Budget 2013: Petty Politics in the PCs
The Conservatives, in a grand act of pettiness, have punted the Canadian Taxpayers Federation from the budget lockup on the 7th. It is likely in response to the organization holding…
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Preston Manning’s well-funded ideological hobbyhorse takes aim at civic progressives
Calgary City Hall: The next target for former Reform Party leader Preston Manning’s not-very-merry band of far-right ideologues? Below: Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and neoconservative ideological guru Manning back in…
With no market for hate and right-wing drivel, Sun News comes cap in hand for public subsidy
More gruel, sir? The face of Sun News Network that Sun News Network would like you to see as they beg for public subsidies. Below: The real face of Sun…
Expense account outrages? Only in government, you say? Puleeze!
Executives of Covenant Health enjoy a bottle of 2001 Il Piggione over lunch at Edmonton’s Characters Restaurant. Catholic health care executives may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Liberalbertaliberal Leader…
What kind of Canadian signs Jason Kenney’s petition for Jason Kenney? (Answer below)
“Gotta do something about those infernal refugees!” Some of Hon. Jason Kenney, PC, MP’s supporters get together for an evening of poker and political talk. Below: Riley Climenhaga. I recently…
Unsuccessful at the polls, Alberta market fundamentalists want the courts to impose two-tier health care
What heath care for the rest of us will look like if the market fundamentalist right’s battle for insurance companies’ “rights” ever succeeds. Below: Private health-care advocate John Carpay; Alberta…
Budget crisis? Civil service raises? Go pop a Valium, Smith!
Hey Marge! Danielle Smith says there’s a budget crisis and this is no time to be giving raises to civil servants! Marge? Typical Albertans may not be exactly as illustrated…
Severance Pay and Public Servants
I am an economist, not a lawyer or expert on the collective agreements in the federal public service, but I can still detect a hatchet job. The CBC have given…
MacKay being used as scapegoat to clear path for Jason Kenney as next Conservative leader?
Interesting article in the Straight about Kenney’s ascension in the Conservative ranks. The writer Charlie Smith feels that Kenney is the logical successor to Harper, with the scandals plaguing former…
MacKay being used as scapegoat to clear path for Jason Kenney as next Conservative leader?
Interesting article in the Straight about Kenney’s ascension in the Conservative ranks. The writer Charlie Smith feels that Kenney is the logical successor to Harper, with the scandals plaguing former…
‘A pervasive culture of discriminatory bias’ – the justice model for Canada’s loony right
One of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s deputies leads a prisoner, arrested for his shaky command of the English language, toward the chain gang. Racist and abusive Arizona police may not be…
In defence of Peter MacKay (sort of)
See Peter. See Peter become a liability. Run Peter. You can run, Peter. You can not hide.We see that the right wing friends of the Prime Minister have launched their…
Dear Canadian Taxpayer Federation:
I have an idea for your next target research focus. Attawapiskat must pay Ottawa appointee $1,300 a day While the known costs for the auditor are $1,300 daily, that sum…
Not So Much Reform as Special Interest Groups
Jeffrey Simpson has an interesting column this week: Remember the Reformers? They’re still here In it he suggests that the Conservatives are now putting policies in place written for the…
Rick Perry Steals Stockwell Day’s "Flat Tax" idea, who Stole it From the CTF, Who Stole it From ….
In 2006, Time magazine raised the alarm over Stephen Harper's control of the media, which included his unprecedented secrecy of what goes on in cabinet meetings.However, if you want some…
Never mind unions – let’s cast a little light on the darkest corporate corners!
Time to cast a little light in capitalism’s darkest corners? Below: Jim Stanford, Russ Hiebert.All the usual suspects clamouring for unions to be required by law to publicly reveal their…
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. - James Laxer points out how overreach by the wealthy and powerful inevitably leads to backlash - and how we're just scratching the…
Saturday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material for your weekend reading. - Chris Selley nicely summarizes Jack Layton's celebration of life today: I can just hear people kvetching: Was this a funeral for a great…
What McFadyen’s cuts would mean to YOU!
We know that Hugh McFadyen’s personal ideology would compel him to balance the Budget on a year-over basis. Though Hugh has been trying to run away from this for the…