Appeared in the North Shore News – October 23, 2015 I have been standing back admiring the brilliance of my prediction that the Conservatives would win Monday’s election. The logic was impeccable, though not unique — just more genially expressed. It follows. Liberal Justin Trudeau and especially New Democrat Thomas Mulcair were as zealous campaigning…
Tag: Stephen Harper
Conservatives on track to take top spot
Appeared in the North Shore News – October 9, 2015 The Conservatives will win the election. Could get a majority. They’ll win on the economy (the Globe and Mail recently ran a glowing double-page spread, declaring “the West Coast is on a roll” while “much of Canada’s economy sputters”). They’ll win big on the terrorism…
Politicians face off on transit vote
Appeared in the North Shore News – March 13, 2015 The transportation referendum — hold on, we interrupt this rant for a breaking rant from our opinion room: Stephen Harper will win this year’s federal election. We now return you to regular ranting . . . You read it here first. The Conservatives have taken…
Behind council’s sober second thoughts
Appeared in the North Shore News – August 15, 2014 Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow was bloodier, but West Van council’s U-turn on its slamming of proposed liquefied natural gas tankers on Howe Sound was quicker. Councillors at the Aug. 4 meeting volubly backed off their unanimous decision two weeks earlier when they had asked Ottawa…
Objective journalism takes another hit with VBOT protest coverage
Appeared in Business in Vancouver – January 14, 2014 Hello, business persons (I’ll ask other citizens some other time): Do you sometimes get mad at the media? Me too. But in my case the annoyance is as complex as love and as fat with conflict of interest as a Montreal mayor or two. At this…
Senate and House of Commons vie for crown of most politically redundant
The Harperland version of democracy has slipped over the border from the knuckle-under-or-else whip system into soft fascism Appeared in Business in Vancouver – April 9, 2013 There are three problems that periodically surface to trouble the Canadian mind. 1. What is the meaning of life? 2. Did Romeo ever actually sleep with Juliet?…
Canada increasingly a pushover for China’s economic imperialism
Appeared in Business in Vancouver – January 8, 2013 Today Canada is eagerly kissing neo-imperialist China’s backside, its face clearly revealed by the still-ubiquitous public posters of mass murderer and towering economic bungler Mao Zedong No, the following rant wasn’t fuelled by a weekend of intense liquid partying, a warm-up for New Year’s. It…
Pro-lifers lose battle, but war expands
Appeared in the North Shore News – October 12, 2012 ATTENTION, abortion pro-choicers: If you disliked Stephen Woodworth, you’ll hate Mark Warawa. First, the North Shore angle: Praise for Conservative MP John Weston, who joined the surprisingly large minority supporting Woodworth’s House of Commons Motion 312, defeated 203-91, to create an all-party parliamentary committee to…
Don’t count the U.S. out as a superpower
Appeared in the North Shore News – September 16, 2011 I’M uncomfortable sounding upbeat. It’s so out of character. But – in the face of assured opinions that are becoming conventional wisdom, which has proven unwise so often in history – that America is in terminal decline, finished as the world’s uncontested superpower . ….
Of Old Bulls and Young Turks
Appeared in Winnipeg Free Press – May 14, 2011 VANCOUVER — Ready for the Parliamentary Channel switching to re-runs of Sesame Street? How about a private member’s bill bringing acne into the Canada Health Act? Think diaper boards in the washrooms will raise public respect for the Commons? The parliamentarians’ informal afternoon naps may be…