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 readingTag: Ontario
Babel-on-the-Bay: The gang that can’t even sell pot.
It is hard to believe that Doug Ford’s gang in Ontario cannot even get a handle on the pot business. Is there no part of government in which they have some expertise? Did the late Toronto mayor Rob Ford fail to pass on some tips in drug marketing to his
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: When Premiers come out to play.
It was an interesting pack of premiers around the conference table at this year’s Canadian premiers’ meeting. They hardly had Justin Trudeau under their thumb. And they hardly bothered to try. This was a meeting to plan for October’s federal election. The odd men out were the bookends—John Horgan of
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Do-Gooders be Damned.
Why do these do-gooders settle for half measures? If the medical officer of health for Toronto has decided that booze is bad for you, why is she allowing any sales to the unsuspecting public? If booze is bad for us, why doesn’t she have it banned? It just seems silly
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Star soldiers on with Regg Cohn.
The Toronto Star must have made its provincial affairs writer Martin Regg Cohn point man for the newspaper’s war against demon rum. Ontario used to have the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union to fight the good fight but the WCTU of today lacks the funds and caring. And, frankly, the Star
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: The Economic Pay-Off from Public Education
On a trip back to Toronto this week I attended the launch of a new report commissioned by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, and written by Aimee McArthur-Gupta from the Conference Board of Canada. The report presents some estimates of the economic, fiscal and social benefits of public education
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ontario NDP: “We the Green”?
Ontario’s lacklustre new democratic party partied in Hamilton last weekend. While most of the province was celebrating the Raptors winning the championship title of America’s National Basketball Association, Ontario’s NDP was celebrating being the official opposition in Ontario. They were also reviewing their leadership and asking where their party was
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends…”
And once more Ontario liberals found that they were not masters of their own destiny. Ontario liberalism is a fiefdom and the serfs were told once more last weekend what will be. Whatever you might wish to call it, it is not democratic. It is not run by or for
Continue readingWestern Alienation? What Western Alienation?
It’s one of those times. Alberta is enduring an oil bust so “Western alienation” is back in the news. The word of interest here is “Western.” Although some Albertans may disagree, Alberta is not the West. The alienation occurring out here is generated primarily in Alberta with an echo in
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Conservatives Exceeding Election Spending Expectations
NEW: Elections Canada says it will monitor provincial government interventions in the federal campaign https://t.co/J8UfrINIlR #onpoli #abpoli #cdnpoli — Marieke Walsh (@MariekeWalsh) June 13, 2019 What’s that mean? You’ve heard the Con Premiers like Ford and Moe and Kenney are all threatening Trudeau, saying if he doesn’t do impossible things
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: If you paint a pig green?
The question is if you paint a pig green would it no longer roll in the mud? And if we are concerned about the environment, should we vote for a party called ‘Green’? Is it that simple? Have we solved the problem of global warming, have we protected the environment
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: ‘Chuckles’ is Counting on Chaos.
Conservative leader Andrew ‘Chuckles’ Scheer has reason to worry about the antics of Ontario premier Doug Ford. With less than five months to the scheduled October election, the conservative leader’s team knows the election is really going to be fought in British Columbia and Ontario. The other provinces are predictable.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Mixing ignorance and ideology in Ontario.
It’s a bad combination. Ignorance in itself is bad enough but in a mix with an ideology as strident as conservatism, it is simply bad government. It is a colonic that the people of Ontario do not need. It is hardly surprising that today you listen to the quiet admissions
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: No Intervention for Doug Ford.
Those people who are promoting an intervention for premier Doug Ford’s beer bonanza are missing a few clues. First of all, an intervention is normally conducted by people who give a damn about the person who has strayed. Secondly, we figure that an intervention over beer and wine is for
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Professionalism in Politics.
Interesting argument the other day with a reader who likes keeping up with the political scene and who supports the liberals. He was stating his objection to professional politicians. Since his major experience with a professional politician was when Patrick Brown was the MP in Barrie and then the leader
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Fighting the facts of the future.
In a discussion of what is currently happening in politics, the realization emerged that provincial politicians such as Alberta’s Kenney, Saskatchewan’s Moe and Ontario’s Ford are denying our progeny a future. It was not a question of a planned or malevolent denial of a future but simple ignorance. These men
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Choosing Chuckles for Canadians?
Of all the ridiculous strategies for the coming federal election! Why should the liberals attack the conservatives when their real opposition in the October election is themselves? To waste time attacking conservative leader and Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer is assuming that he concerns Canadians. He never has been the problem.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Fake news on the opioid front?
We were reading a poster telling us about a community meeting to discuss a proposed safe injection site in the neighbourhood. It invited anyone who wanted more information or had concerns to come to the meeting. We had barely finished reading when a voice behind us said, “It’s all a
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Is Doug Ford Even Worse Than Mike Harris?
I didn't live in Toronto when Mike Harris and his Cons ruled Ontario from 1995 to 2002.But I heard about the damage him and his "Common Sense Revolution" did to the province, and how it took a decade to recover. And how many poor and vulnerable people never did, because they
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A crying towel for the Beer Store.
The Ontario government must be serious about Doug Ford’s promise to open up beer and wine sales in Ontario. We have both the Beer Store management (at Brewers Warehousing) and the Beer Store union paying for TV spots complaining about possible lost jobs. I wonder why? This is an opportunity
Continue reading