Climate change tops voters’ priorities … seriously
The most recent Angus Reid Institute poll on Canadians’ priorities and voting intentions had at least one big surprise. That, at least to this observer of the Canadian mind, was…
Bill Longstaff
Burning up the credits
Purchasing carbon offsets is a popular way to act against global warming, or at least to alleviate one’s conscience. An offset allows a business, government or individual to pay someone…
“Why are we building houses if we don’t have enough water?”—A big lesson from a little town
Oakley, Utah, is small but appealing. Nestled in the mountains beside the Weber River less than an hour’s drive east of Salt Lake City, the town offers an attractive bargain…
More evidence to support taxing the rich
As nations reset their economies following the Covid crisis, one focus is on reducing the inequality that has become an increasing threat to political stability. An obvious instrument to achieving…
Oil workers at the centre—getting transition priorities right
“They will not be left behind.” So said Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan at a news conference this week. The “they” he was referring to are workers in the oil…
Is Facebook killing people?
President Joe Biden missed his goal of 70 percent of Americans vaccinated against Covid by July 4th. Some cities are now urging even vaccinated residents to resume mask-wearing, and in…
Whither the Greens?
I have been a supporter of social democracy since the days of the CCF and Tommy Douglas. I have, however, often offered support to the Liberals and occasionally to the…
Intrinsic bias—friend or foe?
We are all tribal. We don’t have a choice. We are designed that way. Our architects—our genes—design us to be biased toward fellow members of our tribe as opposed to…
Indians—tolerant, but don’t marry my sister
A recent Pew Research survey of religious attitudes in India revealed some interesting insights into a society tolerant of, yet divided by, religion. First, Indians are a very religious people.…
Ecocide—an international crime?
“We need to change the rules”—Greta Thunberg, 2019 In 1970, American biologist Arthur Galston coined the term “ecocide” to describe mass environmental destruction. Galston was a critic of the Vietnam…
On Canada Day and cognitive dissonance
F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability…
Alberta—boom or boon?
I opened the CBC website one morning this week to be confronted with the headline “High oil prices a potential boon for beleaguered Alberta.” I mistook “boon” for “boom” and…
How Dick Cheney’s daughter became a hero
The Prince of darkness. Thus was Dick Cheney, one of the most unpopular figures in the history of American politics, known when he was George W. Bush’s vice-president. Cheney oversaw…
Fair deal for Calgary?
The list of plebiscites Calgarians will be asked to vote on in the October municipal election is growing. The City will ask voters once again (this is a periodic exercise)…
Was Trump right about the WHO?
Former U.S. President Trump (how pleasing to say “former”) was not a fan of the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, he had withdrawn his country from the organization effective…
The U.S. jerks capitalism’s leash
The United States is the world’s leading free market nation and it has always seemed to me that they take its basic principles very seriously. While greatly encouraging capitalism, they…
You owe us an explanation, Mr. O’Toole
In a recent letter to the prime minister (which he gratuitously tweeted to the general public), Conservative leader Erin O’Toole had this to say about the proposed global tax agreement:…
Will Kenney’s woes help O’Toole?
How the mighty have fallen. Just two years ago, Jason Kenney, flush from a convincing election win over the NDP, was the Conservatives’ golden boy. Even the national leader had…
Leashing the corporations with the Biden tax
There was a period following WWII when we approached utopia. Well, OK, maybe that’s overstating it, but we had created probably the finest society, in terms of the economic welfare…