rabble.ca blogs

The West has been ripping off Africa for 700 years. Not the other way around

gerry caplan — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 19:30:14 +0000

According to The New York Times, Donald Trump's transition team wanted to know: "Why should we spend funds on Africa when we are suffering here in the U.S.?" Curiously enough, most Americans probably would have agreed with Mr. Trump that this was a real question. But they all share an entirely false premise.

America and the rest of the rich world have actually been ripping off Africa for the past 700 years, ever since the Portuguese began the slave trade, all the while insisting that Africa has been the beneficiary of this relentless exploitation. It's been one of the great hoaxes of the past millennium.

Canada's Conservative Party, a once-great national organization, is being overwhelmed by its own extremists

djclimenhaga — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 06:25:44 +0000

The refusal by Conservative MPs to agree to an anti-Islamophobia motion and their mockery of an Edmonton Liberal MP for having once worked as a bus driver are both additional evidence their once-great national party, like its Republican counterpart in the United States, is increasingly controlled by an extremist, offensive fringe.

Not that additional proof was really needed. The blowhards and bigots crowding the Conservative Party of Canada's interminable leadership race should be evidence enough.

What you should worry about when you worry about President Trump (Hint: not where Ivanka sits!)

djclimenhaga — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 07:02:19 +0000

It's actually pretty hard to know who to root for in the emerging war between U.S. President Donald Trump and the mainstream media.

I mean, seriously people, I find Mr. Trump as scary as the next sane person -- although apparently not for the same reasons as the MSM, which seems to think he hates Russia with insufficient fervor.

Faking it: Donald Trump's deep ties with the racist, sexist world of professional wrestling

the views expressed — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 22:15:18 +0000

If you want a hint at how far Donald Trump's presidency will go, look no further than professional wrestling. The owners of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) -- the infamous McMahon family -- and President Trump have arguably formed the greatest tag-team of white supremacy both inside and outside the squared circle.

Trump's cabinet includes Linda McMahon, co-founder and former CEO of the WWE, as leader of Small Business Administration. While this stunned some, Trump's close friendship and affiliation with the WWE and the McMahon family goes back 30 years. Trump twice hosted WWE's showcase event Wrestlemania and also appeared as a WWE performer -- each time with vast sums of money exchanging hands.

Calling Trudeau a 'terrorist' isn't as far off as you might think

yves engler — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 18:38:23 +0000

Is calling the Prime Minister a "white supremacist terrorist" hate speech?

Black Lives Matter - Toronto spokesperson Yusra Khogali's description of Justin Trudeau as a "white supremacist terrorist" at a recent rally against Islamophobia has sparked significant backlash. Right-wing media are using it to attack BLMTO while liberal commentators have called on Khogali to resign as spokesperson. A number of individuals have even labeled Khogali's comments hate speech.

Trudeau prepares to cede Canadian sovereignty to U.S. border officials

J. Baglow — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 15:59:05 +0000

Political deep integration continues apace. The Liberal government is in the process of passing an extraordinary piece of legislation, C-23, which effectively cedes Canadian sovereignty to U.S. border officials.

Appalled maybe, but no one should be surprised by the ugly threats against Rachel Notley

djclimenhaga — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 06:06:50 +0000

No one should be surprised that Alberta's NDP premier, Rachel Notley, has been subject to constant and often serious threats of violence.

New statistics from the Alberta Justice Department have revealed what everybody who's paying attention already knew: Premier Notley receives more threats of physical harm than any of her predecessors in Alberta's top political job.

She reacts with remarkable aplomb as many of the people who contribute to this problem shrug their shoulders and say, "Who? Me?"

What are the chances feminist Trudeau will provide Canadians with a national gender equality plan?

Doreen Nicoll — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 00:34:58 +0000

After Harper's reign of terror on everything Canadian, Trudeau was a beacon of hope. But, that light is quickly dimming while my disillusionment grows by leaps and bounds. The self-proclaimed feminist is looking more misogynous with each passing day.

