tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46081873470822586352024-03-13T18:03:18.389-04:00The Orange ToryUrban, political, economic and social issues through a different lens.SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.comBlogger742125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-88597065485156812132019-09-27T13:46:00.001-04:002019-09-27T13:46:30.384-04:00Book Review: The Candidate by Noah RichlerGood stories about politics are disappointingly rare. Good stories about politics set in Canada are even rarer. When I first got wind of Noah Richler's The Candidate: Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail I hesitated to pick it up for a variety of reasons, but having finished reading it I am very glad I did.<br />
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In 2015 I was a very active member of the New Democratic Party. After four years of a Harper majority I was ready to put my shoulder to the wheel and push to replace the Conservative government with the first New Democratic government in history. It was a heady time, but my closest political friends and I knew that it was going to be a difficult fight and nothing could be taken for granted. However, there was also a whiff of hope and ambition - that we could pull it off and make history. Little did I know Noah Richler and I were on a similar journey.<br />
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I bring up my personal narrative here because so much of my experience fed into my enjoyment of the book. I don't believe you have to have been engaged in politics or a New Democrat to enjoy this book, but I think it adds something tremendously to have that little smirk and nod knowing precisely the sort of experience Richler is describing. It is wonderful to have those experiences reflected.<br />
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Noah Richler was the NDP candidate for Toronto-St. Paul's in 2015 challenging the incumbent MP Carolyn Bennett. The book follows the journey from his decision to run to working with the party to find a seat to challenge and then the campaign.<br />
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Richler describes the bizarre and informal world of politics with great human and a certain wry look. One of the things that I like best is that Richler is motivated by genuine issues of concerns. He has topics that he is opinionated and passionate on and struggles how to square that passion with the realities of running a real campaign. Richler is also flawed, like everyone. He has to find a way to deal with the fact that he expressed his opinions in public and therefore gets in trouble for how his words on social media from the past are interpreted.<br />
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There's a bunch of aspects that I appreciate in the story. For example the way the riding executive is described. The unglamorous and unassuming people who dedicate themselves to the political process. The awkwardness of politics, mainly approaching strangers and trying to convince them of a point of view out of nowhere. How the NDP volunteers was described also made me smile because it fit my experience for the most part.<br />
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What Noah Richler expresses about the party itself and the frustration about the campaign in 2015 mirrors my own. Four years on that disappointment still clouds some of my political thinking. People made mistakes during that campaign, I have no doubt. One of my favourite scenes is when Richler describes an event in Toronto and the well-heeled audience is full of Liberals and Conservatives back-slapping each other, the true powers behind the country and the NDP feel excluded and unwanted. Perhaps that shapes elections more than we'd like to think.<br />
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Overall, I have to very much recommend this book to people curious about how elections work and the more human side of things. It is a great read for people thinking about running, certainly. I'd also add that it would be fun for veterans of the political process.SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-86992991702638849502019-05-10T13:25:00.000-04:002019-05-10T13:25:05.258-04:00Book Review: Frontier City by Shawn MicallefFrontier City very much captures a moment in time in a city that that could use more attention, and in particular to the quiet neighbourhoods that many of the residents call home. Shawn Micallef explored various neighbourhoods and wards of Toronto during the 2014 election period to try to gain an understanding of the city. I think Micallef very much succeeded in his ambition and paints a portrait of parts of the city that don't often appear in the news.<br />
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The impetus for the book is pretty clear. 2010 saw the election of Rob Ford, a figure that one half the city never truly understood and another portion of it viewed as their champion. While electoral politics may distort the number of supporters and detractors Ford had it is clear that he spoke to some part of the city that felt underrepresented. Micallef sought to explore that side of Toronto.<br />
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Micallef does this by visiting wards all over the city of Toronto and meeting with challengers for the city council seats primarily. His survey goes from the Downtown, to Etobicoke, Scarborough, and places in between. Issues raised range from transit, housing, social housing, education, support for culture, parks and waterways, and on and on. It provides fascinating insights into the issues that were percolating at ground level in 2014, and no doubt have many parallels to issues that continue to fester or evolve to this day.<br />
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I think this book is valuable in gaining some insight into the "suburb vs. downtown" debate and how it is often more nuanced that it may appear on the surface. As Toronto continues to grow and expand the various neighbourhoods are adapting differently, which in some cases means not as well.<br />
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Does a book like this have value years after it is written? Well, as I wrote above I believe it speaks to ongoing issues in the city of Toronto between its diverse neighbourhoods and how it functions (or doesn't) as a city. Afterwards I think it'll act as an important time capsule to understand Toronto as it was in 2014 at a more granular, neighbourhood level. I think the book speaks to issues that are going on in big cities struggling to be big and that likely reflects issues in places like Brampton, Mississauga, Ottawa, Calgary, and so on.<br />
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I enjoyed this examination of political life and civic life in Toronto and would recommend it to local political watchers.SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-3471144626189577522019-04-23T12:26:00.000-04:002019-04-23T12:26:36.253-04:00Book Review: The War that Ended Peace by Margaret MacMillan<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
best history I have read in recent years has got to be this book. The basic
premise of the book is fairly simple. MacMillan seeks to overturn the classic
question "what caused the start of the war?" and invert it to
"what caused the peace to end?" This subtle reframing does a great
deal to reshape the thinking about the world leading up to June 1914.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
is important to recall that the First World War was in no way inevitable.
During MacMillan's thorough description of the events that transpired until the
irrevocable outbreak of hostilities there were many points in which the Great
Powers (or minor ones) could act to save the peace. What the author does so
well is provide the oppressive evidence that made peace a less and less
appealing option for various factions and countries around Europe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Much
of the answers to what caused the end of the peace was sewn in the decades of
peace during the nineteenth century. The conservative Concert of Europe that
tried to manage affairs peaceably struggled to address the various changes and
political shifts that rocked Europe, whether that is the Industrial Revolution,
decay of the old empires, or nationalism's unpredictable currents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
think it is more than fair to say that MacMillan does not have a sympathetic
view of Kaiser Wilhelm II and lays a lot of the blame for the gradual slide
into war on him. The Germans were a disruptive force in Europe for its rapid
appearance and significant power. Overnight a great power, the strongest nation
in continent arguably, was born overnight. Only careful diplomacy prevented a
coalition, led by France, from forming to stop Germany. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kaiser
Wilhelm II was not a diplomatic man, seemingly by every metric. The descriptions
of his desperate attempts to keep personal connection with the fellow royals of
Europe and his belief that strength would earn the respect, or demand the
respect of others in Europe certainly failed to avoid a conflict, and played a
part in causing it. Many countries still operated like their diplomacy could be
settled through interactions between the heads of state, ignoring economic,
political and social forces. This error would cause millions to die. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">While
the century between 1815 and 1914 can be viewed as a mostly peaceful,
punctuated by uprisings, unifications and the Crimean War, this disguises some
of the forces working underneath the surface. The absence of major wars meant
that major issues were festering. The fact that war had been avoided so many
times actually made war more likely the longer it was postponed. For example,
Russia could not sit idly by again as a conflict touched off in the Balkans
without intervening if it was going to preserve its prestige and diplomatic initiative
to be the protector of Slavs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Growing
tensions between major powers, but mostly Germany and France, Britain, and
Russia resulted in historic grievances being resolved and leading the doors
open to alliances and deeper cooperation. It's important to remember that for
most of the 19th century France and Russia were the British Empire's principle
rivals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">MacMillan's
exhaustive survey of the decades leading up to the First World War paints a
picture of leaders making small choices and each one slowly narrowing the
options available until war seems the only path. The text is beautifully
written and presents a fascinating picture of a wide swath of modern history. I
highly recommend this book to lovers of modern history, the First World War,
and diplomatic history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
think this book serves somewhat as a cautionary tale. The First World War is
often held up as an example of humanity must never fail again to preserve
peace. However, by 1914 it was too late in so many ways. Leaders must adopt a
long-term vision and collaborate to avoid the sort of devastation the war
unleashed, and small, reasonable decisions can have horrendous consequences
down the road. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-58838855653831875772019-01-25T13:47:00.001-05:002019-01-25T13:47:35.073-05:00Podcast Review: Canadaland's Thunder Bay<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
few months ago I subscribed and began to listen to the newest podcast created
by Canadaland, a Canadian-based media company. The podcast had been in
development for at least two years as far as I can tell. The name is simple and
instructive. Canadaland's audio documentary seeks to explore the culture,
criminality, social tensions, politics, and racism in Thunder Bay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
show is led by Ryan McMahon, an Anishinaabe comedian, writer, and activist. Given
the sensitive material he takes a deft and careful hand at exploring the lives
of indigenous Canadians living in Thunder Bay or their experiences with Thunder
Bay. He spent months building relationships with the subjects and gaining
background information to share the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It's
possible to summarize Thunder Bay as a true crime podcast, but I think that
quite misses the mark. True crime, generally, focuses on a single case or a
single criminal. Thunder Bay is about systemic failures and crises. While time
is spent to look at the corruption and cronyism that has pervaded local
politics it is not simply about that. I feel the time spent looking at a mayor
charged with extortion, or a police chief facing obstruction of justice is to
demonstrate that radical failure is taking place in the community and it is
going largely unchallenged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
racism faced by indigenous people in Thunder Bay is not hidden or obscured. It
is often visible right on the surface for all to see in public postings,
statements, public leaders, and widely-held opinions. Many First Nations people
have to come to Thunder Bay for schooling. Many of the smaller communities do
not have high schools so the children are brought to Thunder Bay for their
education. These generally leaves them poorly supervised, lonely, isolated, and
in a high-risk area. There is a chilling and recurring fear stated by many that
they will be "thrown in the river." Indigenous people in Thunder Bay
seem to drown in icy rivers with startling regularity, and some indications
exist that there are killers who stalk native people for just this purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
tone of Thunder Bay is not what I would call emotional, but it is definitely
sensitive. McMahon in his narration and interviews clearly is speaking in a
revelatory manner, and also expresses deep regret and sympathy for victims. Another
powerful element is simple disbelief, that there is a city in Canada that can
flagrantly flaunt was many assume to be our norms and get away with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
is a question that McMahon and Thunder Bay leaves the audience with, one that
is deeply chilling - what if Thunder Bay is working exactly as it is intended?
