With the revelation United Conservative Party candidate Mark Smith holds the offensive view gay love can never be real love, and equates LGBTQ people with pedophiles, it appeared that Alberta’s United Conservative Party was finally having its own genuine Lake of Fire moment. But was it? It certainly looked like
Continue readingTag: Tony Abbott
The Disaffected Lib: Why the World’s Eyes Will Be on Canada on October 19th
Next week’s general election will decide whether we can restore the Rule of Law and a functional democracy to Canada. Both hinge on driving Stephen Harper out of office. Yet that’s just scratching the surface of what it means to Canada and to the world to rid our country of
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Brendan O’Neill writes that the UK Cons are following in Stephen Harper’s footsteps by pushing the concept of thought policing. And George Monbiot rightly criticizes the gross inflation of supposed terror threats and simultaneous neglect of far more serious risks: A global
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Anna Leventhal warns against the danger that even the best-intentioned of charity drives might be seen as replacing the need for social supports: Now campaigns are ubiquitous, and range from book tours to pet surgeries to basic subsistence for marginalized people in crisis.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Worst Case Scenario
FIFTY? Fifty self-reinforcing feedback mechanisms are now active? University of Arizona professor emeritus, natural resources, ecology and evolutionary biology, Guy McPherson no longer pursues pure science, environmental research. He can’t. He’s too busy digesting the mountains of research pouring in from other scientists and connecting the dots. There’s really no
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Tony’s Meltdown Continues
Australia’s caricature of a prime minister, Tony Abbott, has wasted no time since narrowly defeating his backbench to hold onto his job, in confirming what the Australian public have long concluded – he’s a nutjob, a true loose cannon. This time it was submarines that gave Abbott another meltdown. Literally
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Aussie Fireworks Rescheduled. The Spill Happens Monday.
Perhaps Tony Abbott hoped that moving his caucus ‘spill’ vote to Monday instead of Tuesday would leave his main leadership threat, Malcolm Turnbull, unable to make up his mind whether to challenge the prime minister. Sorry, Tony. As it happens, Turnbull’s people apparently got to him today and they claim
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper, Tony Abbott, and the Great Terrorist Conspiracy
It all looks and sounds so familiar. A wild looking gunman terrorizes a cafe in Sydney, killing two people, and traumatizing a city and nation.And even though police say there is no evidence the man was a real terrorist, the country's Prime Minister is quick to plant that idea in
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Top British Tories Slam Tony Abbott. Carol Goar Gnaws on Harper.
Who better to give Australian prime minister Tony Abbott a real hiding but a number of prominent Tories. Real Tories, not what passes for conservative under the Harper regime. Real Tories, as in the Brits. The attitude of Prime Minister Tony Abbott to the global challenges of climate change is
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper, Vladimir Putin, and the Great G20 Showdown
OMG. I see Stephen Harper has stolen the spotlight at the G20 summit, by going dictator to dictator, with Vladimir Putin.Stephen Harper told Russian President Vladimir Putin flatly that he needs "to get out of Ukraine," when the two met at a Group of 20 summit of major economies in
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Dear Tony, You Can Kiss Our…
A group of Australians gathered on Bondi Beach to bury their heads in the sand in protest of their prime minister’s fossil fuel fetish. More than 400 protesters stuck their heads in the sand on Australia’s Bondi Beach on Thursday, mocking the government’s reluctance to put climate change on the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: This Explains A Lot
The above picture helps to illustrate why industrialized nations seem so cavalier about climate change. Click here for details. Meanwhile, Stephen Harper’s climate soul mate, Australia’s Tony Abbott, has just extended a giant middle finger to the world’s developing countries: Australia is resisting a last-ditch push by the US, France
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: "Coal Is The Future" – Tony Abbott
Australia’s prime ministerial windbag, Tony Abbott, leaves no doubt about where he stands on climate change – it’s “crap.” Since coming to power, the now seriously unpopular Abbott has wasted no time boosting coal energy, coal exports and dismembering the country’s renewable energy and climate change initiatives. Here’s what Abbott
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Monstrous Planet Burners
He would have us believe that terrorism is a greater threat than climate change. But with every day that passes the burning planet proves Stephen Harper wrong.For imagine what might happen if a city of 20 million people runs out of water. Read more »
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Big Daddy Harper and the Climate of Fear
Well in my last post I predicted that Stephen Harper would try to use the ISIS threat to behead Canadians in their bedrooms, to maximum political advantage.By trying to make it sound like we are in real danger, and that only a Great Strong Leader like Himself can save us.And
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Why Getting Our Arab Allies Off Their Fat, Pampered Asses Matters
Since Obama started this ‘get ISIS’ coalition-building business, the Sunni Arab world has been conspicuous by its absence. The Sydney Morning Herald’s chief foreign correspondent, Paul McGeough, weighs in on Australian prime minister Tony Abbott’s decision to jump in with both boots. The smart thing for Western leaders in the
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Chunder Down Under
Let’s get this unpleasantness out of the way. “Chunder” is an Australian colloquialism for vomit, puke. The latest chunder from Down Under comes to us via Tony Abbott’s chief business adviser, Maurice Newman. The chairman of the prime minister’s Business Advisory Council warns that Australia is dangerously unprepared for –
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Tories invite Mike Allen back in, Wildrose show Joe Anglin the door
TweetProgressive Conservative MLAs have voted to extend an invitation to Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA Mike Allen to rejoin their caucus. Mr. Allen, a relatively popular first-term politician in his constituency, left the PC caucus after he was arrested while trying to hire two prostitutes in St. Paul, Minnesota. Unfortunately for the Mr. Allen,
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Sad Bromance of Stephen Harper and Tony Dumb Dumb
Well as you may remember, a few days ago I wrote about Tony Abbott's visit to Canada, to see his good buddy Stephen Harper.The man he calls a "beacon" to the entire Conservative world.And I told you how the bromance was so hot and heavy it almost set off the fire
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Neera Tanden points out that a wide range of citizens rely on a strong safety net at one time or another – and suggests that it’s long past time to start discussing how important social programs have been in our own lives: I
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