Cynical Politics – Ontario Style
It is likely a truism to observe that the value burning brightest in the hearts of most political parties is the passion to get and retain power. Concern for the…
Lorne
Reflections From Cuba
The following is one of several pieces I wrote on my Blackberry Playbook while on a recent holiday in Cuba. Because Internet access and outside information is limited there, I…
Christ Hedges On The Failure of Churches
As a member of the United Church of Canada, my wife receives The United Church Observer, a monthly publication offering an array of interesting pieces and interviews. This month’s issue…
Wherever We Go, Our Presence Is Felt
Well. I’m back from hiatus, but too tired to post anything of my own, so I leave you with this video I just came across. Unfortunately, ‘enjoy’ is not the…
On Hiatus
There won’t be any new blog posts for the next two weeks as we begin our annual hegira to Cuba, where the climate and the people offer a soothing respite…
Retribution
…when Exhibit A extends to Exhibits B-C-D, when the allegations start stacking up, then what you’ve got is a pattern and a pathology, not an anomaly. A career lies in…
Why Chris Spence Must Be Fired
It is hardly an insight to observe that ours is a world that bears witness to institutional and organizational failures on a massive scale. Those bodies that should be there…
What Happens When The ‘Top’ Educator Plagiarizes?
Probably nothing, if your name is Chris Spence and you are the Director of the Education for the Toronto District School Board. A shocking story in this morning’s Star reveals…
Finger-Pointing 2.0
Well, there can be little doubt that both The Toronto District School Board and the Ontario Ministry of Education have fully embraced the digital age. Finger-pointing abounds on both sides.…
SIU Versus Toronto Police: An Update
As noted the other day, there has been an ongoing jurisdictional battle in the case of alleged police brutality victim Tyrone Phillips. The complaint, filed by Phillips to the Office…
Harper Subversion of the Civil Service
That the Harper regime uses a myriad of tactics to exploit, manipulate and deceive the Canadian public through its propaganda, demagoguery, and demonization of those with contrary policy views has…
Jimmy Hazel and His Crew Prevail
As I have mentioned in this blog before, one of the many reasons I respect The Toronto Star is that it doesn’t let its adherence to The Atkinson Principles blind…
TTC to Customer: We Take Your Complaint Seriously …
But we won’t tell you if we did anything about it. Recommend this Post
Toronto Police: Again and Again and Again ….
Albert Einstein famously defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. By that standard, perhaps both the Toronto Police force and I are…
Beyond Cynical By Any Standard
Using the legislative power that Bill 115 provides, Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten has announced she will impose contracts on Ontario teachers but then rescind Bill 115 because it has…
To Read, Perchance To Think
Shakespeare purists will perhaps forgive my titular, out-of-context paraphrasing of a famous line from Hamlet, but it occurred to me yesterday and today as I read two fine essays published…
But We’re A Peace-Loving Country
My, my, my, the sins that are committed in our name. Recommend this Post
Industry Self-Regulation – Another Update
Last week I wrote two posts on the Harper regime’s ideological decision not to impose mandatory reporting of drug shortages on the pharmaceutical industry. The government instead has placed its…
The Good News: It’s a New Year – the Bad News: Expect More of the Same
Best wishes to everyone in 2013. I would like to express my hope that all will enjoy a prosperous 12 months ahead, but given both domestic and international realities, I…
Noam Chomsky Reflects on Contemporary Education
Despite the fact that it was fraught with a marking load I would not wish on anyone, my career as an English teacher offered many satisfactions, not the least of…