Murray Dobbin

Campbell, last champion of financial deregulation

rabble archives — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:25:02 +0000

Thursday, November 6, 2008

In the midst of the financial meltdown, one man, apparently, stands alone calling for more deregulation. While anti-government George Bush buys up banks and insurance companies, former Fed chair Alan Greenspan admits he was "partially wrong" in his hands-off approach towards the banking industry, and the crisis has caused right-wing French President Sarkozy to virtually denounce capitalism.

Yet, while everyone else is demanding the rogue financial industry be brought to heel, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell is actually pushing for even more financial deregulation right across the country.

While everyone else is demanding the rogue financial industry be brought to heel, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell is actually ...

Left coalition badly needed

alex — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:37:21 +0000

Monday, October 27, 2008

Was the federal election just a bad dream? After five weeks of fear and loathing, disappointment and disbelief, Canadians woke up to election results that were hardly different than when the election started. Most of the commentary since has been about numbers and pro-Harper media spin. The man who is claiming a new "enhanced" mandate actually received 168,737 fewer votes than last time but garnered an additional 19 seats. The turnout, at 59 per cent, was the lowest in our history, which means that the Harper Conservatives will govern the country with the support of fewer than 23 per cent of the eligible voters. Democracy in Canada has seldom seemed so corrupted or so unrepresentative.

Was the federal election just a bad dream? After five weeks of fear and loathing, disappointment and disbelief, Canadians woke up to election results that were hardly different.

No evidence to show Canadians more conservative

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Monday, September 29, 2008

Stephen Harper says Canadians have become more conservative in the past 20 years but he provides very little evidence of this.

In fact, even facing the weakest and most ineffective Liberal party in a generation, he cannot persuade more than 40 per cent of Canadians to say they will vote Conservative. In fact, all kinds of polls and in-depth studies of Canadian values suggest just the opposite: They are more progressive in their attitudes regarding the role of government.

The problem is, they have been convinced that their values will not or cannot find their way into public policy.

Stephen Harper says Canadians have become more conservative in the past 20 years but he provides very little evidence of this.

Tough luck, kids

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Monday, September 22, 2008

You have to hand it to Stephen Harper and the Conservatives and their chutzpa at portraying themselves as pro-family. Virtually all their policies work to undermine the security of families and their quality of life. Unless, of course, you are talking about the families of the wealthy and privileged who have received about 70 per cent of federal personal tax cuts over the past 10 years.

You have to hand it to Stephen Harper and the Conservatives and their chutzpa at portraying themselves as pro-family.

Has U.S. crippled NATO?

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Thursday, August 28, 2008

With the end of the Cold War, many analysts and policy makers imagined that the developed world might actually move away from its irrational attachment to militarization and war. The most optimistic envisioned a huge, international peace dividend, shifting untold billions previously spent on conventional and nuclear weapons to tackling poverty and inequality around the world.

Alas, the U.S. had no intention of dismantling NATO. For the U.S., it was simple: NATO provided the sheen of legitimacy for the extension of U.S.

With the end of the Cold War, many analysts and policy makers imagined that the developed world might actually move away from its irrational attachment to militarization and war.

Afghanistan transforms Canada

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Some government policy decisions are so profound in their impact that they can actually change the nature of the country. Medicare was one such policy decision and so was the signing of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

It could be argued that the decision to take on an explicitly war-fighting role in Afghanistan will turn out to be another watershed decision, this one at odds with Canadian values and Canadians' convictions about the military's role in the world and society.

It also is having the effect of transforming both our foreign policy and our foreign aid policy.

Some government policy decisions are so profound in their impact that they can actually change the nature of the country. Medicare was one such policy decision and so was the signing of the Canada-U.

Will Canada last?

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Monday, June 30, 2008

What will it take persuade Canadians that if they do not act soon to reverse the course of their nation, there will be nothing left to save? I am talking, of course, about so-called "deep integration" and its official expression, the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).

The SPP, moving inexorably on many fronts, is nothing less than a blueprint for the gradual dismantling of one of the most successful nations of the twentieth century, and its piecemeal distribution to the decaying empire to the south.

