In my previous post, I wrote rather scathingly of Doug Ford and his refusal to put back into the building code a requirement for new home builds to have a plug built in to facilitate EV chargers. To clarify any confusion left by that post, the extra $500 charge to
Continue readingTag: Ontario politics
Politics and its Discontents: The Curse Of News Literacy
There are some days I almost wish I weren’t a newspaper reader. That way I wouldn’t be confronted daily with the world’s stupidity and perhaps not constantly haunted by a jaundiced view of humanity. In my previous post I wrote at some length about the buffoonery that defines the Doug Ford
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Small Minds And Big Power
It will probably come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog that I have a rather low opinion of our species. There are too many small-minded people thinking they are the smartest people in the room, reflecting the classic Dunning-Krueger effect. Nothing can be done about this reality,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The High Price Of Populism
In this age of economic deprivation for so many, it is understandable that people seek relief wherever they can find it. Some do without, some shop at discount stores, some take second jobs. Unfortunately, some embrace whomever seems to be offering a helping hand. Here in Ontario, that ‘helping’ hand
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Political Pandering Of The Worst Kind
In the ongoing debasement of democracy, Ontario’s Doug Ford is certainly playing his part. With his populist deck fully stacked, his latest effort to pander to the lowest common denominator has been dealt: no more driver’s licence plate renewals! This is wrong on a number of levels, but worst of
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: History: An Update
As one who taught high school for 30 years, I have always believed in the power of education. It is the best and perhaps the only way to narrow the disparities that exist in society. In my experience, the truly. educated are rarely the ranters who seem to dominate media
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Shiny New Things
Despite our professed admiration for things that have withstood the test of time (heritage buildings, old literature and traditional values come to mind), it is undeniable that there is much allure to be found in the new as well. We marvel at innovative architecture, science and engineering, to name
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Keeping Up The Pressure
Fires are burning in the House of Ford (not the fashion mogul’s, but rather the corrupt and incompetent one that ‘rules’ our province). That increasing attention is being paid to the sometimes smoldering, sometimes white-hot combustions is attributable to citizen awareness, ceaseless probing by NDP leader Marit Stiles and her
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Ode To Democracy
A busy day ahead, so I shall let Theo Moudakis speak for me: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics 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 Smell Of Manure
Unless they have spent their entire lives within the confines of a city, I doubt there are many people unacquainted with the smell of manure. This pungent organic waste, while offensive to many, is instrumental in helping to ensure that the land growing our crops is sufficiently fertile to produce
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: Upon Awakening
It would be nice to think that the slumbering masses have awakened to a new understanding of government and its relationship to the people, but I abandoned magical thinking a long time ago. Nonetheless, occasionally our overlords overplay their hand, and people do get a glimpse behind the curtain. Such
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Brittlestar Understands
… what the Ford government is either too arrogant or too stupid to get: H/t Brittlestar I imagine only those who favour government by a cadre of contemptible clowns are content right now. Recommend this Post
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Something for Doug Ford to remember: Once in a while when you pull the cork from a bottle a genie pops out!
The Conservative movement’s vast army of online trolls has been strangely silent about the right of poorly paid Ontario education workers to negotiate a decent salary for themselves. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, encountering a stiff breeze (Photo: Premier of Ontario Photography/Flickr). Funny that, Conservatives being such lovers of Canadian rights
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: From The Land Of Make Believe
That would be Ontario, though I suppose, in truth, it is far more widespread: a rising number of deaths from Covid (this week was the worst since last May, despite three days missing from the weekly data) in the province. Nevertheless, our political overlords and their minions continue to do little
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Step Right Up
Here in Ontario, things are moving at a fast pace – if you happen to be a senior in a hospitable but have been deemed medically fit for discharge. This is thanks to the undebated passage of Bill 7, called the More Beds and Better Care Act. As with
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: The Devil In Ms. Jones
To those 57% who couldn’t rouse themselves to vote in the last Ontario election, please do not make sounds of outrage over the likelihood that Doug Ford will introduce more privatization into our healthcare system. You didn’t participate, so I really have little regard for your thoughts on the matter.
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