Here, on how the real question in Regina’s P3 referendum vote is that of how to operate the City’s vital infrastructure – and why we should vote “yes” to maintain some control. For further reading…– CBC reports on last night debate between Jim Holmes and Michael Fougere.– Brent Sjoberg’s interview
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Saskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Bus-Taker’s Guide To The Galaxy
I helped invent and host a city bus tour to a movie theatre from the Riddell Centre on Tuesday evening. It went very well, even though our bus was 20 minutes late when first leaving. The weather was astoundingly perfect, and the ten people who went all seemed to enjoy
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Juxtaposition
The Fouge sez: have no fear about corporate abuses or contract manipulation in a privatized wastewater system because…public procurement process! Hamilton Wastewater System – A sewage operation and maintenance contract in Hamilton was cancelled. In Hamilton, the contractor was hired without a public procurement process. The City of Regina will
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On benefits at stake
Martin Regg Cohn is right to note that there’s no empirical support for attacks on unions when it comes to jobs or economic development: Why then is Hudak trying to turn the clock back? He points to the rise of Right to Work states in the U.S., where right-wing legislators
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the dangers of accepting advice from self-interested advisers – and the obvious conflict of interest of the consultants hired to push a wastewater P3 on Regina’s citizens. For further reading…– The Museum of Hoaxes offers some background on the now-notorious movie reviews of Dave Manning. – Matt Taibbi
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Simon Enoch nicely challenges the City of Regina’s blind faith in “risk transfer” by pointing out how that concept has typically been applied elsewhere: So what price should we put on such a risk transfer? This is where things can get dicey. How
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Polly Toynbee discusses how the UK’s attacks on social programs are based on gross ignorance about what social spending does (and who it helps): The Citizens Advice Bureau reports a rise of 78% in the last six months in people needing food banks
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on the tendency of both political decision-makers and the general public to give too much credence to secret information – and the need for citizens to scrutinize leaders all the more closely if they rely on bare declarations that we’d agree with their actions if only we knew what
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Paul McCartney Rocks Regina
*Goosebumps* I got goosebumps up the back of my head when he played Hey Jude. Crash. A music legend played in the Queen City for the first time, and seemed to love it. The crowd sure did. What perfect weather, and a perfect night! A quick cheering poll identified most
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on how the City of Regina’s wastewater treatment referendum campaign is based on either a major omission as to the costs of privatizing services, or a dangerous assumption that the City doesn’t need to have any idea how its own treatment plant works. For further reading…– I take my
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Aggressive Cop Loses to Skateboarder
There might be a better way to entertain kids who want to skateboard in a city, other than yell at them, push them, and make their desired outdoor fun illegal. Baltimore wasn’t doing a good job 6 years ago. Regina’s not far behind. “Dude” cop loses his temper. Doesn’t file
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Bruce Livesey discusses how offshoring undermines government – and how it happens with the approval of those same governments claiming we can’t afford to provide for citizens: Today, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) claims that offshore banks globally hide
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Experience Regina
I know it’s a joke song, but I like it anyway. It’s so bad, it’s good. And I finally found the original video.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Groceries Gone
The people in the green circle are entering a Food Desert in September, as Sobeys is opting to close the Lakeshore store on 23rd Ave. There will be no grocery store within walking distance for thousands of people. Bus service, limited as it is, is highlighted for the region. I’ve
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, on Regina’s wastewater referendum as just the first step in encouraging regular citizen engagement in the decisions that affect us all. For further reading…– Again, Hugh Mackenzie’s analysis of the cost of private financing is here (PDF). And Barrie McKenna’s take on the hidden price of P3s is here.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: #SKstorm Pounds Regina Quickly
Yikes!! MT @Skstormchaser: #skstorm backside of storm heading S.E. towards REGINA http://t.co/vXhhWR7Him #YQR— Tiffany Lizée (@TiffanyGlobal) July 24, 2013 A surprise thunderstorm approached me as I biked north on Rose St., thinking of going under the tracks to check out the remains of Big Sky Cycles after their shop burned
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: To the polls!
Needless to say, it’s great news (as well as a pleasant surprise) that Regina will get a referendum on a proposed P3 wastewater treatment plant. And kudos to Regina Water Watch and everybody connected to the petition campaign for making that happen. But of course, the most important step comes
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On double standards
Simon Enoch, Paul Dechene and Stephen Whitworth have already weighed in on the City of Regina’s choice to blow its nose on a petition that reflects citizen engagement in action. But I’m surprised nobody’s yet pointed out the vastly different treatment between two different aspects of the petition. As Dechene
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – The Globe and Mail weighs in on the Lac-Mégantic tragedy by pointing out that we should be far more concerned about public safety than technical defences and excuses. Saskboy notes that as soon as a corporation’s business choices lead to a massive public
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Regina Refuge #StopURdeportations
It’s been a year since a Regina Walmart illegally hired two foreign students, and triggered a drama with them confined to churches granting them sanctuary from the Harper Government’s punitive mean streak. For Immediate Release June 18, 2013 One Year Anniversary: University Students Still in Hiding This week marks one
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