I’ve always thought the concept of vote-swapping was problematic. Not only is it flawed in its own right but treating it as an acceptable strategy is like snuggling up to the idea that one party can function as a spoiler and that somehow, certain parties are entitled to votes. This
Continue readingTag: politics
Thus Prate the Pundit » Social Critique: Unravelling Dion’s Political Strategy
Though my attention is tuned to our federal election, this post doesn’t continue the IP political issues I wrote detailing a stance against certain sorts of “intellectual property” regulation (NDP seems to address it best, though Dion provided a reasonable response to my letter). I’ll go on a tangent today:
Continue readingThe Church Of Mothra - Home Of The Breakfast Mojito! ©: Facebook, Scrabble, Scrabulous: Hasbro Unwittingly Makes A Political Point
Dad was always ruining Family Games Night with unwelcome commentaries on economic theory… The ongoing cyberspace PR disaster over Scrabble on Facebook continues, and brings with it (unintentionally) an important point about political theory. Consider for a moment some of the traditional arguments used by conservatives/neocons/libertarians that any given government
Continue readingThe Church Of Mothra - Home Of The Breakfast Mojito! ©: Facebook, Scrabble, Scrabulous: Hasbro Unwittingly Makes A Political Point
Dad was always ruining Family Games Night with unwelcome commentaries on economic theory… The ongoing cyberspace PR disaster over Scrabble on Facebook continues, and brings with it (unintentionally) an important point about political theory. Consider for a moment some of the traditional arguments used by conservatives/neocons/libertarians that any given government
Continue readingThe Church Of Mothra - Home Of The Breakfast Mojito! ©: Facebook, Scrabble, Scrabulous: Hasbro Unwittingly Makes A Political Point
Dad was always ruining Family Games Night with unwelcome commentaries on economic theory…The ongoing cyberspace PR disaster over Scrabble on Facebook continues, and brings with it (unintentionally) an important point about political theory.Consider f…
Continue readingThus Prate the Pundit » Social Critique: Copyright Reform and the StatsCan Report
Michael Geist posted about the politics in the debate on copyright reform. The point stems from dissonance between the recent Statistics Canada report and a reform-oriented bill expected to introduce more restrictive copyright policy. The report showed some nice Canadian recording industry profits where similar industries in other parts of
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Red Party Blues, The Liberals in Crisis? – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
TV Ontario’s The Agenda debates the question of how long Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party can, or should, endure the Conservative government’s electoral brinksmanship. Steve Paikin moderates, as Professor Christine de Clercy, Dion biographer Linda D…
Continue readingThus Prate the Pundit » Social Critique: Motivating Anti-IP Activism in Canada
In the scheme of things, few people have the interest (or is it patience?) to delve deeply into the concept of “intellectual property” (IP). I think that is why IP regulation is among the most under-considered issues in public political discourse today. It’s difficult, in the snap of a soundbite,
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Power, the People, and the PMO – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
With more than a year of minority government behind us, Steve Paikin and The Agenda assemble a national panel to ask if political power in Canada is still primarily a matter of the proverbial “who do you know in the PMO”. With Jeffrey Simpson, Norman …
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Public Degradation and Public Discourse – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
A CBC Radio One national debate on the decline of civility in Canada’s public discourse. More than a question of discourtesy, the decay of the tenor of political dialogue diminishes the dignity of the nation itself. Hosted by The Current and Avi Lewis,…
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Are Canadian Political Parties Afraid of the Dark? – Akaash Maharaj Videocast
CBC Television’s The Hour canvasses Bob Rae, John Tory, Olivia Chow, and me on why Canada has yet to see a visible minority party leader. Ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime, the programme included calls for “affirmative action” and more Americ…
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Integrity and the Liberal Leadership – Akaash Maharaj Videocast
Sarika Sehgal of CBC Newsworld interviews me on my support for Stephane Dion, and on how the Liberal Party can re-animate Canadians’ passion for politics. With the convention behind us and the election before us, the question of civic engagment in the…
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Politics and Principles – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
In the wake of the Quebecois Nation issue, TV Ontario’s The Agenda asks if politics and principles are Canada’s true twin solitudes. With Steve Paikin as moderator, Val Meredith for the Conservatives, Robin Sears for the NDP, and I for the Liberals.
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Politics and Principles – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
In the wake of the Quebecois Nation issue, TV Ontario’s The Agenda asks if politics and principles are Canada’s true twin solitudes. With Steve Paikin as moderator, Val Meredith for the Conservatives, Robin Sears for the NDP, and I for the Liberals.
Continue readingThus Prate the Pundit » Social Critique: Would Gov’t Procurement Process Neglect FOSS?
The Canadian Association for Open Source (Clue) published a thought provoking letter to an ITBusiness.ca article today. The Clue letter says that “…What is needed is for the government to separate the pricing and procurement of the source product from the various value-add services…” which is an interesting reflection for
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Who Wants to be a Party Leader? – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
Ottawa Morning, CBC Radio One’s news and current affairs programme in the national capital, explores the question of why the field of candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada appears to be contracting. Hallie Cotnam hosted in Ottaw…
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Interviewing Leadership Candidates, Call-In – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
Host Alan Neal of CBC Radio One’s Ontario Today and I take telephone calls from across Ontario on the people’s choice for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: The Fall of Paul Martin – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
Former Cabinet Minister Herb Dhaliwal and I review the long road for Paul Martin from his triumphal entry as Liberal leader to his humble departure after the general election.
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Visionary Politics – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
A feature-length CBC Radio One national debate between Judy Rebick of the NDP, Adam Daifallah of the Conservative Party, and myself on visionary politics in Canada.
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Visionary Politics – Akaash Maharaj Podcast
A feature-length CBC Radio One national debate between Judy Rebick of the NDP, Adam Daifallah of the Conservative Party, and myself on visionary politics in Canada.
Continue reading