“You can’t get to Heaven on the Yonge Streetcar”
While the song might have had its origin in the U.S. Bible Belt, the guys in our Canadian Air Force barrack seemed to know at least a dozen verses, including…
new
“It is your friends who bring you down.”
That headline was a casual comment by Susan Delacourt of the Toronto Star on Tom Clark’s West Block show on Global last Sunday. She was, of course, talking about politics.…
Practicing polite politics.
If there was a single fixed point of departure from the Harper era to the new Trudeau government, it would be in foreign affairs. The choice of former Liberal Leader…
Is politics really a team sport?
In the Pearson-Trudeau era of Liberal politics in Canada the chief political apparatchik of the times was the later Senator Keith Davey. He was a friend and a mentor. He…
Leave it in the ground says Obama.
President Barack Obama has finally let the shoe drop on the Keystone XL pipeline. His rejection of the partially built pipeline was expected. It is now the answer to many…
Can this be Canada’s Camelot?
They came out into the sunlight from Rideau Hall. They are the 15 women and 16 men who now serve Canada. They sit at the Round Table of Prime Minister…
Are Canada’s Conservatives worth saving?
Is the Conservative Party of Canada figuratively dusting itself off and saying, “We’ll do better next time?” If they are, they should ask themselves some key questions first. The simple…
The New Democrats will not lead us.
If the New Democratic Party (NDP) is expecting democratic renewal to be its saviour, it might have a very long wait. The party’s first problem is that democratic renewal is…
A slippery slope for the Barrie Examiner.
Why do you get the feeling that the Barrie Examiner newspaper is like an over-age Junior-A hockey player due for his last trade? The newspaper currently sports identification of being…
A simple argument for first-past-the-post.
If there is no other reason for first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting it is that your Member of Parliament (MP or other elected person) represents your community, your neighbours and you. This…
Shrug this off Mother Goose!
It seems that Ontario’s ruling Whigs are going to sell off a portion of Hydro One come hell or high water. Ontario voters are hearing of this continued determination after…
Democratic renewal has to start at the top.
If you think the Trudeau Liberals will push democratic renewal very far, you need to learn what politicians mean when they say they will study something. Admittedly the Liberals never…
The small thinking of the railroader.
It was a long time ago. When heading to Montreal for an important luncheon, we heard the Toronto airport had problems and instead of going west to the airport, the…
The Social Democratic opportunity.
New Democratic Party members have a rare opportunity over the next four years to create a political party for Canada’s future. They are uniquely based to change the NDP into…
Bobbsey Baird is out; Is Bobbsey Kinney in?
This might be a last chance to write about the Bobbsey Twins of Canadian Conservatism. They are sure breaking up that old gang. Without the Hair to crack the whip…
A return to the boredom.
Tom Clark’s West Block show on Global went back to its half-hour format last Sunday. Tom was away and it was a return to boredom. If we really wanted to…
Where have all the pipelines gone?
Dan Gagnier of Justin Trudeau’s election team was the only person in the federal election campaign without the political smarts to stay away from pipeline questions. And the TransCanada people…
A simple solution for Canada’s Senate.
During the honeymoon that our new Prime Minister Trudeau deserves, we should all try to be helpful. It is in this spirit of cooperation that Babel-on-the-Bay would like to extend…
Go big or go home.
It hardly matters what level of politics you are contesting. “Go big or go home” are the watch words. The entire country witnessed the scenario through the recent federal campaign…
Welcome to FPTP-Central.
It was never of our choosing. First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) voting was just something we were used to. We never thought we would be an advocate for it. It was more of…