Assorted content to end your week. – Jordan Brennan discusses the utter failure of past trade agreements to live up to their promises, making it all the more unclear why we should be prepared to accept a new wave of even more inflexible restrictions against democratic decision-making. The trade and
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Accidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Meesha Nehru reminds us of the importance of fair taxes (and tax authorities capable of ensuring they’re paid). And Fair Tax Mark notes that for the first time, a company on the U.K.’s main stock exchange has made the effort to be accredited
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how the politics and economics of energy production are changing around the world – and how Canada is being left behind due to governments focused solely on pushing oil interests. For further reading…– Again, Vivek Radhwa discusses the progress that’s being made in developing – and broadly implementing
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Alberta Premier Jim Prentice repudiates controversial Redford Era triple-entry financial bookkeeping scheme
Alberta Health Minister Stephen Mandel and Premier Jim Prentice, neither elected just yet. Below: Former finance minister Doug Horner, current Education Minister Gordon Dirks, also unelected, and Emperor Augustus. Notice the similarity of the emperor to Mr. Mandel. Well, nuts to you, Doug Horner! Alberta Premier Jim Prentice continued his
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Alberta tar sands claim the soul of Conservative MP Rob Merrifield
Conservative MP Rob Merrifield resigned his elected seat this week to work as Alberta Premier Jim Prentice’s leading tar sands lobbyist in Washington. The post Alberta tar sands claim the soul of Conservative MP Rob Merrifield appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Umut Oszu contrasts the impoverished conception of rights being pushed thanks to the Cons’ highly politicized museum against the type of rights we should be demanding: In their modern incarnation, human rights were fashioned after the Second World War and entered into widespread
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – In a theme all too familiar based on Brad Wall’s use of millions of public dollars to pay for access to U.S. lawmakers, Simon Enoch discusses the connections between Wall and ALEC: Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough is both a member and State corporate
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On paid access
Shorter Brad Wall: As far as I’m concerned, paying large sums of money to cynical political operatives for insider access to decision-makers is just how business gets done with the U.S. government. Also, please don’t draw any obvious inferences about how business gets done with my government.
Continue readingJoe Fantauzzi: Post-Democratic Trend Lines in Etobicoke
Since news broke of the decision by Toronto mayor candidate Rob Ford to step away from the mayor’s race and be replaced by his brother Doug the term “feudal” has been thrown around a lot. The argument quite often associated with the use of this term generally appears to be that the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Linda McQuaig writes that while the Cons don’t want to bother listening to the public about much of anything, they’ll always make time for a disgraced former advisor lobbying on behalf of oil barons: In…new RCMP allegations,… [Bruce] Carson was working for the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Ex-Harper aide charged with illegal lobbying, influence peddling
by: Obert Madondo | May 18, 2014 Obert Madondo, Editor, The Canadian Progressive The RCMP last week charged Bruce Carson, a former aide to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, with illegal lobbying and influence peddling. This is further confirmation that Harper is the world’s worst talent scout. Even more interesting is the fact that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, discussing what Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page found (PDF) in looking at which preferences actually shape U.S. public policy – and what needs to happen for the needs of the general public to be given some actual weight in government policy choices. For further reading…– Again, Larry Bartels, Kathleen
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Non-voters and Influence #nlpoli
There is a new scourge among us. An evil that causes “problems”. Russell Wangersky found them and wrote about them this past weekend. They are the people who do not vote. (Read more…)
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Who is lobbying whom these days? #nlpoli
When it needed a lobbyist in Ottawa to monitor the federal environmental review process for its Kami project, Alderon Iron Ore turned to Summa Strategies and a well-connected fellow named Tim Powers. You can find out information like this thanks to the federal registry of lobbyists. Powers’ registration number for
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Lobbying Act’s ban on lobbying by former ministers no hindrance if they’re hired as presidents and CEOs of lobby firms
A Conservative cabinet minister turned lobbying firm president, top row, centre right, with part of the team of lobbyists he supervises. Actual lobby group CEOs and their lobbying staffs may not appear exactly as illustrated. For one thing, even one bow tie would never be allowed! Below, an actual former
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On self-interest
With Chuck Strahl’s massive conflict of interest between lobbying and patronage appointments already making news, the revelation that Vic Toews has found his way into the lobbying industry (having seemingly planned for it before he’d even resigned from Parliament) looks all the more noteworthy. And Toews’ assertion that a lawyer
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Former federal Tory Chuck Strahl’s lobbying activities break no laws, but highlight a problem
Lobbyists gather in the lobby of the House of Commons at Westminster. Below: Politician turned lobbyist Chuck Strahl, B.C. Lobbying Commissioner Elizabeth Denham. Notwithstanding his classification as a Designated Public Office Holder under the federal Lobbying Act, former Reform Party, Canadian Alliance and Conservative office holder Chuck Strahl is breaking
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Skinner and the useless provincial lobby law #nlpoli
Shawn Skinner used to be a provincial cabinet minister. Now he works for a construction company trying to get a major contract at Muskrat Falls. Skinner is the senior director of business development with Aecon. Presumably that job involves him meeting with or arranging meetings with people at Nalcor and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Robert Reich asks a few impertinent (but important) questions about plutocratic encroachment on the U.S.’ political system. – Catherine McKenna explains why it’s important to try to make a difference in our political system. But Chris Cobb reports on what happens to
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Keystone XL Pipeline Lobbyists Have Deep Ties to White House
By: Pratap Chatterjee Keystone Pipeline Handout TransCanada and the provincial government of Alberta are paying former advisors to the Obama administration – as well as former staff of the Hillary Clinton and John Kerry presidential campaigns – to help them lobby for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline to transport tar
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