Here, pointing out that Brad Wall’s deficit can be traced primarily (if not entirely) to his unproductive tax slashing – and that even an austerity-laden budget is being designed to make matters worse. For further reading…– Jason Warick’s series of reports on obvious ways to improve Saskatchewan’s fiscal situation can
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Accidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the Saskatchewan Party’s determination to make work more precarious – and pay and benefits harder to come by – in the public and private sectors alike. For further reading…– The history of the Skip the Dishes saga includes the government’s plan for millions of dollars in handouts; the
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Here, on how public enterprises (such as Crown corporations) and a heritage fund should both be part of a general plan to build social capital – and why the Saskatchewan Party’s deference to business stands in the way. For further reading…– Stefani Langenegger reported on yesterday’s impressive rally in support
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Here, on how public enterprises (such as Crown corporations) and a heritage fund should both be part of a general plan to build social capital – and why the Saskatchewan Party’s deference to business stands in the way. For further reading…– Stefani Langenegger reported on yesterday’s impressive rally in support
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the first few steps of the federal NDP’s leadership race. For further reading…– CBC News reported on Peter Julian’s campaign launch, while Alex Ballingall covered Charlie Angus’ and Aaron Wherry wrote about Guy Caron’s. And Mia Rabson reports that Niki Ashton will officially announce her candidacy next week.–
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the first few steps of the federal NDP’s leadership race. For further reading…– CBC News reported on Peter Julian’s campaign launch, while Alex Ballingall covered Charlie Angus’ and Aaron Wherry wrote about Guy Caron’s. And Mia Rabson reports that Niki Ashton will officially announce her candidacy next week.–
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Here, on how Justin Trudeau is about the least plausible possible advocate as to the importance of building trust in leaders and public institutions. For further reading…– The text of Trudeau’s Hamburg speech is here. And both Paul Wells and Susan Delacourt wonder whether it signals a shift in the
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Here, on Brad Wall’s choice to cover up the truth behind the Saskatchewan Party’s Global Transportation Hub scandal – and the most plausible (if still inadequate) explanations for that decision. For further reading…– Again, the latest public revelation was Geoff Leo’s reporting of political pressure to pay inflated prices for
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Here, on how we shouldn’t be impressed with our political leaders’ reactions to the bigotry on display in Donald Trump’s Muslim ban and the Quebec City mosque shooting – but should see the popular response as a far more useful starting point for progress. For further reading…– I posted here
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Here, on the hope that this past weekend’s protests will be just the start of an activist response to Donald Trump and his corporatist and authoritarian allies. For further reading…– Robert Booth and Alexandra Topping reported on last weekend’s rallies from a global perspective. Tanara Yelland discussed the march on
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Here, on the options available to the Wall government in responding to a budget deficit other than to renew its attacks on Saskatchewan’s public servants – and why we shouldn’t trust a premier whose answer to the failure of his anti-worker economics is to amplify the pain. For further reading…–
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Here, starting from the justified criticism of corporate-friendly “privatize the gains, socialize the losses” economic policy by noting that some genuinely socialized risks would represent a substantial improvement in equity. For further reading…– Again, Jared Bernstein discusses the shift in overall risks toward the people who can least handle them
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Here, on the need for progressive leaders and activists alike to build connections beyond borders and party lines to combat a reactionary movement which spans the globe. For further reading…– Sam Kriss discusses how the systematic stifling of the left has given rise to the toxic politics of the right.–
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Here, on Justin Trudeau’s broken health care promises – and the need for a concerted provincial push for an equal partnership in maintaining and enhancing a universal health care system for all Canadians. For further reading…– The Liberal and NDP 2015 election platforms (PDF) offer a useful indication of the
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Here, on SaskTel’s response (PDF) to the Wall government’s attempt to make excuses to sell off one of Saskatchewan’s core Crowns – and how its position in dealing with federal regulators may in fact only be stronger after the selloff of MTS. For further reading…– I’ve written about SaskTel’s beneficial
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Here, on the crisis of liberal democracy around the globe – and how we face our own obvious risks in Canada. For further reading…– Yascha Mounk’s research into the precarious state of democracy is discussed here by Amanda Taub. And Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Erica Frantz trace how a seemingly secure
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Here, on the Libs’ pleasantly surprising hints toward enforcing the Canada Health Act – and the Saskatchewan Party’s response that it would rather fight for profit-motivated medicine than work on building a sustainable universal system. For further reading…– By way of background on the enforcement of the Canada Health Act
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Here, on how the Wall government has Saskatchewan on the road to the same post-truth politics that laid the groundwork for the spread of fictitious “news” and Donald Trump’s election. For further reading…– Dan Tynan, Craig Silverman and Terrence McCoy are among those who have reported on the development of
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Here, on how the impression that our votes for change don’t produce the expected results can lead to the public putting up with a destructive alternative just to have an alternative at all. For further reading…– For background on Prince Edward Island’s electoral reform plebiscite, see Susan Bradley’s report on
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Here, a rare Saturday column on the lessons we should draw from the election of Donald Trump in how we organize and work within our political system. For further reading (beyond the writing already linked here)…– Others offering similar thoughts include Murray Dobbin, Rick Salutin, Kai Nagata and Robert Reich.–
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