Month: February 2013

The job-killing carbon tax. Again and again and again.

Speaker's Parade
The Sergeant-at-Arms carries the Mace into the House of Commons during the Speakers Parade at Parliament Hill in Ottawa Jan 28 2013, the first day of the new year for MPs. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Hon. Andrew Scheer follows on the right. (Andre Forget/QMI Agency)

We now have Hansard for the first week of 2013 in the House of Commons. Each day, there is a 45-minute Question Period. You’ve seen this. It generally gets the most media attention of any daily event on the Hill.

But just before Question Period gets underway (at 2:15 pm ET M-TH and 11:15 am on Fri) there is a 15-minute period for Members’ Statements. This period is provided for under Standing Order 31 so these statements are often referred to on the Hill as “S.O. 31s.”  The Conservatives mostly, but exclusively, are now using this period to bludgeon their opponents. (See my earlier post for more explanations: “The evolution of the SO31: From happy thoughts to political mud fights”) Used to be that Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals were the objects of the Conservative SO 31 ire. No more. Here’s what those of us who are paid to watch that 15-minute period of SO 31s have been suffering through for the first five days of this year in Parliament (and have every expectation of suffering through for many more days to come). I’ve excerpted just the juicy “carbon tax” bits … Continue reading The job-killing carbon tax. Again and again and again.

Hockey: Invented by the British, now Russia's national sport, says US writer

Canadiens score
MONTREAL, CANADA – Lars Eller (#81) of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates after scoring his second period goal during the NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on February 2, 2013 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images/AFP)

Are you kidding me, Joshua Keating?

Keating writes:

Hockey, the British-invented, Canadian-developed national sport of Russia…

British-invented? We invented it! Continue reading Hockey: Invented by the British, now Russia's national sport, says US writer

Tonight's Super Bowl ads now – with commentary

Marketing professors at the University of Texas at Austin have a great (and timely) post up in which they assess Super Bowl advertising. Canadian readers ( who may have trouble seeing the American ads on Canadian networks) can get some sneak peeks of what the big ads will be during tonight’s big game.:

Remember the ad where a little kid dressed up as Darth Vader uses “the force” to turn on his dad’s car? That Volkwagen spot was among the most-talked-about commercials during the 2011 Super Bowl.

The annual National Football League championship is not only a contest between the two best teams, it’s also a venue for advertisers to capture the attention of millions of viewers. The rise of social media has amplified the annual commercial fest as people take to cyberspace to express their opinions about the much-anticipated ads.

“For many — not only those teaching and practicing advertising — the ads on the Super Bowl have become a major reason for watching,” says advertising professor Neal Burns. “Social network technology lets us all participate in a meaningful and fulfilling way.”

Burns (whose Twitter handle is @berryboy316) and three other advertising experts from the University of Texas at Austin will be joining the virtual water cooler during the game, live-tweeting their thoughts using the hashtag #SBAdJudge. Burns will be joined by assistant professors Kevin Thomas, (@kevin_d_thomas), Angeline Close (@angelineclose) and Robert Lewis (@robertjoellewis).

Because several ads have been released on YouTube before the game this year, we’ve got a preview of their expert opinions.

via Advertising Professors Rate Super Bowl Ads « Know.

Liberals, household chores and fickle TV program directors

Marc Garneau at Winnipeg leadership event
WINNIPEG – Marc Garneau had what seemed to be the most talked-about remark at the Liberal leadership event on Saturday, Feb. 2 in Winnipeg: He likes to vacuum. (QMI Agency Photo)

About 400 Liberals and their supporters paid $20 each Saturday afternoon to watch a Liberal leadership event in which a failed Liberal candidate (Harvey Locke, last seen coming in a respectable second to Joan Crockatt in a Calgary Centre byelection) read largely the same questions to the nine leadership contestants in separate 11-minute long “interviews.” The biggest revelation after two hours of this was that Marc Garneau enjoys cooking — and frittatas specifically — and he also enjoys vacuuming. Martha Hall Findlay, on the other hand, Continue reading Liberals, household chores and fickle TV program directors