#Elxn44 Roundup

Assorted reactions to a federal election which changed so little.

- The Canadian Labour Congress points out that we can't afford to be stuck with the status quo when there's an opportunity for parties to chart a more equitable and sustainable course for Canada. And Aaron Wherry wonders how the federal parties will adapt to another apparent run of minority Parliaments by working on systemic cooperation rather than turning every confidence vote into a game of chicken, while Alex Marland points out the range of outcomes in historical minority governments from generational change to complete gridlock. 

- Seth Klein writes that the new Parliament will hold Canada's climate future in its hands. And Morgan Sharp argues that young voters will be looking for the parties to work together on that front, while Vijay Tupper makes the case that Jagmeet Singh needs to serve to counterbalance the influence of the fossil fuel sector. 

- Justin Ling writes that the main factors driving the outcome proved to be fatigue and resignation. Cameron Holmstrom writes that there were ultimately no winners among Canada's political parties.  

- Meanwhile, PressProgress reports on the problems with ballot box access in a pandemic election, including unconscionably long lines in some areas and a complete lack of polls in others. 

- Finally, Armine Yalnizyan offers a reminder that the pandemic's disproportionate impact on women is far from over - and that countering its effects needs to be another top priority in the next Parliament.

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Alert cats.

 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Alexander Quon reports on Alexander Wong's call for far more public health measures to alleviate COVID's unmanageable strain on Saskatchewan's health care system. And Libby Giesbrecht reports on the conditions in emergency rooms which are seeing patients wait for days (requiring the attention of paramedics the entire time) before being admitted.  

- Meanwhile, Andrea Germanos writes that the failure of rich countries to provide vaccines to less-wealthy ones is resulting both in gross inequality in vaccine access, and far more dangerous outcomes for everybody. 

- Alex Hemingway discusses the need for progress on sick leave in British Columbia, as well as the danger that corporate influence will once again leave workers to fend for themselves. And Charles Smith discusses what the Co-op refinery lockout means for the wider labour movement. 

- Finally, Peter McCartney offers some important suggestions as to what the next federal government can do to step up the fight against a climate breakdown - though there's little reason for optimism given the Libs' smug determination to avoid doing anything that doesn't fit into immediate economic models. 

Monday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material to start your week.

- Doug Cuthand discusses how everybody is worse off as a result of the combination of government negligence and individual vaccine hesitancy. And Liam Harrap tells the story of a cancer patient struggling to get access to needed care due to the pandemic which has been allowed to burn out of control. 

- Meanwhile, Amanda Sealy reports on the prospect of vaccines being available for ages 5-11 within a matter of weeks - making it all the more galling that conservative governments have facilitated a fourth wave by eliminating public health rules too soon then taking too long to revisit their talking points.  

- Jonathan Tirone discusses how the "locked-in" emissions even from existing refineries will lead to climate catastrophe if they're spewed out as planned.

- Rosie Collington and Mariana Mazzucato comment on the disastrous results of replacing knowledgeable and effective government with reliance on expensive and self-interested corporate consultants. 

- Finally, Owen Jones comments on the widespread dissatisfaction with capitalism among young adults who see their futures being mortgaged for the sake of making the obscenely rich even wealthier. 

#Elxn44 E-Day Links

News and notes as Canada's federal election draws to a close.

- David Moscrop discusses how a campaign nobody wanted is leaning toward grudging continuation of the status quo which the Libs tried to discard. And Ryan Maloney reports on the technical problems arising largely out of a snap pandemic election. 

- The Star offers its endorsement - which predictably supports the Libs, but recognizes both the contribution the NDP has made in responding to the pandemic so far and the need for it to be strengthened in pushing for progressive policy going forward. And Alex Ballingall reports on Jagmeet Singh's pursuit of tax fairness as the key to NDP support once voters have had our say. 

- PressProgress reports on the choice of multiple Con MPs to use a petition service which sends signatories' data to be used by far-right groups in Europe. And Caroline Orr writes about the connection between anti-vaxxers and the far-right PPC - and how the election doesn't figure to be the end of the story. 

- Meanwhile, Dave Cournoyer discusses Alberta's impact on the election - which now figures to be based primarily on the motivation of voters across Canada to avoid a Kenney-style catastrophe. 

- Finally, Olamide Olaniyan writes that systemic racism should be a major election issue - though it's worth noting that at least one party does actually take it seriously from a policy standpoint. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Victoria Nicolau reports on the Native Women's Association of Canada's campaign scorecard, showing the NDP well ahead of other parties in addressing the issues facing Indigenous women. And Omayra Issa and Theresa Kliem talk to young Indigenous people in Saskatchewan about what they want to see - and how the establishment parties are falling short.

- Katrina Miller and Jamie Kirkpatrick discuss how the Cons' refusal to even countenance a necessary transition to a clean economy stands to endanger the future of young Canadians both in polluting their planet and denying them a place in the global economy as it develops. 

- Toby Sanger writes that the Cons' economic plans predictably involve taking services away from people who need them in order to hand money to those who already have more than enough. And Patrick Brethour notes that the Libs' tenure in office has fallen short of Justin Trudeau's promises of economic growth.

- Catharine Tunney discusses why it may take several days to learn conclusive results from tomorrow's election. And John Brewin explores what we might expect in the Parliamentary session to follow.

- Finally, Nancy MacDonald examines what's new in the NDP's campaign. And Christian Paas-Lang wonders whether the 10th anniversary of the first Orange Wave in Quebec might see a resurgence - in part due to some familiar faces who have returned to the political fray.

Saturday Afternoon Links

Assorted content for your weekend reading.

