Here, on how the evolution of labour rights under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms can be traced directly to anti-labour overreach by right-wing governments – and how Brad Wall seems determined to push the limits yet again even as his first effort proved unconstitutional. For further reading…– The two
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Accidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the Wall government’s insistence that public-sector cuts are the answer no matter what the question – and the cautionary tale we should draw from their Irish model. For further reading…– The CP documents Wall’s latest demand for austerity at any price.– Paul Krugman has done plenty of work
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Following up on this morning’s roundup, I comment here on how the NDP’s group of leadership candidates includes loads of possibilities to take up Jack Layton’s mantle of negotiation and cooperation. As a brief bit of further reading, it was Dan Gardner who asked whether Stephen Harper had ever engaged
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Here, on how the rewriting of Rob Ford’s budget by Toronto’s City Council should serve as a reminder that legislators at all levels of government can do more than merely rubber-stamp the whims of the executive. For further reading, see the Star’s report on the Toronto budget, and compare to
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Here, on how the Wall government’s idea of health care “innovation” utterly fails the test for reasonable experimentation by prejudging the results. For further reading…– The man responsible for the most thorough study of Canadian health care in recent memory reminds us that as a general rule, public service delivery
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Here, responding to plenty of talk about the rising West with a look at the challenges and decisions we’re facing as a region. For sources and further reading, the column refers to…– Data on price and quantity of goods from Stephen Gordon– B.C. economic comparison from the now-defunct Progress Board
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Here, on the spread of bullying in the political sphere even as it’s been rightly rejected elsewhere – and what we should do as citizens to make sure it doesn’t pay off. For further reading, Hannah Tepper interviews Sam Sommers some of the mental shortcuts that are all too easily
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Here, on the stark contrast between an election campaign where the Saskatchewan Party went out of its way to talk about nothing and the flurry of new legislation introduced within days of the legislature reconvening. For further reading, the full list of bills introduced so far this fall is here.
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Here, on how both the city and the province are only exacerbating the Regina rental housing crisis that’s been festering for years. For further reading, see recent stories on the near-zero vacancy rate and skyrocketing prices in the rental market, as well as the City’s response in focusing instead on
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Here, on the need to make sure that any lobbying legislation in Saskatchewan doesn’t merely create new ways for an already-insular government to peddle access and shut out dissent. For further reading, Murray Mandryk has discussed the issue as well in a couple of recent columns. And I’ve posted before
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Here, on the need for equitable resource sharing to start writing a new ending to Canada’s shameful story of First Nations relations – and how the Saskatchewan NDP nearly took itself out of the narrative. Scott Stelmaschuk has an opposing take on the proper response from the NDP. [Edit: fixed
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Here, on how the Cons are taking away the real choice currently enjoyed by Western grain producers thanks to the Canadians Wheat Board. The data on grain production within the column is drawn from Statistics Canada. And see CBC’s report on the total lack of planning by the Cons in
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By all accounts, Brad Wall’s greatest political success came when he stood up for Saskatchewan’s interests against international capital and the federal government rather than allowing them to run roughshod. This week, I ask why he hasn’t done the same more often.
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Plenty of people who should know better – including Bruce Johnstone and David McGrane – seem eager to paint the results of Saskatchewan’s election as an indication that the NDP should simply run on the Sask Party’s platform rather than advocating for i…
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Here, on Saskatchewan’s unique opportunity to translate the widespread public concerns about inequality and corporate control highlighted by the Occupy movement into electoral change. For further reading, here’s the Abacus poll referred to in the column.
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Here, on the costliest promise in Saskatchewan’s provincial election.For further reading, see Erin’s platform comparison and comment on potash royalties.Update: Leftdog highlights just how little PCS needs handouts from the province. And I’ll add the u…
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It’s bad enough having a federal government whose reaction to social problems is to tell the provinces, “No, you go first in dealing with them. I insist.” But it’s much worse having a provincial government whose response is to refuse to do anything mor…
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Here, on how Saskatchewan’s election campaign pits a party pushing instant gratification against one basing its policies on an appeal to voters’ altruism.
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Here, on how the small-c conservative wave that was projected as a possible consequence of a majority federal government has instead given way to a tide of voters rejecting the Harper Cons’ mindset. For further reading, Susan Delacourt and I both consi…
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Here, on how the Regina Food Bank’s current crisis demonstrates the need for a social safety net that isn’t so easily shredded. For further reading…- The Leader-Post has more about the problems now facing the Food Bank.- The number of current Food Ba…
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