Pointing to the litany of stories Canadaland has collected and calling them
"isolated incidents" begs incredulity. If you don't believe me, give
it a listen for yourself, but be prepared to see a darker side of our country
that some are intimately familiar with and others have had the privilege to be
shielded from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
check out <a href="https://www.canadalandshow.com/shows/thunder-bay/">Thunder Bay</a> you can use this link, or subscribe using your favourite
podcast app.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-14915563734978348232018-11-21T11:20:00.003-05:002018-11-21T11:20:31.545-05:00Note About the Future of this BlogHello readers,<br />
<br />
I'm sure a few of the regular readers have noticed the inconsistency in most posting lately. Through a combination of things I've been finding it a lot harder to post with the usual regularity I did even a few months ago. I'd like to talk a little bit about that and what it means going forward.<br />
<br />
The news is depressing. It is frustrating to say the least to look at the litany of bad news and talk about it. The worst part about that is that it's often the same news in different flavours. While Trump manages to be racist, sexist, and damaging to democracy in many different ways, I only have so much will to talk about it. Likewise, the Doug Ford government could be given the same treatment. I've wanted to write about issues that came up in their convention, but it's all a bit draining. Ditto with Patrick Brown about to become mayor of my city.<br />
<br />
Next, I'm tired. In the last few months I have gotten more hours at my part time job, but that also means that I get home later, I'm more tired when I do go home and often after finishing dinner and unwinding for a bit I just want to sleep. I'd rather write something well than write something fast and some post feel like I'm just going through the motions to meet my artificial schedule. I also suffer through periods of insomnia, which compounds these issues. I am currently in one of those periods.<br />
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Finally, this year I've tried to put more effort into fiction writing. I think I've had some real successes and I find it very satisfying. This is especially true when measured against the political pieces I write.<br />
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So, what does this mean for the future? First, I'm scrapping any notion of a schedule. I know it's death for blogs, but I'll be writing when and if I feel like it. I don't think that this will mean a permanent hiatus, but it's a possibility if nothing inspires me to write. I will say I invite feedback. This blog is a very solo project. If you enjoy it, or want my take on something in particular feel free to reach out. It would certainly encourage me to continue.<br />
<br />
Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/SLee_OT">@SLee_OT</a>, where I tweet about politics and retweet smarter people and interesting reads.<br />
<br />
I hope you see something up here before too long.<br />
StevenSJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-1008843272567802812018-11-14T12:49:00.005-05:002018-11-14T12:49:59.228-05:00A Century After the War<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Earlier
this week marked the one hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World
War. I have a hard time imagining what event in the relatively recent past has
shaped the world more than that single conflict. When I read the news,
especially international news, or news that covers post-colonial nations I can
still vividly see the scars there. Europe paid a devastating cost during the
conflict, and so did the peoples within their empires. The transformative
impact of the war can still be seen inside much of Europe domestically, not
just internationally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Over
the last couple of years my interest in the First World War has grown
considerably. I still have a stack of books that I intend to read that explains
the time period. However, I've read and watched some content that may be of
interest to others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Recently
I have been reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War that Ended
Peace</i> by Margaret Macmillan. Macmillan, as the title suggests, is
attempting to explain why a century of relative peace came to an end in 1914,
rather than why did the war start. The context, personalities and history makes
for a fantastic read. I have yet to finish the book and expect I'll write a
review when I do. It reminds me a bit of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guns of August </i>but with a broader scope and a longer view. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Next,
I've been watching a YouTube channel called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar">The Great War</a>.
The Great War has been a project that lasted four years and released weekly
videos describing the events of World War One week by week. I'm about mid-way
through 1915 myself. Most of the videos are under 10 minutes long so it can be
very easy to fall into a rabbit hole. Perhaps the best feature of the videos is
that the examine the truly global nature of the war. There is a tendency to
become fixated on the Western Front, but around the world tragic and incredible
stories were playing out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally,
I already reviewed this on my blog, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://theorangetory.blogspot.com/2016/11/book-review-paris-1919-by-margaret.html">Paris 1919</a></i> by Margaret Macmillan seems a valuable tool to expand one's understanding of
the war. How World War I ended and the motivations behind the victors is an important.
Most people know that the events and decisions of World War I set up the Second
World War, but it also clearly determined the stage for all the following
decades. Countries created from that time period persist. Mistakes made
continue to cause problems. Historic arrangements continue to endure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
First World War had many causes, but one of the big ones was that the Great
Powers, concentrated in Europe, could not come to a peaceful understanding with
one another. Ego, arrogance, hubris, and so on culminated to make leaders make
disastrous decisions that resulted in the deaths of millions. It is difficult
to truly comprehend the horror. However, Europe has, for the most part,
overcome the divisions that led to the First World War. Germany and France
united in shared grief to mark the anniversary this week, along with other
countries that participated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydK-J5lRmVFsIRYwifns2BBDvUO4vxcux6r3F_RMmmJPh-CwyZlpXgY6DghCzyYwQS-04jCmrw6-t16Rlqxoc656BGF9QhB9yxfZcds2ow7pE0tKciPwzU1_X7Vmh0HnxJxScTNgN_to3/s1600/Drp428oXQAA0n1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydK-J5lRmVFsIRYwifns2BBDvUO4vxcux6r3F_RMmmJPh-CwyZlpXgY6DghCzyYwQS-04jCmrw6-t16Rlqxoc656BGF9QhB9yxfZcds2ow7pE0tKciPwzU1_X7Vmh0HnxJxScTNgN_to3/s320/Drp428oXQAA0n1_.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaders of Germany and France mark Armistice Day together.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
should never forget the lessons of World War One and be conscious of how it
shapes us today. Never forgetting requires us to know first.</span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-83712179399733134612018-11-06T13:10:00.001-05:002018-11-06T13:10:20.843-05:00Book Review: It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
seems with great irony that I finished reading </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It Can't Happen Here </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">by Sinclair Lewis on the day of the American
midterm election. I've known about this novel for many years, and it popped
back into my consciousness as it regained popularity in the wake of the 2016
Presidential election. I picked up a copy for myself when a friend of mine read
it and posted particularly effective excerpts from the book that seemed to stab
at the character of American politics, and perhaps Canadian politics as well, lest
I be accused of deriding America and glorifying my own country's virtues.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It Can't Happen
Here</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
is remarkable in a few ways, but perhaps the most important one from my point
of view is that it is a product of its time. Oftentimes that can hinder a work.
Not in this case. Lewis was critiquing fascism and communism in real time when
authoritarianism seemed to be on the rise around the world. As much as I love <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nineteen Eighty-Four</i> it is easy to look
coldly at the tactics of the Soviet Communists and the Nazis and deride them.
