Democracy Watch Logo Recently I learned that an organization called Democracy Watch was going to sue the New Brunswick government over its decision to call an early election back in September. Now, suing anyone is risky but more so when that organization has limitless funds to mount a defence. So if nothing else I commend their bravery. Sadly, the bravery has a
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Alberta Politics: Bill 30, the UCP’s health care omnibus bill, is bad, but not as bad as it could have been
The two most striking features of the health care omnibus bill introduced yesterday by the United Conservative Party are that it opens the door to a higher degree of privatization and two-tier health care and escalates Health Minister Tyler Shandro’s feud with the Alberta Medical Association. Neither is a positive
Continue readingWar Rooms, Secrecy and a Little Patronage—Democracy in Alberta
Former journalist and conservative lobbyist Tom Olsen was the UCP candidate in my riding of Calgary-Buffalo in this spring’s Alberta election. Tom lost to Joe Ceci of the NDP, but his loss was only temporary. Recently it turned into a handsome reward. He was named by Energy Minister Sonya Savage
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Kenneth Rogoff writes about the dangers of presuming that economic growth (at least in stock markets if not wages) can withstand political upheaval. Marco Chown Oved reports on the strong support for Democracy Watch’s petition to raise corporate taxes and close loopholes. Rajeshni
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Wasteful taxpayer-funded propaganda must stop, Harper told
Independent watchdog Democracy Watch calls on the Auditor General to audit the Conservatives ads, and on Harper to stop the taxpayer-funded propaganda. The post Wasteful taxpayer-funded propaganda must stop, Harper told appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Let The Sun Shine
Like the vampires of fiction who cling to the darkness as they carry out their nefarious, life-depleting ravages on their prey, the Harper regime best operates in the dark, away from the light of public scrutiny as it continues to suck the vitality out of our democracy. (Sorry for the
Continue readingTHE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE: Democracy Watch files integrity complaint against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford
National watchdog organization Democracy Watch has filed a complaint with the Toronto Integrity Commissioner about inside lobbying by Rob Ford and Doug Ford on behalf of companies with ties to their family company. The post Democracy Watch files integrity complaint against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford appeared first on THE CANADIAN
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Paul Krugman compares the U.S.’ longtime recognition that concentrated wealth can do massive social harm to the Republicans’ recent efforts to claim that raising any revenue from the rich is somehow un-American: The truth is that, in the early 20th century, many leading
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: New column day
Here, featuring my suggestion to minimize the damage done by the Senate even if constitutional change isn’t on the table. The column was intended largely to respond to the camp whose every reaction to Senate issues is to declare there’s nothing we can do but put up with the status
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive | News & Analysis: Canada’s Information Commissioner to probe Harper’s muzzling of scientists
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: Canada’s Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault has acceded to a request by the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria and Democracy Watch to investigate the Harper government’s muzzling of federal scientists, says a report in the Toronto Star. The request had asked her office to investigate “systematic efforts
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading.- Lawrence Martin’s take on Robocon doesn’t offer much by way of new information, but nicely sums up exactly what deliberate vote suppression and electoral fraud should mean for a governing party:At issue here is …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Democracy Watch’s Indictment of Harper Government Hypocrisy
The following concise indictment of Harper corruption and hypocrisy says a great deal, doesn’t it? PM’s ex-aide charged with fraud, July 28 The federal Conservatives responded to the influence-peddling charges that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s former adviser Bruce Carson is facing by with this statement: “Any individual who doesn’t respect
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Elections Canada keeps rulings secret on 2,982 complaints since 1997
Federal politicians continue to fail to require disclosure of key information to ensure the Canada Elections Act is enforced fairly and effectively OTTAWA, April 16, 2012 – Today, Democracy Watch released its analysis of Elections Canada’s enforcement of the Canada Elections … Continue reading →
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: Three Part Series: What progressive groups must do to defeat, or stymie, the Harper regime
Canada’s progressive community needs to make some significant changes if it hopes to slow down the assault being carried out on the country by Stephen Harper’s Conservatives and their right-wing allies. The observations and suggestions I will make in this three-part series are based on what I was able
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: The big robo-calling question: will anyone go to jail?
Two important questions arise concerning the robo-calling scandal: Good investigative journalism could break this affair wide open, but will the owners of the Harper-friendly corporate media allow their journalists to go beyond normal reporting and do the hard work necessary to get to the very bottom of this dark story?
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