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, announces bid to lead Canadian Labour Congress
Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions representing 200,000 nurses across Canada, formally announced today she will seek the presidency of the Canadian Labour Congress. This doesn’t come as a thunderbolt out of the blue. Ms. Silas has been pondering a run for the leadership the CLC
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