The Giant Rainbow and the Return of Rob Ford

It was a perfect way to end Toronto's World Pride celebrations. With a giant rainbow seeming to rise up out of the lake.

And end up in the middle of the closing ceremonies. 

After the biggest Gay Pride march in Canadian history...



A march so massive and so fabulous it had to seen to be believed.

But that was the good news eh?

The bad news is Rob Ford is about to be released from rehab, and he's already causing a scandal. 

Michael Coren and the Road to Redemption

For as long as I can remember, Michael Coren has been one of the most ghastly anti-gay voices on the Canadian airwaves.

A hardline right-wing Catholic who seemed to take pleasure in playing down the suffering of LGBT people, and mocking their struggle for equality.

So you can imagine how shocked, and then pleasantly surprised I was, to see that he is now admitting he was wrong. 

The Con Regime and the Attack Ad Question

Well as you can imagine, the secure facility where I live is a Con-Free Zone.

No pictures of Stephen Harper are permitted, except those stored in the bowels of my computer.

And his name may not be mentioned in my presence, without written permission.

So you can imagine how horrified I was to come home this week, and find this wedged  in my door.

The Wal-Mart Workers and the Big Tomato

The two companies couldn't be more different. Wal-Mart, the destroyer of communities, that closed this store in Jonquiere, Quebec, after its workers voted to unionize.

And after nine years of fighting to avoid having to pay them compensation, just lost its case in the Supreme Court. 

The Supreme Court of Canada has sided with the union representing former Wal-Mart employees who claimed the company violated Quebec labour law when it abruptly closed its store in Jonquière, Que., not long after the workers voted to unionize.

And Heinz, that ran a factory in Leamington, Ontario, for 105 years, treated its workers with respect, and was a valued part of the community.

But still closed its doors Friday for the last time. 

Stephen Harper and the Destruction of the CBC

Gawd. I can only imagine Stephen Harper's state of mind. I bet he's so alarmingly aroused that they've had to bring in Jason Kenney with a bucket of ice water to sponge him down.

Or have John Baird fan him furiously. 

Because on Wednesday he gave the order to begin dismantling medicare. Yesterday he celebrated the triumph of hate over human rights.

And last night he got to dine on the remains of the CBC. 

Stephen Harper and the Final Assault on Medicare

It's been less than two months since the Cons let the Canada Health Accord expire. And the corpse is still warm.

But I see that Stephen Harper is in a hurry, and has given the order to begin the second phase of his plan to kill medicare. 

The Con Regime and the Honey Bee Apocalypse

In the garden of a waterfront theatre not far from where I live, there is a little band of bees.

They've been there for years, and time and the elements have taken their toll. Their colours have faded a little and some of their wings have fallen off.

But they're still in better shape than many of the real bees, who are being killed by human greed.

Because now it's official, they are being poisoned by pesticides.

Mohamed Fahmy and the Shameful Silence of Stephen Harper

It's a trial that has caused outrage all over the world. The sentencing of three Al Jazeera journalists, including a Canadian citizen Mohamed Fahmy, to long prison terms in Egypt.

For the crime of committing journalism.

But even though world leaders have been lining up to condemn that travesty of justice.

Even though journalists all over the world have been muzzling themselves  in solidarity with their jailed colleagues....



And even though the trial was an absolute farce. 

Stephen Harper has remained shamefully silent. And his government's actions have been totally PATHETIC.

The Further Sexist Adventures of Peter Dumbo MacKay

Oh no. Call the Old Boys Club. Peter MacKay has made a complete fool out of himself. Again.

He just can't get sexism out of his system. 

Justice Minister Peter MacKay has raised eyebrows once again over what some consider old-fashioned and patronizing attitudes toward women.

And still has one message for men and one message for women:

"By the time many of you have arrived at the office in the morning, you’ve already changed diapers, packed lunches, run after school buses, dropped kids off at daycare, taken care of an aging loved one and maybe even thought about dinner."

And I have to be brutally honest eh? I'm starting to think that they don't call him Dumbo for nothing.

Jason Kenney and Our Temporary Foreign Air Farce

OMG. I didn't think it was possible for Jason Kenney and the other oil pimps in the Harper regime to embarrass this country more than they already have. 

I didn't think it was possible to be more humiliated in the eyes of the world, and still keep breathing.

But sadly I was wrong.  

Because remember how I told you last night why Kenney's plan to crackdown on temporary foreign workers in the fast food industry was nothing but a sham or a scam?

Well how about this scam? Now they're hiring foreigners to replace our Royal Canadian Air Force pilots. 

Jason Kenney and the Latest Foreign Worker's Scam

Uh oh. It looks as if the Cons have been forced to retreat to their wartime bunker.

For not only are they trying to dodge the flak over their decision to approve the Northern gateway pipeline.

They are now coming under fire because of their efforts to fix the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.

