Never judge a political race by money raised. Whether it is an internal party race for a nomination or a leadership or party fundraising prior to an election, you have to remember that money does not vote. Case in point, the fundraising by each of the four candidates for the
Continue readingTag: Federal Politics
Babel-on-the-Bay: Our poster-boy PM is the answer?
Despite the wild ravings of Rolling Stone Magazine, our Prime Minister has to whip Canada into shape before taking on the added burden of the American presidency. Donald Trump’s job is safe, for now. In corporate terms, Justin Trudeau might be able to pull off a reverse takeover, (That is
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: ‘Chuckles’ challenges Canadian compassion.
Federal Conservative Leader Andrew ‘Chuckles’ Scheer will not let it go. He is raising troops among the bigoted to fight against the compensation to Omar Khadr. He must intend to keep scratching at that wound until the pus from it corrupts or repulses all responsible Canadians. What sickens us the
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Jagmeet Singh: Not just a pretty face.
The New Democratic Party’s federal leadership race is getting a little more heated. With less than two months to go, the race has taken on some disturbing aspects of the last Conservative leadership in Ontario. It is turning into Jagmeet Singh’s race to win if he is using the same
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Running in the Green.
If the federal New Democratic Party is now Green, where does the Green Party get to go? Looking at NDP MP Niki Ashton’s pricy green plan, you really wonder about the grasp on reality of the entire party. Is this the party of Tommy Douglas that cared so much about
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: What comes ‘AFTA’ NAFTA?
Back in the first round of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations, it was Prime Minister Brian Mulroney who caved in to the American negotiators. In this upcoming go-around, our Canadian negotiators have to show a great deal more backbone. We also have to have a game plan in
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Our Prime Minister grunts.
Despite teaching public speaking, I occasionally took someone else’s course on public speaking just to make sure I was not slipping into bad speaking habits. We are all guilty of that. And teachers can be the harshest critics. You can include a former school teacher in that: The Prime Minister
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The art of changing minds.
Author and columnist Susan Delacourt asked her readers last week in a Toronto Star column to help her understand how views can be shifted in politics. Having observed this phenomenon in politics for many years, I can only assume that Susan is contemplating another book. Back when I was teaching
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Who’s congratulating Trudeau?
Stephen Harper’s PMO had a revolving door for communications people, so it is not too surprising if we do not remember one of them. This is in reference to an op-ed in the Toronto Star last week by someone named ‘MacDougall.’ What was noticeable about the article was that he
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The history of image politics.
It must be your age that determines when history began. Reading an op-ed in the paper last week, there was a public relations guy who thought that image politics only went back to the time of American President Ronald Regan. He must have missed the lecture on the image of
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: ‘Chuckles’ leads from the rear.
It is embarrassing. ‘Chuckles’ Scheer showed up on television last week from the Calgary Stampede to blast the federal government for its generosity to Omar Kadr. It was a classic illustration of a political brain fart. It was bigoted, it was inaccurate, it was mean-spirited and it was knee-jerk Conservatism
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: Exclusive: Monia Mazigh Responds To Omar Khadr Settlement
(Monia Mazigh Human Rights Advocate and Author Best Known For Her Advocacy of Her Husband Maher Arar Responds to Omar Khadr Settlement) Mind Bending Politics sat down with Monia Mazigh this week to discuss the Omar Khadr settlement and her thoughts on the future of human rights in Canada. Before
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Prince of the Past.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales will be a pathetic pallbearer likely to be tasked to shut down the House of Windsor. As a family business, the House of Windsor inherited a somewhat convoluted history going back to Alfred the Great in 871. Charles will have more than a few royal
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: NDP searching for succour
Every once in while, we look in on the New Democratic Party’s sputtering national leadership discussion. It is really more of a crawl than a race. And when you look at the four remaining candidates in the selection process for this fall, you wonder why they are bothering. The basic
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Rule of law beats bigotry.
We should all get down on our knees and thank whatever God we worship that we live in a land ruled by law. This argument over a multi-million-dollar settlement and an apology for Omar Kadr is a disgrace. It is not a political decision. It is a legal settlement for
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Are these the summer doldrums?
Why do the talking heads of television shut down for the summer? While we know that it is just our hardcore readers who drop by during these months, we are not going to let them down. There is lots to discuss. That takeover by Jason Kenney in Alberta has yet
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A land big enough for a rubber ducky.
That churlish little man, Conservative leader Patrick Brown, stood in the Ontario legislature a while ago to make fun of a rubber ducky he had never even met. That rubber ducky has now arrived and that silly man can quack all he likes, that rubber ducky adds something to an
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The tremors of Trump.
Each year at this time, we do a little introspection. While Canada Day 2017 is as joyous as ever, we feel it is the impact of the American President that causes those ground tremors we are feeling. The man seems to stomp a lot. At first, we were under the
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: ‘Chuckles’ Scheer is no attack dog.
It was two Regina MPs who helped Vassy Kapelos to wrap up her West Block show on Global TV for the summer. As she had Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the week before, she brought on the new Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer this week. She also took another shot
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The anger factor.
A reader on the west coast asked the other day if we are seeing anger in Liberal ranks directed at Prime Minister Trudeau’s disrespect for the party? What was strange about the question was that most of that anger is building on the west coast. The flash point will be
Continue reading