Our resident Ontario historian Randall White had a first swing at the Stephen Harper minority government’s latest prorogation of the Parliament of Canada last week. Since then the issue has been gathering more steam (in at least some old transcontinental railway towns, across our vast treasure-chest of natural and human resources, etc, etc). And Dr. […]
You might say that we will enter the second decade of the 21st century on New Years’ Day 2010. So we should have an inkling of what it’s about by now. Yet there is a pedantic definitional issue right away: “Most people assume that the 21st century starts with 2000, but a vocal minority insists […]
One of the amazing things about YouTube is how you can listen to all kinds of music on it. And whatever else, music is a big part of this holiday season. Here’s our very casual selection of 10 holiday tunes on You Tube 2009: * Angels We Have Heard on High. Based on a traditional […]
TORONTO. DECEMBER 17, 2009. It is hardly surprising when the Toronto Star’s Chantal Hébert explains how “Harper Tories are own worst enemies” – even though: “Only a few weeks ago” they seemed “headed for a triumphant year end.” But when anyone at the National Post asks “How does Harper do it?” – and then gives […]
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009. With Santa just starting to pack his sleigh up at the melting North Pole, only a few will be relieved to read “Ontario passes bill to create HST … Harmonized 13-per-cent tax to take effect July 1.” (Or “HST bill passes, 13% tax starts July 1 … BC expected to follow […]
TORONTO. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2009. Yesterday marked the 172nd anniversary of William Lyon Mackenzie’s ill-fated (and no doubt somewhat comic-operetta) march down Yonge Street in a much earlier incarnation of this city – the height, as it were, of the Upper Canadian Rebellion of 1837. On a perhaps vaguely related but much more recent wave […]
TORONTO, CANADA. NOVEMBER 30, 2009. In this city once known as “the citadel of British sentiment in America,” our current resident Ontario historian Randall White has prepared a short but sweet report on this past weekend’s Commonwealth summit in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. CLICK HERE for the full sweep of his commentary, “Commonwealth’s […]
On Wednesday, November 25, 2009 a jury of his peers convicted Chris Little of Markham, Ontario of the double murder of his ex-wife, Julie Crocker, and Paula Menendez, the ex-wife of Julie Crocker’s lover, radio sportscaster Rick Ralph, on February 12, 2007. The sentence will be officially pronounced today. But it must at least be […]
The broad Canadian public finally caught up with diplomat Richard Colvin’s story about how “Canada Handed Over Afghans for Torture” this past Wednesday, November 18, when he testified before a Canadian House of Commons committee in Ottawa. But the crux of his testimony has been available since the middle of October, when his affidavit for […]
The usual suspects inside the USA today are complaining about President Barack Obama, again. This time it’s over his bowing to the emperor of Japan this past weekend. “‘Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it’s not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one,’ said conservative pundit William […]
