For me, one of the biggest offenses against logical thinking is absolutism, which essentially says there is only one right answer, that everything is black or white, with no gradations of gray. An example would be Vic Toews infamous assertion, when controversy erupted over his deeply flawed Internet surveillance bill,
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Calgary Grit: 50% + 1
After dancing around the issue for several years, it appears the NDP finally has a clear position on the Clarity Act: On Monday, the NDP introduced legislation to allow Quebec to secede with a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one. The party also wants to impose a tougher
Continue readingCalgary Grit: 2012 in Pictures
Mitt Romney tries to humanize himself by going shopping. I think most people feel the same way when they hear Paul Ryan speak Stephen Harper signs a deal with China, expressly to try and win the “cutest photo op of the year” award. Danielle Smith sees your cute animal and
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Opto Civilitas
Martin then jabbed the button into Peter Van Loan’s eyeball. Some of you may recall Pat Martin’s noble quest to bring civility to Parliament: “This is my new policy,” Martin said, holding up a handful of party-coloured buttons he had made reading “Opto Civitas.” “I choose civility. That’s the new
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Interview with David Bertschi
After brunch with David Merner and my trip to the George Takach launch, my tour of lesser known Liberal leadership candidates lands on David Bertschi today. While not an “official” candidate yet, Bertschi has been campaigning longer than most. He was the first candidate to launch a website, and even
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Old Habits Die Hard
In all my years blogging about Calgary politics, I never thought “Liberals blow by-election” is a story I’d have to write. “Liberals lose” is a common headline for a party that hasn’t won a seat in Calgary since 1968, during the height of Trudeaumania (the first round of Trudeaumania that is). But while some Liberals have come down with “candidate’s disease” over the years (symptoms include house hunting in Ottawa), the reality is the Liberal Party is never even in … →
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Bring on the Astronaut Puns
The moment headline writers have been waiting for all summer has finally arrived, with Marc Garneau set to formally launch his Liberal leadership candidacy this week. Despite having a lengthy string of post-nominal letters after his name, and the most impressive CV of any Member of Parliament, Garneau enters this leadership race as a heavy underdog. Ironically, the astronaut simply lacks the star power to compete with Justin Trudeau. Despite being a genuine Canadian hero and an experienced parliamentarian, Garneau … →
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Battleground Calgary Centre
Voters in Durham, Victoria, and Calgary Centre head to the polls tonight in what were originally pegged as three “safe” by-elections. The story appears to be following the script in Durham and Victoria but, unexpectedly, Calgary Centre has become the riding to watch. When Lee Richardson resigned from Parliament last spring, no one could have fathomed the type of bizarro world we’d find ourselves in, with the Tories on the ropes, the Greens attacking the Liberals, and two-year old comments … →
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Not Just a Pretty Face
To date, Justin Trudeau has run a safe leadership campaign. He’s smiled, talked about how he loves Canada, and made helping the Middle Class his core theme. That’s a perfectly acceptable way for Justin to introduce himself to voters, but it’s still the most innocuous campaign theme imaginable – even a “pro-sunshine and pro-puppies” message would have forced Justin to answer tough questions about skin cancer and pit bulls. You won’t find anyone who disagrees with helping the middle class. … →
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Liberal Heartland Calgary
Wednesday was not a typical day for Calgary Grits. While leadership candidates must all fly into town, knowing the party’s weighted-by-riding leadership system makes a vote there far more valuable than a vote in Toronto, I have never seen a serious candidate launch their leadership campaign from the heart of Conservative country. But there was Martha Hall Findlay at the Stampede grounds, declaring her intentions to run for Liberal leader. It’s tempting to write off the Calgary launch as a … →
Continue readingApropos of nothing…
… other than my own curiousity. Simcoe-Grey MP Kellie Leitch’s spending is about 21% less than the spending of our former Member of Parliament, based on the latest figures released by the House of Commons’ Board of Internal Economy. In 2010-2011, Helena Guergis spent more than $522,000; in her first year in office, Leitch has […]
Calgary Grit: Another Argument Against Legalizing Pot Goes Up In Smoke
In the midst of a largely status-quo election, several groundbreaking ballot initiatives passed last night. Puerto Rico voted to apply for statehood. Same sex marriage was legalized in Maine and Maryland, and was upheld in Washington State, snapping a 32 vote losing streak for equal marriage proponents. And both Washington State and Colorado voted for complete marijuana legalization and regulation. The implications of this in Canada could be far reaching, and I’m not just talking about a spike in “road … →
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: Final Round of Voting for Best Canadian Political Blog
Alright. Look, guys, I’ve been good this year. I’ve blogged regularly, I’ve been keen on the recent debates, I’ve gotten on Don Martin’s Power Play, landed myself on CBC, and pulled in tonnes of people into provincial and federal politics. I’m a talented blogger and an increasingly capable political type. I
Continue readingCalgary Grit: The Name Game – Part Deux
Don’t believe every piece of quantitative evidence ever produced! Quebecers HATE this man! I’ve read a dozen opinion pieces by Quebec columnists over the past few months like this one from Lysianne Gagnon: Is Justin Trudeau really the Liberals’ best option? If the Toronto Liberal intelligentsia believe that Justin Trudeau,
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Ready Or Not, Here He Comes
Xavier Trudeau (left) has quickly emerged as the 2051 Liberal leadership frontrunner. Today marks the 12 year anniversary of the first time Liberals recognized there was something special about Justin Trudeau. Justin’s moving eulogy of his father brought Liberals to tears but, Liberals being Liberals, it also made many of
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Vote Out Anders – Part 84
Only Rob Anders has this theory, because he pays closer attention to the House of Commons than anyone else. At least when Rob Anders is sleeping, he can’t say anything too offensive: And so, [Anders] has a theory. “I actually think one of the great stories that was missed by
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Trudeau’s Challenging Cakewalk
With victory almost assured, Trudeau can work on his form, rather than swing for the knock-out Now that we have confirmation about what we’ve known all summer, and now that we’ve exhausted every conceivable boxing-is-politics metaphor, we can begin speculating about what the Justin Trudeau leadership campaign will look like.
Continue readingLeft Over: Rona, are You Paying Attention?
Democracy 101..When a person of either gender is elected to office, and then appointed to a Ministry, (s)he is obligated to vote based, not on personal belief, but on the verifiable will of the people…further, as a Federal Minister, that person should take into consideration the will of the majority
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Meet David Merner
David Merner, or as he will soon be known to Canadians watching Liberal leadership debates – “that guy standing next to Justin Trudeau” On Sunday, long shot Liberal leadership candidate David Merner sat down for brunch with a few Toronto area bloggers, for an informal chat about the future of
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