And what must be driving them absolutely crazy with fear, is that the heaviest fire is coming from Western Canada. 

WorldPride 2014 and the Shadow of the Deathly Con Regime

Well it wasn't the yellow brick road, it was just the rainbow crosswalk in Toronto's gay village.

But it did lead to an amazing place. 

A celebration so big that two million people are expected to attend, and at one point 25 city blocks will have to be closed off.

And all I could think was, we have come a long way eh?

And so has Canada. 

Stephen Harper and the Great Pipeline Gambit

Well it's the talk of the town. The pundits are perplexed. Shock and confusion reigns.

Everybody is trying to figure out why Stephen Harper is disowning his tarry baby.

After working so hard to conceive it.

And in some parts of the country paranoia runs rampant. 

Rex Murphy: When a Pimp becomes a Pope

Lordy. I swear to Godzilla I didn't think it was possible. I really didn't believe you could be a pimp and a Pope at the same time.

And the resident right-wing demagogue of the CBC's flagship news program.

But Rex Murphy has proved me wrong.

It turns out you can be a ghastly oil pimp, and still publish religious tracts like this one. 

Stephen Harper and the Death of Parliament

It was the most politically depraved horror show this country has ever witnessed. It was nasty, it was brutal, it was bestial.

The way Stephen Harper raped our bleeding democracy over and over again. The way he muzzled and smeared his opponents. The way he lied about everything. The stench of corruption that burned the nostrils, the sound of monkeys howling and pigs squealing. 

It was the death of Parliament and the lowest form of political pornography...

But at least as Parliament adjourns for the summer, Harper and his Con regime have also staggered out of the rubble, or off the field, battered and bruised. 

Peter MacKay's Sad Spiral Into Sexist Idiocy

I've always had trouble trying to figure out Peter Dumbo MacKay's exact place in the Con universe.

He used to strike me as more of a happy idiot, than a hollow eyed member of the Harperite cult.

The kind of guy who would cheerfully borrow a government aircraft to go fishing.

Or borrow the neighbour's dog to try to make Belinda Stronach feel guilty about dumping him...

Stephen Harper and the Northern Gateway Monster

Gosh. Have you noticed how these days the Cons are always running away from something? 

Just a few weeks ago Jason Kenney was running away from the foreign workers scandal, as fast as his chubby little legs could carry him. While Julian Fantino ran away from a group of angry veterans.

And now Stephen Harper and the rest of his Con mob are desperately trying to get away from the Northern Gateway Pipeline. Harper hasn't even tweeted a word about his tarry baby.

And some of the other gang members are literally running for cover. 

Martha Hall Findlay's Ghastly Paean to the Northern Gateway Pipeline

Well I see Martha Hall Findlay has wasted no time soaking up the ethos of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. Or the oily fumes.

And has penned a passionate paean to the Northern Gateway pipeline. 

Every nation-building project in Canada has required negotiation, balance and compromise: Northern Gateway is no exception. You don’t build a nation by saying “No”. You need to ask “How".

Could Northern Gateway be Stephen Harper's Final Act?

No sooner had I finished my last post, about Stephen Harper's decision to approve the Northern Gateway pipeline, when I was struck by a sudden happy thought.

Could that be his final act? Could that be his final gift to Alberta? And could he be planning to resign, before construction begins, and the shit hits the fan?

So he can get the credit for the idea, and not be blamed for the bloodbath.

But sadly that moment of euphoria didn't last long eh? 

Because along came the guy who wrote Harperland to puncture that happy thought. 

The Cowboy King and the Northern Gateway Pipeline

Well, surprise, surprise, he couldn't contain himself. At the end of his political career, paranoid and increasingly desperate, his grand pipe dream of going down in history as Alberta's greatest champion proved irresistible.

The nerd from Etobicoke would be the Cowboy King of Albertonia. The one who put the other provinces in their place, and told BC to bend over and take his massive pipeline in the interests of Canada. And China.

And of course, his orders from Big Oil were clear and unmistakable:

Promise those suckers ANYTHING. But Northern Gateway must be built by whatever means necessary. 

Police Officer Charged in the Killing of Sammy Yatim

It was one of the most sickening things I have ever witnessed, the police execution of Sammy Yatim.

A teenager riddled with bullets on a streetcar for no sane reason. And then tasered as he lay there bleeding.

It was brutal, it was senseless, it was madness.

So I couldn't be happier about the decision to charge his killer. 

Stephen Harper and the Day of Decision

Well the day of decision is finally here. The day Stephen Harper must decide whether to approve the Northern Gateway Pipeline.

And no doubt he is psyching himself up in his bunker, by among other things reminding himself that David Suzuki was on that list of Canadian heroes I wrote about yesterday.

And he isn't.

But of course it won't be an easy decision, because there are no easy political options. 

