Tyranny of the Majority
Ok, some somebody doesn’t know what Tyranny means or actually, what democracy means. That somebody today is Scott Armstrong. Here’s the quote from the Globe and Mail article regarding this…
democracy
Canada’s Economic [Distr]Action Plan
Canada's Economic Action Plan
Corking popped CPC Champagne: EKOS reports reality
A week ago CPC drones were celebrating tantalizing poll numbers that put the Harper Party close to majority territory. Today, EKOS reports what I believe to be the reality on…
Parliamentary Reform
Aaron Wherry has some interesting suggestions for how we might reform the House (I summarize): Elect committee chairs by vote of the entire House. Involve committees in legislative design Empower…
This is the worst attack on our democracy since…
The recent refusal of International Development minister to resign after lying to a parliamentary committee seems an afront to the principles of democracy. I find myself searching for another event…
Private Bills from the gov’t that are not Government bills
We saw this tactic months ago when Candice Hoeppner tried to kill the long-gun registry through her “private member’s bill.” Since it worked so well, Harper is going to try…
What does a single vote weigh?
So I’ve got a comment on an arcane voting procedure issue for a current party leadership contest…sounds exciting huh? Everybody gather round! The party is the BC Liberal party. The…
Late Friday Night Ode To … Peaceful Democratic Uprisings
Back there last Saturday, I wrote the following:As we applaud our Tunisian and Egyptian brothers and sisters, let us keep firmly in mind that it is they whom are bravely…
Meanwhile, Back In Utopia Democratica …
First Tunisia and now Egypt. One can only rejoice at seeing people taking their aspirations for civil rights and freedoms into their own hands, courageously claiming these justly as their…
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…
In Which I Get Outraged at…Oshawa?
If you read me regularly you may have noticed I’m writing less, well, regularly, recently. I’ve promised myself to cut back on political blogging while I try to finish my…
China: Fear of its Rise is Fear of Ourselves
A recent Economist article, The dangers of a rising China, leads a 14 page report loosely discussing the dangers posed to the world by China’s eclipsing of the USA’s international…
But, But – It’s Only Rhetoric! (… Right?)
(Updated below) "It's only rhetoric meant to energize the base". How often have we been hearing this excuse, this self-serving justification to diminish the terrible impact that words and symbols…
British Ethics: A Dark Comedy
North Sea Oil Drilling by crawfish head Yesterday, January 6th 2011, the UK Parliamentary committee appointed to look into whether the government should enact a moratorium on deep-water drilling in…
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…
2010 Vs 2011: Same As It Was, Same As It Will Be
The following struck me as the very essence of the (now past) first decade of the 21st century, in effect constituting at the same time a resounding call that will…
Witnessing The Nearing End Of The Modern Experiment In Democracy
As I wrote previously, a democratic society - whether breathing through a parliamentary system or a republic one - can only bring about and sustain the commonwealth of its citizens…