Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Caitlin Johnstone writes about the reality that the whole of humanity is largely being used solely as a profit-generating machine for the benefit of a wealthy few. And Paul Waldman comments on Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO as the ultimate juxtaposition of greed and hate, while Tom Goldsmith discusses how the mere possibility of an individual accumulating a trillion dollars represents an indictment of our political and economic systems. 

- Ann Larson writes about the impact of inequality on workers in U.S. grocery stores - including seniors forced to stay in menial roles far past retirement age in order to try to eke out a living. James Chappel's review of Samuel Moyn's Gerontocracy points out the problem with trying to portray fundamental issues of oligarchic hoarding of wealth along lines other than class. And Sam Freedman discusses how pouring additional resources into a fundamentally imbalanced system won't resolve inequality in education. 

- Janetta McKenzie points out new polling showing that while the UCP and its political cousins try to paint utter obeisance to oil tycoons as a must to keep Alberta in Canada, the fact is that most Albertans reject their demand for guaranteed profits at the expense of everybody else. And Energy Live News highlights survey data showing broad UK interest in installing solar panels as a means of reducing dependency on volatile fossil fuel supplies. 

- Finally, Geoff Dembicki and Jen St. Denis discuss how Mark Carney's push for AI data centres is specifically aimed at exacerbating the extraction and burning of fossil gas. And Darren Major reports on Carney's decision to eliminate the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise who offered the sole means of monitoring the human rights abuses of resource extraction firms around the globe. 

Thursday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Graham Readfearn reports on new research showing how more and more people are facing non-survivable heat - and that matters are getting worse as the climate breaks down even further. 

- Kathryn Bakos and James Stewart highlight the desperate need for Canada to include recognition of the climate crisis in its policy plans. And Curtis Fric discusses the latest polling showing the public wants to see more climate action, even as both the Carney Libs and nearly all provincial governments go out of their way to make matters worse. 

- Meanwhile, Jessica Corbett reports that the fossil fuel sector's profit-taking from Donald Trump's Iran war has included a stock selloff in addition to profiteering at the pump. And Nicholas Cunningham, Marcello Rossi and Amy Westervelt write about the false promise of "low-methane LNG" which may in fact be worse than other fossil fuels. 

- Alexander Bor et al. study how people in unequal and undemocratic societies face increased levels of online hatred and hostility. And Crawford Kilian notes that Canada has plenty of room for improvement on the democratic front.  

- Finally, Hettie O'Brien points out what the realities of private equity show us about the predictable course of capitalism running amok. 

#ndpldr Roundup

Assorted links and information as the NDP's leadership race reaches its conclusion this weekend.

- Jeremy Appel takes a look at the most recent fund-raising reports, which show Avi Lewis' lead reaching the level where his total donations exceed those of his opponents combined - even as he's relied on smaller donations than the other candidates. 

- Curtis Fric examines polling on the apparent openness of voters to considering the NDP - though it's worth being careful about putting too much stock into immediate impressions of a party which has been engaged in a leadership campaign (and lacking a permanent leader) rather than focusing on defining itself to the public. And on that front, the Angus Reid Institute's polling on the lack of familiarity with the leadership candidates signals both that there's plenty of work to be done in making an introduction, but also that there's plenty of room to make a strong first impression. 

- The Canadian Press reports on the candidates' positions on pursuing a seat in the House of Commons. And for all the focus of Heather McPherson's surrogates on proximity to power, it's striking to see her message framing the ultimate point of the leadership in terms of the ability to ask questions in opposition rather than building a voter coalition capable of winning government. 

- Finally, Linda McQuaig makes the case for a left-wing populist being exactly what the NDP needs in response to the concentration of wealth and power. And Desmond Cole's conversation with Leah Gazan likewise addresses the importance of unapologetic socialism rather than muddled messaging. 

Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Jared Yates Sexton writes about the Trump administration's attacks on reality and truth. Marisa Kabas laments the fact that the U.S. is deteriorating faster and in more ways than it's realistically possible to track even absent the harm being done to its information environment. And about the best available reason for hope is to note, as Agent Nkrumah does, that the Trump Republicans are running scared. 

