Let’s open all the books
It’s no secret that the Harper Conservatives hate unions.
They’ve repeatedly emphasized how the NDP is beholden to Big Labour and tried to force an inquiry into partial union sponsorship of a recent federal conference. They’ve reduced the rights to collective bargaining, forced back to work legislation on Canada Post and threatened it upon Air Canada’s union (a private corporation) before they even walked off the job.
Couple this with Harper’s tendency to use his caucus to introduce slightly more controversial notions as private members bills and you get Greater Vancouver Conservative MP Russ Hiebert’s new private members bill.
The bill’s content is still confidential, but its title shows it will seek to change the rules governing labour organizations under the Income Tax Act, which exempts unions, along with charities and municipalities, from paying taxes. If adopted, the bill will force unions “to apply financial disclosure rules” that are already in place for charities, said a source, given the tax benefit that they receive.
The bill was introduced yesterday, so the contents are available online now [pdf].
Like almost everything the Conservatives have done while in government, they provide no real evidence of what (if any) tax breaks unions receive, a fact not missed by Jim Stanford at the Progressive Economics Forum.
Right now charities, which are able to grant tax receipts for donations in exchange for being non-partisan entities, are the only corporation/society required to make public disclosures of their financials.
What could be interesting, however, would be to go beyond Hieber’s simple bill and require all non-profits to make their books public. Let’s find out what the Fraser Institute and other right-wing think tanks have been receiving and spending money on. Or we could go even further and demand that all corporations, whether or not they’re for profit, must make public their financials. Then we could see how the banks, media giants, and other corporations operate – how much their executives are paid. Some countries like Norway and Finland even require personal income taxes to be made public.
So let’s put the question to Hiebert: Is this a mere partisan attack on an institution responsible for nearly all modern labour reforms or is he willing to consider expanding his bill for the good of the country?
Unfortunately, I think I can guess how he’d answer.
Alison Redford pulls a Christy Clark
In a huge upset win last night, Alison Redford pulled ahead of favourite Gary Mar to win the Progressive Conservative leadership and became the next premier of Alberta.
Mar was a powerful minister in Ralph Klein’s cabinet and had hoped to used that connection to his advantage. Nearly the entire PC caucus had endorsed Mar.
But similar to how Christy Clark won the leadership of the BC Liberals earlier this year, Redford became the anti-establishment candidate, rallying the votes needed to win.
Mar’s concession speech subtly highlights the issues Redford may now face as leader
"I know that I am leaving this province in very good hands. We have a very good team and a strong group of Progressive Conservative supporters," [Mar] said. "And I say 'progressive' conservative supporters, that's very important."
Redford was seen as the more moderate candidate, one who would keep hospitals and schools open, while Mar had openly mused about more health care privatization – a cause he championed for Klein as health minister. By electing Redford as leader, the PCs now risk losing a few more right-wing members to the extremist Wildrose – a party that had been stalled in the polls recently.
This move also threatens newly-minted Alberta Liberal leader Raj Sherman’s ability to offer a stark alternative to the PC dynasty that has ruled Alberta for more than four decades. Sherman had joined the Liberals after being kicked out of the PC caucus. It may also put the brakes on the Alberta Party, created as a grassroots centrist option.
Redford’s come-from-behind win is likely to make some PCs recall Ed Stelmach’s unlikely win in the last leadership convention. As the compromise candidate between the more right-wing Ted Morton and more progressive Jim Dinning, Stelmach offered little offensive to party members, and correspondingly offered little of substance as premier. Perhaps we’ll see a revolt against preferential ballots in the party.
In my personal opinion, Redford was the best choice for the PCs, her win symbolically ends the “old boys club” that has dominated Alberta’s political scene for decades and sets up for an election pitting her against the media darling Danielle Smith.
More Conservatives hate women
This morning’s ruling was so promising, I thought we might sneak into the weekend without the need to get angry.
Two more Tory MPs are taking swipes at the International Planned Parenthood Foundation.
One claims the group conned the government when it applied for and got a federal grant of $6 million over three years.
Another is linking it to the sinister and long-discredited science of eugenics.
What do Brad Trost, Maurice Vellacott, and Leon Benoit have in common?
They’re all white conservative men willing to put their religious views ahead of women’s rights.
And they’re running our country.
Can we focus on saving lives now?
Despite Conservative tough dumb-on-crime rhetoric, allowing people a clean and safe place to use the drugs they would anyway grants them respect, dignity, and a way out of dangerous cycles. It’s about acting grown-up about our public health issues and taking responsibility for the issue.
Now, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously agrees
The appeal and the cross?appeal are dismissed. The Minister of Health is ordered to grant an exemption to Insite under s. 56 of the Controlled Drug and Substances Act forthwith.
…
In order to make use of the lifesaving and health?protecting services offered at Insite, clients must be allowed to be in possession of drugs on the premises. Prohibiting possession at large engages drug users’ liberty interests; prohibiting possession at Insite engages their rights to life and to security of the person.
It’s not clear yet if Harper and his TheoCons will continue to fight this, but hopefully he’s smart enough to know when he’s lost and walk away.
