[UPDATED OCTOBER 6, 9]. Does history repeat itself? Well, probably not. Or at least not exactly. But it is still sometimes interesting in any case. Yesterday Stephen Harper’s Conservative minority government officially called four Canadian federal by-elections for November 9 – for two ridings in Quebec (Hochelaga and Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup), and one each in British Columbia […]

BRITANNIA VILLAGE, ONTARIO. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2009. According to some imperfect plan apparently devised some months ago now, this was supposed to be the week when the Ignatieff Liberals led the majority opposition parties of the 40th Parliament of Canada in bringing down the Harper Conservative government. Instead: “The House of Commons voted 144-117 on […]

Today is the 60th anniversary of the official founding of the modern Chinese state, when Mao Zedong (1893—1976) made the now historic declaration: “China has stood up!” Memories of Mao in the 20th century don’t have a lot to do with what is going on in China in the early 21st century. But just who […]

OLD CHINATOWN, DUNDAS STREET, TORONTO. OCTOBER 1, 2009. Today is of course not the actual birthday of the late Mao Zedong (1893—1976). It is only the 60th anniversary of the official founding of the modern People’s Republic – when Mao made the now historic declaration: “China has stood up!” The new Chinese role in the […]