Lewis' scathing examination of fascism does not have the horrors of genocide or
war to enforce his case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSq0JaNN0sD79pKvgN9dID4yLyTuMKTdo2EIkqTW8i6PXIEvRcyCjGz09x-seAK5UlhuvC01W9kbI143NMfxnqk2dyJv0r2xkgTbbgzHLA5tiVxl7ci1UrJ7MZ1YIKQ5tlOmrREOyVu05R/s1600/It+Cant+Happen+Here.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSq0JaNN0sD79pKvgN9dID4yLyTuMKTdo2EIkqTW8i6PXIEvRcyCjGz09x-seAK5UlhuvC01W9kbI143NMfxnqk2dyJv0r2xkgTbbgzHLA5tiVxl7ci1UrJ7MZ1YIKQ5tlOmrREOyVu05R/s320/It+Cant+Happen+Here.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
novel is set in a small Vermont town on the brink of the 1936 elections. As the
Great Depression drags on American politics is increasing mired and dogged by
extremists. The story opens at a society debate where speakers and supporters
of a radical candidates couch their language in 'Americanism'. Senator Berzelius
"Buzz" Windrip is a populist modeled in part on Huey Long. His folksy
charm and extravagant promise to deliver $5000 to every American garners him a
great deal of support. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
protagonist of the piece is Doremus Jessup, a newspaper editor in Fort Beulah,
Vermont. Jessup, his friends and family provide the main lens from which we
view the story. Doremus is a classic liberal and democrat. He cherishes the
republic and the ideals which he believes it stands. He is also remarkably
privileged. I think Sinclair is trying to comment on class and the rise of
radical movements. The Jessup's hired man ends up a major leader within the
fascist party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jessup
witnesses with horror as people naively and enthusiastically embrace Windrip to
become president. He replaces Roosevelt as the Democratic nominee and defeats
an inoffensive Republican candidate - Walt Towbridge - to become president. Not
long after Windrip is elected and his cronies get themselves into office does
the hammer fall. Congress and the courts are repressed and bullied into
submission. The Corporatist Party becomes the only legal party and the Minute
Men become the paramilitary apparatus similar to the Stormtroopers or Black
Shirts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Something
that makes the novel more effective in my opinion is that Lewis sets the story
in a small town. It allows him to quickly sketch the power dynamics at the
outset and show how the Corpos corrupt and deform relationships within the
community. It is far more effective to see the liberal-minded teacher kicked
out of his position and ostracized than have it be theoretical. Or the harassment
the few Jewish residents must endure under the new anti-Semitic state. The
Jessup family endures incredible hardship under the regime even though they
occupy a privileged position. Members are murdered, imprisoned, and routinely
threatened. It adds gravity to the horror of the situation. It gives faces and voices to the tragedy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
the afterward writes the novel is not a how-to guide in resisting fascism, but
a simple case that America (and other democracies) are not immune to populist
autocrats who will rob and abuse the citizens of a country for their own
personal gain. Germany and Italy were democracies before they succumbed to
fascism. No country is immune and requires vigilance. The story is rooted in
enough real history and figures to be believable even if some of the details
seem incorrect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It's<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a short read. Those interested in dystopian
political visions, the 1930s, fascism, etc. will find something worthwhile in
these pages. I think it's also valuable as a historical document. Check it out.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-41244530406874958972018-10-25T21:37:00.001-04:002018-10-25T21:37:08.212-04:00Worth Reading - October 25, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
NDP face <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4876166?__twitter_impression=true">challenging by-elections</a> before the next federal election. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Ontario government cancelled funding for <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-millions-sunk-into-planning-for-three-cancelled-ontario-university/?cmpid=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter">three university campuses</a> after
millions of dollars were spent. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
does conservative nonsense <a href="https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2018/10/23/18004478/hack-gap-explained?__twitter_impression=true">dominate American politics</a>? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
the election, Toronto City Council has as many people named Michael <a href="https://www.thestar.com/amp/opinion/star-columnists/2018/10/23/torontos-new-council-has-as-many-michaels-as-visible-minorities.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=800am&utm_campaign_id=Politics_Toronto&utm_content=TorontosCouncilHadAsMichaelsAsVisibleMinorities&__twitter_impression=true">as it does visible minorities</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
32-year-old <a href="https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news-story/8981443-therrien-unseats-bennett-in-peterborough-mayoral-race-with-68-98-landslide/">woman defeated</a> the incumbent mayor in Peterborough. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Patrick
Brown says that Doug Ford has to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-brown-on-metro-morning-1.4876531">take Brampton seriously</a>, or he'll face real
issues. </span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-44351584729264813892018-10-23T21:48:00.000-04:002018-10-23T21:48:10.490-04:00Dear God Brampton, What the Hell Were You Thinking?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Last
night about 35% of eligible voters in Brampton cast ballots and elected a new
mayor, council and school board. Patrick Brown defeated incumbent mayor Linda
Jeffrey by around four thousand votes. Patrick Brown, as thousands of Brampton
voters seem to have forgotten, was a long-time resident of Barrie, served on
its city council before becoming a Conservative MP. He then became leader of
the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario until credible allegations
against him abusing his position of power to make advancements on young
staffers became public known. He was unceremoniously kicked out as leader.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
fear not, Patrick Brown can continue to survive off the public purse because
the citizens of Brampton, forty-six thousand of them had the bright idea to
elect him as their mayor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nights
like last night sometimes honestly make me feel like I should hang up the
keyboard and quit. Too many defeats. Too many bad losses to awful candidates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Trying
to be positive, the victories of Paul Vicente, Martin Medeiros, Gurpreet
Dhillon, Rowena Santos, Jeff Bowman, and Charmaine Williams are heartening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However,
the election of Doug Whillans, Pat Fortini, and Michael Palleschi does not fill
me with hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I've
left Harkirat Singh's name off either side because I don't know him well. I
included Ms. Williams because she is the first black woman elected to city
council, an important and growing community in this city that needs
representation. It will be difficult to tell until some issues come up, but the
council may be slightly more progressive than the last one. I thought some
members were more progressive and then their voting record said otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite
what some might say, I think it should be noted that by far not everyone
forgives or forgets the allegations made against Patrick Brown. His election is
not carte blanche forgiveness. Citizens in this city will be watching, and
errors and mismanagement will be noted. Hopefully then the people will have the
good sense to hold him accountable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
I'm going to try not think about this election for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-35981410384805138012018-10-18T22:18:00.002-04:002018-10-18T22:18:41.261-04:00Worth Reading - October 18, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Patrick
Brown, who hopes to become mayor of Brampton next week, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-brown-mpp-office-spending-1.4868514">spent $300000 in two months</a> on staffing in his final days as a MPP. Respect for the public purse? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Toronto Star <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2018/10/18/linda-jeffrey-deserves-another-four-years-in-brampton.html">endorses Linda Jeffrey</a> for re-election as mayor of Brampton. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">New
Brunswick's strange election outcome means that no party wants to volunteer a
<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4868826?__twitter_impression=true">MLA to become speaker</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
that Canada has legalized cannabis, the next move is to <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/the-next-step-for-canada-decriminalize-hard-drugs/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">address harder drugs</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
article looks at when public transit meets <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/what-happens-when-ride-sharing-meets-public-transit">on-demand service</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/observations/2018/10/francis-fukuyama-interview-socialism-ought-come-back?amp&__twitter_impression=true">Francis Fukuyama</a> sat down for an interview and shared some of his thoughts on the state
of politics and the world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here's
a story on people who are moving to the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/moving_to_Chernobyl">Chernobyl radioactive zone</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Strong
Towns looks at how efficiency is <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/10/15/hilton-hotels-efficiency-tradeoff">not the same thing as strength</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
does <a href="https://www.thestar.com/amp/opinion/star-columnists/2018/10/12/it-took-john-tory-decades-of-effort-to-become-mayor-so-why-is-he-squandering-the-opportunity.html?__twitter_impression=true">John Tory</a> want to be mayor? What is his vision for Toronto? </span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-79851322072370097042018-10-17T13:19:00.001-04:002018-10-17T13:19:21.131-04:00Book Review: The Dictator's Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every
once in a while you're lucky enough to read something that changes the way you
look at politics and the world in general. That is how I felt after finished
The Dictator's Handbook. Written by political scientists the book is written
for a general audience and provides clear examples and demonstrates the central
thesis. De Mesquita and Smith seek to uncover the true incentives behind the
actions of leaders. Their thesis has given them new insight and understanding
of how leaders and governments behave.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