- Scott Galloway writes about the rise of violence entrepreneurs as part of the MAGA propaganda machine. And Olufemi Taiwo discusses the need for shame as part of any functional social system - even as the Trump regime looks to purge anything of the sort (with far too much assistance from the corporate media). 

- Susan Delacourt reports on new polling showing that Canadians quite rightly don't see any point in negotiating a trade agreement with a regime which can't be trusted to honour it. 

- Erin Sikorsky discusses how the U.S.' war on climate action will leave it at a disadvantage as the global economy shifts toward clean energy. David Wallace-Wells offers a reminder that attacks on climate policy have had harmful effects around the globe. And John Woodside reports that environmental groups are being shut out of any direct interaction with a Carney government which is only interested in catering to CEOs. 

- Andrew Nikiforuk notes that spin about nuclear power serves mostly to delay a clean energy transition (and commit massive amounts of money to an inefficient, non-renewable energy source). And Adam Thorn writes about the importance of using public policy to foster a move toward electric vehicles. 

- Finally, Ryan Cooper reports on the success of Greenland's state companies in both providing employment and generating public returns as an example for other jurisdictions to follow. 

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Uday Rana reports on new polling showing that a supermajority of Canadians will never trust the U.S. the same way again. And John Paul Tasker examines the ways the break from reliance on the U.S. is playing out in practice. 

- But Desmond Cole and Martin Lukacs discuss how Pierre Poilievre is trying to import as much of the Trump regime's anti-immigrant violence as people can be forced to consume. And Muhad Hemmadi reports on Mark Carney's echoing of the U.S.' blind faith in AI as a substitute for real development, while Dale Smith discusses how the Libs' online surveillance legislation reads as little more than a gift to a Trump-style militarized state. 

- Linda McQuaig writes that any forward-looking plan for national projects should be starting with a massive commitment to clean energy. And Darius Snieckus and Natasha Bulowski report on the Canadian Climate Institute's estimate showing that Alberta's oil and gas sector alone is blocking any prospect of reaching our climate commitments in both the short and medium term. 

- Kevin Crowley, David Wethe and Dave Merrill report on the groundwater pollution and resulting geological instability being inflicted by the oil industry in Texas (with the full support of petropoliticians). Olivia Lee reports that a project in Brighton is showing how toxic runoff can be cleaned up - while highlighting the absolute failure to make that a priority elsewhere. And Gary Fuller reports on new research showing that air pollution affects people's sleep among other profound effects. 

- Finally, Emily Atkin discusses how Charlie Kirk's hate (like much of the fascist right's noise machine) has been funded by fossil fuel tycoons. Adam Serwer notes that the definition of free speech in the U.S. is now limited to parroting administration talking points, while Moira Donegan wonders who's next to be silenced after even the most mainstream of comedians are being yanked off the air for daring to incorporate the U.S.' president in their material. And David Moscrop writes about the need for universal condemnation of political censorship. 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- David Sirota writes that the sources of America's descent into authoritarianism can be traced readily to the longstanding trend toward the consolidation of wealth and power. And Luke Savage discusses how elite "liberals" have facilitated rise of fascism both by reinforcing its themes of fear and dominance, and by failing to improve the well-being of the general public when in power. 

- Michael Mann discuss how weaponized disinformation aimed at attacking science represents a threat to humanity as a whole. And the Economist speculates that the decline of reading may be an important factor in the dumbing-down of politics. 

- John Woodside reports on the Carney Libs' push toward nation-building in batches based on political convenience and immediacy rather than any long-term vision for development. And Kenza Bryan reports on Greg Jackson's warning that the UK's plans to pour money into carbon capture and storage are ill-advised, while Lisa Schick reports that Saskatchewan scientists are pushing back against Scott Moe's determination to use public money to spew as mnuch coal pollution as possible. 

- Mark Lemley writes that a toothless order against Google even after a finding of an abuse of monopoly power confirms that competition law alone won't be sufficient to deal with the power of big tech. And Kelsey McKinney argues that any legal settlement which allows an AI company to steal first and turn over an amount it doesn't care about later falls far short of the mark. 

