Catallactic Forum

Long Time Running

2009-03-13T12:49:00.002-04:00

Haven't posted anything in nearly a year. My Asia trip came and went (it was glorious). Same can be said of 2008, and now winter is nearly over.

It's March 13 and all's well.

Wait a second, it's Friday the 13th. Perhaps I shouldn't get ahead of myself with the optimism...

Good Times on the Horizon

2008-04-28T15:13:00.002-04:00

It looks like I'll be heading to East Asia and India for 3 months or so later this summer/fall.

Travel advice and suggestions would be welcomed.

A Riot of a Game

2008-04-22T11:00:00.002-04:00

It seems that Montrealers decided that the best way to celebrate the first round victory of the Habs was through some good old fashioned rioting and roasting of marshmallows over burning police cars.

What is this, England? When I was living in London I got used to the fact that during any major football competition the fans would celebrate a win with a hearty riot. (On the other hand, they were equally quick to mourn a loss with a hearty riot). But it's not something you see everyday in "friendly" Canada.

Of course I do sometimes wonder what would happen if the Leafs won the Stanley Cup. After more than 40 years without a championship I picture the city celebrating by coming together to push over the CN Tower.

In Communicado

2008-04-14T13:10:00.001-04:00

It's been a long time since I've posted anything.

For now I'll just say that it's a beautiful spring day in downtown Toronto.

An NDP Golden Opportunity

2007-11-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

I see the Globe is running a story about how the NDP plan to spend the maximum in the next federal election.

Jack Layton is right to go all-out - the political landscape has never been better for his party to make big gains.

The Liberals are a tarnished brand, engaged in a civil war and led by their weakest leader in a generation. A perfect opportunity for Layton to position himself as the competent left-wing alternative to the governing Conservatives.

Moreover, if Harper looks certain to steamroll Dion, as it now appears, Layton's good fortune is only amplified. In most recent campaigns the NDP has suffered a last-minute loss of votes to the Liberals. This is likely due to a combination of two factors: 1) where an election is a close contest between Conservatives and Liberals (2004/2006) left-wing voters will rally to the Liberals to avert a Conservative victory; and, 2) where the Liberals appear sure to win (1993/1997/2000) they have ownership of the mantle of the dominant left-of-centre party - meaning there is less room on the left-wing field for the NDP's alternative version of the cause. However, if a Conservative victory appears imminent, there is little motivation for would-be NDP voters to switch to the losing Liberals. In fact, where a pragmatic shift in support to bolster the Liberals appears futile, there is all the more reason to take the principled stand with the NDP.

If I worked for the NDP I'd be doing everything possible to seize this opportunity. It appears that Jack Layton agrees.

Tavares Bid

2007-10-25T15:29:00.000-04:00

If this actually worked it would be pure genius.

Some are saying it's an illegal move, but I don't see how. He's free to sign an AHL contract next year, and the Leafs can't stop him from going to whatever team drafts him if he so chooses.

Ultimately it doesn't guarantee he'll ever play for the Leafs, but the genius in it is that there really is no downside risk for MLSE. Let's say he takes this deal with the Marlies. If he is eventually drafted by another NHL team and skips town, then so what - it's not as though Toronto had any shot at getting him by normal channels anyway. And the money certainly doesn't matter - with the salary cap the Leafs have more money than they know what to do with since they can't spend it all. Not to mention that while he was here the Marlies would be darn entertaining.

But, let's say it did work out. Let's say Tavares loves playing in Toronto and builds a positive relationship with MLSE - all the while making way more money than he would anywhere else. If he then decided to stick around it would be a hockey coup of biblical proportions.

Don't underestimate this kid. He's the next big thing. And the thought of him playing for his home town team could be the most exciting news in Leafs Nation for a decade.

Bizarro Toronto

2007-10-22T11:18:00.000-04:00

A protest to support raising taxes?

Feels like the "Bizarro World" Seinfeld episode.

You've got to be kidding...

2007-10-19T15:47:00.000-04:00

...this would be funny if it weren't downright scary.

Afghanistan Poll

2007-10-19T11:20:00.000-04:00

Here in Canada we are rather regularly inundated with polls asking how we feel about the mission in Afghanistan.

Interesting that somebody finally thought to ask the citizens of Afghanistan how they feel about it. I suspect most people may be surprised by the results.

In a week where there already seemed to be no end to the good news for Stephen Harper here is one more cherry on the Conservative sundae.

The Sky is Not Falling for the Blue & White (Well, at least for the Leafs)

2007-10-10T10:55:00.000-04:00

I had the (mis)fortune of attending the Leafs-Canes game last night. To be blunt, the Leafs played terribly. One of the worst games I have ever seen. That said, I have two comments:

1) The Toronto media and fans need to take a breather. The sky is not falling. It's game 4 of the regular season. Every team gets slaughtered now and then. Last year in game 2 of the regular season the Leafs wasted Ottawa 6-0 - not exactly representative of how the Senators would do for the rest of the season. Furthermore, it's not as though the Leafs have had 4 bad games. The first two against Ottawa - a tough rival to say the least - were one-goal contests we could just as easily have won. And the other game was a win against Montreal.

2) Fans need to stop booing in the ACC. If the Leafs are being destroyed, I understand if you don't cheer or want to leave. But don't boo. Not only is it unsportsmanlike and feeds the problem of Leaf fans turning on eachother, it certainly doesn't show the players that the city is behind them. The Leafs are human too, and it doesn't do much for team confidence to hear their own fans turn against them.

Ah yes, not to be forgotten - it's election day. More comments on that later when we see how the other Blue & White team do....

Spin Gone Wild

2007-09-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

It is the job of campaign strategists for any party to "spin" the daily news in their candidates favour. This activity often involves feats of informational contortion that yield a product barely recognizable from the original story. Normally I wouldn't even bother commenting on it, since every party does it, and the spin is often so obvious and cheesy that it doesn't warrant the attention.

But every so often you see a real whopper of a press release that wades a bit too far over the fine line between plausible truth and outright falsehoods. Today the Ontario Liberal Party has issued such a specimen.

In one of their daily press releases they discuss Conservative leader John Tory's meeting with the editorial board of the Globe and Mail. During the interview Mr. Tory commented on where "blame" for the apparent unpopularity of the faith-based schools issue lies. According to the Liberal press release, "In a meeting with the Globeand Mail's editorial board, the Conservative leader said the blame lies with, well, you. You, Ontario.".