- Andrew Nikiforuk writes that it's long past time for Jason Kenney to resign as utterly unfit for public office. The Globe and Mail's editorial board discusses how the UCP made Alberta's COVID-19 situation far worse by trying to deny it, while Alika Lafontaine comments on the hubris which has put health care systems in the position of failing to treat the people who most need it. Russell Wangersky writes that vaccinations alone were never going to be sufficient to avoid Saskatchewan's getting swamped by the fourth wave, while Zak Vescera looks at how the province has in fact succumbed even as Scott Moe continues to deny any responsibility. 

- Tom Bawden writes about the developing body of knowledge around long COVID - and the severe impacts on people's lives long after government statistics would have declared them recovered. And Sara Birlios asks how we can meaningfully mourn our dead while accepting political and economic structures which constantly devalue human life.

- Richard Murphy writes that the system underpinning our current economic model is obviously unsustainable, even as entrenched forces try to prevent any transition. And Jim Catano writes about how to process the prospect of the end of the world as we know it.

- Finally, Seth Klein discusses the need to address inequality and climate change together, rather than pretending it's possible (or worse yet, somehow desirable) to meaningfully address one without the other. And Angela Carter and others make the case for Newfoundland and Labrador to actually work on a just transition, rather than continuing to push fossil fuel development which our living environment can't afford.

#Elxn44 Roundup

News and notes from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Cam Fenton discusses how "strategic" votes for the Libs in the name of climate change figure to be anything but, while David Gray-Donald bluntly describes the Libs' offering as "denialist trash". Maya Menezes examines what we should be looking for in a climate platform, while Simon Donner discusses the need for any climate policy to fit with long-term goals. And Ben Simoni and Melissa Lavery discuss how Canada (and indeed the world) would benefit from a youth climate corps.

- Robert Hiltz writes that Erin O'Toole's mask has come off in the course of the election campaign, while Paul Willcocks discusses how O'Toole has campaigned as a trickster for lack of any ability to appeal to both his party's base and any expanded voter universe. Marieke Walsh reports on the refusal of the vast majority of Con candidates to say whether they've been vaccinated in the midst of a pandemic. And PressProgress exposes Con candidate Les Jickling's support for making health care about profit rather than patient needs. 

- Morna Ballantyne highlights how the Cons' tax baubles can't be equated with a plan to actually make child care available. And Paul Dechene similarly notes that the Cons plan to starve municipalities of desperately-needed infrastructure funding.

- On that front, Natasha Bulowski reports on the priority placed on housing by Canada's municipalities. And Erica Ifill discusses how the Libs' housing schemes have been gimmicky political diversions rather than effective plans to ensure people have the homes they need.

- Finally, Charlie Smith writes about the Robin Hood themes being presented by Jagmeet Singh in contrasting the NDP against the protectors of the wealthy.

Musical interlude

Sigrid - Mirror

Friday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Wallis Snowdon reports on what critical-care triage caused by a combination of COVID-19 and mismanagement will mean in Alberta's ICUs (at a time when Saskatchewan is facing the same). Jason Warick highlights how Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer has far more power to protect public health than has been exercised in the course of the COVID pandemic. And Murray Mandryk discusses Scott Moe's embarrassingly delayed and weak reaction to the building fourth wave - though as always it's worth pointing out how Moe has been coddled in his reckless endangerment of the public.

- Meanwhile, Tim Harford offers his take that a key next step in encouraging vaccine uptake is to present a positive view of the number of people already vaccinated. But it's also worth noting that the prospect of a vaccine passport looks to have done far more to boost vaccinations than any amount of mere imploring. 

- Phil Tank writes that Saskatoon is far past the point of being able to humour COVID conspiracy theorists. And Nam Kiwanuka points out how only some, particularly privileged people are granted space to be angry, even as people with genuine complaints face systemic state repression in trying to be heard. 

- Finally, Shawn Gude discusses different conceptions of freedom, and notes that a system designed to allow a few people to amass sickening amounts of wealth inevitably limits the freedom of "non-domination" of many people who would have a larger range of options if they enjoyed greater material equality. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- D.T. Cochrane reviews the parties' platforms and finds the NDP's to be both the most progressive and the most fiscally responsible. And Martin Lukacs and Ben Cuthbert examine the voting records of the Libs and the Cons - finding a regular pattern of the two voting together to block progressive priorities. 

- John Woodside reports on the Climate Action Tracker's conclusion that the Trudeau Libs' climate policies rate as "highly insufficient" to avert climate breakdown.  

- PressProgress continues to offer plenty of important insight into Erin O'Toole and his party - this time pointing out both O'Toole's eagerness to make common cause with health care privatizers, and Brampton South candidate Ramandeep Brar's belief in an entitlement to silence a former worker who dared to raise issues of wage theft and abusive working conditions. 

- Meanwhile, Haseena Manek writes about Angella MacEwen's work to not only win a seat for herself, but build progressive capacity in Ottawa. 

- Finally, Joe Roberts traces the rise of the PPC to anger among Canadians, while noting the glaring need to ensure that people who recognize a need for change perceive a viable left-wing alternative to the politics of bigotry and hate. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Jason Markusoff writes about the human cost of Jason Kenney's false claim that the COVID-19 pandemic was over. Phil Tank points out that Scott Moe is now without question the most negligent premier in the country when it comes to public health protections. And Adam Hunter reports on the call from Alexander Wong and other experts to at least follow Manitoba's path in limiting the spread of the Delta variant, while Guy Quenneville talks to Steven Lewis about the Moe government's insistence on pushing privatization rather than paying attention to what's worked in responding to COVID. 

