France is in turmoil and all we hear is crickets. What gives? The government of President Emmanuel Macron has introduced a scheme to overhaul pensions and retirement benefits for many workers, done as usual in the name of reform, rationalization and simplification. For most French workers, though, it will result
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Babel-on-the-Bay: Justin Trudeau defends NATO?
There seems to be a difference of opinion between French President Emmanuel Macron and prime minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. Macron says that the 70-year old North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is suffering brain death, while Canada’s PM thinks it is doing ‘just fine, thank you.’ Trudeau insists that NATO
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The new Charlemagne: Emmanuel Macron?
Until the last four years, the view of Europe has been as an economic union. That is now changing and we can start to think of Europe as a political union. And as a political union, it joins China and the United States of America as one of the three
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Why Canadian media won’t call post-Brexit protests ‘pro-democracy demonstrations’
If there are riots in Britain after the hard Brexit Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party cronies have scheduled for Halloween, will mainstream media in Canada describe them as “pro-democracy demonstrations” as they do when similar violent outbursts take place nowadays in Hong Kong or Moscow? On the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Seriously, what’s the good of an effective carbon tax if it’s politically impossible to implement?
Recent political developments in France and Alberta, though quite different in tone, suggest carbon taxes may not be a viable way to address climate change – leastways not without reaching an unlikely consensus they must be imposed. You may not believe me yet, but you can count on it, politicians
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Underlining the ignorance of Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump is but an immature child playing at being the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. The point was so perfectly positioned the other day for all to understand by French President Emmanuel Macron. Vive la France! It is when as a tourist you stand
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The travels and trials of Trump.
President Donald Trump of the U.S.A. went to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland the other day. Few of the attendees at the world convention of capitalism cared. The reigning head of the most powerful nation on earth had nothing to contribute. He did not even ski. It was
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Macron and Trudeau shouldn’t be so proud of appointing women to their Cabinets
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron are obviously proud of the fact that they’ve both appointed gender-parity Cabinets. For Malliga Och, an Assistant Professor of Global Studies and Languages at Idaho State University, what’s more important for achieving meaningful gender equity is that women control key
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Emmanuel Macron and the New French Revolution
It was a beautiful sight. Tens of thousands of people waving red, white, and blue flags, cheering Emmanuel Macron, France's newest and youngest president, after his victory over the far-right demagogue Marine Le Pen. Emmanuel Macron, a youthful former investment banker, handily won France’s presidential election on Sunday, defeating the staunch
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