Now let's look at the actual Globe interview, which reads:

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory says he blames strong resistance to his religious-schools policy on his own failure to explain it better ... He said he has not done a good enough job convincing Ontarians that it is better to have all schools part of the public system rather than operate without scrutiny. He also said his message that it is unfair to fund Catholic schools without extending the same privileges to Jewish, Muslim and other religious institutions is not resonating with Ontarians.

It seems abundently clear that if Tory is putting "blame" anywhere it's with himself. Insofar as the buck tends to stop with the leader of a party for unsuccessful policies during an election this is a rather unremarkable statement. Furthermore, if there is such a thing as "honour" in the game of political strategy, you'd think it a bit distasteful to try to suggest your opponent is blaming other people for the campaign's shortcomings when he is trying to do the honourable thing in accepting the blame himself.

I don't blame Liberal strategists for trying to do their job, but if you push the limits of believability too far you end up looking at best silly, and at worst outright dishonest.

$1 = $1

2007-09-20T09:32:00.001-04:00

Ladies and Gentleman, it has happened. The Canadian Dollar has reached parity with the American Dollar.

My first inclination is to be excited about my new found purchasing power in the United States. Perhaps it's time to pay a visit to my friends in New York, and maybe the Wal-Mart electronics department while I'm there.

Of course, such thoughts are merely fleeting fancies. My economics-minded side always gets the best of me, and it's reminding me that despite the shiny new TVs and American vacationing, this is bad for Canada. We'll see how far it goes.

The Quebec By-Elections

2007-09-18T14:21:00.000-04:00

For weeks pundits have been predicting that the close race in Quebec's by-elections might churn out some surprising results. Certainly those results were surprising, but equally so was the fact that it wasn't really close at all.

The Conservatives absolutely destroyed the Bloc in Roberval--Lac-Saint-Jean with a whopping 59.4%-27.0%. To give some context to that kind of win, Jim Prentice won Calgary Centre-North (that's right, an Alberta riding in the Conservative stronghold of Calgary) by a lesser spread. Not to mention that Roberval has been Bloc heartland since the party was founded. Furthermore, it was previously held by one of the party's most prominent MPs and a former interim-leader.

More interesting than how well the Conservatives did in Roberval is how poorly the Liberals did everywhere. Just to get things started, they didn't even crack 10% in Roberval or St. Hyacinthe.
Then, of course, there is Outremont. Everyone thought it would be close. It wasn't. The NDP took the riding by a margin of 47%-29%.

The fact that the results were so devastating to the Liberals made their leader's comments this morning all the more unbelievable. He actually had the audacity to claim "Most people decided to support the NDP candidate. They thought maybe that it was a clear signal about their disagreement with the current government". In other words: getting the worst political beating of your leadership thus far is a signal that people don't like your opponent. Wow. Perhaps Dion's comments should be taken to be an implicit admission that the real contest is now between the Conservatives and the NDP.

In any event I suspect that if the tea leaves of these by-elections mean anything for the immediate future, it is that an election is not likely anytime soon. The mathematics of the current party standings require all three opposition parties to vote against the government on a confidence question in order for Harper to be defeated. And yesterday's results show that such a move is not in any of their interests. The Bloc and Liberals are reaching new lows of popularity in Quebec, while the NDP, now 30 seats strong (enough to pass Conservative legislation) could end up squandering their newfound minority clout in a general election.

End of an Era

2007-09-13T13:47:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything. If for no other reason than to prove I am in fact still alive I figured I'd toss something up today.

Sadly, it seems that today marks the end of an era. The CN Tower has been surpassed as the world's tallest free-standing structure.

Growing up we always had a Guinness Book of World Records in the house. I remember that us Canadians didn't really hold any impressive records - except one. Always on the first page of the buildings section was the CN Tower, clearly dominant alongside the sketches of its closest competitors. I fondly recall the sense of pride I had in seeing it when visiting Toronto - suspecting that all the other kids in the world reading the Guinness Book knew what it was and that it was ours.

Alas, it seems the tower's glory days have passed. Guess we'll have to come up with a new record to set. World's largest poutine maybe?

Oh no he didn't....

2007-03-29T11:24:00.000-04:00

The G&M is reporting that Stephan Dion just referred to the Conservative budget as "unfair".

Wow.

From the moment the Conservatives began running those ads where Dion meekly replies to Ignatieff's leadership attack about the environment by saying "This is unfair!", I've watched the line become a cult media reference. The thing's taken on a life of its own. It shows up in newspaper editorials, television political satire, even everyday conversation. Hell, I was even invited to join a Facebook group mocking the maladroit Liberal leader called "This Facebook Group is Unfair!!".

If I were a Conservative staffer in the PMO communications department I'd have to check my calendar to see if Christmas had come early. After all, you'd think Dion could have thought of a different word to support his objection to the budget other than the one that is, you know, single-handedly destroying his career.

As if it wasn't already bad enough....

2007-03-27T12:53:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Star reports today on some of the new tax measures that Mayor David Miller is implementing in the city's budget. This passage sums it up nicely:

"Many of the proposed levies are "sin taxes" that would tack 5 per cent on to the cost of alcohol (at LCBOs or table service), tobacco and tickets at cinemas and live events. Parking lots would pay the city a yearly fee per space while an unspecified road toll is suggested for the Gardiner and DVP."

Does David Miller even live in Toronto? The cost of living in this city is already high enough compared to other Canadian cities, and the items Miller is targeting contribute significantly to this disparity.

It is especially unbelievable that the city seems to think they can squeeze more money out of parking. Without a doubt the "yearly fee" will fall on consumers who already pay exorbitant prices to park. I suspect that Miller may not be bothered by this situation - seeing it as merely part of his broader campaign to promote public transit and discourage those nasty commuters from bringing their gas-guzzling, environment-destroying vehicles into the city. But, caught in the cross-fire of this battle will be Toronto's entertainment and tourist industry.

If you're a commuter, you have to find your way downtown no matter what - so faced with toll roads and parking gouging you may just switch to GO or TTC. But if you don't live or work in the city, but merely visit for entertainment or social purposes, you may just not come at all. Or even more troubling, if you are choosing a place to work or set up a business, you now have all the more reason to locate somewhere else. And therein lies the problem - Miller is risking making life in Toronto prohibitively expensive.

