Yes or no? The referendum and the queen of confusion
If I were to rank democratic instruments, I would put referendums at the bottom of the list. Quite aside from the fact there is another…
So I am to support separatists?
Last week Alberta Court of King’s Bench Justice Shaina Leonard quashed the approval of a referendum-seeking separation petition. In support of the plaintiffs, the Athabasca…
Sovereign slush fund?
I have nothing but the greatest faith in Mark Carney’s economic acumen. How could one not? This guy probably has the most comprehensive financial experience…
Canada’s polluting forests—from sink to source
Canada, the land of wide open spaces, of oceans, prairies, forests and mountains, is a wonderland of nature. But underneath all that natural glory lies…
Does Hungary hold a lesson for the Alberta NDP?
Thirty-four years ago an ex-mayor of Calgary ran for the leadership of a provincial political party. The ex-mayor was Ralph Klein, “the people’s mayor,” and…
Just transition warriors walk the talk
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions should be a motherhood issue. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased from 280 to 420 parts per million in barely 60…
Public grocery stores—a good idea, or not?
Government-run grocery stores have become an item among progressives lately. Inspired perhaps by the new social democratic mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, who made…
The UN’s contentious motion on slavery
Earlier this month the United Nations passed Resolution A/80/L.48: Commemoration of the abolition of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, a motion proposed by the…
On becoming an admirer of popes
I have never been a fan of the Roman Catholic Church. Its hierarchical and misogynistic ways grate on my progressive nerves. However, I must confess…
Hungary opts for Europe
What’s not to celebrate about the Hungarian election? Prime Minister Viktor Orban, good friend of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, was booted out of office…
American jihadist
President Trump has been trimming the upper ranks of his administration. He has, for instance, fired two of his more notorious cabinet members: Kristi Noem…
The NDP and the provincial/federal conundrum
The people have spoken. Last weekend, the members of the federal NDP elected Avi Lewis their leader with a solid 56 percent of the first…