- Finally, Marc Trussler and Stephanie Perry report on polling showing massive gender and partisan gaps in Generation Z life priorities. And Erika Shaker discusses how "parental rights" spin represents a contrived effort to children as property and schools as profit centres. 

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- John Harwood discusses how Donald Trump's second term in office has been more harmful than even the most dire predictions anticipated. Donald Gutstein calls out Danielle Smith for promoting the twin U.S. interests of dirty energy and Alberta separation as her primary areas of activity. And Peter Zimonjic reports that Mark Carney is joining the corporate elites working on normalizing Trump's abuses, as he's removing a number of the targeted tariffs which had served as important pressure points against Trump's arbitrary actions.

- Meanwhile, for those looking for construction actions which Canada could and should be taking, Jon Milton and Nathaniel Denaro make the case for a vehicle production Crown corporation to ensure our existing industrial base isn't subject to the whims of the Trump administration and the U.S. automakers collaborating with it. And Brendan Haley points out the value of energy efficiency as a nation-building project. 

- Karl Nerenberg writes about Carney's immediate shift toward austerity and tax-cutting after he won power as the defender of a progressive Canada. Grant Robertson and Kathryn Blaze Baum report on the results of a federal investigation showing that existing reliance on algorithms to govern regulatory activity was a major cause of a deadly listeria outbreak - even as Carney seeks to replace even more government functions with AI vaporware. And Sophia Harris reports on the CRA's woeful lack of resources to answer public inquiries as well as ensure that the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes. 

- Finally, David Coletto and Eddie Sheppard discuss new polling showing that an increasing number of Canadians are slipping into exonomic anxiety and precarity. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Jonathan Watts talks to Genevieve Guenther about the need to keep talking about the many climate tipping points in front of us - along with the value of taking action to avoid crossing them. Sanjana Gajbhiye reports on the weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, and the resulting cool spot which portends increasing warming elsewhere. Andrew Szava-Kovats writes that we can't accept a prolonged wildfire and smoke season as a new normal. 

- Nora Loreto calls out Mark Carney's choice to serve as Donald Trump's lap dog on Iran rather than opposing an unjustified attack, while Alex Cosh and Nur Dogan point out the impace on Iranian Canadians. And Christopher Holcroft discusses Carney's abandonment of "elbows up" in favour of making concessions to an unreliable authoritarian regime. 

- Meanwhile, Erica Ifill points out that Carney is making a corporate power grab - at the expense of Indigenous rights and environmental protection - in the name of national unity. And Adam King discusses how the Libs are putting a thumb on the scale for management against Canada Post workers, while Andre Frappier offers a reminder that the fight is ultimately one encompassing the entire working class. 

- Ryan Kiedrowski reports on the demands of Danielle Smith and Scott Moe that the federal government essentially trash all environmental and climate policy in order to deliver windfall returns to dirty energy operators. And Dale Smith highlights how Smith is importing the Republican war to dehumanize mmigrants into Alberta. 

- But on the bright side, Sean Boynton reports on polling showing that Canadians have maintained their support for LGBTQ2+ rights even as popular support has declined elsewhere in the face of calculated attacks. 

Thursday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- David Moscrop writes that "inequality" is a far too mild word for the extreme concentration of wealth and power in the U.S. (coupled with increasing deprivation and disempowerment of large numbers of people). David Sirota argues that the resistance to the Trump administration needs to directly oppose corporate control rather than hoping that some general claim of abundance will be seen as sufficient, while Hans Nicols reports on polling showing that the general public agrees. And YouGov finds that in the UK, there's far more public appetite for improved services than for austerity and tax slashing. 

- Meanwhile, Anna Merlan discusses what the U.S. stands to lose from the Trump regime's deliberate destruction of knowledge. 

- The Associated Press reports on Louisiana's draconian crackdown against sharing information about the pollution that's threatening public health. And Emily Schwing reports on the limitations of adapting to environmental catastrophes after the fact as evidenced by the crumbling new community of Mertarvik, Alaska. 

- Elyse Hauser discusses her own blood test for microplastics in the context of their spread throughout our living environment. And EcoWatch points out a new study documenting a particularly severe concentration of microplastics in agricultural soil. 

