And it is very encouraging, in that it appears Canadians are beginning to wake up to the true nature of the Harper regime: Nearly two-thirds of Canadians believe that the ruling Conservatives are settling political scores with their Fair Elections Act, a new poll has found. You can read all
Continue readingTag: the toronto star
Politics and its Discontents: Andrea Horwath: Labour’s Fair-Weather Friend?
In light of her refusal to say much about anything, a political disease she may have caught from her federal cousins, Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath is being viewed increasingly as little more than a political opportunist. Probably the most recent example of this sad state is her reticence to
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Heather Mallick And The Climate Of Fear
Toronto Star columnist Heather Mallick has a lacerating assessment this morning of the political landscape we now inhabit, thanks to the machinations of the Harper cabal. Owen, over at Norther Reflections, has a post on her piece that is well-worth reading. I shall only add this from her column: What
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Economic Fact Check
Contrary to what our self-described economist Prime Minister would have us believe, the jobs that are being created in Canada today are but a pale echo of what once existed. Responding to a January report about the creation of 29,000 new jobs, Star readers have this to say: Jump in
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: UPDATE: A Shameful Minister With No Shame
I can think of not one positive thing to say about Julian Fantino. Apparently, Toronto Star readers can’t either: Fantino ‘absolutely regrets’ clash with veterans, Jan. 30 There is no possible excuse for the shameful treatment of our veterans by the federal Conservative government. Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino’s arrogant
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: I Shop, Therefore I Am
First and foremost, how do you see yourself? Are you a citizen more than a consumer, or vice-versa? Are high-minded principles and vision your defining characteristic, or is how to get the best value for your money what drives you? The questions that I just posed are, of course, on
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A World Badly In Need Of Inspired Leadership
Since he was elected to the position, I have written several posts related to Pope Francis; several of them express a renewed hope that the plain-speaking pontiff can generate some hope in a world badly in need of inspiring leadership, something almost wholly absent in our current crop of politicos,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Narrowcasting And The Internet
Narrowcasting can be defined as the process of aiming a radio or TV program or programming at a specific, limited audience or consumer market. While it is a term that is applied to traditional media, Noah Richler suggests in an interesting article in today’s Star that increasingly, the Internet, by
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Lion In Winter
Like a bloated, aging and wounded lion who realizes his hold over his pride is at an end, Conrad Black is lashing out. Still licking his wounds from lacerations received at the hands of the CBC’s Carol Off, Black used his column in Saturday’s National Post (which as a rule
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Lesson In Humility For The Good Lord?
While I readily admit to not having wasted my time watching Conrad Black’s interview with Toronto’s pretend-mayor, I did take special delight in the dressing-down he received at the hands of As It Happens’ Carol Off, as noted yesterday. One hopes that he learned something about real journalism from the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: We Are All To Blame
Here is a letter from today’s Star that puts responsibility for the proliferating problem of deceitful, inept, corrupt and demagogic political leaders where it belongs: on all of our shoulders: Re: How to cover a deceiver without airing mistruth? Opinion Nov. 6 Publisher John Cruickshank’s wonderful piece addresses what should
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Debt Owed To The Media
As fashionable as it is to denigrate the mainstream media for their frequent timidity and conservatism, public knowledge about both Rob Ford’s disgraceful performance as Mayor of Toronto and the current Senate scandal embroiling Stephen Harper, impeaching the integrity and honesty of both politicians, would not exist were it not
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: More On Quebec’s Purity Charter
If the above interests you, you may wish to take a few minutes to check out Haroon Siddiqui’s column in today’s Star. Entitled Pauline Marois issues fatwa on Quebec secularism, his thesis can be summed up in his final paragraph: Marois is engaged in an ugly cultural warfare of the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: On Tasers And Tim
As usual, Star readers offer their penetrating commentary on recent events and the benighted Tim Hudak. Enjoy! 80-year-old woman tasered a day after rules changed, Sept. 4 I find it extremely disturbing that Peel Region police officers called to Thomas St. and Erin Mills Parkway on Aug. 28 around 3:30
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Restaurant To Avoid
Were I a Toronto resident, Richtree Market, a restaurant located in the Eaton Centre, is a business I would refuse to patronize. Its union-busting tactics should appall anyone who cares in the least about workers’ rights. As reported in The Toronto Star, Reichtree Market began its dark anti-union journey in
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Problem With The Police Starts At The Top
Leadership is a word that evokes many associations; strength, vision, determination and resolve are a few of the positive ones. Selfishness, careerism, expediency and cowardice are but a few of many negative associations. In my own working life, I had perhaps three administrators I looked up to, the ones who
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Hee Hee Hee
Despite the misspelling in the caption, I rather like this cartoon, probably for obvious reasons. As well, you may enjoy these letters from Star readers who have an even less flattering view of Mr. Harper as it pertains to his northern junket, escaping the heat via prorogation, and his ongoing
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: If Your Name Is Tim Hudak, This Can’t Be Good
When you are leading a major provincial political party, it is never a good sign when the country’s largest-circulating newpaper makes editorial sport of you: Memo to Tim Hudak: Please stay as Ontario PC leader: Editorial You lost an Ontario election in 2011 that you were to supposed to win;
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Lessons Learned From Totalitarianism
Reflecting upon a recent visit to Berlin, Toronto Star columnist Edward Greenspon had this to say: I was particularly struck by the lessons to be drawn from 1933 and 1934, when the Nazis were not yet at full swagger. Arguably, as the depths of their hatreds quickly surfaced, they could
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Sammy Yatim: One More Word
While I can’t promise this will be my last post on Sammy Yatim, I do want to direct you to Rosie DiManno’s column and a few comments from The Star’s readers that remind us of the real nature of this tragedy. Writes DiManno: I am sickened by the content of
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