Author and columnist Susan Delacourt asked her readers last week in a Toronto Star column to help her understand how views can be shifted in politics. Having observed this phenomenon in politics for many years, I can only assume that Susan is contemplating another book. Back when I was teaching
Continue readingTag: new
Babel-on-the-Bay: Who’s congratulating Trudeau?
Stephen Harper’s PMO had a revolving door for communications people, so it is not too surprising if we do not remember one of them. This is in reference to an op-ed in the Toronto Star last week by someone named ‘MacDougall.’ What was noticeable about the article was that he
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Is there any hope for Horwath?
Every once in a while, we are reminded that there are three parties at play for the right to hold the lease on the Pink Palace looking down University Avenue from Queen’s Park. We know lots about the Liberals that currently hold the lease. We know more than we want
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It’s always controversy for PC leader Brown.
The leader of Ontario Conservatives has too many balls in the air. Here he is trying to run the strategy, organize the electoral districts, pick the candidates and run the nomination meetings. The only jobs he has forgotten is to show leadership and to help the party choose policies. Since
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The history of image politics.
It must be your age that determines when history began. Reading an op-ed in the paper last week, there was a public relations guy who thought that image politics only went back to the time of American President Ronald Regan. He must have missed the lecture on the image of
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: ‘Chuckles’ leads from the rear.
It is embarrassing. ‘Chuckles’ Scheer showed up on television last week from the Calgary Stampede to blast the federal government for its generosity to Omar Kadr. It was a classic illustration of a political brain fart. It was bigoted, it was inaccurate, it was mean-spirited and it was knee-jerk Conservatism
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Picking preferred politicians.
This is not really about Donald Trump. It was just when reading the complaints of an academic about the choice of Trump that it became obvious that all he was saying was that we need to have smarter voters. In many years of working on elections for political parties or
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: On being nice to Premier Wynne.
It could be hard to get used to doing this. The problem basically is that as a liberal all my life, it is very difficult to accept Kathleen Wynne as a liberal. She is not a liberal and I do not like the way she has been running Ontario. But…(life
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Alberta’s Right, Hard Right and Extreme Right.
Former right-hand man for Stephen Harper, Jason Kenney has his “do or die” vote on July 22. It’s his chance to “unite the right” in Alberta. Conservative Party and Wildrose Party members will vote whether or not to come together as the United Conservative Party of Alberta. There are a
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Prince of the Past.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales will be a pathetic pallbearer likely to be tasked to shut down the House of Windsor. As a family business, the House of Windsor inherited a somewhat convoluted history going back to Alfred the Great in 871. Charles will have more than a few royal
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A purchased presidency.
Is it possible to place a price on the American presidency? Can its worth even be determined? Whatever the price might be, it probably is nowhere near the damages being done to America’s honour and reputation by Donald Trump. And why nobody has thought to sue him remains a mystery.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: NDP searching for succour
Every once in while, we look in on the New Democratic Party’s sputtering national leadership discussion. It is really more of a crawl than a race. And when you look at the four remaining candidates in the selection process for this fall, you wonder why they are bothering. The basic
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The NRA’s ‘Call to Arms.’
Anywhere but America, this would be considered an act of treason. Why anyone involved in directing the National Rifle Association of America is not locked away at this time is the question? Instead the argument rages as to the truth of a recent advertisement created to support the NRA. To
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Rule of law beats bigotry.
We should all get down on our knees and thank whatever God we worship that we live in a land ruled by law. This argument over a multi-million-dollar settlement and an apology for Omar Kadr is a disgrace. It is not a political decision. It is a legal settlement for
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Getting to know Patrick Brown.
Thank goodness for Newton’s third law. It is the law of physics that says for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. It also seems to be a law of politics. It just works differently. It is like those commercials being given intense exposure on Ontario television recently
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Are these the summer doldrums?
Why do the talking heads of television shut down for the summer? While we know that it is just our hardcore readers who drop by during these months, we are not going to let them down. There is lots to discuss. That takeover by Jason Kenney in Alberta has yet
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A land big enough for a rubber ducky.
That churlish little man, Conservative leader Patrick Brown, stood in the Ontario legislature a while ago to make fun of a rubber ducky he had never even met. That rubber ducky has now arrived and that silly man can quack all he likes, that rubber ducky adds something to an
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Expo 67: A sharp turn for Canada.
It was 50 years ago that the wife and I went to Montreal and camped for a week at my brother’s house while we spent our days at Expo 67. It was in glorious summer weather and we had a wonderful time in line at exhibits with people from all
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The tremors of Trump.
Each year at this time, we do a little introspection. While Canada Day 2017 is as joyous as ever, we feel it is the impact of the American President that causes those ground tremors we are feeling. The man seems to stomp a lot. At first, we were under the
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: ‘Chuckles’ Scheer is no attack dog.
It was two Regina MPs who helped Vassy Kapelos to wrap up her West Block show on Global TV for the summer. As she had Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the week before, she brought on the new Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer this week. She also took another shot
Continue reading