H/t Memorial March for the Victims of Harperism H/t David Suzuki Foundation If anyone you know is not certain whether he or she is registered to vote, checking out one’s status is easy by a visit to Elections Canada Online. Meanwhile, the truly disenfranchised are getting some help in Halifax
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Politics and its Discontents: And Now For You Youngsters Out There
Those words, or something very similar, were often uttered by Ed Sullivan when he had an act that would appeal to a youthful demographic. People of a certain age, or, because the Mound of Sound recently chided me about my use of euphemisms, old farts like me, will remember those
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Site Young Voters Should Visit
I have written several past posts on the fact that for the most part, youth do not vote, largely because they see nothing on offer from any of the major parties dealing with their issues. The problem, of course, is that as long as they remain a minor presence at
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Attention, Young People: Here Is Why You Should Vote
This brief but powerful video should be viewed by all those who are politically disengaged, especially our young citizens: H/t OperationMaple Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: What A Cynic Might Say
A cynic might say that Joe Oliver’s thinly-concealed plan to double the contribution limits of the Tax-Free Savings Account to $11,000, despite the fact that it will benefit only the affluent, will ensure the re-election of the Harper regime. After all, this is a government that has made a virtual
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: On Encouraging Political Participation
The other day I wrote a post on John Cruickshank’s TED Talk about the low level of political participation among young citizens. His thesis was that as a society, we are losing our news-reading and news-watching habits thanks to the myriad options offered by our current technologies. Asserting that news
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Why So Much Ignorance In This Age Of Technology?
I have always thought it ironic that in this age of interconnectedness, when we have almost unlimited sources of information at our disposal, so many of us are abysmally ignorant of the things that should matter. The level of civic disengagement in North America, for example, has facilitated the devolution
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Post-Election Reflection
I don’t want to comment directly about last night’s Ontario election, given that it has been incisively and very competently observed by others already. However, I want to address a comment my friend Tom, who voted Liberal, made on Facebook: And here’s why the system is broken: @51% voter turnout
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Brief Programming Note
Since spring finally seems to be arriving in my place on the planet, it seems like a propitious time to take a day or two off from this blog and contemplate other matters. In the interim, I recommend the following for your perusal: The Star’s Thomas Walkom writes about democracy,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: An Issue So Many Of Us Grapple With
This letter to the editor reflects an issue I think most of us in the progressive blogosphere struggle with, as do the folks at samara: Voter turnout is the key to federal change Eroding the fabric of the Canada we loveThe only way that we are going to get rid
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: True On Both Sides Of The Border
Substitute parliamentary democracy for republic and Bill Maher’s words are a stinging indictment of apathetic Canadians. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Responsibility We All Must Assume
In a column entitled A disheartening year in Canadian politics published on Dec. 20, The Globe’s Jeffrey Simpson recounts the corruption, buffoonery and scandals that permeate our municipal, provincial and federal political governments. Whether we look at the antics of Toronto’s Rob Ford, the widespread venality, graft and ties to
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Back To Earth
I had planned this to be my first piece post-holiday, but Nelson Mandela’s passing yesterday prompted my post about that giant who walked among us. I purposely kept it brief, since thousands upon thousands of words will be written about him in the days to come, a testament not only
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: What If
….everything you thought you knew about our democracy was an illusion? The following video, made before the last U.S. election and directed toward an American audience, will doubtlessly resonate with Canadians who despair of our current state: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Oh I Can Think Of So Many Ways This Is Relevant
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Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Food For Thought
H/t Canadians Rallying To Unseat Stephen Harper Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: ZZZZZZZZZZZ…. While You Were Sleeping
I trust this needs no explanation. H/t Canadians Rallying To Unseat Stephen Harper Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Who Is The Real Enemy?
I strongly encourage you to watch this deeply cynical but powerfully trenchant indictment of, well, of all of us. Recommend this Post
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