As readers may have noticed in my earlier posts, I had the opportunity to attend the Broadbent Institute’s Progress Summit 2015. And as a whole, the summit was well worth attending, featuring a wide range of interesting speakers and topics, a strong turnout including plenty of people whose work is
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Accidental Deliberations: On value assessments
The Great Budget Debate at the Progress Summit of course reflected a thorough clash in values. But there was one note of obvious agreement which makes the conservative position untenable once its implications are drawn out. All four speakers spent plenty of time talking about the fact that some investments
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On structures of convenience
The Progress Summit panel on accountability and transparency has covered the issued of power being consolidated in the hands of the executive, as well as the fact that Stephen Harper’s actions in that respect only reflect a wider pattern. But it’s worth reminding ourselves how that trend is best explained
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Identifying the adversary
Not surprisingly, Charles Taylor’s keynote address and discussion on political inclusion has neatly highlighted both the importance of finding commonalities at the personal level, and the dangers of government fomenting prejudice toward minority groups. But I’d think it’s worth drawing a distinction between the problems being addressed at the personal
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On common ground
The Progress Summit’s panel on First Nations has included plenty of discussion of the need to identify commonalities between First Nation issues and other groups within Canada. And I’d add that there are plenty more opportunities to draw further connections. The recognition that the federal government tried to eradicate aboriginal
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On enduring foundations
The framing panel at the Progress Summit included plenty of ideas as to how the left can shape political debates. But I’ll note that it seemed to miss a couple of related issues. Most notably, there was an almost exclusive focus on reaching out to swing voters rather than framing
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: A seat at the table
Richard Trumka’s address and the subsequent response panel at the Progress Summit have aptly addressed issues in trying to strengthen the grassroots of the labour movement. But Trumka’s focus on trade agreements also raises a related question which may not easily be dealt with at the grassroots level. As I
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Dollar for dollar
Thomas Mulcair’s Progress Summit commitment that an NDP government will redirect the value of a stock option tax loophole toward families in need will surely make for one of the most important moments of a summit directed at developing exactly those types of ideas. So it’s unquestionably important that Mulcair
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