I am from a rural area in southwestern Ontario. Many of my old friends and family members simply refuse to come to the city because it's already too expensive. The idea of paying $20/day to park their car (because how else are you going to get there), and $6 for a pint of beer is just too much. Tack on Miller's 5% tax increase and I'd expect to see even fewer Ontarians contributing to the economy of the provincial capital.

Finally, as Councillor Doug Holyday points out, these tax increases, combined with hikes in the city's business taxes, can only do further damage to the Toronto economy. Were Toronto the only thriving metropolis in the country things might be different - people and business would still come because they have no choice. But faced with red-hot up-and-comers like Calgary and Edmonton, making life and business in Toronto even more expensive seriously endangers Toronto's competitiveness.

Ultimately, Miller is going to raise a few extra bucks for city programs through these tax increases. But in the process he risks driving people, business and tourism from the city, on top of making life more expensive for those of us already living here. Whatever programs are the lucky recipients of this money had better be worth the price.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2007-03-26T22:50:00.000-04:00

Who'd have thought a year - or even a month - ago that the Quebec election would turn out this way? Sure the Liberals still won a plurality, but the significance of the results should not be underestimated.

The emergence of the Action Democratique du Quebec (ADQ) constitutes a seismic shift in the political landscape and culture of Quebec - and one that I consider to be for the better. For decades the conventional wisdom has been that provincial elections are a battle between the federalist Liberals (LPQ) and separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ) - making the sovereignty question the most important and overriding issue of every campaign. Notwithstanding the fact that this ensured the future of our country consistently rested on a knife's edge, it also sapped a good deal of the strength out of Quebec democracy. Government does a whole lot more than just separate or not. Reducing every election to a virtual referendum on how Quebecers feel about having another referendum allowed all other issues to be, at best, greatly deprioritized, and at worst swept under the rug. Economically, socially and even on the issue of Quebec "nationhood", the ADQ, LPQ and PQ offer very different perspectives on how Quebec should be governed. (The ADQ is particularly notable since it introduces an element of conservatism into the spectrum that was previously non-existent.) For the first time in generations Quebecers have some real political choices.

Now, if you're a federalist you might be worried that the emergence of a rival anti-separatist party to the LPQ threatens to "split" the federalist vote. Don't be. The dream of any federalist is to see the end (or at least neutralizing) of the separatist movement. The emergence of a strong third party to smash the status quo PQ-LPQ battle is an essential ingredient to achieving this goal. So long as the battle for Quebec was consistently fought between only two parties, the sovereigntist movement would be kept alive by the sheer fact that the PQ held the mantle of being the only alternative to the Liberals. When people were sick of the LPQ, they had no where else to turn. With another viable party on the scene the PQ is no longer the default anti-Liberal vote. Insofar as the ADQ and Liberals provide viable alternative platforms for the governance of Quebec within a united Canada, it opens the door for the PQ to become a one-issue third party in the Assembly. And once they are relegated to the sidelines, they become vulnerable to slowly slipping from the scene - no longer propped up by the old dichotomy.

Sure there is the risk of some vote splitting, but if you want to see the eventual end of the separatist presence in Quebec how else do you believe it could come about? It's not as though the LPQ would one day just win every single seat and govern Quebec as a one-party state. The strong showing of the ADQ may just be the beginning of the end of separatism in Quebec.

Great Dominion Dust-Up

2007-03-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

Everyone loves a good political contest. Kudos to Tim Hudak for providing me with one more means of procrastination.

http://www.timhudak.ca/great-dominion-dust

Based on the votes so far I have a feeling that the Conservative competitors are going to fare a touch better than their opponents. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that the contest is hosted on the website of an Ontario PC MPP? Or, perhaps it's because the Conservative candidates simply are better.

My gut tells me it's the latter.

...and the Award Goes to...

2007-02-23T01:31:00.000-05:00

Oscar season is upon us, and I am sure the above phrase will be abused by the media many times in the coming days. Reluctantly, I use it today to bestow a personal award. Deciding upon the lucky recipient of this award has been a tough challenge for me this year, but I believe we finally have a winner. And so close to awards night - what a coincidence!

I am talking about my award for "Most Insignificant Headline News Story". This prestigious award goes to the news item that has had the honour of gracing either the front page of a national newspaper or the headline of the website of a national newspaper, and yet is of so little consequence to anyone that it barely deserves to be called news at all. The kind of story you read on the back page of the Classifieds and then think "Slow news day eh?".

I found this year's winner just a few moments ago - listed as the top story on globeandmail.com.
But I won't hold you in suspense any longer.... and the winner is...

"Pearson's Nobel Prize left in dark"

If you haven't read the article, let me summarize it briefly. Some dignitaries from the U.S., Mexico and Canada will be holding a press conference and photo-op in the lobby of the Foreign Affairs building, where Lester B. Pearson's Nobel Peace Prize medal is on display. Preparations for the events have resulted in the display being behind the flags and backdrop for the press conference. That's it. Really.

Some Liberal clowns - Keith Martin and Mark Holland - have accused the government of hiding the medal for partisan reasons so absurd I can't bear to repeat them here. Of course, the point of this post is not to criticize these fellows for their faux outrage - we all know how the game works and partisans can find blame in their opponents for everything from cloudy days to the Spanish Inquisition. My criticism falls squarely on the media outlet(s) that actually think this is news. It is, I contend, so far from news-worthy that I would sooner read about the antics of Mr. Nibbles, the dog that can bark tunes vaguely resembling 80s pop hits.

Here's where I am confused. Where is the news here? I assume it must be in the "scandal" of the display being covered up. Right. These guys want to hold a press conference. Press conferences have flashy backdrops with flags and pictures and all matter of other camera-friendly paraphernalia. It wouldn't matter whether it was in Buckingham Palace or in a van down by the river, the medal wasn't part of the backdrop. That aside, since when did any ministry or official acquire the duty to make Pearson's medal a prominent, or even noticeable, component of their government business? To read into this some conjecture about a shift in the government's foreign affairs strategy, as Mr. Holland and Mr. Martin suggest, is nothing short of a laughable conspiracy theory. Hence, the absurdity of it making headline news. I didn't know the Globe was now competing with the National Enquirer.

