Democracy Delayed
I regret that for the foreseeable future I will not be writing any commentary upon the state of our democracy on these pages due to personal family challenges that must…
democracy
The Comprehensive Democrat
When we think about democracy we tend to focus on politics and government. These are rightly at the centre of democratic dialogue as they are our overarching social institutions, but…
The State of Democracy
There is, it seems, a war against democracy. I hesitate to use the word “war” as it tends to suffer from overuse these days—war on drugs, war on terrorism, etc—but…
Help, Barbarians at the Gate!!
I just realized that, from British Columbia’s eastern border, the barbarians are in control all the way to Quebec. Scheer and Kenney, Moe, Pallister and Ford. Two thousand miles of…
The Future of Democracy (repost)
This previously published bit from 2009 in which Steve May‘s seriesis highlighted perhaps shows how little things have changed in 10 years. Much of his series is focused upon “green”…
Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Lana Payne highlights how the fight over carbon taxes fits into a broader framework of class warfare – and how the right’s climate…
Lies & Spin (repost)
“In a political landscape where lies and spin is the norm we must thank and support those individuals who do not fall prey to this insidious trend, and condemn and…
Threats to Democracy (repost)
“An obstacle to democracy is that the value of its name often exceeds the principles of its practice.” From an old speech by former MP David Kilgore – In his…
Low taxes are nothing to brag about
I’ve written an opinion piece that appears in today’s Regina Leader-Post. The piece argues that the Saskatchewan government shouldn’t brag about the province’s low-tax climate (which it recently did). Rather,…
Democracy Defined
This blog was started about a decade ago to highlight the lack of respect for our democratic conventions by the then second term Harper Regime and to highlight efforts to…
Democracy on Trial – In the United Kingdom
The New York Times headline reads, “‘We’re in the Last Hour’: Democracy Itself Is on Trial in Brexit, Britons Say.” As I’m going through the article, over on LBC radio,…
My Political Epiphany (Well Sort Of…)
Is it just me, or has Canadian politics become a perpetual outrage machine? It is one that I play into often, but for some reason it was started to weigh…
A Broken System?
Recent events and reports have made it clear that our system of governance has some major flaws in it as it currently operates, whist efforts to improve the way we…
Adult Assembly Required: Justin Trudeau & SNC – Lavalin
If anyone can take anything from the past few weeks regarding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the resignation of Jody Wilson-Raybould, it should be that sometimes even though you try…
Adult Assembly Required: Justin Trudeau & SNC – Lavalin
If anyone can take anything from the past few weeks regarding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the resignation of Jody Wilson-Raybould, it should be that sometimes even though you try…
Shawcross, And The Difficult Questions
It’s an unpopular opinion, but until I see any actual evidence or statements that show PMO interference in the SNC-Lavalin case, I feel it is much ado about nothing. Today,…
A Green Revolution?
In a recent interview on CTV Question Period Elizabeth May, the Green Party federal leadersaid that they had been getting an increased interest,and donations, in the party. Hardly a surprise…
The Long Con And The Overton Window
I have been thinking a lot lately about the Overton window. I am beginning to apply it to long term strategy being employed by Conservative thinkers/politicians in Canada, what I…
Ontario’s Downward Spiral
A not so slow downward spiral from our hard won support services here in Ontario is happening under the Ford regime, almost daily we see reports of this or that…
The Death Of My Electoral Reform Idealism
Perhaps one of the most over-analyzed and oft-criticized campaign promises the Liberals broke from the 2015 campaign was the one on electoral reform – that the 2015 vote would be…