Plague Update: SK Party’s Predictable Conservative Hypocrisy
One of my least favourite Sask Party cabinet ministers (for him closing STC Bus service) is in hot water after going to California during the pandemic. He’s legally required to…
Uncategorized
Crapping the COVID Bed
Yesterdays story around Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips deciding to flaunt all of the rules regarding COVID, lockdowns and travel has touched a nerve with many Canadians, and for very…
Weather Alert Dismantling
Write your MP and the weather office now please. you’re not going to like this but Environment Canada has decided to break the Weather Alert feature for the entire Toronto…
Plague Update: Good News, Bad News
First, the bad news. The Conservatives in power in Alberta and Ontario are just the worst hypocrites. They told people not to travel, which was the correct advice, but then…
“Do As I Say, Not As I Do”
2020 is close to an end and we’ve been going through one of the hardest years that we’ve faced in generations. We’ve seen a global pandemic hit us, hurting not…
Use the war room to educate Albertans?
In December 2019, the Alberta government launched the Canadian Energy Centre. The new UCP government had fulfilled its election promise of an energy “war room” that would “fight fake news…
Talking Party Election Narratives & Ontario’s COVID Lockdown with Rob Snow
Wednesday I joined Rob Snow on CityNews Ottawa radio’s “The Rob Snow Show” along with Andrew Brander for the “Political Fix” panel. We talked the narrative that each party will…
Plague Update: Ford’s Failings Match Every Conservative Province
Like many Conservative run provinces, Ontario is facing a slow motion disaster in the second wave. The stalwart “Resistance” Premiers, opposed to a carbon tax, also show their disdain for…
The ballad of the headless elf
Bloggers note: This is a reprint – or whatever you call this – of a column I wrote a couple of years back for Edmonton Prime Times. I liked it,…
Conservatives and the working class
During the 2019 provincial election UCP leader Jason Kenney rambled about Alberta in a big blue pickup truck for all the world like a toiler in the oil fields. The…
Covid Journal, December 22, 2020
December 21, Winter Solstice The darkest day of the longest year has finally passed. December 21 is the traditional ‘Winter Solstice’ night, where in the northern hemisphere, the number of…
Grading the Leaders
2020 is thankfully coming to a close. This year has been hard for so many, with one bad thing after another happening. It’s been a year that pretty much everyone…
Talking Ontario’s new COVID-19 Lockdown with Kristy Cameron
Yesterday I joined Kristy Cameron on CFRA’s “Ottawa Now” along with Kate Harrison & Lindsay Maskell. We talked about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement of Ontario’s new COVID-19 lockdown, how…
Parsing Alberta’s oil industry
One could divide Alberta up in various ways. First, as in most provinces and elsewhere, there is town and country, the old story of liberal cities and socially conservative hinterlands.…
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
The politicians are on break (thank god) and so are we. The Soapbox family and Rudy the rescue dog would like to wish you and yours a peaceful and happy…
Conservatives and the elites
New Conservative chief, Erin O’Toole, has recently been singing a popular populist tune. He is greatly concerned about the “elites.” “These elites have only one set of values centred on…
The truth about Reconciliation: it’s really not that complicated
Reconciliation with First Nations has been described as many things: complex, difficult, and multifaceted. I’ve even seen it described as a “shitshow.” But is this really the case? The post…
Talking COVID-19 Vaccination Photo-Ops & Federal Carbon Tax Changes with Rob Snow
Today I joined Rob Snow on CityNews Ottawa radio’s “The Rob Snow Show” along with Jason Lietaer for the “Political Fix” panel. We talked the number of COVID-19 Vaccination photo-ops…
Plague Update: Good News, and Bad News
The first vaccine has been delivered to the first Saskatchewanian healthcare worker. Bad news: The first case of wild mink COVID-19 has been confirmed in the world: First case of…
A Glimpse of the Real O’Toole
In my time working on Parliament Hill there are certain moments and days that will stick with me forever, no matter what. I was blessed to witness more than a…