There was a mystery haunting our Supreme Court throughout February. Justice Russell Brown wasn’t showing up for work. Last week the mystery was solved. The judge has been suspended with pay for getting into a fracas in Scottsdale, Arizona. The judge was in Scottsdale to speak at a ceremony honouring
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Alberta Politics: Challenge accepted: Premier throws down the gauntlet with defamation accusation; CBC picks it up
On Wednesday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith threw down the gauntlet, accusing the CBC of defamation and demanding that the corporation retract and apologize for its Jan. 19 report someone on her staff sent emails to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service challenging how it was handling cases stemming from last year’s
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Danielle Smith’s Magical Email Investigation
So, last week very serious allegations of the Premier's office attempting to intervene in the prosecutions resulting from the Coutts blockade last year. By Saturday, the Premier's office was going to "investigate" by reviewing the GOA e-mail servers. On Monday, the Premier issued a "we found nothing" statement. There are
Continue readingIN-SIGHTS: Punishing personal distress
The unarmed victim was seeking help, apparently suffering a personal crisis. CBC News reported the Ojibway man “was in distress from a bear mace attack and was attempting to relieve the burning sensation by removing his clothes and dousing himself in milk.” Chris Amyotte needed medical assistance. He was punished
Continue readingIN-SIGHTS: Her Majesty’s Disloyal Opposition
It is sad that in 2022, Canada’s second largest political party has stopped believing in community responsibilities and cooperation, mutual respect between individuals, the rule of law, and democracy itself.
Continue readingIN-SIGHTS: Pension pain pending
Many people think of Canada as one of the more socially advanced countries of the world. That is only partly true.
Continue readingIn-Sights: Bonhoeffer on Stupidity
In 2021, we see strange people in BC — humans I suspect Dietrich Bonhoeffer would categorize as stupid — mobbing to prey on politicians, healthcare workers, hospital patients and now school children. For thousands, the restraints of decency are lost. Bonhoeffer’s words might help to explain the behaviour…
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Reclaiming Democracy In Canada – And Around The World
In the 1960s, there was a cultural awakening which spread rapidly around the world, and Chomsky is right in calling it both a cultural awakening, and also, an outbreak of democracy. The civil rights movement, the women’s rights movement, the gay rights movement, the native rights movement, the anti-war and
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Land Reform and The Birth of A Revolution
Half of the world’s people live in the countryside. Three quarters of the people living in poverty live in the countryside. Two-thirds of the income of the rural poor comes from small-scale farms and peasant agriculture. Meanwhile, peasant farmers and the rural poor produce two-thirds of the world’s food. Something
Continue readingIn-Sights: Corporate fines paid from petty cash
If we expect wealthy companies to alter their business practices on safety, the environment, and other matters of corporate responsibility and integrity, punishment should fit the crime, but more importantly, it should fit the criminal…
Continue readingIn-Sights: Obeisance to privilege
Instead of $60 million, Teck Resources should be paying a fine closer to $1 billion. What Teck has been penalized won’t make a dent in their cash resources. Nor does it resolve the fresh water issues.
Continue readingThings Are Good: Ithaca New York Provides a Model to Defund the Police While Supporting the Police
I find it baffling that the same organization which investigates murders also spends their time directing traffic. Others find this problematic too. Thanks to the strong efforts of Black Lives Matter over the past years (and in Canada let’s not forget Idle No More) calls to defund the police by
Continue readingpolitics – Christy's Houseful of Chaos: A Biblical Story of the Concentration of Wealth During a Disaster
Today I find myself thinking about a story in Genesis 47:13 – 26. It is the story of a famine in Egypt. I’ll share the text from the Bible, and then I’ll write my commentary underneath it. 13There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Covid-19 In Perspective: An Open Letter
The following letter I wrote and sent out in response to a virtual town hall meeting this evening with our local MP and a local environmental group. I am sharing it here because I think it summarizes a contextualization of covid-19 and other major issues which is critically and urgently
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Thoughts on Inequality and Justice
Inequality – Unequal access to opportunities. Equality? – Evenly Distributed tools and assistance. Equity – Custom tools that identify and address inequality. Justice – Fixing the system to offer equal access to both tools and opportunities
Continue readingIn-Sights: Hippocratic oath for policing
Sgt. Jeremiah P. Johnson of the Darien Connecticut Police Department responded to a discussion about the policing industry having its own Hippocratic Oath. Given the extent of misconduct now revealed in North America, this is worthy of wider attention…
Continue readingIn-Sights: We tolerate our own racism too easily
Vancouver witnessed a large but peaceful protest against the Floyd killing. It is easier though to be critical of racist behaviour elsewhere than in our homeland…
Continue readingIn-Sights: Canada’s shame
Lost in the fuss as governments of British Columbia and Canada act to expropriate rights and lands of the Wet’suwet’en people is a sad situation that already gave proof to what should be Canada’s greatest shame…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Wet’suwet’en Crisis: Whose Rule of Law?
Explained: The complex clash of legal authority, and histories, behind today’s standoffs. Katie Hyslop | TheTyee.caKatie Hyslop is a reporter for The Tyee. Reach her here. Christy Brown (Gitxsan-Tsimshian) at the Unist’ot’en Read more…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta’s foreign-funded-fossil-fuel defamation inquisition: Stand by for an expensive gong show
Here are three predictions about Jason Kenney’s inquiry into that “foreign-funded defamation campaign” against Alberta’s fossil fuel industry. It will be a gong show It will cost far more than $2.5 million It will end up harming the industry, and Alberta The roots of this likely debacle are found in
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