On October 19, 2016 Trudeau whipped his party to vote against NDP MP Kennedy Stewart's private member's Bill C-237, the Candidate Gender Equity Act, which would have enhanced existing financial incentives ensuring greater gender parity during federal elections.

Government must do more to address First Nations' water woes

David Suzuki — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 23:44:42 +0000

Neskantaga First Nation in Ontario has had to boil water since 1995. "We're over 20 years already where our people haven't been able to get the water they need to drink from their taps or to bathe themselves without getting any rashes," Neskantaga Chief Wayne Moonias told CBC News in 2015. Their water issues have yet to be resolved.

Portrait unveiling stands in for the fond official farewell former premier Dave Hancock never had from his PCs

djclimenhaga — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 06:18:17 +0000

The unveiling of Dave Hancock's portrait in the Legislature yesterday may have been presided over by a New Democrat Speaker and featured a speech by an NDP premier, but it had the warm family quality one might have been expected from the official farewell the former premier never really got from his own Progressive Conservative Party.

Hancock was unexpectedly elevated the premiership by his caucus colleagues at the start of the summer of the Tories' discontent -- the date when he was sworn in was March 23, 2014, immediately after the PC caucus had for all intents and purposes fired his predecessor Alison Redford.

Women in poverty are falling into debtors' prison, reports Elizabeth Fry Society

Penney Kome — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 23:37:00 +0000

Women are going to jail in Canada, especially Indigenous women, because they are unable to pay fines for small infractions. So says the Calgary Elizabeth Fry Society. And once a woman is put into the justice system, she often runs into complications that prevent her getting out.

The situation would be much worse if it weren't for the 24 non-profit Elizabeth Fry Societies, who offer hope, counselling and practical help to women caught up in the justice system. Most of their clients are women and youth who face charges or jail time for petty crimes, crimes of poverty and survival, such as stealing food, public urination, shoplifting, panhandling or soliciting.

Israel's response to Syrian refugee crisis has much in common with Trump's ban

yves engler — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 19:48:19 +0000

It is strange how supporters of Israel are responding to Donald Trump's Muslim and Syrian refugee ban. Some have applauded it, effectively acknowledging that Israel cheerleading is a right-wing cause. Others have sought to be seen taking the side of anti-racism and religious tolerance, all the while ignoring Israel's terrible treatment of Palestinian, Syrian and other refugees.

Five ableist things I wish people would stop saying to me

Liz Kessler — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 13:44:08 +0000

Our society is not very good at listening to neurodivergent folks. When we're not being told we are lazy, the things we ask for are routinely ignored.

Sometimes the way that this happens is very subtle, and even the people who say they value accessibility sometimes say hurtful things when they are not paying attention. Here are some examples.

1. "You seem like you are okay" or "You seem normal"

Leduc No. 1 and Alberta's unluckiest lucky day

djclimenhaga — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 05:32:15 +0000

February 13 is the 70th anniversary of the day Alberta simultaneously won the lottery and started to watch everything go to hell in a handcart. February 13...Alberta's unluckiest lucky day.

In other words, 70 years ago, with memories of the Great Depression and the Second World War still very fresh in the minds of the province's population of about 800,000 souls, Leduc No. 1, a few miles south of Edmonton, struck oil and the whole world changed.

Cars didn't have seat belts back in 1947, so no one thought to say: "Fasten your seat belts!" But by gosh, they should've!

Dear B.C. Liberals: Your budget priorities need fixing.

Lizanne Foster — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:22:31 +0000

Dear B.C Minister of Finance Michael De Jong,

Thank you for your voicemail message expressing your regret that I was not home to share with you my priorities for a balanced budget. Perhaps it was a good thing that I was not available for your call because I have a feeling you don’t really want to hear what I have to say about your government’s fiscal management record.

