Miscellaneous material to start your week.
- Eric Cadesky writes about the psychology behind adherence to - and deviation from - the social distancing rules needed to keep us all safe.
- Nora Loreto discusses how COVID-19 has exposed the lethal problems with Canada's long-term care system. Karl Belanger points out that among the other warnings, Howard Hampton tried to highlight the neglect of residents in 2007 - only to see austerian governments continue to hold power. And Susan Delacourt discusses the role the federal government can play in ensuring that seniors are treated with care, while Scott Schmidt calls out Jason Kenney's UCP for declaring it's willing to sacrifice residents' lives if it means profits keep flowing.
- Kelly Grant and Carly Weeks examine Ontario's hot spots for community transmission of the coronavirus - as well as the social inequalities they reflect. And Jennifer Yang discusses the prospect that workplaces will be the new danger zones.
- Fair Vote Canada makes the case to restore democratically-determined per-vote funding to our federal political parties.
- Finally, Sandy Garossino discusses how Stephen Harper has cemented his place as an embarrassment since being voted out of office.
Monday, June 01, 2020
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading.
- Andrew Nikiforuk writes about the need to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis into a new normal, rather than trying to return to the distorted society that existed before.
- Sophie Ikura and Joshua Tapper discuss the other curves of ill health beyond the spread of the coronavirus which also need to be flattened as we respond to COVID-19. And Ian Hilton explores some of the options to organize a more fair and inclusive economy.
- Rasha Mourtada points out that we can't operate under the assumption that women will assume the full burden of caring for children. And Lana Stermac, Jenna Cripps, Touraj Amiri and Veronica Badali study how sexual violence damages women's academic performance and persistence.
- Louis Blouin and Peter Zimonjic report that the Libs are leaving their economic consultations to the wealthy few most responsible for the inequality we're already facing. And David Sirota offers a reminder that the real looting going on in the U.S. involves the gluttonous raising of public coffers by big business.
- Finally, Eric Holthaus discusses how the climate crisis is an example of racism which can only be confronted with an explicit anti-racist response. Shree Paradkar writes about the absurdity of white people taking offense at their privilege being pointed out, particularly in contrast to the life-and-death dangers created by racist social structures. And Paul Butler calls out the U.S.' criminal law system as serving to enforce different rights and obligations by race.
- Andrew Nikiforuk writes about the need to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis into a new normal, rather than trying to return to the distorted society that existed before.
- Sophie Ikura and Joshua Tapper discuss the other curves of ill health beyond the spread of the coronavirus which also need to be flattened as we respond to COVID-19. And Ian Hilton explores some of the options to organize a more fair and inclusive economy.
- Rasha Mourtada points out that we can't operate under the assumption that women will assume the full burden of caring for children. And Lana Stermac, Jenna Cripps, Touraj Amiri and Veronica Badali study how sexual violence damages women's academic performance and persistence.
- Louis Blouin and Peter Zimonjic report that the Libs are leaving their economic consultations to the wealthy few most responsible for the inequality we're already facing. And David Sirota offers a reminder that the real looting going on in the U.S. involves the gluttonous raising of public coffers by big business.
- Finally, Eric Holthaus discusses how the climate crisis is an example of racism which can only be confronted with an explicit anti-racist response. Shree Paradkar writes about the absurdity of white people taking offense at their privilege being pointed out, particularly in contrast to the life-and-death dangers created by racist social structures. And Paul Butler calls out the U.S.' criminal law system as serving to enforce different rights and obligations by race.
Friday, May 29, 2020
Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week.
- Fiona Harvey writes that as we rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, there's no reason to pretend that prosperity requires continued reliance on greenhouse gas emissions. David Roberts examines how a coherent climate plan is finally emerging in the U.S. And Max Fawcett writes that the pipeline posturing that has represented one of the primary talking points of Canadian petropoliticians will soon be obsolete no matter how desperately they try to cling to fossil fuels.
- Emily Holden reports on the dirty fossil fuel money behind the U.S. protests against public health orders. And Jeff Gray exposes how Doug Ford is using the pandemic as a pretext to offer giveaways to his developer donors without public consultation or review.