- Richard Hine discusses the emerging reality of death by anti-vaxxers in the U.S. - which is of course being matched in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Peter Hotez points out how anti-vaxx messaging is spreading in Canada. And Jenny Deam reports on the story of a 12-year-old whose appendix burst while he was stuck waiting in an emergency room as a stark example of how COVID's strain on health care puts everybody at risk. 

- Daniel Quiggin et al. study the compounding risks of failing to avert a climate breakdown by transitioning away from an economy which relies on carbon pollution. 

- Finally, Noah Lanard and Jacob Rosenberg write about some of the indignities bad bosses have inflicted on their employees - and the steps workers have taken to fight back. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

News and notes from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Alex Hemingway writes about the need to tax the rich far beyond even the "unlimited zeal" reflected in the NDP's modest plans to secure additional revenue. And David Moscrop makes the case for far more discussion of systemic change in who owns and makes decisions about the forces that shape our lives. 

- Martin Olzynski and Sharon Mascher examine the environmental policies on offer. Ali Raza points out the need for more detailed and ambitious plans to wind down fossil fuel production in the wake of the global recognition that oil and gas will need to stay in the ground. But Brian Hill reports on the declaration by the Lib Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson's declaration that the TransMountain pipeline his government plans to build could keep shipping exported oil until 2060 or later. And Bob Weber reports that the Cons are going so far as to refuse to rule out the UCP's plans for new coal mining in the Rocky Mountains. 

- Meanwhile, Anjali Appadurai discusses the importance of electing climate champions. And Libby Davies interviews Tria Donaldson about her plans to ensure that climate change and other crucial issues are dealt with immediately rather than being kicked down the road. 

- PressProgress offers introductions to Con candidates who have labeled Black Lives Matter a terrorist group and tried to force conservative beliefs on elementary-school children.  

- Finally, Raisa Patel reports on the NDP's efforts to reach new voters and ridings based on the belief that people can be persuaded to vote for something better. 

On politicization

There have been a couple of indications as to how Alberta's refusal to take basic health precautions in the face of COVID's fourth wave (and in all likelihood Saskatchewan's as well) can be traced to a willingness to govern based on the O'Toole Cons' campaign strategy rather than the health and well-being of citizens. But as long as we know Kenney is treating the issue solely as one of politics, there are a couple of implications worth raising. 

The first is that it's wrong to say that O'Toole is merely as bad as Kenney and other premiers in their pandemic response. Rather, O'Toole has been relying on them to be worse than they might have been otherwise if a refusal to protect public health didn't fit his political interests. And now, we've managed to reach the point where his valuation of the public interest is below even Kenney's.

But the second is that there may be another political factor at play. The UCP has been considering its options for most of this week. And if it had acted quickly, there would still have been time for people to apply for special ballots - allowing them to vote by mail, or at relatively quiet and low-traffic returning offices.

The deadline to apply for a special ballot expired on September 14. The UCP made the announcement of a state of emergency on September 15. 

As a result, while Kenney's announcement yesterday may not have fit perfectly with the Cons' campaign plans, it might nonetheless have fit with a general desire to distort election results toward the right. 

O'Toole's main concern is surely that a vaccine mandate and health rules will drive voters to the PPC - and anybody starting from a position of pandemic denial is unlikely to hesitate about venturing out to vote. But if there's a risk of also affecting voters who care about responsible pandemic management, they'll face conflicting forces: while they may be less inclined to accept the Cons as good-faith actors, they'll also be less likely to vote at all. 

That might be slightly worse than a wash for O'Toole in the short term, but it's entirely compatible with the interests of the UCP and its movement allies who want to be able to point to some more extreme option as an excuse for their own refusal to listen to anybody to the left of Attila the Hun. And we'll have every reason for suspicion the timing was aimed at that effort if we see Kenney, Scott Moe and their apologists point to PPC results as a driving force in their own future actions. 

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Jill Filipovic discusses how the mounting toll in human lives and health from COVID should leave no room for controversy about modest responses such as vaccine mandates. Andre Picard writes that there's no prospect of moving from a pandemic to an endemic state without active intervention to control the spread that's now being allowed to run wild. And in case there's any doubt that vaccinated people have plenty to lose from avoidable community transmission, Will Stone writes about the realities of even a mild "breakthrough" case of COVID. 

- Meanwhile, James Keller and Carrie Tait report on warnings from Alberta's doctors about the imminent collapse of their health care system, while Leyland Cecco connects that reality to Jason Kenney's deliberate choice not to apply public health restrictions. 

- Jillian Horton expresses rightful frustration at "kindness gaslighting" intended to allow for bad actors to engage in wanton destruction in the name of kindness and civility.  

- Brady Dennis and Adam Taylor report on new polling showing strong recognition of the need to combat a climate breakdown through global action. And it's well worth noting that the resulting demand that the world's largest economies take the lead in that effort has major consequences for any plan to export fossil fuels to the U.S. and China for any sustained period of time. 

- Finally, Sara Mojtehedzadeh and Omar Mosleh report on the certification application at Amazon's Nisku warehouse which may create an important precedent for the prospects of bringing collective bargaining to new types of jobs. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Christo Aivalis discusses Jagmeet Singh's much-needed willingness to take on the power of the rich to fight for a country that works for everybody. And Shelly Hagan writes about the resulting possibility of greater social contributions being required of those who can most afford to make them.  

- In contrast, Luke Savage highlights how Justin Trudeau's promises - particularly those aimed at progressive voters - are made to be broken. And the Centre for Canadian Progress offers (PDF) takes a look at the options for left-oriented voters on the key priorities of housing, climate change and pharmacare. 

- Richard Saillant reviews the parties' housing policies and finds the NDP's to be the one best suited to meeting the needs of people in precarious situations. And Richard Cuthbertson and Alaina Luck report that the Libs' idea of an "affordable housing" plan is to provide private developers with preferential terms to build units which cost up to double double the average rent within a community. 

