Archive for June 2011

Democracy in North America, then and now : Bateson, Brigitte DePape, Haislip, Mead, and Michael Moore

Jun 8th, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

[UPDATED JUNE 9, 12]. So US progressive documentarian Michael Moore feels former unreformed Senate of Canada page Brigette DePape’s ejection from the fabled Red Chamber with her ”Stop Harper” stop sign facsimile last Friday was “an iconic moment for Canada.” He goes on: “Moore said a functioning democracy should ‘encourage you to be disrespectful, to […]



What happens to Ontario Liberals this October could be more important for Liberal Party of Canada than Bob Rae?

Jun 6th, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

They don’t take up much space in the 41st Parliament of Canada, which has just begun a very short housekeeping session, before fleeing for the traditional summer break. The future of the once high and mighty federal Liberals after their massacre this past May 2 nonetheless continues to attract attention. Among key current written texts […]



Is Premier Dad Dalton McGuinty getting a bum rap from .. well some allegedly important people?

Jun 4th, 2011 | By | Category: Canadian Provinces

It was not that long ago that even seasoned observers of Ontario politics who did not like Dalton McGuinty were agreeing he was probably close enough for jazz to a “three peat.” He was the likely winner of three straight provincial elections – the Premier Dad who was looking more and more like the very […]



One dim light in the dark forest of Canadian Senate reform .. at least Jean Charest’s Quebec is NOT “objecting to modernizing the Senate”?

Jun 1st, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

[UPDATED]. The Globe and Mail’s online poll on “Is the Conservative Party committed to reforming the Senate?” (38% Yes and 62% No, as of today) could be read as suggesting that only those who voted for Mr. Harper’s party on May 2 still believe in its public commitments on this front. Yet according to John […]