Council’s Affordable Housing Con
A recent story in CollingwoodToday has the headline, “Town considering increases to development charges.” Everyone knows that increasing the development charges (DCs) adds to the cost of a new home,…
December 2023
After years of public pressure, Panama finally closes Canadian copper mine
Environmentalists and workers march during a protest against Canadian miner First Quantum’s contract for an open-pit copper mine in the Central American country. Photo courtesy the National Union of Workers…
Wise Law’s Legal Headlines for the week of December 4, 2023
Here are our leading legal headlines for the week of December 4, 2023 from Wise Law on Twitter: C.I.A. Director Arrives in Qatar for Talks on Hostage Releases Ex-Ontario teacher…
The hospital crisis: No capacity, no plan, no end
While Canada has achieved universal public healthcare coverage, that does not mean conservative forces have given up trying to erode that coverage and expand corporate care where it does not…
Too Poor to Live, But Not Too Well to Die
In March 2024, Canadians with mental health problems who haven’t found significant relief from their condition will be able to get Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). As I wrote recently…
Co-opting COP.
We should not be amused. This year’s United Nations conference on climate change has brought the foxes into the hen house. Whomever chose Dubai in the United Arab Emirates as…
And Now for Something Completely Different
Politics in Alberta feels like a Monty Python comedy sketch, only not as funny. But that’s not why I’ve used John Cleese’s signature line as the title of today’s blog…
Wait a second before you toss your cookies
In preparation for the inevitable snowfall, I was attempting to get my snow tires put on my car last week. I went to one of those drive-thru lube places, which…
Israel reopens the Gaza slaughterhouse
“Slaughterhouse.” Illustration by Mr. Fish. The skies over Gaza are filled—after a seven-day truce—with projectiles of death. Warplanes. Attack helicopters. Drones. Artillery shells. Tank shells. Mortars. Bombs. Missiles. Gaza is…
Sim-sub now being used by Bell to promote sports betting
Bell, which owns CTV and TSN, partnered with US bookmaker FanDuel last year on its FanDuel Sundays segments “to give fans a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes…
Happy day for Ontario Liberals with strong, passionate fighter Bonnie Crombie elected as new leader, with strong second place by progressive Nate Erskine-Smith
Me with Bonnie Crombie at Hamilton AGM I attended yesterday’s Leadership Announcement at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and left pleased as punch. My top choice Bonnie Crombie won a…
Saturday Photo: Winter Flowers
One of the sadder things about winter here is the disappearance of flowers. After the leaves have changed colour and fallen off the trees, the world is much drabber. And…
write for rights 2023: my fifteenth year #w4r2023
2023 marks the fifteenth year that I have participated in Amnesty Interntional's Write for Rights.Fifteen years ago, I chose one case, one person. I wrote to officials about them, and…
write for rights 2023: my fifteenth year #w4r2023
2023 marks the fifteenth year that I have participated in Amnesty Interntional’s Write for Rights. Fifteen years ago, I chose one case, one person. I wrote to officials about them,…
Strategic misrepresentation (AKA lying)
So, who has been responsible for strategic misrepresentation that has damaged BC Hydro? Responsible Ministers and MLAs are driven by love of megaprojects, but they may also have experienced the…
The Questionable Wisdom of Institutions of Higher Learning
Trying to convince universities to allow remote learning in maskless in-person classes and maybe to allow mini-HEPAs on the desk during exams appears to be futile despite the current risk…
Crowning Cinderella.
It took time. It took patience, but Ontario has a new party leader for its liberals. The television networks missed some great programming opportunities in the finale. For all its…
Layover in Dubai: Who are the ‘hundreds’ of Albertans accompanying Danielle Smith – and who’s paying the freight?
So, about this group of “hundreds” of Albertans who have accompanied Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her field trip to dusty Dubai for the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference…
Palestine – What If
Balfour Declaration (November 2nd, 1917) "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to…