For all you environmentally conscious types who believe the problems facing our rapidly weakening ecosystem can be tackled by government regulation and coordination, check out this piece from the CBC. It streamlines the deluge of information we have been getting from our federal parties into a simple assessment of what their environmental proposals are, how […] More »
We’re in the dog days of the election. The televised debates won’t start until tonight (French Language: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EDT on CBC Newsworld, Radio-Canada, CTV Newsnet and TVA and the English language goes tomorrow, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.EDT) and most parties already released their policy platforms earlier in the week. So […] More »
Back on Friday, Harper announced that if we elected him back into power, he would have Canada stop exporting bitumen to countries that have lower greenhouse-gas emission standards than we do. At first listen, this sounds like a great policy from an environmental perspective-we’ll stop selling our oil to nasty countries that pollute a lot […] More »
This weekend’s Trinity-Spadina federal candidates debate in Kensington Market was, at first, like one of those earnestly quirky but kind of lame dinner parties where the host insists you wear a toga and play Headbandz and which, for one reason or another, you feel obligated to attend. But despite the cheese, (like swearing allegiance to […] More »
We often use the old left-right spectrum while describing political sympathies. You are on the right if you favour the free market, limited government intervention, and, often, social conservatism. You are on the left if you favour economic safety nets, or progressivism, and social inclusiveness. Simple. Neat. Inadequate. The Political Compass tries to lend us […] More »
With just over two weeks left in the race, Jack Layton and the New Democrats finally released their party platform yesterday, and along with it came a pledge from Layton to end poverty in Canada within the next 12 years, as reported by the Toronto Star. The platform is rich with hot button issues like […] More »
CLAUDE WILLIAM GENEST GREETS ELIZABETH MAY Elizabeth May and her train made a quick stop in Montreal today. The Green Party leader greeted about 60 supporters and began her brief address to the crowd in French. (I, and many other Quebeckers I think have been dreading hearing May stumble along in the upcoming French debate, […] More »
According to CBC.ca, New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton will be in Vancouver today to announce his plans for a universal prescription drug plan for Canadians who pay more than $1,500 in drug costs each year. The announcement came about a week after a study by Wyatt Health ranked Canada 17th out of 18 OECD […] More »
Sorry to be so late with today’s blog entry but I was just so exhausted from attending last night’s taxpayer-subsidized arts gala that I fell asleep in my couture gown and didn’t awaken until after noon. Then it was time for me to review my social obligations for the upcoming week. As usual, my schedule […] More »
Today marks Day 19 of the federal election. It’s Hump Day. There are 19 days left until we (well, some of us) vote on October 14th. And like the Wednesday mid-week blahs that some people experience, I’ve been feeling less enthusiastic about the election this week. Some might say that things are just heating up […] More »
In this election, and in most others, strong words are common and as plentiful as the air we breathe. Stephane Dion has been pegged an effete, weak-chinned, intellectual; Jack Layton, a crude Barack Obama imitation; and Stephen Harper, stone-hearted and disengaged. Well now Harper can add “genocidal” to the list. Dr. Julio Montaner, a researcher […] More »