I now leave this year's winner to bask in its victory. I look forward to next year's competition, though, knowing some of the stories coming out of Ottawa these days we may need to hand these things out a bit more often.

Garth Turner's Defection

2007-02-06T14:52:00.000-05:00

Before I say anything about the matter, a hat tip is due to my friend (and also honourable political rival) Michelle for informing me that the rumours are now true - Garth Turner will be joining the Liberal caucus.

I am very curious how Liberals feel about this move. Partly because of the sheer volume of scorn that was heaped upon Mr. Khan and Mr. Emerson during their defections. Of course, admittedly, Conservatives were equally critical of the Stronach and Brison affairs. So, I wonder where we are as political rivals at this point in the game? Have we reached the point where defections have become so common, and the criticism so hypocritical, that there is little we can say besides the usual partisan cheering from each side about "winning one for the good guys"?

But, I am more interested in what Liberals have to say about the matter because I am curious how many of them are actually excited to have Garth Turner on their team. In some ways Mr. Turner demands a certain degree of respect for being to Parliament what Don Cherry is to hockey. He speaks his mind and "tells it like it is". This role is both entertaining and refreshing to those who find the whipped nature of partisan politics distasteful. The problem is that, to a significant degree, the practice of governance according to the English Parliamentary system is a team sport. And Mr. Turner is not a team player. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't define "team player" as someone who mindlessly obeys commands from upon high. Rather, I mean it in the sense of someone who understands how to convey constructive internal criticism and get their issues on the table without publicly sucker punching members of their own team (whose political well-being determines the effectiveness with which their policies can be realized). It's all well and good to congratulate Mr. Turner for "speaking his mind" when he slams the PM on his blog for not being responsive enough to his concerns; but, let's not kid ourselves - slamming your leader in public does less to get your issues on the table, and more for making your party look divided, unorganized and foolish. After all, you learn quickly in politics that the media (and the public) love a good story about political infighting. Mr. Turner has shown an innate talent for attracting just this kind of spotlight. I wonder how eager Liberals are to become the unwitting co-stars of his show.

New Conservative Ads

2007-01-29T16:39:00.000-05:00

So the Conservatives have released a series of new ads with the theme that "Stephane Dion is not a leader". It didn't take long for these ads to become the "hot topic" in the blogging and political news world.

Rather than re-hash the debate between Conservatives and Liberals about the substance of the ads, I want only to comment on one aspect of the issue: the Liberals' response to the ads.

It seems that the universal response - by Ignatieff, Scott Reid, Ralph Goodale etc. - is to state that the ads are evidence that the Harper government is "running scared", or that Harper is "scared of Dion". I feel like I've read a variation of this phrase a dozen times in the last 24 hours.

What is the point of this statement? A response to a political attack ad should either: A) refute the substance of the ad or the statements made therein (defensive play); or, B) counter-attack with some other messaging (offensive play). I don't see how this business about Harper being scared accomplishes either of these things, or really anything at all other than to serve as a token response. Are the Liberals suggesting that taking your political opponent seriously is an undesirable quality in a Prime Minister? Or that Canadians shouldn't vote for someone who does so?

I suppose that in the world of political insiders there might be the perception that you can score a few bonus points for intimidating your opponent. Some Liberals might take comfort in the idea that Harper is genuinely afraid of their leader. But, declaring to the world that you've one-upped the other guy because he's afraid of you is not how you win elections. Furthermore, it doesn't offer one smidgen of a reason for anyone to vote for you.

I'm sure there is plenty the Liberals could have said to either defend against the Conservative ads, or counter-attack against Harper; however, they chose to offer a response that accomplishes nothing more than to make party stalwarts feel better because their opponent might be taking them seriously - something they should have assumed anyway. It is simply bad messaging.

The 63% Spin

2007-01-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

On account of the fact that my laptop has recently suffered a meltdown, my access to the internet has been limited to panhandling computer time from my friends and family. Nonetheless, I managed to snag a few minutes this morning.

I read in today's Globe that Jack Layton is indicating that he may not support the minority Harper government unless he sees some “dramatic and significant changes in direction”. In support of his stance he employs one of the favourite rhetorical weapons of Canada's Liberals and NDPers - the 63% Spin. The tactic is basically an attempt to de-legitimize the government by arguing that "63 per cent of Canadians voted against the Conservatives in the last election". This proposition is both false and misleading.

As a simple matter of electoral fact, Canadians each get one vote, which they are able to cast in favour of one party/candidate. The casting of this ballot is incontrovertible evidence that they have, in fact, voted for someone. Therefore, it is true that 37% of the population voted for Harper. However, the inverse is not true. The electoral system contains no mechanism for voting against other candidates and consequently cannot support a conclusion that a vote in favour of, say the NDP, is a vote against the Liberals, Conservatives, Greens, Bloc, etc.

It is indeed possible that someone might have voted Liberal or NDP simply to avert a Harper win, and that this act might be construed as a vote "against" the Conservatives - but to reach this conclusion requires knowledge of a specific voter's intentions. That is, knowledge that no pundit, editorialist or party leader possesses. For them to claim such information, not just about one voter (without asking them), but about all voters would require the employment of some super-human (and clearly impossible) psychoanalytical acrobatics.

The 63% Spin is also misleading because it seems to suggest that 63% of the population is against Harper's government - insofar as one is either "for" or "against" Harper. Again, not true. Canadians are not limited to thinking in such dichotomous terms. The electoral system forces voters to prioritize their voting preferences such that they ultimately choose one candidate, but that doesn't mean they disregard all others as undesirable. It is entirely possible that many voters chose Martin or Layton as their top choice, but would have had Harper as a second choice, and consequently been supportive of his government. Even if he was their last choice they might still not be "against" him.

Finally, a quick look at other recent election results takes most of the bite out of the argument. In 2004 Paul Martin garnered 36.7% of the vote. Does that mean Liberals are willing to acknowledge that 63% of voters voted against them? What about Jean Chretien's 38.5% in 1997? Could it be that 62% voted against the little guy?

More tellingly, back in 2006 I see Jack Layton's NDP got 17% of the vote. If he's willing to argue that 63% of Canadians voted against Harper, perhaps he should also acknowledge that 83% of them voted against him.

