Today is the fifth anniversary of a terrible fire in a Quebec seniors’ home. On the night of January 23, 2014, The Residence du Havre nursing home in L’Isle-Verte, Quebec, was consumed by fire – one that originated in the residence kitchen, but quickly became an inferno. 32 people died
Continue readingTag: gilles duceppe
Montreal Simon: The French Debate and the Bigot Game of Stephen Harper
If you missed last night's French-language debate you can relax because you didn't miss much.The debate had its lively moments, but there were no knock out punches, and I very much doubt that it will move many votes in Quebec or in the rest of Canada.Tom Mulcair survived the combined assault
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper Prepares to Play the Bigot Card in Quebec
It couldn't be a more horrible sight. For me it is the ultimate nightmare. The grubby Stephen Harper, the political porn peddler, in my own province of Quebec.The province that adopted me, and that I love so much.Preparing for tonight's French-language TV debate, and a last desperate effort to claw his
Continue readingcentre of the universe: How to get engaged in Canadian politics: an educational resource
Here is a handy guide that will help you, disenfranchised Canadian, get engaged with and get involved in the upcoming (eventually, at the end of several more weeks of pre-election hell) federal election! The first step, as the number to the left would indicate, is to click every single link
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Burning question
So apparently this week’s Macleans debate went ahead despite the exclusion of a party leader with seats in Parliament who wanted to be heard. Which raises the question: how is it that Elizabeth May didn’t refuse to participate, as she demands everybody else do when the shoe is on the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: This just in: Prime minister calls early election … I mean, calls an election early … What could possibly go wrong?
PHOTOS: The prime minister of Canada in a Navy hat. The new kind. Yeah! A macho Navy cap! Now where’s Tommy Flanagan, now that we need him again? No, not that Tommy Flanagan! The political strategy guy. Below: Former prime minister Joe Clark, former Alberta premier Jim Prentice and current
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Justin Trudeau and the Ghastly and Dangerous Separatist Card
As anyone who has ever read this blog must know, I have tried to be as non-partisan as possible, and stay out of the battles between the Liberals and the NDP.In the firm belief that all progressives should focus on defeating Stephen Harper and his foul Con regime, who are threatening
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Unblocked
In response to the apparent return of Gilles Duceppe to federal politics, I’ll offer a quick rerun on the state of the Bloc Quebecois: Once the 1995 referendum was in the rear-view mirror, however, the Bloc recognized that it would need to stand for more than sovereignty alone. And so
Continue readingTattered Sleeve: Justin Calling
Justin Calling to Albertan towns Now get prepared for the writ to come down Justin Calling to the oilsands Forget about Pierre and his Energy plans Justin Calling, now look here to us The new Trudeaumania is on the up’n’up Mulcair isn’t catching Harper’s on the way out The Cons
Continue readingTattered Sleeve: Justin Calling
Justin Calling to Albertan towns
Now get prepared for the writ to come down
Justin Calling to the oilsands
Forget about Pierre and his Energy plans
Justin Calling, now look here to us
The new Trudeaumania is on the up’n’up
Mulcair isn’t catching
Harper’s on the way out
The Cons are corrupted
The Greens got no clout
A BQ error, leaves the left in the clear
And Justin is calling and I’ll…
Go for the winner!
Justin calling, yes, I was there, too
An’ you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
Justin calling to the gun registry arm
Forget it brother, that’s a horse that’s long gone!
Justin calling to the zombies of Ignatieff
Quit bitchin’ bout, those (true) ads all negative
Justin calling, and I don’t want to flout
But while you were sulking, I glad-handed about
Justin calling, see we ain’t getting high
But there’s taxes to be raised from making it legalized
Mulcair just ain’t catching
Harper’s on the way out
The Cons are corrupted
The Greens got no clout
A BQ error, leaves the left in the clear
And Justin is calling and I’ll…
Go for the winner!
Justin calling, yes, I got swept up too
And you know what they said? Sacha’s onboard too!
Justin calling through the Mop & Pail bile
After all this, won’t you give me a smile?
Justin calling
I never hoped so much, so much so much!
– 30 –
Continue readingCalgary Grit: 100 Years of Bad Photo Ops
As you have probably heard a hundred times over the past month, the Calgary Stampede turns 100 this year. Calgary has changed a lot over this time. A seat at the 1912 rodeo cost 50 cents. Calgary’s population was 70,000. And, oh yeah, back then Alberta was a Liberal bastion,
Continue readingAlberta Diary: How far will Prime Minister Stephen Harper go with separatists to hang onto power?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, left, with Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois … or something very much like that. The politicians pictured above may not be exactly as illustrated in real life. Below: Thomas Mulcair, Jack Layton. Now that our sullen neo-conservative prime minister is on speaking terms once again with
Continue readingImpolitical: All the action is in Quebec
If you’re like me these days, when you see a story involving the Bloc, you might yawn a little bit and gloss over it. Is it more infighting in the sovereignty movement, things not moving fast enough, yadda yadda. But this one from the weekend could make waves: “Fonds publics:
Continue readingTrying To Understand Politics In Quebec These Days–Part 1–Is Sovereignty Really Dead? The Potential Resurrection of Gilles Duceppe
I had heard nothing from the federalist media, particularly from those from the right who say nothing but sovereignty is dead in la belle province. The evidence they have? Well, some polls, which I do take with a grain of salt–the usual suspects–Leger Marketing. Sadly, that is all most Quebecers
Continue readingBlunt Objects: Quebec’s Just Looking For Love
Sadly, in all the wrong places.As the above graphic shows, the swings in provincial politics in Quebec are absolutely amazing. Given the option of Francoise Legault or Gilles Duceppe, Quebecois go wild and vote en masse (as much as 35%~ can be consider…
Continue readingBut I Thought The CBC Had a Two Year Cooling Off Period With Ex-Politicians-Juxtapose!
I know I’m going to need to be heavily sedated after writing the first sentence, but I find myself in agreement with the Blogging SupposiTory resident McCarthyist, BC Blue today. I am asking the same question he is today:
Why is CBC allowing Stockwell Day to break their 2 year cooling off policy?
However, . . . → Read More: But I Thought The CBC Had a Two Year Cooling Off Period With Ex-Politicians-Juxtapose!
Continue readingDuceppe to CBC
Oh man, this is really going to piss off the right! LOFL! Stephen Tayor’s going to have to bring out the mops for all the cranial matter exploding over at Blogging Tories.
MONTREAL – Former Bloc Quebecois head Gilles Duceppe said he doesn’t think there is anything controversial about an ex-soveregnist leader working at . . . → Read More: Duceppe to CBC
Continue readingliberal catnip: Election – Post-Game Thoughts
So, there we have it: the Cons have a majority government. The NDP is the official opposition. Iggy led the Liberal party to a historic low in the house. The BQ is all but decimated and, at this point, Elizabeth May of the Greens might have won a seat …
Continue readingliberal catnip: Election – Post-Game Thoughts
So, there we have it: the Cons have a majority government. The NDP is the official opposition. Iggy led the Liberal party to a historic low in the house. The BQ is all but decimated and, at this point, Elizabeth May of the Greens might have won a seat for
Continue readingElection – Post-Game Thoughts
So, there we have it: the Cons have a majority government. The NDP is the official opposition. Iggy led the Liberal party to a historic low in the house. The BQ is all but decimated and, at this point, Elizabeth May of the Greens might have won a seat for
Continue reading