Saturday Photo: It’s Too Hot to Stay Inside..
Summer has arrived, and it is sticky hot in Montreal. The canicule, as they say around here, is late, and so far much less intense than what has gripped much…
July 2019
Ford The Businessman?
When Doug Ford came to power, he promised to run Ontario like a business and cut outrageous costs. As an illustration of his philosophy, he vowed to fire Mayo Schmidt…
thank you megan rapinoe!
I have a list of topics I want to write about, and I’m not finding any time when my brain is working to write. So on this topic I’m taking…
The weariness of being elite.
It is tough to be an elite. While we bandy the word about, we are really complimenting the people we deride for being elite. And yet we get defensive when…
Five Red Sentries, poetry by Raye Hendrickson, tops Audreys Books Edmonton Bestseller List
Here are the lists of the top 10 fiction and non-fiction titles sold in Edmonton during the week ended June 30, 2019. The lists are compiled by Audreys Books and…
in which we are officially homeowners
It’s official! We are homeowners! The former owners left us a plant and a card! Is that amazing? The card says they hope we are as happy in this house…
Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week. – PressProgress examines Statistics Canada’s latest research on the tens of billions of dollars in taxes being dodged by multinational corporations. And George Monbiot…
You’re welcome
FREE #CDNPOLI TAKES ON THE LEADERS:• JUSTIN TRUDEAU: Apologies & selfies. Likes Himself. The real Zoolander. • ANDREW SCHEER: Hockey Dads & Timmies. Likes beige. The new Bill Davis. •…
The Democrats Reinvigorate Their Party and American Democracy
While there is much to despair about American democracy these days, there are also rays of hope, at least in the Democratic Party. If I had been an American during…
How the Brits Lost the Revolutionary War
That explains it. The Brits under Cornwallis made a huge strategic blunder. They forgot to defend the airports that were promptly seized by the forces of George Washington. Worse yet,…
The Quiet Season at Queen’s Park
July is supposed to be a quiet month for most politicians, or at least it’s usually among the quietest for them. Elected people are back at home in their ridings,…
Distinguishing The Forest From The Trees
An interesting article in The Guardian suggests massive tree plantings could go a long way toward solving our climate change crisis. For those seeking a kind of natural deus ex…
A Hollow Man
Donald Trump’s whole life has been all about self aggrandizement. But yesterday — standing before that gigantic statue of Abraham Lincoln — Trump looked like a midget. Eugene Robinson writes:…
Should Toronto be a Charter City?
There are different definitions of a charter city. In the United Kingdom, the charter is bestowed by the Crown and it enables those cities to make their own rules in…
We need an honest inquiry into foreign political funding – unfortunately, Jason Kenney’s ‘witch hunt’ inquiry isn’t it
In truth, Canada needs a thorough and honest inquiry into foreign political funding, online manipulation and influence. Unfortunately, the $2.5-million probe into “foreign funded defamation” of Alberta’s fossil-fuel industry announced…
When Will The Media Callout Andrew Scheer For His Religious Extremism?
Believe it or not, Andrew Scheer is now trying to pose as a tough guy, in a desperate attempt to make Justin Trudeau look weak.Even though Trudeau makes Scheer look…
The Tar Sands – Massively Dirtier Than You Imagine
When the debate turns to Canada’s bitumen trafficking the focus is usually on the greenhouse gas and other toxic emissions released when that sludge is burned. We don’t tend to…
Five Years or We Lose
Harvard professor, James Anderson, says we have just five years left to change course or it’s over. Anderson, a professor of atmospheric chemistry, says that once the permanent ice in…
Science versus Politics, Your Future Hangs In the Balance
David Suzuki versus Justin Trudeau. Science versus Parliament. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Who do you think is on your side? We have two choices. We can either have a…
Thoreau and Buddhism
In his introduction to Thoreau: Walden and Other Writings (Bantam Books, 1962-1981), Joseph Wood Krutch described Henry David Thoreau’s writings as having four “distinct subjects”, which I paraphrase somewhat as:…