If I were the Mayor of Calgary, an Alberta MLA who goes to Edmonton or a MP for a riding in Alberta, the thing that would terrify me the most is the decreasing cost and improving efficiency of Electric Vehicle (EV) battery back technology. In reading OilPrice.com – a leading
Continue readingTag: Liberal
Writings of J. Todd Ring: Populism, Elitism & Propaganda: The Continuing Failure of Liberals, Progressives & the Left
As I have been saying: accepting the elitist derogatory and vilifying use of the term populism as a synonym for all that is evil in the world is playing into the hands of the plutocrats. Yet, leading figures, groups and media sources among progressives, liberals and the left fell for
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: This Dismal Season
Sorry. I asked around. Couldn’t find anyone who bothered watching last night’s leaders’ debate. Not one. I suppose it has something to do with that “none of the above” attitude that permeates the general election this year. All but two were university grads, the sort who usually pay some heed
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Build a Wall? Canada’s Response to Trump
Donald Trump’s main export to Canada has been a sense of national smugness, that his outrages and absurdities could never find purchase here. But it would be an act of monumental self-deception for Canadians to believe that we are an island set above the rage bubbling across the world.
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Toronto Star: Build a Wall? Canada’s Response to Trump
It would be an act of monumental self-deception for Canadians to believe that our country is an island set above the rage bubbling across the world.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: "A Globe-Spanning Murder-Suicide" I Guess That Sums It Up.
If you’re planning on being around for another two or three decades you’ll be witness to a world like you’ve never known it. What’s in store for you is a darker, more dangerous and, ultimately, dystopian world as nature re-calibrates the biosphere. Talk about death by natural causes only on
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: A Green Wave? No, But Possibly a Green Ripple.
It was just a by-election. Even if the governing party had an outside chance (it didn’t, the Liberal brand out here rarely is competitive) voters “punish” the part in power in by-elections or so goes the claim. This is generally reliable NDP territory. Up my way the Conservatives dominated for
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Instead of Whinging About Boomers, Explain Yourself.
Millennials and Gen-Xers are fond of blaming the Boomer generation for their woes. Cheap talk from people who vote for parties that keep the Canadian petro-state locked into fossil fuels. That means young-ish Conservative supporters, and young-ish Liberal supporters, their NDP counterparts to boot. Don’t complain about your condition, don’t
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ford follows Forrest.
Remember the famous line from the blockbuster film: Forrest Gump? It was “Stupid is as stupid does.” The point was that stupid people keep on doing stupid things because that is what they are. But if the Economic Club of Canada audience gave Ontario premier Doug Ford a standing ovation
Continue readingAkaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism: Advisory: GOPAC Thanks our Outgoing CEO
Serving as CEO of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption was one of the great honours of my life, and I am immensely proud of all we achieved together over the past six years, in every region of the world.
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: NDP Widens Its Base In Final Push To Election Day
A new EKOS poll released today shows the current election in Ontario in a dead heat with the NDP up slightly at 38.4%, PC’s 37.9%, Liberals at 19.1%, and the Greens at 3.3%. There is a lot of volatility with the millennial vote in this poll as the millennials
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: Doug Ford’s Lead Evaporates in Vote Rich 905
A new Ipsos poll shows for the first time the Ontario NDP in the lead. The poll also shows that the NDP have started to chip away at the Tory base in the 905. The NDP are now in a statistical tie with the PC’s in the 905 region, with
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: Ontario PC’s Running The Largest Deficit Projections in Current Platform
Mike Moffatt who is a director an the independent think tank Canada 2020, and an associate professor at the Ivey Business School, has come up with an interesting post comparing the platforms of each party in the Ontario election and how they compare to deficit projections. Moffatt’s deficit projections put
Continue reading52 Ideas: We should reform, amend or change government but we should never attack it.
When I was nineteen, I joined my first political campaign. In some ways, it was odd. For, while, I lived in a house that talked about the problems of the world, a house where the news was avidly watched, I had never thought about joining a political party. I just
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: NDP and PC’s Neck and Neck as Millennials Engage
The latest poll from Abacus shows that the PC’s and NDP are now neck in neck with Ontario voters. The PC’s lead seems to have evaporated, and the progressive vote is moving from the Liberals over to the NDP. The PC campaign has been plagued with controversy over this past
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: Austerity Looms As Parties Refuse To Come Clean on Autism Services in Ontario
(Current Platforms in Ontario’s 2018 Election Puts Province At Risk of a Credit Downgrade) Late Tuesday afternoon Moody’s downgraded the economic outlook for Ontario from stable to negative. In its press release Moody’s cited the recently tabled Liberal budget, and growing spending pressure from all parties that need to be
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: Poll Trend Shows PCs Steady Decline Since Patrick Brown Was Ousted
A new poll from Forum Research shows a downward trend for the Ontario PC’s since the Patrick Brown resigned as party leader in January. It’s been long suspected that the far right social conservative movement in the party is to blame for putting pressure on Brown to resign. The poll
Continue reading52 Ideas: On Fildebrandt: I nominate Fildebrandt for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation 2018 Teddy Awards
For over two decades, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has described what their vision of good public policy should be. One of the best symbols, descriptors, of their view has been the Teddy Awards. The Award is named for a former federal appointee, Ted Weatherill. Mr Weatherill had the unfortunate distinction
Continue reading52 Ideas: Policy over Partisanship
Two decades ago, I was involved with a student newspaper. It was called the Calumetro and it was published by the Calumet College Student Government. It was one of many publications that enhanced the student experience of York University’s Main Campus and it taught me all sorts of things. While
Continue readingMind Bending Politics: Ontario NDP Digs Huge Hole With Millennial Vote Over College Strike
(Andrea Horwath Looks Tone Deaf on Biggest Voting Demographic) The decision by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to order striking college workers back to work was a decision that was based purely on politics geared towards getting the millennial vote ahead of provincial election. Wynne has seemingly backed the Ontario NDP
Continue reading