title of the book is a bit misleading. It is not about how to become a
dictator, or something like that. The book is focused more on how do leaders
gain power and hold power successfully. They argue that leaders in democratic
countries, ruthless dictatorships, corporations or small towns are all
operating under the same basic principles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ9nJbEckaH3RrBNfEzX_xkpriC8PE_7n5YJJJI3V-GECX_4BRY-UWERFt0imAQe95UAL4Jldqy3DTtwrrqf_jLAyMfB7Hwt7xak-2Ctvrk6DJvbL8ICH29FiLV8o2N3jpt3EESYDXZFp/s1600/Dictator%2527s+Handbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ9nJbEckaH3RrBNfEzX_xkpriC8PE_7n5YJJJI3V-GECX_4BRY-UWERFt0imAQe95UAL4Jldqy3DTtwrrqf_jLAyMfB7Hwt7xak-2Ctvrk6DJvbL8ICH29FiLV8o2N3jpt3EESYDXZFp/s320/Dictator%2527s+Handbook.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Leaders
wish to obtain and maintain power. In any structure where a leader is selected,
the authors write, there are the interchangeables, the influentials, and the
essentials. The names for these three categories is perhaps the worst part of
the book from my point of view. The interchangeables, or nominal selectorate, are
the entire population that can choose the leaders. The influentials are the
'real' selectorate, or the group who actually chooses the leader. The essesntials
are the group of the influentials who make up the winning coalition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know that was a lot to parse, so I'll use an example from Canada. In Canada
every adult citizen has the right to vote. That is the interchangeables. However,
we know for a fact that a lot of the population does not fall into the
category. For example, a significant population of the country does not vote,
so you lose about 30-40% right there. From there the leader cobbles together a
coalition to win, those become the essentials. This coalition are the voters
who elect Members of Parliament for the winning party. In the end only about
15-25% of the Canadian voting population has a role in selecting the Prime
Minister. The PM then has the sole duty of keeping that coalition happy in
order to maintain power. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">America
provides an easy example for the presidency. The electoral college is the true
real selectorate for the president. He/she must the 270 electoral votes to
assure victory. However, in most recent elections some states are absolutely
guaranteed in their leanings and the outcome assured. As a result candidates
for president can focus on the essentials in a handful of states. In an
autocratic regime the selectorate may be the single legal party, like the
Communist Party of China, or the support among the military and its key
officers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once
in power leaders have to find a way to reward their supporters to ensure their
continued loyalty. Leaders who fail to do so risk encouraging new coalitions
forming that will turf them from office. For this control of resources and
redistribution is important. The authors have found direct correlation between
the size of the coalitions required and the disparity of rewards. In a democracy
benefits have to be distributed widely in the form of social programs or tax
cuts, as an example. In a dictatorship, or small coalition country, leaders can
steal - literally - from the population to reward their backers. This is how
you get situations where some small, select minority loyal to the leader, such
as his home tribe, becomes enormously enriched. The leader wins their absolute
loyalty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
authors investigate how this lens can interpret things like corruption,
taxation and foreign aid. The come to an interesting conclusions and
extrapolation, backed by case studies. Countries that have a plentiful
resource, like oil, are at greater risk for shrinking the coalition of support.
Taxes tend to be higher because regimes in small coalition countries can afford
to squeeze their populations more. Foreign aid props up dictators and gives
them and their supporters tools to enrich themselves. It's sort of stunning.
When developing countries are forced to rely upon their populations to be
productive they invest in them and the coalition grows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
book is deeply cynical, one could argue, but there is an undeniable logic to
it. We see these factors play out all the time in democracies as well as
dictatorships. The actions of leaders can be explained by these central
motivations. The books is well-written as well as dryly humourous. It was a
deeply pleasurable read and has definitely given me a lot to think about, and
explains why bad behaviour can often be good politics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-40281544706790582602018-10-11T21:52:00.000-04:002018-10-11T21:52:05.029-04:00Worth Reading - October 11, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Big
long list. It's what happens when I miss a week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Andrew
Coyne takes a look at former PM <a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/andrew-coyne-stephen-harper-reveals-himself-as-banal-in-his-effort-to-claim-mantle-of-populism">Stephen Harper's new book</a>. This one is not about hockey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
small changes in an Arkansas town <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/10/9/fort-smith-646?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=topmaturejab&utm_content=101018fort-smith-646">made a big difference</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
we refuse to take climate change serious preventatively, we have a duty to
<a href="https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/reevely-if-ontario-wont-try-to-stop-climate-change-we-need-to-do-a-lot-more-to-get-ready-for-it#click=https://t.co/XJF57xgTRe">prepare for the consequences</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
right-wing candidate <a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/09/bolsonaro-brazil-election-authority-not-authoritarianism-latest-comments?__twitter_impression=true">who has said positive things about dictatorship</a> won the
first round of the Brazilian election. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
Michael McGrath looks at the state of the <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/is-centrism-doomed-in-canada">Liberal Parties across Canada</a> and
centricism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Toronto
is facing a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4853692?__twitter_impression=true">financial crisis</a>, but no one is talking about it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Montreal Gazette reports on the divisions in Quebec society <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/macpherson-quebec-is-a-house-divided-against-itself">revealed by the election</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
Geddes writes on Stephen Harper's interpretation of <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/stephen-harper-has-some-ideas-about-conservative-populism/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">conservative populism</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jen
Gerson writes on the <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-true-reasons-for-doug-ford-and-jason-kenneys-anti-carbon-tax-crusade/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">political utility</a> of the carbon tax for conservative
politicians in Canada. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">From
the Globe and Mail, Sidewalk Toronto is <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/opinion/article-sidewalk-toronto-is-not-a-smart-city/?__twitter_impression=true">no smart city</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Toronto
will be <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-toronto-city-council-will-spend-the-next-four-years-looking-over-its-shoulder">hamstrung by the provincial government</a> no matter who wins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Kavanaugh hearing proves what was widely known - there is <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/4/17936664/brett-kavanaugh-republicans-never-trump-sham">no conservative resistance</a> to Trump. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
did the <a href="https://tvo.org/blog/current-affairs/how-the-tories-won-big-how-the-ndp-got-close-and-how-the-liberals-got-whupped-in-the-2018-election">2018 Ontario election</a> go the way that it did? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Progressive
Conservatives in Ontario refused to <a href="https://www.nationalobserver.com/2018/09/27/news/we-asked-all-76-members-doug-fords-progressive-conservative-caucus-if-they-would">denounce a white nationalist</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quebec's
election <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/politics/quebec-election-the-end-of-an-era-the-beginning-of-something/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">signals a new era</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is
former Liberal MPP and Mayor of Brampton Linda Jeffrey getting a <a href="https://www.inbrampton.com/is-linda-jeffrey-getting-help-from-doug-ford">boost from Doug Ford</a>? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
fascists never <a href="https://eand.co/the-psychology-of-american-fascism-eff731c53f61">think they're fascists</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-58448840753984952022018-10-09T13:38:00.005-04:002018-10-09T13:38:50.473-04:00Brampton Election 2018 - Endorsements and Thoughts<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Later
this month, on October 22nd, voters across Ontario will cast ballots to elect
representatives as part of the local and regional governments. I want to spend
a little time looking at the local races here in Brampton, and sharing my own
feelings. The Brampton elections are more interesting than normal given that
there are a number of openings on council and serious challenges to incumbents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
cannot cover all the candidates here, but here is an article that at least
<a href="https://www.inbrampton.com/whos-running-in-bramptons-municipal-election">lists all of them</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
biggest election in Brampton is the contest for mayor. Linda Jeffrey is seeking
re-election. Her tenure of mayor has been difficult. Early on Jeffrey got in a
massive disagreement with members of council. A majority voted against her on
the Hurontario LRT and since that time she seemed to have lost the council. She
is running on a fairly modest platform to improve safety, keep taxes at the
same rate, and be a good steward for the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeffrey's
primary competition, as far as I can tell, is from Patrick Brown. I'm not going
to pretend to be unbiased here, I think if Brampton elects Brown as mayor it'll
be a humiliation for the city. Brown was running for Peel Regional Chair before
the position's election was eliminated by Doug Ford. Brown was the former
leader of the Progressive Conservatives until he was pushed out by scandal. He
is from Barrie and a lifelong politician. His platform is fairly boilerplate,
and so it becomes about personality, and I don't think Brown can be trusted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two
other prominent candidates in the race are Baljit Gosal and John Sprovieri.
