Iceland Turns to the People for Constitutional Reform
Iceland is a fantastic place that the rest of the world can learn from. They get 99% of their energy from geothermal power and have perhaps the most open government…
constitution
My Central Tension in Moral Philosophy
It would be nice to be able to say that my moral leanings followed a consistent system of moral belief and didn't leave central questions such as the source of…
On learning experiences
Let's close this blog's discussion of #vancon2011 with one last post, this time dealing with the NDP's constitutional preamble - which figured to be the convention's main topic of interest…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.- Paul Wells is pleased to have received some response about how the Cons claim to be saving money. But it's worth taking a…
Harper’s plans for the Senate will create a showdown against the provinces.
Senate showdown looms - thestar.comOn one side, there will be the Conservative government. On the other side will be the opposition parties (or, at least the NDP) and the provinces…
On back to work legislation. Whoa, deja vu.
So, another conservative (note the small "c") government, another round of back to work legislation. Canada violates its international obligations yet again, and is again grouped with such shining lights…
On governance (3): The Crown.
So, yeah. The Crown. This could be a really short post -- hell, by my standards, it probably will be.Here's the thing. Constitutionally, we need the Crown. We can't get…
On governance (2): Parliament
This one's going to be a little disconnected. The overarching thread, as said yesterday, is figuring out how to adjust our governing institutions to suit the importance of the principle…
On governance: (1) Principles
How should we govern ourselves? Since Locke's Second Treatise, the presumption has been in favour of self-government -- that is, each individual adult person has the natural right to govern…
On destructive suggestions
Lest there be any doubt, one of the most important ways an opposition party can have influence in a majority Parliament is by choosing issues to highlight, thereby creating a…
Grounds
Me on Twitter, May 28, 2011 (limited to 140 characters):It appears that smarter people than me seem to agree:Here's University of Ottawa Professor Errol Mendes, cited in a Toronto Star…
Weekend update(s)
Some different stuff, starting this weekend.(a) I just gave blog contributor status to my better half, Ruth. This could end very badly. The road to hell is paved with good…
On the Quebec question: (5) The Constitution
Final point I want to consider on this issue. Some objections to Quebec separatism or nationalism seem to turn on a fear of "opening up" -- that is, amending --…
Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading.- The McGill Institute's Election Content Analysis includes plenty of interesting information on how this month's federal election was covered. But the most noteworthy point…
The NDP, The Quebec Question and 50% + 1
Much has been made of Jack Layton's "controversial" comments on a possible Quebec sovereignty referendum.The fact is that it is a very rational and defensible position. Based on the closest…
Harper, Hypocrisy, Syria, and Degrees of Freedom
Yesterday I lifted my head from some work to watch the Ottawa journalists in Twitter filling us all in on John Baird’s first press conference as the majority Conservative government’s…
Can You Tell Me Where My Country Lies?
Here is the authoritarian mind in action: 1- At the request of a city Chief of police, in anticipation for an international summit in said city where peaceful protesters and…
You Know You Are Living In A Corporatocracy …
... when your elected government begs Big Business interests to help them write and/or kill bills:Back there, Transport Minister John Baird (yes - this same John Baird) was caught privately…