It has been hard to be one of the few writers harping on the need for a Canadian universal income program. This past week, we got some support in the person of Mike Schreiner, leader of the Ontario green party, and Jo-Ann Roberts interim leader of the federal greens. They
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Babel-on-the-Bay: A professional is on the job.
Kirsten Hillman of Global Affaires Canada has been appointed Canada’s ambassador to the United States of America. She has been in the job in an acting capacity since the departure of political appointee David MacNaughton to take part in the federal election last year. It is certainly a time when
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It’s time to make lemonade.
You know the old saw: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We can all wonder at the colossal stupidity of the republicans in the American congress who fought to ensure that American business gets the bulk of federal government support funds during the covid-19 pandemic. Even in Canada, more
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Trudeau is in the catbird seat.
Canadians have never seen anyone so well positioned at the moment than prime minister Justin Trudeau. Popping in an out of Rideau Cottage like a cuckoo in a clock, the PM has the stage to himself. The news media await him. In his self-imposed isolation and working from home, to
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Caught short in a pandemic.
We drove several hundred kilometres the other day. At least the gas was cheaper. My wife and I had to take someone some food. It made me realize how bad the planning is by our politicians. They have no idea of the basic nature of our lives. Prime minister Justin
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Our artificial monarchy.
It is well past the point where Canada should be doing something to eliminate the false monarchy in this country. It is not only a sham but it is interfering with serious reform. And I say this in all seriousness in a country where a kid named ‘Archie’ happens to
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: When is ‘progressive’ not?
Are all you ‘progressives’ asleep at the switch? Who let that cretin into progressivebloggers.ca who is trying to get us to fight for conversion therapy? A little attention to the curating, please. (For my readers who access Babel-on-the-Bay.com directly, on a regular basis, the daily blogs are also picked up
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A day in the life of Canada.
It is not just another day. Canada has reached a new level. It is a day when we can say that this country can work together as one. Lately that has not been the case. We have been carping and complaining to each other for too long. It is time
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Riding the bubble.
It helps if you think of the main aspirants for the federal conservative party leadership as Bland, Blander and Who(?) This perception was highlighted the other day. It seems one of them promised—if chosen—that they would immediately try to force an election to rid the country of those despicable liberals.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Net Zero plus Net Zero is still Zero.
This is a time to be a sceptic. When somebody tells you Canada will be net zero in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 30 years, give them the raspberry. Do you, or they, expect to be able to check it out or prove it in 30 years? It is a
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Like talking to the wind.
Our politicians need more experience in dealing with our native peoples before they announce they are meeting milestones. Milestones are just road markers for those who can read them. Talking with our native peoples is a process. It is like talking to the wind. What is carried where is always
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Joiners.
Remember the old Blues Brothers number: Everybody wants somebody to love. I was thinking of that last week as people were wreaking havoc on hapless commuters and train travellers across Canada. I am always curious about the joiners, looking for their fleeting 15 minutes of fame. When others are looking
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Where have all the leaders gone?
You get the feeling that we are talking about a ghost. Everybody is looking for leadership. Nobody has seen it. Talking to a friend about it, he said the problem is that there are too many rowboat people and not enough canoeists. He explained it as most people row a
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The end of an era.
We were unlikely novitiates in the liberal party of the 1960s. I honestly do not remember where or when we met. Yet I do remember the launching pads of our friendship over the years. Hon. David P. Smith was an impulsive, fun-loving and caring guy. He died on February 26.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Planes, Trains and Ski-Doos.
There is no more of an icon of business to Canadians than Bombardier. The company had its beginnings in 1935, with the snow coach designed by mechanic Joseph-Armand Bombardier. Since then, the company has experienced all the thrills and frights of a seemingly endless roller coaster ride of acquisitions, spin-offs
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Reading compliments into comments.
It was not until about the third rereading of a complaint the other day that I recognized the compliments in it. And I am pleased to report that most of the comments on Babel-on-the-Bay are complimentary. Though not always. When you write a daily commentary on the topic of politics,
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The land the law forgot.
We have heard the prime minister say more than a few times that Canada is a country of law. What does not seem clear is the question of applying these laws to Canada’s native population. Are they not given the protection of our laws? Are they allowed to cherry pick
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Have they ever lied to you before?
Teck Resources, the Vancouver-based company that wants to dig the largest open pit tar sands mine in Canada, tells us that the enterprise wants to be “carbon neutral” by 2050. I am sorry, but if you cannot meet emissions targets by next year, I am not interested. And who said
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Our aboriginals need better PR.
In a career in public relations work, I have never seen a group screw themselves so badly as Canada’s aboriginals. I have worked with them in fighting forest fires in our north. I have worked with them politically in downtown Toronto. I helped to launch the first, badly needed, native
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A debutante ball for John Baird?
It is difficult to explain what kind of an event this will be. It has always been evident that John Baird wanted to make some kind of a statement in his lifetime. Nobody really believed it was his final act when he left the Harper cabinet. He always seemed to
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