Whether you prefer to use a crystal ball, tarot cards, automated telephone calls or the entrails of a sheep, forecasting the results of the fall federal election in Canada at this early stage is a waste of time. And making up stories about New Democrat Leader Thomas Mulcair being the
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Left Over: Why Would the Opposition Take Debate?
Federal election 2015: Conservative move on election debates raises questions Forget philosophical battles over free-market democracy – how, exactly, is this going to work? By Kady O’Malley, Janyce McGregor, CBC News Posted: May 17, 2015 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: May 17, 2015 5:00 AM ET Big whoop..no one watches
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Should we be taxing the rich 1% more?
Louis-Philippe Rochon Associate Professor, Laurentian Economics Founding Co-Editor, Review of Keynesian Economics Follow him on Twitter @Lprochon Originally published by CBC. Find commentary here. The federal Liberal Party’s recent election promise to create a new tax bracket for rich Canadians has been quickly decried by – well, rich
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Who, What and Why a Liberal?
If there needs to be one more reason to keep Justin Trudeau from interfering in local party nominations, his choices tell the story. MP Eve Adams? When that woman crossed the floor of the House of Commons, her 15 minutes of fame were already over. Police Chief Bill Blair? The
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: It Couldn’t Be Clearer but Nobody in Ottawa is Listening – Running Out the Clock
Okay, I agree – the science isn’t in. Not all of it anyway. There’s more coming in almost daily – research, studies, experiments, observations and analyses, projections – there’s a continually growing mountain of information and knowledge. The thing is – while there’s more to come, it would be beyond
Continue readingLeft Over: Harper, You’ve Been Served…
“Woke up this mornin’ feelin’ fine…” Despite every contrary act of the Harperoids, have to say that today is a good day..yes, C-51 passed, and, notably, with the self-destructive Junior Trudeau’s tacit approval…Omar Khadr may get bail, and, realizing how mean-tempered and petty Harper can be, I’m sure he’s doing
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Lessons learned in Alberta
Nobody trusted the pollsters. They were the only ones who saw what would happen to the Alberta Conservative dynasty in Tuesday’s election. Babel-on-the-Bay failed to judge the extent of the anger. Everyone conceded that NDP Leader Rachel Notley was coming on strong. Who knew that Albertans were so mad at
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Shoot to Kill – Anyone, Everyone
Israeli soldiers willfully targeted civilians in last year’s war on Gaza. Testimonies provided by more than 60 Israeli soldiers who fought in last summer’s war in Gaza have raised serious questions over whether Israel’s tactics breached its obligations under international law to distinguish and protect civilians. The claims – collected
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Are You Supporting Politics of Nihilism?
2030. You do realize that’s just 15-years away. Do you realize that 15-years is a heartbeat when it comes to making fundamental change? So, what’s so important about 2030? Plenty. By then we’ll be experiencing climate change impacts that are disruptive and difficult to bear. Take your head out of
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: We’re Responsible for Letting Them Off the Hook.
When it comes to Canada and climate change, who can fault the Americans for seeing us as almost schizoid. We acknowledge the reality and danger of climate change, we worry about it, and yet we tolerate, even support, politicians who will do nothing about it. From Bloomberg View:Last week’s announcement
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Building a better Bill Blair?
It seems that Bill Blair hopes to be forgiven almost everything. The former Toronto police chief is now a politician. And federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has officially welcomed Blair to the Liberal fold. Trudeau was actually reported by the media as saying: “I’m not going to Monday-morning-quarterback decisions made
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Goodbye Bill Blair: You failed us.
Toronto has not lost a police chief. It has gained freedom. It has left an era of bad policing behind. It has new opportunities for better policing. It has new opportunities for discouraging crime, fewer gangs, fewer guns, easing of trouble spots and better relations between the police and the
Continue readingPop The Stack: On the significance of sound and fury.
Oh journalists, you love a strong response to an unanswerable question don’t you? The media are really into nailing down what each party leader thinks about coalitions after the next election at the moment. Case in point, this week’s little drama with Liberal leader Justin Trudeau trying to answer questions about
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Opposed to Coalition?
Yesterday’s news: .@davidcommon Odd report by @ElliottLouise about @JustinTrudeau & @ThomasMulcair #coalition didn't mention @ElizabethMay & @CanadianGreens. — Saskboy K. (@saskboy) April 15, 2015 Today’s news: Most Canadians are opposed to a coalition government. Presently the only party with the word “coalition” in its founding documents is the Conservative Party
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Of Leaders and Eunuchs
One of these three has balls: Tommy Boy, Junior, or Hillary. And the winner is – Hillary! Even though her duel at the ballot box isn’t until November of next year, Democratic presidential frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, has wasted no time in serving notice that the fight against climate change will be
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: What’s the Senate all about Hair?
There is something of a contest going on. The Hair might draw the line at taking off his stuffed shirt and streaking the tourists gaping at Ottawa’s Confusion Square but no holds are barred in distracting Canadians from the Duffy Trial. The Duffy Trial is the big show in Ottawa
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A time and place for political deals
Election day in Ontario in 1985. On the way into a candidate’s campaign headquarters, Liberal Leader David Peterson’s executive assistant was leaving and we stopped to chat. There was no pussy-footing about the situation. “First thing tomorrow morning, you have to arrange a meeting with NDP Leader Bob Rae.” He
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: We’re having a ‘Be Kind to Stephen Harper Month!’
At a recent meeting of the Broadbent Institute supposed communication experts were telling the New Democrats that they should not keep up the incessant attacks on the Conservative government. It is not that they are feeling sorry for the bastards. They just feel that those who oppose the Conservatives need
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Three Eras of Canada’s Democracy or How We Got to Where We Are Today.
I first voted in the 60s and I’ve watched Canadian democracy evolve, not always in a good way, ever since. I’ve witnessed three political eras in my lifetime. There was an era of rights and freedoms, the years of Diefenbaker, Pearson and Trudeau. Some might not realize it but Diefenbaker
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Gamble – High Stakes for Harper, Trudeau and Mulcair
The collapse of world oil prices is reverberating through Canada’s petro-provinces; Alberta, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador; and the fallout should yet might not be a major issue when Canadians go to the polls for a dominant fragment of eligible voters to decide who will govern our flagging petro-state, Canada. Watch
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