Doug Ford tells us he is something of a Christian and that might mean he has been looking forward to this Christmas. He has been on a roll since January this year when the gates to the premier’s job opened up to him. He was even anointed by the controversial
Continue readingTag: Doug Ford
Accidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Luke Savage highlights the distinction between photo-op liberalism and any genuine commitment to social progress: This may be the reason liberal thought endlessly obsesses over the language used in political debate and often seems to place a higher value on its tone
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Jim Stanford discusses the decline (PDF) of Australia’s enterprise bargaining system (and associated lack of wage growth). – Patrick Butler reports on the tens of thousands of people who will be homeless for the holidays in the UK due in large part to
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Dougie’s second stupidest stunt.
In many years of running major political events, one of the automatic considerations is always security. There is no question that well publicized events of that nature can attract the less mentally stable of society with their real or imagined complaints. And because you never know what can happen, you
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It is the door on the left that is open wide.
We keep waiting for signs that there is some life left in the Ontario liberals. It has been a while now and we can hardly wait for Doug Ford to stumble more than he already has. It is already obvious that the Ford government is going nowhere at his usual
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Joe Pinsker offers a reminder that the wealthiest individuals are primarily concerned with positional rather than absolute gains – meaning that nothing useful is accomplished by diverting wealth toward them other than to drive up the price of status symbols. And Thomas Piketty
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Our 400 MPP.
There is no point in complaining that our Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte member of the legislature is never in the electoral district. He obviously drives through it every time he goes to or from the legislature in Toronto and his home. When you live where MPP Doug Downey lives you still have a
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ford fast-tracks the slippery slope.
One of the problems with being a bit older is that you have seen it all before. Premier Doug Ford, for example, might be just a reprise of Mike Harris, conservative premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002. One of the reasons for the longevity of the McGuinty-Wynne liberals after
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Persons who help themselves get most.
The headline was supposed to be ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ It did not seem right though to invoke a Deity. Considering how many Deities are promoted around Toronto these days, it could have ended up a three-line headline. This started out to be about Ontario premier Doug Ford.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Charles Smith and Larry Savage write that Justin Trudeau’s use of back-to-work legislation against postal workers may have far more significant consequences than he seems to have anticipated. And Christo Aivalis examines the next steps for Canada’s labour movement – as well
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: When the Kingfish rules.
While many see him as a Trump-lite, Ontario’s premier Doug Ford is more of a politician in the tradition of Louisiana’s governor Huey P. Long (Born 1893 – Assassinated 1935). Long liked being called “The Kingfish.” This is unlike American president Donald Trump’s evident nihilism which is mainly a rejection
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your weekend reading. – Chris Dillow discusses the connection between the failure to understand the role of luck in producing unequal outcomes, and the perpetuation of policies which exacerbate inequalities: As Ed Smith writes in his lovely book, Luck: “randomness is routinely misinterpreted as skill.” Why do
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Doug Ford And The Scandal He Will Not Escape
When I saw this picture of Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau yesterday I could almost imagine what Ford was saying."Gimme, gimme, gimme everything I want *snort* or I'm picking up my marbles and going home!!!!"So I wasn't surprised when the Trudeau government just shrugged its shoulders. For they must surely know that Ford
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Doug Ford for the People? More Like For Big Business (Bill 66 discussion)
So, the Ontario government released or introduced Bill 66 today in the Legislature. It does many appalling things under the guise of “opening Ontario for business”. It may open Ontario for business but it strips the public of protections for clean water, health and safety regulations for wastewater and food
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Defectors define democracy.
One of the critical strengths of our Canadian democracy is that we elect people in each electoral district to represent us in parliament. While we might choose them because of the party they represent, they have the right to determine at any time whether or not to be a part
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Ontario Conservatives present a “climate change plan” that has been shown to fail.
A follow-up to my last post: The Ontario Conservative government has finally presented its plan for mitigating climate change. No carbon tax! No cap and trade! Sounds great.. until you see the details: “Rather than imposing a price on carbon pollution as a cost of doing business, the Tories are
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Nick Saul calls out Doug Ford for undermining the dignity of lower-income Ontarians through barriers and cuts to needed benefits. And the Star’s editorial board notes that both labour policy and social programs need to account for the needs of a workforce
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Stephanie Kelton, Andres Bernal and Greg Carlock highlight how a Green New Deal is entirely affordable south of the border. And Clayton Thomas-Muller examines what we could demand in a Canadian equivalent: (I)f we’re going to do what the science says we need
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Now Even The Media Is Calling Andrew Scheer A Clown
As you know, I have always portrayed Andrew Scheer as a deplorable clown.A dangerous clown, but a clown nonetheless, who likes to blame everything bad on Justin Trudeau's carbon tax.And now that Scheer is also blaming the tax for GM's closure of that Oshawa plant, even some in our useless media are starting to
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Caroline Mulroney And The Day The Dream Died
It was supposed to be a political fairy tale. Caroline Mulroney, the daughter of Brian, joining the Ford regime.And on her way to one day being crowned prime minister.But sadly for her and her father, it just didn't work out that way.After the glittering coach that was supposed to carry her
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