I'm glad that police in Vancouver are calling it a truly disturbing hate crime. Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer is calling a pepper spray attack outside a welcome event for Syrian refugees a very troubling hate crime and asked the perpetrator t…
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Montreal Simon: The Bigot Cons and the Cowardly Assault On Our Refugees
There couldn't be a more brutish act, or one more disgusting or more cowardly.Than attacking a group of refugees seeking shelter in Canada.Men, women, and children.On their welcome night.Read more »
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Mandy Patinkin’s Impassioned Defence of Refugees
Even though he co-stars in a show, Homeland, that presents a quite bifurcated view of the world, (and even though it does, I love its suspense and its flawed characters), a recent television appearance by Mandy Patinkin saw him offering an impassioned …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The True Voice Of Canada
As we well know after enduring almost 10 years of darkness, sometimes the loudest and ugliest voices are the ones that command the most attention, thereby skewering our perceptions of reality. If the Harper government had been the true voice of Canada,…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Time To Bask
After so many years spent in darkness, Canadians can, perhaps, be forgiven for feeling exuberantly good about themselves once again and letting the world know it. And, according to Martin Regg Cohn, there is more to what is happening than narcissistic …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: "It Is Good To Help Everyone In Need"
So says a Calgary homeless person in answer to those expressing outrage over the assistance being given to the Syrian refugees.Looks like the extreme right-wing will have to find another target for its hateful abuse.Recommend this Post
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why It’s Suddenly Cool To Be A Canadian Again
It's hard to believe, but it looks as if we can safely sew those little Canadian flags on the back of our backpacks again.After having to remove them during the Harper years.And travel around the world dressed like this…Because thanks to Justin T…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Setting The Record Straight
Every so often I receive forwarded emails apparently designed to expose some unpalatable truths about how Canadians are being treated inequitably by their government vis-à-vis the financial support it metes out to ‘the other.’ The Star’s public editor…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Something The Extreme Right-Wing Cannot Take From Us
… is our renewed pride as Canadians, exemplified by scenes like this, found on The New York Times website:Recommend this Post
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Learning How to Live in the New and Harperless Canada
It's a strange feeling. I want to celebrate the end of Stephen Harper's ghastly Con regime. I want to think that the monster has disappeared into his own darkness.But I still can't quite believe it. And what with the state of the world, an…
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Rick Mercer and the Refugee Lifeline
As you know, I believe the challenge of settling thousands of Syrian refugees in this country is a gift not a burden.A chance to show that after the darkness of the Harper years, we still remember what it means to be a Canadian.So although the Con medi…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: And Speaking Of Perspective
…along with xenophobia, bigotry and demagoguery, the folks at Fox News would seem to be quite ignorant about their country’s own history.Here is a timely festive reminder of that history for those soon to be celebrating American Thanksgiving:Thanksgi…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Critical Thinking – Yes. Fear Mongering – No.
Last week I wrote a post critical of Rex Murphy’s CBC opinion about how the Syrian refugee situation should be handled by Justin Trudeau. At first blush, his view that more time should be taken in admitting 25,000 to Canada seemed reasonable. However, …
Continue readingLeft Over: Canadian Kindness Trumps Captain Combover
Syrian refugee family to benefit from couple cancelling big wedding Samantha Jackson, Farzin Yousefian accepted donations in lieu of gifts when they tied the knot at city hall CBC News Posted: Nov 19, 2015 7:50 PM ET Last Updated: Nov … Continue reading →
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Rex Murphy On Canada’s Refugee Plans
While I am hardly dismissive of those who are expressing concerns about the speed with which the Liberal government is planning to bring in Syrian refugees, those concerns, I believe, are being exploited by some for less than noble purposes. Take, for …
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Fundraiser for Syrian Refugees – Silver Bridge Inn 140 TCH-Duncan 7:30PM
Our new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that we will welcome 25,000 refugees by years end. Locally a fundraising event organized by Matrea Centre and the Cowichan Intercultural Society has been set up for Read more…
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Syrian Refugees and the Friendly Holiday Isle
The other day I told you how Scotland was getting ready to welcome its first group of Syrian refugees, and how that small country had been working hard to try to make them feel at home.In a country so different from the ones they were coming from.Well …
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Brad Wall’s call to block refugees from Syria is just more of the same old conservative wedge politics
PHOTOS: Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall (CBC Photo). Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott and B.C. Premier Christy Clark. Bottom: Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is either demonized or ignored by Western mainstream media. In light of the inevitably angry and emotional response to the Paris terror attacks
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Brad Wall and the Phoney Con Refugee Scare
I like to think that in some refugee camp in the Middle East, a mother and her children have just found out that they could be in Canada in just a few weeks.And that they are a lot happier than they are in this photo.For they have been living in
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