Gifted Typist

I suppose it’s the dumbing down of American (Canadian) culture. Politicians wish to be amongst us,  the mere lumpen proletariat. They flip burgers and nuzzle babies to make us think they are one of us. The idea is that this will win them votes. Sweet huh? Of course it’s just cliche and most of us [...]

Last year, the politicians of this province lavished $9M on something called Democracy 250. The idea was to engage young people in the democratic process. They brought in two former premiers – old, grey-haired,  stodgy men – as co-chairs of this “celebration.” Typical of Nova Scotia politicians, these men have all the charisma of an [...]

On the way home from the marvelous Cirque Du Soliel show the other night, I spotted a rat scurrying away from Province House. It scuttled out of the gates and ran across the street. The symbolism was delicious, hilarious and quite poetic. Let’s hope that rat was right next Tuesday when we have the election [...]

Go here to read my column. You’ve heard about the by-law that says don’t feed the ducks. Well, I think there should be a similiar by-law that says don’t feed the politicians. Feeding the ducks just encourages them.  Ditto politicians. Feeding the ducks makes them dependent on you. Ditto the politicians. Feeding the ducks puts [...]

There’s an election on in our parts. It’s mind-numbingly dull, uninspired and void of any ideas, big or small. As the world rides an economic storm and tries to plot its future, our political class  keeps its eye on the rearview mirror and its fingers stuck in its ears.  They just sing “la-la-la” and all [...]

Doing my personal and business taxes these past few days. It’s my duty, and being a rule-follower to fault, I will perform my duty in a timely and law-abiding manner. And I will pay up in a timely and law-abiding manner, too. Because, let’s face it, all those unelected Canadian Senators deserve my money, don’t [...]

Today, Canada’s opening up the front room, puffing up the sofa and dusting off the side tables. Tea’s on and special biscuits are baking in the oven. Obama’s coming to town today. For six hours. But that’s an important six hours. Our old-school NeoCon prime minister Stephen Harper is in an awkward place. Canada’s late-blooming [...]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Now we finally have a glimpse of the hateful, spiteful, hidden agenda so many of us feared. After cleverly hiding his NeoCon ideology from centrist Canadians, Stephen Harper finally blew the lid of the thing this week. And it’s ugly. He plunged the ideological dagger [...]

Did any other Canadians have trouble sorting out the red/blue colour coding in the US election coverage? In Canada red is the colour of the more progressive Liberal party. Blue is the colour of the more conservative Conservative party. In the US those colours are opposite with red representing the conservative Republicans and blue the [...]

Such good news. For so many different reasons. Congratulations everyone. This is a very good moment.

With just days left in the US election, I’m nervous. I can’t fathom a world lead by McCain and the cartoon-character, moose-hunting, loose-canon, hockey-mom from Wasilla, Alaska. No offense to loose canons. I’m liking Barack Obama’s chances and everything seems to be going well for his campaign. But the Republicans shouldn’t be underestimated. They’re trying [...]

The NeoCons won in Canada last night – but they only won a minority. More than anything, NeoCon Harper wanted his majority so he could let his NeoCon pit bulls out of the pen and push his NeoCon agenda down the throat of Canada. But he didn’t get his majority, did he? And he wanted [...]

Today is election day here. Polls have indicated that Canadians are seriously flirting with the idea of giving a majority to the NeoCons who take their inspiration from their US NeoCon brethren – Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rove, Kristol, etc. The NeoCon leader Stephen Harper has done an admirable job of keeping a lid on the [...]

This is debate night. In Canada we have The Debates, Part II, in English with all five federal leaders. In the States, we have the VP debates: Palin vs Biden. Normally the media likes a tired, cliched boxing metaphor to describe these events In the US debate this may work: (think Rocky theme) “Ding! And [...]

See my Herald column here. The USA has Sarah Palin. They also have Obama. Rock and roll candidates, in other words. Canada on the other hand (yes there is a federal election here too!) has the Canadian charisma triplets – Curly Harper, Larry Dion and Moe Layton. Canadian elections are boring. Canadian politicians lack charisma. [...]