Gosal is a former Conservative MP for Brampton. His prominence and name
recognition makes him stand out, but I do not believe he has found much
traction in the race. Similarly, Sprovieri has been a long-time councillor in
Brampton. He was a vocal critic of Jeffrey, however he is seen by many to be
out-of-touch and insensitive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I'll
be voting for Linda Jeffrey. I found I agreed with her more often than not in
her term and her opponents either do not seem credible or are unacceptable to
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the biggest races this time around will be in Wards 1 and 5. Brampton
combines two wards for the purposes of elections. Grant Gibson and Elaine Moore
are both retiring, creating vacancies and fierce competition. Eleven candidates
are running for city council, and six for regional council. An interesting
twist in this election is that Rowena Santos and Paul Vicente are running as 'a
team'. Their signs are often on lawns together and I've seen them campaigning
together. I have met with Santos and Vicente prior to the election at political
events. I like the progressive agenda they are presenting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
wards 2 and 6 the incumbents, Doug Whillans and Michael Paul Palleschi are
seeking re-election. Given the benefits of incumbency I would expect both to be
safely returned to office. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
wards 3 and 4, my area of town, the incumbents may both be facing stiff
competition. City Councillor Jeff Bowman faces challenger Harpreet Singh
Hansra, a local activist along with five other challengers. I've seen
significant support for Hansra in the neighbourhood, so Bowman may be up for a
fight. I think Bowman has been a good councillor, but I do not think I agree
with him on the issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite
my disagreements with some of Bowman's positions over the last few years I know
that he is a thoughtful voice on issues. He was opposed to Jeffrey on key
votes, but I trust he thought through his choices. Also, many of his
challengers don't even have websites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
more dramatic contest in 3 and 4 is between Regional Councillor Martin Medeiros
and former Councillor John Sanderson. Sanderson ran against Jeffrey for mayor
in 2014 and lost. In the four years since he has been a strong, outside critic
of her mayoralty. Medeiros is a staunch supporter of Jeffrey on council, so the
election has significant importance. Three other candidates are running but
these two veterans seem to be dominating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
voted for Sanderson for mayor in 2014, however, the aftermath of the campaign
and his opposition to progressive transit and other policies bothered me. I'll
be casting my ballot for Medeiros. I've dealt with him on a couple of issues
that I've raised and he has been a strong local representative in that regard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
wards 7 and 8 long-time councillor Gael Miles is retiring and the city
councillor Pat Fortini is running for her spot on city council. So, Fortini is
sort of the incumbent here. Fortini will have to overcome three other candidates
to become replace Miles. One of the candidates is Bruce Marshall. I've met
Bruce on a number of occasions and have found him to be a thoughtful, direct
man. If I lived in wards 7 and 8 I would be voting for him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
city council spot vacated by Fortini has nine challengers. One, interestingly
enough is Martin Singh, former NDP candidate in 2015. Karla Bailey, if I'm not
mistaken, has run before, and I like the experience in the community she brings
to the table. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last,
but not least, wards 9 and 10. Sprovieri's run for mayor creates an opening and
city councillor Gurpreet Dhillon took the opportunity to challenge for his former
seat. I've really appreciated what Dhillon has brought to Brampton's City Hall.
I without reservation would endorse him to become the regional councillor. He will
have to overcome Vicky Dhillon, who lost to Gurpreet in 2014. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
the city council spot the current Peel District School Board trustee is
running, Harkirat Singh. The rest are relative unknowns, so Singh has an advantage
there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
unfortunately cannot do the school board races. It's just too much to sift
through and this post is long enough. I want to comment that overall I have
been disappointed by the issues-content of this election. Aside from a recent
series of crimes that has made policing and safety the top priority few other
topics seem to be on the table. Many candidates are running on a soft
"keep taxes low, bring in business, make small investments" platform.
It is not particularly inspiring. Few are offering any sort of bold vision, and
those who stretch seem to be missing touch with reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Best
of luck, voters of Brampton, make good choices for the coming vote!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-70831080004626654482018-09-27T22:02:00.002-04:002018-09-27T22:02:26.061-04:00Worth Reading - September 27, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
bridge collapsed <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4829890?__twitter_impression=true">six hours after it opened</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some
areas of Los Angeles have <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/380252/?__twitter_impression=true">vaccination rates lower than South Sudan</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Smith
Falls, Ontario may be <a href="https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-day-smiths-falls-luck-finally-turned-the-story-of-a-marijuana-boom-town">revitalized by the marijuana industry</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some
in Ontario are concerned that Doug Ford's obsession with Toronto is a <a href="https://www.kitchenerpost.ca/opinion-story/8901048-toronto-centric-ford-focus-worrisome-for-waterloo-region/#.W6TdclvQOmQ.twitter">problem for a province overall</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
does Maxime Bernier mean by '<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4833113?__twitter_impression=true">extreme multiculturalism</a>'?</span> </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Trump's
trade wars are <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4833113?__twitter_impression=true">hurting Republicans</a> in the midterms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Do
we need to <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/9/24/learning-from-failure?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=generallistjab&utm_content=092418learning-from-failure">let communities fail</a> in order to redeem more? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will
the PCs committee to investigate Liberal spending <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/are-the-tories-turning-a-potentially-useful-exercise-into-a-show-trial">become a show trial</a>? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2018/09/24/whats-wrong-with-this-picture.html">Doug Ford was photographed</a> with Faith Goldy and took days to distance himself from
her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unconvinced
<a href="http://www.canadalandshow.com/guide-to-reporting-on-faith-goldy/">Faith Goldy is a Nazi</a>? Check out the evidence Faith Goldy compiled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick-over-to-you-lieutenant-governor-checks-notes-jocelyne-roy-vienneau/">New Brunswick had an election</a> and the outcome is somewhat crazy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brantford
was one of the worst parts of Ontario's rust belt. Sean Marshall asks <a href="https://seanmarshall.ca/2018/09/25/brantfords-downtown-was-the-worst-in-canada-but-has-it-bounced-back/">if it has bounced back</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steve
Paikin writes about the current state of the <a href="https://tvo.org/blog/current-affairs/both-friend-and-foe-have-ontarios-liberals-in-the-crosshairs">Ontario Liberal Party</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-39687969804367087612018-09-25T20:11:00.001-04:002018-09-27T21:58:55.685-04:00Frustration with the Ebb of Progress<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
sit on the left side of the political spectrum, generally speaking. Lately it
has hard not to be pessimistic (not that there are many times when I'm
optimistic). We'll keep things mostly to narrower topics though the consistent
failures of the Trump White House and actions of the Trudeau government are
draining.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
should say this isn't exclusively about Doug Ford either. With the unpopularity
of the Wynne government this sort of outcome was highly likely. What I find
most galling is the simple stupidity of this government. I don't mean that the
leadership is stupid, I mean that the policies are. I want to talk more about
policies than politics for this piece and how it feels like the left is painted
into a corner on so many topics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
week I was watching a panel discussion on Ontario's climate change 'plan'.
Basically the plan of the current provincial government is to scrap the
cap-and-trade system and fight the federal government's right to impose a carbon
tax. In its place will be nothing. It's a terrible policy, but it's damn
popular broadly speaking. Even I, a person who believes we should make
interventions to halt climate change had to admit I was pleased when the cost
of gasoline went down, to my shame. However, it was a crystalizing moment when
I realized it just feels like the collective left is fighting an uphill battle
in policy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Climate
change will need policies that will hurt society broadly to prevent worse
injury later. Increasing the price of gas discourages excess driving, or at
least the development of more fuel efficient, or electric vehicles. But, it's
unpopular. The right-wing around the world can even accept that climate change
exists and simply refuse to do anything about it and the electorate doesn't
care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many
elements of our system of elections and government is undemocratic. Reforms
could be introduced to greatly improve representation at city councils,
provincial legislatures, and the House of Commons. These ideas are laughed out
of the room when people bother to stop yawning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Laws
that infringe on civil liberties can generally be passed with impunity. Bill
C-51 was reviled for the potential it opened for abuse. It was a major election
issue in places like Downtown Toronto. The Liberals broke their promise on the
main aspects that brought issues, but now that the bad Conservatives are out of
office... no fuss. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
cites, all our cities, need to radically change policy to end sprawl and incrementally
improve their density for their fiscal and environmental sustainability. Not to
mention, housing affordability. Even modest proposals to densify certain
communities is met with tenacious resistance, so much so that most politicians
fear to address it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Transit
projects have either been nickle and dimed or become boondoggles to win
suburban votes. People are committed to their cars and efforts to improve
transportation that isn't more highway lanes and asphalt meet stiff resistance.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
sex education curriculum is rolling back two decades because a vocal minority
is afraid of sex and bought lies told about it. I presume a silent majority
doesn't care, or finds the birds and the bees "icky". <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
any number of criminal justice issues the overwhelming tide of the population
wants more cops, harsher sentences, profiling and executions. It hardly matters
that experts say this often makes the situation worse, or that resources are
better spent elsewhere. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Speaking
of spending, good luck on having a conversation about raising taxes of any kind
to better serve the public good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Perhaps
to end on a doozy: First Nations and Indigenous issues are consistently
dismissed. Their rights, their existence and respect for their communities is
routinely overruled for the benefit of the state or the majority. If you talk
to Canadians about indigenous issues that answer I've heard far too often is
that "they have it too good as it is."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conservatism
has its roots in preserving the status quo. The left is traditionally a
reforming element in society. Pushing change is always difficult. Cobbling
together coalitions to push for uncertain change against a known present is
never going to be automatic. However over the last week I keep thinking of a
line from the HBO series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Newsroom</i>.