- Meanwhile, Jackie Brown, Amit Arya and Andrew Longhurst discuss how to reach the NDP's goal of ensuring that long-term care homes are focused on care rather than profit. 

- Finally, David Akin examines the state of the race and concludes that we're likely headed for another minority Parliament. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Embedded cats.

 

#Elxn44 Roundup

News and notes from Canada's election campaign.

- Mohy-Dean Tabbara and Garima Talwar Kapoor examine what the parties are offering to combat poverty, while noting the need for more ambition in the effort. 

- Alex Hemingway points out that while the NDP's platform offers a start, there's plenty of room to raise far more money by taxing the rich with somewhat more (if far from unlimited) zeal. 

- Zoe Yunker examines where the parties stand on renewable energy, noting in particular that the NDP is the only party committed to closing carbon pricing loopholes for fossil-fuel-fired power plants. 

- The Globe and Mail's editorial board contrasts the promise of actual child care spaces from each of the NDP and the Libs against the Cons' belated tax bauble. And Bill Blaikie writes that Erin O'Toole's weasel wording on health care is intended to distract from his plans for increased privatization. 

- Finally, David Beers interviews Chris Tenove about the often-toxic social media environment - and a few ways to try to move toward more positive and productive forms of discussion. 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Naël Shiab charts COVID case rates by province - showing in stark relief how Alberta and Saskatchewan are in a worse position than at any point in the pandemic, with cases still rising sharply. Phil Tank reports on the large number of Saskatchewan daycares now facing outbreaks, while Leslie Young reports on the widespread pattern of schools having to close across the country. And Robson Fletcher reports on Alberta's record high ICU usage levels. 

- Jason Warick reports on warnings from Alabama officials to Saskatchewan about the devastating human toll when pandemic decisions are dictated by politics rather than evidence, while Murray Mandryk notes that Scott Moe bears full responsibility for choosing exactly that course of action with its inevitable results (while sadly going out of his way to demand that people not comment on the actual consequences). And Tess McClure reports that COVID Zero continues to be an extremely effective strategy in New Zealand, which is managing to stifle case numbers and fully trace and manage any spread. 

- David Gorski and Gavin Yamey discuss how science denialism cultivated in other contexts has complicated the fight against COVID-19, while offering some strategies to try to maximize cohesion in the effort. 

- Gaby Hinscliff writes that lockdowns have resulted in UK families demanding far better from their government in ensuring the availability of child care. And Moira Wyton discusses the British Columbia labour movement's continued push for sick leave as the dangers of working while ill are all the more obvious. 

- Finally, Roger Harrabin reports on a new Avaaz survey showing widespread climate anxiety among young people around the globe. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Khalden Dhatsenpa and Gavin Armitage-Ackerman write about the need to treat housing as a human right rather than a commodity. 

- PressProgress reports on an internal Health Canada report showing how the NDP's plan for dental coverage would remove crucial barriers to access to dental care while also reducing health costs.  

- Andrea Perrella and Brian Tanguay make the case to follow through on ending the first-past-the-post electoral system in favour of a proportional system. 

- Markham Hislop highlights the parties' positions on a just transition to a clean economy - with particular attention paid to the failure of either the Libs or the Cons to make anything of the sort a priority at what may be the best possible time to plan the transition. And David Climenhaga reports on the Alberta Oil War Room's apparent breaches of election financing requirements in demanding indefinite fossil fuel production and data mining for Conservative-connected groups. 

- The Care Economy offers a fact sheet on care issues in the election, as well as questions worth raising with candidates. 

- Finally, Leyland Cecco writes about Jagmeet Singh's growing appeal - along with the NDP's ability to influence policy in another likely minority Parliament. And Nick Taylor-Vaisey examines where the parties stand after last week's debate - with Singh emerging as the victor in public perceptions. 

Monday Afternoon Links

Assorted content to start your week.

- Cory Neudorf writes about the need for layers of COVID-19 protection now to avoid extreme measures like lockdowns due to the collapse of our health care system. And CBC News reports on the necessarily appalled reaction by public health experts in response to a recording of Jason Kenney's COVID denialism and declaration that Alberta is "open for good" regardless of the harm to health and well-being. 

- Adrian Blundell-Wignall writes that Australia can't escape responsibility for the "Stage 3" carbon emissions from the products it exports abroad - representing a point which Canada also needs to reckon with. 

- Bethany Lindsey writes about the massive conflict of interest of doctors who assess workers about drug issues while standing to profit from the testing regimes they can order. 

- Angela Sterritt reports on the drastically different treatment of privileged white anti-vaxx protesters compared to Indigenous land defenders. 

- Finally, Umair Haque discusses the impossibility of building a society out of an amalgamation of sadists - and the dire situation facing the U.S. as it attempts to respond to multiple crises while conservatives react with violent rage to any concept of social responsibility or empathy. 

On narrow targets

At this stage of the federal election campaign, the seemingly wide range of outcomes is entirely an artifice of a first-part-the-post system with multiple parties contending for seats. Barring a drastic change in the last week of the campaign (which will likely need to overcome votes already locked in as well as significant inertia), we figure to see the Libs and Cons relatively close to each other in the popular vote, with the NDP a relatively strong third in what would be a minority Parliament in all but the most extreme possible outcomes.

The most significant point of uncertainty looks to be the Bloc - which seemed to have fallen from its earlier support levels earlier in the campaign, only to have ticked upward more recently. And as the campaign has played out it's worth wondering whether the NDP may have limited its ability to capitalize on opportunities - in Quebec in particular, and to some extent across the country.

