On The Training of Marine Mammals (a.k.a. MPs)
As I mentioned in a blog post the other day, I am currently reading Tragedy in the Commons, a book that examines the gross deficits to be found in Canadian…
Lorne
Is Andrea’s Day Of Reckoning Drawing Nigh?
Andrea Horwath, the current leader of the Ontario NDP, about whom I have written the odd past post, may indeed soon be facing the consequences of her recent decision to…
Tragedy In The Commons
I know that I am hardly alone in sometimes thinking that the insights and observations of progressives have a Cassandra-like quality to them; we think we can see patterns auguring…
That Crazy Old Evangelical Strikes Again
You’re never too old, counsels Pastor Pat: Recommend this Post
A Voice From The Past
The always mellifluous Brian Mulroney offers some less than sweet-sounding words for the Harper government. As reported in The Globe and Mail, in an interview with Don Martin on CTV’s…
Joan Rivers
I was never a fan of Joan Rivers, though I take no pleasure in the fact that she has died. However, you can call me churlish and insensitve, but I…
A Union Victory
About a year ago I wrote two posts on Richtree Market, the union-busting Toronto eatery that got the clever idea of terminating all of its unionized employees, shutting down its…
The Murky Lessons Of History
Blindingly clear for some, obscure and ambiguous for others, the lessons of history need to be given close scrutiny these days, especially by our chickenhawk prime minister. Like so much…
A Prime Minister Hath No Honour In His Own Country
That paraphrase of a famous line from the Bible perhaps sums up the pitiable plight of Stephen Harper, gallant man of the world and fearless foe of evil on the…
A New Season Beckons, But Nothing Changes
Many people think of September as the real beginning of the new year: kids go off to school, summer transitions to fall, fall fashions appear in the stores, and new…
A Timely Reminder
What Have The Unions Ever Done For Us? was produced in Australia after John Howard’s conservative government went after collective bargaining rights. H/t Press Progress Recommend this Post
And Speaking Of Labour
All kinds of abuses continue under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. As reported by the CBC, an Italian company, Saipem, contracted by Husky Sunrise to build a multi-billion dollar plant…
Happy Labour Day
For a reflection on why unions are still so relevant and necessary, the protests of neoliberals notwithstanding, be sure to check out Kev’s post at Trapped in a Whirlpool. And…
Burger King Causes Indigestion
At least among the substantial numbers of Americans who appear to be taking grave exception to the burger emporium’s tax dodge by merging with Tim Hortons. While Finance Minister Joe…
Time To Revisit The Question Of Mandatory Voting?
In her column today, Susan Delacourt suggests that it is. While my own opposition to mandatory voting, the reasons for which I outlined in an earlier post, remains unchanged, she…
A Documentary Recommendation: Blackfish
Once again, I am writing a post that, in one sense, has nothing to do with politics but in another sense has everything to do with it and much more.…
This Just In
According to a CBC report, EU lawmakers are threatening to block a multi-billion dollar trade pact between Canada and the European Union — a blueprint for a much bigger EU-U.S.…
Our Anti-Democratic Democracy
This morning, in my print edition of The Toronto Star, I saw the following headline: Canadian scientists to be placed in isolation. While it turned out to be a story…
Well-Said
Those Star letter-writers nail it yet again: Under Ottawa’s microscope, Insight Aug. 23 If it is not OK for charities to use the money sent to them for the intended…
In Pursuit Of Andrea
My post yesterday on Andrea Horwath’s leadership shortcomings provoked a series of thoughtful responses that I am reproducing below, on the assumption that the majority of blog readers don’t necessarily…