The amazing Mr. Madu
Jason Kenney warned us. Prior to stepping down as premier, he suggested it was important he stay on to prevent the UCP from being taken over by “lunatics” and “kooky…
Bill Longstaff
Alberta, a renewables leader?
OK, Alberta creates more greenhouse gasses than any other province. Let’s get that out of the way. We are, after all, the country’s major oil and gas producer—being the emissions…
Don’t go, Chrystia
As a result of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of the Ukraine, NATO is much more in the news lately. Consequently, the job of heading the organization is attracting attention as the…
Will Vancouver sue big oil?
I recently posted about the increasing number of lawsuits filed against corporations and government by citizens affected by climate change. One case to watch was initiated—where else?—on our west coast.…
Another failure on the nuclear front
Other than the various environmental swords that hang over our heads the greatest threat to the future of human society is nuclear war. In recognition of this overarching threat, global…
Chong’s sensible reforms
I recently posted about the decline of conservatism in Canadian politics with the transformation of the progressive conservatives to mere conservatives. Red Toryism has not, however, been entirely extinguished in…
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…
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…