I think we could all use a $1.6B gift
August 30, 2011 | 3 Comments
Did you hear the one about the province that decided to improve its taxation system, got $1.6B to help, then decided, ‘screw it, who needs this’? Yeah, now some of them think they should get to keep the money: The province will have to spend $55 million to reopen and staff a PST bureaucracy. And [...]
Life after Jack
August 29, 2011 | 3 Comments
See articles by Linda Diebel, Stephen Maher and Jeremy Torobin. Who would have thought a hot contender for the Honourable Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition is another bilingual guy from Toronto and not a Member of Parliament? I have a strange feeling about the NDP’s next leadership race. I predict it will run very [...]
All the Premier’s Men
August 26, 2011 | 1 Comment
There’s nothing special about being a reporter. I know a few of our contributors, and a few of my friends, might not like those words, by I’m sure they know it. There are many special reporters. Many people who work in journalism make a wonderful addition to Canadian society. They inform us, entertain us, challenge [...]
Moonlighting
August 25, 2011 | No Comments
I have a post up at The League of Ordinary Gentlemen about the death of Jack Layton and the effect it has had on Canada. With this post, I was writing for an American audience in an attempt to give them a bit of an idea of what’s going on up here. Regardless of his politics, [...]
Love’s Legacy
August 23, 2011 | 2 Comments
It is too soon to determine what Jack Layton’s legacy will be. Those far more entrenched in the study of the whims of Canadian voters will have far better insight into this than I. Will the NDP’s momentum spring further electoral success? Will the Canadian voter veer to the left? Will Canada’s left wing turn [...]
Jack Layton: The True Measure of a Man
August 23, 2011 | No Comments
For a brief moment, he had me. Jack Layton was an extraordinary talent. I say this based on my one experience I had with him. I was working for a lobby group during a brief sojourn from the media. Our group, which lobbies on behalf of Canada’s municipalities, was holding its annual conference in St. [...]
For Jack
August 22, 2011 | No Comments
I’ve been absent around these parts of late. Lots going on: a new business started a first child on the way. But I’ve found myself shaken from life’s tunnel vision by the passing of Jack Layton. I’ve never cried openly like this over a politician before. Such is the sincereity that Jack often evoked as a [...]
RIP, Jack
August 22, 2011 | No Comments
It’s a sad day in Canadian politics. Jack Layton has died. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
Racial Profiling in Ottawa
August 20, 2011 | 2 Comments
This past week, Ottawa Police Services issued new guidelines on the use of racial profiling. The key takeaway: As a result, Ottawa police officers now cannot pull over a car, conduct an investigation or arrest a person unless they have “reasonable grounds to suspect that the individual has committed or is committing a crime.” Kinda [...]
A Response from MP Joy Smith
August 18, 2011 | 2 Comments
Recently, I commented (critically) on legislation proposed by Joy Smith (MP, Kildonan – St. Paul) that takes aim at prostitution. Ms. Smith has been kind enough to respond. Her response, unedited, is below. Thank you for contacting me regarding the issue of prostitution and your posting on the Canadian Council for Democracy website. I appreciate the opportunity to respond. The [...]