This is an important ruling and hopefully now InSite and its supporters can continue their life-saving work, and look to replicate their success.
Right-wing takeover at SFU
Staff who operate many of the student services at SFU, including Out on Campus, the Women’s Centre, and the SFSS Print Centre, have been locked out, without a contract for 10 weeks.
The lock-out was initiated by a unanimous vote of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) board of directors, who decided that they had no more money and should blame the union representing 20 employees – five of whom are students.
A quote from SFSS president John McCann in Xtra! demonstrates their ideological commitment to hold out on any concessions to the union
SFSS president Jeff McCann says the society is broke and the cuts need to be made for the sake of all students.
“It’s kind of interesting when people say, ‘End the lockout because those services aren’t being provided,’” says McCann. “Yes, right now and for the last 10 weeks those services aren’t being provided, but every single year the budget cuts are reducing programming by 40 percent, year after year after year.”
He says that unless the union makes concessions, other cuts will have to be made.
“We need to be able to find that balance,” says McCann. “Otherwise we’re not going to have an Out on Campus. We’re not going to be able to afford it. We’re not going to be able to afford anything that we do.”
There’s several articles in The Peak about the lockout, but in each McCann provides quotes that show little compassion or desire to resolve the situation. In his world, the union has been fired without the awkward confrontation.
While I would generally oppose fee increases at university, student union fees are the one place where you can actually see where the money goes. The portion of the SFU undergrad activity fee used for operations has not risen in 15 years, despite the school expansion and inflation. Revenue for the SFSS is therefore dropping with respect to what they’re spending – so it’s little surprise that they’re running a deficit. The Board’s strict refusal to consider this avenue is further evidence of their hardline ideological stance.
Kelly Thoreson gives a decent run down of the numbers involved for The Peak, whose libertarian-leaning editorial board has had few kind words for the locked out workers.
The lockout is also happening against the backdrop of the potential SFPIRG eviction. SFU’s Public Interest Research Group is a student-run centre that supports environmental and social justice research, education, and action. The SFSS Space and Oversight Committee (a committee of the board), has decided that the space currently leased to SFPIRG would be better used by as student space, despite the fact that SFPIRG is student run and funded.
This move isn’t surprising to anyone who followed the debacle last year when conservatives on campus tried to force “democracy” and “accountability” into SFPIRG by hijacking meetings of the SFSS board. It seems their tactics have changed, but the goal remains the same: stamp out progressive voices on campus.
The one positive in the situation is that the Graduate Student Society is still on the side of students and workers, and voted unanimously in support of the union. The frustration for the GSS is that they partially fund these services – to the tune of $45 000 annually – through the SFSS. So while the lock out goes on, they are simply paying for services not rendered.
Further, the union organized an alternative clubs days for clubs that refused to cross the picket lines. I’m proud to say that the SFU Skeptics were among those who participated.
SFU has a history of being among the most radical campuses in Canada. These recent events threaten that spirit of progress and open debate.
While my time at SFU is coming to an end, students need to stand up for a campus that represents the world we want to see.
Lorne Gunter spews hot air
It’s continually depressing to see professional denialist Lorne Gunter continue to sap money that could be going to actual journalists and columnists. Yesterday he had this to say:
Over the past decade, global surface temperatures have flatlined. While 2010 was a warm year in the northern hemisphere and 2011 has been warm in much of the U.S., globally temperatures have failed to surpass 1998. Despite all the histrionics about man-made global warming, the predicted temperature rise has failed to materialize even as CO2 emissions have increased. Pat Michaels, a climatologist who is currently senior fellow for research and economic development at George Mason University in Virginia, wrote in the Wall Street Journal in late July, ”there has been no statistically significant warming trend since November of 1996 in monthly surface temperature records.”
That’s great Lorne that you can open the Wall Street Journal, read an economist from the known corporate-apologist Cato Institute (an association Lorne neglects) and decide work of real scientists is bunk.
Let’s actually look at some data to see if Michaels has a clue what he’s talking about:
Kai Nagata: Media Crusader
After that last article, I want to point out something positive* on the internet.
You remember Kai Nagata right?
He wrote what may have been the best resignation letter ever. It was essentially a manifesto for change in the Canadian media climate.
Well, lucky for us, The Tyee found him and has started letting his unfiltered words hit the internet.
And wow does he have things to say.
He’s already started a series called “Warnings from Quebec”, which begins by painting the bleak picture of media centralization that has become Quebec under Quebecor rule. Nagata notes that Quebecor has been crucial in forcing secret laws through the provinces National Assembly to support the construction of a new arena, to be owned by Quebecor, in Quebec City. He questions the new motto of Quebecor president “What’s good for Quebecor is good for all Quebeckers” and worries about the extreme agendas being pushed by Quebecor.
