It’s a crisp, foggy November Saturday morning in the south side of the city. Seventeen people sit in the large open area at the back end of an organic fair trade coffee shop run by a workers’ co-op inspired by the Mondragon movement in Spain. Meet-ups like this are quite
Continue readingTag: conservative party of canada
The Cracked Crystal Ball II: What Ford and Harper Have In Common
They both have problems with telling the truth. Yesterday, news broke that Rob Ford had been attempting to purchase the video of him smoking crack cocaine – before Gawker and the Toronto Star made the existence of the video public. In this morning’s news, we find Ford denying that he
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Stop Saying Tax “Haven” and Tax “Burden”
The finance minister and his tax evasion buddy. The latest nonsense of the hyper-rich 1% and their political compradors has reminded us once again, that the rich hide their money from government to avoid paying taxes…because they’re rich and can get their way. Part of how they do that is
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Does Racism Motivate Harper’s Aboriginal Education Funding Stance?
The Prime Minister’s slow clap. It could be racism. It could be concern that over time too many first nations citizens may get too educated and start demanding more in terms of inter-national justice. Or… It could be just that he thinks keeping government spending down is good for his
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Harper … Linking Him To Ford
In the last two weeks, we’ve heard a lot about – and from – Rob Ford. He’s been, to say the least, prominent in the headlines – shocking most of the time, belligerent the rest. Of some consideration though is the dead silence coming from the PMO where Rob Ford
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Rising Tory interest in St. Albert-Edmonton nomination could set the stage for something completely different!
Ryan Hastman’s business card, handed out at last weekend’s Conservative Convention in Calgary. Below: Mr. Hastman, Independent MP Brent Rathgeber, competing Tory candidate Michael Cooper and the other side of Mr. Hastman’s card. ST. ALBERT, Alberta There’s a new candidate in the race for the Conservative Party of Canada’s nomination
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Stephen Harper to Canada: ‘It’s not my fault! Now shut up and vote for me’
Trying to change the channel: Unfortunately for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the remote seems to have disappeared under a pillow and the movie stuck on the TV screen stars Mike Duffy, shown above moving toward the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary Friday night. Actual Canadian Senators may not appear exactly
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Halloween 2013: a meditation on power
Prime Minister Stephen Harper just one year ago. Actual Canadian prime ministers may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Senator Mike Duffy and former Harper cabinet member Jim Prentice. Last Halloween, when Prime Minister Stephen Harper went trick ’n’ treating, he was monarch of all he surveyed. This year, he’s
Continue readingAlberta Diary: ‘Conservative activist’ seeks Brent Rathgeber’s Edmonton-St. Albert Parliamentary seat
Michael Cooper, left, celebrates after a fashion the May 2, 2011, federal election victory of Edmonton-St. Albert MP Brent Rathgeber, as Mr. Rathgeber celebrates it in a more traditional and energetic way. (St. Albert Gazette photo.) Below: Mr. Cooper’s official campaign website photo; Mr. Rathgeber not long after his break
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: 10 mostly negative (but I did try) thoughts about the Speech from the Throne
I know everyone stopped caring about the Speech from the Throne on Thursday, including Prime Minister Harper, who fled to Europe right after it was read Wednesday night to bring back every Canadian a block of gouda. I’ve been busy the last few days though so forgive me, but I’m
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Consumer Friendly Throne Speech?
So, the Harper Government is promising a “consumer friendly” Throne Speech this week. Among the “goodies” being discussed are “a la carte cable” and a “passenger bill of rights”, all as part of a “grow the economy” strategy. More or less, the Conservatives are going to put forward a combination
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Cell phone packages and cable bills: Is this the real middle class agenda?
The Harper government won’t deliver its speech from the throne until Wednesday, but the theme has been telegraphed for months, and much of the contents well-leaked over the past week. The government will appropriate the middle class theme that Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has been trumpeting since he began his
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: We Support The Veterans Transition Program
Submitted by Robin and Stewart on Mon, 10/07/2013 – 12:59 1999 saw the rise of the Veteran Transition Network (VTN) through the sponsorship of BC/Yukon Legion Branches and the University of British Columbia. Its mission is to help Canadian Veterans across the nation re-integrate into society, local communities, and with
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: PTSD Update!
Updates from Kate and Robin and Stewart are below, as they approach the end of their campaigns! Kate’s Long Way Home has passed 1,000 kilometres on her way to Ottawa. Post by The Long Way Home. Robin and Stewart’s Marathon for Veterans is closing in on its fundraising target. There is still
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: PTSD: No Room for Denial
What if NO ONE knows your name? Belonging? It’s pretty important. We don’t always have to go where EVERYone knows our name, but we do need to have people. People who know, understand and affirm us. People with mental health issues, however, are often made to feel not so normal,
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Strange political bedfellows are conjuring more than entertainment in Alberta
A poster advertising last night’s NDP-Wildrose leaders’ debate at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Below: Odd couple Brian Mason and Danielle Smith, captured in electrons by Dave Cournoyer of the Daveberta.ca blog. Alberta New Democratic Party Leader Brian Mason and Wildrose Party Leader Danielle Smith debated each other at
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Kate, Robin and Stewart’s Challenge To Us All About PTSD
I will be doing regular updates on two events to increase awareness about PTSD, particularly as the Canadian Forces spends too little on treatment of its members and PTSD. Regardless of all the ways we could improve our military or the Canadian government’s often imperialistic foreign policy, the real human
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Watch As Our Prison Costs Go Up
Travis Baumgartner was sentenced today. He was sentenced to the equivalent of “40 years to life” for a bloody robbery that left three dead. Previously, the standard sentence that Baumgartner would have received was “25 to life”. That was until the Harper Government passed a law which changed the sentencing
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Untangling the Temporary Foreign Worker Knot
Banks as predators? Surely, no! Temporary foreign workers have become a lightning-rod topic in Canadian labour in recent months with the high-profile news of the Royal Bank of Canada replacing staff with TFWs. But the issue is not about RBC, which is merely the latest flashpoint. The temporary foreign worker
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