This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Dana Flavelle and Rachel Mendleson both cover Lars Osberg’s study on the harmful effects of inequality. But let’s highlight the key conclusion from the original source: (T)he continuation of a divergence in income growth trends necessarily creates changing flows of consumption and
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Accidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review – March 29, 2012
There’s been much ado about the NDP’s position on trade agreements based on the Cons’ recent publicly-funded cheerleading for free trade at any price. But for anybody looking for the NDP’s actual view on trade, the House of Commons debates from March 29 offer a rather thorough indication. The Big
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Amy Minsky uncovers some suspicious-looking spending patterns underlying Robocon, while Postmedia also points out that election results in at least a couple of seats may plausibly be subject to challenge. Emma Pullman offers some more details on the Manning Centre’s voter suppression
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Friday reading. – Jim Stanford points out that free trade hasn’t delivered any productivity gains as promised – and has in fact moved Canada further away from the model that’s working elsewhere: The famous Macdonald Commission, influenced heavily by market-oriented economic analysis, made two core
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review: December 14, 2011
Wednesday, December 14 saw another day of debate devoted to free trade issues, this time addressing a proposed treaty with Jordan. But first… The Utterly Unprecedented, Stunning Development Which Shook The Very Foundations Of Canada’s System Of Government As Administered By Stephen Harper Helene Laverdiere asked a simple question to
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review: December 12, 2011
Monday, December 12 saw two main topics of debate. But perhaps most striking was the introduction of the Cons’ newest tactic to dictate the terms of discussion in the House of Commons. The Big IssueMuch of the day’s discussion focused on the Cons’ copyright bill. And Paul Calandra started proceedings
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review: December 8, 2011
Thursday, December 8 saw debate on four separate bills – though once again, the Harper Cons were most conspicuous by their silence on a bill they were in the process of ramming through Parliament. The Big Issue That would be the Senate patch job which was being debated at second
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Thomas Walkom highlights the lesson we should draw from the economic devastation caused by the shutdown of an Electro-Motive plant which was supposed to serve as a poster child for corporate giveaways: Using tax breaks to encourage domestic production is a standard prescription.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review: December 5, 2011
Monday, December 5 saw the House of Commons debate the NDP’s motion on climate change. And while the Cons tried to put up a relatively brave facade on an issue where they’ve been fighting progress at any turn, they inevitably ended up showing their true colours. The Big Issue At
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – If you’re only going to read one analytic take on the NDP leadership campaign, make it Alice’s – featuring this take on Thomas Mulcair’s strategy in cultivating later-ballot support: I’m fairly sure I was privy to the exchange between Paul Wells and “Mulcair
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your afternoon reading. – Paul Dechene is duly scathing in comparing the City of Regina’s tax giveaways to big business (which are of course added on top of hundreds of millions in provincial tax abatements) to its utter refusal to provide any benefits to non-profit organizations: Been
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 24, 2011
Monday, October 24 saw another day dedicated largely to discussion on the Canadian Wheat Board – with the Cons simultaneously declaring that there’s nothing to debate and failing to respond to the concerns pointed out repeatedly by the opposition, whil…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Evening Links
Assorted content for your evening reading.- Murray Dobbin nicely summarizes what the Cons are hoping to do in prioritizing big-money “philanthropy” over a functional state and civil society:Ideology is meaning in the service of power, and the Conservat…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- If there’s any good news in the Cons’ constant attacks on labour, it’s the growing recognition that workers need to fight back with no less a concerted effort than they’re facing from a hostile government. And the po…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 19 saw plenty of discussion of the Cons’ legislation to undermine the Canadian Wheat Board – both in the second-reading debate on the bill, and assorted procedural moves surrounding the legislation.The Big IssueNot surprisingly, Pat …
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 18, 2011
There hasn’t been as much reporting on the Cons’ re-introduction of copyright legislation as there was at some other points when previous incarnations were up for discussion. But Tuesday, October 18 saw second-reading debate in Parliament on the bill -…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 17, 2011
Monday, October 17 saw the Cons cut off debate on second reading of their budget bill. Not surprisingly, the day thus focused in large part on the economy – including some noteworthy pushback against the brand the Cons have spent hundreds of millions o…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 5, 2011
After the previous day’s relatively non-partisan and specific focus, October 5 saw a return to broad debate on the economy – thanks to both a day of debate on the Cons’ budget bill and a number of queries in question period.The Big IssueUnder the econo…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading.- Chris Selley points out the absurdity of Ontario’s Libs and PCs both running away from the idea of a coalition just as needlessly as their federal counterparts. But let’s remember that since the NDP spoke up for…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- Dan Gardner rightly points out that the Cons’ continued efforts to trash our parliamentary institutions now that they have a majority shouldn’t come as any surprise – even if they still demand plenty of outrage:Got t…
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