On the Quebec front, the NDP has been explicit about limiting its focus to 6-10 ridings. And while it might be understandable not to launch a high-resource offensive into all of the terrain included in the 2011 Orange Wave, it has to be a disappointment to treat even seats which the party held in 2015 as secondary considerations.

After all, the result is that voters who have supported the party under multiple past leaders will perceive the lack of attention even after party finances have stabilized. And even in the ridings which are specifically targeted, the sense of limited aspirations from a strategic standpoint is particularly dangerous for a campaign based on asking voters to dare to imagine more than the status quo. 

Moreover, there's reason for concern about the same phenomenon playing out across the country and setting a ceiling on party support which caps the plausible seat count in double digits (again lower than levels the NDP has already reached), and limits the prospects of pushing aside either of the Libs or the Cons.

There is reason for optimism that the NDP is back on its 2000s trajectory of building from one election cycle to the next, including by being able to close its campaign strongly in close seats. But if the NDP wants to be able to put its ambitious platform into effect, it needs to be no less daring in the seats it contests - and it will be a severe disappointment if an opportunity to make far larger gains is lost to an overly cautious campaign plan. 

[Edit: fixed typo, wording.]

On concealed motivations

Martin Lukacs worked for years documenting and explaining the Libs' concealed raison d'etre...

Whenever discontent builds up, the Liberals have always been there to safely channel it, like a political shock-absorber.

They’ll wink to the elite, and then pose as anti-establishment to the broader population.

And...Trudeau just...he blurted it out.

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Jeremiah Rodriguez reports on the omission of Canadians with disabilities from much of the election campaign, while pointing out the priorities which should be part of our discussion.

- Justin Ling brings the receipts as to what became of the Libs' promises of pharmacare and prescription drug affordability, and finds that industry lobbying has completely overridden any interest in ensuring Canadians have the medication they need.

- Jim Stanford discusses how the election will shape the future of Canadian labour and employment laws, particularly in determining whether gains which the Libs have reluctantly accepted under NDP pressure will last past the immediate moment. And Katrina Miller and Jamie Kirkpatrick write that the Cons' refusal to accept a just transition away from fossil fuel reliance would have dire consequences from a labour standpoint as well as an environmental one.

- Gregory Beatty calls out the Cons' attempt to portray themselves as moderate while assuring extremist supporters they'll get their way and ignoring some of the most important issues facing the country - along the willingness of far too much of Canada's media to repeat the lies.

- Finally, Ryan Patrick Jones reports on the NDP's costed platform which combines important investments in social priorities with a progressive tax system to keep the books healthy.

Sunday Morning Links

This and that for your Sunday reading.

- Graham Thomson discusses how the UCP has put politics over public well-being in choosing to let COVID run rampant (while now seeking to fund-raise off of opposition to even the most basic measures to let people reduce their own risk). And Carrie Tait discusses how Alberta parents are scrambling in the face of a new policy to refuse to inform people of positive cases in schools.

- Raiyan Chowdhury offers an ICU doctor's voice in speaking to the unvaccinated people who have made the choice to pose a danger to themselves and others. And Karen Howlett reports on Saskatchewan's choice to follow Alberta in putting essential surgeries and other medical treatment on hold to make room for preventable COVID cases.

- Armine Yalnizayan writes about the need to focus on the care economy, particularly as its workforce faces both a wave of retirements and massive burnout.

- Stephanie Hughes reports on new research showing the different faces of financial precarity in Canada - with homeowners generally carry larger debts, but renters being twice as likely to be unable to keep afloat.

- Finally, Matt Stoller discusses how predatory capitalism has undermined the supply chains necessary to ensure people actually have access to the goods they need. And Michelle Cyca interviews JB MacKinnon about the problems with consumption for its own sake.

Saturday Afternoon Links

Assorted content for your weekend reading.

- Umair Haque discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has been turned into a cash cow to be extended for profit, rather than a public health emergency to be ended for the sake of people's safety. And Jay S. Kaufman notes that science alone can't fully answer a pandemic where social trust and cohesion have broken down in ways that prevent people from working toward a common end.

- Don Braid writes that both the UCP's political plans and the provincial health care system are collapsing in Alberta, while PressProgress points out the shortage of ambulances in Calgary and Edmonton as one example of how the COVID crisis is affecting the health care system as a whole. 

- Guy Queeneville reports on Scott Moe's cuts to contact tracing just as the fourth wave began to rise, while Jessie Anton reports on the Saskatchewan Health Authority's restrictions on services due to the unchecked pandemic. Zak Vescera reports on the existence of modeling showing that mandatory masking could reduce community transmission by 50%. And Jason Warick discusses why Scott Moe can't be bothered to take even that basic step to keep people healthy and safe, while Phil Tank points out the giant load of nothing that was Moe's announcement yesterday.

- Luke Savage rightly makes the case for John Horgan's government to take the lead in legislating paid sick days for all.

- Finally, Peter Kalmus writes that both halves of a "net zero emissions by 2050" target represent grossly inadequate levels of concern for the preservation of our living environment. And Umair Irfain summarizes the IPCC's main scenarios for climate change going forward - with the "middle of the road" scenario in which countries fulfill their existing commitments and cooperate somewhat on environmental goals resulting in a catastrophic 2.7 degrees of warming.

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- The Climate Emergency Alliance highlights the crucial climate change question which was left out of the federal debates - which is what parties will to do keep fossil fuel reserves in the ground when we manifestly can't afford to exploit them.

- Gordon Cleveland compares the Cons' tax bauble to the positive effects of an actual child care system which the Libs are promising and the NDP plans to deliver. Antony Hodgson looks at what's on offer for electoral reform, finding both the Greens and the NDP to have strong proposals. And PressProgress examines what the parties have on offer for workers and the labour movement.