- Finally, Ophélie Dénommée-Marchand rightly argues that Canada needs to be providing a safe haven for trans people and others facing grave risks under the Trump regime. 

Monday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- A.R. Moxon discusses the problem with the concentration of power in the hands of a few tycoons who see no purpose for most human life other than to maximize the efficiency of their own wealth accumulation. And Anis Heydari reports that Canada now has its own group of millionaires to recognize the need for their cohort to contribute a fair share to the public good. 

- Wen Stephenson talks to Olúfémi Táíwò about the need to think like an ancestor in addressing both social relations and the climate crisis. Luke Grant et al. examine the increasing probability that today's children will experience unprecedented climate extremes in the course of their lifetimes. And Mark Gongloff points out that the social cost of carbon pollution from U.S. companies alone figures to reach the high 14 figures by 2050. 

- Meanwhile, Peter Aldhous reports that the Trump regime's war on science includes eliminating the collection of sea ice data which has provided crucial information about the climate crisis. Ariel Wittenberg reports on Elon Musk's dumping of smog without permits on vulnerable neighbourhoods in Memphis. And Nina Lakhani reports on the risk that the climate breakdown could threaten banana cultivation in the coming decades. 

- Kevin Maimann discusses how the fomenting of secessionism by Danielle Smith and Scott Moe may cause economic disaster based on Quebec's experience, while Jen Gerson offers her personal take on the folly of undermining the national interest for the sake of a few oil executives. 

- Finally, Shara Cooper points out that a proportional electoral system would resolve the problem with regions lacking an effective voice in the federal government. And Mario Canseco finds that Canadian voters are still on board with the idea even after Justin Trudeat broke his promise to make every vote count.

On open lanes

Mark Carney's ascent to the Liberal leadership has locked in a change in Canadian politics as compared to the period before Justin Trudeau's resignation announcement. But as the inevitable response to any glimmer of hope for the Libs is to turn it into a "this is bad news for the NDP!" story, let's take a look at how there's still room for the NDP to find its footing in advance of an election campaign. 

First, recognizing that the Trump regime will continue to make it difficult for parties to centre a campaign on anything else, there remains plenty of space for a distinct voice as to the appropriate response.

On that front, the most telling part of Carney's inaugural speech dealing with Trump was this:

“The Canadian government is rightly retaliating with our own tariffs,” Carney said during his victory speech Sunday. “My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect — and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade.”

Now, that message makes plenty of sense from the Libs' perspective. It plays to both a simplistic patriotism and Carney's international profile in making a demand for "respect", while also allowing corporate Libs the hint of an easy return to business as usual based on entirely subjective criteria.  

But there are limitations on that position in terms of both principle and credibility. 

As a matter of principle, the concept of "respect" looks profoundly tepid compared to what's playing out in real time. As stories and pictures emerge about the real human costs of Trump's authoritarianism, there's a desperate need for somebody in the campaign to highlight the fact there's more at stake than national pride.

And I'd also expect plenty of voters to recognize the folly in crediting Trump as being able to offer credible, reliable commitments on anything. (Insert "if you'd been around for Trump's first term, maybe you'd understand!" as appropriate - and Carney's credulousness in the face of nakedly self-serving actors is a point with broader application as his green banking alliance has crumbled.)

To be clear, I don't think there's likely a path to a 2015-style three-way race at this stage. But there are multiple potential responses to the Trump regime - and one focused on how it threatens human rights and workers' interests on both sides of the border should offer a distinct and important message which will appeal to both longtime supporters and new potential activists. 

Which brings us to the question of how popular support levels will translate into seats - and there, it's worth noting some of the limitations in assuming a uniform swing in votes which doesn't reflect local and party factors. 

On that front, there's a well-established NDP practice of "beachhead" organizing - with an intensive focus on winning a single seat to provide a local presence, then a plan to leverage incumbency advantages and spillover awareness of one established MP into neighbouring seats. 

