On The Perils Of Retirement
As a retiree, I occasionally think that maybe I have too much time on my hands – too much time to follow politics, especially its more sordid aspects which, sadly,…
Canadian Politics
I Got Nuthin’
I want to post something about Mayor Guy They Let Wear The Big Gold Chain Rob Ford. Something concise and insightful perhaps, with an underpinning of satire. I can’t because…
A further note to Premier Wynne: Why the foot-dragging on Ranked Ballot for Toronto?
As an aside to this blogpost’s main point, this would also be a good time to ask Premier @Kathleen_Wynne (her twitter address, if you were wondering) to allow Toronto to…
Please Premier Wynne… remove Rob Ford now..
..or give Toronto City Council the tools to do it themselves, before he embarrasses Toronto and Canada any further or hurts someone: An unprecedented council meeting descended temporarily into chaos…
It’s not really about the crack, or at least it’s…
It’s not really about the crack, or at least it’s not all about the crack. The crack-centred Rob Ford jokes, skits, songs and Internet memes certainly have been entertaining, but…
You know ratings must be bad at SunTV when..
You may have heard of the saying, “the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing”. That saying may be too charitable for what has just occurred at…
Repeat after me: Justin Trudeau is making rookie mistakes… have you got that?
Justin Trudeau at left, with some boring white guy in a tie that’s too wide. Don’t ever underrate the power of pixie dust! Below: The same boring guy with Toronto…
Potential Policy Priorities for a Potential New Liberal Government
I found this interesting; one of the Toronto LPC riding associations put forth a list of policy resolutions over the weekend and sounds like it asked their member what should…
11.11: lest we forget, let’s not forget: there is no glory in war.
For Canadians who fear and distrust the steadily growing militarism suffusing the culture of our country, two recent books are indispensable: What We Talk About When We Talk About War,…
Why I feel sorry for Rob Ford.
I now officially feel sorry for Rob Ford. Oh, I’m not saying that he should stay on as mayor of Toronto. I am in no way supporting this morbidly obese,…
By sea, by land, by air
Canada has operated internment camps for Japanese, Ukrainian, German, and Italian Canadians. These Canadian citizens and immigrants were accused of being saboteurs and spies and were forcibly removed from their…
A tale from the political crypt: a tip o’ Broadway Bob’s Top Hat to Hizzoner Rob Ford
Bob McClelland spotted walking down a staircase in Victoria, circa November 1985. (Ancient Vancouver Sun photo.) Mr. McClelland didn’t know it yet, but forgiveness for his sins was at hand.…
What’s needed to get rid of Mayor Ford; provincial or federal type voter turnout
Well, I don’t think I need to re-hash everything that’s gone on in Toronto; other then Mayor Rob Ford has had 2 press conferences in a single day where he’s…
Apparently, the courts are the new enemy of Senate reform
So says the Prime Minister to his party faithful at their Calgary convention: “We were blocked by the other parties in the minority parliaments, and now we are being blocked…
Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Halloween 2013: a meditation on power
Prime Minister Stephen Harper just one year ago. Actual Canadian prime ministers may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Senator Mike Duffy and former Harper cabinet member Jim Prentice. Last…
The Press Releases Begin to Fly…
The following just arrived in my inbox. The battle lines are being drawn… Friends, This is a sad day for the City of Toronto. As a Torontonian, and as a…
Senate reform still desired over Senate abolition or status quo
Despite the Senate scandal deepening, it appears that for now, Canadians still prefer reforming the Senate over abolishing it, as indicated by this Ipsos-Reid poll from a couple of days…
How will we get back to the 19th Century without Stephen Harper? Why he should go, and won’t
A forlorn Richard Nixon waves goodbye to Washington for the last time from the steps of the presidential helicopter on Aug. 9, 1974. Don’t count on Prime Minister Stephen Harper…