Yes indeed, I do have the ultimate solutions to all of our electoral system problems and I will share them with all of you. Now some of you might think this is too comprehensive and complicated to propose all at once, but for voters it will be just a simple
Continue readingTag: democracy
Dead Wild Roses: Anonymous – A Message to Congress
So, is this how it must be? I’m thinking that we get Anonymous when the structures of your democratic institutions are corrupted and ineffective. When the voice of the people is lost in the swirl of corporate dollars and lobbying, we get Anonymous. When the elites believe that they are
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: State of the Canadian Union
When Americans want to know the direction their country is taking they watch their President’s State of the Union address. When Canadians want to know the direction their country is taking they should look at how many of them watched that same address. Last night when Barack Obama spoke to
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Canadian Pride
Canada has the best government, the best history, and the best culture, but what makes me proudest to be Canadian, is not the democracy, not the tolerance and diversity, not the public health care, nothing, absolutely nothing makes me prouder to be Canadian than the Canadians who believe they can
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: The Political Roots of Inequality
Last Thursday I was at an event on the issue of rising income inequality, sponsored by Canada 2020. It featured one of the authors of the recent OECD report on inequality, who highlighted the “skills biased technological change or SBT ” hypothesis so favoured by mainstream economists who desperately avoid
Continue readingCanada II: Winning Against Dirty Politics
How are we going to get the next Liberal Party candidate past the opposition Super PAC’s and their coordinated attack ads? Just in case Bob Rae was thinking of entering the fray, which many Liberals are not very interested in anyway, the so-called National Citizens Coalition released an opening salvo:
Continue readingCanada II: Is the NCC a Super PAC?
It’s obvious, isn’t it? If you’ve been watching American television, and who hasn’t during the recent GOP convention Olympics, you know that Super PACs are third party funded operatives who do things on behalf of candidates. They do things that candidates can’t do. For example, they can raise unlimited amounts
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Why Don’t Politicians Like Democratic Participation?
Yesterday I opined on why democratic participation in our country is so muted, and offered two examples of what can be accomplished when people are willing to get involved. One of the obstacles to greater participation is surely the belief that we have little chance of making an impact because
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: No Debate… So What?
Rick Mercer rants against the erosion of public debate under the Harper Government® concerning various issues of the day and its paternalistic “My house, my rules” approach to enacting various decisions… Um, sorry, but isn’t this semi-dictatorial kind of behaviour the nature of majority governments in parliament and, truth be
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Conservatives Don’t Hate Democracy, They Just Don’t Need It
In Canada our representatives are elected, our churches, charities, and businesses are not. Conservatives by their ideology believe that less power should be given to our democratically elected government and more power given to groups that do not answer to voters, whether they be private hospitals, unaccountable church organizations, or
Continue readingLarry Hubich's Blog: Net Benefit
“Rio Tinto and Caterpillar Electro Motive are newly minted Canadian corporate citizens who have locked their workers out to freeze and starve. These corporate muggers were allowed into Canada and encouraged in their anti Canadianism by the Harper Junta. It’s going to be a cold winter and a hot summer
Continue readingLarry Hubich's Blog: Labour leaders call on premiers to unite & defend healthcare
The open letter below was written to Canada’s Premiers from the Presidents of Provincial and Territorial Federations of Labour: An open letter to Canada’s Premiers: Labour leaders call on Premiers to unite & defend healthcareThe future of Canada’s healthcare system is at a critical stage.As leaders of the provincial and territorial
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Our Mandate
“Well you know the Conservatives say, and we know the mantra those of us who have to sit through this every day in the House of commons, that Canadians gave them a mandate to do whatever it is that they want to do; a mandate to carry out whatever abuses
Continue readingYappa Ding Ding: Reflections on Activism
People keep saying that 2012 will be the year of protest in North America – the year when ordinary people rise up and demand better treatment from government elites. I’m all for that. I think it’s crazy that Canada doesn’t have stronger employment laws to protect employees, that we don’t
Continue readingfirst word, tree.: Pink Herrings: Ethical (Sp)Oil and Pride (in Pipelines)
“Make a hard Right-turn at the Town of Wedgepolitics and keep going Straight until you’ve reached the City of Bigotry and Political Strategy.” Directions for Harper’s recent wedge-issue of choice, driven to distract, that questions the validity of marriage licences granted to non-resident couples in Canada. This issue is too risky
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: We Must Stop Stephen Harper and the 20% from Destroying Canada
There has been lots of discussion about how Stephen Harper’s majority only represents 40% of voters because of the way our electoral system works. But, in reality, his agenda has much fewer supporters. We must remember that the Conservative Party is a coalition. It is not a coalition in the
Continue readingeaves.ca: Ethical Oil and the Northern Gateway Pipeline Process
This piece is cross-posted from the Toronto Star’s Op-Ed Page. This week the “ethical oil” argument adopted by the federal government took an interesting twist. While billions from China pour into Canada to develop the oilsands and fund the construction of the Northern Gateway pipeline, on Monday the government announced
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Enbridge Gateway JRP Hearings Broadcast (Kitimat/Kitamaat) – January 10, 2011
Hi! My name is Tia! I’m a radical, eco-terrorist, and enemy of the state now! Whee! (This is almost as random as the people Harper appointed to the senate the other day, and makes just as much sense.) Due to my fervent opposition to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, I can now add these spiffy
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Better Know a Flake
Give it up to the good folks in New Hampshire who last month actually staged a serious 2 hour-long C-SPAN forum for “lesser known candidates” running for President of the United States to broadcast their pitches to hundreds of viewers and answer legitimate questions from the press about government relations,
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Day Three of Tragedy of the Market: From Crisis to Commons
Tragedy of the Market: From Crisis to Commons January 6-8, 2012 Vancouver/Burnaby All panelist biographies are here. Below are some lessons learned and observations from the sessions. Friday: The opening panel is recorded in the Twitter storify here. Saturday: My notes are here. Sunday: Opening Panel Radical Squares: Reflections on
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