Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Wednesday Morning Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- William Black suggests that we consider applying the "broken windows" theory to the financial sector - particularly since the signs of a severely damaged system are still obvious.

- Jim Stanford proposes one way to make sure that resource extraction actually does benefit the broader Canadian economy. But then, as Bruce Johnstone notes in discussing the possible takeover of Viterra, any benefits to Canada's economy are currently well down the list of government priorities - particularly when they're in conflict with corporate control.

- Meanwhile, Thomas Walkom points out the futility of Dalton McGuinty's attempt to make up for reckless tax slashing with gambling revenues.

- And finally, Frances Russell discusses Stephen Harper's war mentality:
Parliament is chief among the institutions to be attacked by the prime minister. The December 2008 prorogation allowed the Harper Conservatives, then in minority, to avoid defeat on a non-confidence motion.

Empowered, the Harper government reversed the core principle of parliamentary democracy -- that the government is accountable to Parliament. Now, Parliament is accountable to the party in power. Incredibly, even its committees operate largely behind closed doors. MPs who break that secrecy risk contempt citations.

This is a "war" government. It fights the media, the courts, Elections Canada, the opposition parties and Canadians who support them, the civil service, its own departments and agencies, anyone with a contrary view. All now are "enemies" of the state -- attacked, discredited and vilified.

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