How Alberta populists wrecked conservatism
Brian Mulroney recently said he no longer recognized himself in the Conservative Party. I’m no conservative, but I sympathize with him. The current Conservative Party just isn’t the conservative party…
Bill Longstaff
My political philosophy revealed by a surprising source
Reading the latest issue of my favourite magazine, Alberta Views, I encountered an article that, to my surprise, neatly summed up my political philosophy. Surprised because I’ve never expressed it…
Americans want more parties (political, that is)
A growing number of Americans are unhappy with their current political choices. According to a Pew Research Center survey, four in ten say they want more parties than just the…
Congratulations to Ms. Payne
In the first contested election in a decade, the members of Unifor elected Lana Payne their new president last week. Representing over 300,000 workers, Unifor is the largest private-sector union…
The Republican counter-revolution rolls on
Has the Republican Party turned against democracy? It’s beginning to seem so, and if it has it’s the culmination of four decades of revolt against the country’s post-war social progress.…
Whose elites? The people and the populists
We hear a lot about populists these days—politicians who appeal to ordinary folk on the grounds that their interests are ignored by the “elites.” Government, they insist, is in league…
Nancy P’s Asian adventure
On first hearing about U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s planned visit to Taiwan it struck me as a rather, shall we say, stupid idea. It would infuriate the…
Suing for a green planet
Checking out the ensia website recently I encountered an article that surprised me. In a good way. Ensia, published at the University of Minnesota, is one of my favourite environmental…
Say it’s so, Joe
“By a wide margin, this legislation will be the greatest pro-climate legislation that has ever been passed by Congress.” — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Everyone, except possibly Schumer,…
Farewell to a great environmentalist
I was saddened to read this week of the death of British environmental scientist James Lovelock. He had a good run, dying at the great age of 103. In a…
U.S. Supreme Court betrays the founding fathers
The U.S. has a big problem. A legal problem. Its Supreme Court is undermining its democracy. The court has recently made a series of rulings that conflict with the views…
Putin making Russia great again
Both the two major world powers during the Cold War have had leaders who wanted to “make their nations great again.” Both hark back nostalgically to some imagined golden age.…
Must we not criticize Islam?
Calgary lawyer Collin May began a new job last week. He was promoted to chair the Alberta Human Rights Commission after serving on it since 2019. Mr. May’s appointment was…
Fossil fuels are deadlier than Covid
Covid is a bitch. It has killed 6.4 million people worldwide to date and counting. But compared to fossil fuels, it’s a piker. According to research by Harvard and three…
The one and only Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner
Sophie Howe is unique—the world’s only Future Generations Commissioner. What, you might well ask, is a Future Generations Commissioner. Her function, according to her website, “is to provide advice to…
Calgary—Canada’s most liveable city?
Is it? Is Calgary Canada’s most liveable city? I wouldn’t dare answer the question. My fellow Calgarians might bridle at my response. But the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) dares. And…
Trump’s triumph
Donald Trump only served one term but his legacy will last decades, if not generations. He ensured that by appointing no less than three right wing justices to the U.S.…
Sundre and the death of satire
I wrote a post a couple of years ago entitled “Everything isn’t racism.” Well, it still isn’t. However, people will find what they go looking for and apparently a lot…
Unionizing Apple
I have long been a fan of Apple products. In fact, I have never bought another desktop. I am also a great believer in labour unions. So reading about an…
The Doctor Who Fooled the World
I rarely do book reviews. Nor do I often suggest books to read. But every once in a while I come across one that is simply too good to just…