The Senate scandals have badly damaged the Harper government, which is what happens when hand-picked Senators decide they can do whatever they want on ethics and spending. As a result, desperate to find a distraction, the Conservatives have decided to latch on to a “consumers-first” agenda; trying to paint itself
Continue readingTag: Canadian Politics
The Ranting Canadian: Whenever a new study or article comes out proving that the…
Whenever a new study or article comes out proving that the Canadian job market, compensation packages and standard of living are dwindling for most workers — especially young Canadians — the knee-jerk response from right-wing reactionaries is to sputter: ” Move to Alberta!” or “Go into the trades!” or “Go
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: I downloaded this image from Facebook. It perfectly sums up…
I downloaded this image from Facebook. It perfectly sums up what Canadians are experiencing under the disgraced Harper Conservative government. The traitorous scum are slowly destroying Canada bit by bit, scandal by scandal, crime by crime, sell-off by sell-off, treason by treason. They are deliberately trying to wear us down
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Some more Ontario Liberal stuff I cringe at
Stuff like this is why, even though I like Kathleen Wynne, I’m not exactly running to renew my OLP membership card: Premier Kathleen Wynne is “deliberately dismantling” protections for everything from Crown land to prized species like polar bears, snapping turtles and lake sturgeon, Ontario’s environmental watchdog warns.In his 190-page
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: All in a diplomatic day’s work
So in one single day, we’ve managed to offend the Maldives, take potshots at the Commonwealth (and have some normally friendly Commonwealth allies reproach us), and get into a diplomatic ruckus with Brazil over possible Canadian economic spying (on Brazilian mines and energy – why doesn’t that surprise me?). John
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: What our Conservative government would do here on abortion..
(..if they could get away with it): International Development Minister Christian Paradis says the government will not fund overseas projects that allow war rape victims and child brides to obtain an abortion…Paradis says the government’s policy would follow the same logic as that behind Canada’s $3-billion G8 funding commitment for
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: US government shutdown, and other fairy tales and political theatre
I’m not sure what to make of the hoopla going on in the US right now. I’m inclined to think it’s all just political theatre, as Gerald Celente calls it, designed to distract the people from the real issues – the central one being, who controls the government and the
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Collecting on a bet and meeting some folks (hopefully)
Well, it’s a quiet weekend, so I’ll just mention in brief that Jim Calder and I have settled on a date for me to come collect on my winning the Tim Hudak resignation bet. I’ll be up in Toronto on Oct 19th.. and Jim and I have decided that if
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Thoughts on Assisted Suicide
This story in the National Post talks about how quadriplegic Conservative MP and one-time Cabinet Minister Steven Fletcher argues assisted physician-assisted suicide should be an option in Canada, this on the heels of Dr. Donald Low, who recently passed away from a brain tumour, arguing the same thing. A very
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Best tweet on the Blogging Tories ever..
Stephen Taylor probably won’t be happy. The Ottawa Citizen’s Glen Megregor, said this on Twitter this AM about his collective of Conservative bloggers: “Have you seen bloggingtories.ca? Fringe cranks are responsible for most of the content.” If you read back in the conversation thread, apparently some Conservative bloggers were claiming
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: A rare display of unity in Ontario – #LetTimLead
Tim Hudak will not face a leadership review, the Progressive Conservative delegates decreed at their convention yesterday in London. Tim Hudak is very happy. His party supporters are very happy. The only ones possibly as happy are the Ontario Liberal Party and the NDP. They face face a lot easier
Continue readingbastard.logic: What Was Justin Trudeau Smoking When He Decided To Embrace Marijuana Legaliza — Oh, Never Mind.
Without getting into the merits (or the politics) of Justin Trudeau’s call for the legalization of marijuana (of which I think there are many — one of the numerous reasons why I support the NDP), it does represent a rather brazen 180 degree pivot from his previously-stated position in support
Continue readingbastard.logic: What Was Justin Trudeau Smoking When He Decided To Embrace Marijuana Legaliza — Oh, Never Mind.
Without getting into the merits (or the politics) of Justin Trudeau’s call for the legalization of marijuana (of which I think there are many — one of the numerous reasons why I support the NDP), it does represent a rather brazen 180 degree pivot from his previously-stated position in support
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Nice catch, JT
A surprise announcement yesterday from Justin Trudeau and the LPC, with a new military adviser on the LPC team, and possibly one that will run for election in 2015: Retired general Andrew Leslie, former commander of Canadian army..has agreed to co-chair an advisory council on international affairs for the Liberal
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Competition to replace Bob Rae in Toronto-Centre is officially on
The NDP and Liberal candidates for Toronto-Centre were voted on last evening. Chrystia Freeland and Linda Mcquaig were elected by their memberships to run for their political parties. Mcquaig’s win was on the first ballot, which surprised me a bit, as my original perception from reading up on this race
Continue readingwmtc: war resister rodney watson: four years in sanctuary
Today marks four years since Iraq War resister Rodney Watson requested sanctuary from the First United Church in Vancouver. Watson has been in sanctuary ever since. We can honour Watson’s sacrifice and his commitment to peace by renewing our demand that the Canadian government allow Watson and all war resisters
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Quebec’s ‘values’ charter – nothing but an attempted sovereignty gimmick
If you follow politics, you may have heard about Quebec’s “values” charter, which seeks to ban “religious” symbols or clothing from Quebec government workplaces (with the exception apparently of Quebec crucifixes or crosses in the National Assembly – that’s apparently an “important symbol to Quebec history”, not a religious symbol.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Advice for those awaiting ‘the Big One’ from the CFIB later today… have grain of salt at hand
A Canadian Federation of Independent Business technician puts the finishing touches on today’s “report” on retirement savings. (Photo grabbed from AstroTurf.com) Actual CFIB operatives may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: One of them, Dan Kelly. There really is a pension crisis in Canada, but it’s not the one the
Continue reading350 or bust: Le Moment Est Venu
* After blogging about climate change from my perspective as a mom for nearly four years, I’m taking a hiatus from 350orbust. For more on this, check out my July 31 blog post, Shift Happens. I would love to meet you in Ottawa in November for Citizens Climate Lobby Canada’s
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Toronto’s nice in the Fall – so are its eating establishments
Well, the Ontario legislature resumes sitting today. You’ll note in the story about it this morning in the Toronto Star that there is not a single mention of PC Leader Tim Hudak resigning (or even mentioning him for that matter). Unless things change in the hours before the Legislature formally
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