The character Will McAvoy asks a liberal pundit, "If the left is so smart
how come you lose so goddamn always?" The right can become more radical
and odious while the left can only seem to cobble together the most minor of
victories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
do not expect to be on the winning side continuously. The pendulum swings,
ideas come and go, parties win and lose. Perhaps it's my perspective, but the
swing to the right is scary given its radical element at present. We quite
literally have white supremacists in the public discourse. Sigh. How is the
left not able to win these fights overwhelmingly? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-42791640290121218572018-09-20T13:36:00.000-04:002018-09-20T13:36:04.975-04:00Worth Reading - September 20, 2018<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Apologies
for the concentration of stories on a series of topics, but I found myself
focused on this issue above all other this week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
an episode of TVO's the Agenda this week Steve Paikin <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m40stcVauc">assembled a panel</a> to
examine the reduction of Toronto's City Council by the Ford government. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
Michael McGrath writes that many things could be done to help fix Toronto's
municipal government, but <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/toronto-city-council-could-be-improved--but-bill-31-wont-do-that">Bill 5/31 is not it</a>. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Andrew
Coyne has been strongly critical of Ford's move to cut Toronto's council.
However, he points out <a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/andrew-coyne-doug-ford-doesnt-deserve-all-the-blame-he-didnt-create-our-mess-of-a-democracy">Ford is not solely responsible</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Strong
Towns is putting out a series of articles looking at why Austin, Texas' attempt
to <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/9/17/austins-codenext">redesign their code failed</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
you think Ford's fight with Toronto was not your concern, it appears that the
provincial government will be <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4451050/doug-ford-toronto-city-council-fight/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">looking at other municipalities later</a>. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
Vice, they give their own take on <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4451050/doug-ford-toronto-city-council-fight/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">Ford's governing style</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Martin
Regg Cohn looks at the <a href="https://www.thestar.com/amp/opinion/star-columnists/2018/09/14/never-mind-the-charter-doug-ford-has-diminished-our-democratic-norms.html?__twitter_impression=true">treatment of our democracy</a> during this 'debate'. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-86117394566208233362018-09-13T13:42:00.000-04:002018-09-13T13:42:08.928-04:00Worth Reading - September 13, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lindsay
Ellis made a video essay about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FJEtCvb2Kw">selling authenticity</a> and YouTube. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Emmett
Macfarlane is a respected academic and is one of the few intellectual voices I
trust who supports Doug Ford against the judge's <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/doug-fords-law-to-slash-toronto-council-is-unfair-but-it-should-not-be-struck-down/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">striking down of Bill 5</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Former
Conservative MP and former PC MLA Steven Fletcher has become <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4818692?__twitter_impression=true">leader of theManitoba Party</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul
Wells takes a look at Doug <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/adventures-in-better-government-with-doug-ford/">Ford's governing style</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
more background, John Michael McGrath writes about the <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/doug-ford-makes-it-known-that-he-will-not-be-stopped">notwithstanding clause</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Patrick
Brown reveals a plan to <a href="https://www.thestar.com/amp/news/gta/2018/09/07/patrick-brown-unveils-his-plan-to-make-brampton-safer.html?__twitter_impression=true">make Brampton safer</a>. Sigh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quebec
votes on October 1st, currently the CAQ leads but the incumbent <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/quebec-election-liberals-slipping-in-latest-poll-as-war-for-nationalist-votes-rages">Liberals are not far behind</a>. </span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-42172508002612455622018-09-11T13:10:00.001-04:002018-09-11T13:10:26.811-04:00TV Review: Ozark - Season 2<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Warning:
The following will contain spoilers for season one and may contain spoilers for
season two of Ozark. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
had some very good luck in August. I was talking up Ozark's first season with a
friend and decided to rewatch it. When I was coming to the end of that I heard
the news that season two was returning on the Friday before Labour Day. I'm not
sure I could have been more perfectly prepared to enjoy Ozark's second season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
second season begins with where the first season ends. There is no jump in
time, the narrative just keeps rolling. At the end of the first season Marty
Byrde (Jason Bateman) manages to convince the Snells to work with the Mexican
cartel to build a casino and go into business together. Things seem to be going
well in general and the agreement will defuse many of the barriers that have
impeded Marty, but then Del Rio makes a comment and Darlene Snell kills him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JJROCSN6NZzu2XOkIZlmfGeeQfHzCRd6_JDWAE6xM1lRWuUK2wmmE7FsUCR8GtNsX_ihlnCNVi0bJ8m_e4Sl3dufxsbpRv06xthp3b0O8I0f-XRtbhX35M68eDbWI5qwH1ELLMO5Ach-/s1600/Ozark-Season-2-Poster-Key-Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JJROCSN6NZzu2XOkIZlmfGeeQfHzCRd6_JDWAE6xM1lRWuUK2wmmE7FsUCR8GtNsX_ihlnCNVi0bJ8m_e4Sl3dufxsbpRv06xthp3b0O8I0f-XRtbhX35M68eDbWI5qwH1ELLMO5Ach-/s320/Ozark-Season-2-Poster-Key-Art.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marty's
beautifully constructed plan is left bleeding on the floor, except the Snells
argue this changes nothing. Marty has to do his best to salvage this agreement
and avoid consequences with the cartel. In some ways that could be the entire
synopsis for the seasons. The Byrdes ended up in the Ozarks in a desperate
attempt to escape execution in Chicago and Marty does the same by proposing the
casino. Now he has to make it happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Snells and the Cartel offer two contrasting forms of violence. The Navarro
Cartel presents an ominous, looming sense of danger. They are ruthless and
calculating and heartless. They don't let sentiment or emotion impede their
business in anyway. The Snells are quite the opposite. They operate close to
home and are a constant presence for the Byrdes. They act on passion and
emotion to a great degree. Marty often has to act as the interpreter and middle
man between these two factions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wendy
Byrde (Laura Linney) grows further into an active part of Byrde Enterprises. In
the first season there was definitely an element of detachment and plausible
deniability that Wendy relied upon. That is entirely gone in the second season.
Wendy rarely hesitates to roll up her sleeves and get her hands dirty. Wendy
displays a certain ruthlessness that Marty doesn't have. Her checkered past is
no doubt a part of that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the major ways the season excels and Wendy plays a greater role is the part
of politics. Very early on the focus shifts to the legal process of how to get
the casino approved. The path is rife with a kind of corruption that seems all
too believable in 'small government' states. The first state senator Marty
meets with his hauling lumber because being a senator is only a part time job. It
gives tremendous incentive for bribery and corruption. The Byrdes do not
corrupt good people, instead they find a world already deeply rotten and try to
manipulate it to their own ends. They do so partially with the help of a
big-time financier that seems to control a significant part of the Missouri
Republican Party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">An
idea that was present early on in Ozark is the decay or consequences of the
money laundering that Marty does for the cartel. There are some, I am sure, who
could look at Marty's work and say that his crime is relatively minor. Washing
the money and getting back to the cartel in a useable form may not in and of
itself being 'bad' but the presence of the drug trade and the temptation the
money creates contaminates all around them. In the second season we see these
consequences impact a variety of characters, including the children of the
Byrdes. Such vast sums of wealth inspire crime, fraud, bribery, and theft. In
addition we see how drugs poison and hurt people in the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
said, as an audience member I could not help but watch the series with a
perverse desire to see Marty, Wendy, Charlotte and Jonah pull it all off with
the help of their allies and friends. I felt for the innocent people hurt along
the way, but those are awfully few and far between. Ozark tends to paint with a
dark or gray brush. That said, I do not find the show overly serious or
depressing to consume, not does it seem to luxuriate in violence in horror.
