Anglo-Franco-German ménage à trois: A Federal Europe or a confederation of Nation States?
The European Union A struggle for the future of Europe is being waged right now by the politicians of the EU. Most of the fighting is being done by the…
political reform
US Elections: What about the House? And the Senate? The news is not good
House of Representatives – No change In 2012 the control of all three of the political bodies is up for grabs: the Presidency, the House of Representatives, and the Senate.…
Justin Trudeau, heed the advice of Dan Gardner from The Ottawa Citizen
Dan Gardner’s challenge to Trudeau Dan Gardner has some very valid advice for any government led by Justin Trudeau – put our money where our mouth is when it comes…
Justin Trudeau: Two core principles in his launching speech
There were a few pointers in his speech about his way forward, and where he wants to take the party. Two critical ones leaped out at me. The first is…
Justin Trudeau: A Political Tinkerer or a man with a Bold Vision for Canada?
Lawrence Martin in today’s Globe & Mail raises a very important question about what Justin Trudeau might do to change the system: Idealism is the currency of the young and,…
How Justin Trudeau can leave a legacy as great as his father did
Ask anybody about Pierre Trudeau’s major contributions to Canadian politics, and you will find many who will point to the repatriation of the constitution, and the enshrinement in our new…
Justin Trudeau & The Ibbitson Question: Lessons from George Lakoff
John Ibbitson questions whether Canadians will follow the values that Justin Trudeau represents, and concludes that there is much mushiness which bodes ill for the Liberal Party under the younger…
Open Letter to Paul Adams about Electoral Cooperation
Paul Adams has done us all a service by commenting on the wishes of the majority of voters in recent elections, and is now fending off attacks from right wing…
Cost of a botched coalition: A poll shows LibDem leader Clegg at MINUS 2%
How low can you go? If you are a politician of a party that traditionally has won around 20% of the votes cast in election after election, but with your…
Are pollsters going to muddle the cooperation issue yet again?
It seems that our pollsters have difficulty in appreciating that voters are sophisticated, and appreciate the differences between the choices facing them. Voters understand the differences between (1) an outright…
The New Era: The Cullen Plan is alive, and a coalition government probable
Nathan Cullen broke with other senior Dippers during the NDP leadership race to openly espouse the concept of electoral cooperation between the NDP, the LPC and the Greens. The aim…
‘Macho Man’ Mulcair displaces Stephen ‘The Warrior’ Harper amongst men
The NDP’s steady progress in acceptability is ongoing, and the Harper Conservatives must be wondering what on earth they can do to smear Thomas Mulcair and the socialist hordes. Despite…
One good reason to vote NDP in 2015
Perhaps Leonard Cohen has something to say to those Canadians who look with dismay upon our broken, undemocratic, first past the post electoral system, and wonder that a man who…
Bonus seats: Maybe our Parliament should use this Greek innovation?
I was surprised to read this today about the Greek ruleswhich gift an extra lift to the party that wins the most seats in an elec tion: ND came first…
My shortlist for permanent leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
Speculation swirls around Bob Rae and his rumoured resignation as interim leader in order to throw his hat into the ring for permanent leader. Journalists give their views of which…
Democratic deficit: Undemocratic result in Alberta penalizes Wildrose Party
Hot from the press, we have yet another example of how the archaic, undemocratic First Past The Post (FPTP) system of selecting representatives of our Parliament and Legislatures leads to…
The Liberal Party and the role of Quebec in Canada: Bob Rae’s Views
With the possibility that Bob Rae will soon step down as interim leader of the LPC and so trigger the beginning of the race to select the next permanent leader…
Ontario NDP’s Horwath misses her chance
The Ontario NDP have the balance of power in that province, with the PCs cancelling themselves out of the equation by refusing to cut a deal with the provinical Liberals.…
Alberta NDP should bargain for modified proportional representation
As their price for propping up either the Wildrose or PC parties. The race has tightened, with 308indicating neither the PCs nor the Wildroses gaining a majority of seats, and…
The C-word: Refreshing honesty from NDP’s Nathan Cullen
Remember when Michael Ignatieff turned himself into a pretzel while trying to respond to the simple question whether he would or would not enter into a coalition with other parties…