By guest blogger Nicole Walyshyn As the Royal 22nd Regiment — the Van Doos — marched off to Afghanistan, we heard the usual enjoinders that, whether or not we supported the war, we should “support the troops.” Similarly, 10 days before, as the bodies of six Canadian soldiers were returned home, Prime Minister Harper advised […]
Still gobsmacked by the G8
So for the past three weeks I have been walking around in a bit of a daze wondering where the hell we go from here. I am old enough to remember the hippies working themselves into hysterics about how the rise of multinational corporations would eventually erode the power of government. That day came and […]
Manufacturing dissent
Two images that hit the media in the last two weeks really creeped me out: Hugo Chavez shutting down an opposition television station in Venezuela and a scene of Shia schoolgirls in Sadr City, a Shia suburb of Baghdad, learning English by rote. There is a lot to like about Hugo Chavez. He is a […]
Thatcher with pants on?
I am not a big fan of Nicolas Sarkozy. I wish instead the socialist candidate in France had won, as I cannot fathom how a conservative will be able to address the severe social problems that are at the root of France’s current problems. Without spending money, how can France address the unsafe housing and […]
Send the Conservatives to their room
There is an interesting comparison to be made between the last minority government (Liberal) and this one (Conservative). Under the Liberal minority, the New Democrats got a lot of governing done. Work that benefitted the public, including the least lucky among us, was passed more promptly than usual because if the Liberals did not play […]
The Feds’ green plan (speaking of noxious emissions)
The federal government’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions is a total lie. In fact, it is a plan to allow us to increase emissions while pretending to ourselves that we are not. How that works: the proposed regulations call for intensity-based cuts. This means that emissions will be measured against units of production. When […]
In praise of bureaucrats
When I think of bureaucrats, I tend to envision boring, pear-shaped people who sit at desks thinking up new rules to annoy me. Personally, I prefer to hang out with more dynamic people, such as action heroes. They’re simply more fun. Unless you are in Nigeria, and trying to exercise your right to vote. Elections, […]
Harper going down?
By guest blogger Nicole Walyshyn Just how much trouble is Stephen Harper in in Alberta? To judge by a recent public meeting in Calgary, mucho. Calgary Southeast MP and Harper very-right-hand man Jason Kenney held a forum for his constituents Saturday night, and it turned out a lot of them are still extremely browned-off about […]
Instead of threats, how about offering Iran some dignity?
At this point in the episode, the political oneupmanship almost concluded, we should take note of what the Iranian regime was looking for when they arrested 15 Royal Navy personnel and held them for 13 days. An international incident? A war? Probably not. Instead, they were likely looking to be recognized as a regime that […]
Enough of Israeli spin
Let me be clear: I am not anti-Semitic. Let me be very clear: I am completely opposed to the current state of Israel. It is not democratic. It is oppressive. It is criminal, both morally and in its refusal to comply with United Nations resolutions. Let us all be very, very clear: speaking strongly against […]