What will it take persuade Canadians that if they do not act soon to reverse the course of their nation, there will be nothing left to save? I am talking, of course, about so-called "deep integration

Colin Powell, keep out

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Colin Powell, George Bush's former secretary of state and previously the general in charge of the slaughter of Iraqi troops in the first Gulf war, is scheduled to speak in Vancouver on June 12. Possibly setting a new standard for hypocrisy, the title of his talk is "Leadership in the 21st Century."

We shouldn't let him into the country, and here's why.

Powell has been dogged for years by accusations of war crimes, crimes against humanity and grave human rights abuses including torture.

Colin Powell, George Bush's former secretary of state and previously the general in charge of the slaughter of Iraqi troops in the first Gulf war, is scheduled to speak in Vancouver on June 12. Possi

God's wrath, and the Tories'

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

With the country well into its third year of minority government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper there has been very little commentary on what may be the most important driver of his policies.

No other prime minister in our history has so strained the fundamental edict of the separation of church and state.

Perhaps that's because the church in question is not the Catholic Church or the Anglican Church — the ones that used to come to mind in such conflicts.

With the country well into its third year of minority government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper there has been very little commentary on what may be the most important driver of his policies.

Americanize me? No thanks

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

This week in New Orleans Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with George Bush and Mexican President Calderon at the fourth leaders' summit of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP).

This week in New Orleans Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with George Bush and Mexican President Calderon at the fourth leaders' summit of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). It was mostl

War is peace

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Stephen Harper is returning from last week's NATO meeting with the commitments he says he needed to justify keeping Canadian forces in Kandahar. So Canadians will face having our troops act as combatants in the Afghanistan war for at least three more years in a mission that started in 2001. At 10 years it will be, by far, Canada's longest war.

With these developments, it may be a good time to examine how Canada's traditional peacekeeping role regressed into war-making.

Stephen Harper is returning from last week's NATO meeting with the commitments he says he needed to justify keeping Canadian forces in Kandahar. So Canadians will face having our troops act as combat

NAFTA's legacy: the worst agreement we ever signed

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Monday, March 10, 2008

In the aftermath of Barack Obama's and Hillary Clinton's threats to "renegotiate" NAFTA — or pull out — the usual suspects have been activated to tell the world how wonderful the deal has been for Canada and the United States.

There is no doubt that the sector that devised the scheme in the firstplace and sold it to politicians have benefited greatly from this investors' rights agreement and its predecessor.

In the aftermath of Barack Obama's and Hillary Clinton's threats to "renegotiate" NAFTA the usual suspects have been activated to tell the world how wonderful the deal has been for Canada and the Uni

'Turning the screws'

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Harper's Conservatives in their latest budget have taken their lead from the Bush administration. They are simultaneously increasing the military's budget and cutting government revenue to set the stage for future cuts to social programs.

Just like Bush, who also came into office with the "problem" of huge budget surpluses, Harper is well on his way to achieving the neo-con objective of permanently hobbling government's ability to fund anything but the military.

Harper's Conservatives in their latest budget have taken their lead from the Bush administration. They are simultaneously increasing the military's budget and cutting government revenue to set the st

Provincial trade barriers? What trade barriers?

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Talk about extraordinary: A public policy debate has broken out over anissue that, normally, would not even warrant discussion. For well over a year, an enormous public relations effort has been aimed at convincing Canadians, and their provincial governments, that Canada faces a virtual economic crisis. The crisis? Massive, intractable, destructive trade barriers between the provinces.

Let's be clear from the start here.

Talk about extraordinary: A public policy debate has broken out over an issue that, normally, would not even warrant discussion.

Black vs. Kissinger and Buckley

rabble archives — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:44:45 +0000

Friday, January 4, 2008

In a smackdown between two titans of the right — William F. Buckley Jr. and Conrad Black — who is most likely to win? Buckley, googly-eyed master of the sneering putdown, or Black, aka the “Dark Lord”?

The answer is obvious. The winner is Buckley for the simple reason that he is not the one going to jail.

In a smackdown between two titans of the right  William F. Buckley Jr. and Conrad Black  who is most likely to win? Buckley, googly-eyed master of the sneering putdown, or Black, aka the