- George Monbiot highlights how the privatization of health and long-term care is at the root of the UK's coronavirus catastrophe. And Aaron Wherry writes that it's about time to include long-term care in our public health care system where it should have been all along, while John Michael McGrath opines that Ontario can no longer hide from the consequences of decades of austerity and deregulation.
- Patty Winsa examines the types of workers hit hardest by COVID-19, while Alex Ballingall focuses on the particular challenges facing care workers with insecure immigration status. Matthew Boesler and Reade Pickert note that even people who have retained their jobs have often been confronted with pay cuts and deteriorating working conditions. And Iglika Ivanova and Kendra Strauss examine who stands to benefit from the availability of sick leave (and by implication, who's being forced to work even while sick in its absence).
- Finally, Sharon Lindores reports on the favourable Canadian response to international discussion of a four-day work week.
- Fiona Harvey writes that as we rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, there's no reason to pretend that prosperity requires continued reliance on greenhouse gas emissions. David Roberts examines how a coherent climate plan is finally emerging in the U.S. And Max Fawcett writes that the pipeline posturing that has represented one of the primary talking points of Canadian petropoliticians will soon be obsolete no matter how desperately they try to cling to fossil fuels.
- Emily Holden reports on the dirty fossil fuel money behind the U.S. protests against public health orders. And Jeff Gray exposes how Doug Ford is using the pandemic as a pretext to offer giveaways to his developer donors without public consultation or review.
- George Monbiot highlights how the privatization of health and long-term care is at the root of the UK's coronavirus catastrophe. And Aaron Wherry writes that it's about time to include long-term care in our public health care system where it should have been all along, while John Michael McGrath opines that Ontario can no longer hide from the consequences of decades of austerity and deregulation.
- Patty Winsa examines the types of workers hit hardest by COVID-19, while Alex Ballingall focuses on the particular challenges facing care workers with insecure immigration status. Matthew Boesler and Reade Pickert note that even people who have retained their jobs have often been confronted with pay cuts and deteriorating working conditions. And Iglika Ivanova and Kendra Strauss examine who stands to benefit from the availability of sick leave (and by implication, who's being forced to work even while sick in its absence).
- Finally, Sharon Lindores reports on the favourable Canadian response to international discussion of a four-day work week.
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.
- Ian Hilton talks to several progressive economists about the opportunities for change as we manage and emerge from the coronavirus crisis. And Andre Roncaglia de Carvalho writes about the importance of state planning in charting our future course.
- Nav Persaud and Steve Morgan discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed and strengthened the need for a national pharmacare system. And Carl Meyer reports on Canada Post's pilot projects testing the benefits of postal banking.
- Lynn Giesbrecht reports on the Moe Sask Party's failure to address children's programs and community opportunities as they've instead focused their plan for "reopening" around the business class, while Krista Broda calls for children's recreation to at least be included in the next phase. Matthew Yglesias highlights why it's far more important to focus on reopening schools than non-essential businesses. And the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN), and Dr. Kathleen Lahey highlight the need to provide funding and resources to the women's sector.
- PressProgress reports on Statistics Canada's warning that the urban Indigenous population may be particularly hard hit by COVID-19. And Kelly Provost reports that Saskatchewan has the highest rate of Indigenous cases of any province.
- Finally, Hassan Yussuff calls for collective action to replace me-first thinking. And Nick French makes the case for radical workplace organizing as the foundation for renewed labour and social movements.
- Ian Hilton talks to several progressive economists about the opportunities for change as we manage and emerge from the coronavirus crisis. And Andre Roncaglia de Carvalho writes about the importance of state planning in charting our future course.
- Nav Persaud and Steve Morgan discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed and strengthened the need for a national pharmacare system. And Carl Meyer reports on Canada Post's pilot projects testing the benefits of postal banking.
