My Reading List
Many of us like to discuss the latest books we’ve read and what we’ve learned. I’ve read a lot of new stuff, books that you’ll find cited in newspaper articles.…
2018
Faith Goldy’ Mayoral Run Described As A Twitter Vanity Campaign By Ezra Levant
As we enter the last 24 hours before Toronto's civic election, Faith Goldy is still complaining about being hard done by the media for not covering her mayoral campaign in…
Hey, Mohammad, Habeas Corpus
The Saudi government’s lies about how they murdered Jamal Khashoggi put Trump to shame. One explanatory scenario has given way to another in blurring succession. They just cannot get their…
One Key Way NAFTA 2.0 Reinvigorates Canadian Sovereignty
Photo by Adrian Wyld/CP The best thing about NAFTA 2.0 is that Canada’s economy survived Donald Trump’s volatility. The best thing about NAFTA 2.0 is that Canada’s economy survived Donald…
"We’re Screwed" – A Lot of Meaning in Just Two Words
I don’t follow Alberta politics. I’m not sure there’s a world of difference between the parties – NDP, UCP or, for that matter, the Alberta Party. Yet I was interested…
Canada brings Venezuela to International Criminal Court
Requesting the International Criminal Court to investigate Venezuela’s government is a significant escalation in Ottawa’s campaign of interference in the domestic affairs of another country. Supported by five like-minded South…
Designing E-Learning 3.0 in gRSShopper – 5
We launched the course this week and I did a bunch of things to get ready. This summarizes them in no particular order (except that they were all done in…
Climate Change Education: Maybe Too Little, Too Late?
I’ve been teaching about climate change since I started teaching in 1991. Back then, most students just laughed, and I came across as a crazy person. I was fine with…
Vancouver Park Board Election Results
THANK YOU VANCOUVER! Results: Park Board (Elect 7) CANDIDATE: PARTY: # VOTES MACKINNON, Stuart GREEN 73718 DEMERS, Dave GREEN 73326 DUMONT, Camil GREEN 65447 COUPAR, John NPA 49836 BARKER, Tricia…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Jennifer Pagliaro and David Rider report on Toronto’s longstanding internal knowledge of the costs of austerity. And Ed Conway highlights a new…
Terrorist Activities Sanctions Act – or how to pick a fight with Trudeau and put Ontario health care at risk?
All citizens and permanent residents in Canada are entitled to health care, as set out by the Canada Health Care Act. Now the Conservative Provincial government in Ontario wants to…
Andrew Scheer and the Scary Portrait of a Con Clown
When I saw this photo of Andrew Scheer getting his portrait as Speaker hung in the House of Commons, I couldn't help thinking of Oscar Wilde's classic story The Picture…
The People’s Vote March and the Con Brexiteers
It was the biggest march London has seen in more than twenty years. A massive march to demand a second referendum on the looming catastrophe called Brexit. The centre of…
Trump’s Advantage
Donald Trump is an awful president. But, Frank Bruni writes, in these perverse times, his sheer awfulness works to his advantage: That’s Trump’s edge over everybody. That’s his gift. He…
A relentless push for change.
As best as I can follow the Google Analytics information about readership, there is a consistent and steady stream of world wide web users visiting the Democracy Papers. I wrote…
Alberta honour for k.d. lang shows times are changing, but prompts memories of past Tory embarrassments
The elevation of Alberta-born chanteuse k.d. lang to the Alberta Order of Excellence last week is both a positive sign of change in Alberta and a timely reminder there’s nothing…
October 2018 Bits and Bites: Elections, Being Fooled By Fake Images, and Celebrating Political Violence
As we wind down the municipal election season, I thought it would be instructive to remind ARC readers that both Mississauga mayoral candidate/hate crime chargee/ narcissistic attention seeker/habitual liar Kevin…
What is really happening in Venezuela?
Professor Steve Ellner. Photo: Paul S. Graham Mainstream media and government sources in Canada and the United States have provided an extremely unbalanced picture of Venezuela, portraying it as a…
my plans and hopes for our big life change
We are moving west for several reasons. One is a lifestyle change. I’ve adjusted to living in the sprawling suburbs, and while we living in a (rental) house, it was…