“There’s something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear…” This week, I attended a talk put on by the International Socialists, featuring an organizer with OUR Walmart, by Skype from Texas, and a Toronto-based union activist. Both speakers were terrific and so inspiring, but although I took copious notes,
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Eclectic Lip: Whatever foresight is, it’s not 20/20…
(originally written Jan 3, 2012. Part of my Great Upload of 2013.) Come December’s end, the nervy among us like to review what they got right in the past year. The nervier like to predict what’ll happen in the New Year. Ever the blithe contrarian, I figured I’d visit the
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Marc’s Enbridge Testimony
Testimony to the Joint Review Panel on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project By Marc Lee, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives January 16, 2013 My name is Marc Lee, and I have served as an economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives for more than 14 years. Most recently I
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Opposing Enbridge & Environmental Value
There is one easy way for the opponents of the Northern Gateway pipeline to get their way, put their money where their mouth is. It only makes sense that if the Northern Gateway project is built, Enbridge the company responsible, should cover all social costs from the environmental damage; but
Continue readingImpolitical: Worthwhile American initiative
Oh look, another dire warning in a government climate change report, you say. Well, yes and not all government reports are created equal. In the Green blog of the New York Times last night, the new draft National Climate Assessment of the U.S. government is noted. Released on Friday, it
Continue readingArt Threat: Oil makes for a slippery slope
Today marks the start of a five day hearing process about the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. About 330 speakers will have 10 minutes each to address the panel responsible for reviewing the $6-billion Enbridge project. A couple years ago Canadian musician City and Colour wrote the song “At The
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: CTV: Toronto sets warm weather record, Manitoba digs out from storm
CTV: Toronto sets warm weather record, Manitoba digs out from storm : This weekend, Toronto and other areas of southern Ontario set all-time high records for temperatures in January. In response, short-sighted morons express glee about spring-like weather when it is supposed to be winter. They spout idiotic slogans like:
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Climate Change as an Asteroid
Over the break, I got a Kindle app for my Macbook (free!) when I realized I could wait for morning to go to Wordsworth to get one of Paul Krugman’s books, or get it right that second and start reading. Immediate rewards are very motivating. The book outlines the diminishing
Continue readingLeDaro: Idle No More
Harper’s neglect of First Nations, indifference to them, has come to a head, with the Idle No More protests taking off across the country. The protests are against the poor state of housing on reserves like Attawapiskat whose chief, Theresa Spence, has gone on hunger strike. The protests are also
Continue readingthe reeves report: Ontario Rangers Rally in Support of Life-Changing Program
photo by awreeves Until the first speaker reached the podium, the protest to save the Ontario Ranger Program at Queen’s Park on January 4 seemed more like a high-school reunion than a community rally. Approximately 100 people—many in standard issue yellow hard hats emblazoned with the Ministry of Natural Resources
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Attawapiskat Audit is Merely a Distraction
Green Party leader Elizabeth May published a well-thought out and clear article on Wednesday, breaking down the reasons why the ongoing media banter about Attiwapiskat fund mismanagement and Chief Theresa Spence are merely distractions from an ongoing legacy of government failure to protect indigenous people and the environment. Twitter and
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Conservatives Bad At Selling Out
What’s worse than oil companies spending millions to buy off politicians? Oil companies getting them for free. The oil sector is vital to Canada’s economy, but so are a lot of industries and you don’t see them drafting government policy. From the CBC: A letter obtained by Greenpeace through access
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Deep thought
I for one proudly stand in favour of preventing bad things from happening. And I’d think it’s worth being rather concerned that our federal government and its corporate puppetmasters disagree.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Tarred and Feathered
It’s one of those “I told you so” findings, as the toxic fingerprint of tarsand oil production is found in distant lakes supposedly unaffected by the decades of strip mining. Well, the oil companies and their shills would have had people believe there was no effect, that is. Environmentalists were
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Daniel Wilson discusses how Stephen Harper’s antipathy toward First Nations is making a failure of his time in office: On the global stage, he stood almost alone in opposition to 144 other countries in voting against the United Nations Declaration on the Rights
Continue readingLarry Hubich's Blog: Idle No More – Priscilla Settee and Sheelah McLean
This video of Priscilla Settee and Sheelah McLean talking about Idle No More is accompanied by a Making the Links – Community Radio indepth interview with them broadcasting tomorrow night at 6 pm (Wed. Jan 9, 2013) on CFCR.ca – CFCR 90.5 FM on th…
Continue readingLarry Hubich's Blog: Idle No More – Priscilla Settee and Sheelah McLean
This video of Priscilla Settee and Sheelah McLean talking about Idle No More is accompanied by a Making the Links – Community Radio indepth interview with them broadcasting tomorrow night at 6 pm (Wed. Jan 9, 2013) on CFCR.ca – CFCR 90.5 FM on the dial or Channel 820 at Sasktel
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Line 9: The Tar Sands Come to Ontario (VIDEO)
A must-watch. Line 9: The tar sands come to Ontario, expanding the Alberta tar sands operations, which are ravaging First Nations communities, resources & treaty rights. Video available on Vimeo RELATED: First Nation: Bill C-45 allows tar sands industry to destroy vital waterways and treaty rights Harper’s CNOOC/Nexen deal pushes Canada
Continue readingThings Are Good: In Ireland, Carbon Tax Means Less Waste and More Revenue
Modern economies indirectly subsidize environmentally damaging corporate practices by ignoring the environmental costs ( younger generations have to deal with the environmental damage), this can be seen in everything from the tar sands in Alberta to ewaste in electronics. In Ireland they have started a carbon tax to deal with
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: A Crisis of Environmentalist Faith
A couple of sentences from Matthew Altman (from “The Green Onion“) have been weighing on me for days: Ironically, environmentalism itself can become a means of advancing our own selfish interests, as when we barely adjust our lifestyles in order to feel a disproportionately strong sense of smugness….If a well-intentioned
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