Firstly, I don't think we could even agree about the topic of our conversation since I see a balanced budget as an oxymoron, like fresh-frozen or pretty-ugly. A budget is a forecast, not a fixed entity. It's a projection that is at best an estimation of what spending will be.

Advocates of more choice in education unite to condemn school board chair's call for more choice in education

djclimenhaga — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 05:55:11 +0000

Conservative politicians, their vocal supporters, private school operators, separate school system officials, charter school advocates, administrators from such institutions, and parents of home schooled children have all been chanting the mantra of "competition is good" for so long most of us can hardly remember hearing anything else.

So the reaction to Edmonton Public School Board Chair Michael Janz's suggestion last week that the public system should offer its own Roman Catholic education specialty program has been interesting, to say the least.

They hate it!

It turns out that competition is always good … except when it isn't! Who knew?

Trump's Muslim ban first step toward re-establishing American dominance in the Middle East

the views expressed — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 22:29:13 +0000

Trump's executive order to ban citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from the U.S., comes in flagrant defiance of all international humanitarian laws and basic human rights. This ban is not about protecting Americans from ISIS or "Islamic extremists". Instead, Trump's policy is the first step in an economic and political strategy designed to rebuild the American Empire.

Trudeau's do-nothing approach to electoral reform risks Canada's future

karl nerenberg — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 18:44:31 +0000

Karl Nerenberg is your reporter on the Hill. Please consider supporting his work with a monthly donation Support Karl on Patreon today for as little as $1 per month!

The prime minister keeps making the bizarre argument that a partly proportional electoral system would allow anti-immigration Conservative Kellie Leitch to form her own party and get seats in parliament --perhaps even hold the balance of power.

He did it again on Thursday in Iqaluit.

Former Alberta premier Dave Hancock to be the subject of a hanging Monday afternoon at the Legislature

djclimenhaga — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 05:59:56 +0000

"You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit."
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

As predicted in this space three years ago, it was only a matter of time before we Albertans had added to our premier provincial collection new portraits of first ministers Alison Redford and Dave Hancock.

The Quebec mosque attack victims spent their lives vilified as terrorists. Then they were murdered by one.

the views expressed — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 23:33:36 +0000

A radicalized, right-wing, white Trump supporter walks into a place of worship and terrorizes a room full of innocent Muslim men as they submit in peace and prayer. How depressingly ironic! These men became the victims of the very label that the media and public use to condemn them: terrorist.

No, there is no such thing as 'reverse' terrorism

the views expressed — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 21:32:02 +0000

In the aftermath of the Quebec City mosque attack, we have heard and read all kinds of language to describe the event. "Hate crime," "mass murder" and "terrorist attack" were all used and they all, to some extent, do define what has happened. However, one confused TVA anchor said on air that this was a case of "reverse" terrorism. As if terrorism had only one form: Muslim against others.

Brian Jean makes it clear, any new Alberta conservative party will be the Wildrose Party

djclimenhaga — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 05:57:07 +0000

In case you're still wondering how this unite-the-right thing is supposed to work, Wildrose Leader Brian Jean has clarified matters for you.

The party that emerges when the dust has settled will be the Wildrose Party, he told the world earlier this week. The Progressive Conservatives will be no more -- although, certainly, the "new" Wildrose party (which will not be new at all, of course) will soon try to rebrand itself "conservative."

As burned bridges pile up, Trudeau's re-election may already be out of reach

the views expressed — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 23:47:53 +0000

With last week's announcement that the Liberals are abandoning their promise of electoral reform, coupled with their out-of-control deficit spending, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may have already burned the bridges he built, both to the left and to the right, that won him a majority government in 2015.

The Liberals cannot win a majority in 2019 without the support they siphoned from the Greens and the NDP on the left, nor without the soft conservatives and Red Tories who turned to them after a decade of Stephen Harper. After all, as much as we view Trudeau's 2015 majority as a resounding victory, the Liberals captured less than 40 per cent of the popular vote. Subtract five per cent and all bets are off.

