Chantal Hébert made an interesting case the other day. She wrote in the Toronto Star that Maxime Bernier of our new People’s Party of Canada should be allowed to be part of the leader debates for the October 21 election. Despite it being doubtful that Bernier will retain his own
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Accidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Richard Cannings comments on the need for governments to collect a fair share of revenue from wealthy individuals and corporations. And Erin Weir argues that Canada’s federal government shouldn’t subsidize Jason Kenney’s corporate tax giveaway with abatements on federal taxes. – Meanwhile, Paul
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Diogenes, Leadership and SNC-Lavalin.
There is no time left for what might have been. Canadians are going into an election when what we so desperately want to say is ‘None of the above.’ Are we condemned to face a future of failure? Are we helpless? Have we found there is no honest man? Justin
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: When the real campaign begins.
They remind me of a bunch of outlaw bikers, warming up their hogs for a race. They have all taken off their mufflers for that extra bit of speed. The full-throated roar of those bikes makes the ground seem to tremble. And the clouds of exhaust fumes obscure the start. When
Continue readingWarren Kinsella: My latest: Trudeau is likelier to win
Dief’s jowls jiggled. His brows bristled. “I’ve always been fond of dogs,” the Conservative leader declared, and the assembled media throng — the ones who had just informed him that Gallup had him losing, badly, to the Liberals — leaned ever closer. “And they are the one animal that knows
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Singh sings a survival song.
You have to admit, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the new democrats, is a hard worker. His main objective in the run-up to the October 21 election is to try to ensure that the new democratic party elects the 12 members of parliament needed to be recognized as a party in
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Trudeau’s Secret Weapon.
You have probably been wondering why prime minister Justin Trudeau is so cheery and ebullient these days. It is probably not just the fact that his pal Gerald Butts is back to back him up in the campaign. Nor is it the pollsters who are saying that the conservatives and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Bob Rivett highlights the fact that climate protesters are motivated by the desire to save our world from the reckless corporations and politicians who are prepared to sacrifice it for short-term gain. The Associated Press reports that Chile’s coast is the site of
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Grand Scheme and the Ocean Drift.
At this time of the phony election that precedes the real election, we are not really concerned about where pollsters think people are at but where they are headed. It is more of an oceanic drift than a positive direction but some of the flotsam will make it and some
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Juxtaposition
Some parties and leaders recognize the stakes in determining how to manage a minority Parliament: I asked Mr. Duceppe what he thought would happen if the prime minister refused to accept such an ultimatum. He replied that a government defeat so soon after a general election meant the Governor General
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: CBC, Change the Debate
CBC has a history of providing a substandard democracy experience for its owners, the Canadian public. Over a decade ago I organized a Regina protest in front of CBC Saskatchewan to object to the broadcasting corporation’s exclusion of Elizabeth May from the leaders debate. Years later she managed to win
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Geoff Dembicki interviews Leah Gazan about the need to put people over corporate profits in our political system. – Dale Eisler writes about the need for our conversation around climate change to focus on an honest appraisal as to how we can rein
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the bleatings from far too many corners that there’s no right time to discuss meaningful policy choices – and the federal NDP’s push to prove otherwise. For further reading…– The NDP’s set of campaign commitments is here (PDF). And I’ll be looking at some of the specific proposals
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Singh scans the Six.
Canada’s new democratic party leader has been seen in Ontario. Party leader Jagmeet Singh is engaged in a desperate rear-guard action this summer for some Toronto area ridings. Faced with the possible loss of their party standing in the house of commons, the NDP have realized that the Toronto area
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Ten things to know about this year’s Alberta Alternative Budget
The Alberta Alternative Budget (AAB) is an annual exercise whose working group consists of researchers, economists, and members of civil society (full disclosure: I’m the Editor). Our general mandate is to create a progressive vision for Alberta to boost economic growth and reduce income inequality. This year’s document was released
Continue readingWarren Kinsella: My latest in the Sun: when they came for the Jews/Sikhs/Muslims, they said nothing
Silence. That’s all that could be heard from the federal party leaders, essentially: silence, or something approaching that. The occasion: the decision of assorted Quebec politicians to pass a law telling religious people what they can wear. Jews, Sikhs, but mainly Muslims. The law, formerly called Bill 21, was passed
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It’s going to be a smack-down election.
The anticipated federal election in October looks like one that nobody can win. All the political parties are going into the election with heavy baggage. Nobody has the confidence of the nation. It could be the most bitter, hardest fought election in Canada’s history. There is too much at stake
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Kenny’s revealing prank
As a resident of Alberta, I am used to living under Conservative governments. Although I lean left, I can accept this with good grace. After all I am a democrat and therefor I accept the will of the people, even when I question their judgement. I accept that the government
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood offers an electoral primer for voters who want to avert a climate breakdown in this fall’s federal election. And Paul Wells takes a look at the Cons’ undercooked nothingburger of a climate plan, while Hilary Beaumont notes that it’s actually
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