As Allan Gregg acknowledged after Ontario's provincial election this year, that model allowed Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP to hold nearly all of their seats (contrary to what pollsters presumed) and remain the Official Opposition despite losing ground in the popular vote. Trevor Corkum notes that there's precedent for a localized focus to bring Atlantic seats into the fold even in the face of a Liberal turn elsewhere, with strong challengers in place to challenge for seats the NDP has held in the recent past. And I'd point out the additional example of the Vancouver Island stronghold which has stayed primarily with the NDP since 2015 even as provincial and national numbers have fluctuated. 

If I have any general concern about that model, it's that it tends to result in dedicating the resources of a national campaign to a relatively small number of seats - which may limit the NDP's ability to expand the electoral map. But the flip side is that it provides reason to think the NDP can hold hold strong on the ground regardless of where the Lib-Con air war ends up.

On windows of opportunity

Following up on yesterday's post, the NDP's decision to advance a non-confidence vote obviously reflects a different path than the one which seemed promising to me. And there's at least one explanation as to why there may be an interest in an election sooner rather than later:

Speaking with sources within the NDP. There is a noticeable shift in the parties attitude towards and election. They WANT an election against Trudeau. I have been told there is data coming showing them in a steady 2nd place against Poilievre with a shorter than expected ground to reclaim.

— JB (@jb.polaris.tube) December 20, 2024 at 12:43 PM

From the standpoint of merely managing party interests in Parliament, that type of data would create a strong incentive for an early election - particularly if the main alternative is trying to negotiate with a leader whose ability to give effect to any agreement is in doubt. 

But I'm still not convinced there isn't a better third option which could pair a relatively strong party position with a concerted effort to tap into public resistance to an American oligarchy which seems likely to overwhelm domestic discussions in any election campaign. 

Meanwhile, it's also worth noting the timing involved. Just as now isn't a time when there's a realistic prospect of negotiating legislation, it's also too late for any non-confidence vote to take place for at least a period of months. And there's risk in assuming that both of the conditions seen as favouring an election now (the assumption of polling momentum and Justin Trudeau's continued leadership of the Libs) will still be in place by the time there's any chance to act on today's declaration. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Brian O'Boyle discusses how Ireland's choice to act as a tax haven for the ultra-wealthy has done nothing to help its citizens. And the Center for Working-Class Politics notes that a strong majority of Americans support a jobs guarantee, making it both a desirable means to boost worker interests and a political winner. 

- But then, Martin Lukacs highlights how Canada's media has gone far out of its way to manufacture sympathy for landlords at the expense of tenants. And Katya Schwenk reports on Wall Street's mass takeover of housing.  

- Cecilia Nowell writes about the dangers of ultra-processed foods - both in encouraging overeating, and in causing a variety of health issues. And David Barnett talks to Patrick Grant about the deteriorating quality of clothes (which isn't being matched by any lowering of prices).  

- The Canadian Press reports on new Leger polling finding a majority of Canadians to support the Loblaws boycott against profiteering and monopolization. 

- Cloe Logan writes about the work being done by labour activists to try to protect workers from the effects of extreme heat. 

- Finally, Tom Perkins reports on both new research showing the ubiquity of "forever chemicals" in the Great Lakes basin, and a study finding glyphosate in a majority of sperm samples at an infertility clinic. 

Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Chris Hedges discusses how the end of empire-based colonialism has only given way to an even more exploitative corporate version. And Cory Doctorow points out how surveillance capitalism inevitably turns its resources toward defrauding the people being monitored and manipulated. 

- Matthew Rosza interviews Michael Mann about the need to pair accurate information about the threat posed by climate change with discussion of how it's possible to take positive action. 

- Kevin Drum graphs the connection between lead contamination and murder rates in Washington DC. And Mira Rojanasakul reports on the rise of saltwater levels in New Orleans, with the foreseeable results including the salination of drinking water sources and the release of lead and other matter from pipes.  

- Bob Weber reports on new polling showing a strong majority of Albertans opposed to the UCP's attacks on renewable energy. And Gary Mason calls out Danielle Smith's plan to use Albertans' retirement savings as a slush for for the oil industry as a Brexit-style calamity in the making. 