- Tanya Talaga discusses how the Libs have utterly missed the point of reconciliation. And Kristy Kirkup and Bill Curry report on Justin Trudeau's unfathomable hesitancy to ensure fire safety for First Nations.

- Ben Cohen reports on Oshawa Lib candidate Afroza Hossain's pay-for-access policy for community appearances.

- Finally, Matthew Green offers his vision for a just recovery:

"There are still some people who would prefer to return back to the status quo, to the way things were, when what we're presenting in this #Elxn44 is a compelling vision for the way things could be and should be."

Join us for a #JustRecovery https://t.co/gF6333ymUz #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/eIdXYP35qW

— Matthew Green 🍊📈✊🏾 (@MatthewGreenNDP) September 10, 2021

Musical interlude

Jax Jones. feat. Ella Henderson - This Is Real

#Elxn44 Roundup

Assorted content from Canada's federal election campaign. 

- Seth Klein examines the considerations to take into account in casting a ballot for real climate action. And Michelle Gamage compares the parties' positions on fossil fuel subsidies. 

- Andre Picard asks whether voters will actually be motivated by health care - a key question given the NDP's commitment to head-to-toe health care while the other parties try to keep their plans as vague as possible. And Ken Dryden theorizes that the key issue for voters should be child care. 

- Linda McQuaig calls out Erin O'Toole's blatant bullshitting as a means of smuggling anti-social policy into the halls of power. And the Canadian Labour Congress points out his dishonesty on pensions in particular. 

- Meanwhile, PressProgress fact-checks Justin Trudeau's indignant refusal to accept he's engaged in litigation against Indigenous children against his track record. And Kristy Kirkup reports on the increased risk of fire-related deaths on reserve as one more area in which Indigenous people are facing unnecessary dangers due to a lack of policy action. 

- Samantha Reusch writes about the importance of engaging young voters - even as Elections Canada has made their participation more difficult by eliminating its campus voting program. And Menaka Raman-Wilms reports on Jagmeet Singh's work in meeting younger voters on their platforms of choice. 

- Finally, Alex Marland laments the tendency of voters to cast ballots based on party affiliations rather than local candidates. 

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Kevin Maimann discusses how Alberta's health care system is on the brink of collapse due to a complete COVID governance failure. Zak Vescera reports on the health care workers begging Scott Moe to make some effort to avoid the same in Saskatchewan, while Yasmine Ghania reports on the people trying to do their part by getting tested who are facing unconscionable delays due to the lack of testing capacity. And CBC News reports that public support for vaccine passports is soaring in both Saskatchewan and Alberta despite provincial governments taking the side of COVID. 

- Meanwhile, in case there was any thought that the Delta variant would be the last source of further COVID waves, Kenyon Wallace reports on the spread of the Mu variant in Ontario. And Katharine Wu discusses why people who may have given up on wearing masks while being told the pandemic was over should be rethinking that course of action. 

- Amy Westervelt calls out the oil industry's "discourses of delay" as a means of pushing for continued fossil fuel extraction and avoiding the action we need to avert a climate catastrophe. And Martin Lukacs discusses how the Trudeau Libs have eagerly served Canada's oil barons while attempting to greenwash themselves and the industry. 

- But Carbon Tracker points out how anybody looking past the short term will need to reckon with the inevitability of leaving fossil fuel assets unexploited. And Adam Hoverman and Melissa Lem weigh in on the increasing calls among health care professions to end our reliance on fossil fuels.

- Finally, as we plan pandemic and energy transitions, David Beers offers a reminder of the roads that were open to us after 9/11 - and the loss we've suffered by accepting violent imperialism rather than a more caring society. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- David Miller discusses the steps Canada needs to take to help avert climate disaster - as well as the differences in the federal parties' plans to achieve them (or not). And Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood writes about some crucial climate myths, with the overall message that we can't pretend we're doing enough or on the right track already. 

- David McLaren rightly criticizes the Cons' attempt to entrench precarious gig work as a permanent trap for workers. 

- Elise Stolte discusses how the financialization of the housing market has made it impossible for many people to find affordable and acceptable rental homes. And Patrick Condon highlights the need for far more ambition in ensuring the right to housing is met, while also noting the crucial differences among the parties. 

- Christine Dobby takes a look at voters' choices on telecommunications, with particular attention to the Libs' broken promises to make connections to the world more affordable. 

- Brett Forester examines the parties' platforms on issues facing Indigenous people. 

- PressProgress contrasts the well-known answers to the opioid crisis (including ensuring a safe supply) against Erin O'Toole's insistence on pushing only access to private institutional rehab facilities. 

- Finally, Our Politics offers a slick (if necessarily simplified) look at the policies on offer from the major federal parties. And the Courage Coalition provides its take on the choices facing progressive voters and activists. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Steven Lewis writes about the increased COVID risk Saskatchewan is facing as a result of Scott Moe's refusal to govern. And Duane Bratt discusses how Jason Kenney has proven himself to be far out of touch with Alberta's values, while Charles Rusnell points out the combination of negligent government and inaccurate modeling which has pushed Alberta's health care system into a state of crisis.

- Sam Mellins highlights how the U.S. could be sharing vaccine manufacturing information with the world to prevent untold amounts of human suffering. 

- Dan Welsby, James Price, Steve Pye and Paul Ekins study the realities of the climate crisis, and find that only a small fraction of the planet's fossil fuel reserves can be used without producing calamitous consequences. 

- But Walker Bragman discusses how fossil fuel corporations are trying to wriggle out of any responsibility for the damage they've done to our living environment. And Drew Yewchuk notes that Alberta is using money supposedly collected for climate remediation to fund oil propaganda. 