Violence seems to disgust and disturb the Byrdes. The show has a few delightful
moments. Wendy and Marty will update someone on their recent activities and
amusedly comment, "I just made a deal with the Kansas City mob." The
characters laugh because it seems so surreal. In some ways the Byrdes have not
shaken that suburban, upper-middle-class sensibility that makes them seem so
out of place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ruth
Langmore (Julia Garner) is once again a tremendous force in the show. Her
character journey from the first season to the end of season two is a
fascinating thing to watch. Ruth brings something to the show which I think is
incredibly powerful. She had a variety of impulses and motivations that keep
her going. She is the guardian to her cousins and must navigate dangerous
domestic relationships. Season two explores her relationship with her father a
great deal. There is different subtext about her trying to find her place and
the idea of the stain her Langmore reputation gives her. It's hard to put
clearly, but it is clear that the opportunities to be respected the Marty's
criminal enterprises gives her by appearing legitimate on the surface is very
tempting. She hungers to work in an office, to live in a house instead of a
trailer and guide Wyatt on to college. Ruth is both a child and an adult and
struggles to navigate both worlds, as well of the worlds of poverty, thuggery,
and white-collar crime. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
also briefly wish to add that Jimmy "Buddy" Smalls Dieker (Harris
Yulin) has a tremendous arc over the season. He definitely becomes a member of
the Byrde family and a critical member of it. He does a great deal to bring
levity and humour to the series. The cartel in season two is represented by a
lawyer, Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer) who brings a cold, calculating menace to
the scenes the appears in. Perhaps she offers a window on another direction for
the Byrdes, a white-collar worker whose choices led her down a more vicious
path. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ozark
is great television. It is about a desperate family doing their best to
navigate a complicated web to save themselves. Constantly actions have
unforeseen and perhaps unforeseeable consequences which require new
interventions and responses, which in turn cause their own problems to solve.
Unlike similar programs in the last few years I feel Ozark actually wrestles
with the questions it poses and the characters carry the weight of their choices.
More importantly, the characters, a huge swath of them, are fascinated to watch
and as a viewer I pull for them to find their own successful resolution. I
eagerly await a third season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-1576837914307116642018-09-07T16:06:00.003-04:002018-09-07T16:06:28.667-04:00Worth Reading - September 7, 2018<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">An
explosive op-ed appeared in the New York Times stating that federal officials
work around and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html">block the President of the United States</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jen
Gerson writes a piece examining the federal parties' <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/politics/the-dairy-lobbys-iron-grip-on-canadian-political-leaders-is-frightening-to-behold/amp/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=echobox&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true">position on supply management</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
did Americans give up on <a href="https://www.citylab.com/amp/article/568825/?__twitter_impression=true">mass transit</a>? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric
Grenier looks at the state of the NDP after their <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4809775?__twitter_impression=true">2017 financial numbers</a> came
in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Justin
Ling asks if <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/does-andrew-scheer-have-what-it-takes-to-be-prime-minister/">Andrew Scheer</a> has what it takes to become PM. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
Ivison reports that the NDP caucus is unhappy with <a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/john-ivison-ndp-mps-in-mutinous-mood-over-jagmeet-singhs-uninspired-leadership">Jagmeet Singh's leadership</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chuck
Marohn and Strong Towns takes a look at <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/9/4/crony-capitalism?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklywrap&utm_content=090418crony-capitalism">crony capitalism</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-11087658938149938232018-09-04T13:09:00.001-04:002018-09-04T13:09:13.152-04:00Reconsidering John Tory<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
the 2014 Toronto mayoral election the people of Toronto were faced with a
pretty start and alarming choice. After four years of chaotic mismanagement by
the Rob Ford administration they were offered three practical options for who
should become the next mayor: Olivia Chow, Doug Ford and John Tory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Though
voters don't collectively make a decision I think it is possible to look at the
outcome and see some of the mood in the public. Chow came third. In public
polling she never exceeded 30%. She in many ways represented the very justified
anger on the left side of the spectrum at the Ford term. Decision after
decision rankled and so many policy choices just plain seemed wrong. As Chow
faded the race for mayor became more of a two-person race between Ford and
Tory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
Ford it was definitely an endorsement of the way things had gone in the first
term. For right-wing residents of the city and especially those who wanted
suburban, car-oriented, low tax government this promised more of the same. That
said, one could easily argue about the low tax given the levy needed to fund
the disastrous Scarborough subway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However,
I think a huge chunk of Toronto fell somewhere in the middle. I think it is a
common misconception that Toronto is a left-wing city. I think certain areas
are quite left-leaning, but the success the Progressive Conservatives,
Conservatives and difficulties of the ONDP and NDP have had should be a lesson,
as is the popularity of Rob Ford and the composition of Toronto City Council.
John Tory came forward as a centrist option, though in truth centre-right would
probably be more accurate. However, Tory offered something else for
Torontonians - he's boring and safe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Four
years of Rob Ford I think turned many people's stomach. While there are those
who will cheer the deceased mayor for decades to come it is also clear that he
brought a deep sense of embarrassment for regular Torontonians who just wanted
a quiet, well-functioning city government. I once observed that Canadians
sometimes seem to hire (elect) prime ministers and premiers like they might
hire an accountant. I think that's what allowed Stephen Harper to do well, in
part. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tory
delivered for the most part. After being elected he has provided Toronto with
stable and sober government. There have been no major scandals and he seems
from the quiet business of city hall to be a competent administrator. However,
this stability has come at the cost of an innate conservatism. By conservatism
here I mean it quite literally - the desire to preserve things or keep them the
same. This might not be a problem, except that Toronto is going through a
period of intense change and requires leadership to guide it, shape it and make
it happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
are a number of portfolios where Tory has stuck with the status quo despite
public pressure and a great deal of evidence that change is required. I think
the clearest example of this is on the question of policing and carding in the
city of Toronto. Vocal critics such as Desmond Cole have made the case time and
time again that the policing service requires reform and change especially in
order to better serve people of colour. Tory has reflexively supported the
police. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
Tory had a close relationship with Premier Kathleen Wynne. Politically the two
seemed quite aligned, but also Wynne was interested in keeping Toronto happy on
a number of fronts being a Toronto politician. However, as Ford moves into
office I wonder if Tory merely wishes to get along with Queen's Park and the
Premier and will not be a passionate defender of the city when it needs it
against Doug Ford. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At
the moment John Tory seems like he will return to office. He is polling 65% to
35% against his rival Jennifer Keesmaat. However, the vote is seven weeks away,
and a lot can change. Tory has moved to the right for the sake of the campaign
and this could harm him among the centrists who elected him in the first place.
Keesmaat got off to a poor start, but she may be just the type of candidate to
galvanize the centre and the left around a different more activist vision of
Toronto. In 2014 Tory was the better of a bad choice, in 2018 he is going to
have to do more than that.</span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-12185861540199067922018-08-31T11:41:00.008-04:002018-08-31T11:41:58.482-04:00Worth Reading - August 31, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
video essayist named Contrapoints produced a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD2briZ6fB0">fascinating examination of the Incel'community'</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jennifer
Keesmaat, Toronto mayoral candidate, <a href="https://action.jenniferkeesmaat.com/network-transit-plan">released her transit plan</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4801888?__twitter_impression=true">Seven NDP MPs are not running in 2019</a>, which may weaken the party going into the
election. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Strong
Towns takes a look to see <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/27/your-city-isnt-changing-as-fast-as-you-think?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=generallistjab&utm_content=082718your-city-isnt-changing-as-fast-as-you-think">how fast American cities are actually changing</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric
Grenier writes about the possible impact of the <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4796682?__twitter_impression=true">Bernier-led right-wing party</a>.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Much
hope is being pinned to retrofitting suburbia, but <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/17/the-catch-22-of-retrofitting-the-suburbs?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklywrap&utm_content=081718the-catch-22-of-retrofitting-the-suburbs">that path is not simple.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chuck
Marohn writes about how grow can <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/22/the-more-we-grow-the-poorer-we-become?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklywrap&utm_content=082218the-more-we-grow-the-poorer-we-become">strangle and kill a community</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Andrew
Coyne looks at the disturbing turn the <a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/andrew-coyne-debate-over-immigration-in-canada-veers-onto-dangerous-ground">immigration debate in this country</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Martin
Regg Cohn looks at the Ontario government's <a href="https://www.thestar.com/amp/opinion/star-columnists/2018/08/22/how-doug-ford-conjured-up-a-war-over-refugees.html?__twitter_impression=true">hysteria over refugees</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John
Michael McGrath writes that to govern well the Tories in Ontario will have to
admit that some problems <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/if-they-want-to-govern-effectively-the-tories-will-have-to-admit-that-some-problems-dont-have-easy-solutions">don't have simple solutions</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paul
Wells writes that the next federal election will be about <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/the-2019-election-will-be-about-whos-the-right-kind-of-canadian/amp/?__twitter_impression=true">the heart of Canada</a>. </span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-60244303030059381862018-08-29T11:57:00.000-04:002018-08-29T11:57:24.725-04:00The Bernier Party<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">First,
I'd like to apologize for the missing posts over the last couple of weeks.