- Finally, Emily Leedham reports on the Manitoba PCs' choice to offer only meaningless guesswork in place of any plan to ensure people have access to health care. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Alex Fulton discusses the lessons we should be learning from the response to COVID-19 in preparing for the next pandemic. Richard Payerchin highlights how physicians recognize the need to diagnose and treat long COVID as it afflicts an increasing proportion of the population, but largely lack the means to do so.  And Milos Ajcevic et al. find a connection between cognitive impairment associated with long COVID, and dysfunction in cerebral blood flow observable through MRIs.

- Josh Gabbatiss writes about new research which projects that we're entering an age of decline for fossil fuels. Emily Chung points out what Canada can learn from Sweden's success in replacing oil heating with electric heat pumps. Joe Fassler argues that the disproportionate carbon pollution spewed by the ultra-rich can only be seen as a theft from everybody else. And Kevin Timoney writes about the multiple problems with tar sands tailings ponds - including but not limited to the toxic leaks into drinking water sources which have been concealed by the UCP government and operators alike. 

- John Michael McGrath highlights how the Ford PCs' supposed housing strategy figures to do far more to cause sprawl than to make homes available. Helena Horton writes that a road-building spree is utterly incompatible with any responsible climate strategy. And Matt Gurney notes that Ford's complete lack of credibility in funding promised transit infrastructure makes it impossible to take him seriously on transportation matters generally. 

- The Angus Reid Institute examines how Canadians are responding to additional cost pressures piled on what have long been precarious personal finances. Erin Weir points out that the list of windfall profits which should be tapped into to help the working class includes those emanating from grocery inputs. And Wayne Simpson makes the case to make the grocery rebate permanent to provide predictable support for people living on lower incomes. 

- Finally, Gillian Steward writes that Danielle Smith has chosen to present herself as the face of anti-science quackery and violent bigotry. And Stephen Magusiak reports on the Take Back Alberta group (which appears to be in full control of the UCP) which has been based on organizing exactly those malignant forces. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Luke Savage points out that even biased right-wing polling is finding broad support for stronger social programs and limitations on corporate domination in Canada and the U.S. But Jake Johnson writes that the Biden administration is instead increasing military funding while putting an end to pandemic supports. And Elizabeth Payne discusses how continued underfunding of public health care in Canada is endangering workers and patients alike - even as Doug Allen notes that Doug Ford and his conservative cronies have no problem finding massive amounts of money for profit-driven care. 

- Tracy Alloway and Joe Wiesenthal write about the "excuseflation" in which businesses goose their own profit margins while feigning helplessness. Nojoud Al Mallees reports on the experts calling for ongoing transparency as to how the corporations dominating the supply of necessities are setting their prices. And Erin Weir argues that the Bank of Canada should be focusing on its broadened mandate to support the maximum sustainable level of employment, rather than making a narrow push to respond to inflation driven by corporate greed. 

- Elaine MacDonald writes about the environmental racism which has seen Canadian communities of colour disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals. Tom Perkins reports on the horrific consequences of incinerating the soil contaminated by Norfolk Southern's East Palestine train derailment. And Helena Horton and Damian Carrington report on research into the immense amount of plastic waste in the oceans - and the futility of cleanup efforts if we don't sharply limit the damage first. 

- Meanwhile, David Wallace-Wells points out that clean energy is immensely popular even in states dominated by Republican, fossil-fueled governments. Jonathan Gitlin discusses some of the lessons being learned in the early days of EV battery recycling. And Amy Janzwood, Sam Rowan and Josh Medicoff write that our federal government should be working on a well-planned transition, rather than coddling an industry which refuses to accept the growth of technology which will displace it.  

- Finally, Umair Haque calls out the rise of annihilationism, as the right seeks to eliminate anybody outside its own in-group in the U.S. (and elsewhere). 

Sunday Morning Links

This and that for your New Year's reading.

- Bartley Kives reports on the most deadly year of the COVID-19 pandemic yet. And the BBC reports on the admonition that vulnerable people in Wales should avoid going to hospitals due to the lack of measures in place to avert the spread of COVID-19.