- Lynn Giesbrecht reports on the Moe Sask Party's failure to address children's programs and community opportunities as they've instead focused their plan for "reopening" around the business class, while Krista Broda calls for children's recreation to at least be included in the next phase. Matthew Yglesias highlights why it's far more important to focus on reopening schools than non-essential businesses. And the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Canadian Women’s Foundation, Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN), and Dr. Kathleen Lahey highlight the need to provide funding and resources to the women's sector.
- PressProgress reports on Statistics Canada's warning that the urban Indigenous population may be particularly hard hit by COVID-19. And Kelly Provost reports that Saskatchewan has the highest rate of Indigenous cases of any province.
- Finally, Hassan Yussuff calls for collective action to replace me-first thinking. And Nick French makes the case for radical workplace organizing as the foundation for renewed labour and social movements.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Wednesday Evening Links
Assorted content for your mid-week reading.
- Christine Boyle, Penny Gurstein, Matthew Norris and Jim Stanford make the case for a public option in housing. And PressProgress documents how for-profit seniors' homes are dominated by board members with no knowledge or experience in caring for people's health.
- Toby Sanger discusses how the pandemic has exposed how Canada's tax system excludes people with low incomes.
- I.F. Mason contrasts Doug Ford's rhetoric about supporting workers against his government's action in unfailingly forcing people to stay on the job in the face of unsafe work.
- Chad D. Cotti, Bryan Engelhardt, Joshua Foster, Erik T. Nesson and Paul S. Niekamp study how forced in-person voting caused an increase in the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.
- Andrew Nikiforuk points out that Jason Kenney is trying to turn the trashing of environmental protections into the new normal.
- Finally, Gary Mason writes about the need to address the additional pandemic of domestic violence.
- Christine Boyle, Penny Gurstein, Matthew Norris and Jim Stanford make the case for a public option in housing. And PressProgress documents how for-profit seniors' homes are dominated by board members with no knowledge or experience in caring for people's health.
- Toby Sanger discusses how the pandemic has exposed how Canada's tax system excludes people with low incomes.
- I.F. Mason contrasts Doug Ford's rhetoric about supporting workers against his government's action in unfailingly forcing people to stay on the job in the face of unsafe work.
- Chad D. Cotti, Bryan Engelhardt, Joshua Foster, Erik T. Nesson and Paul S. Niekamp study how forced in-person voting caused an increase in the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.
- Andrew Nikiforuk points out that Jason Kenney is trying to turn the trashing of environmental protections into the new normal.
- Finally, Gary Mason writes about the need to address the additional pandemic of domestic violence.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading.
- Ethan Cox highlights how Canada's wealthiest few are raking in billions in additional wealth through the COVID-19 pandemic, and returning a pitiful amount in the form of charitable donations.
- Karl Nerenberg discusses how people already on the wrong end of social and economic inequality face disproportionate risks from plans to force people back to work while a lethal virus is still in circulation. And James Doubek reports on the "inequality on top of inequality" found in the U.S.' coronavirus death toll.
- Mahli Brindamour and Ayisha Kurji highlight the need to minimize the damage the continuing pandemic does to child development - which is particularly worth contrasting their against the provincial government's emphasis on restoring the normalcy of golf and recreational fishing before taking children's interests into account. Derek Thompson writes about the need to move beyond social distancing alone in minimizing the risk of transmission, while Jaason Geerts writes about some of the changes we'll need to make as a second wave of COVID-19 approaches.
- Don Pittis discusses the potential for economic transformation as we rebuild from COVID-19. And Mike Moffatt and John McNally warn that we need to prepare for a difficult if worthwhile trek toward a new normal, rather than pretending we can merely restart the old economy.
- Finally, Eleanor Ainge Roy reports on Jacinda Ardern's proposal for a four-day work week as one way of rebuilding for the better. And Ryan Stuart points out that a move toward smaller and more diverse agriculture can make us more resilient, in contrast to the potential shortage we're facing from centralized corporate processing.
- Ethan Cox highlights how Canada's wealthiest few are raking in billions in additional wealth through the COVID-19 pandemic, and returning a pitiful amount in the form of charitable donations.
