Posts Tagged ‘ Canadian republic ’

Last days of British empire in Argentina .. and Canada too?

Jun 22nd, 2012 | By | Category: Canadian Republic

Current Argentine president Cristina Kirchner, widow of former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner, is viewed by many observers of such things as one of the “Hottest Female World Leaders” extant. So you might think that when she and UK Prime Minister David Cameron bumped into each other at the G20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, earlier […]



Is the monarchy mystique really reviving in Canada .. or was Ricky Gervais just right about Kate and Kim?

Apr 30th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

This past Friday Canada’s self-confessed national newspaper revealed that “Britain’s Prince William and his wife Catherine will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Sunday … Intolerable media intrusion was cited by many sources as the reason the couple broke up in 2007, but they soon got back together and married in a global ceremony […]



“A great day for Canada” .. the common compensations of living in a marginal democracy, at the edge of the wilderness

Mar 7th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

“Today,” my wife remarked as we were getting up, “is the original ‘great day for Canada.’” Having acquired much familiarity with our nuclear family legends, I knew what she meant. But I asked the obvious dumb question anyway: “You mean,” I said, “that this is your grandfather’s birthday?” (My knowledge of the legends  does not […]



The setting sun: Greg Barns and Henry Pill on the British monarch as head of state in Australia, Canada, and Jamaica

Feb 13th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

Stephen Harper’s new passion for restoring the British monarchy to the kind of position it enjoyed in Canada before the Second World War may be impressing a few people in other parts of the global village today. But others who watch Canadian current events remain unconvinced. On Saturday, February 4, 2012, eg, Greg Barns and […]



Liberals vote to keep monarchy .. and lose some current and future supporters (present company not excepted)!

Jan 15th, 2012 | By | Category: In Brief

In a number of respects the Liberal Party of Canada biennial convention in Ottawa this weekend has been a surprising success. It was, eg, attended by some 3,200 delegates – considerably more than expected. As Jane Taber has also reported: “The party had wanted to show it can reinvent itself by becoming more open. It […]



If step-by-step reform is good for the Senate, why not the monarchy too?

Jan 6th, 2012 | By | Category: Canadian Republic

At their biennial convention next weekend the federal Liberals will be debating a policy resolution on the Canadian future of the British monarchy, at the democratic reforming behest of the Young Liberals of Canada.. The resolution is officially known as “114. Canadian Identity in the 21st Century.” Its operative section reads: “BE IT RESOLVED that […]



Best of counterweights 2011 D : our top 10 issues today, 2009-2011 .. and why is Canada only 23rd happiest in world?

Dec 30th, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

If Google Analytics is to be believed – and it no doubt is, in some significant enough degree – the majority of visitors to this site arrive via “Search Engines,” looking for information on specific issues or subjects. We also have a discriminating flow of “Direct Traffic” and “Referring Sites,” which we value very highly […]



Best of counterweights 2011 A : Politics, economics, and philosophy in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Beyond

Dec 20th, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

On various scores 2011 seems to at least most of us here to have been one of those years that actually can be seriously described as a hinge of fate (well … more or less). And so over the past few weeks everyone in the office or otherwise attached to this somewhat crazed but still […]



Is PM Harper really inventing a new Canada .. and should we be very afraid?

Dec 19th, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

TORONTO, CANADA. The number one spot in the Globe and Mail list of its most popular stories on the last weekend before Christmas 2011 was held by a Gerald Caplan comment piece, headlined “Be very afraid: Stephen Harper is inventing a new Canada.” And I am wondering, well yes, of course, but is it true? […]



What we should celebrate in 2012 is 60th anniversary of first Canadian citizen as Governor General of Canada

Dec 14th, 2011 | By | Category: In Brief

So … we have just learned that “Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall will be touring Canada as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations marking her 60 years on the British throne,” this coming May 2012. For many Canadians (and we confess we are among them), this is just yet […]