A Dozen Oranges for Jack: In Memoriam from City Hall
“Jack was the reason I started voting.” - Message written in chalk on Nathan Phillips Square wall Much has been said about NDP Opposition Leader Jack Layton over the past…
August 2011
A Dozen Oranges for Jack: In Memoriam from City Hall
“Jack was the reason I started voting.” – Message written in chalk on Nathan Phillips Square wall Much has been said about NDP Opposition Leader Jack Layton over the past…
Rules for how to behave in Court
Whenever you are going to be in Court there are some basic rules you should follow. These rules apply in every Court regardless of whether you are going to be…
Wasn’t This Solved in the ’60s? Re-Branding is Ineffective
The 1960′s saw Canada pick up a new flag. We even gave it a day, February 15th, to be celebrated. Canada’s New(TM) Harper Government(TM) is undertaking a “re-branding” of the…
These Pictures Tell A Real Story
Taken at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, these photos depict many of the tributes that have been written in chalk honouring the memory of Jack Layton.Recommend this Post
Harper’s Love Affair with Isreal
Pro-Israel politicians regularly claim their position is a defense of the Jewish community. It’s rare when they say their goal is to mobilize those who believe a Jewish “return” to…
Where Have We Seen This Before
When I look at Canada today I see many disturbing issues,among them I see high unemployment, massive income inequity,increasing poverty,hunger and homelessness. I also see higher education being priced out…
Students: Here’s a rock. Here’s you. Here’s a hard place.
Well, colour me conflicted. It’s Crayola’s newest shade, I hear. I was just reading in my local news rag that StudentAid BC stripped a bunch of schools of their official…
Section 31 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act
R. v. R.D., 2010 ONCA 899 contains a detailed analysis of Section 31 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The section, which has received limited judicial consideration, makes release of…
The Town of Perth, Ontario’s appreciation of her past
My heart goes out to the people of Goderich who learned this week how quickly our architectural heritage can be severely damaged or wiped out completely. Having recently returned from…
DataBC Hackathon this Saturday – inviting the public.
This Saturday, August 27, 2011 the Province of British Columbia is partnering with the Mozilla Foundation and OpenDataBC to host a open data hackathon. The hackathon will be taking place…
On that Blatchford column
There has been lots of ink, tweets and blogposts written and spilled over Christie Blatchford’s rather controversial National Post column about the public and media reaction to Jack Layton’s death…
Israel/Palestine Overview
The Israel/Palestine issue is a particularly difficult topic to talk and write about simply because it is such a poignant, polarizing and established issue. Within a few sentences, western commentators…
What I Found in my Garden
A turtle. I remember as a child reading about turtles (or tortoises) in England, where all proper gardens seemed to have one — and being rather charmed by the idea.…
Wednesday Afternoon ‘Rider Blogging
I didn't get around to commenting on the Saskatchewan Roughriders' last loss before its implications were overtaken by subsequent events. But with the 'Riders still having another week and a…
Have Your Say on the 2012-14 Capital Plan
The proposed 2012-14 Capital Plan for the City of Vancouver has gone out for public consultation. You can join in the conversation here - but only until August 31st. This…
Rick Perry: New Star of Repugs
His book “Fed Up” was published recently. In this book he writes “Social Security a “failure and an “illegal Ponzi scheme,”.. Some say his book will haunt him and he…
European and US Working Class Politics: Right, Left and Neutered
The deepening economic crises in Europe and the United States are provoking contrasting socio-political responses from the working and middle classes. In Europe, especially among the Mediterranean countries (Greece, Spain,…
Giant Xstrata Coal Mine Challenged Over Climate Change Impacts
xstrata test pit at wandoan.jpg A GIANT mine planned in Queensland, Australia, is facing a court challenge over the impacts that burning its coal will have on rising sea-levels, global…
I make milk. What’s your superpower?
God, how I love breasts. Got your attention now, don’t I? Bwahaha. SO not going where you were hoping. No, I mean, yeah, they’re aesthetically pleasing if you’re into that sort of…