The first thing to note about the WE saga and Trudeau’s previous brushes with matters “ethical” (e.g., the Aga Khan trip, SNC Lavalin) is the obsession that the media has with these issues at the expense of more blatant ethical scandals such as the thousands of deaths in the long-term care homes or the deadly […]
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During the month of March, the whole world was scrambling to wrap their heads around the scale and impact of the COVID-19 crisis. As the coronavirus was scything its way through Asia and Europe, each successive government seemed to be competing to see who was going to bungle its pandemic response more. Meanwhile a different […]
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The German playwright, Bertolt Brecht wrote in the 1930s that it is easier to rob by setting up a bank than by holding up one. If Brecht were alive today, he might want to revise the statement by substituting pharmaceutical company for bank. Using a measure called Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), research shows that […]
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On July 11, 1990, thirty years ago, one of the most longstanding violent confrontations between police and Indigenous groups in Canada began. The Oka Crisis, also known as the Kanesatake Resistance or Mohawk Resistance at Kanesatake, was a 78-day standoff between Mohawk land defenders, Québec police, the RCMP and the Canadian Army. It took place […]
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Karl Marx once said, “The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.” While this may be a critique of liberal democracy, it can also apply to the state of temporary foreign workers in Canada who hope to live under better […]
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Today marks 153 years of colonial genocide. Although harms against Indigenous peoples began long before, July 1, 1867 was the inaugural celebration of Canada’s founding. Every July 1 since has been a celebration of colonial, capitalist genocide hidden beneath fireworks and the deceptive lyrics: “our home and native land…the true north strong and free.” Canada […]
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This article is based on interviews with current and former Amazon warehouse employees. 6:30 pm: time to wake up. You’re a little peeved because your housemates have been noisy since they got home from work a half-hour ago, even though you’ve asked them time and again to keep it down just for that little bit […]
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Canada has now been under COVID-19 restrictions for three months and many provinces are starting to open up again, although the virus is not under control. Canada is not yet out of the first wave and is certainly not ready to deal with the inevitable second wave. The Liberal government has acted too little and […]
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Around the world countries are lifting the restrictions that were introduced to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. People are allowed to leave their homes, and workplaces, cafes and stores are re-opening. The sharp closures of society and economy were needed to reduce the level of infection and death from the virus, only because of the inadequate […]
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Julien Daigneault is a member of Alternative Socialiste (ISA in Quebec). Bill 61 project unmasks austerity to come The nationalist and conservative government of François Legault has failed its legislative tour de force aiming to “restart” the Québec economy. It was unable to get its Bill 61 approved; a bill that aimed to give it […]
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