He Shoots He Scores

2006-12-24T16:29:00.000-05:00

Did anyone else notice this in Saturday's Toronto Star?

At first glance it appears to be an unsuspecting piece about the history of hockey in Toronto. In fact, I came across it only because I was checking for news on Mike Peca's injury from the previous night. I clicked on it because I, like other citizens of Leaf Nation, feel compelled to click on anything that contains the word "Leafs". (After all, the gramatically incorrect term applies to nothing other than our beloved hockey team). I read the article, found it quite interesting, and then noticed the author: Stephen Harper. The same one who, you know, runs the country.

Brilliant. Politically brilliant.

It's no secret that Harper has had trouble connecting with the average Torontonian. Perhaps they think of him as geographically too far removed in his Western home base, still too much of an unknown commodity, or not "Canadian enough" - at least in the stereotypical Ontario Tim-Horton's-drinking, backpack-flag-toting, Leafs-loving way. But what will they think when they discover that the Leafs-history piece they just read is written by none other than Harper himself? I can scarcely think of a better way to connect with middle-of-the-road voters who are uninterested in Harper out of unfamiliarity or mild reservation, yet would donate a kidney for the Stanley Cup, than to show them that underneath all the politics you share a common love of the game.

Of course, the best thing about this situation for the Conservatives is that it's not a ploy. Harper isn't pretending to like hockey just to win votes. He's been genuinely interested in it for years - long before running for leader of any party. He's even writing a book on it. This article is just Harper being himself.

Playing the Fear Card

2006-12-19T09:01:00.000-05:00

British television advertising is, in many ways, quite a bit different than the North American type. Ads tend to be funnier, profanities and vulgarity are not uncommon, and us lucky viewers get to sit through fewer commercial breaks. However, one of the most notable differences is the willingness of the British government to use shocking images and fear tactics in their social change advertising. Consider the following examples:

An ad for responsible drinking features a young man at a party, who, presumably due to having downed too many pints, believes he is a super hero, and attempts to climb some scaffolding. Since he's drunk he loses his balance and falls. The ad then ends with a shot of his twisted corpse bleeding profusely on the sidewalk.
Sticking to the alcohol theme, an ad aimed at curbing drinking and driving features three lads in a pub. One of them buys his mate a pint, which he initially refuses on account of driving, but eventually accepts. An attractive girl then walks over to them, and suddenly the table leaps up and crashes into her, simulating a car accident. More twisted corpse scenes complete with blood and grotesque broken limbs and necks ensue.

Then there are the ones I find even more disturbing:

In an ad discouraging benefit (welfare) cheating, amicable seeming folks discuss how not reporting all their wages isn't a big deal. They then find themselves in a 1920s style interrogation complete with naked light bulb and shadowy black-suited agents. Everyone gets to watch the suspects have an emotional breakdown while we hear about prison sentences and the like.
And, finally, the last one requires some context. To drive a car in Britain you need to pay a road tax. The system is similar to the annual ownership fee in Ontario. In an attempt to curb non-payment of the tax, the government started running this ad. It starts with a normal-seeming middle-management-type fellow leaving work to drive home. When he walks to the car he catches a glimpse of a rather large-black mainframe computer somewhere in the car park, but when he looks it's gone. As he drives home the audio changes to an ominous thumping heartbeat and suspenseful accompaniment (think what goes with the following line in B-rate horror movies "I heard a sound from that dark creepy basement - let's check it out"). The guy catches glimpses of this computer all the way home, and then, just when he thinks he's safe in his driveway, the camera pans over to show it sitting in the back seat. A voice warns: "The government computer knows where you live. It knows whether you paid your road tax. You can't escape".

Now I am certainly not going to defend drinking and driving, welfare fraud or tax evasion, but there's just something very unsettling about watching these things. Not only have studies shown that fear campaigns are not overly effective, but, especially with respect to the last two, I can't help but wonder if they're actually creating more problems than they solve. In today's high-security world there is controversy enough about the legality of practises like wiretapping and internet monitoring. Does the British government really want to create an image for itself as a big-brother type figure that follows you home, compiles information about you in a bad-ass looking computer and is operated by a bunch of faceless Agent Smiths? I am certainly not a conspiracy theorist myself, but I question the wisdom of advertising campaigns that ultimately reinforce people's fears of government as a malicious source of shadowy oppression, rather than one that simply needs road tax income to, say, build roads. And if they didn't already harbour such fears, they certainly will after watching these ads.

Rural Mail Delivery

2006-12-13T20:40:00.000-05:00

Accounced today:

Tories Order Rural Mail Delivery Restored

An excellent move, both practically and politically. Speaking as someone whose address growing up was essentially nothing more than "RR#1", having your mail brought to your house rather than having to drive 10 miles every day to get it is the kind of thing that makes an appreciable impact on people's lives.

A very conservative move as well. Even in a limited state, mail delivery is one of those core services (along with the usual "roads and wells" type things) that should be done. And done properly.

Monday Night Thoughts

2006-12-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

Just finished the outline for my Competition Law paper. Celebrating my 10 mins of free time with a glance at what's been going on in the world.

I see that this weekend was interesting for polls. Two surveys show that the Liberals have suddenly surged well-ahead of the Conservatives. Ipsos pegs the numbers at 38-32. Ekos shows 40-34. What does this stunning turn of events show? A stunning amount of nothing. The Liberals just elected a new leader and in the process managed to get a week's worth of top story news coverage from virtually every media outlet in Canada. Real Situation Room stuff. Wolf would be proud. What will be interesting however is what Dion does with all the attention while he's got it. While he's certainly not unknown, his image as leader has yet to crystallize. Expect the Conservatives and NDP to try to write the wikipedia entry on Dion before he gets a chance himself. As far as the Conservatives are concerned, the Liberals probably don't have karma on their side after the fun they had writing the public bios for Day and Harper in advance of the official versions.

I find the news coverage of Gen. Augusto Pinochet's death quite interesting in that it only further underscores what a polarizing figure he was. On one hand the Globe & Mail Headline reads "Chileans celebrate death of reviled dictator Pinochet", yet on the other, the top two stories across the pond on BBC News read, "Pinochet supporters pay respects" and "Pinochet death 'saddens' Thatcher ". Though, the division of opinion isn't that surprising. Supporters of Pinochet are quick to argue that he was someone who took great strides towards creating for Chile the type of free market democratic system we enjoy; yet, his opponants are equally quick to point out that he did so by means that are quite repugnant to that same system. Consequently, whether you celebrate or mourn his death likely depends on how you answer the perennial question: Does the end justify the means?

