I will be taking a break and will consider a return with a new format in the new year. We have covered a lot of ground over the years and hope to return next year Read more…
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In-Sights: R.I.P. Rafe Mair
Four years ago, I wrote about Dave Hardon, a former friend and business partner who was an important pioneer in British Columbia’s film and video industry. The article finished with: I used to joke about life’s stages. First, your friends start to get married. Next, your friends begin to have
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Obituary: ‘Old Leather Lungs,’ one of B.C.’s most colourful politicians
Old time Socred MLA and Cabinet Minister Don Phillips was from another era, a time of flamboyant speakers and keen as hell debaters. On the Socred side, Phillips, Rafe Mair and Grace McCarthy would Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: No puppies, no kittens, no coverage
Norm Farrell digs into today’s shallow corporate media coverage and compares it with some of the real broadcasters and news reporters that used to cover the issues of the day. Originally published in Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Canada’s Greens have been too cautious, too polite, without achieving a significant effect on environmental policies.
The Green Party is in serious danger of tanking, and it is most certainly not because they have been too green, or too radical. Canadians need and want a Green Party, a progressive force cohesive Read more…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.- Mariana Mazzucato discusses (JPG) the importance of an intelligent industrial strategy. And David Kotz argues that neoliberal capitalism has reached the point where there’s no plausible path toward sustainable …
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rafe: NDP’s LNG reversal is a game-changer for BC election
The up and down world of politics has visited British Columbia driven to a large extent by the LNG plays of Premier Christy Clark and the evolving positions or near positions of NDP leader John Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rafe: Elizabeth May and the Greens should double down on BC
Well our old friend Rafe Mair has offered up a diversion, not entirely unwelcome, but highly unlikely. He does make a good point though, for many there is nobody to vote for. Now that has Read more…
Continue readingIn-Sights: Erik Andersen on BC Hydro debt
This devastating information from Erik Andersen, an economist and widely recognized expert on government and Crown Corporation financing:You will note the unbelievable increase in BC Hydro’s debt since Christy Clark took over, due largely to payoffs to…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rafe: By backing LNG, the Horgan NDP lost election before it began
The following is the first in a two-part opinion letter series. In a sequel letter, Common Sense Canadian publisher Damien Gillis will do what he rarely does: disagree with his old pal and partner, Rafe Read more…
Continue readingIn-Sights: Too much cynicism?
Rafe Mair distributes commentary through Rafe Mair Online, The Common Sense Canadian, The Tyee and other places. One of those is an email distribution list.I appreciate almost anything Rafe creates because it is always worth time to read and consider. …
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Cowichan Conversations Takes A Break
Hi Folks Cowichan Conversations has been online for over 5 years now and it is time for a break. I have enjoyed covering wide ranging issues that have been of interest and importance in the Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: RAFE: Blatant Media Bias -Vancouver Province Partners With Woodfibre LNG
Rafe Mair As you know, the Vancouver Province is an official partner of Resort Works, who are essentially the public relations arm of Woodfibre LNG. That means, of course, that the Vancouver Sun and Read more…
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rafe–The reason why the NDP cannot win the next election is because of three little letters, LNG
Richard Hughes–Cowichan Conversations Cowichan Conversations is pleased to feature this post from Rafe Mair. Rafe has had a long and distinguished career that includes time as an MLA, Cabinet Minister and later as an award winning broadcaster, talk show host, successful author, and blogger. Rafe is all about politics and
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rafe: Joe Oliver says fracking is safe, so it must be
Rafe has seen the light! Nice to see that Rafe Mair has come to his senses and is now backing the corporate toadies, aka the Harper Cabinet and the light headed Finance Minister Joe Oliver aka ‘Chuckles’. They are all joyfully promoting LNG and spending our money doing it. It is a
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Tessa Jowell writes that we need to treat inequality as a disease which can be cured through effective public policy, but the Star points out that the Cons have instead gone out of their way to make it worse. Fair Vote Canada
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Emma Woolley discusses how homelessness developed into a social problem in Canada in large part through public neglect. Judy Haiven is the latest to emphasize that charity is no substitute for a functional society when it comes to meeting people’s basic needs. And
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Monica Potts responds to the big lie that increasing inequality and perpetual poverty are necessary – or indeed remotely beneficial – as elements of economic growth: Hanauer and Piketty inspire these broadsides because they are challenging, in a far more aggressive way than
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Rafe asks: Is ‘lying’ too strong a word for Clark Libs’ LNG fibs?
Rafe Mair has struggled with our Premier’s lack of ‘truthiness’ when it comes to the straight goods on LNG. If it were not so serious it would be downright hilarious. Most are not prepared, especially on big issues, to face fabricated stories from the make believe ‘Christy Clark World
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Super Industrial BC
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes-Positively Political Rafe Mair is back in the saddle and zoning in on issues of significance to all British Columbians. Mair is calling out to BC NDP Leader John Horgan to stand up to the powerful oil and gas corporations, in part because if he won’t, who will?
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