Right to counsel
R. v. J.W.C., 2011 ONCA 550 released today has a good summary of the law regarding the right to counsel: The Supreme Court of Canada has set out a framework for analysis of…
2011
Hiding in the loo.
Back in 2009, the PM missed a fotoshoot that was taking place at the G20. All the world leaders were there, except Stephen Harper. The BBC said he was in…
Say No to Negative Politics, Help Stop the Smears
It’s now a commonplace the incredible gains made by the NDP in the recent federal election had to do with its unrelentingly positive approach and unwillingness to engage in the…
Japanizing the World Economy
This guest post is from PEF members Marc Lavoie and Mario Seccareccia, both of whom are full professors of economics at the University of Ottawa. The “Japanization” of the World…
Further Proof that It Isn’t Hard to Trick a Bonehead
We're currently working on other projects right now (some related to the blog, some completely unrelated) but we couldn't not allow our readers the pleasure we had upon reading this…
Conservatives (and their corporate media partners) Desperately Scrambling Over Cabinet Minister Lebel’s Former Bloc Membership
It is humorous watching Conservative Party spin doctors (and their official MEDIA surrogates) desperately trying to defend Transport Minister Lebel's former Bloc membership on the heels of their attacks on…
Will the tent protests break out of the neoliberal-Zionist-security box?
The demonstrations currently roiling Israel constitute a grassroots challenge to Israel’s neo-liberal regime. Beginning as an uprising of the middle classes—especially young people who have trouble finding affordable housing—it has…
Passive aggressive link
Do you read Passive Aggressive Notes? It’s a popular blog that is comprised largely of reader-submitted photos of passive-aggressive signs and notes they’ve come across in the real world. We’ve…
Stimulus vs Public Investment
A column by Stiglitz in the Financial Times makes what I think is an important point. The current debate over fiscal policy for the US, Europe and Canada is often…
Toronto Sun: let’s make Toronto worse
How Rob Ford could improve T.O. | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto SunThe Toronto Sun suggests outlawing panhandling, scrapping the bag fee and licensing bicycles are ways to…
The Attacks on Climate Science Education Are Picking Up Steam
Teacher-writing-on-blackb-007.jpg A few months back, those who care about accurate climate science and energy education in high school classes registered a minor victory. Under fire from outlets ...
The BC Liberals and the "Family" Issue
What do families have to do with the environment? Quite a bit, actually. The Campbell/Clark government is looking for an issue to run on and the Family is the answer…
600+ Views on Tips for Mount Allison University Students
Hi everybody, I just wanted to make a quick comment on the "20 Tips in 20 Days for first-year students" video project I've been working on. In less than 50…
Latest Fed decision, and de Tocqueville on bombastic simpletons
The US Fed dropped its usual pretentiousness and the technocratic language often used in its statements on interest rate decisions and was remarkably clear in yesterday's decision, in which it…
Why is the BC government hamstringing the Pickton Inquiry?
Was Robert Pickton merely a lone, crazed killer who capitalized on regrettable police errors, or are there wider issues that the Pickton Inquiry should properly explore—the flaccid police response, not…
They’ve been through quite a bit of organizational shite…
...some of it I witnessed pretty up close or heard about from people who were better situated to observe goings on behind closed doors. still...this is pretty fucking horrible. and…
Putting out the Fires in Britain–and Elsewhere–Is Not Going to End Trouble: What Happens When the Social Contract Fails
The pictures of burning buildings in Britain are extremely disturbing, not least because we know first hand how much damage a fire can do. But the question arises: why? It…
Changing the Common Law
Smith v. Smith, 2011 NBCA 66, a New Brunswick family law case dealing mainly with spousal support, has a useful discussion of changing the Common Law. The Court holds: In…
Nah, not prepared to come in from the cold…
i may not be prepared to resurrect but i do reincarnate on a fairly regular basis. "flee from the city. it's getting shitty." if what you're reading here grips you,…
On broken systems
Let's add one more to the list of theories as to how the other parties' pearl-clutching over interim NDP leader Nycole Turmel may actually play to the NDP's advantage -…