Stephen Harper and the Crimes of the Punditocracy

After the way Stephen Harper has treated the media over the years. After the way he has humbled and humiliated them.

Or treated them like stooges.

It's hard to believe that some still worship at his feet. 

Or that some like Paul Wells would think that we could learn ANYTHING from that foul leader. 

Stephen Harper's Hugely Embarrassing List of Canadian Heroes

Historians will no doubt have a hard time trying to explain how so many Canadians were fooled for so long by Stephen Harper, in the horrifying years known as The Great Darkness.

When evil reigned, scientists were muzzled, history was reduced to propaganda and the cult of his personality. And hope withered on the vine.

But at least they'll agree on one thing: He was no Canadian hero or a Great Leader.

Except in his own troubled mind.

Just a morally depraved tinpot dictator, who must have really hated this list of REAL Canadian heroes. 

Stephen Harper and the Political Funeral of Tim Hudak

Well I wasn't invited to the Con funeral for Tim Hudak. And Stephen Harper hasn't said a word in public about his crushing defeat.

But since he sent in half his cabinet to campaign for him, and he hates the Liberals so much, I can only imagine how he must be feeling.

But don't tell that to our hapless Con media, because some of them, like his faithful fluffer John Ivison, would have us believe Boss Harper is not really mourning.

He's CELEBRATING !!!

The Sad Bromance of Stephen Harper and Tony Dumb Dumb

Well as you may remember, a few days ago I wrote about Tony Abbott's visit to Canada, to see his good buddy Stephen Harper.

The man he calls a "beacon" to the entire Conservative world.

And I told you how the bromance was so hot and heavy it almost set off the fire detectors at 24 Sussex drive.

Even after Abbott called Canada CANADIA...

The Con Regime and the War on Internet Anonymity

Well it's a very strange coincidence. But wouldn't you know it, on the day the Supreme Court gave the Cons another slap in the face.

By upholding the privacy of internet users. 

Rejecting government fears of a “crime-friendly Internet,” the Supreme Court of Canada said anonymity is vital to personal privacy in the digital era. It told police they need a judge’s permission before asking Internet providers for basic information that would identify their customers.

Stephen Harper's former flak Andrew MacDougall should call for the end to internet anonymity. 

The Amazingly Awesome Destruction of the Con Loser Tim Hudak

Well at the end of this long day, I guess it's safe to say that the people of Ontario weren't too impressed with Tim Hudak's vision of the future.

They didn't like his Made in America plan to create jobs by killing them. 

Or the fact he couldn't count.

And they did send him and his hideous Cons a clear and unmistakable message: 

Ontario is still progressive, and so is Canada. 

Are the Hudak Cons Trying to Steal the Ontario Election?

I guess it makes sense. Tim Hudak is incapable of coming up with an original idea, for obvious reasons.

So he is always borrowing them from others.

He borrowed his economic platform from the Koch brothers. Mike Harris' old gang is running his campaign.

And now he's clearly taken his voter suppression idea from the Harper Cons. 

Stephen Harper and the Republic of CanAlberta

It's one of the oldest and best known pictures of Stephen Harper. The Toronto nerd dressed up as an Alberta cowboy.

The one who fell in so much love with that province, he tried to put a firewall around it.

But it turns out that picture couldn't be more prophetic.

Because when it comes to the economy, as far as his foul Con regime is concerned.

There's Alberta, and then there's everybody else. 

Why I Might Vote for the Liberals in the Ontario Election.

With just two days before the Ontario election, and still not having decided whether to vote for the NDP or the Liberals, I decided to check out the lawn signs on the island, which is part of Trinity-Spadina riding.

And the results were no surprise. The island is still mostly orange, with a touch of green. The only blue signs are the ones from the No Jets at the Toronto Island Airport campaign.

And between that and the hypnotic scent of the giant ORANGE poppies...



For a moment I thought I might be able to vote for the NDP, for sentimental reasons. 

And get away with it.

Stephen Harper, Tim Hudak, and the Con Climate Change Deniers

When I first saw this picture of Stephen Harper and Tony Abbott having breakfast together, I thought something had gone wrong with their "special relationship."

I mean they both looked so tense, and the cat looked sooooo jealous.

And that even after Abbott called Harper a "beacon" for Conservatives all over the world.

But I guess Steve didn't like the way Tony called Canada CANADIA...



And neither did Tony, for obvious reasons...



But whatever was bothering those two climate change deniers, they soon got it out of their systems, by taking turns gang banging the very idea of a carbon tax. 

Chicken Hawk Harper's Hollow War on Russia

As I mentioned in my last post, Stephen Harper has been making a complete fool out of himself with his latest war of words with Vladimir Putin.

But at least he is getting some strong words of encouragement from his devoted friend Tony Abbott. 

