Disgraced ex-Durham MP, Bev Oda, begins her private life today, after a scandalous public life defined by profligacy, scandal, inefficiency and controversy. Canadians offer their final word on the former minister of International Co-operation and MP for Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party of Canada. [View the story “Canadians: Farewell, Bev Oda!”
Continue readingTag: Canadian Politics
Alberta Diary: Mystery story: is there an opposition candidate who can win the Calgary Centre by-election?
Your blogger with David Swann: Remember, when the author of this blog appears in a picture with a politician, it does not necessarily imply an endorsement. (That’s enough photos with politicians for one week, thanks – ed.) Below: Likely Conservative winner Joan Crockatt, Edmonton Strathcona NDP MP Linda Duncan and
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: So Long, Bev Oda! Please Stay Away From The Canadian Senate
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minister of international co-operation, Bev Oda, officially retires today. A sigh of relief! What a financial burden to the Canadian taxpayer the Conservative MP for the Ontario riding of Durham has been. Oda earned the dubious honor of poster girl for misspending by Tory ministers: $1,000
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Instant Run-off voting – Toronto considers it.
There is a column in the National Post about the City of Toronto possibly considering a voting reform; implementing Instant Run-off Voting (IRV) or Ranked Balloting as in time for the elections of 2014. If you’re not a voting expert, here’s all you need to know about this system: Rather
Continue readingeaves.ca: What do I think of the Canadian Senate?
Read Jennifer Ditchburn in the Globe and Mail – Senate stubborn on making information about chamber more accessible. It is laughable about how hard the Canadian Senate makes it to access information about it. The lower house – which has made good progress in the last few years on this
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Calgary Centre Conservative nomination fight takes a turn, but Joan Crockatt’s still the frontrunner
Your blogger with Joan Crockatt: Remember, when the author of this blog appears in a picture with a politician, it does not imply endorsement – he just can’t help himself! Below: Nomination candidate Jon Lord and contest dropout John Mar. The battle for the Conservative nomination in the Calgary Centre
Continue readingwmtc: memo to rcmp and csis: it’s not the environmentalists who are radical. it’s the harper government.
CBC reports that a heavily censored, declassified report obtained by the Canadian Press shows that the RCMP (with input from CSIS and the CBSA) have issued warnings about the supposedly growing threat of radical environmentalism in Canada. Isn’t that convenient. With the Harper Government branding everyone who opposes their anti-environment,
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Stockwell Day for Premier?
Thank you Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith. I needed that. In the midst of unrelenting bad news broken up only by worse news — pipeline debates, carnage in Syria, the federal government’s ongoing dismantlement of Canada’s worthiest accomplishments — a good laugh was just what the doctor ordered. On the
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Queen Elizabeth II, Canada’s “Bond Girl” Shines At The 2012 London Olympics
That’s right, our absentee head of state is the newest Bond girl. The Queen made her acting debut in the spectacular and humorous Bond sequence during the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games. I think the Queen should take up acting. Here are my three reasons: First, the 86-year old
Continue readingRandom Ranting Raving and Ratings: Did a Conservative Riding Association take Kick Back Money?
The Facts: The Prime Ministers fundraising rules for ministers and parliamentary secretaries (called Accountable Government) state: “There should be no singling out, or appearance of singling out, of individuals or organizations as targets of political fundraising because they have official… ..
Continue readingRandom Ranting Raving and Ratings: Did a Conservative Riding Association take Kick Back Money?
The Facts: The Prime Ministers fundraising rules for ministers and parliamentary secretaries (called Accountable Government) state: “There should be no singling out, or appearance of singling out, of individuals or organizations as targets of political fundraising because they have official… ..
Continue readingRandom Ranting Raving and Ratings: Did a Conservative Riding Association take Kick Back Money?
The Facts:
The Prime Ministers fundraising rules for ministers and parliamentary secretaries (called Accountable Government) state:
“There should be no singling out, or appearance of singling out, of individuals or organizations as targets of political fundraising because they have official…
..
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s Official White Supremacist Portrait: PHOTO
Our Ford, the (Lord) Mayor of Toronto is rabidly right-wing. No doubt about that. After all, he recently proposed exiling Toronto’s convicted criminals, most of whom tend to be persons of color. Fellow Conservative and immigrant-bashing minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Jason Kenney, endorsed the idea. Still, I would never
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: A non-political blogpost – The Canadian Open should consider joining the European Tour
It’s a tad slow around here politics wise, so with the start of the “RBC Canadian Open” this week (which most people just call the Canadian Open – saying a title sponsor in front of a national open is a bit of heresy, I think), I’d like to opine that
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay Said Canada Should Bring Omar Khadr Home
Surely this has got to be the ultimate Tale of Two Nazanins. Better still, Of Denial And The Tale of Two Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKays. The brand new wife of Conservative Defence Minister Peter MacKay is fuming. She accuses a journalist baiting her to criticize the Harper Government on the Omar
Continue readingAlberta Diary: B.C.’s pipeline bargaining position stirs Alberta outrage, but makes political sense
Alberta Premier Alison Redford, left, negotiates with B.C. Premier Christy Clark, holding carrot, as seen by the Alberta media. Actual neo-conservative Western Canadian politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below Ms. Clark, Ms. Redford and former Tory insider Norman Spector. Christy Clark’s bargaining position in the squabble between British
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Statistics Canada: Crime rate reached its lowest level in 40 years in 2011
The evidence on the crime rate in Canada is out! Statistics Canada reported yesterday that rate of crimes reported to Canadian police forces across the country reached its lowest level last year. The incidents of serious crimes also dropped. By six per cent. That’s for most offences, including attempted murders,
Continue readingAlberta Diary: As goes California, so goes the nation!
The Beach Boys, now, and, below, then. Below them, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, then and now. As goes California, so goes Canada? As goes California, so goes the nation – the nation in the normal scheme of things being what the world knows as the Good Ole U.S.A. For many
Continue readingAlberta Diary: B.C. Bitumen Busters! Who ya gonna call? Greg Selinger?
Alberta and British Columbia Sheriffs see who can stomp the highest at the increasingly tense inter-provincial border near the disputed town of Field. B.C. and Alberta peace officers, of course, may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Just for someone completely different, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger. Who ya gonna blame?
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Why Boy Scouts of America is allowed to discriminate: Comparing US and Canadian human rights laws
I recently expressed outrage over the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to continue banning members who were LGBT or atheists/agnostics. Ideally, groups like BSoA would be able to figure out for themselves that this homophobic and discriminatory policy is not acceptable. But there is also a legal question as to
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