The Problem Is Ford
The healthcare system in Ontario is under severe strain. Doug Ford says that the way to fix the problem is to move procedures from hospitals to private for-profit clinics. Linda…
State files confirm targeted RCMP violence in the aftermath of 1969 Sir George protest
Students during the 1969 Sir George Williams University student protest. Concordia released an official apology for its mishandling of race-based student complaints in October 2022. Photo courtesy Concordia University. When…
Fault Lines
I was honoured to chair the Council Of Canadian Academies panel on misinformation. Our report, Fault Lines, is available here. https://cca-reports.ca/reports/the-socioeconomic-impacts-of-health-and-science-misinformation/
Poilievre’s Poison.
It’s pocketbook economics. Poilievre has found that if you distort the scenario just enough, it serves various purposes. If you imply that the Bank of Canada is at the beck…
Today’s Great Stuff
Here are some of the funny tweets and stories I have seen over the last couple of weeks: I am so tired of living like it’s the 1600s. Can I…
The welfare state and the American dream
The American founding fathers had a vision of a roughly equal society. At least for white people—others didn’t count in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. Equality was…
It’s a Social Problem, not a Medical Problem
Carol Dumaine wrote about the Davos safety measures, and how the rest of us are playing Covid roulette. It’s a solid read, but I got totally sidetracked by one of…
The 2024 Hybrid Corvette: A sign of the coming change
So anyone who knows me knows that I am not a car guy. However, one would have to be an ostrich to not see that there is a big change…
The king is dead
This is huge for me, us. In our little punk rock circle on the Canadian prairies, Marquee Moon was the summit – not punk rock, but with a punk sensibility…
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Kat Eschner interviews John Peters about the growing inequality in wealth, income and influence. And Scott Martin offers a reminder not to conflate…
Saturday Photo: An Afternoon in the Park…
Neighborhood park are great things, and we are lucky to have three nearby. They’re used by local daycares and schools too–and not just in the summer time. This group of…
They’re Taking The Books Out Of Classrooms
In Florida, they’re getting rid of lots of books. Marsha Lederman writes: Just when you thought things couldn’t get any weirder or more depressing on the U.S. book-ban front comes…
Protect nature, or face human extinction
It seems like a no-brainer that in protecting nature, we are protecting ourselves and working to ensure human survival. Yet the ruling classes believe they can insulate themselves from consequences…
Ford’s Innovation?
If the business of the province is to deliver healthcare to its citizens, then why is the federal government butting in? What if Doug Ford’s version of Medicare is different…
Challenge accepted: Premier throws down the gauntlet with defamation accusation; CBC picks it up
On Wednesday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith threw down the gauntlet, accusing the CBC of defamation and demanding that the corporation retract and apologize for its Jan. 19 report someone on…
Musical interlude
Jamie Woon – Shoulda (Samy Chelly Remix)
OPSBA Conference in the Time of Covid
I’m missing my first trustee conference this weekend because there are no Covid mitigations in effect. I called to ask about it, and they’re following the Ontario protocol, which is…
Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week. – George Monbiot discusses how everybody is being forced to play COVID roulette due to the choice not to work toward clean and safe…
Who Is The Real Pierre Poilievre?
I've been away, but it seemed to me like only yesterday that Pierre Poilievre shocked a lot of Canadians, by solemnly declaring that he was really a nice guy.He claimed…