Andrew Coyne isn’t always great, but when he’s great, he’s great. Spot on here. Andrew Coyne: Trudeau helps the cause of democratic reform (by not pursuing it) MPs should be free to vote as they wish at least in theory. In practice they will often vote with their party, that’s
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Politics and its Discontents: A Brief Programming Note
Since spring finally seems to be arriving in my place on the planet, it seems like a propitious time to take a day or two off from this blog and contemplate other matters. In the interim, I recommend the following for your perusal: The Star’s Thomas Walkom writes about democracy,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Guest Post From The Mound Of Sound
I have missed reading the Mound of Sound since he put his blog, The Disaffected Lib, on hiatus about five weeks ago. A man of wide-ranging interests and passions, his posts on climate change and politics never failed to catch my attention and stimulate my own reading and research. Yesterday
Continue readingNot an Official Green Party Canada Site: Arseny Yatsenyuk and the Ukraine’s ‘End Game’
Foxy Yatsenyuk could be a Ukrainian Hero I have started innumerable draft posts about Ukraine over the past few weeks, but there was little room for anything but speculation. The tensions and factors underlying the ‘Crimean Crisis’ were pretty clear to see, but the interplay was too fast, and Russia’s
Continue readingcartoon life: Poilievre’s opinion
“I never made such a gesture.” responds Pierre Poutine, in response to critics of the so-called “Fair Elections Act’”. Filed under: comment, digital, illustration, photo Tagged: bill C-23, Canada, CPC, democratic reform, Pierre Poilievre, politics
Continue readingThe Right-Wing Observer: Can we protect our Democracy from unscrupulous Democratic Reform?
When a person or an organization observes an opportunity for profit or gain and are then confronted with laws that make it illegal to proceed, they usually have to make a choice between two or three vastly different courses of action: Break the law and attempt to escape detection, capture
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Big Bang?
There has been much debate about Justin Trudeau’s Senate gambit. Bill Tieleman claims that it is merely sleight of hand. But Lawrence Martin thinks it may be a big bang moment, which starts the process of democratic reform: The Trudeau gambit could well touch off a chain reaction or at
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: If Chong’s Reform Act were in place in BC, would Adrian Dix be Premier today?
Lots of the debate around Michael Chong’s proposed Reform Act to, among other things, allow a federal parliamentary caucus to fire the party leader, has taken place in the abstract. We need to do something, it’s better than nothing, you’re with reform or you’re with the terrorists, and so forth.
Continue readingCalgary Grit: The Best Intentions
Michael Chong is one the most respected people in the country when it comes to democratic reform. He quit his cabinet position on principle, and proposed a series of thoughtful Question Period reforms in 2010, which seem all the more overdue after the Paul Calandra show we saw last week.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Don’t Blame Them. Blame Yourself Too.
The Guardian has published two articles that blame climate change, or most of it, on a few corporate fat cats. One claims just 90-companies cause two-thirds of global warming emissions. The second item is a companion piece with a graphic showing which fossil fuel companies are the most blameworthy. How
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Don’t Say This Question Hasn’t Crossed Your Mind
Is our system of government incapable of meeting the challenges we face? A very simple question raising a point that has been addressed here at length several times. It gets into issues of what it means when we vest such enormous powers in our elected apparatus, in our
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Even if it could, Senate reform shouldn’t proceed without the provinces – or the people
To the surprise of everyone in the Ottawa bubble, Her Majesty’s Minister of State for Democratic Reform, Pierre Poilievre, held a press availability Wednesday not to slam the Liberals for some alleged sins, but to actually speak to an issue of policy substance: the government’s Supreme Court reference on Senate
Continue readingImpolitical: Tory expense fun, it’s not just for the Senate
Ahoy Tory riding associations! Canadian Press follows the dollar trail to show us how political donation limits are playing out in Canada: “Eye-popping Tory riding war chests raise eyebrows.” This is something we have known for a bit but it’s nice to see reporting on it today in the wake
Continue readingImpolitical: Tory expense fun, it’s not just for the Senate
Ahoy Tory riding associations! Canadian Press follows the dollar trail to show us how political donation limits are playing out in Canada: “Eye-popping Tory riding war chests raise eyebrows.” This is something we have known for a bit but it’s nice to see reporting on it today in the wake
Continue readingImpolitical: Tory expense fun, it’s not just for the Senate
Ahoy Tory riding associations! Canadian Press follows the dollar trail to show us how political donation limits are playing out in Canada: “Eye-popping Tory riding war chests raise eyebrows.” This is something we have known for a bit but it’s nice to s…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: On Our Democratic Deficit
These Star readers, whether you agree with them or not, have some interesting perspectives to offer: Re: Growing disconnect between Canadians and Parliament, May 2 Democracy is just a mirage, Letter May 5 Al Dunn is essentially correct in his characterization of democracy as it is generally practised today. But
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Conservatives Delay Robocalls Justice… Again!
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: The Harper Conservatives will not be introducing the comprehensive “election reform act” they promised Canadians, after all. The bill was due to be tabled in Parliament on Thursday. Apparently, the Conservatives have discovered a “last minute” issue with their own piece of legislation. An issue so
Continue readingNot an Official Green Party Canada Site: Trudeau gets it too: Introducing the next Prime Minister.
I just followed a link to a Globe & Mail article: “Inside Justin Trudeau’s war room“. I was elated at what I read, because it confirms my belief that the Liberal Party is going to re-write the book on electoral politics in Canada. That is not a shallow conclusion based
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Michael Harris concludes that we’re currently stuck in a golden age for political falsehood and deceit: (T)here are problems with blotting out inconvenient truths with self-serving Newspeak. It’s catchier than a flu-bug in a pup tent. Quite a few pairs of pants are
Continue readingChallenging the Commonplace: LPC Leader Candidates Confused over Voting Systems & Ballots
The following I just sent off to the Justin Trudeau campaign. However, it might equally have been sent to other candidates running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
In reading Justin Trudeau’s policy regarding electoral reform, I came across the following comment:
"I do not support proportional representation because I believe deeply that every Member of Parliament should
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