Deep thought

It's an absolute mystery where Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party got the impression they're entitled to dictate how they're covered and what questions they'll deign to answer.

Deep thought

No one could have predicted that somebody's refusal to accept responsibility for causing another person's death - and indeed insistence that they're entitled to avoid any questioning about it - might speak poorly to their fitness to govern a province.

Deep thought

Sure, on the surface one might expect refugee claimants to be displeased to be deported and subsequently killed based on Justin Trudeau's decision to outsource their assessments to the Trump regime. But won't they feel better for having received an empty reassurance they were welcome in the meantime?

(See also: Andrew Coyne and Martin Patriquin.)

Deep thought

Some people are concerned about the Senate's self-definition as a council of owls seeking to keep less-privileged citizens from governing in their own interests.

But have they considered this might be a perfectly fair description?

Deep thought

Some of us might offer a lot more outrage over the histrionics in response to Justin Trudeau's statement of fact on the need to phase out fossil fuels if his own attack dogs hadn't fomented the exact same hysteria when it suited their purposes.

Deep thought

Memo to those commentators perpetually seeking any available excuse to compare Brad Wall to historical leaders: now would be an ideal time to point out his government's turn toward the Reaganesque.

Deep thought

If, having spent nearly a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars of donors' money as a national party leader, I could think of no more important issue to be flogged at every opportunity than how much TV air time other people demanded for me, I'd see reason for a serious look at whether I was accomplishing anything useful.

But your mileage may vary.

[Edit: fixed wording.]

Deep thought

In general, we should be appalled by the idea of letting catastrophic climate change run amok and force people to abandon their homes and communities.

But for a few self-selected people, it's tough not to see some poetic justice in the possibility.

Deep thought

It's always a relief to know our governments are constantly negotiating free trade deals to make sure no possible bidders are unfairly shut out of public procurement processes. That is, unless they're Canadian.

Deep thought

I've written before about the dangers of government by manufactured crisis - which is all too familiar under the Harper Cons and the Wall Sask Party alike.

But in light of recent events, I feel compelled to add that an inexplicable "you must accept our plan NOW! NOW! NOW!" only gets worse when followed by a gleeful "MWAHAHAHAHA!!!".

Deep thought

The Liberals, at their self-perceived best, lag many years behind the principled curve set by the NDP.

(Meanwhile, who's taking odds as to the number of formerly-Lib Senators who will be recruited by the we'll-take-anybody Greens?)

Deep thought

In times like these, it's vitally important that we not connect dots like "oil", "rail", "deregulation", "explosion" and "disaster". Because otherwise, people might start demanding that our corporate reduce the likelihood that we'll have far more similar incidents to come.

Deep thought

"The Conservatives are being asinine, let's shut down Parliament!" isn't a recipe for more functional politics, it's a means of encouraging more asinine behaviour from the Conservatives.

Deep thought

An infinite number of monkeys using an infinite number of typewriters will eventually produce the Kirby report on health care reform. This is not a sound argument for spending hundreds of millions of public dollars on monkeys with typewriters.

Deep thought

If a non-Con federal government even hinted at this kind of policy in dealing with provinces, the western Village would collapse under the weight of its own hysterical shrieking. But because it only involves Stephen Harper trying to extort resources from First Nations, I don't expect to hear of it again.

Deep thought

Brad Wall's contrived outrage over foreign interference in domestic policy might be a bit less laughable if he didn't make so much of a show of trying to dictate the U.S.' own decisions.

[Edit: fixed wording.]

Deep thought

I for one proudly stand in favour of preventing bad things from happening. And I'd think it's worth being rather concerned that our federal government and its corporate puppetmasters disagree.

Deep thought

Much as I generally promote open access to information, I'm starting to come around to the idea that the Cons should feel free to apply a "national security" exemption to pretty much any information about their decision-making. After all, if anybody around the globe knew exactly what they're dealing with in the Cons, Canada would all too likely be a second-rate protectorate of Burundi within a week.

Deep thought

Boy, this would seem like a great opportunity for anybody truly concerned about government interference in a fulsome political debate to make the case for freedom of speech. We could even label that hero with a pithy term like "free speech warrior". Now if only such a person existed.

Deep thought

I'm pretty sure the monorail salesmen concerned business interests spending so much money equating "keeping Regina growing" with "sticking Regina with the tab for a new stadium" will start showing their evidence linking the two any day now. Yesiree, any day now...