What is so different about teaching?
June 10, 2013 | No Comments
The Government of Ontario is making changes to teachers college. No longer will it be one year; it has been expanded from lasting two semesters to four. This means that students will have to pay twice as much and stay in teachers college twice as long for the privilege of teaching in Ontario’s schools. Of [...]
Duffy and Wallin, a rhyming couplet
June 8, 2013 | No Comments
Karma’s a bitch… or so they say. Stephen Harper was a promising leader when he took over the nascent Conservative Party. It had been so long since we had a federal Tory leader that was worth much excitement (jet-ski fetishists, aside). You should always know that you’re going to be disappointed by politicians, but that [...]
Free trade and why the Ontario Tories still can’t be taken seriously
June 7, 2013 | No Comments
Bad habits die hard. The benefits of open trade are well established in economic history, practical application and Canadian history. The debate these days is never about implementing free trade; it’s just a discussion about how free our trade should be. Luckily (for those of you who can’t stand the indignity of an upright windmill), the Progressive [...]
I Support Mike Duffy
May 24, 2013 | No Comments
And I want him to remain a Senator for years and years and years. Don’t get me wrong; this whole affair is an insult and embarrassment to Canada, but the problem here is not Mike Duffy; it’s not Nigel Wright; and it’s not Pamela Wallin. The problem is our Senate. It’s a rotten institution. It’s [...]
The Bigotry of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
May 8, 2013 | 5 Comments
Is there any more annoying chatter than two people arguing about how to fix something that is, by design, fundamentally broken? That’s what we have been subjected to recently with all the arguments about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. For those not familiar the TFWP allows Canadian employers to import non-Canadian workers. These privileged few [...]
Labour Issues in the News
May 1, 2013 | No Comments
It’s May Day, so what better time to go over some labour issues that are currently making news? What’s the value of Peter Mansbridge? The Tories have made the decision that Crown Corporations need a new strategy when dealing with upcoming collective bargaining (contracts will be ending in 2015). The government will be taking a [...]
Special Treatment
April 22, 2013 | 2 Comments
The current government has experienced some bad press regarding the treatment of soldiers recently. First, there was the heretical notion that the danger pay for conducting training programs need not be as high as the danger pay received for fighting on the front lines. Don’t worry, the Tories stepped in and slapped down the rogue [...]
Vigilantes and Mistaken Identity
April 19, 2013 | No Comments
There’s an interesting case going on right now in Toronto. A man is on trial for assault because, among other things, he threw spice at the alleged victim. As much as the spice angle makes this attention-grabbing, the case itself is quite interesting, as it brings together issues of self-defense, vigilantism and the fallibility of [...]
I Need A Drink
April 15, 2013 | 2 Comments
Maybe it would be for the best if LCBO employees carried through on their recent strike vote and walked out. Maybe that would bring some sanity to Ontario’s liquor laws, and a bit more balance to its labour laws. I would imagine any strike would put a lot of pressure on the provincial government to allow [...]
Stompin’ Tom, RIP
March 6, 2013 | No Comments
Canadain music icon Stompin’ Tom Connors passed away Wednesday at the age of 77. His contribution to the Canadian identity cannot be understated. His appeal spanned time zones and generations; he was loved across the country by fans of all ages. Rest in peace, Stompin’ Tom.