Many years ago, our valued friends Jacquie and Lorne began searching for a vacation home. They explored possibilities in several parts of North America and Europe before deciding that the south of France offered almost everything they could wish for: a rich and fascinating history, a warm climate, exceptional food and wine, and surprisingly modest costs…
I recently read several Facebook comments that trivialized the indiscriminate violence inflicted on innocent people in Gaza and Lebanon. Some commenters suggested that the deaths and disruption experienced by Israeli residents were equivalent to—or even worse than—the destruction inflicted on more than eight million people when sophisticated weaponry threatened or destroyed densely populated areas outside Israel’s borders.
Canada’s double standard on Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran, isn’t a diplomatic nuance. It’s a choice — and British Columbians are living with the economic fallout.
Because satire ruffled a few powerful feathers, Australia passed legislation that could land people in jail if they falsely present themselves as representatives of government agencies. That did not stop Juice Media’s Giordano Nanni, Lucy Cahill, and colleagues from working to make influential figures uncomfortable. The Melbourne-based collective has amassed millions of views with videos that use satire to expose political hypocrisy, climate inaction, and corporate greenwashing…
The New York Times published a piece by Brown University Professor Omer Bartov, titled, “I’m a Scholar of Genocide. I Know It When I See It.” At the risk of this being labelled antisemitic, I repeat words of journalist Gideon Levy published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
“The blunt reality is that when there are no consequences, we humans are capable of immense depravity toward those we are taught to scorn as subhuman.”
On March 21, Donald Trump threatened to obliterate parts of Iran if the Strait of Hormuz was not fully opened within 48 hours. Hours before that deadline, Trump delayed the bombing threat by three days because ‘productive’ talks were ongoing with Iran. He later extended the deadline to April 6, saying negotiations were going very well. On April 5, Trump made a profane announcement, threatening massive bombing on April 7 if the strait remained closed. The American president promised a ‘whole civilization will die.’ However, cooler heads in the USA and mediative efforts by Pakistan led Trump to postpone the bombing once again, this time for two weeks.
In January, Mark Carnie told the World Economic Forum conference in Davos, Switzerland, about a “rupture to the world order.” I was aware of the Prime Minister’s speech to the WEF, but George Froehlich caused me to refocus on Carney’s words.
The contrast with our language on Ukraine is stark. For four years, Canadian officials have rightly called Russia’s invasion an “unprovoked,” “unjustifiable,” “illegal” violation of the UN Charter and of Ukrainian sovereignty. Yet when the United States and Israel launch large scale strikes without UN authorization, Ottawa drops the legal vocabulary entirely. No talk of aggression, no warning about Charter erosion, no insistence on emergency debate in New York. The double standard is obvious: when Russia uses force without lawful grounds, it is condemned as an outlaw; when the U.S. does something legally analogous, we kowtow in an effort to curry favour.
This is a response from A. Reader to Mr Stewart’s comment at the post Middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.,,
One of the most articulate critics of Donald Trump and his warriors is Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson. Below the separator is the text of her recent Substack post:
A friend who worked in the PMO years ago says Mark Carney was known in Ottawa as a straight-shooter who often wrote his own speeches and did so very quickly. He didn’t need speechwriters for this admirable address to important people in Davos.
I generally avoid spending money on American publications, but The Atlantic remains indispensable. Today, staff writer David A. Graham describes a deeply dangerous individual whose towering arrogance convinces him he understands the world better than anyone alive…
American companies own more than half of foreign-controlled corporate assets in Canada. How long before Donald Trump decides to “protect” his country’s interests and security? The Trump administration may blame Canada for allowing drugs and migrants into the USA. Parts of the USA have coveted Canada’s fresh water, and American companies dislike this country’s tax system and public spending, which favours climate action, environmental protection, public healthcare and other “leftist” schemes…
A century ago, an American advertising executive popularized the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Toronto Star cartoonist Theo Moudakis proves that a few pictures are worth much more than a thousand words.
In fewer than 365 days after taking office Donald Trump would threaten to invade Panama and Greenland, launch a global trade war, bomb five countries, and invade South America — all while griping about being denied the Nobel Peace Prize.
“Most of the Americas have suffered from interference from their powerful northern neighbour – and are usually the worse off for it.”
The movie “Wag the Dog” takes the stance that American public policy may be founded on fraud in high places, and that there is no public outpouring too spontaneous-looking to be manipulated by political puppeteers.
On January 3, the United States launched a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela, captured President Nicolás Maduro, and flew him to a military base in New York. The American President says his country now runs Venezuela, holder of the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
Gordon Wilson should have been Premier of British Columbia. Instead, Vancouver power brokers of the 1990s wanted a more tractable person waiting to be Premier. Gordon Campbell replaced Wilson as Leader of the Official Opposition, David McLean and Jack Poole were among the money men who shaped the future of BC politics. Despite that setback, Wilson has lived an interesting life.
Foot dragging? Know of anywhere with a huge coastline, lakes and rivers, lots of tourists wanting to sightsee, lots of…
Yes, I fully agree with this summary. I am also reminded of, what seemed to be, the suspect (and possibly…
Thanks, good summary of the fiasco. Mr Eby will likely resign his seat when the new leader is in place,…
Yes, a predictable loss... though it was interesting to see the Conservatives also attracting fewer votes than last time. I…
I hope Canada hurries up no tolerance based rules. I also hope this country has at least a clue of…