H/t Moudakis For those hoping my monomania about would end after my hiatus, please stop reading now. The depredations of the corrupt Ford government are too much with me. And apparently also with others, as these letters suggest. That’s rich: Ford accusing Tory of mismanaging the revenue (he) already
Continue readingTag: Letters to the Editor
Politics and its Discontents: J’Accuse
The sad state of Ontario provincial politics should be evident to anyone who reads a newspaper or watches the news. Those who do should also look in the mirror to see if the following applies to them: Doug Ford has abandoned the people to put politicians first, Cohn, Nov. 19
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Stench That Cannot Be Ignored
H/t Moudakis A Star letter-writer observes that Doug Ford must think Ontarians are stupid. In that I hope he is wrong, At least, as seen in the report that follows this letter, his political opposition is not letting his depredations of the Greenbelt go unchallenged. Changes to the way
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The People Speak
H/t Moudakis H/t de Adder Following up on yesterday’s post, here are some of the things people are thinking about when they consider Doug Ford and his unholy relationship with developers: Doug Ford shows his true colours with attack on the Greenbelt, Cohn, Nov. 11 Premier Doug Ford and
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Time For Some Truth
In Doug Ford’s Ontario, the answer is, “Plenty of people.” Yesterday I attended a rally to protest the provincial government’s plans to override local democracy and extend urban boundaries into the valuable Greenbelt and farmlands (a.k.a The Doug Ford Discharging His Debt To Developers Act). By the robust turnout,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Readers React
I’m on a bit of a tight schedule today, so I cede to newspaper letter-writers their thoughts on Doug Ford’s tactics and values before his province-wide blink yesterday. Premier Ford’s decision to withdraw Bill 28, and go back to the bargaining table shows the kind of things that can happen
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Meanwhile, In The Land Of The Looney
Danielle Smith cultivates her tribe. H/t de Adder However, those inoculated against her lunacy beg to differ. Anti-vaxxers are wilfully ignorant and uncaring about their responsibilities in society. To my mind, for Danielle Smith to say they are being discriminated against is akin to saying that incarcerating crooks is discrimination
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Perhaps This Is Part Of The Answer
My wife, who is far from being the cynic of the family (that would be me), often concludes that humanity is a failed experiment. It is not an assessment with which I disagree. I often find myself pondering why and how we have reached our current perilous, likely terminal, state.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Flight From Knowledge
There is never a moment in my post-teaching life when I have regretted retiring. The paperwork was bad enough, but in the latter part of my career, the politics were becoming very difficult for someone like me to tolerate. The careerists were always looking over their shoulders, ever fearful
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: This Is Gonna Hurt
I have a friend whose daughter recently started her career in healthcare as an occupational therapist in a facility where people are awaiting placements in LTCs, and already she is feeling burnt out. – burnt out over the fact that she cannot do her job properly in assessing people
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Timely Reminder
That division exists in our country is undeniable. That there are those amongst us who seek to exploit those divisions is also a fact. Two Star letter-writers remind us to be very wary of such merchants of discord: Poilievre leads candidates in donations, Aug. 3 Uncivil behaviour, unbridled entitlement, a
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Despite Our Conceit, The Earth Does Not Need Saving
George Carlin probably said it best, but letter-writer Patrick Cowan makes the same point in the following: The Earth does not need saving. And the human race is its least qualified saviour Andrea Mandel-Campbell writes: “Opting out of the climate crisis clearly is not an option. We need to get
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: National Post Letter
Electoral reform opponents are once again pulling out the old Israel canard. I’ve responded with a letter attempting to set the record straight in today’s National Post: Electoral reform Re: Think you want electoral reform? Kelly McParland, July 9 According to Kelly McParland, “Israel has a proportional representation system of
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Too Late, Too Late
“Come, my friendsTis not too late to seek a newer world…” – Alfred, Lord Tennyson I don’t post nearly as prolifically as I once did, in large part, I suspect, because I have lost the hope that things can be improved in ways that change the world from its
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Me, Me, And Me
Here in Ontario, the 2022 June election will likely see another Doug Ford majority, in part achieved by cynically buying the electorate with cash gifts that I have written about in previous posts. People will use their own inflation-induced economic hardships to justify supporting Doug Ford. Isn’t he, after
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Puppets On A String
I have to admit to being somewhat puzzled as to how the recent increases in interest rates will combat inflation, given that it is mostly caused by external factors over which we have little control. While some have suggested it will bring a much-needed cooling to a housing market
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Master Class
If you have been reading my blog lately, you will see that I have posted a few times about the ongoing bribery by Doug Ford in his efforts to secure a second majority come this June’s election. Indeed, for the student of politics, Ford’s government is a master class
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Seeing Through The Facade
If you didn’t care for the suggestion I made in my previous post about what to do with the Doug’ Ford pre-election ‘inducement’ you received in the mail, you might want to consider the following letter-writer’s strategy: Can Ford’s rebate buy voter love?, Mar. 23 I just received my
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Our Unhealthy State
I am not one of those who chortles when political parties fall into embarrassments or controversy; such events only serve as fodder for opposing parties eagerly driven to earn more political street cred. Those antics do not benefit democracy. I speak first as an Ontario voter, despondent at the meagre
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Short Follow-Up
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post about the many bribes Doug Ford is offering voters to win their support in June, here are two letters that offer interesting perspectives: Ontario drivers to save $120 per year through Premier Doug Ford’s cancelling of licence renewal fees — but it will cost
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