Make Montreal a Sanctuary City!

Michel Lambert — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:33:39 +0000

Toronto, Vancouver and Hamilton have become "Sanctuary Cities." So have 37 cities in the United States. It's time for Montreal to join the movement.

The horrific crime that took six lives in Quebec City last Sunday night is a wake-up call for us all. No longer can we pretend that there is no Islamophobia in Quebec. Unfortunately, hate-mongering goes on daily. Sometimes in an open, heinous and criminal fashion, as witnessed at the Quebec City Mosque. Other times in a more hidden fashion, under the guise of a debate on face-coverings in public.

In subversive move, Edmonton school board chair calls for optional Catholic programs in public schools

djclimenhaga — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 05:42:39 +0000

In a brilliantly subversive move, Michael Janz, chair of the Edmonton Public School Board, has publicly wondered in a blog post if the board he leads should set up its own optional Catholic program.

After all, the Edmonton Public School Board has a pretty long and successful record of running faith-based programs under its auspices, Janz noted mischievously on Monday in the personal blog he publishes online. There's a Protestant Christian program, a Jewish program and a Muslim program, all operating under the board's auspices with proper attention to standards and curricula.

Understanding climate change means reading beyond headlines

David Suzuki — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 23:27:40 +0000

Seeing terms like "post-truth" and "alternative facts" gain traction in the news convinces me that politicians, media workers and readers could benefit from a refresher course in how science helps us understand the world. Reporting on science is difficult at the best of times. Trying to communicate complex ideas and distill entire studies into eye-catching headlines and brief stories can open the door to misinformation and limited understanding.

U.S. conservatism is built on racism, but it may no longer deliver corporate benefits

Ben Powless — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 23:23:35 +0000

A long simmering culture war is back in full effect across the United States -- and has spilled over into other parts of the world, including Canada. It's a culture war that has been long festering, known well to those who perceive themselves to be on the losing end of this culture war -- cultural conservatives -- as well as their victims -- largely, anyone who wasn't a straight, white Christian (and sometimes male). And surprisingly, most lower and middle class white people are at the losing end of this war, but continue to support the movement.

The Canadian Forces boast largest PR machine in the country, complain about 'toxic' media treatment

yves engler — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 21:13:59 +0000

The media is unfair to the military, according to the Chief of Defence Staff. During a speech to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade last week General Jonathan Vance slammed "very toxic narratives" in reporting on the Canadian Forces.

"If you're paying attention to the news today, there are some very toxic narratives about the armed forces," Vance said. "The narrative that seems to prevail right now is if you join the armed forces, you are going to be sexually assaulted, raped or you're going to suffer from PTSD at some point and may commit suicide."

Reporting the truth is toxic?

Capitalism and racism grew up together

gengler — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:49:30 +0000

Which comes first, racism or the systemic need for racism?

In all the reams of printed and digital discussion about Donald Trump's (attempted) ban on Muslims from seven countries, the murder of six worshippers at a Quebec City mosque and Islamophobia in general, few commentators have mentioned the economic roots of racism.

But the truth is ideas have always been needed to justify treating other people badly in the competition for wealth and power. As long as there have been battles over resources people have objectified and demeaned the Other to provide ideological cover and to motivate their side to victory.

Colombia's resistance to Canadian mining interests is multi-faceted and fearless

MiningWatch — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:03:32 +0000

Edith Taborda is an Indigenous mother of two girls who belongs to the Embera Karamba community in Quinchia (Risaralda). She is also an activist against mining projects.

Since 2011 her community has observed the actions of Canadian company corporations such as Batero Gold Corp through its Colombian subsidiary Minera Quinchia SAS and Seafield Resources Ltd. in their territory.

Early on, some people thought their presence was good but local opinion quickly turned against the mining companies.