#IdleNoMore: What Do Protesters Want?
Dr. Dawg: The other day, I got into it a bit with John Ivison, who expressed polite disdain for the allegedly “hapless” Chief Theresa Spence—and then admitted that he had…
history
what i’m reading, children’s books edition: # 2
How this series works: I write about one or two older books, offer an my opinion on whether the book will be relevant and accessible to children today, and suggest…
The Mayans, the ecological crisis and the end of the world: a little sanity please
It seems like a lot of people are going to extremes with regards to the Mayan predictions – and I mean the skeptics as well as the fanatics. Some are…
talking radical: a history of canada through the eyes of activists
This the third of the four talks I attended semi-recently. Other recent talks: noah richler, u.s. war resisters, and the militarization of canadian culture, and from greece to chicago to…
Lost Worlds, Lost Words
Moidered. It sounds like something from the Three Stooges. Or maybe something Tony Soprano would say.”I moidered him.” But it actually means “crazed,” according to Samuel Johnson in his famous…
An Atheist Celebrates a Secular Christmas in a Multicultural Canada
So why would a non-Christian celebrate Christmas. Well first of all from a religious point of view Jesus Christ is not just the Christian Messiah but also considered to be…
Romance and Rape in Historical Fiction
How would you write a romantic novel about a historical time-period where the most likely relationship would be at best bordering on rape? Could you write a romantic novel about…
carolyn egan: we will leave no woman behind
On this day of remembrance of women lost to violence, here is Carolyn Egan, a woman I am proud to call friend and comrade, accepting the the Constance E. Hamilton…
what i’m reading: the ghost map by steven johnson
Since quitting my horrible job, I’ve discovered that I actually can read for myself during the school term. I can’t read as much as I’d like to, but then, I…
The Prisoners of Their Own Delusions #nlpoli
Another part of the Premier’s Office assault on reality Monday was a puff piece by Paul McLeod in the Chronicle Herald on Kathy Dunderdale. In some respects, the timing is…
Do grassroots archives have a future? – Exhibition from archive of activist histories
About 30 people gathered in Toronto last night to discuss what many hope will grow into a movement for archiving grassroots histories. The public meeting was organized by Ulli Diemer…
Canadians Enjoy Largest Oil Spill In History
Many British Columbians fear the possible environmental damage of the Northern Gateway pipeline running through their wilderness, yet paradoxically they and all other Canadians not only take pleasure from the…
in mississauga: a people’s history of the war of 1812
The Harper Government has spent nearly $30 million promoting The War of 1812, all part of its overall effort to re-brand Canada as a "warrior nation". History is always worth…
sam gordon, girls playing football, and the last bit of segregation we still tolerate
In case you haven't seen this yet, it's 9-year-old football sensation Sam Gordon, the only girl on her Utah football team. Dave Zirin raises the question: why do we assume…
Tales From a Child of the Enemy
With Remembrance Day (and Veteran’s Day) coming up tomorrow, I find myself drawn back to a book I picked up a couple of years ago. It is a book of…
remembrance day: all the victims of war, not just the ones who did the killing
Richard Jackson:I would wear a red poppy if it was a symbol of remembrance for all the victims of war, and not just the ones who did the killing. By…
remembrance day: not denial and distortion, not spin and propaganda
David Watts: So despite the popular rallying "for King and country," the outbreak of war in 1914 was not a coming together but a coming apart of a European order.…
remembrance day: one man’s view in memory of his father, a veteran
John Bell: When I was a little boy, my brothers and I were rummaging through boxes of old, packed-away stuff in our basement, and came across what we thought was…
When billionaires brawl… (some US election thoughts)
So, the US elects its next President (or re-elects its current one) today. One hopes that our southern cousins avoid the fiascos of 2000 and 2004. As all but the…