Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Cole Eisen points out how Sears – like far too many other businesses – has deliberately depleted employees’ pension funds while extracting billions of dollars for executives and shareholders: Sears Canada’s woes stem from what appears to be a methodical process of value
Continue readingTag: donald trump
Montreal Simon: Scotland Gives Trump Another Slap in the Face
When I left Scotland just over a week ago, I was sorry to see the highlands disappear through my train window, as I always am.For I do love that place, and that country.And for so many reasons.Read more »
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Our poster-boy PM is the answer?
Despite the wild ravings of Rolling Stone Magazine, our Prime Minister has to whip Canada into shape before taking on the added burden of the American presidency. Donald Trump’s job is safe, for now. In corporate terms, Justin Trudeau might be able to pull off a reverse takeover, (That is
Continue readingIn This Corner: The Return of Stuff Happens, week 28: Justin Trudeau, the free world’s best hope … really?
Rolling Stone magazine is the latest American media outlet to fall under the hypnotic spell of Justin Trudeau. The Perfect Prime Minister got the full Rolling Stone cover treatment this week, an occasion that had much of the Canadian news media in full snicker and guffaw mode. The article, some
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Week Donald Trump Set The White House On Fire
As the conservative author and broadcaster Charlie Sykes said, it was the week when President Pyromaniac set the White House on fire. His worst week ever. In five torrid days, the US president alienated conservatives by savaging his own attorney general; earned a rebuke from the Pentagon over a rushed ban on transgender
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Joseph Stiglitz offers a reminder that tax giveaways to the rich and the corporate sector accomplish zero – or worse – when it comes to economic development: If corporate tax reform happens at all, it will be a hodge-podge brokered behind closed doors.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on why we should be skeptical of Donald Trump’s NAFTA demands – and why it should be willing to walk away from the table if it’s not possible to push for dramatic improvements to what’s being offered. For further reading:– The U.S.’ list of negotiating objectives is here (PDF).
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Missing Sean Spicer.
President Donald Trump has no sense of balance. He also has very little sense of humour. We counted on his press secretary to give us that bit of fun that made the White House scene safe for family entertainment. But Sean Spicer is gone. He has been replaced. It takes
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Day Donald Trump Revealed His Inner Fuhrer
He's been rehearsing for the role for a long time, from the days when he kept a copy of Hitler's speeches on his bedside table.And yesterday Donald Drumph finally got his chance to play his Nazi hero. When he turned a Boy Scout Jamboree into a partisan political meeting.Read more »
Continue readingIn This Corner: The Return of Stuff Happens, week 27: The right moves; Spicer quits, comics cry.
Well, that was decisive. The Wildrose and the Progressive Conservatives — the Hatfields and the McCoys of Alberta politics — agreed to a merger on Saturday. And it wasn’t even close. Rank-and-file members of both parties voted in shocking numbers in favour of the merger of the two conservative parties.
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Donald Trump and the End Game Scenarios
They've been praying up a storm at the White House, laying their hands on Donald Trump.And begging for heavenly intervention, or at least a get-out-of-jail card.But it's going to take more than the power of prayer to save Trump and his corrupt regime.And nobody knows that more than the mad
Continue readingAlberta Politics: On Jason Kenney’s Progressive Conservative leadership victory: big money guys finish first (nice guys, not so much)
PHOTOS: Tory volunteers and armed guards move cash into Jason Kenney’s campaign vault. Actual Progressive Conservative bag people and security measures may not appear exactly as illustrated. (Photo … dimly recalled when needed … University of Victoria Archives.) Below: Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Jason Kenney and badly outspent leadership contender
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Mike Konczal responds to a pathetic attempt to drain the word “neoliberal” of all meaning (which seems to have won favour with Canadian Libs desperately trying to disassociate themselves from their own governing ideology) by discussing its application in both the political and
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Who’s congratulating Trudeau?
Stephen Harper’s PMO had a revolving door for communications people, so it is not too surprising if we do not remember one of them. This is in reference to an op-ed in the Toronto Star last week by someone named ‘MacDougall.’ What was noticeable about the article was that he
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Something useful for the premiers to talk about: the right’s perpetual myth making about equalization
PHOTOS: Edmonton’s stately old Macdonald Hotel, named for the prime minister of the same name and site of Canada’s premiers’ annual summertime beanfest this week. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons.) Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Jake Wright) and B.C. Premier-Designate John Horgan, who will be
Continue readingIn This Corner: The Return of Stuff Happens, week 25: Khadr’s big payday a big pain for Trudeau
I’ve always found the Omar Khadr story infuriating. That $10 million smile. Khadr is, of course, the Canadian-born former child soldier (just 15 at the time) who was forced to join al-Queda by his despicable parents. His upbringing could be described as child abuse. His father was a pal of
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Damian Carrington reports on new research showing that the actual change in temperature caused by greenhouse gas emissions may be larger than anticipated in even the most cautious forecasts to date. And Chloe Farand highlights France’s plan to rein in its contribution
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A purchased presidency.
Is it possible to place a price on the American presidency? Can its worth even be determined? Whatever the price might be, it probably is nowhere near the damages being done to America’s honour and reputation by Donald Trump. And why nobody has thought to sue him remains a mystery.
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Donald Trump and the Hijacking of the Presidency
As you know today is July the Fourth, or Independence Day in the United States.But as you also know, many of our good neighbours have very little or nothing to celebrate this year.With the look on the face of the Statue of Liberty no doubt even more sombre than the
Continue readingIn This Corner: The Return of Stuff Happens, week 24: Enough Canada already … eh?
I am now, officially, Canada’d out. Canada celebrated the 150th anniversary of Confederation on Saturday with an orgy of government-sponsored patriotism. Now, I’m as patriotic as the next person, but I feel like I’ve OD’d in the most Canadian way … on maple syrup. Even that joke is too Canadian
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