Last September, when Tim Hudak announced that he intended to break Ontario’s unions, it came as no surprise to labour activists. The head of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party, cynically framing the issue as one of “choice,” talked about “right-to-work” – a familiar euphemism for union busting – and repealing the
Continue readingTag: Canadian Politics
Scott's DiaTribes: Guest blog from Leanne Bourassa; new LPC Nat’l Membership Secretary
Cue the music: Carry On by FUN The week before convention was a tough one for my team – tempers were running high, work and school obligations were pressing, we were spending more money than we had planned, I was travelling, doing founding meetings and still trying to be a
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Sunday Stuff: A guest blog-poster from the Biennial early this week?
I took a bit of a break in blogging the past week – partially to recharge batteries from the Montreal Biennial.. partially because I’ve been doing some other political stuff behind the scenes… but back to a regular blogpost today, with some thoughts of the week behind and a look
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: There has been a lot of talk in the Canadian mainstream media…
There has been a lot of talk in the Canadian mainstream media and from the mainstream Canadian political parties about the middle class, but almost no discussion of the working class. Even the (slightly) left-of-centre New Democratic Party (NDP) keeps using the buzzwords “middle-class families” instead of “workers” or “working-class
Continue readingwmtc: the ndp: so sad, so frustrating, so maddeningly predictable
Where oh where has the NDP gone? One of the most wonderful things about Canada, for me, has always been the presence of a viable third party on the left. When we first moved here, it was so amazing to hear Jack Layton, Libby Davies, Peggy Nash, Paul Dewar, Olivia
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Kerry Diotte to run for federal Conservative nomination in Edmonton-Griesbach
Tweet Former City Councillor and mayor candidate Kerry Diotte announced on his Facebook page today that he plans to seek the Conservative Party of Canada nomination in the new Edmonton-Griesbach riding. Mr. Diotte represented Ward 11 on Edmonton City Council from 2010 until 2013. He ran against Don Iveson for mayor
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Shocker: Canadian Taxpayers Federation suffers 17-per-cent membership slump!
Riley Climenhaga, who has some duties as an actual watchdog despite being one of the Canadian Taxpayer Federation’s 70,000 “supporters,” watches suspiciously. Below: CTF Alberta mouthpiece Derek Fildebrandt and Operations VP Shannon Morrison. In a stunning development, membership in the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has slumped close to 17 per cent
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Biennial LPC – Day 4 (final) impressions
This is going to be a shorter post then my others I only was here til 11 am before I had to run for my train home and didn’t catch the constitutional stuff.. but thanks to the good flow of motions as done by the chairpersons (Maryanne Kampouris and Ralph
Continue readingthe disgruntled democrat: Given Today’s Technology, Why Do We Continue To Elect Representatives From Political Parties?
Canada’s political institutions have not evolved significantly from their conception nearly 150 years ago. We still regularly go to the polls and choose between the candidates from various political parties to represent us in Parliament and in the provincial legislatures. Effectively, we transfer our popular sovereignty to a few individuals,
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Interesting federal nomination races emerging across Alberta
TweetInteresting nomination races are emerging across Alberta as parties prepare to choose candidates to run in the next federal election, slated for October 2015. Below are some of the most recent updates from ridings across the province, where candidates are seeking nominations to run in two by-elections and the general
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Advice to Canadian politicians and media: Proceed with caution on your support for Ukraine’s rebels
Anti-Government Ukrainians prepare to fight police in Kiev. Below: Rioters throw gasoline bombs at police in Ukraine; Alberta Labour Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. (Wikimedia photos.) You can bet money that when trouble is brewing abroad things are always far more complicated than local enthusiasts for one side or the other make
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Biennial LPC Convention – Day 3 Impressions
A very early start to the day (7 am) when I visited the Breakfast Suite for Leanne Bourassa, one of the National Membership Secretary candidates (at the time – more on that later). I’ve known of Leanne for a while now, and she seems to have known of I and
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Future bleak for Brent Rathgeber’s CBC disclosure bill; perhaps less so for Rex Murphy’s commentaries
Your blogger with CBC commentator Rex Murphy, quite possibly on his way to a speaking engagement with the oil industry. Below: the same blogger with Edmonton-St. Albert Member of Parliament Brent Rathgeber, who has a date with history next week; the controversial Press Progress Rex Murphy info-graphic. ST. ALBERT, Alberta
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Biennial LPC Convention – Day 2 Impressions
Where to start! A VERY busy day today. -I know it has to be done, but the constitutional by-amendments opening of the Biennial was a tad dry. It was a good move to have held this in a smaller conference room. Less people there (as obviously they knew better). If
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: First impressions of #Lib14 Montreal Biennial
– There are a lot (I mean a LOT) of people here for a non-leadership convention. I hear it may be the largest of these they’ve ever seen. – The powerbars work at he bloggers tables and arent in short supply – a dramatic improvement over the Showcase. We also
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Danielle Takacs running in Brant For LPC Nomination
We’ve had a lot of bloggers (both former and current) decide to drop their hat into running for both provincial and federal nominations for political parties, and on the eve of the Liberal Biennial Convention, I was very pleased and thrilled to see we have a new one today, someone
Continue readingthe disgruntled democrat: In Canada’s Contested Vote Exchange the Biggest Losers Are Democrats
Although Canadians like to think of themselves governed by a modern democratic state, in reality, we are still governed by a colonial form of government that is a vestige of the British Empire. Our Head of State is a foreign monarch, Queen Elizabeth II; the Prime Minister is chosen by the Crown’s
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Almost Time For Montreal To Cover The LPC Biennial Convention
I was pleased to receive in my email from Andree-Lyne Halle (Comm Mgr for the LPC) a “Bloggers Welcome Note” for those of us bloggers accredited to the Montreal Biennial. I’m also intrigued we’re getting formally welcomed and “briefed” by National Director of the LPC, Jeremy Broadhurst, on Friday AM.
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: CPC Leaked Strategy Doc on Exploiting LPC Divisions Will Have Opposite Effect
You may have read this past week about the leaked documents the Toronto Star obtained that showed the Conservative Party hinting they will try to disrupt and cause disunity amongst Liberal Party members at the upcoming Biennial Convention in Montreal starting this Thursday (being attended by Yours Truly and other
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Tough night for the Ontario Libs & Wynne
Last night, there were 2 byelections in Ontario, which were seen as a test of what the political winds are like in Ontario these days. The Ontario Liberals and Premier Kathleen Wynne was hoping to wrest away Thornhill from the PC’s, while Niagara Falls, in Tim Hudak’s backyard, it was
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