The British appear to enjoy their Friends (the TV show) more than even North Americans. I can turn the TV on at any time of the day and it's almost guaranteed to be running on at least one channel.

LSE Types

2006-12-11T05:18:00.000-05:00

Took a break from essay-writing to head to London on Friday. Here's a couple pictues.

Sixty Minutes

2006-12-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

I still haven't recovered yet:

New Talent on Sixty Minutes

Amsterdam Pictures

2006-12-06T11:59:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I was in Amsterdam for my friend Emma's birthday. I promised some people I'd post a few pics. Here they are...

Random Thoughts, Reflections, Questions & Things That Make You Go 'Hmmm'

2006-12-05T13:09:00.000-05:00

Thoughts of the Day:

The leaders of Canada's two biggest political parties are now both academics. They are also both named Stephen (mais l'autre en francis bien sure). Hmmm.

Checking today's headlines it seems that a Gallup Worldwide study finds that Canada shows up at number 15 in the rankings of least corrupt countries. Wonderful. To quote the article, "The inaugural Gallup Worldwide Corruption Index found that Canada ranked 15th, right behind Uruguay and Vietnam". What's that John Ibbitson, you think Harper needs to get over the whole corruption thing?

Why do people eat marmite? It tastes terrible.

Convention vs. One-Member-One-Vote

2006-12-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

I see that one of the first things Liberal delegates accomplished at the convention was to crush a proposal to move to a one-member-one-vote system for electing their leader.

It is beyond me how the Liberals can be so against this reform. Perhaps I am speaking more from conviction than anything, but it just seems intuitively obvious that every member of your party should have a direct say in choosing the leader. Not just because of the usual correlation between democracy and legitimacy; but, also because grassroots party members are the ones who win elections for you. They put up signs. They donate money. They volunteer. Their views and values form the basis for party policy. And ultimately they need to vote for the party on election day. Electing a leader with the broadest base of support from your party membership is the best way to make sure you've got someone your people will stand behind when it counts.

Conventions are great fun for delegates. There's drinking, socializing, networking, gladhanding - essentially a big, memorable party. But, it is crucial to recognize that a convention is all of these things only to those people who attend it. By electing a leader in this way a party essentially disenfranchises 90% of its members from the process. Why is this a problem? Because as a party you want all of your members to feel a sense of ownership in the leader selection. Even if their candidate doesn't win, you want them to know they were still there - they were involved in their party's ultimate decision.

I have heard several Liberals argue that conventions are a better method because delegates can get together, exchange ideas and come to a more informed consensus. Not only is that argument rubbish because there is no reason to believe delegates are any better at rationalizing their choice of leader than "other members", it oozes a political elitism that is particularly unpalatable to any grassroots member who has to be told "there's no need for you to get involved, the party elite know best". Not to mention, who are we kidding about "informed consenses". Half the time (or more), votes at conventions are dealt in strategic backroom deals between candidates - not decided upon through independent reflection - and certainly not based on what candidate the broader party membership (and voter) is going to stand behind.

Choosing a leader at a convention is a terrible system for so many reasons. Especially for a party that is struggling to shed an arrogant and elitist image.

Congratulations Rob & Larissa!

2006-11-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

I was just informed that my long-time friend Rob Galea and his girlfriend Larissa Hogan have become engaged!

I know Rob from the Western days, when we both ended up living on 5-West at the then-brand new Elgin Hall. Four years of the Rideout, Sammy's Souvlaki, backyard BBQs, and New Years Parties at the Galea residence ensued. Of course, let's not forget the (in)famous annual camping trip. Rob is a staple member, having missed absolutely 0 trips since the tradition was founded in 2001. I would say Rob deserves an award for this, but Larissa probably equally deserves one for putting up with the trip and the controversy that often surrounds it.

These days Larissa teaches and Rob works at a law firm in downtown Toronto. Also, it should be noted that Rob has excellent butcher credentials. If you're in the market for a steak or some quality bacon speak to this man, but beware, he bills by the 1/6 of an hour for this precious advice.

Once again, congratulations Rob & Larissa!

I Just Choked On My Tea

2006-11-28T14:49:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe what I just read in this article. (Headline: Goodale throws support behind Rae)

In announcing his support for Bob Rae's bid for the Liberal leadership, former Finance Minister Ralph Goodale had this to say of his new friend:

"Mr. Goodale said Mr. Rae has the skills and experience needed to stop the damage the Conservatives are doing to Canada, and says the former Ontario premier has the fiscal responsibility required for the top job."

Is this some kind of Liberal party inside joke? Associating Bob Rae with fiscal responsibility is like associating Margaret Thatcher with welfare state expansion. Or the Whopper with McDonalds. Or Santa Claus with the apocalypse. Or Optimus Prime with the Decepticons.

Bob Rae has one of the worst records of any living Canadian politician when it comes to managing government finances. The guy almost bankrupted Ontario.

Mr. Rae may have more political leadership experience than any of the Liberal leadership candidates, but a track record of fiscal responsibility he does not.

Very Happy-Grams

2006-11-23T06:40:00.000-05:00

A funny thing happened in my Competition Law lecture this week.

Everyone was sitting there, as we do, listening to Prof. Stevens discuss the difference between UK and EU competition law provisions. Suddenly, there came a knock on the door.

With no explanation, in walked two unidentified "people" dressed as a squirell and some sort of feline-looking thing (think the kind of full-body Mickey Mouse costume you see at Disney World). They walked up to some girl in about the 7th row down, and proceeded to make her do several tequila shots. Then they promptly walked out. Laughter and confusion ensued.

Hmm. That doesn't happen everyday. Perhaps this is an aspect of British legal study that Osgoode should consider importing.

George Galloway in Canada

2006-11-21T07:32:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of living abroad is being exposed to local stories and personalities that, while well-known in your host country would never make the news at home. George Galloway is one of those personalities. When I arrived in Britain I had no idea who he was, but my British friends made sure that I soon learned. Entertaining stories about his misadventures seemed to come up quite frequently in conversations about Britain's craziest citizens. While under normal political circumstances his behaviour would surely be seen as appalling, the sheer absurdity of it all makes him out to be somewhat of a national icon of comic relief to the otherwise serious business of governance.