Part 2 introduces us to the ex-Parti Quebecois members who quit over their party’s sell out to Quebecor. He notes how the PQ’s implosion has basically cost them their next election, which is of little concern to Quebecor who may have found the ideal puppet in Francois Legault – potential leader of an uncreated, but high-polling, new right-wing party. He finishes by asking whether any large corporate media in Canada is free of bias, noting that only the independent Toronto Star and Le Devoir endorsed anyone other than the Conservatives in 2008 and 2011.
Finally, Nagata concludes with a blistering two-page analysis** of Quebecor’s new Sun News Network, which he claims has a steadily rising viewership (his source is a Sun newspaper, so I’m still a bit skeptical). He discusses the prevalence of polling data in Quebecor papers, which seem to have been used to promote the Quebec arena – asking respondents to single out who is to blame for delays. He worries about the lack of critical analysis of Quebecor (save for a few courageous columnists) and concludes by worrying about the isolating effect that such media centralization can result in.
Go read all three pieces, and feel worried. But then feel a bit better knowing that at least someone’s paying attention.
*At least it’s a good thing that’s it’s being written.
**I hate when online articles are split across pages. We have scroll bars for a reason.
Wrong, wrong, so very wrong
Apparently people respect Vito Tanzi. At least, that’s what an article in the Globe and Mail tells me, and their journalists must be impartial right?
Tanzi apparently believes that because government spending has dropped as a fraction of the GDP in Canada and Sweden over the past 20 years that it will continue to drop into the future. I guess two data points does make a linear trend. Neil Reynolds, the author of the article, compares the levels that we’re spending with those of the 1920s and the 1700 and 1800s, and seems to argue that we should go back to such spending.
That’s right.
“Not an inch of space”
Never mind that Europe is supposed to be all metric all the time, here’s a quote relating to yesterday’s tragedy:
"That the perpetrator apparently comes from the far-right scene shows once again how dangerous racist and anti-foreigner ideologies are," Germany's opposition Greens said in a statement. "We must not allow them an inch of space in our societies."
I’m really not clear on whether the Greens here are advocating full-on censorship here. It sure seems like they’re on side with pushing hate groups underground.
We walk a fine line with hate speech laws in Canada. Some (very vocally) argue they’re a farce, while others see the value in them. I think we’ve generally done a decent job of balancing free speech rights with the right not to be persecuted.
But we always have to be careful not to overstep that line, suppressing ideas that make us uncomfortable. Democracy thrives on free inquiry and debate. Multiculturalism is a touchy subject, and one we’re likely going to have to discuss more in our own future. It’s hard to find the right answer when some aren’t heard.
We cannot censor dissent.
But at the same time, violence is also unacceptable. We also have to take precautions not to prevent dissent from fermenting into hate crimes.
It’s a fine line.
On the Oslo blasts
By now you’re probably aware of the explosion and subsequent shooting that happened today (yesterday there?) in Oslo, Norway. If not, go read then come back.
Going off the details that are undisputed as of now, a bomb was set off in downtown Oslo, near the government buildings and later a man dressed as a police officer opened fire on delegates of a Labour Party youth camp. (Real) Police believe the two events are linked and the death toll is still rising and is at least 10.
The New York Times had initially reported that an Islamic fundamentalist group had taken credit for the bombing, but the paper was quick to note that such claims are often false.
Any time a terrorist attack (and I define this as a terrorist attack since it was an attack that inspired terror) occurs, it’s almost instinct now to blame Muslims. Hopefully most people take a second and realize it’s not any or even a sizable number of Muslims who could commit such atrocities (can anyone picture Mayor Nenshi doing anything so atrocious?). Finally, we actually realize that in situations like this, we need to wait until some facts come out before posting our favourite violent sections of the Koran in relation to this attack.
Almost ironically, some reports are starting to come out now, and they’re worthy of the same skepticism as the initial reports, that the gunmen was a blonde Norwegian and has no links to any Islamic group. The irony comes from the fact that this man may prove to have ties to ultra-right organizations that strongly oppose the left-leaning governing Labour party and Muslim immigration.
Rather than Islamo-Fascists it may prove to be just old fashioned Western Fascists.
Of course if a xenophobic right-wing group had escaped without being caught, they could have pinned the blame on Muslims and immigrants, potentially swinging popular opinion over to some of their more extremist policies.
But now I’m into idle speculation.
I wish the best for the investigators and Norwegian people. Norway holds a soft-spot in my heart as the place Alberta (and Canada) could be if we actually worked together.
Recent Posts
- The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
- No, I don’t
- CFI Canada skips critical thinking
- State of Albertan Politics
- Successful in Ottawa, Religious Right turns to Edmonton
Recent Comments
- Ian on The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
- Per Smith on The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
- Per Smith on The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
- Ian on The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
- Per Smith on The Atheist Census–obnoxious and obscure marketing?
Categories
Politics Religion Links Atheism Media NDP Elections Personal Science Conservatives Alberta Secularism Edmonton School Scepticism Canada BC UofA Atheists and Agnostics Creationism Vancouver Liberals Economics Site Parody Fun Video CFI Global Warming Evolution Humanism Bible Capitalism SFU The Peak Free speech Anti-choice Philosophy Gay rights Books Companies Computers Random USA movies
Subscribe to posts