Kevin Milligan is an associate professor of economics at the University of British Columbia. I’m a journalist who bailed on his undergraduate minor in economics when I ran into too much math in ECON 2310 and 2410. So I approach this response to some math issues in Milligan’s excellent post on the state of our public retirement income system with a bit of trepidation.
But I’ll plunge in away. Continue reading A response to Kevin Milligan's pension post: A math issue
Today, in the newspapers across our chain, I take a look at the relationship between AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Crown-First Nations Summit: Continue reading Column: AFN politics and the Crown-First Nations Summit
Read this powerful paragraph from Ovide Mercredi, delivered at the Crown-First Nations summit in the presence of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and AFN National Chief Shaun Atleo: Continue reading Which leader was Mercredi referring to in this powerful paragraph?
Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina Republican primary on Saturday night and gave a long, rambling, and, if you ask me, odd victory speech. But this chunk of his speech, is sure to be of interest to Canadians: Continue reading In Newt's eyes, Harper is America's best buddy
Many critics of the “MSM” (mainstream media), including Newt Gingrich himself, believe John King was offside in leading off Thursday’s debate with a question to Newt Gingrich about his ex-wife’s allegation that he asked her for an “open marriage.” As a journalist who thinks you ought to do your best to ask what voters are talking about rather than blindly take the spin from campaigns, I’m 100% behind King (left). Good question. Asked in a respectful manner. Continue reading Was CNN's John King right to lead off debate with question on Newt's "open marriage"?
Here’s a rather odd and, if you buy it, remarkable suggestion: Those who cast their ballots in a church may tend to vote more conservatively, even if they identify themselves any other day, as progressive or independent voters, a new study says. Continue reading Where you vote could influence how you vote
I find this an amazing story: Local politicians want to remain popular with their rapidly growing population of increasingly wealthier voters and so rather than ding them for all the new municipal services these voters want and need, the local council ratchets up the tax bill on the municipalities single biggest employer the local paper mill. Meanwhile, the paper mill’s owner is scrambling to avoid bankruptcy. It asks the municipality for relief. It gets just that. A little relief. But not nearly enough.
Frantic to cut costs — Continue reading The strange tale of a local council gouging its near-bankrupt major employer
As I write in a column that will be in our papers tomorrow, I believe the Liberals are doing best so far when it comes to the politics around the issue of NDP leadership hopeful Thomas Mulcair’s dual citizenship. I make the argument that, as Bob Rae pointed out today, the NDP can be characterized as hypocrites on the dual citizenship issue for back in 2006, when it was about Stephane Dion’s dual citizenship, their leader at the time, Jack Layton, as well as several other NDP MPs argued that holding two passports was untenable with being the leader of a party, let alone PM. Continue reading Liberals, Nathan Cullen shine on Mulcair issue; other New Democrats, Tories not so much
A second post from Beardsley (the Tory):
Back in 2002 when Harper first sat down with Joe Clark to talk about a potential merger, as a party researcher, I made a chart (later updated in 2003) of all of our PC and Reform/Canadian Alliance election platforms and matched them up word for word. I did the same for the party constitutions. We agreed on something like 75-80% of the items. I wonder if anyone has done this for the Liberal and NDP platforms. Just how different are they?
via Based on today, the Conservatives will have a long reign – BLOG – A look at Canadian politics.
Today, across our newspaper chain, I try to highlight what I’ll call MVP MPs, as voted on by MPs themselves. Before Christmas, I asked about three dozen MPs from all parties to list one or two MPs from any party they thought had done a good job of serving their constituents and Canadians.