I wasn't laughing quite as much this morning to discover that he has been sticking his nose into Canadian politics, and that his antics are being reported on with even a modicum of seriousness (Headline: British MP slams Harper) Apparently he claims that our PM is making us "hated" around the world.

Before you give this man even one shred of credibility, let me point out that this is the same George Galloway who:

- was expelled from the British Labour Party after he encouraged Iraqis to kill British soldiers in that country, and subsequently called for British soldiers to disobey the orders of their superiors;

- argued that the assassination of Tony Blair would be "morally justifiable";

- met with Saddam Hussein in 1994 to offer his support and stated "Sir: I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability", followed by "hatta al-nasr, hatta al-nasr, hatta al-Quds" (Arabic for "until victory, until victory, until Jerusalem");

- after giving a speech before state school students, responded to questions about his views with "I don’t represent anyone’s views. I represent me. I don’t give a f**k what anyone else thinks.";

- and, my personal favourite, stated in an interview: "If you are asking did I support the Soviet Union, yes I did. Yes, I did support the Soviet Union, and I think the disappearance of the Soviet Union is the biggest catastrophe of my life."

And there is plenty more where that came from.

Mr. Galloway has absolutely no credibility criticizinging our Prime Minister. He claims that our foreign policy is a "joke". That's rich coming from someone whose role in his own country's foreign policy is limited to, at best, that of a court jester, and at worst, a traitor.

(As an interesting post-script, when I started writing this blog entry I was reading the Galloway story on the Globe & Mail's headlines. However, in the past hour the story has been completely erased from the G&M website. A search seems to indicate it never existed. It appears that someone at that paper has been tipped off regarding Mr. Galloway)

Double Standards Are Fun

2006-11-20T19:41:00.000-05:00

Checking today's Globe & Mail headlines I see yet another story highlighting Canadian Environment Minister Rona Ambrose's recent receipt of the prestigious "fossil of the day" award.

I find this instructive on the matter.

Weekend in London: Brick Lane & Home Karaoke

2006-11-19T19:24:00.000-05:00

Just got back from a weekend in London with some of my old crew from LSE (John, Camilla & Gareth) as well as a few of Nils' friends from Canada (Ryan, Mike and Mike) who came over to enjoy the warm, flat ale and famous England weather.

As per usual we headed to Brick Lane for dinner. A quintessential London experience, eating at Brick Lane involves bartering a price for copious quantities of Indian food. Thing is, there are dozens of restaurants all trying to lure you into their particular establishment. Sometimes you get a good one, and sometimes you end up in the hospital. Ok, it's not that bad, but you know when you've chosen poorly. In any event, no such trouble this time as we ended up at an excellent place. One of the best we've eaten at no less. It was called Dawat (East side of Brick Lane close to the Whitechapel end). I'd recommend the Lamb Pasanda and Peshwari Naan.

Afterwards we headed to a local pub for some brews and good company. The fun didn't end there though, as after returning home we discovered home karaoke on John and Camilla's PS2. Embarrassing - maybe. Good 4am fun - definitely.

Throughout the night I snapped a few pictures to try out my new camera (Canon IXUS 800 IS). See below.

Cheers,
Brad

Brad & Nils The Brave

2006-11-12T10:25:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official. I've eaten Haggis.

I write from an internet cafe in Glasgow, as Nils and I wait for the final leg of our adventure: a 7 hour train home. On the voyage I intend to read this week's Economist, eat Pringles and plot my revenge on Warwick's accommodation office for managing to ensure that my apartment has remained internet-free for 7 weeks running.

On a brighter note, Scotland has been an absolute blast. After picking up a rental car from Prestwick airport we drove 5 hours across the Scottish Highlands to arrive in Speyside - Scotland's largest Malt Whiskey distillation region. The first night we spent at a cozy family-run B&B in Dufftown (which, according to the town sign is "The Malt Whiskey Capital"). Victoria and Mark, the proprietors, were extremely friendly, and welcomed us into their home with a cold beer and all the info we needed about the area.

After the old alarm clock went off at 7:15am the next day we made our first stop the Speyside Cooperage - where a team of 10 local coopers use their medieval craft to keep the whiskey cask population afloat. Bless their wee hearts. After ensuring that we didn't get into the whisky at an unreasonably early hour we headed to the Glenfiddich distillery at around 10:30am. The tour was short, but interesting. It provided a sample of the standard Glenfiddich 12 yr old, as well as a new Glenfiddich and Honey liquer. Both good, but nothing astounding. We saved that for the Aberlour distillery, where we headed next. There they spent a solid 2 and a half hours running through the history of Scottish Whiskey, Aberlour's distillation techniques, and finally, our favourite - a sampling of 5 of their products, including two single cask whiskeys, their 18 yr single malt and their expensive "original" blend. Full of aqua vita we headed to the local pub, where most of the town's tiny population appeared to be celebrating someone's birthday. After several drams of whiskey and sucking at billiards for a solid hour we called it a night.

The next day was somewhat less busy. Most of the distilleries were closed because it was Saturday (though we did manage to do the self-guided tour and whisky tasting at Dallas Dhu Distillery near Forres), so we made the ad hoc decision to use our hot pair of wheels (a Vauxhall) to head towards Loch Ness. Aye, a beautiful lake it was and certainly a great place for a cottage, though if I were them I'd make an effort to wrestle the steroids away from the "Nessie-crazed" tourist industry. That night we stayed at The Croft - a beautiful B&B in Elgin - and joined the locals for a few pints in the pubs, followed by a sketchy encounter with a "club" featuring Lionel Ritchie music. Knowing they could sense our fear, we backed out slowly to avoid attracting attention and then ran for the hills (or Highlands as the case may have been).

Though this is surely my longest post on here, it is by far not the most complete. Some of the best parts of Scotland were the small towns we visited, the beautiful mountain scapes, the abandoned castles and the friendly people. But we'll talk about those stories over a dram of whisky back in Canada. Cheers.

A Good Irish Vibe

2006-11-07T20:45:00.000-05:00

Arrived in Dublin, dropped our bags and went for a walk. Almost by pure chance came across the Temple Bar district and found ourselves in the Oliver St. John Gogerty Pub.