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has called Russia a "bully" and demanded it stops "interfering" in Ukraine. Mr Abbott's strongest comments on Russia to date came while he was in Ottawa, and followed Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper's criticisms of president Vladimir Putin.

Because as we know, Harper is no bully. He's a Great Warrior Leader. Even if his bluster doesn't pass muster. 

Stephen Harper and the Groupie from Down Under

Well he may be making a fool of himself on the world stage. Posing as a champion of democracy and Vladimir Putin's worst nightmare. 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Russian President Vladimir Putin is an “extreme nationalist” and an “imperialist” who is threatening global peace and security. And he doesn’t mind standing alone in the stridency of his denunciations of the Russian president.

And no doubt making other world leaders cringe, or laugh themselves silly.

But he does have one big groupie, Tony Abbott, the climate change denier from Down Under. 

The Ontario Election and the Never-ending Con Nightmare

It was dull grey rainy Sunday on the waterfront where I live, but at least it gave me a chance to collect my thoughts, wonder what is happening to this country I sometimes no longer recognize.

And of course try to figure out who the hell I'm going to vote for in the Ontario election.

Because with only three days to go before voters go to the polls it's crunch time in the Big O. 

And it has been the weirdest election I've ever seen.

As well as the worst... 

Peter MacKay and the Secret Taping of John McKay

It seems only fitting that the person who secretly recorded Liberal MP John McKay in an attempt to embarrass Justin Trudeau.

A Liberal MP was secretly recorded saying that he thought party leader Justin Trudeau had a “bozo eruption” when he declared that anti-abortion candidates won’t be allowed to run for the Liberals.

The audio recording was made by someone with Conservative leanings.

Was apparently working for Peter MacKay, the minister in charge of invading our privacy.

Stephen Harper's Monstrous Abuse of Power

In two weeks time Parliament is expected to adjourn for the summer. But before it does it will have made this ghastly Harperland an even more sinister place.

For never has this country seen such a collection of reactionary bills. 

And as Andrew Coyne points out, never has there been such an abuse of power.

The Insane Adventures of the Increasingly Desperate Stephen Harper

OMG. Duck and cover. He's back in Ukraine again, posing as a champion of freedom and democracy.

Canada has and will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/NUgLXw4slz
— Stephen Harper (@pmharper) June 7, 2014

While crushing them both at home.

And of course, in relentless pursuit of the ethnic vote, trying to make it sound like he's leading the charge against the fascist dwarf Putin.

Even if it makes him look ridiculous. 

Stephen Harper: the Scary Madness and the Dangerous Denial

If there was any shadow of a doubt that Stephen Harper has lost sight of the boundary between reason and delusion, or democracy and dictatorship, there can be none now.

For he has made a mockery of our democracy, he has smeared his opponents, he has muzzled scientists, he has politicized the police and the military. He rules through fear and intimidation.

He is ramming his foul so-called cyber bullying bill through Parliament, so he can better identify his enemies. 

And now he is going for TOTAL CONTROL.

The Con Hookers and the War on the Supreme Court

I suppose it's only fitting that it should be Peter MacKay, the one who pimped the Progressive Conservative party to Stephen Harper and his Reform cowboys, who should make the announcement.

And that the hooker regime that would do ANYTHING to win or steal an election, should be the one to re-criminalize prostitution. 

The Ghastly Ontario Debate and the Fatal Weakness of Progressives

It only took about fifteen minutes of watching the Ontario leader's debate before I started to wish that I was watching something else. Anything else.

Or just lounging around with my friends on a lovely warm evening, like I suspect most people in the province were doing.

Because it was bad eh?

It was amateur hour. It was horribly mediocre. It was incredibly boring, in a painful depressing way. It was a REALLY bad movie. 

Tim Hudak's Sacred Oath and the Big Whopper

Well I see that Tim Hudak still will not admit that he can't count, and that his Million Job Plan is nothing but a scam.

But he has come up with a new and daring scheme to try to make it look like his platform is Canadian rather than American.

Require his cabinet ministers to swear an oath to Ontario. 

The Day Obama Humiliated Stephen Harper. Again.

Well as you know Stephen Harper has been duelling with the voices in his head. Seeing enemies everywhere, and losing track of what century he's living in.

Two days ago he was channelling Margaret Thatcher, fighting the Cold War all over again.

Challenging Vladimir Putin to knock down the Berlin Wall, and surrender the ethnic vote. 

Or ELSE !#@!!!!. 

And today he tried to go after Obama only to get clobbered. Or impaled on his own petard. 

The Tea Bagger Tim Hudak and the American Invasion

Damn. What a happy coincidence. Last night I was complaining about how the Liberals and the NDP were failing to go after Tim Hudak for his botched million job plan.

And for his connections to American right-wing extremists like the sinister Koch brothers, in whose think tanks that plan was hatched.

But today the Liberals came through on both fronts.

By releasing a video to let people know that Hudak can't count...