- Karl Nerenberg discusses how people already on the wrong end of social and economic inequality face disproportionate risks from plans to force people back to work while a lethal virus is still in circulation. And James Doubek reports on the "inequality on top of inequality" found in the U.S.' coronavirus death toll.
- Mahli Brindamour and Ayisha Kurji highlight the need to minimize the damage the continuing pandemic does to child development - which is particularly worth contrasting their against the provincial government's emphasis on restoring the normalcy of golf and recreational fishing before taking children's interests into account. Derek Thompson writes about the need to move beyond social distancing alone in minimizing the risk of transmission, while Jaason Geerts writes about some of the changes we'll need to make as a second wave of COVID-19 approaches.
- Don Pittis discusses the potential for economic transformation as we rebuild from COVID-19. And Mike Moffatt and John McNally warn that we need to prepare for a difficult if worthwhile trek toward a new normal, rather than pretending we can merely restart the old economy.
- Finally, Eleanor Ainge Roy reports on Jacinda Ardern's proposal for a four-day work week as one way of rebuilding for the better. And Ryan Stuart points out that a move toward smaller and more diverse agriculture can make us more resilient, in contrast to the potential shortage we're facing from centralized corporate processing.
Monday, May 25, 2020
Monday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week.
- Ethan Cox writes that a large majority of Canadians favours massive public investments funded by more fair taxes on the wealthy as our road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. And Aaron Wherry points out the folly of fixating on deficits and public-sector debts when there are far more important and urgent problems demanding our attention.
- Dakshana Bascaramurty, Carly Weeks and Eric Andrew-Gee discuss how vulnerable populations are facing a disproportionate share of the harm caused by COVID-19, while Elizabeth Leier highlights that reality in Montreal in particular. And Meenakshi Mannoe notes that selective policing is only making matters worse.
- Bill McKibben examines what it will take to avert catastrophic climate change - noting in particular the importance of not building additional fossil fuel infrastructure which results in continued carbon pollution.
- Emma McIntosh reports on Doug Ford's use of COVID-19 to undermine environmental regulation, as well as Ecojustice's push for him to reverse course. Archie Waquan writes about the effects of Jason Kenney's similar blanket destruction of regulation and consultation in Alberta, including its threat to a World Heritage Site. And Andrew Nikiforuk discusses Alberta's longstanding shell game when it comes to responsibility for oil site cleanup, while highlighting the Alberta Energy Regulator's rare order that Shell can't dump its existing obligations onto a smaller company.
- Finally, Hilistis Pauline Waterfall points out that many of the aspects of the coronavirus pandemic which are resulting in new traumas within settler populations are all too familiar for Indigenous people.
- Ethan Cox writes that a large majority of Canadians favours massive public investments funded by more fair taxes on the wealthy as our road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. And Aaron Wherry points out the folly of fixating on deficits and public-sector debts when there are far more important and urgent problems demanding our attention.
- Dakshana Bascaramurty, Carly Weeks and Eric Andrew-Gee discuss how vulnerable populations are facing a disproportionate share of the harm caused by COVID-19, while Elizabeth Leier highlights that reality in Montreal in particular. And Meenakshi Mannoe notes that selective policing is only making matters worse.
- Bill McKibben examines what it will take to avert catastrophic climate change - noting in particular the importance of not building additional fossil fuel infrastructure which results in continued carbon pollution.
- Emma McIntosh reports on Doug Ford's use of COVID-19 to undermine environmental regulation, as well as Ecojustice's push for him to reverse course. Archie Waquan writes about the effects of Jason Kenney's similar blanket destruction of regulation and consultation in Alberta, including its threat to a World Heritage Site. And Andrew Nikiforuk discusses Alberta's longstanding shell game when it comes to responsibility for oil site cleanup, while highlighting the Alberta Energy Regulator's rare order that Shell can't dump its existing obligations onto a smaller company.
- Finally, Hilistis Pauline Waterfall points out that many of the aspects of the coronavirus pandemic which are resulting in new traumas within settler populations are all too familiar for Indigenous people.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)