Just as the bartender put two fresh pints of Guiness in front of me U2's acoustic cover of "Everlasting Love" came on, and most of the bar started to sing along.

I like this place already.

Barcelona: The Good, the Bad and the Tasty

2006-11-07T07:05:00.000-05:00

Today is our last day in Barcelona. The luck 'o the Irish awaits us in Dublin this evening.

Reflecting on the past four days I make the following observations:

THE GOOD. For the past two days it's been between 25 and 30 degrees C and sunny. We took full advantage by renting bikes and cruising the beaches of the Mediterranean. Back home in England it's 5 and raining. Moreover I hear back in Canada it's 0 and snowing. Also, we had a great apartment. Would gladly recommend the Apartments in Barcelona Corders.

THE TASTY. Last night we found one of the most unique restaurants I have visited in Europe. It's called Origins 99.9. That figure represents the fact that they boast 99.9% of their ingredients and dishes originate in Catalonia. The idea is you order 2 or 3 small portions of various catalan dishes to sample. I had a onion stuffed with beef, pine nuts and mushrooms that was perhaps one of the tastiest things I have eaten in a while. Nils and I also agreed that the Pork with Chestnuts was superb. An excellent local wine rounded out the meal.

THE BAD. Hard to get past this one when reviewing the city. We got robbed. I'll get you Spain.

Cheers,
Brad

European Travels II: Top 5

2006-10-31T12:17:00.000-05:00

I recently returned from a backpacking excursion that took me through Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and southern Germany.

Here's my Top 5:

5. Varna, Bulgaria: How often do you hear someone say "Hey, we've got some time off, let's go to Bulgaria.". Therein lies the charm of this road-less-traveled. This virtually tourist-free seaside town is both beautiful and consistently entertaining. Moreover, I found almost all Bulgarians to be quite friendly and engaging. It would probably rank higher if I wasn't bedridden from food poisoning (damn you Istanbul).

4. Dubrovnik, Croatia: Apparently George Bernard Shaw called it "paradise on earth". That is probably going too far, but doubtless it's gorgeous and really has to be seen to be appreciated. An amazing old walled city with history, charm, crystal blue waters.... and legions of seniors tours just waiting to drop their dentures in your cappuccino.

3. Greece (All of It): I don't get it - why is Greece always such a good time? This was my second visit, and both times make the top 5. Santorini and Ios rounded out the Island hopping. Santorini was intriguing with its black volcanic sand and beaches, but Ios wins in my books. Athens has Brettos - what more can I say?

2. Krakow, Poland: Maybe it's because of the beautiful old square. Maybe it's because of the overwhemlingly friendly people. Maybe it's because of the delicious, cheap and abundant food. Maybe it's because of my Polish family roots. There's something that makes me love Krakow, and want to go back again and again.

1. Munich for Oktoberfest: Try to think of the biggest party you've ever been to. Multiple that by 100, add in 1L steins of the world's best beer, heaping plates of sausages with sauerkraut, sing-along-inducing-stuck-in-your-head German folk songs, an Oompa band, parties in the streets, an omnipresent feeling of comradery with everyone around you, and, of course, the indispensable Lederhosen. That's what Oktoberfest is like. It's unreal and I am going back. Period.

Cheers,
Brad

Congratulations Heather and Nils!

2006-10-26T06:59:00.000-04:00

Well it's official - two of my best friends have just become engaged. Congratulations to Mr. Nils Engelstad and Ms. Heather Hansen!

I've known these two hooligans forever. I first met Heather 14 years ago in Dr. Deller's grade 7 class at Caradoc Central School in Mount Brydges, Ontario. The story of the adventures we've had, the troubles we've endured and the trashy country parties we've crashed since then would take a library's worth of books to tell. She brought Nils into the picture about seven years ago after a trade mission to East Asia. He's a good man. And thorough. (Hat tip to anyone who catches that reference).

A special thanks on the matter to Nils for involving me in the whole process. He first told me he wanted to propose somewhere in the depths of the Balkans - I believe it was Romania. Not sure what motivated him to this decision - perhaps it was the realization of true love... or perhaps it was one of those "If I ever get out of Romania alive..."-type situations. We then traveled to Antwerp, Belgium to find the stone. Three days of diamond-education later Nils made his choice. For someone with very little previous diamond knowledge or appreciation, I must admit - it was an impressive sight. Nils and I must have taken it out to look at a dozen times during the remainder of the Belgian trip.

With the ring purchased, the next matter was how and when to do it. The plan would be Italy - Heather having already been to the other major romantic capitals of Europe. Though I have been responsible for 90% of the logistics associated with our European travels, I give Nils 100% credit for this one - he did an amazing job booking the Italy trip down to every last detail.

What a story these two will have of their engagement for the rest of their lives. My only concern is that if I ever followed suit on the whole engagement thing Nils has set the bar pretty damn high.

Once again - a hearty congratulations to both of you. You are two of my best friends in the world, and I couldn't be happier for you. I only hope we'll still be such close friends after I'm done with the microphone on your wedding night....

The Catallactic Forum: Dawn of a New Era or Flash in the Pan?

2006-10-24T09:03:00.000-04:00

It is Tuesday, October 24 at 1:58pm in Coventry, United Kingdom. So begins my blog.

These days it seems that everyone and their brother has a blog. Some for political reasons, some commercial and some for the purely personal. I don't presume to join the global ranks of bloggers for any particular purpose.

I could summarize the impetus behind the inception of this blog best as follows: You know that feeling you get when you're walking down the street by yourself and a thought or question spontaneously enters your mind that you just wish you could share with someone? That happened to me today. And, hence, a blog is born. (The substance of the thought is irrelevant for the moment as its significance has waned in light of the time invested to set this blasted thing up - but next time I will be ready).

It seems that the fate of most blogs is as uncertain as the fate of most people. Some become famous - their owners appearing in television news spots about the state of the economy or the integrity of world leaders. Others boast nothing more than a grainy photo of the family terrier adorned in a Santa Claus suit, posted shortly after Christmas 2001.

I suspect the future of this blog will be closer to the terrier situation. Then again, the beautiful thing about a spontaneous order is its unpredictability. You can never be sure just what it will look like down the road.