Democracy in decline
Fourteen percent of countries are described as full democracies. These states are home to fewer than ten percent of world population. More than one-third of the world’s population live under…
Norman Farrell
Millions die prematurely
The government of British Columbia issues regular press releases portraying itself as active in fighting climate change. But if we ignore the press releases and examine the science, a more…
Site C: stupidity or corruption?
In psychiatry, the word “delusion” means a firm belief in what others know to be false. Despite evidence of massive physical and financial risks, Liberals decided to green light Site…
BC Hydro and the illusory truth effect
Misinformation is common in our world. Sometimes it involves benign self-protection or ego boosting. Other times, humans use deception to gain advantages. Businesses and governments do it every day, by…
Groupthink
Groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when the desire for group consensus overrides people’s common sense desire to present reasonable alternatives, critique a position, or express an unpopular opinion. Here,…
Corruption – who cares?
An earlier piece by Lew Edwardson recalled one example of public sector corruption. Such occurrences are so common that most pay scant attention. In British Columbia, we have government quietly…
Olympics, a money loser for the general public
July 18, the Globe and Mail headlined, “The Olympics are a great party. But they’re not worth billions in public money.” The editorial added, “Hosting a huge party takes a…
Fossil fuel dangers are even worse than we knew
Researchers from Harvard and three British universities assert that more than eight million people died in 2018 from fossil fuel pollution. The scientists estimate that exposure to particulate matter from…
Local, green and sustainable economies
A problem faced by more than one British Columbia community is how to resurrect a local economy after global corporations decide easier profits can be made by exporting unprocessed resources.…
Bad governance, disinterested corporate media
Political observers who expected BC NDP to live up to electoral promises of 2017 are by now thoroughly disillusioned. Broken promises could pave the the grounds of the BC Legislature…
Good choices – bad choices
Faced with energy market disruption, the European Union is proceeding with REPowerEU, a plan for conservation and production of clean energy. The EU knows that conservation is the cheapest, safest…
Climate change, what can we do?
Governments have not done the things needed to address climate change. In Canada, particularly in the western provinces, politicians raised middle fingers to climate scientists. Tens of billions of taxpayers…
Obligations to future generations
The Supreme Court ruled that cumulative effects from decades of industrial development on lands of northeast BC infringed treaty rights of Blueberry River First Nations. I suggest that cumulative effects…
Earth will survive; humans may not
Ancient Chinese employed a method of prolonged torture and execution known as lingchi. We also know it as Death by a Thousand Cuts. Humans are torturing the Earth by lingchi…
Foundation of lies and misinformation supports the Horgan-Clark boondoggle
BC Hydro sought environmental approval for construction of Site C in 2011. In that year, global wind power capacity was 238 gigawatts. While construction of BC’s controversial hydropower project dragged…
Vancouver Town
Rolf Harris was a popular entertainer in Vancouver during the 1960s and early 1970s. I enjoyed him numerous times performing at The Vancouver Cave Supper Club on Hornby Street. Later…
Canada’s derelict branch of government
In ten years, seven different cabinet ministers have led Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The department has been a dumping ground or holding area for out-of-favour or inept politicians. Little…
The common good is becoming less common
A book by Professor Robert Reich, one of the most prominent voices among progressives, examines the ongoing decline of the common good, which he defines as being about “what we…
Transparency promised, something else delivered
This Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act proves that what happens in the BC Legislature today is theatre. Expensive theatre. We are not…
Industry-friendly regulation and laughably ineffective penalties
Through quiet collaboration, wealthy predators in Canada have used economic and political power to sustain unconscionable wireless profits. This will not change because those same vultures control much of Canada’s…