democracy
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…
Is Capitalism Terminally Ill?
Today (June 15th) the Toronto Star broke news that the NDP was planning to drop the term “socialism” from its party’s platform. This was a mere formality of what had…
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…
Opposing the #HarperRegime: thinking strategically over the next four years
Sorry, dear friends. This is going to be one of those times when I try to get cerebral, but not too cerebral, and end up sounding like a wanker. Business…
@thekeenanwire and the police / government / society we deserve
Over at The Grid, Edward Keenan's got a thoughtful and compelling piece about the police assault on Dorian Barton at last summer's G20, and the shameful saga surrounding the SIU's…
Turn A Page
The contemptible actions of the Harper government have reaped a little more protest in the chambers of Parliament. A few years ago it was a Gallery protest in the House…
Senate protester DePape offered job by Michael Moore
Doc maker Michael Moore backs rogue page over stunt - thestar.com "For a young person to do that and to do it peacefully, and quietly and with grace, I thought…
A Memo to David Akin
On the Hill: Memo to Brigette: There are no shortcuts in politics. It takes long, dull, dreary work http://bit.ly/mC2SsL Everything you argue is based on the premise that political activity…
Democracy in America
Another day, another nadir of utter stupidity… “This is what democracy looks like,” the dancing assclowns shouted in defense of their right to behave like jackals at public memorial sites.…
Scheer Success
Andrew Scheer has been elected House of Commons Speaker. I met him in 2004, when we were federal candidates in adjacent Regina ridings. I was the no-shot NDP candidate against…
Brigette DePape reminds us of our duty
Some people are upset with the protest in the Senate by Senate page Brigette DePape.The issue is not when and where and how she protested (in the Senate in the…
On the Quebec question: (4) Devolution
So far, I've argued that there are good reasons to favour Quebec's right to determine, on its own, whether to separate from Canada. One option that has come up under…
Releasing Government Bad News Under Cover of a Hockey Game
Based on the bad news coming from the BC and Canadian governments under cover of game one of the Stanley Cup finals, we should be wary of the Canucks going…
On the Quebec question: (2) Self-determination
Yesterday, I suggested that objections to the definition of a "clear majority" in favour of separation as 50%+1 were insincere, and really masked forms of other objections. The first I…
Corporate Personhood Alert!
We have to spend some time this week carefully watching BC business playing good cop and bad cop. The good cop is opposing the idea of a corporate tax rate…
The greatest of dangers
The challenge is not to become a machine. The greatest danger is not from outside: the greatest danger is ourselves – that is, the greatest danger is losing touch with…
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…