Civic Election
The civic elections for Regina and municipalities in Saskatchewan are coming up on Wednesday Oct. 24th, 2012. It’s more significant to me than most elections, because this is the first…
democracy
On telling signs
Time reports on how voter turnout was affected by news that Russian elections are purely stage-managed affairs in which the governing party chooses which opponents it sees fit to allow…
We Need Uninformed Voters As Much As We Need Informed Ones
Just as you need a brain and a heart, a country needs voters who know the issues and voters that don’t. As the election for the American President looms, after…
ConCalls: Israeli Ambassador Told Canadian MP to Stay Home
A little strange news linked to the election fraud of last year: The Liberal MP Borys W., who led the case to have Etobicoke Centre’s results overturned successfully, was once…
Bargain Basement Citizenship and the Decline of Democracy
We ought to be outraged. Just about every day our media provides a new account of the decline of our democracy: the inadequacies of our electoral system and allegations of…
‘Where Is The Outrage?’ Asks Alex Himelfarb
I have written two previous posts about Alex Himelfarb, Director of the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs at York University, former Clerk of the Privy Council, and fellow…
Stephen Harper’s Glowing Congratulations for Chavez’s Re-Election
Can you smell the indignation? Note the lack of commentary from the prime minister or foreign affairs minister. October 8, 2012 – The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of…
WTF, UBC? – University says it’s easier to cross picket lines with friends
Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Teaching Support Staff Union, COPE 378, and other unions are escalating job action at universities across British Columbia because of bargaining…
BC Court of Appeal strikes down the “Gordo/Christy Clark Wants you to Shut Up” Law, Again
Way back in Gordon Campbell’s reign, the BC government tried to ban third-party election advertising or communications with a law so broad that it would effectively prohibit anyone from publicly…
Last days of free market capitalism and the true believer
Being an unapologetic capitalist is not all that it’s cracked up to be. John Hancock, senior counsellor at the World Trade Organization, was sweating profusely as he told his audience…
How the Media Can Help Improve Political Decorum
It’s nice to see a willingness to open up political discourse in BC to the possibility of maturity, respect and dignity in the legislature. It would be nice, however for…
Rona, are You Paying Attention?
Democracy 101..When a person of either gender is elected to office, and then appointed to a Ministry, (s)he is obligated to vote based, not on personal belief, but on the…
ConCalls: Maintaining Integrity?
What trust is there to maintain? There were (hundreds of) thousands of illegal phonecalls made in the May 2011 election, and there’s not been a single charge laid by Elections…
Slower than molasses in January!
Elections Canada is investigating the fraudulent and deceptive calls, aka robocalls, made during the last election… beyond Guelph, Ontario. Slower than molasses in January! Other posts on the Robocon Scandal:…
Chris Hedges Promotes Book at UofR
I attended Hedges lecture at the UofR on Thursday night, and I think most of the crowd was impressed as was I. He did get a standing ovation when done.…
ConCalls: CoC Federal Court
-(Federal Court, ASS. PRESS) The Council of Canadians (CoC) court challenge is fiiiinalllly underway in Federal Court this morning. Well, sort of. It’s defending itself against the Conservatives who are…
An Open Letter to Stephen Harper Regarding Senate Reform
Dear Prime Minister Stephen Harper: I am writing today in response to reports that you will seek a Supreme Court reference on the constitutionality of your proposals for Senate reform.…
Occupy Wall Street 1 Year Later: A Roundtable Discussion
Democracy Now host Amy Goodman hosts a roundtable discussion of Occupy Wall Street movement on its 1 year anniversary with the following experts: Frances Fox Piven, an author and professor…