The only people who think this is a dull election don’t know anything about politics. Seriously. On the day before nominations closed for candidates, the governing provincial Conservatives admitted on Thursday that they probably won’t have …
Continue readingTag: election 2015
The Sir Robert Bond Papers: Kicking ass in political coverage #nlpoli
The province’s major media outlets have taken different approaches to political coverage in this election from what they did last time. The result has been one of the most interesting campaigns in recent memory. First with the political news… I…
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Details #nlpoli
While the townie media are clamouring for details from people who don’t have the details, it’s important to look at what the people with the details are saying. CBC’s Ramona Deering had Premier Paul Davis all to herself for a minute on CBC Radio’s Crosstalk. She asked him what the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The same sheet of paper #nlpoli
In all the elections in the 21st century, the three political parties in Newfoundland and Labrador have proposed what are essentially the same economic policies. The differences are minor. (Read more…)
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Fear and Hope #nlpoli
In his major interview with NTV on the first weekend of the formal provincial election campaign, Premier Paul Davis insisted that his party was not the same as the federal Conservatives. Then he argued that Liberal Dwight Ball would not be able to represent the province’s interest in Ottawa because
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The possible shift #nlpoli
If the polls are right, we could be looking at an unprecedented shift in politics in Newfoundland and Labrador. We could be looking at lots of things but it’s a useful exercise to put a bunch of ideas on the table. That’s about the only way you can tease out
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Possible Extinction Event #nlpoli
A third poll has confirmed that the provincial Liberals have the support of an overwhelming majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. 74% of decided and leaning respondents said they would vote Liberal if an election was held tomorrow. 17% said they would vote Conservative, while only nine percent chose the New
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Invention #nlpoli
The provincial election campaign is barely a week old and already we have seen certain themes and interpretations emerging that are the product not of fact and observation but of invention. The most striking one is the imagined explanation for the massive Liberal lead revealed through two polls released at
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Downfall #nlpoli
On Day Two of the official provincial general election campaign, a new poll by a different polling method lines up with the Abacus Data poll. In both Abacus and Forum Research, results are shown for decideds and leanings. Forum goes farther than others, though, by showing demographic breakdowns of the
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Election 2015 and the Battle of Economic Ideas
I am not a member of a political party. I recognize the importance of elections, participate in election campaigns (including canvassing and raising money for good candidates), and engage heavily in election-related debates (like the detailed critique of the Harper government’s economic record I co-authored, with Jordan Brennan, for Unifor).
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: The Fog Has Lifted
http://www.gogobot.com/ Robin Sears wrote this week that, on the morning after the election, the atmosphere in Ottawa had changed: A senior First Nations leader, returning
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: Eventually They Figure Things Out
https://www.cdh2a.com/ Monday’s election was historic. But the corporate media and its scribes are already trying to re-write history. Michael Harris writes: Nor is there much more of the historian in Paul Wells’ touching but mostly irrelevant comment that he still likes Harper, whom he believes will be seen by
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: We Await The Future
http://www.abc.net.au/ The day after Justin Trudeau delivered his father’s eulogy, Stephen Harper — then head of the National Citizens Coalition — wrote a scathing
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The lessons from Monday night #nlpoli
Nick Whalen killed a giant. That’s the story of the 2015 federal election in Newfoundland and Labrador, bar none. People told Whalen he was crazy to run against the popular NDP incumbent. No one gave him a chance. But Whalen wound up defeating the NDP heavyweight. (Read more…)
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: An Historic Election
https://www.flickr.com/ It’s been a long time coming, this last day of the election campaign. And it’s been a campaign that covered a lot of ground
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Sunset of the Monstrous Harper Regime
It still seems hard to believe. Hard to believe that today is the day we will finally get a chance to take down the Con monster Stephen Harper.And take back our Canada.For while there is still much work to be done to get out the vote, and make sure that
Continue readingMontreal Simon: My Election Message to Young Canadians
Dear young Canadians, I have waited until the last moment to send out this message encouraging you to vote tomorrow.But I have worked with many of you for over six months in different groups and committees, so a lot of you know where I am coming from.And all all I
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Globe and Mail Jumps the Shark
We’ve reached that point in the election cycle where the mainstream media peppers us with political endorsements telling us who, in their learned opinion, we should vote for on Oct 19. Once again the mainstream media does not disappoint. The Globe and Mail, the Edmonton Journal and the
Continue readingMontreal Simon: How Our Canadian Values Brought Down Stephen Harper
In my last post I told you how happy I was to see a desperate Stephen Harper going down holding Rob Ford's sweaty paw.Because it couldn't be a grubbier end to their sordid story. They do deserve each other, and no Canadians have ever shamed this country in the eyes
Continue readingNorthern Reflections: There Is A Lot Of Work To Be Done
https://www.chicagosummeroflearning.org/ It’s beginning to look like — after the smoke has cleared — we will have a new and different government. Murray Dobbins writes that will mean we will get some kind
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