During August I went on a brief trip to southwestern Ontario and then followed
that up be a few days out of town at a wedding and some social functions at
work. Long story short, it has made it so I've been both busy and disconnected
from current events.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
was a bit of a shock when I learned the dispute between Maxime Bernier and
Andrew Scheer within the Conservative Party of Canada ended with Bernier
quitting the party and vowing to start his own as an alternative. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">From
reports this break-up was brewing for a long time. Bernier and Scheer had been
quietly and not-so-quietly disagreeing in public. Earlier in the year he was
removed from his critic portfolio. When Scheer reorganized the caucus he put
Bernier in charge of developing policy, a bold move that seemed to endorse his
more libertarian ideals. Clearly this was a consistent source of friction
between the two men. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bernier's
exit from the party is a grave concern. Let it be remembered that Bernier lost
to Scheer for the leadership of the party 49-51%. Bernier built a base of
support within the party and across the country, as well as significant
fundraising capacity. Now, to be fair, that does not necessarily translate into
backing for his own alternative party, but no doubt a few will follow him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Assuming
Bernier is sincere in his promise to start a party the real question is the
impact that will have on the 2019 federal election. There are already those who
fear (or gleefully hope) that this may fracture the Conservative Party the way
the Reform/Alliance split the right from the Progressive Conservatives from
1993-2003. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
think there are a few generally safe assumptions to make. First, with a little
more than a year to go until the election it is unlikely that Bernier will get
a full party off the ground to run the 338 candidates across the country. It
seems a tall order. Second, I think it is likely that if Bernier sticks with it
that it will result in him being re-elected in his riding under a new party
banner. The question becomes how much of a tail, or how broad will his support
be. Will the Bernier Party mirror Elizabeth May's Greens and simply elect the
leader and no one else? Or, will it manifest into the seat of a truly national
party and have competitive candidates and multiple MPs from across the country.
Or, will it become a local phenomenon in Quebec? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
see a real possibility for Bernier's Party to perform better than the Greens,
though I will not guarantee it. Bernier, from the leadership race, gained a lot
of traction in Alberta. It is possible that his more libertarian vision may
catch on in Alberta the same places that the Wildrose Party did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Overall,
I don't think this will much impact what I think will happen in October 2019. I
tend to believe Canadians are inclined to give governments two terms. Even if
Trudeau is less popular than he was, I think he is on track to win a second term.
Weakness in the NDP's numbers secures the Liberals' left flank with the Tories
united or divided. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Frankly,
I am all for more parties with representation in the House of Commons. It's a
sad truth that our electoral system penalizes that, but I think a greater
diversity of voices should be welcome, even if I strongly disagree with Maxime
Bernier's position. I'm sure it'll be interesting to see what happens next.</span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-11402874846062885402018-08-16T13:16:00.004-04:002018-08-16T13:16:26.679-04:00Worth Reading - August 16, 2018<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sorry
I missed Tuesdays post, I was off taking a little break and didn't make
arrangements to have post ready to go. Hopefully you all are enjoying your
summers as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Josh
Dehaas writes that <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-ontario-universities-shouldnt-rely-on-international-students?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cad">Canadian universities need to diversify</a> their sources of
international students so they are less vulnerable to geopolitical changes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jagmeet
Singh has been touring Quebec to try to shore up <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4785085?__twitter_impression=true">NDP support in that province</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chantal
Hebert argues that Canadians <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/08/13/heres-why-canadians-deserve-a-federal-election-this-fall.html">deserve an election this fall</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Can
outsiders with no stakes in a community really care <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/12/i-dont-give-a-bleep-about-akron?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=generallistjab&utm_content=081318i-dont-give-a-bleep-about-akron">enough to revive it properly</a>? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steve
Paikin writes that the first <a href="https://tvo.org/blog/current-affairs/the-first-rips-in-the-progressive-conservatives-big-blue-tent?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cad">tears in the 'big blue tent'</a> of the Ontario PCs
have formed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Staffers
at Queen's Park have been applauding to drown out <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/it-s-unprecedented-staffers-drown-out-reporters-by-clapping-at-doug-ford-news-conference-1.4779157">troublesome questions from journalists</a>. </span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-91672428984899446262018-08-09T14:19:00.003-04:002018-08-09T14:19:20.548-04:00Worth Reading - August 9, 2019<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Polls
show that Francois Legault and the CAQ have the lead in the upcoming <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4778218?__twitter_impression=true">Quebec provincial election</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Affordable
housing in Toronto could be the <a href="https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/why-the-toronto-municipal-election-could-be-all-about-affordable-housing?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cad">top issue in the fall election</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
a suburban county in Georgia <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/8/3/cobb-county-addicted-to-growth">squandered its wealth</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jagmeet
Singh is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4776366?__twitter_impression=true">running in a by-election</a> in British Columbia, but he will not find it
an easy experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
piece in the Toronto Star advocates for a <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/homes/opinion/2018/08/03/toronto-traffic-going-nowhere-fast.html">new freeway in the Western GTA</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
criticism landing on Toronto's City Hall, the Star looks at <a href="https://www.thestar.com/amp/news/city_hall/2018/08/06/what-do-toronto-city-councillors-do-more-like-what-dont-they-do.html?__twitter_impression=true">what councillors do</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
New York Times looks at research that shows how when a woman has children is
shaped by their circumstances and reflects on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/04/upshot/up-birth-age-gap.html">different realities in America</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Also
from the Times, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/upshot/chores-girls-research-social-science.html?rref=upshot">daughters are paid less</a> for chores than sons. Huh. </span></div>
SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4608187347082258635.post-55320360725636244312018-08-07T22:41:00.000-04:002018-08-07T22:41:00.828-04:00Buck-a-Beer is Terrible Policy, Great Politics<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'll
be honest. It's late on Tuesday and because of the holiday Monday I forgot what
day of the week it is, so this has to be written and delivered quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
Doug Ford announced his 'policy' to bring cheaper beer to Ontario I don't know
if I could have rolled by eyes harder. It was the exact sort of cheap pandering
I had come to expect from the Progressive Conservative leader, but even still,
when I first saw the message I thought it was a parody. What could be greater
satire than Doug Ford promising cheap beer to win over voters? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
the shame of us all that was an actual commitment and one the government of
Ontario has started to move towards making it a reality. The government will
lower the <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-announces-buck-a-beer-1.4775959">minimum cost of a bottle or can of beer from $1.25 to $1</a>. The price was raised ten years ago under Premier Dalton McGuinty. However,
anyone capable of basic economics will probably point to the fact that this may
not be as simple a fix as that. Prices have only gone up over the last ten
years. Inflation and price structuring alone would mean that companies would be
hesitant to lower their prices. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
government, ridiculously, is encouraging brewers to lower prices in order to
win promotional opportunities at the government-owned LCBO. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unsurprisingly,
there has been significant outcry from brewers about this. Over recent decades
small-scale and craft breweries have developed products to cater to a more
diverse market. Quality costs money, and some brewers have clearly made the
point that in order to meet the prices the Ford government wants, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/why-this-ontario-brewery-is-rejecting-doug-ford-s-buck-a-beer-challenge-1.4776223">quality or quantity would have to be slashed</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
truth is that the government of Ontario cannot really control the price of
beer. Setting a new minimum will not necessarily encourage anyone to take
advantage of it. I remember being a university student and drinking the
buck-a-beers. They were awful, almost every one of them. The idea of general
affordability is quite popular, no doubt, but whether or not that should be
applied to alcohol. I would much prefer people to have cheaper transit or
cheaper housing or cheaper food. The public good is much clearer there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It's
ridiculous policy, but it will no doubt be good politics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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SJLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16507376219360029032noreply@blogger.com0