- Meanwhile, Rowan Williams writes that we should take the principle of "nobody is safe unless everybody is safe" and apply it to economic decision-making - though the most plausible interpretation is that exactly that message has been cut out of pandemic decision-making to prevent it from being considered elsewhere as well. N.J. Hagens points out (in a March 2020 piece) that we need to see the economy as a subset of a sustainable living environment, rather than treating the environment as a luxury within an economy built to maximize the immediate extraction and concentration of wealth. And James Meadway warns that anybody expecting 2023 to be better for personal budgets than the previous year may be in for a rude surprise.

- Brian Osgood examines the state of the U.S. labour movement at the end of 2022 - with overall unionization rates still looking grim, but with some reason for hope in new forms of organization and widespread public support which could change the bigger picture in short order.

- Finally, Chuka Ejeckam highlights how the far right is trying to capitalize on socio-economic disruption. But John Burn-Murdoch discusses how millennial voters are shattering the expectation that voters will become more conservative with age.

Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Mike Crawley reports on new research showing both the growing number of Canadians suffering from long COVID, and its tendency to result in greater strain on our health care system. And Crawford Kilian writes about the dangers of voting against public health - particularly in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. 

- Ricardo Tranjan discusses the connection between predatory lending and housing insecurity, as people forced into short-term, high-interest loans are increasingly unable to find homes in the fact of soaring rental costs. And Heather Vogell exposes the secretive rent algorithm which is being used to extract every possible dollar from tenants. 

- Dan Cameron examines some of the options available to enhance the voices of workers in shaping their own workplaces. 

- David Climenhaga offers a reminder that the Flu Trux Klan's support was never widespread - even in Alberta where its warped worldview is now reflected by the newly-installed premier. And Charles Breton, Olivier Jacques and Andrew Parking examine the differing levels of resentment between Canadian provinces - with Saskatchewan ranking atop the set of petroprovinces as the most resentful of both Canada as a whole and its other regions. 

- Finally, Mitchell Thompson investigates some of the systematic efforts by racist and anti-LGBTQ forces to take over Canadians school boards to indoctrinate students with their own hate. 

Monday Afternoon Links

Assorted content for your Labour Day reading.

- David Macdonald offers a reminder that any difficulty employers are having finding workers is a result of their failing to pay wages to even match, let alone stay in front of, the cost of living. And Trish Hennessy takes a look at the politics of inflation - including the tools to support a reasonable standard of living which have mostly been ignored or ruled out in favour of blatant political bribes by governments who are ideologically opposed to helping people.

- Jake Rosenfeld discusses how the disconnect between low unemployment and continued exploitation is resulting in greater recognition of the importance of unions. And David Beers interviews Enda Brophy about the efforts of gig workers to fight back against platforms designed to evade the protections won in the 20th century.

- Meanwhile, Jorge Renaud writes that one of the U.S.' main workarounds to avoid paying reasonable wages - the prison labour complex - does nothing to improve the future employment prospects of the inmates who have been turned into profit centres.

- Christopher Curtis writes that the CAP government's failure to rein in an epidemic of drug poisonings should be a far greater issue in Quebec's ongoing election. And Karen Ward highlights the importance of how we talk about an avoidable public health catastrophe to avoid minimizing or excusing the human cost of inaction.

- Finally, EKOS offers a look at Canadians' views of the Flu Trux Klan - with a strong majority opposing it within nearly every grouping except for those who consumer disinformation on a regular basis.

Sunday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Jim Stanford laments the likelihood that we're headed for a self-inflicted recession in the name of an arbitrary inflation target. 

- Acey Rowe talks to about the Craig Desson about the mechanisms used to perpetuate old wealth. And Rupert Neate writes about Gary Stevenson's story as someone who made large amounts of money in financial trading - but only through intolerable betting on needless suffering and growing inequality.

- Meanwhile, Mitchell Thompson calls out the Canada Infrastructure Bank's demand to turn essential public water supplies into sources of profits and management fees. 

- Ayurella Horn-Muller reports on some of the global responses to SCOTUS' decision to condemn humanity to a climate breakdown. And the Council of Canadians has released new Abacus polling data showing that Canadians recognize the need for strong climate action even when weighed against immediate economic interests.

- The Ottawa Citizen's editorial board weighs in on the need to combat intimate-partner violence.

- Finally, Umair Haque writes that we're all too likely to look back on the summer of 2022 as the start of an age of crisis.