- Finally, Binyamin Appelbaum writes about the workers fighting to exercise their collective strength in the face of a U.S. economy that's been rigged against them for decades. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- PressProgress offers some background on the agitators disrupting Justin Trudeau's campaign events, while Max Fawcett points out why there's no reason for us to lend any undeserved credence to anti-vaxxers. But Meshall Awan notes that we also shouldn't allow posturing over fringe views to distract us from fundamental issues including the climate crisis.  

- Gillian Steward is rightly appalled at Erin O'Toole's willingness to follow the Kenney/Moe road to disaster in responding to COVID-19 and handling our Medicare system. 

- Adam Radwanski takes note of the seemingly unanimous agreement on the need for a rapid transition to electric vehicles. 

- Camellia Wong criticizes Elections Canada's refusal to allow for on-campus voting as a failure for democracy - which is particularly unacceptable when concentrated within a population which is about to set habits defining its level of participation for decades to come. 

- Finally, Luke Savage discusses why Justin Trudeau's attempt to manufacture a majority for himself is backfiring as voters decide they're ready for change. 

On false tax freedoms

The past few Canadian election cycles have seen plenty of discussion of the realities of tax-free savings accounts. And for the most part, their critics have been proven right: a scheme pitched at enabling savings by lower-income individuals has instead served mostly as a means of redirecting more free money to the already-rich. And in 2015, the Cons' doubling of existing TFSAs was rejected by voters. 

Which makes it striking that the Libs are now the ones pushing a TFSA scheme as part of their housing platform.

As Nick Falvo notes in his brief comment, there's an obvious danger that the Libs' plan - like other TFSA systems - will merely allow the wealthy to drain money from federal coffers, while accomplishing little for the people who are supposed to benefit (but who don't have spare money to stash away in the first place). And the Libs' throwaway line about including "integrity measures to deter tax avoidance" rings entirely hollow coming from the same party trying to criticize the NDP's plan for a more progressive tax system based on the claim that better tax enforcement isn't possible. 

As is the case in so many policy areas, voters will need to choose between policies which actually address the right to housing, and ones which serve only to inflate the wealth of existing homeowners and people with money to burn. And it's especially damning that the Libs are so bereft of ideas as to be copying from the Harper playbook toward the latter end.

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Frank Addario asks how any politician can claim to be a leader while taking a mulligan on the COVID-19 pandemic. Amy Kaler writes that Jason Kenney's decision to pay off non-vaccinated people while doing virtually nothing to limit community spread has only made matters worse in trying to make any case for collective action. And Adam Hunter points out Scott Moe's choice to do nothing and point fingers while Saskatchewan careens into disaster.  

- Meanwhile, Greg Sargent points out the potential for a strong political response to the "Jonestown Republicans" (and similarly destructive Conservatives in Canada) encouraging an antisocial response to a social crisis. 

- Paul Krugman welcomes us to to autumn of anxiety as a COVID wave driven by the most dangerous variant yet is accompanied by the removal of the supports which enabled people to survive its earlier incarnations. Hayes Brown warns that one of the virtually certain results is an escalation in poverty levels which dipped when somewhat better income supports were available. And the Houston Chronicle's editorial board notes that it's entirely understandable that workers aren't eager to endanger themselves and their families for precarious and low-paying work. 

- Sarah Zhang notes that the ventilation improvements which are being demanded by forward-looking people as a means of reducing the spread of COVID would carry the side benefit of stopping all kinds of respiratory viruses. 

- Nick Toscano writes that temporary price hikes aren't fooling most investors into thinking there's any real future in fossil fuels. But Carlos Joly points out that in the midst of its election, Norway (like Canada) is seeing most of its political parties continue to push carbon pollution exports rather than transitioning to a clean economy. 

- Jasmine Banks documents how the Koch brothers' dark money empire is behind the contrived U.S. uproar over "critical race theory" - making for a particularly stark example of how capital stokes racism in order to preserve its position of privilege. And John Tattrie reports on the the apparently race-motivated killing of Truro taxi driver Prabhjot Singh Katri as an ugly example of the consequences of letting racism fester.

- Finally, Arwa Madhawi writes that it's long past time to start paying attention to the people accurately warning of the dangerous consequences of anti-social neglect, rather than allowing the people who benefit from maintaining it to tell us there's nothing to worry about. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Keen cats.

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign. 

- Sam Hammond argues that we should expect our federal parties to strengthen public education in the wake of a pandemic which has exposed the iniquities faced by disadvantaged students. And Ricardo Tranjan highlights why we can't afford to let parties treat rental housing as a temporary and undesirable phase for citizens.

- Dylan Reid discusses what a wealth tax can accomplish based on our extensive experience with property taxes. 

- John Chidley-Hill reports on Jagmeet Singh's promise to double transit funding and transition to an all-electric transit fleet - combining the goals of improved transportation and a cleaner economy in a single policy. 

- Rawan Abdelbaki writes that Erin O'Toole's attempts to claim to support workers are only part of his running con. And Laura Stone and Marieke Walsh report on O'Toole's laughable attempt to want to increase vaccination rates while refusing to say which of his own candidates can't be bothered to protect against the spread of COVID-19. 

- Finally, while Justin Trudeau tries to frame the campaign around the agitators protesting his appearances, Chris Campbell points out how Singh has faced longstanding and virulent racism in the course of his political work (and indeed throughout his life).

Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Peter Hotez writes that the U.S. is facing a new nightmare phase in responding to COVID-19, while Frank Newport reports on the strong public support for far more public health protections than have been put in place. And Jeremy Chrysler discusses the historical background which explains the reluctance of so many - including health authorities - to acknowledge that COVID is airborne. 

