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Frances Woolley: Books for budding economists

Very witty, from Carleton University economist Frances Woolley:

What books should you give your children (nieces, nephews, friends) if you want them to grow up to become economists?

Harry Potter’s magical universe is a Thatcherite’s nightmare with its protectionist restrictions against magic carpet imports and bloated public sector. With a tri-metalic (gold/silver/bronze) currency and no paper money, effective monetary policy is impossible. The economic fundamentals of the wizarding world are basically unsound.

What about some of the classic children’s literature?

Read the rest at: Worthwhile Canadian Initiative: Books for budding economists.

Foreign Policy: The World According to Ron Paul

Michael A. Cohen looks at Ron Paul’s foreign policy who, in some respects, sounds like a Canadian New Democrat:

As Adele Stan, who has covered Paul closely for Alternet said to me, “progressives don’t get Paul’s anti-war talk from their own people (i.e. Democrats) and to hear it from him satisfies this deep spiritual yearning to hear someone say that we shouldn’t be bombing other people around the world.” Continue reading Foreign Policy: The World According to Ron Paul

Daily Brief Preview: Syria's pain; Republican crunch time; 2012 predictions

We have lots of special programming in store for you during the Christmas Break but Daily Brief will be taking a break, back first thing in the new year. So tonight’s broadcast is our last one for 2011. We hope you’ll join us. Our lineup at this point includes: Continue reading Daily Brief Preview: Syria's pain; Republican crunch time; 2012 predictions

Who's been the top MPs of the year?

Last year, in the papers across our chains, I published a list of MPs that I thought were doing a great job as MPs.  Looking back on 2010 I saluted the work in Parliament of Jack Layton, Chris Warkentin, Ted Menzies, Peter Julian, Siobhan Coady, Claude Bachand, Bob Rae, and Thierry St.-Cyr. Continue reading Who's been the top MPs of the year?

The Most Powerful Uncle in the World is the One with the Nukes

On my program last night, writer Christian Caryl picks up on something he blogged about a few days ago:

As of today, it can be assumed that the most powerful man in North Korea is Kim [Jong Un]’s uncle, Chang Song Taek, widely regarded as the designated regent. Chang, who is 65 (health status unknown), has going for him both strong family ties Continue reading The Most Powerful Uncle in the World is the One with the Nukes

NDP insider: Saganash, Ashton should pack it up. Topp maybe, too

Ian Capstick is a smart fellow who knows a lot about the political backrooms that most journalists never get to see. He’s a former aide to Liberal Sheila Copps but who eventually left the Liberals to join the federal New Democrats and was, when I first met him in 2005, the very effective and efficient press secretary to the federal NDP caucus. He’s never afraid of a good political fight. Indeed, I believe he enjoys one. And, perhaps most importantly in a town where many inflate their sense of themselves to get ahead, Capstick, in my experience, rarely blows smoke.

So, here he is tonight on CBC’s Power and Politics, responding to some questions from my friend Evan Solomon about the departure from the NDP leadership race of the unilingual Robert Chisholm: Continue reading NDP insider: Saganash, Ashton should pack it up. Topp maybe, too

Daily Brief preview: Christian Caryl on North Korea; Stephen Grand on the Arab Spring

From our studios in the nation’s capital, we’ll have this and more on the Daily Brief tonight: