The Day Stephen Harper Lost His Economic Crown
The other day I ran a video of Joe Oliver literally running for cover, so he didn't have to answer questions from reporters about the state of the economy. And…
Joe Oliver
The Day Stephen Harper Was Exposed As a Con Artist
For weeks Stephen Harper and his grubby flying monkey Joe Oliver, have been trying to fool Canadians into thinking that they had balanced the budget for the first time in…
Canada’s new recession and the push for alternatives
The Bank of Canada today cut its benchmark interest rate today to nearly record lows, now just 0.5%. In the face of an oil shock and other weakness, monetary policy…
The alternative to economic fatalism
The Bank of Canada today cut its benchmark interest rate today to nearly record lows, now just 0.5%. In the face of an oil shock and other weakness, monetary policy…
How the State of the Economy Could Kill the Harper Cons
As you know Stephen Harper is now engaged in a delicate balancing act, or caught in a compromising position.He's trying to claim that when the economy was doing well it…
Why It’s Too Risky To Let The Harper Cons Remain in Office
Well there was Stephen Harper last night, at the opening ceremony of the Pan Am Games with his hapless stooge Joe Oliver at his side.Both of them trying to look…
Stephen Harper and the Disappearing Budget Surplus
Well he's still out there with his trusty sidekick the rhinestone Cowboy Jason Kenney, trying to put a brave face on the situation.Still serving pancakes to the faithful, and judging…
Joe Oliver, Stephen Harper, and the Great Con Economic Meltdown
As you know, I believe that we need a Con like Joe Oliver as our Finance Minister at a time like this one, like a drowning man needs an anvil.…
The definition of insanity
Shorter Joe Oliver: We’re fully prepared to blame any recession on Canada’s exposure to international instability. But as proof of our economic competence, we’re planning to spend billions in higher…
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Maude Barlow and Sujata Dey point out that the job promises linked to CETA and other new trade agreements are no more…
Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Dylan Matthews reports on Joseph Stiglitz’ work in studying what kinds of systemic changes (in addition to more redistribution of wealth) are needed…
Stephen Harper and the Great Con Pension Scam
You might think that Stephen Harper has done enough to hurt poor seniors. By making them wait until they are sixty-seven to receive Old Age Security payments. And treating our…
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Joseph Stiglitz laments the corporate takeover of policy-making processes, including by imposing trade rules which impede democratic decision-making: The real intent of…
One would think…
One would think that the question “How many jobs will be created by the federal budget?” when asked of the bloody finance minister who had just delivered the thing would…
Two Tory budgets for the price of one.
It was Ontario’s turn this past week. How often do we get two Tory budgets at a time? On Tuesday, we had a laugh at federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver’s…
Budget 2015: A tale of austerity past, present and future
Cross-posted from my blog. I’ve been banging the drum of “slow-motion austerity” for a while and little in the 2015 federal budget suggests any change from the pattern of death…
Oliver’s Gaffe
I read on Twitter that some pundits and journalists are saying that we should ignore or, if not ignore, then now let go of Finance Minister Joe Oliver’s “gaffe” about…
Thursday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Trish Hennessy writes that the Cons’ budget is based purely on wishful thinking and deliberate denial rather than any rational plan. PressProgress…
Inconvenient comments from Conservatives on Budgets
Inconvenient comment #1: Inconvenient Comment #2: Former Conservative Finance Minister – the late Jim Flaherty – ruled…
Less Than Meets The Eye
So much for fiscal prudence. So long credibility. Those words, written By Scott Clark and Peter DeVries, succinctly summarize the illusions, misdirection and magical thinking that Joe Oliver’s budget is…