- Meanwhile, Stephanie Dubois reports on the utter ineffectiveness of Alberta's vaccine lottery. And Sarah Rieger reports on Jason Kenney's decision to pay inflated wages to privately contracted nurses while starving the public health care system of resources in the midst of a pandemic. 

- Brian Bethune notes that there's no escaping the development of epidemics - which should serve as strong incentive to ensure we're not governed by people who are ideologically incapable of responding to them. 

- Finally, V.S. Wells highlights how Canadian workers have been under attack by state authorities as well as by a deadly virus over the past year. 

#Elxn44 Roundup

Assorted content from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Mitchell Thompson offers a reminder as to why voters can't trust Justin Trudeau's election promises based on both his party's track record of austerity, and his suspicious insistence on precipitating an election rather than supporting Canadians through a pandemic with  the NDP backing that effort in Parliament.

- Marc Goldgrub highlights the flaring flaws with the Cons' convoluted and warped carbon emission scheme. And Markham Hislop examines how the Cons' supposed climate change plan fails to account for increase fossil fuel production:

And it's worth noting that the same problem applies to the Libs' insistence on subsidizing fossil fuel exports, rather than working toward the transition we need to a clean economy.

- Katherine Scott examines the health care proposals on offer, with the NDP's plan for head-to-toe health care representing an importance contrast against the "more of the same" plans of the Libs and Cons. 

- Sara Mojtehedzadeh examines what the parties are offering to essential workers. And the Canadian Press reports on Jagmeet Singh's new commitment to protect health care workers from violence and intimidation.

- Finally, Avneet Dhillon writes about the ongoing popular demand for electoral reform - even as the Libs and Cons go out of their way to try to take it off the table as an option.

Monday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your Labour Day reading.

- CBC News reports on Saskatchewan's soaring rate of COVID-19 infections which (just barely) trails only Alberta among Canadian jurisdictions. James Keller discusses Alberta's tragically false assumption that COVID hospitalizations were a thing of the past.  And Dayne Patterson reports on the call from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses for Scott Moe's government to once again take responsibility for contact tracing after having gallingly abandoned that effort, while  Zak Vescera reports on the health services the Saskatchewan Health Authority may have to abandon to deal with an uncontrolled pandemic.

- PA Media reports on the 200+ health journals who have taken the unprecedented step of joining forces to demand urgent action to avert a climate disaster. But Nick Cohen points out the slipperiness of climate delayers and deniers - while rightly treating them as a historical analogue to those who fought to preserve slavery.

- David Sirota offers a reminder of the powerful role of union organization in reducing wealth inequality. 

- Finally, Ian Welsh reminds us that businesses only end up shooting themselves in the foot by trying to trample on the income which people need to buy their products and services. 

Sunday Afternoon Links

Assorted content for your weekend reading.

- The Economist charts how face mask use helps to slow the spread of COVID generally. And Supriya Dwivedi writes that the Conservative approach treating vaccination as a purely personal decision rather than one embedded in communal needs and obligations is only extending the pandemic.

- Brittany Gervais reports that Alberta's contact tracers are warning that their province is now flying blind into a storm. And Brian Goldman interviews public health experts about the risk that we'll face lockdowns again this fall as the price of failing to do anything to control the spread of the Delta variant.

- Meanwhile, Luke Savage highlights how the executive class was able to raise its own income while most people were struggling even more through the pandemic.

- Finally, Owen Jones writes about the growing number of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes in the UK - due largely to the normalization of continued bigotry against trans people in particular.

#Elxn44 Roundup

The latest from Canada's federal election campaign.

- Jim Stanford writes that the direction of our rebuilding from and after the COVID pandemic is one of the core issues at stake. Anna Desmarais highlights how people are suffering from the arbitrary rules the Trudeau Libs attached to CERB with unmanageable income reductions even as the COVID pandemic continues. And Kiavash Najafi discusses why ensuring the rich pay their fair share of taxes is a policy with appeal across all parties and ideological backgrounds, while Sheila Block rightly defends the practicality and desirability of a wealth tax against Philip Cross' attempts to paint the richest few as the truly hard-done-by.

- Anya Zoledziowski offers a summary of the climate change plans on offer from the major national parties. And Anjali Helferty and George Tjensvoll Kitching write that cutting off fossil fuel subsidies is a bare minimum to ensure that we're not funding the destruction of our own health.

- Meanwhile, the CCPA Monitor examines the Libs' platform - including its maddeningly ponderous incrementalism as compared to the NDP's commitments in areas like climate change and housing. 

- Justin Ling reviews the back-and-forth over racism in the first French debate, with Jagmeet Singh's contribution offering desperately-needed recognition of the realities of system racism:

“I’ve talked to people who lost their family member, because of police violence,” Singh told Blanchet.

“When I introduced a motion to deal with this racist discrimination, I didn’t see any MP say no—even the Conservatives didn’t say no—except a single MP,” Singh began, referring to Therrien. “When I looked at him, he did this-” Singh proceeded to make a sweeping motion with his hand, as though Therrien was brushing him off. “This is exactly the kind of thing which happens for Indigenous communities, like Joyce Echaquan,” Singh continued, before being drowned out by an interrupting Blanchet. 

It was a stunning moment, and a rare mention of Echaquan—or, indeed, any issues of systemic racism—on the campaign.

- Joyce Nelson discusses why military spending should be a significant election issue - and why neither the Libs nor Cons offer an acceptable plan to direct our resources toward peace and well-being rather than the military-industrial complex.

- Finally, David Molko reports on the continued embarrassments of Lib candidate Taleeb Noormohamed, who wants to be treated as an advocate for affordable housing while having made massive amounts of money carrying out the property flipping he pretends to decry.