Evidence for Democracy (E4D)
Science did not fare well under the Harper government of 2006-15. It eliminated the long-form... The post Evidence for Democracy (E4D) first appeared on Views from the Beltline.
governance
Premier Smith and the fascist hatemonger
When Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi called Premier Danielle Smith “dangerous,” I thought he was... The post Premier Smith and the fascist hatemonger first appeared on Views from the Beltline.
The Social Contract
How shall we be governed? Philosophers have debated that issue since Plato and the question is more important today than ever, given the rise of right-wing extremism everywhere, especially in…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Ewen Callaway writes about the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic – with both a high baseline of cases, and frequent “wavelets” in…
IF NOT THIS; THEN WHAT?
Are you tired of the overheated right versus left, political rhetoric? Are you weary of the partisan blame game? Are you concerned about the rise of misinformation and disinformation spreading…
IF NOT THIS; THEN WHAT?
Are you tired of the overheated right versus left, political rhetoric? Are you weary of the partisan blame game? Are you concerned about the rise of misinformation and disinformation spreading…
Whose elites? The people and the populists
We hear a lot about populists these days—politicians who appeal to ordinary folk on the grounds that their interests are ignored by the “elites.” Government, they insist, is in league…
The one and only Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner
Sophie Howe is unique—the world’s only Future Generations Commissioner. What, you might well ask, is a Future Generations Commissioner. Her function, according to her website, “is to provide advice to…
Collingwood’s Broken Windows
NB. This post was first published on Dec. 9, 2021 If I sometimes seem to complain in a picayune manner, harping on the same signs of scruffiness and neglect that…
On first steps
Hey look, some positive election results! Congratulations to everybody who ran in Regina’s municipal elections (and in those around the province) – and particularly the progressive electees who will have…
I Just Don’t Understand Americans
I’ve long been somewhat of a politics/history junkie, and as such I read a lot about both topics, from ancient times to modern; I read about events, wars, issues, personalities,…
Can an atheist be a good citizen?
The answer to the headline’s question is no, at least according to the late Catholic priest Richard John Neuhaus in a podcast in the Socrates in the City series (Sept.…
Musings on leadership
What makes a good leader? Or a bad one, for that matter? That’s a long-standing debate that reaches back into history.* Of late I’ve been reading about and pondering the…
Canadians opt for co-operative government
The results from the federal government’s MyDemocracy.ca survey are now in and one clear result has emerged. The survey, mailed out to every household in the country inviting online participation,…
Canadians opt for co-operative government
The results from the federal government’s MyDemocracy.ca survey are now in and one clear result has emerged. The survey, mailed out to every household in the country inviting online participation,…
Open Mandate Letters
The newly elected Government of Canada made its ministerial mandate letters available to the public last week. They are absolutely worth checking out both for their content and as a…
Open for Business, But Not For Your Input
Did you happen to read the town ad on the inside page in the Enterprise Bulletin this weekend? February 6, top of page D7? I’m betting you didn’t because no…
Sunday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your weekend. – Lana Payne highlights the Harper Cons’ culture of hate with just a few recent examples: Veterans. Informed-debate. People’s right to a union and…
Deep thought
I’ve written before about the dangers of government by manufactured crisis – which is all too familiar under the Harper Cons and the Wall Sask Party alike. But in light…
The “Tone at the Top” from two perspectives: Richard Nixon and the AHS
When Richard Nixon told David Frost than an illegal activity is not illegal “when the president does it” he confirmed what we’d all suspected: the “tone at the top” as…