It really couldn't be more disgusting or more Kafkaesque. Or more of a horror show.The Cons gut Statistic Canada. The battered agency screws up its job numbers.And now Jason Kenney is making the poor pay. Read more »
Continue readingTag: Jason Kenney
daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Rob Anders to run in new Bow River riding?
TweetSources say that controversial Member of Parliament Rob Anders is preparing to run for the federal Conservative nomination in new rural Bow River riding south east of Calgary. The six-term MP has represented Calgary-West since 1997 but lost a heated Conservative nomination contest in the new Calgary-Signal Hill riding to former Progressive Conservative MLA Ron Liepert. It was previously been
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Confusing Freedom With Imposition
Canada’s “Association For Reformed Political Action” came to my attention this past week. Just from the name, you can tell that this is one of the groups that is seeking to turn Canada into a theocracy much like the far right is currently doing in the United States. I decided
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Will Harper’s Red Scare Become the Pink Blush of Embarrassment?
“The development of mutually advantageous and constructive relations with Israel in the political, economic, humanitarian and other fields was and will remain the priority of Russia’s foreign policy.” — President Vladimir Putin Journalist Jered Feldschreiber wrote recently of the friendly relationship between Russia and Israel, despite the fact that Putin
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Parties gear up for federal election 2015 – Alberta nominations update
TweetAside from recent updates about Kent Hehr running in Calgary-Centre and Darshan Kang running in Calgary-Skyview, it has been a while since I have published an update to accompany the list of candidate nominations for the next federal election, expected to be held in 2015. So, without further ado, let me present you
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Canada’s anti-union lobby is at the heart of the deceptive campaign for more Temporary Foreign Workers – why’s that, d’ya think?
Canadians need not apply? Actual Canadian store displays may not appear exactly as illustrated. But the intent of the AstroTurf TFW lobby is to bust unions and weaken the bargaining power of Canadian workers. Below: Employment Minister and former Canadian Taxpayers Federation operative Jason Kenney; former Canadian Federation of Independent
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: What Happens When a Tyrant Holds the Purse Strings and a Harridan Carries the Purse
During the Haiti earthquake relief mission, columnist Carol Goar wrote of a disturbing practice by the Harper government, when it came to charitable organizations. We had already seen funding slashed to KAIROS, a Religious organization that advocated for the poor and disenfranchised, because they spoke out against Israeli aggression in
Continue readingAlberta Diary: ‘Targeted exemptions’ for TFWs – Tory fund-raising tool, a backyard maquiladora in every neighbourhood, or both?
Typical Canadian fast-food help, as seen by Canadian fast-food employers, sort of. Below: Employment Minister Jason Kenney in Stampede-Week-appropriate garb and the CFIB’s Richard Truscott. ST. ALBERT, Alberta Unemployment has climbed to 7.1 per cent in Canada and yet a key segment of the Harper Government’s donor base is screeching
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Whatever the ‘Canadian Taxpayers Federation’ is, it’s certainly not a ‘tax watchdog’ – let’s stop calling it one!
“Canadian Taxpayers Federation” Alberta Communications Director Derek Fildebrandt dressed up for a typical CTF stunt, which the media falls for every time. Below: Mr. Fildebrandt back in the days he was part of the Reagan-Goldwater Society at Carleton University; CTF board members Karen Selick, Adam Daifallah and John Mortimer. (Thumbnail
Continue readingTHE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE: Harper’s cancellation of refugee health care “cruel and unusual” treatment: Federal Court
Harper’s cancellation of refugee health care was “cruel and unusual” treatment that “shocks the conscience and outrages Canadian standards of decency.” The post Harper’s cancellation of refugee health care “cruel and unusual” treatment: Federal Court appeared first on THE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Gar Alperovitz suggests in the wake of Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century that it’s long past time to reconsider who controls capital – and make a concerted effort to democratize that control: The name of the game — Piketty’s book fairly
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Jason Kenney and Our Temporary Foreign Air Farce
OMG. I didn't think it was possible for Jason Kenney and the other oil pimps in the Harper regime to embarrass this country more than they already have. I didn't it was possible to be more humiliated in the eyes of the world, and still keep breathing.But sadly I was wrong. Because
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Jason Kenney and the Latest Foreign Worker’s Scam
Uh oh. It looks as if the Cons have been forced to retreat to their wartime bunker.For not only are they trying to dodge the flak over their decision to approve the Northern gateway pipeline.They are now coming under fire because of their efforts to fix the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.And
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Progressive Conservative leadership candidates take aim at federal bogeyman, demand Alberta’s own immigration policy
Alberta’s three Progressive Conservative leadership candidates contemplate Ottawa mucking about with the beloved Temporary Foreign Worker Program. From left to right: Ric McIver, Jim Prentice and Thomas Lukaszuk. Actual would-be Alberta premiers may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: the real Messrs. McIver, Prentice and Lukaszuk. Never mind Alberta’s Lake
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Bryce Covert rightly challenges the claim that poverty bears any relationship to an unwillingness to work – along with other attempts to blame the poor for their condition: In fact, the majority of able-bodied, adult, non-elderly poor people worked in 2012, according
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Too Little, Too Late
So, Jason Kenney has applied some bandages to the hemorrhaging Temporary Foreign Workers program. The changes prevent employers in places with high unemployment rates from applying for temporary foreign workers in the lowest wage and skill groups in the accommodation, food service and retail sectors. A cap is also
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Three reasons why Ottawa’s Temporary Foreign Workers Program ‘reforms’ likely mean little
There’s always been a worldwide pool of skilled and unskilled employees like these fellows for jobs in North America – immigration. Below: Employment Minister Jason Kenney and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander. Canadians are within their rights to be highly skeptical of the long list of changes to the Harper Government’s
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Beware of Those Bearing Pledges. They Might Just Have to Honour Them
Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution. Sophocles Pledges are nothing new for politicians. Some are broad in scope, like FDR’s pledge to a New Deal for Americans, or President Obama’s pledge to not raise taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Tim Hudak Wants to be Like Mitch Daniels. No Wonder. He’s Another Mike Harris
Indiana- Louise Cohoon was at home when her 80-year-old mother called in a panic from Terre Haute: The $97 monthly Medicaid payment she relied on to supplement her $600-a-month income had been cut without warning by a private company that had taken over the state’s welfare system. (1) Hold that
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: I Have A Simpler Solution
The headline reads, Restaurant owners seek meeting with PM over foreign worker freeze The group representing Canada’s restaurant owners is calling for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss the freeze on temporary foreign workers in the restaurant industry. “The recent moratorium on temporary foreign workers in
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